Bogota Blessings (7 page)

She stepped through the open front door of the mission and smiled at a few children who had helped with the renovation and several more she’d never seen. A handful of volunteers were spread around the room, helping the children with worksheets or playing games. It looked like any number of after school programs in the United States, although Kayla knew the mission did much more than just give kids a place to go until their parents got off work.

She stepped into the back hall and went to the office. The door stood open, and she peeked inside. Mateo sat at the desk, typing something on the ancient computer.

Kayla knocked on the doorframe then stepped into the office. “How goes the paperwork?”

Mateo smiled and motioned for her to sit in the chair in front of the desk. “It is going well, if you count working on the newsletter as paperwork.”

“You write the mission’s newsletter?”

“Sometimes. Carlos and Maria also write it, depending on who has free time and can think of something interesting to tell the mission’s supporters.” Mateo leaned back in his seat with a creak. “How are the stairs coming along?”

“I made it almost halfway up before Paul gave me a reprieve.” Kayla studied him, seeing no sign that he was injured or angry with her. “I decided to take advantage of the break to come see how you’re doing. You were still limping pretty badly the last time I saw you.”

Mateo raked his fingers through his hair. “Kayla, you don’t need to worry about me. I am fine. My leg hurts sometimes, and then I limp. It is nothing new and nothing that needs to be worried about.”

“Random pain that causes a limp is something to worry about.”

“I think...” He lowered his gaze for a moment then met hers once more with a somber expression. “I think it is time I show you something. Then maybe you will understand.”

“What?” Certain he could see her confusion, she stepped closer to the desk. “What is it you want to show me?”

“Have you been in the common room in the dormitory?”

“I didn’t even know there was a common room. I’ve been too busy to do much exploring.” Why would he want to show her the common room now? She couldn’t figure out how it could ease her concern about his leg.

Mateo rose and rounded the end of the desk, his limp slightly better than before. “Come with me. It is time you see it.”

She stayed by his side as they headed for the back of the mission. Maria paused in her work as they entered the kitchen.

“Taking a break?” she asked.

“Yes, Kayla has not yet seen the photos in the dormitory,” Mateo said, his gaze intense.

A big smile lit up Maria’s face, and she gave Mateo a hug. “It is good you are showing her.”

“Maybe.” He stepped back with a sigh. “I will finish the newsletter when I get back.”

“Take your time.” Maria patted his cheek in a motherly gesture. “This is more important.”

He nodded and took Kayla’s hand, leading her out the back door. Her mind raced as she pondered the exchange she’d just witnessed. Apparently there was more to these photos he wanted her to see than just entertaining the volunteers. But why did both Carlos and Maria looked thrilled to pieces that she and Mateo wanted to spend time together when they weren’t working? Perhaps they’d noticed the strong friendship that could easily blossom into more, but it didn’t make sense that they would be so happy about it. They knew as well as both she and Mateo that she would be leaving Colombia and returning to her life in the United States all too soon.

Mateo opened the door of the dormitory, and Kayla stepped inside, glad he still held her hand. His gentle grasp helped alleviate the nerves threatening to take over as she waited to find out why he seemed so anxious about showing her some photos that had likely been seen by nearly everyone who had ever stayed in the dormitory.

As they walked down the hall toward the front of the building, she gave his hand a squeeze. “You know, you don’t have to look so worried. Seeing a few photos hasn’t scared me yet.”

“There is a first time for everything,” Mateo said, glancing at her with a ghost of a smile.

Kayla laughed. “What is it with men? Paul just told me that same thing just a little while ago.”

“I assume it had nothing to do with photographs.”

“No, oddly enough it had to do with him noticing the friendship you and I have.” She blushed under Mateo’s questioning gaze. “He’s convinced you and I are developing a romantic relationship, even though he knows I don’t have romantic flings that last for only a couple of weeks.”

“I also don’t have romantic flings, as you call them.” Mateo led her through an open doorway before she could respond. “This is the common room.”

