Mountain Wedding

On Friday, September 24, we traveled to Tortuguero ("place of turtles", translated) to attend the wedding of Edgar, one of Andrew’s nephews. We traveled for 5 hours on the main highway (toward Palenque) and then 25 minutes down a gravel road until we reached the home of Andrew’s oldest sister, María. We parked the car there and after a short visit with María and her daughter-in-law, Teresa, we began our walk that would take us up to Tortuguero. Our children with María, Andrew's oldest sister

Starting out on the trail

As soon as we began our walk, it began to rain. After waiting out the rain under a porch roof, we once again began our walk. I had been told that it had been raining, so we had brought rain boots for all of us to wear.

Waiting out the rain

We had to cross a swinging bridge (about 20 meters high) that takes you across a river that is over 100 meters wide and very deep. As soon as we crossed the swinging bridge, one of the men from Tortuguero met us with a horse to carry our children so they wouldn’t have to walk through the deep mud. Andrew and I walked behind the horse, eventually falling behind because of the deep mud caused by the rains. I was so thankful I had brought boots. At one point, the mud was nearly up to my knees! Two of Andrew’s nieces, Mirna and Inez, came down the mountain to help carry some of our things.

Descending the swinging bridge!

New bridge being built

Horse Ride!

This was the day after Deborah's 5th birthday. As Andrew picked her up and put her onto the horse, she said, "Daddy, this is my birthday present!"

After slipping and sliding through muddy trails for about 40 minutes, we arrived at the bottom of the mountain that we would climb. The trail that leads up the mountain is very rocky; it was so slippery that at times I had to pull myself up with the big rocks above me. It was beginning to get dark as we reached the top of the mountain. I was so thankful to have finally arrived.

Muddy trails!

The trail on to Madgalena’s house (Andrew’s second-oldest sister) was just as muddy. Soon we heard the excited shouts of our children, “Mommy! Daddy! You’re here!” After we were greeted by sisters, brothers-in-law, and many nieces and nephews, we were able to get out of our muddy clothes and take a bath. After having bathed the children and had a bath myself, I felt so much better. I was so tired! We were served delicious chicken soup and home-made tortillas.

Edgar is Elena’s son, Andrew’s 3rd sister. I remember Andrew telling me right after we got married that Elena was almost like a second mother to him. He said that when he was a small boy, every night, she would put him to bed and read the Bible to him by the light of the lantern. All of Andrew’s sisters (all 6 of them!) are just precious; but there is something special about Elena. She is quiet; and she radiates such a peaceful, sweet spirit. It is hard to describe. Even without being able to communicate well with her (she only speaks Ch’ol), I can tell she is a godly lady. And Edgar is a very sweet young man, as well. He is the oldest of three (Deonicio and Mirna are his siblings); and he is very responsible. He works with cattle and is a very hard worker. Last year, when Andrew had nose surgery in Villahermosa, Edgar rode a bus and stayed at the hospital and helped me with Andrew through the night after we got him home. (Because of his operation, Andrew was not able to get up by himself; he had to be lifted from his bed.) Edgar was a very big blessing to us during those days.
Edgar, the handsome groom

His bride, Diana, turned 16 in April. (Edgar is 22.) I saw her for the first time at the wedding. She has a beautiful smile and seems just as sweet as Edgar is. (When I found out he was getting married, I prayed, “Lord, help her to be a sweet and submissive helpmeet to him!” I feel like he deserves a good wife.) I was only with her for a very short time, but I know that she is a good girl and that she loves him.

I was told that Diana’s parents are Zapatista Rebels who live in Palenque, and when she was only 6 years old, they sent her to live with her sister in Tortuguero. So she sees her sister and her brother-in-law as her parents. Her sister and brother-in-law gave her away at the wedding. (The custom here is that both parents walk the bride down the aisle.)

