Bogota Blessings (3 page)

“What’s wrong?”

“No one should be coming in.” He took a step toward the hall. “Wait here.”

He prayed she would follow his instruction as he went to the doorway. Peering around the edge, he spotted a familiar gray-haired man just inside the front door. Mateo straightened and released his breath.

“Pastor, I didn’t expect to see you here.”

“Forgive me if I startled you,” Carlos said. “My wife mentioned you brought the Americans over.”

“Yes, one is in here. The other two went upstairs to look at the bathroom.” Mateo stepped back into the main room and motioned Kayla closer. “Pastor Carlos Ramírez Ochoa, this is Kayla...I’m sorry. No one mentioned your surname.”

“It’s Shaw,” she said and shook the pastor’s hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Pastor Ramírez.”

“Please, call me Pastor or Carlos. Everyone else does.”

“Of course.” She glanced at Mateo with a smile that warmed him clear through. “Mateo here has volunteered to help with translation duties once we get started on the renovation.”

Carlos chuckled. “I’d already told him he would help you with that. Mateo Luis picked up on English quickly after he came to us, and his assistance has been invaluable with the foreign volunteers, many of whom have little or no knowledge of Spanish when they arrive, although most of them know English.”

“I’m glad you have a plan in place for people like me, then.” Kayla glanced toward the hall. “The rest of my team went upstairs. Would you like to meet them?”

“I would.” Carlos motioned her ahead of him, and Mateo trailed behind wishing he had more time to talk to just Kayla. “I apologize for not meeting you at the airport as originally planned. There was an emergency that required my presence.”

“Maria mentioned that.” Kayla placed her hand on the damaged wooden banister and gave it a gentle shake. The whole length rattled. “As you can see, this will have to be replaced before the stairs are safe for children.”

Mateo wondered if she’d seen some of the places the children called home. “Even in this condition, it is better than where many of the children live.”

Kayla paused on the stairs and turned toward him, sadness shining in her wide eyes. “That’s terrible!”

“Yes, but that is why the mission is so important. Many of the children eat one or two meager meals a day, if that much, and live in horrific conditions. We provide them with proper nourishment and a safe place to be children.”

She nodded and continued up the stairs. “And this house is to be an orphanage?”

“That’s right,” Carlos answered before Mateo could speak. “We have another house not far from here that is currently housing several orphans, but there are more children in need than it can hold.”

They arrived upstairs as Angie and Paul exited one of the rooms, discussing stems, seats, and faucet handles. As Kayla made the introductions, Mateo considered her surname. The company that had sent the team was Shaw Restoration. She looked too young to own the company, but was she the daughter of the owner?

He would have to discuss proper protection for her with Carlos. Shaw Restoration had offices in Bogotá and Cartagena as well as the United States, which meant they were a large enough corporation to attract the attention of desperate rebels. If anyone learned the owner’s daughter was in Colombia, the temptation to try for ransom might be too much for them to resist.

****

A chilly breeze blew through the street, and Kayla shivered as she wrapped her arms about her middle. Her father had warned her that it was rather cool in Bogotá, despite the city being so close to the equator, but she hadn’t expected it to be quite this cool. She stared up at the night sky, seeing few stars through the ambient light from the city around her.

The scuff of a footstep to her right startled her, and her heart raced as she took a step back toward the dormitory door. Scanning the dark street, she spotted a figure emerging from the shadows.

“It is only me, Mateo Luis,” he said as he drew closer. “Forgive me for frightening you.”

“Don’t worry about it.” Kayla drew in a shaky breath, attempting to calm her nerves. “I think all the stories I’ve heard about foreigners getting kidnapped and the violence in Colombia have gotten to me.”

“They should, although the risk of kidnapping is not so great as it was a few years ago.” Mateo stood beside her and scanned the street. “You should not be out here alone, especially after dark. It is not safe.”

“I didn’t think safety would be an issue since the door’s right behind me.”

“Never underestimate desperate people. Many have been taken from the supposed safety of an automobile, and this is not a good neighborhood.”

