No need for a windshield in this 4 cylinder Federal truck. Even when in better condition I'm sure you couldn't get up enough speed to suffer from the wind.
Sometimes pictures speak. What is this one saying? This image will bring both joyful laughter and tears of sadness to some of us.
I had met him before, but really didn't know Cocholo until 1982. He is best known by his nickname "Cocholo," but his real name is Justo Jose Urquiza. He had driven this truck many times. In fact he tells me that he had worn blisters on his right hand time and again trying to hand-crank the engine to start it.
From age 14 and for 20 long years Cocholo worked at the edge of the Lujan River for the Schneider brothers. The Schneiders, German Argentines, are Methodist Christians and were almost like family to him. They are the owners of a large sand barge ship that sails almost daily far into the Paraná Delta to dredge sand from the river bottom, then returning, they pump it out and store it on their property in the little town of Dique Luján, selling it for construction purposes.
Cocholo and his parents lived on one of the islands of the delta. In fact, he was born on an island much further out in the delta. Now at 14 years old he would row a little boat 30 minutes to his work in Dique Lujan and then 40 minutes rowing home against the current.
His parents had been converted years ago through the efforts of a Pentecostal church that, for a limited time, sent a boat with evangelists into this huge maize of thousands of islands covering hundreds of square miles. But as a young man, Cocholo wanted nothing to do with the Gospel. He married Lilia, a charming young lady, and they moved into the town of Dique Luján.
Sister Chiona, a lady pastor, started a tiny Assemblies of God church near their home and when their marriage was in trouble they surrendered their lives to the Lord. Eventually they had three children, Claudio, who is shown sitting in the wheelchair was 12 years old in this picture, Valeria 9 and Jimena 6. The little girl chauffeur is Marcelo Schneider's granddaughter, Lucia.
Even now I suffer tears when I see this photo. For Claudio was a talented, vibrant boy who suffered a deadly disease that showed up at about 8 years old when he began to stumble when he walked. The slow, advancing muscular atrophy began at the extremities and slowly worked toward his vital organs. We prayed fervently for his healing, but by 11 years old he could no longer walk. He was good at graphic arts and would paint pictures and play the electronic drums for worship until finally his hands and fingers could no longer respond. At 23 years of age he was carried into the arms of Jesus where he can now walk and run.
In 1982 we had just purchased the Messenger of Peace boat. I was a total novice at boat-man-ship. I understood nothing of the treacherous dangers of the delta island rivers. But God had introduced me to a whole new world of lost people through a lay pastor, Misael Nieto. These people lived in isolation and often total poverty 5 hours from the nearest shore by commercial bus-boat. They had almost no Gospel witness. Now finally we were prepared with a vehicle to reach out to them.
The photo shows us loading the Messenger of Peace with groceries, one bag for each needy family that we planned to visit that day.
Neither Frances and I, nor Cocholo and Lilia, had the slightest clue about what the Lord had in store for many of these precious island families.
So now that I have started I'll probably have to continue this amazing story.
Ralph