Diana, the young bride

The wedding was to be at 12:00 p.m. on Saturday. By the time I was up and dressed on Saturday morning, there were guests already at the groom’s house, having breakfast. The men had already been up for hours. They killed a cow and a pig and many chickens. There must have been over 200 people at Elena’s house (actually in her yard) eating from tables that had been brought from the church. The men always eat first, and then the women. At about 11:30, Edgar came over to Magdalena’s house (where we were staying) and asked Andrew if he could help him with his tie. I snapped some pictures of the handsome groom; then Andrew went to the bride’s house to take pictures of her.
The children and I walked down to the church. The walk to the church was very, very muddy…Deborah was carried and Little Andrew managed by himself. (I wore my rain boots and carried my shoes; once I was at the church, I changed in to my regular shoes.)
The custom in the Indian villages here is that the groom and his parents go to the bride’s house and accompany the bride and her parents (walking) to the church. All the church people go to the bride’s house and walk behind the bride and groom and their families, accompanied by a singing group who play their instruments and sing all the way from the bride’s house to the church.

The congregation following the bride and groom to the church

(Edgar and his mom and dad in the front)

The ceremony was beautiful. Although I did not understand, it was sweet to watch the pastor conduct the ceremony. Two decorated chairs had been placed below the platform for the couple, directly in front of and facing the pulpit, where they sat throughout the whole ceremony. After the sermon, the pastor called them to the platform where they knelt and the pastor prayed for them. He then told the groom he could remove the veil from the bride’s face, which he did; but there was no kiss. Afterwards, the pastor had the couple stand at the front of the church and one of the men held an offering basket; then the whole congregation walked past the couple, where they left money in the basket and hugged the bride and groom. (Some of the people had a gift that they left at the altar for the couple.)

The congregation then followed the couple to the groom’s house where we were served yet another meal. The last person finally left around 6:00 p.m.

It rained throughout the entire ceremony, and let up only when the couple walked to the house. It rained from then on, all afternoon long and throughout the night.
At about 9:00 p.m., the electricity went out. We had to light candles and use flashlights. Elena invited us down to her house for supper. I was eager to see the couple together after everyone had left. Edgar built a small room in his parents’ house, and that is where they will live. When we sat down to eat, Diana sweetly helped her mother-in-law serve everyone. She seemed very comfortable and she acted like she had been a part of the family for years. I caught Edgar looking at her several times, but never saw any show of affection between them. I asked Diana the next morning, “How does it feel to be married?” She responded with a beautiful, shy smile,

“Good. I am so happy!”

“Lord, please bless Edgar and Diana’s marriage. Please pour out your blessings on this special couple. May Your name be honored and glorified through their lives.”

As I think about the way this wedding was conducted, and the customs of the Indians in the village, I couldn’t help but think of us, the church, as the bride of Christ. I thought of the following Scripture verses:

Revelation 19:7,8: “Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.”

Revelation 21:2: “And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared a bride adorned for her husband.”

Isaiah 61:10: “I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.”

I couldn’t help thinking of the parallel between the groom and his father going to get the bride, and of God the Father sending His Son to get His bride, the church… As Diana was preparing herself for her groom to come get her, so should we be ever ready, for we know not when our Lord will come. When Diana walked down the aisle, I could smell her perfume as she walked past our seats. She had a sweet smell about her; it makes me consider myself…is my spirit a sweet aroma before my Lord? Have I adorned myself with the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of my God of great price?

Are you ready? Are you watching and waiting? Do you anticipate the day when the Lord comes for His bride? “He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.” Is that your earnest prayer?

May it be so in the heart of every Christian today.

Running Water, Bucket Baths, and Kettles

When we moved to San Antonio, we lived in a small room in the clinic which had served as an examining room (where Andrew had lived since he had begun working there). The room was only big enough for a twin bed and a small table.

