Jonathon
It was sudden, it was tragic and deadly as vehicle accidents tend to be. Because this truck was very heavy, full of water, as it crashed it smashed everything! The driver and owner of the truck was killed leaving his wife and three little kids. Another widow.
Jonathon, 15, had a job on the truck helping deliver water to poor communities including Ijido. He didn't earn much but what he did earn he gave the family to help with food and schooling. The family is nine. Their father left the family two years ago. He had lung cancer and became too weak to hold down a job. He told his oldest son "I'm too weak to work, I'm worthless, just another mouth to feed, I'm leaving in a couple of days." He left and has never returned.
Family life has changed radically since the accident. They all live one way or another at the hospital. Families tend to stay at the hospital day and night waiting. Always waiting. (What a place to minister.)
Getting Update on Jonathon
Yesterday while I was there, Jonathon's mother, Aracele, returned from talking with the doctor. In the accident, Jonathon's head was crushed, arm broken several abdominal punctures. At this point they have put him in an induced coma until Monday. The news wasn't good, she calmly shared it with the family.
Jose Angel
To make matters worse, when Jonathon's two older brothers heard about the accident, they asked their supervisor for permission to leave work and head to the hospital to see their brother. In fact they asked him for a little transportation money. He flatly refused, and told them to get back to work! The boys threw down their shovels and left ... the supervisor yelling "... and don't come back!" Looks like support for the family is at flat zero.
That's where you enable us to come in immediately and help. They will need lots of help for a time. Not only Jonathon's family but the new widow and her three children in Ijido.
As I left everyone was eating, Hortensia bought barbequed chicken, tortillas and cold drinks for the family, and dolls for each of the little girls.
Kids in a Cold House