“Oh.” She fought against the fear threatening to take hold. Caution was called for, certainly, but not outright fear of what might happen. “Since you’re out here, does that mean I’m safe now?”

“Safer, but you need to go inside.” Mateo’s smile was barely visible. “I don’t mind talking to you, but there is no need to take unnecessary risk to do it.”

“So, I guess stargazing is out while I’m here?” She glanced up at the barely visible stars. “Well, as close to stargazing as one can get in a city, anyway.”

Mateo studied her, sending a tingle of awareness through her. “You like to look at the night sky?”

“When I can, yes. It’s so peaceful and relaxing after a long day to spend some time outside looking at whatever stars I can see.” Kayla could barely believe she was being so open with the man who just a few hours ago had scared her. But Mateo had a quiet strength that she’d seen all afternoon. The way he’d become protective when the pastor startled them at the rundown house had chased away any lingering uncertainty about her safety with him.

“Come with me,” Mateo said and led her to the door. He held it open for her then followed her inside. “There is a place where you can look at the sky more safely.”

Kayla sighed and walked beside him toward the stairs. “Looking out a window doesn’t have quite the same effect.”

“I know.”

He took her upstairs to a door at the end of the hallway. Opening it revealed a narrow stairway, and Kayla glanced at Mateo in surprise. “I thought this was a storage closet.”

He laughed softly and shook his head. “No, as you can see, it is stairs.”

He motioned her ahead of him, and she ascended the steep, dimly lit staircase. Hearing Mateo behind her relieved her worry that she might get lost wherever she was headed. At the top of the stairs stood another closed door. Kayla paused and glanced over her shoulder.

“Go ahead and open it,” Mateo said with an encouraging smile.

She turned the knob and pushed open the wooden door. Stepping through, she found herself on the roof. The breeze was stronger up here, and she shivered as she moved away from the door so Mateo could come out.

He stopped beside her and glanced over. “How is this for a view of the night sky?”

Kayla shifted her gaze upward, taking in the diamond scattered velvet of the sky beyond the glow from the city’s lights. Without the buildings on either side of the road rising up like canyon walls, much more of the sky was visible, giving her a sense of freedom she hadn’t found at street level.

“It’s beautiful.” She brought her gaze down and found Mateo watching her. A shiver ran through her, but she wasn’t sure if it was because of Mateo or the breeze.

“You’re cold.” He slipped off his jacket and draped it over her shoulders. His warmth radiated from the fabric, immediately enveloping her in comfort.

“Thank you.” She tugged the jacket closer, trying not to notice the faint cloud of masculine scent and coconut floating up from it. “My dad warned me that Bogotá has a cool climate, but I didn’t expect it to be quite this chilly.”

“Many foreign volunteers are surprised,” Mateo said with a chuckle. “They think because the city is so close to the equator that it will be hot and humid. They tend to forget that the altitude affects temperature as well.”

“It kind of reminds me of spring where I’m from. Or maybe fall. Cool sunny days and almost chilly nights.”

“A man from California once told me the temperatures here average around the mid-sixties Fahrenheit during the day, and the low forties at night.” Mateo smiled and shrugged. “He said knowing the Celsius temperatures did him no good in planning for the weather, since the temperatures are measured with the Fahrenheit scale in the United States.”

“He has a point.” Kayla studied the stars again. “Do you come up here often to look at the sky?”

“Sometimes. The vastness of the sky, the way the stars are more powerful than the lights of man so that we can see them through the light of the city, it reminds me of God’s power. That He is in charge and created everything in nature.” Mateo stepped behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders, gently turning her. “Do you see that?”

She looked toward the horizon, past buildings taller than the one she stood on. In the near distance, a large dark form rose up to touch the sky. “A mountain?”

“Yes, that is Monserrate. There is a church at the top that many people visit each year. I have been there myself, and the view from the top of the mountain is incredible.”

“Maybe I’ll be able to go up there before I leave.”

“You would not regret it.” Mateo lifted his hands from her shoulders, and she immediately missed the gentle pressure. “We should go inside. It is late and there is much work to do tomorrow.”