Andrew's office

Our room

Before we got married, Andrew had told the villagers, “Now I can live anywhere, but after we get married, I will have to move to Chilón where we can rent a house.” (Chilón is a small town about 15 miles from San Antonio.) But the villagers wanted us to live in their village, so they all donated money to buy building material and began building our house. It took longer than we had anticipated to get the house built and ready, so we lived in that small room inside the clinic for about one year.

Pancake breakfast...made on our bed!!!

The room we lived in had no bathroom and no running water. Andrew had bought a little electric burner where I was able to cook our food; and we had to walk to the school (about 160 yards from our room…I counted once!) to shower and use the bathroom. I cannot complain; I look back on that first year of married life with very sweet and happy, happy memories!

We had a 5-gallon Igloo jug where we stored our water. I purified it with drops of Clorox (I had seen my mother do that all my life, until we were able to buy purified water in San Cristóbal). Those 5 gallons of water were used for washing hands, brushing teeth, and washing dishes. I’d fill a kettle of water and take our dishes outside and wash our dishes with the kettle. How did I do it? I just did! I had my little system, and it worked!

Don Manuel and Doña Anita were a couple who became very dear to us during the time we lived in San Antonio. Doña Anita was Andrew’s official helper (called his “Auxiliar” among the villagers). When Andrew was gone, she was in charge of giving out medications to the sick and she even learned to give shots. But she and Don Manuel were a very giving couple. Before we got married, Andrew took his meals at Doña Anita’s house; after we got married, she told me, “Anytime you need tortillas, come to my house and I will give them to you.” She made hand-made tortillas on a fire…yum, yum, delicious! We always had fresh, hot, hand-made tortillas to go with our meals. They were so good to us during the time we lived there.

She told us, “Any time you want to take your showers at my house, you are welcome to.” And occasionally, we did. Sometimes when the school teachers weren’t there, they locked the school up and we were not able to get into the school bathroom; or sometimes there was no running water at the school, and we’d shower at Doña Anita’s house. Their shower room was separate from the bathroom, and had no door…only a shower curtain. So Andrew would stand guard outside the shower while I showered.

Now, when I talk about showers, I mean there was no hot water! We’d shower with cold water! We’d just grit our teeth and shower as quickly as possible! On really cold days, we had an electric wire that we’d stick into a bucket of water and heat our water that way.

One night, we showered at Doña Anita’s house. Someone was talking to Andrew, so he wasn’t really watching the curtain! Suddenly, he said, “Watch it for the little lady,” (in English). I said, “What?!” He repeated, “Watch it for the little lady!” I looked and saw two little sandaled feet standing at the curtain; and when I looked up, I saw Doña Anita’s little 4-year-old niece, Deisy, peeking in at me!!! I shooed her away!
From that time on, Andrew more carefully guarded the curtain!!!

Doña Anita is the lady on the far left. Deisy is the little girl on the left. I climbed these steps that go to the roof to hang out our clothes.

I also washed our clothes, by hand, at Doña Anita’s. She had a big tank and a wash area and she graciously allowed me to wash our clothes there. I’d hang them up on a clothes line strung on top of her roof. There were times a sudden rain storm would come and I’d run over to Doña Anita’s, quickly climb on top of her roof and bring my clothes in!

After Little Andrew was born, we’d always take our showers at Doña Anita’s. That way, I could heat Little Andrew’s water on her stove.
The house the villagers built for us

It was July, 2003, when we finally moved into the house that the villagers had built for us. It was a rectangle building, made of boards, with a division in the middle. The right area was our livingroom-kitchen area; and the left area was our bedroom. They didn’t add a bathroom on until right before Deborah was born, in 2005; so for another 2 years, we lived in that house, but still had no running water. But I was so happy to have a larger living area, and thankful to actually be able to have a real stove and even have enough space for a refrigerator! We really enjoyed our home!

My kitchen area. Modern for the villagers. The Indian women were always so curious, and loved to stand at my window (behind me in the picture) and watch me cook.

