Maricruz is
a beautiful friend and sister in Christ. She is the mother to two of the Casa G leaders in training and a woman with an amazing story of a changed life while in prison. The first time I really got to know her
was the summer of 2011 when a team from California and Michigan joined Casa G
and a local church for the one purpose of sharing God’s hope. Phil had invited Maricruz to join our team as the head cook.
The first morning of our adventure we drove three hours to Pedro Vicente to work on the home of Dario and Jackson, two of our Casa G boys in training. A team of thirty people painted the two room stick house and reinforced the sagging front with cement posts. Tears filled my eyes when I overheard Dario and Jackson's mother say to her young daughters, “Doesn’t our house look beautiful?!” To most of us it was a painted shack, but to her it had become a beautiful home.
The next day 15 more members of the local church joined our team. Now 45 people traveled together by bus for several hours and spent the
first night at El Monte, a large house owned by missionary friends. There had
been a power outage, and so we helped Maricruz "cook up a storm" by candlelight. After dinner we worshiped and shared God's Word together in the flickering light. We learned to listen twice, once in Spanish
and once in English. It was late when we finally found beds for everyone to sleep in. The 20 plus women shared a large room with three tiered
bunk beds.
I awoke in
the dark to the sound of someone in our room crying out loudly in prayer. I recognized
the fervent voice of Maricruz. I was so tired and it was so very
early. I am ashamed to say that I
snuggled deeper into my sleeping bag and secretly wished her loud prayers would
cease. 
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