What the Human Spirit Is Capable Of!

By Yolanda E. Pupo-Ortiz

A cinematography student travels with his church group to an AIDS-afflicted childrens orphanage in South Africa, hoping to find material for his class documentary. Equipped with his camera and his inquisitive mind, David was ready for a great adventure. However, what he found at the orphanage in Roodeport was so different to what he had expected that his adventure became a real turning point in his young life.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Nov 23, 2016
• ISBN: 9781524562380

Yolanda E. Pupo-Ortiz

Yolanda Pupo-Ortiz is a retired United Methodist pastor who lives in Gaithersburg, Maryland. She was born in Cuba, but she has lived in the United States most of her adult life. As pastor emerita of Epworth United Methodist, she stays active with her church and her community. She loves writing, music, walking, and above all, playing with the children, especially her two grandchildren, Eddie and Edgar. She is grateful for the blessing of her family.

Book preview

WHAT THE

HUMAN SPIRIT IS

CAPABLE OF!

Yolanda E. Pupo-Ortiz

Copyright © 2016 by Yolanda E. Pupo-Ortiz.

Library of Congress Control Number:       2016919446

ISBN:       Hardcover       978-1-5245-6240-3

       Softcover       978-1-5245-6239-7

       eBook       978-1-5245-6238-0

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted

in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system,

without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Rev. date: 11/21/2016

Xlibris

1-888-795-4274

www.Xlibris.com

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CONTENTS

Chapter 1 Preparation

Chapter 2 The Beginning

Chapter 3 The Trip

Chapter 4 Growing up

Chapter 5 The Children

Chapter 6 Roodeport

Chapter 7 The Return

Chapter 8 20th!

Chapter 9 Home

Chapter 10 Ill

Chapter 11 The Battle

Chapter 12 Last Days

Epilogue

To my brother Ed and sister-in-law, Mary Ann,

David’s parents,

with gratitude, admiration, and love.

My deepest appreciation to Michael G. Rivas and my friend Elaine Jenkins

who patiently read and edited my manuscript

encouraging me to bring it to publication.

CHAPTER 1

Preparation

When he opened his eyes that morning, everything seemed different. This time, he had not turned over for a few more minutes in bed. Neither had he thought with dread about the long day ahead. Gone were the depression and feelings of loneliness that sometimes made his heart heavy. Today he felt excited and full of energy! This was a different day! He jumped from bed anxious to meet the sunshine of the California skies he adored. There were so many things to do and to prepare! His trip to South Africa was too close to waste even a minute. He was going to visit Sparrow Village, a hospice for AIDS-afflicted children in the town of Roodepoort, near Johannesburg. That was all he had on his mind during those days. He wanted to shoot the best video ever and to come back to his film class with the most comprehensive and moving report.

David was a second year student of Chapman University. From his very first visit, he knew he had found his alma mater, the place where he would attend college and specialize in his love and passion: cinematography. He was not disappointed. Chapman University, located in Orange, California, offered him the advantage of a relatively small campus in close proximity to the great city of Los Angeles, a city that he always had wanted to visit because of his love for cinema. However, best of all, Chapman’s Dodge Film and Media Arts College which, in his opinion–and corroborated by many–offered a great, if not the greatest, film program in the country!

He could not get over his rapid acclimation to his new environment. He had grown up in the snowy area of Cleveland, Ohio. Chagrin Falls, his home town, was a replica of a New England village. It was famous not only for its Blossom Festival with its parade and colorful hot balloons, but also for its long, cold winters. Its close proximity to Lake Erie brought snow frequently. His town at Christmas was the ideal picture for a Christmas card. He loved snow and the clear air of winter, the grayness of the cloudy days, and the bright and crisp mornings that follow snow. But the moment he arrived in California, he fell in love with the fierceness of the sun, the dryness of the air, and the beautiful contrasts of the California landscape. To the surprise of the family, he declared that he was determined to make his career in this part of the country.

However, these past months had not been easy. He was one of the most creative among his classmates. His colleagues and his professors acknowledged this. He knew he was good and that he should be proud, but somehow he wasn’t and he didn’t know why.

He had a part- time job that he loved, and his boss and co-workers were all great. They worked hard, and in the evenings when they were finally alone, after many hours of work, they had fun. They relaxed in the Gold Room and joked with each other. David was famous for his dry sense of humor and his wonderful characterizations. This was one of the few places where he felt himself. Yet, something was wrong. The nagging feelings of isolation and loneliness came too often. At one point, he was almost ready to give up his dream and return home. His parents would understand, he had said to himself. They always did. He had the most loving parents. They had supported him in his desire to relocate to California. His mother had searched the internet looking for universities, grants, and curricula. She made the arrangements for the trips and visits to many campuses. They were with him at all times. Geography was not an obstacle for their support. In the dark days when he almost gave up, they came to be at his side. Not a word of reproach had come from them. They understood and stayed at his side with loving support.

David smiled remembering his father’s jokes. His father was always young at heart, belying his almost 60 years. A very special memory that remained with him was his first trip to Chapman in the summer of 2004. His father had driven with him all the way from Ohio to California. The trip had taken five days. His mother would join them at the end of the trip. She stayed home with Shadow, the little black dog that was his since he was a child. Although Shadow still behaved and looked like a young puppy, she was already in her senior years and was pampered by the family.

That trip was memorable. They stopped in places they had always wanted to see. The first major stop of the trip was the visit to Lincoln’s Tomb in Springfield, Illinois. His father was a lover of