So I continued to carry our clothes and eventually our dirty dishes over to Doña Anita’s to wash them. A few months later, the village men put a faucet right behind our house, so I was able to carry a little bench out back and wash my dishes out there. Little by little, our home became more comfortable for us.

Our livingroom area. Through the door was our bedroom

(See part of the hammock? That was Little Andrew's bed!)

In September, 2004, my dad said, “Anna, I want to buy you a washing machine.” I said, “Dad that is really sweet and generous of you, but I don’t have a place to put it!” He said, “Some day you will. And when you do, I want you to have one.” So he bought me a very nice washing machine, which we kept in San Cristóbal, and I used when we’d come on the weekends. A few months later, the village men said, “Dr. Andrew, I think we should add a bathroom on to your house.” They did, and my life was revolutionized. We could now use the bathroom there, I could bathe my babies without having to go to someone else’s house; and there was even enough space for my washing machine inside that bathroom; so I could now even wash our clothes AND our dishes in that bathroom! I felt like I was on top of the world!!!

The west side of our house where I hung our clothes out to dry. The little room off the back is the bathroom.

Now, under normal circumstances, one wouldn’t think I had “come up in this world.” To be put into that house from the beginning would have seemed like less than comfortable. But because of the circumstances in which we had lived before, we were so, so grateful and happy to be able to live in that house! And we DID live comfortably in that house until my husband was moved.

I remember one day, I was making our bed in our first little love nest, and I thought, “How nice it would be to have a bigger place to live!” Immediately, it was as if the Holy Spirit spoke to me, “Don’t become discontent. I am preparing you for your next step in life.” Looking back, I realized the Lord was teaching me a very valuable lesson. Be content with SUCH THINGS as ye have; if not, you won’t be content with the next thing that God will give you. Had I not been content in that small room where we started, I would not have been content in the board house the villagers sacrificed to provide for us. You’d think we had moved into a mansion when we were able to move into the house with a rough concrete floor, made of boards that had spaces between them (and where mice, snakes, and other animals were able to come in and make themselves at home!). And that’s another thing…Andrew became quite the expert mice killer! Beware, mice! What fun we had hunting and killing mice (well, I’d watch the hilarious spectacle from on top of the table, usually!!!) That’s a totally different good story for a different time… On three different occasions we found snakes in our house. One morning, I was brushing my hair at our dresser mirror, and I looked down and saw that a snake had shed its skin onto the leg of my dresser table!! (Oh, Yeah!) Before I’d lay Deborah in her baby bed, I had to take out each blanket and shake it, and then I’d take out the bottom to check for snakes. One morning I was reading my Bible at our dining table, and a baby opossum came running through our house…through one side, and quickly out the other! I don’t know who was more surprised and scared: me or the baby opossum!

But do you get what I’m saying? What is God preparing you for next? Don’t complain! Don’t become bitter at your circumstances. Because if you’re not happy now, you surely won’t be happy at the next place God takes you!

Lovely home in San Antonio

“…and be content with such things as ye have…”
Hebrews 13:5

While You Were Sleeping

It is my privilege as a mother to be able to pray for my children. Our Little Andrew Jonathan will be 7 in December, and Deborah Jolene will be 5 in September; it seems that time just flies by! I want to do all I can in my prayer life and in my personal life so God will put His hand of blessing on my little ones!

I wrote this poem last year. I hope it will encourage you to continue to pray faithfully for your children.

"Then were brought unto HIM little children, that HE should put HIS hands on them, and pray:

and the disciples rebuked them.

But JESUS said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto ME:

for of such is the kingdom of heaven.

And HE laid HIS hands on them, and departed thence."

Matthew 19:13-15

WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING

While you were still sleeping, my dear little one,
I got up out of bed, a little after dawn
So I could have time alone with my Lord
And search for wisdom found in His Word.

