Olga

The greatest tragedy in the world, century after century, is not the wars or acts of nature that kill and destroy humankind and the ecology. The greatest tragedy in the world is the loss of human potential through greed, neglect, and the grievous acts of fellow human beings. Bob Pearce, one president of World Vision, said, “I pray that my heart may be broken by that which breaks the heart of God.”

Every child born of God comes into this world with unique gifts and graces, with potentials far beyond our fondest imaginations, but most go to their graves with their music still half in them. The heart of God must surely be broken.

Olga is so far such a person. I met Olga in Antigua, Guatemala, at a distribution of wheelchairs for the poor. Olga is the kind of person that folks notice when she comes into a room. She is attractive, vivacious, outgoing, personable, and she is wheelchair bound. If you were looking for a person to hire as a receptionist or other staff member she is one you would want to interview. At the wheelchair distribution she was a great help, remembering names, comforting those waiting in line with disabled family members, and making sure things went smoothly. She is a people person.

When I went in the van to take Olga home I saw a bigger picture of her life and problems. She lives with her parents in a barrio built on a very steep hill. The four-wheel-drive van had great difficulty negotiating the rocks and ledges to her house. The house is a dirt-floored rental house built in a unique way. Apparently the builder planned to put wooden floors in the house but never did. There is a concrete threshold a foot high between every room, meaning that Olga is confined to one room or has to be lifted over each threshold.

The house is very small, almost barren of furniture, and unpainted. Well-meaning US friends have provided paint for it, but the family is afraid to paint it, lest the owner raise the rent when they see the nicer looking house, not an uncommon practice.

So, there sits Olga, born of God with great gifts and potential, but trapped in poverty and the circumstances of her life. Barbara and I and others have helped her begin to get an education, but the very act of getting to school is a major task. At age 30-plus she has finished the equivalent of high school and has done some college work. She has many folks who care about her but so far we have been unable to put together a “package” that would equip Olga to achieve her potential. We just know it would not be there in that dirt-floored, threshold blocked, unpainted little house at the bottom of that forbidding hill.

What is Olga’s potential and God-intended destiny – to be a doctor, nurse, teacher, business leader, florist, secretary? That is yet to be discovered.

We know that life can be better for the billions of Olga’s in the world. I have seen mission projects and programs that literally turn life around for such persons. Nationwide television recently featured Beatrice, the “poster girl” for Heifer International. About 14 years ago the family of Beatrice, living in rural Uganda, then too poor to feed their children adequately or send them to school, was given a goat. The goat had kids, gave milk and became the source of new health and income. Beatrice started to school, did exceptionally well, and with the help of Heifer is now enrolled in a major US university, making top grades. A goat is probably not the answer to Olga’s problems. What is? Who is?