Maria's story

I remember my first couple of months living in Bocachica. We had just had a team in January visit us. One of the things they brought was a bag of baseballs, bats, and soccer balls. The local kids were ecstatic. We would lend them out daily. The only requirement was they had to be returned. One afternoon, I was watching the local kids play from the porch and I saw this lady go to the side of her house and pick up our soccer ball and bring it into her house. 

Photo credit: Sarah Southern

Later that afternoon, I went to this house here shown above and asked for the ball back. My Spanish at this time was very basic. When I walked over the porch area was full of family members who lived there. Her house is known as "Maria's hotel" due to as many as 28 people living in this house at one time. Maria, the owner of the house came to me. I politely asked for the ball. She laughed and said the ball has been hitting her house. She got a machete and with a loud tone told me if the ball hits her house again she would cut the ball into many pieces.  Then proceeded to hand me the ball. I walked away embarrassed and upset. It had occupied my thoughts for a couple of days. Who would do such a thing? Clearly, I was showing love to the local kids and those kids were just having fun. I mean what's the big deal? I finally thought to myself. I can let this bother me and go on being upset or I could "kill her with kindness." I decided once again, even with broken Spanish to go over to that house one more time. I saw Maria sitting in front of her house, and gave her a plate of chocolate chip cookies. I didn't have to say much at all. Once again the following week, I made a loaf of banana bread and brought it over to her. Never saying much, Just a simple hello and a show of love. A couple of weeks later she showed up at the mission door with a tray full of fish for our family. I know she sacrificed food that they would have eaten to show love to us in return.

Maria is known by many in Bocachica, for a long time, she operated a bar at her house which blasted music. The house is one room wide and continues room after room until it ends at the ocean edge. There are drugs being used in this house, many young kids who are not being cared for like you and I would wish, and not to mention the countless stories of fights that happen in this location.

About a year after we had lived there, we had the pleasure of seeing and hearing how she became saved. Four years ago she became ill and was in the hospital. She said she was visited by an evil spirit, and he said that if she were to die she was going with him. This terrified Maria. When she returned to the island, Maria shut down her bar, began going to church and was discipled by Blanca Rosa, a missionary. She was baptized in the ocean by pastor Jorge Ivan. I could see the difference in Maria. She had a softer spirit about her. She tended to the children in the house better. I even remember her throwing birthday parties for some of the kids.

This past October, Maria was hospitalized for complications due to diabetes. She spent 10 days in the hospital. The doctor said there was nothing else they could do. She asked to be released in order to die in the comforts of her home. She made her way back to the island. Her family was around her and she was at home. When she was ready to go, she asked her son to bring out the music. A music system that is very loud like most typical Bocachicans. She told everyone to leave the room. Maria. by herself, sang and danced to worship music. Her son recounted that after a while she got tired and sat down in a chair and just continued clapping. After a moment more she died. Maria's life ended praising the Lord. A testimony to her family of her relationship with the Lord.

 She became a Christian late in life, she suffered poor health, and she never moved up financially from a small wood house. She died, though, with joy and peace that many that seem to "gain the whole world" lack. On the island, there is a rich man that has to travel with armed guards because he lives in fear. There is a contrast between the two lives that seems should be reversed. That is the mystery of the Gospel. This woman found peace in joy in apparent misery. We saw a life change 180 degrees and the difference was the Gospel. Jesus Christ can make a new creation.

Courtesy of Damaris

Berlin, Damaris, and Maria at a church dinner