A father's endless love for his child

What is a father willing to do for his child’s health? This is a question that Juan de Dios Castro answers immediately: “To give my life if possible,” says this father, while smiling at his almost three-year-old son Noe who runs into his arms to hug him and ask to play together with the soccer ball.

It is wonderful to see a loving father holding his child in his arms with pride and sweetness and talking about the commitment that having children implies. “Being a father is a big responsibility, an inexplicable gift from God. There is no doubt that children are the ones that complete the happiness of any home,” adds Juan de Dios, the nearly 50-year-old man who has become a father for the tenth time.

His father calls him "God's miracle"

In Hebrew, Noe means “calmness” but his father calls him “God’s miracle” because doctors diagnosed him with a disability, due to a cyst in the spine. However, thanks to his desire of living, his family’s faith, and the support of World Vision, his future will be different.

In 2012, Noe was in the patio of his house when a neighbour approached him and started to play holding his feet and moving him in circles, raising him up repeatedly, causing an immediate trauma that brought pain, fever, and paralysis in the legs.  When Juan de Dios got home, he saw that the child didn’t stop crying and that he had a severe pain. Along with his wife, they decided to take him to Concepcion Batres Municipality that is approximately an hour walk from Ojuste Limpio community where the Castro family lives. 

The first doctor that checked Noe blamed Juan de Dios for the child’s condition and claimed that Noe was not able to walk because he was too spoiled, adding that the father´s age was probably the cause of the strange symptoms.

“With much respect I said to the doctor that he was wrong and I left. We spent several days without sleep because of the child’s health condition. Then I went to seek for another opinion and finally my son was referred to the Benjamin Bloom Hospital in San Salvador. At that moment I didn’t think of nobody else but World Vision’s support because I knew that I couldn’t handle so many processes and economic cost by myself,” explains Juan de Dios.

Solidaridad Programme, where Noe and his four siblings are sponsored, gave immediate support to this special case. Noe received private medical care and the tests confirmed a cyst in the spine that was growing fast because of the recent trauma. The family was more than a month without sleeping because of the pain and fever of Noe; besides he was not eating normally which brought on malnutrition.

“It is the hardest thing I have lived, seeing my child that was diagnosed with a disease which needed a surgery and [doctors] didn´t give us hope to see him completely recovered and healthy,” adds Marcia, Noe´s mother, with tears on his face. 

Children of God

Noe’s surgery was coordinated between World Vision and the Benjamín Bloom Hospital. “Before the surgery the doctor told me that I had to sign a letter, which took away all responsibility from him in case my child passed away. But I told him I was pleased to sign the letter, but my son was not going to die because we are children of God and God was going to guide him during the surgery. He asked me if I was Christian and I said yes, then he called other doctors and told them to help him. The doctor saw me in the eyes saying, your faith will help your son. There were seven doctors with my child for an hour and a half in the operating room,” adds Juan de Dios.

The operation went well but unfortunately Noe was not going to walk again. Doctors suggested to get a wheelchair and informed the parents that he would stay 90 days at the hospital to recover.

Miraculously, Noe stood up in his crib nine days after the surgery; the doctors and nurses were surprised. “This process means to me a hope of life. It is the proof that miracles did not happen only when Jesus was on earth, but Jesus Christ miracles continue happening so that the ones that do not believe now, believe in the living God,” says this brave father. After two months, the child was completely healthy and as revealed in a dream to Juan de Dios, Noe returned home walking. 

World Vision supported Noe with travel expenses, medical tests, and medicine (antibiotics, analgesics). “I have no money to pay the sponsors that support this organization. I know they have invested more than $ 1,500 in my son only in medical tests and medicines. With the poverty in which we live, it couldn’t be possible to cover these expenses. But, we did our part and didn’t miss any medical checkup, we did the necessary steps to meet the requirements and procedures that the hospital demanded. I believe that every person needs to do his part to reach the achievement expected in his life." 

Never too busy to support World Vision in return

The large family of Juan de Dios lives from traditional agriculture such as corn, beans and sorghum. However, despite the hard working days, Juan de Dios spends time supporting World Vision in different areas. “God has given me the privilege to be the president of Bendición de Dios Community Development Association. I like to work for the community and mostly with World Vision’s Programme because it is a reliable institution that is focused on children. I know that my contribution does not impact only to my community but also the future of the children of the Department of Usulután, of the country, and of the entire world.” 

The Ojuste Limpio community has received support in education through the construction of a school; also, agricultural training on sowing, compost and organic pesticide preparation; a donation of metallic silos; health and nutrition support; and soon this community will participate in a Biblical reading circle. 

Noe at his two years and eight months old is a lively child and with his spontaneity expresses his love for his father. With his face of innocence and his big brown eyes he convinces his father to let him sit on his lap while Juan de Dios tells about his life where gratitude is a word that becomes small when he sees all that he has received.

Reflecting God's love

“My dream for Noe is that he grows and develops normally. If World Vision would have not helped me, my son would be prostrated on a bed. My family is convinced that World Vision is the reflection of the love of God. I wish that God supplies every need of the donors and sponsors, like He did with me, and keep their good heart.”

In 2012 World Vision, through the Solidaridad Programme, supported six special cases of appendectomy, language therapies, Down Syndrome problems, hepatitis A and others to guarantee a better life to children.