Passing Through

Home Again

2010-03-25T14:09:00.000-07:00

I told God a while back that I would come home only if He would go with me, just as He promised Moses that He would be with him when Moses was sent back to Egypt. My heart is so much to be "out" there serving, and I'm finally accepting that that's from God. But now, He has sent me home and He is already showing me he is with me. One small thing I'll share happened on the plane home. I always ask God to provide opportunities for ministry when I travel, and he provided several. One was on the way from Atlanta to St. Louis Tuesday night. For some reason I felt like I was supposed to ask the young lady next to me if she knew how airplanes (airliners) stopped. More specifically, I felt like God wanted me to explain reverse thrust to her. Of course, I hesitated a minute, and then thought what the heck; I've got nothing to lose. So I asked her, and she immediately started talking about how she's in school to be a pilot (but still hadn't got to reverse thrust). The question opened a door to talk to her about mission work, and just amazed me how God is so involved in the details of my (and all of our) lives.

I am so happy to see my family (although I still haven't gotten to see all of them) and excited to go back to my home church. I already miss Guatemala and my other Ficker "family" there, but am determined to make everyday here as purposeful as life on the foreign mission field. Roughly, my plans are to take some college classes towards a Bible degree, keep my checkbook in the black, and find places to serve now that I'm home. I'll try to keep this blog updated if life seems interesting enough to share :).

No matter where we are, I know God is interested in our lives. God loves people everywhere, and He is the answer to all of our problems. Each of our lives are a journey. We all come from God, and He wants us to get back to Him. The way is Jesus. He is the guide. In Guatemala when I go to a new place, I go with someone who knows the way. It would be crazy to try to find some of the small villages I've been to without a guide--someone who's from there and knows the way. Jesus is that guide to a relationship with God. If you don't know Him, or aren't sure about where to find Jesus, look in the Bible. Jesus' disciple John wrote in the book of John of how to find Jesus and how to know Him. God's plan is for all of us to know him better. I pray your journey takes you there.

Last Days

2010-03-18T18:58:00.000-07:00

This week has been a sad week, just because a lot of what I've done may be the last time I do it for a while. In case you hadn't read on Adonai's blog, I plan on going home soon to continue with school. It's something that has been on my heart for a while, and I feel like it's God's timing that I go now. I'm sad to leave but excited about what the future holds.

So today was my last trip to San Pedro (for a while). We made two flights in for a standard clinic day, but "standard" was a big deal since we thought we would be short of help. Thankfully, God provided Dr. Pedro, Dennis Freed (N.P.), and our friend Misty to help us see the roughly 150 peolple who came. At first hardly anyone came from the surrounding villages; we heard that two men from the village had been charging Q100 (about $$12) for "landing fees" when an airplane landed on the strip. This fee was to be paid by the patients who received help from us or any other plane that came it. Of course this made us aggravated, along with most of the villagers and community leaders, and the culprits were reprimanded. It's just like Satan to throw in little hang-ups like that when God is really moving in a place.

Anyway, we made it back to Canilla just before the rain (yes, it actually rained for about 2 hours in our desert!). Then we ate a lot of pasta, worshiped, and now everyone is heading to bed. So hope you sleep good tonight!

Small Rewards

2010-03-05T19:02:00.000-08:00

The apostle Paul taught that "what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen in eternal." I think a good part of that means that even if we aren't "seeing" a lot of results from our Christian labor, it doesn't mean God isn't doing eternal things. (Maybe we should even be glad when it doesn't "look" like things are going good!)

But God provided a few small rewards for me today as I walked the mountains near our Chiminisijuan clinic again with Thomas. He and I set out to visit families (many single moms) early this morning, and I might even say we're getting better at finding people and growing worse at getting ourselves lost! Anyway, in the course of visiting about 7 families who had asked us for food, we had two cool testimonies from their neighbors. One was a young man who stopped by the first house we were visiting. He came over to tell us that God had healed him of some stomach sickness a few years ago after we (I don't really know if I was at clinic then) prayed for him. He said he had spent Q6,000 (about $750) at a government hospital and never got better. Then, he came to us and for Q2 (about $0.25) he got better! Another lady was the neighbor to the last family we visited, and she told us that God had healed her 1-year-old son a few years ago of a swollen arm (sounds like it was an infection). She said, "I came every week for milk, prayer, (and I think) medicine, and my son got better!" She actually said "God healed" my baby. Now I and most Americans whose brain is bigger that our faith want to think of what sickness exactly these people had, and what medicine probably cured it. But they (and at least 10 others I've ran into during my mountain walks) very confidently say GOD healed them. Some I know for a fact were not a result of medicine because we didn't give them any, and even the others were God because Duane, Leslie, and the entire ministry would not be in Chiminisijuan were it not for God calling them!

God does miracles today. They may be obvious, they may be natural results from obedience, or they may not be known to us at all--but when God does the work, it's eternal!

Out of the Bush

2010-02-25T18:17:00.000-08:00

Today we did a clinic in the Zona Reina, leaving about an hour after my last post on here. God provided a few medical people to help us, so we went for it. Honestly I don't like the trips a whole lot. It's hot and a lot of work, but I believe in why we do it. Today was a fruitful day because a lady accepted Christ and the village leader said he needed to become a Christian (I think that means he's being persuaded but still not jumping in all the way). It was a good sign though, and encouraging after over 2 years of clinics and emergency flights in that place. Thanks to all who prayed!

Into the Bush

2010-02-25T03:53:00.000-08:00

It's just before 6am and the sky is lightening up in the East. Duane just left for the airport to await the call from the Zona Reina telling us that the sky is clear to come in.

Leslie, Don, Armando, Sally, Irvin, and I will hopefully be flying into San Pedro with Duane today for another medical clinic. If you read this today, please say a prayer that hearts are open to the gospel, and that our trip has eternal effect on people. We know this village well, but want to be more than a good humanitarian work; we want them to know Jesus... And if you think of it, it would be nice to not get rained in!

Hot Days and Long Nights

2010-02-07T16:16:00.000-08:00

Well, my the bees have calmed down and the honey is about half eaten. That honey was worth it!

As I try to think about the goings on here since my last blog, there are a few things that stick out to me. One is that we have two visitors here from the U.S. Cassie is a P.A. from Texas who has been helping in clinics this week, and Irna is a friend who will be living with us for around 6 months. She's willing to do anything, and a great cook (those who know me know how I feel about that!)

Katie and Aaron are about ready for Anna to arrive into our world. Any day now she could arrive! Katie's parents will be coming down later in the month, as will our friends the Allisons. It will be so good to have them here while Katie is adjusting to being a mom, and we are adjusting to doing clinic without her! Also, not to bore anyone but just because it's taken a lot of time and work, the well at the airport is about 4 meters deeper thanks to a buddy from Chinique. That may not sound like much, but when the well is over 150 foot deep and has water in the bottom that's a lot of dirt to haul up! Chinto would climb down and fill bucket for bucket that would be hauled up with a rope.

Last week I showed a movie in the park for the first time in a few months due to popular demand from kids in town. It actually surprised me how much the kids had grown to count on the movies and wondered why I had stopped. If they like them, then it's worth it. A family I've grown to know pretty well specially came to hang out with me last Friday, and relationships are worth the effort.

Now you may be wondering what the "hot days and long nights" are all about. Well, it applies to David and Juan more than anyone. Most of us guys had a part in going to the Mexican/Guantemalan border the last few days to bring in our corn semi and the supplies loaded on it, but David and Juan did the driving from there. The border is super hot and humid, it's just so low. But worse is the drive. David left the border at 5 o'clock yesterday evening and got here at 10:30a.m. this morning, without stopping to sleep. Other than waiting once for diesel (the gas stations weren't open at 3:30 when they were in Quiche) they drove nearly 17 hours straight on some less that quality roads. The truck and the grain bins that are on it will be such a help to us here though. Today I was helping distribute corn and we ran out. There were just way more people than we planned on, and there was no corn to be found in the whole town for us to buy. When we have our own supply of corn in storage, all we'll have to do is go fill up a few more bags to meet the need. Anyway, I'll try to get a picture of the truck on here tomorrow when it's light out!

Bikes and stinging bees.

2010-01-24T18:27:00.000-08:00

I rode my bike, ate some dirt, and just washed off a lot of grease from my hands. After clinic today Joe, David and I rode our motorcycles with a few friends of ours. We kid each other, push each other up hills, and even have a cool handshake (some of the kids we ride with are about 15). This week two of the guys came over and asked me to fix something on their bike (David wasn't around), and I love to get to know them.

Clinic yesterday went fairly smooth. I wasn't feeling anything to share with the people as far as evangelizing goes, but as I looked through some notes and different teachings I had made over the last few weeks, I found where I had written, "When I don't feel anything special to share, just share the Word because it is always true." So I took my Bible and guitar and made my way out to the 50 or so people in the waiting area. Tomas and I shared from John 1:12 where Jesus invited all who believe to be children of God, and it was like God just filled me with a desire to share--and He gave me the words too. I remember the first times, actually first year, that it was so hard for me to talk to groups of people in Spanish, especially about the Bible. Now it's like people are actually engaged and attentive to my stories and examples. Whether it's just improved Spanish or some new thing God is doing, I like it.

