Bogota Blessings Read Free

“For the most part. Now, tell me what you think of the driver, Mateo Luis.”
    “Um...” What did she think? Despite her initial reaction, she was starting to wish she could spend some time getting to know him. For the sake of keeping Angie from teasing her about boyfriends, however, she opted to mention her initial assessment of the man. “Do the words scary beyond imagination mean much to you?”
    “Oh, yeah.” Angie laughed and nodded. “I just about had a heart attack when I first saw him. Put him in a set of fatigues, and he could easily be one of the rebels causing so much trouble down here.”
    “That was my thought.” She remembered his limp and the scar on his face. Had he fought the rebels? She shook off her ponderings and focused on the reason they were in Colombia. “Do you know if Paul’s unpacked? I’d like to see if we can go over to the house we’re renovating so we can find out just what we need to do and how many people we’ll need to help us do it.”
    “Let’s go ask. Maria stuck him in a room at the end of the hall.” Angie hopped off the bed and went to the door. “Oh, and I think she said she’d be downstairs if we need anything.”
    “That’s what she told me,” Kayla said as she dug a notebook and pen out of her backpack.
    It only took a moment to collect Paul, and then they headed downstairs to find the pastor’s wife. Kayla wished the pastor was there, since her father had told her Carlos Ramírez would oversee the project. How could they start working without talking to the man in charge? Hopefully, he’d left some kind of instructions about the project with his wife.
    Before they found Maria, Kayla spotted a familiar brooding figure coming toward them. The scowl on Mateo’s face did nothing to calm her nerves. Neither did the nudge Angie gave her as he looked up and his expression cleared.
    Mateo stopped before them, his gaze steady on Kayla. “I need to speak with you.”
    “Oh?” A stab of fear caused her to hold her breath. He wasn’t bringing bad news, was he?
    “Yes, it is about the renovation. I know a boy who would benefit from helping. He is sixteen years old.”
    Kayla smiled, relieved it was something so innocuous. “Well, we’re going to need plenty of help to finish the house before we leave. Does he have any kind of construction experience?”
    “Not that I know of.” Mateo sighed and raked his fingers through his shaggy black hair. “His younger brother told me he wants to join the rebels. It is my hope that if he is given the opportunity to work on the house, he will change his mind.”
    The concern shining in Mateo’s gaze broke through Kayla’s fear. This man wasn’t frightening or dangerous. He was worried about keeping children from a hazardous and traumatic life. Perhaps he had a background similar to the kids he now worked with, perhaps he didn’t. All that mattered now was that she saw him for what he was—a man with a burden for street children.
    “We’d be glad to have him help,” Kayla said. “I’m not sure what job we’ll give him, but we’ll find something for him to do. Maybe he could work with Paul on the plumbing.”
    “That might be best,” Mateo said, his gaze going to Paul. “Eduardo has no father and needs a good male role model.”
    Paul’s chuckle had a nervous quality to it. “I don’t know how much of a role model I can be while we’re working on plumbing, but I’ll do my best.”
    “Thank you. I pray that God will use your efforts to keep Eduardo out of the FARC. That is no life for any child, even one who will soon be a man.” The sincerity and sadness in Mateo’s eyes tugged at Kayla’s heart, but she once again sensed he had a rather dark past. His gaze returned to her, and a shiver ran down her spine. “I know you will not start working today, but would you like to see the house? I would be happy to take you there.”
    Kayla laughed, shaking off the sudden thought that Mateo was actually kind of