While you were still sleeping, of your surroundings unaware
Down on my knees I spent time in prayer
And I asked the Lord to keep you safe throughout the day
As you spent your day in fun and in play.
While you were still sleeping, smiling in your dreams
I prayed and asked God to use you as best to Him seems
And that at an early age He would call you to salvation
And that you’d keep yourself pure in time of temptation.

And while you were still sleeping, content in the warmth of your blanket
I smiled as I thought of you, with hands in your pockets
When you had come up to me, smiling so handsomely and said,
“Mommy, you’re the prettiest lady I’ve never seen,” and patted my head.
And I prayed for you, that God would give you a sweet, submissive wife,
And that she would love and obey you and be a blessing to your life.
I know you’re still small, and these things won’t be for a long time
But even now I pray that you would fulfill God’s sweet purpose divine.

And then you woke up, and we went throughout our day,
That included school, some chores, and, of course, lots of play
And I was reminded as I did my motherly duties in my daily routine
Of the things for which I’d prayed, even for things yet unseen.
And my Lord reminded me that if you come to fulfill the things for which I pray

I will have to be a godly example every moment, every day
Because your heart at this age is so very tender
And for you to see Jesus in me, my will I must surrender.

And so tonight, after you were tucked away in your cozy bed
I kissed you good night as I pushed the hair away from your forehead
And as I walked out of your bedroom I turned out the light
And I smiled as I thought about you, such a delight.
But then before I got into my own warm bed
In prayer I quietly bowed my head
And prayed for forgiveness for my sins of the day
For the things I had done, or for something I might have said.

“Dear Father in Heaven, please help me to remember
That if I’m not careful I might possibly hinder
The work that You want to do in the life of my child
Please never let me be used to plant seed of guile.

Please keep me from making a terrible mistake
Or from living a Christian life that is fake
So that my sweet little boy would want to imitate
Your Own Holy Son, and never forsake
The path that is godly and holy and right,
But would always walk in God’s wisdom and light.”
And again tomorrow, while you are still sleeping
I’ll wake up before you do, and continue speaking
To my Heavenly Father, and ask for His keeping
Over your life, and I’ll believe in the reaping
That will come from countless hours of asking and believing
That God’s promises one day I will be receiving.

.
And when you, my little one, are old enough to understand
Remember that God has something special for you planned
And you have a mother who has prayed for you so
And I’ll continue to pray as you continue to grow.


Written by
Mrs. Anna López
09/November/2009

John and Elaine Beekman Part 2

On my second visit to Amado Nervo, I took things with me to bake pumpkin bread. (My in-laws have a big harvest of pumpkins every year.) I had taken pans in which to bake the bread; but Mom López proudly opened her oven to show me where she keeps her baking pans. She pointed to them and said, “Elena Beekman.” In Ch’ol she said, “These were hers.”

I couldn’t believe that after all these years she had kept these pans! Truly, these are a treasure to her! She showed me other dishes that Mrs. Beekman had left for her, which she still uses.

One time when we were there, after our children were born, it was time to eat, and Mom López told my children in Ch’ol to wash their hands; but they didn’t understand her. So she said (in English), “Wash a hands.” Everyone burst out laughing; and the children obeyed her. She proudly said, “The Beekmans taught me how to say that.”

Andrew and his Mom in her kitchen

During the 8 years that we have been married, I have come to realize how much the Beekmans meant to my father- and mother-in-law. Because of the faithfulness of these missionaries, my father-in-law was encouraged to remain faithful to his Lord until the day he died.

I recently came across the following, written about the Beekmans in 1955:

Deep in the mountains of southern Mexico, five days by horseback from any road, there is a mud-walled, thatched-roof house in a village called Amado Nervo. Here for six years have lived two missionaries, John and Elaine Beekman. Most of the time John Beekman is directing the work of the hundred Ch’ol Indians who spread out from Amado Nervo preaching and teaching their tribesmen to read.

In addition he manages to find time to work at translating the Bible in Ch’ol with the help of three other translators. Five books of the New Testament are now completed. Thanks to the Beekmans—and to the American Bible Society which has published the texts—more than 3000 Ch’ols have become Christians.