In other big news from the week...I took some honey from my bees last Thursday! It was actually pretty awful. Not only did I kill hundreds of my bees by enticing them to sting my bee suit, but I didn't get much honey and the bees got super mad. I ended up running across the yard and out of the gate when I got a few bees inside my mask. There were pieces of my suit strewed all along the road as I ran toward town, and man and beast alike were looking for cover from the small buzzing creatures. Passerbys on the road where swatting at stray bees, cows were jumping, and chickens were fluttering. When I finally got back to the house everyone was locked inside and one of our workers was laying block with a welding mask on to protect himself. All in all only I fell victim to the honeybees' sting, four to be exact, and we got close to a quart of honey out of the deal. I think next time I need a better suit and a lot of smoke. If you have experience with bees and are reading this, feel free to send me any thoughts you may have, but please wait for a week or two as nearly everyone who was here for the "bee attack" has already given me more advice than I can process this week!

Anyway, that's about all that's up from this week. Tomas and I spent Friday making house visits in Chiminisijuan. My legs hurt pretty bad by the end of the day, but I'm only 22 and shouldn't complain. Leslie, Hannah, and Katie are all outside right now delivering a baby in the clinic. I figure they have it all under control out there, and I am supporting them through prayer from here in the house, at a safe distance.

Thanks for reading and for all the prayers and support. I'll try to put a post up this week as more happens!

Drug Rehab

2010-01-15T18:07:00.000-08:00

This picture was the best I got from Bob and I's visit to Victor's drug rehab center. I wish you could see more guys that live there but I just didn't take many pictures. The eleven men who who where there in the morning range from Domingo, 15 and without parents, to Johnny, 50, who has not been able to lay down the bottle in past. By afternoon, there were 15 men in the house, two of the new ones coming directly from the hospital as referrals from a judge. All of them though have chosen to come and try to change.

Bob and I went to Quiche yesterday to see Victor and these guys. We taught, worshiped with them, and just spend time one on one with them. Each one has a unique story, usually a very hopeless one, but each one is there with purpose now. As I listened to their stories, they are just exaggerated examples of most of our lives. All of our actions have consequences, and none of us deserve the love that God has for us. Alex, one of the men who reminded me of the cowboys in Canilla, had a family who loved him and brothers who were in the cattle business with him. He lost them though, because of his drinking problem. As Alex sat with Bob and I he cried tears of remorse for the family that had rejected him and kids who were at home without him. He said he had been to church quite a bit but had never accepted Christ into his heart until that day. That was yesterday, and today he still couldn't talk about God without tears in his eyes. He had finally tasted hope. It was real, and it was his because Jesus loved him and can help change him. I believe he will get his family back and rejoin his brothers in the field.

We also enjoyed a time of encouragement from Phil Stern and Kent Henry. They were here for two days and spent a lot of time in prayer, worship, and just time encouraging us. Kent has a prayer model that he's been implementing in churches in the U.S.--how to read the Bible, pray it, sing, it, and then think hard on it as a group. We're going to start using it to organize our worship times as a ministry at least once a week.

This weekend is clinic in Canilla and San Andres. It's been kind of chilly lately, even down to 45 at night, but that just makes sleeping with lots of blankets even better!

Clinic Memories

2010-01-10T18:30:00.000-08:00

The last couple of days will go in the memory book for me. Probably Katie and Hannah too. Leslie made a quick trip to the States to visit her uncle before he passed away, so were short on staff.

Yesterday morning started out busy, giving out numbers and preaching at 7 outside of clinic. By the time I got back out there at 8, Katie and Hannah had already delivered a baby and were in the middle of care for an 11 month old girl with a heart defect. The baby was a stillborn, most likely dying a few days before. The mom, a young Mayan woman said she stopped feeling the baby move about 3 days before. It was a sad day, full of many very sick people, a baby funeral, and other people who kept coming to our door after clinic. This morning we were prepared for another long day at San Andres clinic, but God was merciful and there were few really sick people. We gave out a lot of food and milk, did a lot of ultrasounds, and saw many of our chronic patients (mostly diabetes and hypertension).

There was a point in the afternoon when I laughed to myself because I thought we had ran out of food only to have Rosa (our translator) surprise me by pulling a bag of beans, rice, oats, and sugar out of a "secret" spot in the cabinet. It is so hard to tell a hungry mom and her kids to come back in a week because we're out of food, and I was so relieved when Rosa pulled that bag out! Upon a visit to the orphanage where our friends Sebastian and Juanito distribute corn, I found out that we had just enough for the day. We sent out 3,100 lbs of corn to 31 families, and didn't have a bag left when everyone had passed through. That's cutting it a little close, but like Juanito said to me, "at least there won't be any to go bad throughout the week!" Next week's corn will be all fresh stuff.

Here is a picture of one of the houses Sebastian visited. It belongs to a widow named Micaela who he started on the corn program...Tomorrow Leslie and three good friends from our church in St. Louis will be coming in for a few days. We'll be happy to see them.

Back

2010-01-07T19:00:00.000-08:00

Duane and I made it back to Guatemala yesterday afternoon. We made it before the 5 degree 40 mph winds with snow. My trip was a total of 2 weeks and Duane was there for 5 days. Here you can see a picture of Duane and a group of pastors praying for Guatemala at the Destiny church missions conference. The conference lasted for 4 days and was really incredible. About 20 missionaries from all over the world were present with their ministries, and we had services and prayer every morning and evening. It was very refreshing and I met a lot of cool people. Below you can see a picture of Ben and me. Ben is a man from Gana, West Africa where it is "very hot." This was his first time in the United States, and he's there for 4 months. Like many people in Gana (and Guatemala) Ben has wanted to visit for a long time but never felt it was the right time until now. He has spent the last 7 years building a church discipling pastors for outlying village churches. We had lots of time to talk since I drove him back and forth between his brother's house and church. I think I was blessed more than he was through our talks.

Overall my visit was really good. I spent time with my family (below is from Christmas at my grandparents) and had some good time with a few close friends, even a few who surprised me by popping up at the missions conference!
Now we're back in Guatemala plugging away at the daily work. Our friends Norm and Vicki Sutton came over for a visit, and Norm and I spent some time working on an airplane. Maybe more than ever I am thankful for prayers over my life and ministry here in Guatemala. I know I plan to do more of it.

In the US

2009-12-29T13:53:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas!

It must have slipped my mind to post that I was going to be in the States for Christmas. Well, I was in the States for Christmas.

The weekend was really good with family and a few friends. Today Christian and I got out in the woods a little and enjoyed the crisp 28 degree air. It's nice for a change, but I would like some more snow. The weatherman says we might get a little in the next few days.

Duane will be joining me hopefully Friday evening at our home church, Destiny. They're having a missions conference for four days morning and evening starting Saturday evening at 6. Guest speakers include Joyce Meyer and Kurt Landry, the pastor who led Duane and Leslie's trip to Israel. I'm excited to get to meet him. Anyway, I just wanted to say hey. To everyone who is praying for Guatemala, those we serve in clinics and through the food program, thank you very much. Duane called and it sounds like everything is very busy there as usual.

I hope everyone who reads has a happy new years day!

Grr...

2009-12-18T17:17:00.000-08:00

I say grr... because Katie just robbed all the pictures we have of the families on our Corn Project! So, you can check that our on Adonai's blog.

I had to blog today though because it was a good day in the mountains with Thomas. He and I have a list of the "missing" people that we have not been able to find for the last two weeks as we make house visits to pray and access family's needs. Well, at clinic this Tuesday one of the "missing" ladies came back for more food and led us to the others! It was a long walk from the four-wheeler, but we found four missing families and added two new ones today. Our morning started out with the brisk downhill for about 1,000 feet. On our way to the missing lady's house (her name is Maria), we ran into Ignacia, another lady we are helping with food. Ignacia has rheumatoid arthritis, and although she is probably not over 50 her posture is bent and her hands are twisted. She walks with a cane, and at first glance you wouldn't expect her to be able to leave her house. Well, Ignacia began to walk with us to Maria's house and talked to Thomas along the way. She told him how she remembers the first time Leslie and Thomas prayed with her in her home. Three years ago she couldn't walk at all, and felt little purpose in life being stuck in bed. But she said that as Leslie and Thomas prayed she felt something enter her, and they declared over her that she would walk again and pray for others. Well, that's exactly what she's doing. Although slowly, she walks around the mountains (we found her about three walking hours from her house) praying for her neighbors. People call her from towns too far to walk to because of the anointing that she carries. Gathered around Maria, her kids, and Ignacia we prayed and have thanks to God for what he had done in their lives. Maria also had stories of how Thomas had prayed for her husband and son years ago and they were healed. And that was just our first house visit of the day!