“You’re probably right.” Kayla sighed and headed for the door, wishing they could stay on the roof and talk longer. “Thank you for bringing me up here.”

“It was my pleasure.” He held the door as she passed through. “Perhaps we could come up here another time to admire God’s work.”

“That sounds fun.” A little thrill raced through her at evidence that Mateo wanted to spend more time with her. She barely knew anything about him, and she wanted to know so much more.

Once in the second-floor hallway, Kayla handed him his jacket. He pulled it on, his gaze never leaving hers. “Remember not to go out in the streets alone again, especially at night. I would hate to see anything happen to you.”

“I’ll remember. Goodnight.” She turned toward her door to hide the heat creeping into her cheeks. He cared that much about her? She tried to convince herself that he would show the same concern for Angie or Paul, but her heart didn’t want to listen.

As his footsteps retreated down the hall, she opened the door to her room. Before she could close it behind her, Angie came in.

“Tell me everything,” she said, closing the door and leaning back against it.

Kayla sat down on the edge of her bed and kicked off her sneakers. “Everything about what?”

“Why I saw you and Mateo in the hall. What you were doing wearing his jacket.” Angie lifted an eyebrow. “Why he warned you not to go out alone
again
.”

“I stepped outside for a breath of fresh air,” Kayla said with a laugh, her heart warming at the memory of Mateo’s concern for her safety. “He saw me and took me to the roof to look at the stars because it’s safer up there than down on the street. I was wearing his jacket because he’s a gentleman, and I was cold. Does that cover everything?”

“Almost.” Angie crossed the tiny space and sat beside Kayla. “Why are you blushing?”

The heat in Kayla’s face renewed, but she refused to acknowledge it. “I’m not. That wind is cold. Anyone who’d been in it would look like they’re blushing.”

“Uh-uh, I don’t think so.” A teasing glint sprang to life in Angie’s eyes, and Kayla knew there would be no stopping her friend’s speculation now. “Mateo’s face didn’t look the least bit red.”

“That’s because his complexion is darker than mine. Now, do you mind if I go to bed? I’m tired, and tomorrow promises to be a long day.”

“Fine. I’ll let you off the hook...for now.” Angie moved to the door. “Night, Kayla.”

“See you in the morning,” she responded as Angie left the room.

As she turned out the light and climbed into bed a few minutes later, Kayla wondered if there was a possibility for romance in Bogotá. She’d come down here to serve God by helping fix up a house for orphans, but could God have plans to fix her up with a certain scarred Colombian?

3

Mateo fought the urge to chuckle as he watched the Americans study the bowls of
changua
that Maria placed in front of them. None of them seemed familiar with the common breakfast soup of milk, scallions, and eggs, but he hoped they wouldn’t be as picky as some foreign volunteers. Like many who had grown up in Bogotá, he had eaten changua as a child, and now considered it a comfort food. For the purposes of the mission, it was a cheap, nutritious way to feed a large group.

After Carlos blessed the meal, Mateo picked up his spoon and began to eat. The other Colombians at the table did the same. The Americans seemed a little hesitant, but they soon took their first tastes of a food he knew they would see often during their stay. Many mornings, Maria prepared either changua or
caldo de papas
, a soup made with potatoes.

Kayla turned to Maria. “This is very good. What do you call it?”

“Changua.” Maria’s face lit up. “Not all American volunteers like it at first. They say it is very different from their breakfasts at home.”

“It is quite a change, but it’s delicious.” Kayla ate another bite, and then shifted her attention to Carlos. “My father mentioned you have been in contact with the local office of Shaw Restoration about the necessary supplies and tools to renovate the house.”

“Yes, they said to contact them when we know specifically what we need, and they will see that we receive it.” Carlos smiled warmly. “Your father has been very generous in his company’s donations.”

“Yeah. Dad likes to help where he can.”

The question that had been burning in Mateo’s mind since last night refused to be ignored any longer. He focused on Kayla, hoping she could finally lay it to rest. “I’m curious. Shaw Restoration has an office here, yet instead of sending us someone local, the company sent you three from America. Is there a special reason for that?”