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JUST CULTURE DEPT.
Don Jibaro’s Incredible Tío
Genaro
 “Yo conozco el Buey Que Faja y La Víbora Que Pica.”
 veryone has an uncle or member of the extended family that
stands out from the rest. Whether it’s the “barrigón” bachelor
uncle who drinks a lot of beer or the church going purist aunt
who doesn’t shave her legs, we all have one. Well, I have one,
too! And if you allow me say it, my uncle Genaro is very
special. Read on…
The memories of my Uncle Genaro go back to 1956, when I was
eight years old living in El Barrio La Cambija in the town of
Bayamón. His name was Genaro Reyes Vázquez and he was blind, but
he wasn’t always blind. Before suffering glaucoma, the eye
disease that blinded him, my uncle was a picturesque man that
knew everyone in town and everyone knew him. He never got
married. Instead he traveled about the island of Puerto Rico by
bus or “pisicorre pública” (sort of station wagon taxi that many
people share in one trip). He loved to go to the town’s “plaza”
and watch the old timers play dominó… while holding his chin
with one hand, elbow with the other hand and muttering “Mmmm”
occasionally. He seldom played, but he knew a lot of “tranques”
(blocks).
During his short travels, Genaro would come to visit us at La
Cambija. He’d have, of course, the usual little bag of
“marrallo” candy (coconut nougat) for my youger sisters, Ñeca
and Titi and of course, me. He’d exchange quips with my father
(who was his younger brother), drink some coffee, have dinner
with us and leave… walking to the “parada” (bus stop) where he’d
catch the “público” for the next town to visit perhaps another
one of his siblings; since they were thirteen in total… all from
the Barrio Doña Elena in Comerío, in the central mountains of
Puerto Rico!
Tío Genaro eventually became totally blind as the glaucoma
spread throughout his eyes. There was, however, an indomitable
quality about his spirit that would not let him yield to the
detriments of being blind. He enrolled in the School For The
Blind in Santurce and learned how to make wicker baskets,
brushes and brooms. He learned how to count money and how to use
his cane to “sense” his way as he walked around.
Blindness didn’t stop my Tío Genaro from further traveling. He
couldn’t SEE where he was going anymore but he always KNEW where
he was going… as long as there were “públicos”, of course. He
asked for directions, counted steps, city blocks and had an
incredible sense of logic that helped him “see” with his ears
and his mind.
He liked me… I was his favorite nephew. He often used me as a
guide when he wanted to go somewhere far or new that he wasn’t
acquainted with. Seeing-eye dogs weren’t popular in our town.
Actually, they were rare. So, I had to perform “guide” duty
every once in a while. I didn’t like it at first, but Tío began
to pay me for my services and buy me “alcapurrias” with “maví”
and I was happy.
Years passed by and I grew older and eventually moved out of my
father’s house. I did keep in touch and from time to time would
ask about Tío Genaro… “Se fué a vivir con Sol…” --my dad would
say. He had gone to live with my cousin Sol María in Barrio
Caimito of Rio Piedras. Sol Maria was a Deaconess of Templo
Cristiano, the local Christian church of the Sector Perez in the
Heights of Caimito. She wasn’t a purist and she did shave her
legs!
The folks of Caimito were very simple people and now that Genaro
was old and blind, traveling as he had done before was
definitely out of the question. He fit in with the folks of
Caimito just fine. But something happened. Tío Genaro got
converted. Not converted like most people often do, but really
“born again.” He was a totally a new person… “Born Again of the
Holy Ghost and Fire” --he’d say.
Tío Genaro had a “testimony”… that is, something important to
share with the rest of the world. He wanted others to know how
the Lord Jesus had brought him from “darkness” to “light”…
spiritual light, that is. His new mission was to share how deep
was the peace that he had found, how great was the burden that
had been removed form his existence. The joy of the Lord was
overwhelming him.
Some evangelistic radio program host had heard of the powerful
testimony that the “Blind Man From Caimito” had, and invited Tío
Genaro to share his testimony on radio. Many heard it and soon
he was being invited to other local churches to share his
powerful testimony. He had a Purpose in Life and was now
fulfilling it!
I had moved to Los Angeles, California back in 1976, and was now
married with one daughter. My wife Irene and I had also become
Christians and we had brought my father from Puerto Rico to live
with us in order to take care of him. My dad had become blind
with glaucoma but, unlike Tío Genaro, was not willing to embrace
his handicap. Instead, he resigned himself to the sedentary life
of a shut-in blind person.
One summer at the end of the 20th century, (I always wanted to
say that! Hee hee!) after we had found a suitable retirement
home for my father, we decided to go to Puerto Rico for a short
visit. We went by the “old” neighborhood, bought souvenirs and
decided to pay Sol María a visit in Caimito. There I saw my Tío
Genaro one last time. Of course, he was delighted to learn that
my wife and I had accepted the Lord and were living fulfilled
Christian lives.
He then asked me about my father, his brother Lino. I told him
about Dad’s blindness and his unwillingness to “learn” from it.
We both knew that Dad needed the spiritual peace that only Jesus
could give him. I pulled out my mini tape recorder and asked Tío
to record a message for my Dad in Los Angeles. He spoke with a
deep, low voice like those politicians of old times… “Lino, you
need Jesus. He’s the only way, the truth and the life, and your
only hope for salvation.” Tío Genaro went on to utter some of
the most profound and yet simple words to encourage my Dad to
accept the Lord’s way in his life.
In a few weeks, when we got back to Los Angeles, I went to see
Dad at the Home and took with me the little tape recorder. I
played the message. My Dad heard it and I saw a tear coming out
of his eye. Tío Genaro’s last sentence on the tape made my heart
sink and I was surprised that I didn’t remember him recording it
on the tape. “Lino, if we don’t see each other here on Earth,
we’ll see each other in Heaven.” Tears also came out my eyes… I
believe that at that moment my Dad had allowed the Lord Jesus
into his heart. He was never the same after that.
Not too many years later I called Sol Maria from my home and
asked her about Tio Genaro… She told me ha had died of a
cerebral hemorrhage some time earlier. My heart sank again, but
this time it was like a huge rock in a deep lake and I almost
choked in tears. The shock lasted me a few moments and I
couldn’t stop crying… He was gone! … and I hadn’t known!
I did slowly realize and accepted the fact that Tío Genaro had
gone to a better place, a mansion over the hilltop, with streets
that are paved with gold where there’s no sorrow and no crying.
I was happy for him. I was also happy to know that I will see
him someday… and he will also see me now that he is no longer
blind. (sigh) He has also seen his brother Lino, my Dad, already
who died in 1995.
Yes, I imagine them meeting in heaven: "Hey Lino, welcome. I
have a present for you." Hey Genaro, I have a present for you,
too." Then they both pull out a big salami sausage from their
coat pockets and laugh. 
Meanwhile, to stay well informed... Subscribe
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