There is always a lot of need, but it is encouraging to see God's hand move. He is the answer to people's needs, it's not the food and corn bags that only open the door into people's lives.

We also got to pray with a family in from of their idol. I think they thought we would be afraid to, but Tomas only laughed and explained that the little decorated stature had no power to answer prayers. To make a long story short, the woman in charge of taking care of the idol (lighting candles and such) was only doing it to fulfill her husbands commitment for a year. He had died earlier, but after promising to hold the idol in his house for a year. The woman agreed that she knew only God had the power to save and meet needs, but still didn't want to accept Christ until the idol was our of her house. So on the 25th of January she plans to give her life to Christ. I pray she truly does and that the Lord reveals his power and love to her now. Surely if she understood it she wouldn't wait.

After seeing our missing people we came home on a dusty road. Yesterday we saw mud for the first time in a while in San Pedro. It has been raining there as usual. Duane and I commented as we flew back that we made it all of 2009 without getting stuck in the jungle! Last year it seemed like it was every other time that the rain would close in around us. Anyway, clinic was good. The leaders there are really good about being organized. Duane made an emergency flight to Uspantan while we were there, and Leslie, Katie and I saw probably around 150 people. Tomorrow is clinic here in Canilla and then in San Andres on Sunday. Lots of people will be passing through, and I'm encouraged from today that lives are being touched by God even though we may not be aware.

Tearin' it up.

2009-12-11T16:44:00.000-08:00

Tearin' it up is what I feel like we're doing to motorcycles and four-wheelers around here. I am so thankful we don't have to ride horses everyone anymore. The Fickers remember those days.

Actually, nothing is torn up or broken down from this week. We've just been riding the four-wheeler and my bike a lot lately. The four-wheeler is the vehicle of choice for making house visits. If Juanito and Mario aren't riding it, Tomas and I are. My favorite 4-wheeler moment was when Tomas, Hector (our 10-year old guide) and I got to a tough spot. "It won't make it!" they said. Little do they understand the manuvering abilities of a Honda!

If we see six families a day we're doing good. It takes so long to locate people and then walk to their houses, usually several hundred feet up or down a mountain. We pray with everyone, unless they don't want us to, and share the gospel with them. Yesterday one lady prayed with Tomas in Quiche to accept Christ. That makes it all worth it.

On the bad side we run across people like this lady named Manuela. She was really nice, but lied to us in clinic about being a widow and not having any food. Upon visiting her we found out that she only said she was a widow because she heard the Americans would give food to her. Before we left her nice block house we prayed for her and her son (whom we will be helping with medicine for his siezures), but will not be giving food. Again though, this just shows the importance of house visits.

Today Duane and I went to visit Candelaria again. Duane and Leslie had helped her get her house back several months ago after her husband lost it as a result of debt. Now he is trying to sell it again, but his neighbors aren't letting him. (Thankfully). Sometimes I want to just tie someone like him up and haul him to the police station, Duane says it's better to pray instead. So we do, and help Candelaria and her 6 kids as best we can.

On the fun side of things, David, Joseph and I like the motorcycle race so much last month that we're helping some local teenagers make one in Canilla. On our days off and some evenings we have been helping them with the track and to mark the road up the mountain. Today I rode double with a guy who asked if I was a Christian while we were stopped to mark a tree with ribbon. I told him I was, and he said that he just became a Christian too. To me, it was just a cool experience because the whole "motorcyle" world is kind of outside of the religious circle, and I look for chances to show other motorcycle kids that you can have fun and be a Christian too.

My buddy Juan Carlos and I started a Bible study together two weeks ago. We meet every Monday evening with his wife Jael and his grandma to read a chapter together, talk, pray, and sing a few worship songs. Last week I even got a dinner afterwards, so we'll see if that keeps up. It feels good to reach out though in a discipling way, rather than just an evangelistic like in clinic.

Tomorrow is clinic though, and I still need to get a mini-message together, so I'm going to get off of here. Katie posted a good update for the Corn Blog if anyone wants to check that out. It's been really busy around here lately, but I'll try to keep the blog updated! Thanks for all the prayers and support.

He is Alive

2009-11-28T17:21:00.000-08:00

I don't know if he should be after living with blood sugar level around 600mg/dL for the last 4 days (normal is around 100), but Justino is still alive. He's an older man, probably 70 something, who came to Leslie last Wednesday night feeling really bad. After some IV fluids and medicine we took him home and have been checking on him morning and evening the last several days. He and his wife live in an adobe house about 10min down the road, and he can hardly see anything even through the thick round glasses that sit on his nose beneath a shiny, bald head. I won't get into the medical specifics, but we think he may be passing kidney stones, and has pain that comes and goes. Today though I went to see Justino and his wife and he told me that he had a dream last night where the Lord massaged his whole body and inner abdomen. He said it was the first night in a while that he's slept like a baby and been pain free. His sugar was still high tonight, and if it doesn't get better we'll urge him more to go to the hospital. Anyway, he tells me every visit that he has faith in the Lord.

Then he told me about other dreams he's had. He knows God is alive and not dead. Three times the Lord has appeared to him in dreams. One time he described as walking on a narrow road that lead into a beautiful park. Men walked with him at his side and showed him all the people there. He said it wasn't hot or cold, just perfect. There was no thirst or hunger, and he said there was no moon or sun. But everything was just right. I don't know he knew of Isaiah 60 where the Bible says there will be no need for sun or moon in the City of God. Justino has only been a Christian for two years. Man did he have a lot to say though. "My God is alive." he said over and over. "He was dead, but three days later he rose again, and he was whole. And he makes me whole. I talk to him like a friend. I have faith in God." And I believe him.

Most of my computer time has been entering data for the corn project and doing e-mails, so I'm sorry for not keeping up with the blog. I'll try to do better. Juan is still visiting people in aldeas (that's where the above pictures are from), delivering food, checking on families in need, and finding new ones. This past week I sent a list with him of people we knew needed a visit. He saw a few of them, but came back with a list of at least 10 more families! At the moment we have given food to around 100 families, but are still in the processes of visiting "pendientes"--those who have approached us for help or we have heard have need. Most times we give the first bag of food to these families after just a brief interview, but to receive continuing help a house visit ensures that the family truly does need help.

Also, before I get off of here I have to at least mention that David entered a local, enduro motorcycle race--about 30 miles of mountain riding with a short obstacle course at the beginning and end. He placed 4th out of 30 riders, many of them professionals from the capital and other cities in Guatemala. 3rd place (and winner of Q1000) was the man who marked out the course and was only a minute ahead of David! He did it mostly because our friends here always urge him to try, and it sounded fun, but he did really good. I entered too, but missed a turn from the start and got way behind, finishing like 20th out of 30. Not too much to brag about. But we had fun and tried to be a testimony for Jesus in the "rich kid" motorcyle environment. You know, as I look at these last four pictures next to the first four I realized that they show two totally different worlds that exist in the same town. We work with the poorest of the poor most of the time, but can still ride motorcycles with the upper class on raceday.

David clearing some rocks and logs.
Me taking on a set of logs and tires.
Tomorrow is clinic in San Andres. It's "Feria" time though, so we don't expect too many people. The street you see at the opening of my blog will be filled with lots of people selling all kinds of things, dancing, drinking, and some bowing to idols set up in tents, or shooting "bombas" kind of like fireworks off of their chests. Witchdoctors urge them to shoot them into the air so that the gods hear them. It's not really a good day, but we'll go for those who come to clinic and pray for God's people to be a light in the midst of a mostly dark celebration time.

Back to Guatemala

2009-11-10T17:33:00.001-08:00

This is one of the little guys we see regularly for the nutricion program in Chiminisijuan.

I just realized my last post was never published last Thursday, but just to fill anyone in, I didn't get back to Guatemala until last night. I extended my stay to help Ryan, Duane, and some other friends load up our "corn truck" with grain bins and other supplies. Hopefully the load will get here in a month or so. Our friend Martin plans to drive in through Mexico for us.
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There was nothing like being reunited with my XR650 at the airport yesterday (except maybe a pretty girl). It had been three weeks, and she was inviting me to give her a spin. My friends Dr. Sherwood and his wife Areli picked me up and took me to my motorcycle on the other side of the runway. (It was good to see them too :)! They were there to pick up some friends from Michigan who will be working with them for a week. Hopefully they'll be able to come and work with us this upcoming Saturday too. Anyway, three and a half hours after leaving the City I made it to Canilla just after dark. The dark and foggy mountain roads reminded me that I was back, as did all the familiar faces here at the house. Grace had to show me all of the new puppies we had, and David was sure to leave out some dinner for me.

Today was our weekly Chiminisijuan clinic. Armando and I went up and gave out milk/food to families who were on our programs. We did a lot of praying with families and I was reminded of who it is that we're here to serve. So many familes (many of them single mothers with several children) live in such isolated places just struggling to keep food in their bellies. Hope is much needed, and I feel like I can get so distracted from the Source of Hope in all of my personal worries.

