August 2 was the first anniversary for the Casa de Acogida or “shelter
house” in Punta Arenas. Located one block from the regional
hospital the Casa has ministered to more than 200 women and children
during its first year of service to the Southern Patagonians.
Punta
Arenas has the only fully equipped hospital in the Chilean region
of Southern Patagonia. Because of that people who live outside
of the city, such as in Puerto Natales or Puerto Williams further
south than Tierra de Fuego have a difficult time finding inexpensive
housing while they are being treated through the hospital. Many
would literally live in the hospital waiting rooms between treatments
or while a loved one was a patient. The majority of these people
do not have funds to stay at a hotel or to purchase many meals
at a restaurant. This caused overcrowding in the waiting rooms
and additional work for the staff. The Casa has become
a home away from home for them. It is much on the order of a Ronald
McDonald home in the United States.
While
the shelter is owned by the Health Department of the region which
also pays utilities, it is operated by the Baptist women of Punta
Arenas. Three Baptist churches and one mission rotate weeks of
service at the Casa. Pilar Gallardo is the director
of the Casa and coordinates the ministry of the women.
She and her youngest son live at the Casa. The women
are enthusiastic and very committed to their work. They come Monday
through Friday, arriving at 9:00 a.m. and staying until 6:00 in
the afternoon. The ladies help with cleaning and food preparations.
But more than anything they spend time with the visitors to the Casa.
During the first year there have been more than 30 who have received
Christ as their Lord and Savior. Pastor Eliseo Merino has made
the statement that the Casa has become one of the
most effective tools for sharing the Gospel and making contacts
with people throughout the region.
The Casa can
sleep up to 9 women and children at a time. Seeing the love and
shelter shared with people from his city the mayor of Puerto Williams
donated a refrigerator and a television to the Casa.
The Evangelical Pastors of the region donated their time and money
to build some of the beds and bedside tables. Many of the churches
have shared needed items such as clothing, food, personal hygiene
products, etc. This past month the First Baptist Church of Kona
Hawaii sent money which purchased a microwave, a cassette player,
a VCR, Christian cassettes and videos. Many of the visitors have
lots of time between treatments and visitation hours and the VCR
will provide a means of wholesome programs as well as the Gospel
through Christian videos. Others have given Bibles, tracts, shelving,
food and linens to help this home give shelter to so many.
You
might wonder who these women and children are who come and stay
in the Casa. Most come for as few as one or two nights,
but others come and stay for up to a month at a time. Often they
will arrive in the middle of the night via an ambulance from Puerto
Natales. Those living in Puerto Williams or Porvenir on Tierra
de Fuego usually come by small plane. Those from Puerto Eden, the
most northern point of the region come by boat to Puerto Natales
and then by ambulance, usually at least a four days journey. Elsa
is from Porvenir and comes every week for four days undergoing
dialysis treatment. Marta from Puerto Williams was at the Casa for
more than a month while taking radiation therapy for her cancer.
Patricia is at the Casa and waiting to give birth
to her fourth child. She arrived a week before the cesarean was
scheduled and will stay a week afterward to have the first checkup
for the baby before returning home. In Puerto Williams there is
a small hospital but it only has one doctor on staff Another Marta
from Puerto Williams has come with her daughter Macarena. “Maca” was
thought to have a cyst on her ear drum. It was discovered at the
hospital that instead of a cyst it was only a wad of cotton that
had moved down into the ear canal. Marta said that she would be
returning in January to wait for her baby’s birth.
Pilar
shared the story of one lady who received help from the Casa.
Claudia arrived in an ambulance in December with a problem in the
last months of a pregnancy. She was very concerned for the health
of her unborn child. Pilar and others prayed with her both for
her health and that of the baby’s. Recently she had to make
a return trip to Punta Arenas when her seven-year old son was injured.
Again she stayed at the Casa. Claudia mentioned that
her baby was born and was very healthy and thanked Pilar for the
prayers. While her son was in the hospital Claudia prayed with
Pilar, asking the Lord to come into her life. As she left with
Pedro to return to Puerto Natales Claudia left these words: “Thank
you for everything, for what you did to help my son and myself.
Your prayers were heard and now my son is much better. We will
visit again soon.” Pilar shared Claudia’s
situation with the missionary pastor in Puerto Natales and now
she is being discipled by the pastor.
There are many other stories like Claudia’s. Pilar always
works to put the people in contact with a church or a believer
in their home community. If the visitors are in town on Sunday
she encourages them to attend church with her. On a recent trip
to Puerto Natales Pilar was able to visit with several ladies who
had stayed at the Casa. She and Jackie will be planning
a trip to visit others in Puerto Williams in late September.
Pray for Pilar and for the ladies who work in this ministry. Pray
for those 30 plus who have made professions of faith, that they
will find a place of worship in their hometown. Pray for pastors
and others who are working in follow-up with these women. And most
especially pray for the women and the children who come to the Casa,
that the Lord will bless their health, their lives, and lead them
to find not just a place out of the cold for a night, but a place
where they can understand the words of I Peter 5: 7 “Throw
all your worries on Him, for He cares for you.”
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