The house of John Beekman is but one of the many outposts of the American Bible Society, which last year distributed more than 15,000,000 Bibles, Testaments and Gospels in 144 languages to people in forty-eight countries and nine groups of Pacific islands.

When we were in Amado Nervo at the beginning of this month, my mother-in-law showed me some letters that Mrs. Beekman sent to them over the years. How she treasures those letters…written in her native Ch’ol dialect. As Andrew translated those letters to me, I was touched by the deep love that the Beekmans had toward my in-laws.

In the book, Peril by Choice, I read that Mrs. Beekman majored in music at Moody Bible Institute, where she graduated in 1946. When they arrived on the field, it is said that she thought, “All my music preparation will be of no use here in this mountain village!” But God DID have a specific purpose for Mrs. Beekman’s music talents. She translated many, many hymns into Ch’ol, which are still sung in the Ch’ol churches and homes today. Every day, my mother-in-law plays hymns sung in Ch’ol on her cassette player (and she sings along!).

This past week, Andrew and I were blessed to have spoken on the telephone to Mrs. Judy (Beekman) Van Rooy, the Beekmans’ daughter, for the fist time. She remembers Dad and Mom López very well. “In fact,” she said to Andrew, “when I was ten years old, I remember going with my mother to help with the delivery one of your brothers.” Tears came to my eyes as I listened to Andrew and Mrs. Van Rooy converse. She told us that Mrs. Beekman read her Bible in Ch’ol every morning so that she would not forget Ch’ol. She said, “The day before my mother died, my brother asked her, ‘Mom, what do you look forward to the most about going to Heaven?’ And Mom said, ‘Oh, seeing the Ch’ol believers!’”

It has been said that through the ministry that John Beekman began among the Ch’ols, over 12,000 Ch’ols came to know Christ. But I know that for at least one family his ministry made a real difference.

Dad López watching us leave through his house window

John and Elaine Beekman Part 1

--Written Autust 5th, 2010 in Amado Nervo--

In 1951, Wycliffe Missionary John Beekman and his beautiful wife, Elaine, arrived in Amado Nervo, a small village nestled in the mountains of southern Chiapas. Bro. Beekman had to walk or travel by horseback for many long hours over rough mountain trails to reach the village where he would work and live among the Ch’ol Indians. Over a period of eight years, with the help of the natives, he translated the New Testament into the Ch’ol dialect and Mrs. Beekman translated hundreds of hymns into Ch’ol.

The mountains surrounding Amado Nervo

My father-in-law, Gregorio López, was one of the men who worked faithfully with Bro. Beekman. Missionary John Beekman was very influential in the spiritual growth of my father-in-law, whom I affectionately refer to as Dad López.

John and Elaine Beekman eventually moved to another village called Berea, located on the Tulija River, to begin a ministry to train Ch’ol men to reach other villages with the Gospel. Dad López moved his family to Berea to continue working with the beloved missionary. A few years after they moved their ministry to Berea, John Beekman was asked to became the Translation Coordinator for Wycliffe Bible Translators, and Missionary Hank Stegenga took his place. Bro. Stegenga took over the Bible Institute that trained many, many Ch’ol Indian men who evangelized the Ch’ol villages. Dad López worked faithfully under the missionaries in Berea for 22 years. After the missionaries moved the Bible Institute to the city of Palenque, Dad López moved his family once again back to Amado Nervo.

Gregorio and his sweet wife, Juana, raised 10 children. Their ninth child is the one I was blessed to have married.

Andrew had spoken to us of John Beekman, the missionary to the Ch’ol Indians. My mother recalled a book she had acquired in 1970 called Peril By Choice, by James Hefley. It is the biography of John Beekman and his life and ministry among the Ch’ols. (I encourage you to read that book. It is a very inspiring story.) We were surprised to learn of the connection between Andrew and the Beekmans.