As for major passings since I was gone: The Aztec interior looks really good, and David has been busy with tractor work and repairs on our Tacoma. Juan and I did some cutting and unbolting this afternoon. Our cow had her calf, so the fridge is stocked with milk again (that's a big deal). Duane and Leslie are still in Israel until Monday, but the girls are doing good with their brothers and sisters (and puppies). The corn project folder has over 200 families entered that we are either helping with food or monitoring in case they need it in the next couple of months. Three families came through today for beans, rice, and oats along with 15 kids who recieved milk. Tomorrow is our Sabbath, so I don't exactly what we'll do, but it's sure to include some prayer and worship. My time home was really good seeing family and friends. It was easier saying goodbye since I plan on being home for Christmas in just over a month (way better than 6 months). That's the rundown for tonight, I just wanted to let everyone know I made it back safe!

My Family

2009-10-18T17:33:00.000-07:00

The last few days I've been camping. My family actually chose to leave our well-heated, spacious, amazing home to live in a trailer on wheels for three days in a park with other such trailers on wheels in 40 degree weather. Actually it was pretty fun. John, my mom, Christain, and my aunt Janice spent three days together on Carlyle lake. My grandpa even stopped by for a day. The only bad things were my mom and Janice giggling in the middle of the night while the guys tried to sleep. And the fish didn't bite. Christian caught three and I got none! I guess I'm out of practice....There are no tilapia here.

I just got news today that David, Joe, and Ryan got the grainbins down yesterday. Their uncles and friend, Mike Lovell, helped. Soon the load will be ready for our friend Martin to drive to Guatemala. I also just read on Adonai's blog that Duane and Leslie finally got to talk to the mayor of San Andres. He said that he has been overwhelmed by the people who have come to him with need; I think he has a list of 4,000 people, widows and hungry families who have asked for help. To top it off a pastor prophesied over him a month ago that "corn was coming. Corn to feed the people. This was before we had announced our corn project to anyone outside of the ministry. Anyway, I'm really excited about what God is doing. The prophet Isaiah wrote, "If you spend yourselves on behalf of the hungry, and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will shine in the darkness and your night will be like the noonday sun." The Lord is about letting his glory shine as he meets the needs of his people.

I plan to spend the next few days with my dad, grandparents, and the side of the family I haven't seen yet. If anything exciting happens I'll be sure to post!

Last words

2009-10-13T18:11:00.000-07:00

My feet are soaked from catching our second bee swarm! Aaron found it under a bridge in town, so we made a hive and some tools last night. Tonight we caught as many as we could in a cardboard box. Later we'll dump what we have in the new "bee haven" box.
The last couple days have been pretty busy. Several of the pastors I've talked to the last couple days are really planning and looking for ways to help us with the corn project. I don't want to get my hopes too high, but I am praying.

Today in clinic there was a middle-aged lady, Estefania, who had a really high blood pressure, but nothing else wrong. After a few minutes of talking with her, she confided to us that she feels like there is an evil spirit oppressing her. I won't go into all the details, but it made me so mad that the devil has put such a fear in people here. I have no doubt that sin, the world(that is not subject to God's law), and the devil are the enemies of all mankind, but it makes me mad when Christians like Estefania are afraid of him. Here, more than in the US, poeple view the spiritual realm as very real, and tangible. Rather than calling a pastor to pray or taking medicine, people can call a witchdoctor to cast a spell to heal you (for a price of course). The cool thing is that people are healed quite often from chronic sicknesses after commitng their lives to Christ. Anyway, I just had some more spiritual stuff today than usual.

I'm looking forward to seeing my family, but not to the trip. I plan to ride my dirtbike in from Canilla in the morning (hopefully no more than a 4-hour trip) to get on the plane. I better get my bag packed...and get those bees in their box.

News

2009-10-10T18:19:00.000-07:00

Well, I think I'm going to try this like a news update. When a lot is going on I have a hard time deciding what to say, so:

SURGERY UPDATE: To follow up with Helen and Edimira, we went back to the City this Wednesday. The doctor there looked at her skin infection, and said that although it was almost gone (I couldn't see anything) there was still some there. He wouldn't admit her for a surgery, so we came home and will continue trusting God to take care of her. Possibly we can try again in February when another group of neurosurgeons come down.

MINISTRY: This last week in clinic was really good as far as spiritually ministering to people. Several men and women gave their lives to Christ. In the midst of so many problems and sicknessess, it amazing me how God's word never fails. He's faithful when everything else is falling apart. More and more though, I'm realizing the real need for discipleship after a person or a family accept Christ. Some churches are great to refer people too, and then there are other's who's pastors charge people for prayer.

IN PRAYER: There was a young man, Domingo, who came to San Andres clinic last week. He had been drunk for a month without eating, and his liver and intestines where punishing him for it. After a few days sober he came to us for help. We gave him some medicine, prayed with him to give control of his life to Jesus, and set up a trip for him to our friend Victor's drug rehab center. Victor said he never showed up, but I'm hoping we see him tomorrow at clinic again.

OUTREACH: This last Thursday we had another trip to San Pedro, Zona Reina. Again we got in an out the same day with the plane. Our friend Dr. Pedro (from Guatemala City) went with us to pull teeth, and they loved him. It's really good to to get to know the people there. Our relationship with them is deepening, but we still lack Christian translators. A few people have accepted Christ, but anytime we ask our translator to pray or share something about God they are silent. One man (I remember him as Luciano's dad) has a mass blocking his stomach, so he is withering away. His heart is right with God, but I'm praying that he recieves a miracle from Him because the doctors have not been able to do anything for him.

CORN: David, Joseph, and Ryan are still busy in the States working on a truck to bring a load down for the corn project. On this end of things we bought our first 2,000 pounds of corn today and cleaned out the small silos we have. More families continue to come to us each week for food. At our clinics we announced what we are doing in case anyone wants to donate food to help hungry families. It amazes me how willing to help most Guatemalan's are; organization is where things get hard though. If we can help with that I know we'll make a difference.

IT'S DEER SEASON IN ILLINOIS: My friend Jeff has already killed a buck and a coyote (as of a few days ago) with his bow, reminding me of Fall back home. I'll be going home to visit my family for three weeks later this month. I've been home for a total of two weeks this year, and I miss them very much.

Helen and Edimira

2009-10-01T15:37:00.000-07:00

Real quick I just wanted to post that our trip to the City went really well. Duane flew us in (I helped a little :) early this morning to go to the doctor's office. Helen's surgery is far form complete (not even started yet), but our initial visit to the hospital went really well. We were in and out in 10 minutes. At first the social worker we talked with asked us to wait in line with everyone else (which could have taken a day or two), but after telling her Helen's story she called a doctor directly to the office. Sadly, he told us that there was an infection in the skin of Helen's head that had to be treated before operating would be possible, but he told us to come back this next Wednesday and speak with him directly. As we left the social worker's office she confided to us that she too was a Christian and that she wanted to do all she could to help Helen and her mom, Edimira. To top it off, while Edimira, Helen and I were at a pharmacy buying the prescribed meds (Duane was doing some other City running), we ran into a Christian lady who gave us a ride to meet Duane. Overall, I feel like God was really faithful to go before us today and place the right people in our path. I'm now praying that God (hopefully through the medicine) heals Helen's skin infection before Wed. The American doctors leave Friday.

Also, tomorrow is our meeting with the pastors of Canilla and San Andres. We're planning and praying that all will go well. I hope that they'll catch the vision to care for the hungry people in this valley!

A four-legged man

2009-09-30T08:10:00.001-07:00

Sorry I don't have pictures of him, but I thought it was a good attention grabber. "The four-legged man" is actually Miguel, a 35-year old man that lives close to our Chiminisijuan clinic. Miguel wears shoes on his knees also as he crawls around on all fours. He was born crippled from birth, but doesn't seem to have let it get him down. He's really nice, has a pretty wife and baby, and a good horse that carries him around. Mostly it was just interesting to see someone like him in this culture and how he interacts with the people around him. From only meeting him once, it seems he is very much accepted by others...

The reason I'm writing today though isn't because of Miguel, but for our little hydrocephalus baby, Helen. I've written about her before, and we have continued to see her in clinic as part of our nutrition program and make house visits. 18-month old Helen's head is 53 cm in diameter, much larger that the average adults, and she has a severe hemangioma (not particularly dangerous but only adds to her disfigured appearance). Anyway, my goal is not to just tell another sad story, but to ask for prayer. Helen's mom has taken very good care of her, even to the point of waiting in a hospital in the City for a month--without an operation--until her family ran out of money. Now, there is a group of American neuro-surgeons coming to the City in October and we are trying to get Helen in for a surgery to drain the excess fluid off of her cerebrum. The hard thing is that Helen's dad left the family for another woman this week, her mom can't read, and they need help in the City to get around. Duane plans to fly Helen and her mom in to the City today or tomorrow for a pre-evaluation (I may end up accompanying them to the hospital). Our hope and prayer is that the doctors are able to do something for Helen and that all goes smoothly.

