SOLOLÁ — In the daylight, my cell phone’s LCD flashlight barely has any effect, but one night last week it led me and a neighbor stumbling and sliding down a steep path in search of a lost boy.
As I arrived home late that night, a crowd of people had gathered by the gate. “Uh-oh,” I thought. “I’m late, and I’m in trouble.” My landlady had told me she would lock the gate at 9 p.m. and here I was more than an hour late getting home. I didn’t think it would be a problem, though, because I can reach over the gate a
nd move the boards she props against it for “security.”
That evening, I left Viña Studios late enough that I decided I didn’t feel like cooking. So, I walked to the central park where a Kaqchikel woman and her two teen-aged daughters offer hearty, economical meals for $1.75. Fortunately, they were still there at 10 p.m., and I enjoyed my meal.
Once home, however, I learned something had happened. A neighbor’s son, under the influence of alcohol, had turned down a dark path by our house, reportedly running full speed ahead, throwing himself down a steep, wooded bank, high above a small stream. A friend had been with him and witnessed this.
Several neighbors and I walked toward the canyon to see what we could see, but all we saw was darkness. A man there needed a light, 
so I followed him down the path, lighting the way with my cell-phone flashlight in one hand. With chagrin, I realized I was still wearing my backpack, carrying in my other hand, my umbrella and a papaya I had purchased in the market. Tree branches and shrubs were in short supply so we both went sliding at different times. The man turned out to be the boy’s father. We reached the creek bed and found nothing. But some neighbors located him in thick woods above us and downstream a bit. Later, volunteer firefighters arrived and climbed down the steep bank to fetch him.
I didn’t realize it till he was past me, but the boy, who is just 15, exited on his own strength and went running past us. “Grab him!” his father shouted twice, and several people, including his sister, ran him down. Then, as the boy crouched on the ground, his father kicked him twice on the bottom, prompting cries and shouts. I was afraid a fight would break out, and I tried to calm the father and guide him elsewhere.
After the firefighters and the father left, taking the boy to the hospital, I noticed my landlady in the narrow dirt road embracing a neighbor; the boy’s grandmother, sobbed and cried.
Jesus said his followers are the light of the world. Although believers may feel puny, and our light may be weak, against the dark night we must let the light of Christ shine in and through us. Even a puny light like my LCD flashlight may be useful in darkness.
*****
On Sunday, I happened to see my neighbor carrying a Bible and on his way to church with his family. He thanked me profusely for accompanying him down the trail and apologized for his son. He spent quite a while explaining that the family “goes to church.” Families certainly have their troubles, even families who follow Jesus. Please pray for this family that church attendance may not be the sum total of their religion but that they may know Jesus, whom to know in reality is to have eternal life (John 17:3).
*****
Jesus said that he is the Light of the world. The Apostle John wrote “God is light and there is no darkness in him,” (I John 1:5). Jesus also said his followers are the light of the world. Light reveals things otherwise hidden by darkness. His followers come to the light of Christ and leave behind the works of darkness.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God. — John 3:16-21.*****
At the time I published the news about Flavio, Viña Studios' videographer, being robbed on a bus I didn’t have any photos of his kitty backpack. Later, he purchased a new motorcycle. Flavio & his girlfriend, Linda, recently made a trip down to Lake Atitlán. He provided some photos for me today. You can view the photos at this blog post.
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