Surviving a 25-Foot Fall

Alcides has worked part-time trimming and cutting down trees in El Salvador for years.  The first and only time he fell, it nearly killed him.

“It happened so fast,” Alcides recalls. “I was about 25-feet up in the tree when I fell.”

His co-workers carried him on a makeshift stretcher to an Operation Blessing mobile medical clinic that was working in his community that day.  The doctor quickly examined him and rushed him by ambulance to the hospital.

“He was so seriously injured,” says Alba, Alcides’ wife. “I was so worried that he might die.”

Alcides broke his collarbone, ribs, and his right wrist in the fall. But he wasn’t thinking of his injuries.  He was worried about how he would feed his wife and children.

“We were in a very tough financial situation,” Alcides said. “The doctor told me, ‘no work for three months!’ I thought ‘what am I going to do?’ ‘I have to provide for my family.’”

The day after Alcides left the hospital, we went to check on him, and found the family had no food.   

So we immediately delivered everything needed to stock a convenience store for Alcides’ wife to run right from their home. 

Then after Alcides recovered from his injuries, we gave him what he needed to start a second small business, repairing bicycles.  

“We are so grateful because they helped us so much at the moment we needed it the most,” says Alba.

Today both businesses are doing well.  The convenience store regularly sells out of its items, and Alcides no longer has to climb trees to make money, since he is too busy repairing bicycles.

“We are so happy because we have been successful in both of our businesses.”

“Thanks Operation Blessing for the love you brought our family,” says Alba.

CBN Partners provide practical help for families in need. This often opens hearts to receive the message of Christ. If you are not a partner, please join with us today. For a small investment of $20 a month, you can bring help and a message of hope to people throughout the world. Become a member today!