In other happenings....David and Joseph are still chugging al0ng in the US. They will get Martin on the road hopefully today and then either come home in the next few days or stay to get a load organized to bring down a truck and grain bins for storing the corn that's coming. This Friday we are meeting with the pastors and maybe mayors of Canilla and San Andres. Yesterday we had a meeting with Armando (our pastor friend from San Andres) and he is on board for helping with the corn project. He and I got a list of villages and a game plan organized for visiting and accessing the most needy families in those places in the ensuing weeks. It's exciting, but I'm reminded of how big of a project this could be and how important prayer is.

Lastly, I've learned that I don't like the "negocio" method of car swapping here. I'm looking at buying a Jeep from a guy down the road that is in good shape and has all the paperwork in order, but agreeing on a price is frustrating. I go up, he doesn't go down. He goes down, I don't to go up any more. We'll see what happens.

Disarmed

2009-09-27T16:53:00.000-07:00

"He took it [that standard of righteousness that we failed to keep and stood opposed to us], and he nailed it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross." (Col. 3:14,15))

This has been part of the scripture I've formed my message around the last two days outside of our clinics. When you disarm someone you take their gun away. You take their gun and their ammo, and that is what God did to Satan when he died on the cross. Satan is an accuser, and when God nullified the law that stood against us, he took Satan's guns. God can say, "Yeah, maybe Craig screwed up there, but the price has been paid. He can come and be with me." What an opportunity that we as people have before us. The wages of sin is death, but the GIFT of God is eternal life in Jesus.

Today in San Andres in addition to 100 numbers, we saw several families suffering spiritually. One family in particular came in. They were a mother and father along with their daughter, Maria. Maria got married at 13, was abused by her husband who left her for (and sometimes brought home) other women. He ended up dying for some unknown reason, but not before paying a witchdoctor to put a curse on her. From age 15 to 25 Maria has not been able to talk, doesn't recognize her parents, and is prone to fits of lunacy. Whether you want to believe there are spiritual influences in there or not, the young girl has had a really emotionally/physically messed up life. Her parents are now in the church and have thrown away their Mayan idols, but were still pretty timid in praying for their daughter. Leslie encouraged them to fast on their daughters behalf and not to give up praying. We prayed today in clinic and promised a visit, but honestly the whole thing is so foreign to me I didn't know what else to do.

In other happenings...David and Joe are still in the States, but it looks like they'll be able to come back soon. Joe passed his private pilot written test, and they have both been helping out Ryan a lot. Also, I have a few new numbers for the corn project:

1. $68 a month will meet a family of 8's basic corn needs for a year, eating 2lbs of corn a day.
2. Buying the corn in country from a confessing Christian business owner on the coast looks like our cheapest option, at about $8 per 100lb bag. The corn actually comes from the US, but our friend can get it shipped cheaper than we are able to.
3. We are inviting pastors from Canilla and San Andres over this Friday to pray and talk about working together to combat the corn shortage.
4. I learned this week from another man that he "just doesn't feel like he's eaten without having a tortilla,''! So I know corn is something that will be meeting a physical and psychological needs in people!

Anyway, we are just kind of resting tonight. Leslie and Duane are listening to a church service in Kansas City, so I thought I'd write a post before I shower and read a little bit. Thanks for reading and for all the prayers.

Investing

2009-09-24T16:48:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite radio hosts, Dave Ramsey, says that when you can annually live off of 8% of your retirement savings, you are safe to retire. That's a piece of financial investment advise, and has nothing to do with the investing God has been dealing me about, but there it is anyway.

I think God cares more about investing in people. This week I went to visit a young man in his home. His name is Lucas and he's suffering from some kind of chronic disease that doctors can't identify. He's 32 years old, was normal up until 3 years ago, and now struggles to swallow. His weight is dropping, he has lost his ability to talk, and is limited to his bed. It has fallen upon Lucas' father Santiago to daily feed, clothe, and move him. Lucas was never married, and his mom (Santiago's wife) passed away several years ago. The two men and at least two daughters that I met live together in their home. It was Santiago who came to our clinic last weekend asking us to visit his son. Leslie has already visited and referred the family to the hospital in the past, so my time with them was mostly just to encourage and pray. Lucas and Santiago are both Christians, and I encouraged them to read the Bible, listen to the christian radio stations, and for Lucas to spend his time praying. As we prayed at the end Lucas closed his eyes and silently moved his lips in prayer. Though he never said a word I knew he was a young man trapped in a body that ached to move. A light part in the visit was when I went to leave. It had started to rain (sounding pretty heavy on their tin roof) so before I started the walk back to my motorcycle I bundled up in my green Gortex rain suit. Apparently I looked like a "turtle" to Lucas, the backpack under my jacket making me complete with a shell. It was good to see him smile and laugh as best he could.

There are a couple other people I visit every week or so, but it's honestly usually hard to go and see them--many of them with chronic illnesses that medically there is no cure for. Sometimes I hesitate to go, or just don't know what to say when I'm there. Today though Aaron and I were reading for our weekly devotional from James chapter 1. There James says that religion that pleases God is to care for widows and orphans in distress. God kind of stopped me with that verse and I think He was telling me that investing in the lives of even just a few people who have need is what pleases him. We see hundreds of people every week in clinic, some we have more relationship than others. But I think in my life, and maybe in all of our lives, we need to pray and seek out those few people in distress (the widows and the orphans) whom we can invest in. I never leave Nancy's (the little girl with cerebral paulsy) house without being glad I did. If I go with scripture, prayer, and a smile I'm finding it's enough to lift a few people's spirits and give them hope. If you're a Christian reading this, you have the ultimate source of hope to offer those around you. Just as I'm trying to do, I encourage you to look for those 1, 2, or 3 people that you can invest in.(This is an older picture from when our Manos de Amor "Hands of Love" friends came from a church in the City to support us in a day of medical clinic. Their investment into their own people has been exemplatory for their fellow Guatemalan's)

Our corn/feeding project is still underway, and so I don't have any concrete plans to pass on yet. First and foremost I and we as a ministry are praying that God would meet the needs of people this year--both physically with food and also spiritually. If the Lord can use us to do that then we are available. Just for fun...

We've found that:
1. One hundred pounds of corn will last a family of eight about 6 weeks.
2. 20,000 pounds of corn will feed 273 families for a year.
3. We still don't now the cheapest way to get corn here.
4. It would be best to work with the churches in collecting other foods for distribution.
5. By working with the churches needly families could be identified easier in outlying villages and distribution made more efficient.
6. We need to keep praying!

Everybody loves corn

2009-09-16T18:54:00.000-07:00

Right? At least in Guatemala I think everybody loves corn. If you haven't heard, the problem in much of Guatemala this year is that it barely rained during the main growing season and there is way less food than normal. Already we are seeing more people than ever asking us for food, and more babies every week are going onto our feeding program.

This three-month-old baby boy is from Chiminisijuan clinic yesterday.

Leslie wrote a good blog about what God has put on our hearts to do to help the hunger situation. Right now we're in the planning phases, but we are in contact with many people who are helping us organize getting a load of corn into Quiche for distribution among poor families who are in need of food. If you think to pray or feel led to be a part in this project in another way (such as donating money toward shipping or corn, or donating corn itself) I believe it is something that God is doing. After we get a few more numbers from some shipping companies and the Guatemalan ports, I can pass more details on to those who are interested.

In other happenings, Guatemala celebrated its independence from Spain yesterday. Lots of people came to Canilla from San Andres to listen to some bands in the park. Sebastian and Oralia (who run the orphanage in San Andres) came over to visit afterward with a truckload of kids. It was really good to visit with them, and I think I might start teaching a few of the boys guitar lessons. Sebastian is going to see who is really interested.

Today was a good day because I got my radiator fixed on my bike finally (thank you Malachi); although, I have a new-found respect for JB Weld. I also have a new movie, The Incredibles, to show in the park this Friday. This week I put up flyers because several poeple said they would have come to the past ones if they had known. If anyone has any good ideas of movies, I would love to hear them. DVD's that have a Spanish audio track work best, and I look for movies with quality (that I would watch), that are clean, and if possible have a positive message. Showing movies a few times a month is depleting our supply, and I'm not in the States to know what new ones are out.

Well, it's hot tonight, and I need to shower and get to bed. My dad says that cleanliness is next to Godliness.

Ahora Si!

2009-09-12T19:13:00.000-07:00

Yes. I am back. Thanks very much especially to Jeff and Donette for checking on me! One week I didn't write, and I never got back on. But ahora si (now, yes) I'm back and won't let it happen again. God has been moving in many people's lives, and a lot in my heart.

"What is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.....Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands." (2 Cor. 4:18-5:1)

This scripture has really spoken to me a lot lately. God is building a house for me in heaven--how awesome! I don't know how I could say the truth of this verse any better using other words; it's just the applying of the message to life that is so hard. What we see with our eyes, what we work toward, what we worry about..so much these physical things are all so blatantly in front of us, but are not the most important. The past couple clinics I've been blindfolding kids and asking them to lead each other to a certain spot outside of clinic. The first time my two volunteers are blindfolded, the second time one's blindfold is taken off and the little boy or girl guides the other.