Kayla took in the comfortable furniture, television set, and packed bookshelves. The wall to the left of the door caught her attention, and Mateo guided her over to it. Photos of children and teens had been tacked to the wall, creating a collage of faces, some smiling, others more serious. Above the photos, large letters painted on the wall read, THE REASON FOR OUR MISSION.

“These are photos of children the mission has helped,” Mateo said, his voice soft. “Some have gone on to work with street children. Some have married and are raising families. Most of the faces here are what we refer to as the success stories.”

Kayla studied the photos, torn between joy and confusion. “It’s amazing to see evidence of how many street children the mission has helped over the years. You guys are doing important work. But I don’t see how these photos are supposed to help me understand why it’s OK that your leg hurts enough to make you limp.”

Mateo released her hand and moved to the right side of the collage, tapping a picture about halfway up. “This is the one you need to see to help you understand.”

She joined him and peered at the image. A young man stood with the aid of crutches, his left leg missing from the knee down. Moisture stung her eyes as she took in the long scar on his face and the unmistakable signs of a hard life in his dull brown eyes and sad countenance.

Turning to him, she found him watching her intently, searching her face. She laid her hand on his arm. “I get it now. Catching me probably hurt like crazy, but it didn’t do any damage, did it?”

“No. My prosthesis is still in one piece, and so is what is left of my leg.” He thumbed a tear from her cheek, his hand lingering. “Why are you crying?”

“Because that photo makes it clear you’ve been through something horrible, something that changed your life forever. It breaks my heart to know that such a kindhearted man had to endure it.”

“You don’t know what happened.”

“It doesn’t matter. You obviously weren’t very far into adulthood when that was taken.” Kayla followed the urging of her heart and reached up to touch the scar on his face. “This is completely healed in the photo, which means you were probably pretty young when it happened. With the little you’ve told me, I’m guessing it’s the result of violence, which affects a child for the rest of his life.”

Mateo took her hand and led her to one of the sofas. Once they were seated beside each other, he spoke softly. “I was seventeen when I came here, when Carlos took that picture. He and Maria have been like parents to me ever since I arrived, and they are the only family I have. My mother turned me out into the street when I was seven because she could no longer afford to feed me. By some miracle and the kindness of strangers, I was able to survive much longer than many street children. Then when I was thirteen, the FARC kidnapped me and forced me to fight with them.”

A shudder ran through him, and Kayla put an arm around him, silently praying for his comfort. “What happened?”

“Too many hellish things that haunt me to this day.” He glanced at her, his eyes filmed with the sheen of tears. “That is why I try so hard to keep the street children away from the rebels. No matter what promises the rebels offer, the reality is much worse than the children can imagine.”

She wrapped him in a hug, holding him tightly. “But you survived and got out.”

“I almost didn’t.” He drew in a shaky breath and slid his arms around her. “We were in the jungle, marching as usual, when something exploded. I was the closest to it. My commander and the others, they examined my injuries and decided the wounds were too severe for me to survive. So they left me there, in pain and bleeding to death.”

“God must have been watching out for you that day, or you wouldn’t be here now.”

“This is true, but I didn’t know God at the time. It wasn’t until after I met Carlos that I turned to Christ. But that didn’t stop God from saving my life, because there is no other way the missionaries could have found me if He hadn’t led them to me.”

Kayla straightened and met his gaze. “You were rescued by missionaries?”

“Yes, they came along and took me to their village. They treated my wounds as best they could and nursed me until I was strong enough for the trip to Bogotá. I was in the hospital for a long time while they amputated my leg and treated the other injuries I had sustained. Once I was released, the missionaries brought me here, to Carlos and Maria. They took me into their home and have treated me as though I am their child ever since.”

“I can tell they love you as a son.” Kayla sat back and rubbed Mateo’s shoulder.

He shifted and dug in his jacket pocket, pulling out a couple of pieces of hard candy wrapped in green with yellow lettering. Smiling, he handed her a piece. “The day I came here, Maria gave me a piece of this candy while we waited for Carlos. It was the first piece of candy I had ever been given.”