Two months after our wedding, my husband took me to the village of Amado Nervo, where his parents were living. We went to celebrate Mother’s Day.

The nearly two-hour trip up the mountain in a rickety old truck on a bumpy gravel road was exciting to me. I had heard of Amado Nervo for many years, and I was so excited to be able to finally come to my in-laws’ home.

Mom López greeted us with a chicken stew. (She raises her own chickens and prepares delicious chicken stew and home-made tortillas on an out-door fire.) Let me say here that Mom López is one of the hardest-working women I have ever met. She has been an inspiration and a wonderful example of a wise and prudent lady. She reverenced and obeyed and submitted to her husband; she joyfully raised 10 children in the poorest of circumstances; and she goes about her house-hold duties with a smile, untiring, it seems. The house she now lives in is not fancy at all, but she is very proud of her home. Andrew tells me this house is much, much better than any house they’ve ever lived in. Deborah feeding her "ChuChu's" (Grandma in Ch'ol) chicks, August, 2010

The two days we were in Amado Nervo, we were treated like royalty. A few times that Andrew and I walked around the village, some of the older people asked if I was the grand-daughter of their beloved John Beekman.

Every night (on that visit, and every single visit thereafter), before we went to bed, Dad López got out his Ch’ol Bible and hymnbook, put on his glasses, and read to us from the Bible in Ch’ol. He’d lead us in memory verse recitation and in songs and always gave a testimony to the Lord’s goodness. I never understood everything he said, but “Juan Beekman” and “Enrique Stegenga” were sometimes mentioned. How precious to be able to hear him read from the Bible that he had helped to translate!

Dad López and Little Andrew, grinding corn...2008

In later years, after our children were born, Dad López took time to teach them songs in Ch’ol, which they still sing today, among others which Andrew has helped them learn. I cannot help but thank God for the godly heritage my children have. Only the providence of God could have brought about the amazing story we can tell to our children: How God’s grace brought the saving Gospel to the hidden mountains in Ch’ol country, and how Gregorio López was saved; and was blessed to have been able to work with two pioneer missionaries in these mountain villages.

In 2008, Mom López had to be given special medical care in Tuxtla, the capitol city of Chiapas, and she and Dad López spent some time with us in San Cristóbal. Andrew asked his dad one evening, “Dad, do you have Bro. Stegenga’s phone number with you?” He did, and we called Bro. Stegenga on Skype. Over the speaker connected to the computer, I could hear as Dad López and Bro. Stegenga conversed in Ch’ol. Andrew told me that Bro. Stegenga speaks Ch’ol perfectly! As they got ready to say goodbye, Dad López began to weep. His tears ran down his wrinkled face and fell to the floor! What a sweet sight that was to me! I thought, “This missionary was really loved by this Ch’ol man!” I had the privilege of talking to Bro. Stegenga, and he told me, “Your husband grew up in my shadow. I remember him well.”

Last year, I received a message from Bro. Stegenga, saying that he was going to be in the Palenque area, and that he would like to see Dad López. At his 79 years of age, Dad López made the effort to travel to see Bro. Stegenga. I am told that it was a happy, happy reunion. It was the last time they would see each other on this earth, as Dad López passed on only eight months later.

Deborah at the car window as we were nearing Amado Nervo

Yesterday, as I looked over the valley (or “bowl,” as this village was referred to by the missionaries) where the village of Amado Nervo is located, which now looks much different than it did when the Beekmans lived here, I thought, “I am looking at the same mountains they looked at when they looked out of their window. I can see the same spot where the airstrip was built so the M.A.F. planes could bring supplies to the missionaries.” I prayed, “Lord, I want to make a difference. Please use me to make a difference in someone’s life, just as John Beekman and Hank Stegenga made in the life of my father-in-law; thus impacting my husband’s life, which in turn influences my children’s lives!!! Use me, Lord!”

Amado Nervo, the view from my mother-in-law's house