The blind can't lead the blind. Only Jesus can open our spiritual eyes. And only when our spiritual eyes are opened to we begin to live for those eternal things. There is so much need that we see every day, so few people who have hope. Hopefully if you had been following my blog in the past, you were able to read a little from Adonai's blog. There is a story there of Candelaria; her story is pretty appalling. More than anything though I remember kneeling under her plastic as she told us that she was afraid God had forgotten her. A neighbor had a dream that Candelaria died, and so Candelaria thought that was her future. So many lies had been spoken over her that she struggles to believe there's hope and a God who loves her...."What is seen is temporary. What is unseen is eternal."

My time here is moving more toward more preaching and prayer ministry, although clinics and the everyday word still fill in the gaps. David and Joseph are planning on going to the US tomorrow. Both will be renewing their licenses and Joe will be taking his written test for his private pilot's license. I'll miss them for the time their gone, but I won't get as much trouble for a while. Dr. Malachi and his sister Rachel will also be going home tomorrow. They were here for a week, and were huge help with ministry and clinic as always.

Tomorrow is San Andres clinic, so I appreciate any prayers for the people there, and again, please forgive me for slacking on the blog.

Mixing Things Up

2009-08-14T19:44:00.000-07:00

This week we've been doing a little extra with the team that came in last Tuesday from Washington. They are mostly young people and have come to us with positive attitudes and hearts ready to share the love of God.

The schools we're visiting are the ones that we feel have been the most forgotten. Three of the four are on the outermost edge of the municipal of Canilla in Mayan communities. Most take over an hour to reach and require a good hike after we part the truck.

Leslie, Katie, Adrienne, and Rachel have all worked really hard to prepare lessons for the schools. Mostly our activities focus on the solar system, how big God is, and how much He loves us. The teachers tell us that most kids don't learn about the planets until they're in Jr. High, and we're starting with them from 1st to 6th grade. I realized how basic we had to start when I was talking with a friend and she said that she didn't know people had been on the moon before! Lots of hands on activities are paving the way though. We've visited three schools so far to see about 250 kids, and we have one more school on Monday. Here are a few pictures from our travels...

(Look see!)

(Daryl and I have been sticking together a lot this week, picking up tortillas every morning in town and making house visits)

(Going around the sun was a lot of fun)(Girls stick together)

Guatemalan Days

2009-08-07T14:47:00.000-07:00

I was reading about gravitational waves the other day. They have to do with the 4th dimension of time and are supposedly variable. I think you could twist that around to be an excuse for time getting away from you, so that's why I couldn't blog this past week. Gravitational waves were moving pretty heavy around here.

Thanks to everyone who prayed for our trip to Unilla. It went really well. Just yesterday we went to San Pedro, where we have been going for over a year and a half now. The differences in the villages are huge. Both need Jesus, but San Pedro is just an easier place to go to because we know and trust the leaders. Benjamin and Sylvia (who you can see in the picture) have been workng with us there since Duane first flew there two years ago. They just made a trip to have their baby in Quiche, and also helped us with the cleft palate surgeries while they were there. Sylvia made a comment to Katie this trip about drinking. We were talking about some of the men's relationships with their wives, and Sylvia turned to Katie and was like, "Of course drinking and and wife-beating go together. Where the men don't drink, they don't beat their wives."

Along that same line, Daryl (a friend who is down from the US with his wife Stacey) and I went to visit Victor's rehab center in Quiche. Since starting seven months ago he has had 210 men go through his program. He told us today that if it weren't for Duane, Leslie, and our other friend Roy he would not be able to keep the program running. Today several of the men were gone for work (thanks to Roy), so Daryl and I spent some one on one time with a couple of the men. The last man we talked with was Antonio. He was 44, and had been kicked out of the house by his family. Unlike many of the other men at Victor's, Antonio has land, a family, and many job skills. What he doesn't have is a content heart. Sitting down with him, he shared with us with tears in his eyes his story. Several years ago he had an affair, and the other woman tried to kill his wife by jamming a stake through her head. His wife survived, Antonio returned to take care of her, but not without many problems in the house. He turned to drinking. Now he says when he's on his way to work or in the street and a buddy invites him for a drink, he can't turn it down. "Other guys can just take a drink and then go on to work," Anotonio told us, "but I have to have another, and then another." As I was translating this to Daryl, he told me to tell Antonio to quit thinking about himself. Nearly everything Antonio had told us up to that point had to do with him thinking of himself and his happiness. All it caused was more problems. He felt like he was backed against a wall, rejected by his family, and just wanted to run, but didn't know where to. After I shared what Daryl had said, and that he needed to give control to Jesus and start living with a servant's attitude, Antonio just broke. He asked us to pray with him to recieve the spirit of Jesus into his heart as we kneeled on the ground and he prayed through his tears. Daryl told him that he may feel backed against a wall, but that God was standing just across the room with a pillow inviting him to rest.
Antonio will have to choose to obey the spirit of Jesus inside of him, but I believe he is a new man. He wants to give up drinking and reconcile with his family.
Although Antonio's story is a little more dramatic that most of ours, I think we have all been in his position, often trying to gratify our own desires, only to our own demise. God is waiting with a pillow, inviting us to rest from chasing what we think we want, so he can give us the life we were made for.

Witnessing a Miracle

2009-07-29T10:00:00.000-07:00

White is done, red and gold to go! Stay tuned for a sweet looking Aztec!

Sometimes it's hard to decide what to write on here. Of course there is always stuff happening both around me and in me, but what would be interesting to somebody else? This morning I had the opportunity to feel really out of shape. I got up early to visit a school that we're going to visit in August with the team. My guide drove his motorcycle pretty slow, but he walked fine. After visiting the school for about an hour I turned around to head back. My guide was a teacher there, so he stayed behind. Walking back up the hill by myself I had to stop more than once. I think the folks here would give the Kenyans a run for their money in a marathon. The school was really cool though, because it really was in the middle of nowhere on the outermost edge of our municipal. The director there was really excited to have us come.

Yesterday I had a really cool opportunity. Leslie woke me up early and asked me if I would mind going with Duane to the City in the airplane. To make a long story short, a lady here in town had received results from a CAT Scan indicating that she had a mass in the posterior lobe of her cerebrum (and of course your brain is a very bad place to have a mass/tumor). Originally she had gone to the hospital because of really bad headaches and dizziness, and her doctor now wanted her to have an MRI done in the City. She couldn't have made the trip on her own, but Duane and Leslie offered to pay for half. Well, the lady, Elvia, had called Leslie about 4 am with a really bad headache, and Leslie told her that Duane had a flight planned to the City that we could take her on. My job was to stay by her side in an unfamiliar environment for the testing. (Duane and Aaron had a meeting with the FAA of Guatemala about improving our airstrip.) So I got to know this lady pretty good throughout the day. We starting out praying when her 6 kids dropped her off at our hangar in the morning, we prayed in the plane, and we prayed all the way through her exams. She said that during her exam lights and sounds where going off all around her head, but she just kept praying to God to take the mass out of her head. They finished the exam about mid morning, but we had to wait until afternoon to pick up the results. That gave us lots of time to talk about how good God was, and how we were going to believe him for a miracle. She told me that although her husband had become a Christian a few years ago, he still didn't have much patience with the kids. She said, "I don't mind dying so much becase I know where I'll just be with God, but I worry who would take care of my kids. If God will wait until they're older I would be so happy." Well, we prayed (and of course that made me hungry), so I took her to Pollo Campero, a Gutemalan's favorite fast food place (kind of like KFC). Finally it came time to pickup the results.
They just handed us a packet, and at first she didn't want to open it. Finally, when we were back at the plane she asked me to open it and read the letter. Honestly I didn't want to. I was fine to believe God for a good report, but when it came time to look at some real-life photos of her brain, I was afraid of what they might show. They showed nothing! We read through the report (because I don't know how to read the pictures) and the specialist said the only thing abnormal in her brain was some sinusitis. I told Elvia that they might have to cut her nose off (she hit me for that) but that according to the note there were no signs of a mass! God is so good, and it was a wonderful experience to witness a miracle. Just as much of a miracle was dropping her off in the evening. Her children and husband ran up and hugged her as she smiled and told them that the results came back clear. During the day she had told me what her life used to be like. Before accepting Christ her husband had been a hard drinking, cheating, wife-beating piece of work (although she didn't exactly use those words). Now she said he is a new man. "It's not fair that while my home was a mess I was healthy and now that my home is good I'm sick." Again, I just encouraged her with how much God loved her and her family. Oh, and Elvia went all day withought any pain in her head! We encouraged her to take her results to her doctor in Quiche, but said to keep trusting in God.
I will contiune praying for Elvia. Whether those reports came back good or bad, God wouldn't have changed, and He won't change. He loves us, is the perfect father, has the power to heal, and wants as many people as possible to walking into the open doors of his kingdom. Elvia will die someday just like you and me, but that doesn't change God, and I don't think it's as big a deal to Him as it is us. But for now, I'm asking that he would allow Elvia to raise her kids and be the example of Christ's love that she is to the people around her. So often I only see problems and sicknesses that people are not healed of. It has been so encouraging to witness this miracle, and I'm going to be believing for more because of who I'm discovering God to be.
Tomorrow we're heading into Unilla, Zona Reina again. This time we'll be taking a Dr. Pedro the dentist with us. The community leader is expecting a lot of people. These trips are always very physically draining, but spiritually revitalizling. I know that we take the name of God with us, and before Him goes all light, power, and life. Our desire is that the people of Unilla would experience Him. If you happen to get sweaty tomorrow, please think of us and throw up a prayer.