“Really? You never had candy until you were seventeen?” She unwrapped the piece of candy, inhaling the scent of sweet coconut.

“No, I had candy sometimes as a child, but no one ever
gave
me any until I was seventeen.” Mateo winked and popped a candy in his mouth.

She wasn’t brave enough to ask how he’d managed to get candy as a street child if no one gave it to him. She put the candy into her mouth. The coconut flavor dancing across her tongue made it easy to shove aside the possibilities floating through her mind. “This is good enough I do believe it could become addicting.”

“It is addicting,” Mateo said and chuckled. “It has also helped me earn the trust of more than one street child so I could talk to them about the mission.”

The sound of small feet running down the hall reached their ears, and Kayla turned toward the doorway. Claudia darted into the room and launched herself into Kayla’s lap with a burst of giggles. She’d barely landed when a grubby boy a few years older raced into the room, a grin on his face.

Claudia buried her face in Kayla’s shoulder with more giggles. Kayla smiled and gave the girl a hug as Mateo retrieved more candy from his pocket and motioned the boy closer. After a brief exchange of Spanish with the boy, Mateo handed each child a piece of candy and turned to Kayla.

“This young man is Claudia’s older brother, Juan Miguel. Apparently, Carlos sent them to find us.”

“Is there a problem with the renovation?” Kayla let go of Claudia as the girl slid to the floor and twirled around as she sucked on her piece of candy.

Mateo translated the question for Juan Miguel. Once the boy had replied, Mateo returned his gaze to Kayla, a twinkle lighting his eyes. “According to Juan Miguel, Carlos thinks we’ve had a long enough break. He wants us to get back to work.”

“I guess we’d better go, then,” Kayla said. She laughed and stood.

She watched Mateo rise a little more slowly and briefly shift his weight off his left leg. Concern filled her, but she did her best to hide it so the children wouldn’t worry. “Are you sure you need to be working on the renovation today? You could finish the newsletter instead and work on the house tomorrow.”

“I am
fine
, Kayla.” Mateo released a breath and scrubbed his hand across the back of his neck. “The newsletter doesn’t need to go out until later in the month, so there is plenty of time to finish it later. Working on the house is more important right now.”

She caught the steely note to his voice and kicked herself for irritating him. Of course he would know what he should and shouldn’t do with a sore leg. It was his life and his body, something he knew much better than she ever would. If he said he was fine and able to help with the renovation, then she would accept it and put him to work.

She offered a smile in the hope he would forgive her faux pas. “Well, let’s get moving. We have a lot of work to do.”

Claudia grabbed Kayla’s hand as they left the common room, and Juan Miguel stuck close to Mateo. Once outside, the two children ran ahead. Mateo stepped close to Kayla and took her hand.

“I appreciate your concern, but you don’t need to worry about me. If I need a break, I will take one, but I refuse to sit back and let life pass me by because I am an amputee.” He stopped and turned toward her, lifting his free hand to stroke her cheek. A little shiver raced along her spine, and he smiled. “It is nice to know you care, though. I care about you, too.”

He leaned close and kissed her cheek. Her breath caught in her throat at the light brush of his lips, and her heart raced as she absorbed the warmth in his gaze. Regardless of what she had told Paul and Angie, she was quickly losing her heart to this battle-scarred Colombian.

6

Mateo sat on the steps leading to the second floor of the partially renovated house, his thoughts in the main room with Kayla. Seeing her for most of every day was killing him. He grew closer to her all the time through their mutual concern for the street children and through their determination to help the mission. She’d quit worrying so much about him, and she didn’t seem to care that he walked with the aid of a prosthetic leg. In fact, ever since he told her about it and about his past, she’d seemed warmer toward him, as though she was interested in one of the romantic flings neither of them ever participated in.

Yet he couldn’t deny the strong urge to include this woman in his life. If only he could figure out what to do about the fact that she would be going back to the United States in a week. Living on two different continents didn’t bode well for any kind of romantic relationship, but Mateo didn’t want to let her go. Not when his heart told him to pursue her.