A death in the family.

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For the harassed and helpless only.

 

Once again yesterday the Corona virus has claimed another life in Lima Peru.

My beloved cousin and friend, former Supreme Court of Justice Judge, former President of the Bar Association of Lawyers of all of Peru, and my fishing and hunting buddy of the rivers of Peru, Alaska and the American forests, the Honorable Doctor Vladimir Paz de la Barra has died.

 

His father and my grandfather were high in the Communist Party in Peru. By his name you can well guess that Vladimir and I were born in homes without any option but to become future leaders of the Revolutionary movement. We were getting ready to go to Moscow to the Patricio Lumumba University for international Students with full scholarships.

 

Fifty years ago, and two weeks before I made up my mind to go to Russia, Jesus AND a blue eyed beautiful Petite girl came into my life and I ended up going to Columbia Bible College.

 

Not many years later Vladimir and I were in Washington DC in one of the Presidential National Prayer Breakfasts of President Bush listening to the testimony of a celebrity on, “How he came to know Jesus”.

 

Thanks to the help of Doug Coe, Steve Smallman, Senator Dan Coates and Senator Bill Armstrong, Congressman Carlos Moorhead, Senator Jesse Helms and Pat Divine I was able to impress Vladimir of the virtues of the Country that once we hated. We were now admiring how a godly leadership in the spirit of Jesus was by far a better option in true freedom for any and every country.

 

Thus, two boys of the Andes Mountains of Peru who once were memorizing like parrots the steps of the revolutionary process. In the moon light night we stood in the Lincoln Memorial and read the eternal words of President Abraham Lincoln before we stopped at the Vietnam memorial and considered the high price that America pays for freedom.

 

In the last thirty years Vladimir and I became very close in Jesus. We attended church together, networked and prayed together for our families and friends.

My uncle died long ago and I led my grandpa to Jesus; thus the man who led me to communism became a follower of Jesus at age 75. Again, thanks to Jesus AND the beautiful petite blue eye girl named Ruthie my wife and the love of my life.

 

Vladimir told me to have admired Ruthie all of his life along with all the rest of the boys in town that are now in their seventies. Vladimir was a good cook in Ruthie’s kitchen. He was also delighted to take us to the best restaurants in the Capital city of Lima. We always talked about Jesus, family and politics, in that order. He is survived by his wife Fanny, Son Alvaro and daughter Maria Pia.

 

He built a big place as his summer home and invited me to go to live with him with all expenses paid. The offer was tempting but I had a promise to keep that I made to my blue-eyed girl that required focus and undivided attention. That was my writings on the Lord's Prayer titled “Yes Jesus.”

 

We were supposed to go back to Alaska for some more fishing in Soldotna and the Russian River, but the pandemic frustrated our plans. Last night my Peruvian friends and my children called to comfort me. It deeply saddens me not to have been with him in his hour of need as a friend.

 

Vladimir loved his family dearly and he never found enough room in his baggage to take gifts for everyone. His daughter-in-Law Sofia was also very close to his heart. The last time we talked he thanked me for praying for him for so many years and assured me that he loved Jesus and that he was at peace with God.

“I am coming soon to be with you and write some articles together.”

He was a Newsmaker and constantly in TV appearances and Radio, Newspapers and magazines as recent as yesterday.

 

This morning during my quiet time as I covered my exclusive list of the names of fifty people for whom I pray daily, with sadness I could not erase Vladimir’s name so I draw a circle for now. Paul had a similar list of prayers in Romans 16.

 

There is room for one more in my list and if you truly believe in prayer, that spot is yours. If you do not think you need prayer, think again, because as Jesus saw at the crowds in Matthew 9:35-38, he had compassion because they were harassed and helpless.

 

There are forms of harassment unknown to men but well known to Jesus. Jesus sees the crowds “helpless” and Jesus orders everyone who can to listen to him, to ask the Lord of the harvest to send laborers to his harvest field.

 

I know no other way to obey that command of Jesus but by prayer.

 

It is harvest time my friends, we cannot have the luxury to despise anyone as too small or insignificant in the harvest field.

 

I lost Vladimir but heaven has gained a soul and angels are rejoicing.

I am not jealous today but I can easily imagine Vladimir being welcomed in heaven by my Ruthie. BTW if you did not notice, Ruthie is the hero of this story.

 

Gerry Gutierrez.

 

PS. Please pray for me. I am losing friends steadily, some even while they are still alive.