Moving Mountains

2009-07-23T20:51:00.000-07:00

My hope and prayer is that spiritually God is moving mountains in Guatemala, setting men free from alcoholism, healing the sick, and caring for the poor. But on our way back from Coban yesterday David and I literally saw a mountain that had fallen in a year ago. The road used to pass about a third of the way down from the top, but if you look at the bottom branch to the left you can see the bulldozer that has been working to keep a temporary road open at the bottom. And so yes, David and I also made it back from our trip safe and sound. My body is a little tired from the 9 hour ride, but we made it there and back the same day. The ride home (a different way) was the prettiest part, seeing this huge mountain that had caved in and also a highway that went alongside a crystal blue river. We did eat at McDonald's for the first time in months and explored a cave (for a small fee). In McDonald's we met an interesting character named Brad. He was a young guy from Georgia riding his bike to Panama and back. We invited him to sit with us, so we listened to his story and shared Jesus with him. He was a very thoughtful guy, but I'm not sure where he stands with God. I can't imagine living in the world without a relationship with my Creator. It's not always easy, but I'm grounded, hopeful, and know that I'm never alone.

Today I visited two schools that we'll be doing a kind of Bible School at later in the summer when a team of American high school students come down. It's still amazing to me that the municipal director and the teachers are so open to us talking about Jesus in the public school setting. As long as we don't bash somebody for not being a Christian, they are extremely supportive of us sharing the creation story and talking about Jesus who died for them. What an opportunity we have to share Jesus with these kids that live in some of the most remote areas in Guatemala. Most of the teachers drive their motorcycles close to an hour from town and then walk sometimes another half hour to get to school. Most of the kids are Mayans, and so the youngest ones don't speak any Spanish yet. We'll take translators with us for the days we visit.

Taking a Ride

2009-07-21T20:20:00.000-07:00

I'm writing this one a night early, but I just wanted to let anyone reading to know that David and I are planning on making a trip to Coban tomorrow on or motorcycles. It's our day off, and whether the girls here understand it or not, riding a motorcycle can be very spiritual! Coban is somewhere we've never been. It is supposed to be a really pretty place that is well developed compared to the areas surrounding it. Lots of the people we serve in the Zona Reina conisider it to be the closest place for medical and economical help, and for most of them it's still a several hour walk plus 6 hour bus ride. Duane also would like us to check our the runway there for the future. Anyway, I hope we don't warrant to many prayers; David and I are pretty safe on our bikes. We're planning on about a 4 hour ride there.

Today at clinic there were over 60 people, but everthing seemed to flow smoothly and peacefully. It helped to start out seeing the family from last week that wanted to get back in church. This week they came as a FAMILY including the husband/dad. During the week he gave up drinking, and went to church with his family. That is nothing short of a miracle. Armando and Leslie talked with them, encouraged them, and help again with food. Thier little boy is still very malnourished, but was a little more alert today and hopefully on the road to growing.

I don't know if you'll get the pleasure of riding a motorcyle today, but it's my hope that you find something in your day to enjoy simply because God put it there for you!

Some pictures...

2009-07-20T20:28:00.000-07:00

A picture tells and thousand words, so I thought I'd do more uploading than writing this time.....

Today I got some fish! Duane and I flew in to pick up our good friend Adrienne from the City, and I brought home my boys (they're all male).

This past weekend we helped some families from here and the Zona Reina go to Quiche for cleft palate surgeries. This is one of the little girls, "before and after."

The Aztec is finally ready to paint! Aaron, David, and Joseph have been hard at it the last several days. (Rachel has some good pictures on her blog!)

I don't think I've ever put any pictures up of pastor Joel and his family. It's been fun and a learning experience to work with them in their church every week.

Duane just built a new counter-top for his "office" outside of clinic. He and I usually start off by praying for the people, sharing a message, and then scheduling the patients for the day. This past Saturday David (Katie's dad who is here visiting and you can see behind Duane) shared a word with the people.

As always, I really appreciate any and all prayers for me, the ministry, and the people we serve. I've told a couple of my friends that I really can tell when people are praying. We see so much need, without Jesus we could never have enough within ourselves to offer the people here. It's kind of been a rough week, for no single reason, but as spent some time before the Lord today I was just greatly refreshed. Thanks to all my friends and family who pray for me.

Missing the Milking

2009-07-14T19:54:00.000-07:00

Well, David (Salvador's son) is back this week, so I kissed the cow goodbye. Okay, so I didn't kiss her, but I told her fair-well until David's next day off...

Yesterday morning our diabetic lady and her family came to our door again. Her name is Micaela (not Adrianna), and her husband, son, daughter, daughter-in-law, and granddaughter all drove up in the son's truck to learn how to take her blood sugar and give her insulin. They were so polite, even taking their shoes off at the door before they came into clinic. It was funny to see the girls walking around barefoot and the guys in their socks, with a pile of the family's shoes at the door. Leslie and Katie instructed, quizzed, and then quizzed again the family on how to take care of Micaela. I got to spend some time with the Miguel and Manuel (the son and dad). Miguel is still thinking about accepting Christ, but at least he was honest. Manuel confidently said that he was a Christian now. We talked about their history and went over how to pray. They should be back this Saturday for clinic.

Today the road to Chiminisijuan wasn't as bad as last week. The road crew (about 25 men with hoes) have really worked it over. The way the road crew works is the community schedules work days where all the able men of the village get together for a community project. Where there are no machines, there is power in numbers. The most memorable thing from today in clinic was a family who came in close to the beginning. Leslie knows the story better (I was busy with some of our nutrition kids), so you can check the ministry blog for a more detailed story. When I walked over at the end though, Leslie and Armando (our Quiche preacher/translator) where praying with the woman and her three kids to rededicate their lives to Christ. The dad wasn't a very good dad. I'm pretty sure he's drunk all the time. But it was really good to see this mom and her kids so hungry for God. The little boy was leaning forward in his chair to hear every word from Armando's mouth! Times like that remind me of why I'm here. (You can see the family in this picture as they walked out the door).

Movie Night

2009-07-11T18:45:00.001-07:00

Our dairy cow and I have gotten pretty close this week with our workers taking a week off. Normally twice a day I walk out to the pasture with a feed bucket. She looks at me. I look at her. And we both know someone is going to get milked. The bad part of all of this is when I forget in clinic and tell Leslie or Katie that a mom is milking good (what I'm trying to say is that she's nursing). I blame it on Spanish.

Last night with the help of the gang here, I finally showed a movie in the town park. There were a lot of young people for the half-hour motocross video and then about 80 people for the longer "Fireproof." The movie has action, comedy, and a good message about marriage, AND comes dubbed in Spanish. Several people asked when the next movie was going to be, so maybe we can make it a monthly thing.

A total of 5 people died in town this week, so it was a really sad time. Almost everyone is related it seems, so my message outside of clinic was about the resurrection that all who trust in Jesus can look forward to. My words didn't seem sufficient for the situation, but I think people were listening. Later in clinic our diabetic lady came back (I think her name is Adrianna). Last week I blogged about her and her family. Once again, her sugar was over 600, and she needed IV fluids and insulin. If God doesn't do something to either heal her or inspire her family to start taking better care of her, she will not live much longer. Today we prayed, and told her family that they could come back in the middle of the week if they wanted us to explain how to check Adrianna's blood sugar and give her insulin injections. We'll see if they come.(Adrianna, her husband, and daughter prayed with Tomas and Leslie to accept Christ into their hearts today.)

Last, at my dad's urging, I opened up the bee hive for the first time. He said I needed to check that they were making plenty of comb and raising new bees. This picture doesn't show a whole lot (the bees were pretty mad at me at the time I took it), but here is one of the frames. To my surprise there was a lot of comb, a little honey, and lots of larvae.
So that's my recap on milking, clinic, and honeybees. I hope you enjoy whatever little things in life that God has put before you today.

Peach Pie

2009-07-08T20:18:00.000-07:00

Duane and I like to build memories involving pie, and pie requires fruit. For this I was really grateful for the people of Chiminisijuan at clinic on Tuesday. We got two bags of peaches and a bunch of bananas from a couple of the ladies, and today I got peach pie from Rachel and Leslie. Life is good.

Really, I've always been bothered by how I so easily measure life as good or bad depending on my circumstances. For example: Pie= life is good; Flat tire= life is bad. This kind of outlook honestly makes everything seem pretty crazy, life pretty meaningless, and emotions like a roller coaster. That's when I remember that God never changes, and that He tells us in the book of James to pray to Him without doubting. He says, "Don't be a wave on the sea tossed back and forth by the wind (circumstances). Trust me."
We had some pretty bad circumstances yesterday. While we were at clinic receiving our gifts of fruit, Duane was picking up the man from the City whom he had taken to the hospital a few days before. I didn't realized how bad the situation was. Duane said that this young man (early 30's) from a small isolated village in the Zona Reina had fallen off his horse and broken his back. Some of the community members pitched in to help the man make the trip (they offered Duane $50 for the trip which is a huge deal for them). Surgery didn't help much though, so the man is paralyzed from the chest down. Additionally, Duane said the guy is skin and bones. Even after praying with the man it was just hard to see him go not knowing what kind of care awaited him back in his home. Duane took it really hard.

Later that afternoon, Duane made another emergency flight. Late in the afternoon the ambulance from the "health center" in town (staffed by a couple local nurses and a doctor, all Guatemalan) showed up at our gate. They wanted oxygen for a newborn who wasn't breathing and had aspirated (breathed in) myconium (amniotic fluid tainted with the baby's feces) during delivery. This happens when the baby gasps for air too soon because of distress during delivery. Anyway, Leslie and I ended up rushing to the health center behind the ambulance with suction, oxygen, and a pulse/ox machine. Leslie helped work on the baby for several minutes as that was her specialty in the States, but the most we ever got was a faint heartbeat. Duane flew the little girl, a nurse who was breathing for the baby, and the dad to Quiche, but upon arriving in the ER they pronounced the baby dead. I don't think I need to say a whole lot more. It was just a terrible situation. Upon entering the room in the health center we recognized the mom and dad from clinic. Just three days before I had said hi to the dad as Leslie or Kaite did his wife's ultrasound. Again, we prayed with them and contiue to pray.

It's hard to move forward when tragedy comes, and it's easy to think everything's great when you're eating peach pie! At any moment in time there is probably someone enjoying peach pie, and someone else at deaths door. God alone is unchanging and a fail-safe in this life. That's why I want to know Him better. Now, I know every good and perfect gift comes from God, so I'll keep enjoying my peach pie, but the state of my heart and mind is dependent upon God alone. He says that he loves me, and I believe him. His Word the Bible tells me what he's like along with all the promises of the good he has prepared for his children. I hope I can always remember that if my confidence is in anything other than God, then the wave I'm riding could crash at any moment. Wherever you are, I hope you can make a decision with me to rely upon God who is always there for us.

Work, Eat, Pray

2009-07-06T19:34:00.000-07:00

That's what I did today. The best part was a toss up between the eating and the praying (but there were no beef ribs involved, Jeff!).

In Guatemala the "volcano" method of pouring concrete is choice when there's no concrete mixer. As you can see though, we do have our own concrete truck! The old Dodge severed us well on this last pad of the shed. We worked until lunch, and then ate some really good fried chicken. Leslie thinks we don't mean it when we tell her the food is good (because we tell her that everyday) but I assured her it's the truth. Here's some pictures of our concrete.

In the afternoon we invited Duane as a new member to our exclusive "Pray for San Andres" club. Actually it's just the first time he was able to leave his other responsibilities here without feeling too bad. Prayer was good. I'm learning that God never changes, but that I don't have Him figured out yet. He is I believe always wanting to do something new in our lives and show us more of what He's like. "Hey, watch this," I can hear him saying. I hope I'm never too comfortable to put a limit on what I think he can do in my life.

Yesterday clinic was busy in San Andres with just Leslie, Katie, and I seeing patients, but there weren't any emergencies like on Saturday. Candelaria came again with her kids, and Paulino stopped by for his weekly... for the second time. After church I went to Juan Carlos' again for another visit (there's usually food involved). He's learning to play the guitar, and also needed a ride back to Canilla. Here you can see him sporting his "old man" outfit because his wife and family were making fun of his pants.

Salvador's "Taller"

2009-07-04T19:00:00.000-07:00

I told Salvador and Maynor that they should open their own bicycle "taller" (tire repair shop). They probably didn't appreciate me taking their picture, but after I explained the internet to them, I think they understood that it was good for business. Actually it's just Salvador's flat tire that he's had for two weeks, and we were just finishing picking up trash after clinic.

Whew was clinic eventful today! There were over 70 people, which is normal, but we also had some strange cases. My first strange case was the crazy lady who comes through every two months. After treating the illnesses I could see: high blood pressure, yeast infection (I didn't look but took her word on it), and ringworm, she began to tell me about all kinds of things I couldn't see. Leslie warned me as I gave the lady her blood pressure medicines that I was getting ready to hear that her ear hurt, head hurt, and that she couldn't sleep. Sure enough, as I handed her her pills she told me that a bug was in her ear. I looked (it was clean), and told her that the bug must have left. Content with that, I asked her if she wanted to pray and then sent her on her way.

The next case was a little more grave. An older lady with a blood glucose level over 500 (80-120 is normal) came in with her son and daughter. She was all skin and bones from living at a such a high sugar level, and her body was starting to shut down. Her blood pressure was 60/40 and she also had blood in her stool. In the past she had come to us, but says that she wasn't able to come back regularly because no one could take her. Well, today her son (who just got back from the States) was with her and said that he wanted to start taking care of her now that he was home. Our advice was for him to take his mom to the hospital, but they said they had gone before and the hospital had done nothing...probably because they were a poor indigenous family. Anyway, they weren't going to go, so we did what we could. We started the lady on IV fluids, gave her insulin, and moved her into the clinic living room for about four hours. Before they left we were able to pray with several members of the family and share Jesus with them. I don't think they had ever been in church of any kind, but the son (who was the only one who could read spoke good Spanish) asked for a Bible. After advising him to start reading about the life of Jesus in of the book of John, I charged him with the duty of pastor for the family! His sister laughed when I told him that it was his job to read to everyone else and teach them what the Bible said...

The third surprise came in the middle of giving the last lady her IV fluids. Someone started pounding on the clinic door and a young man carrying a 9-year-old boy ran into the room. The boy was shaking like he was having a seizure, but it turns out he was just really scared. We put him on the exam table and found only minor scratches on his arm and a small bump on his head. It turns out the young man was driving too fast on his motorcycle and hit the little boy in the road in front of clinic. Everyone was just really scared. The mom came in crying, the young man was shaken up almost as bad, and there was a big crown trying to find out what was going on. In the end everything ended up OK, but it could have been bad mainly because of the underlying racism that still exists in many people's minds. The young man was a latin, and the boy was mayan. Also, if you hit someone here and don't go to the authorities it's possible that a couple months later the injured party will come back demanding money. In an effort to do everything right, Leslie actually took both parties into town to get everything in the open and stop rumors from spreading. The guy ended up giving the family some money anyway probably just to keep peace. The whole experience just showed me how much people can make a big deal out of nothing, especially in a crowd.

So after picking up trash in the courtyard and taking a picture of Salvador's tire shop, we went in to get lunch ready. Duane had just got back from a medical flight to the City. A man from the Zona Reina fell of his horse and needed an emergency flight during the morning. For the first time in our history of emergency flights an ambulance actually beat Duane to the airport and was waiting with a stretcher when he arrived. On his way home, Duane brought some Americans back for our friend Tim who runs the orphanage in San Andres. Tim and Sebastian came over in the afternoon to pick them up, so it was good to see them. Then we ate a late lunch and went to play some more volleyball at the river. I won twice and lost once...but we don't keep count :).

Hannah leaves back for Houston tomorrow. We'll definitely miss her in clinic tomorrow in San Andres. The diabetic lady who got the IV fluids is still heavy on my mind tonight, and I know there will be more people tomorrow who have a lot of needs. When I think about the future, and everything that's going to come my way, it's easy for me to feel overwhelmed. But as I wrote in a previous Blog, I think that's because I normally imagine the future without God in it. I'm not going to have to meet all of those people's needs tomorrow, God is the one who will be there to do it. I just have to follow His lead. This morning was the same way. I was nervous as usual about what to share with the people before we started clinic, but I felt like God was asking me to make a visual prop to help me explain what Jesus does in our lives. He comes to live in our hearts in the place that only He can fill; His heart comes and joins itself with our heart, and we are a new creation. I only had about 5 minutes after breakfast to put something together, so I used cardboard from a box in the garage and my pocket knife to cut these out. I think the people liked it because they thought I was a terrible artist, but it really helped me hold their attention! Later I used the same pieces to share with the diabetic lady's family. At first only the son was listening to me share about Jesus, but when I pulled out the cardboard pieces the whispering in Quiche stopped, and they watched as only Jesus' heart fit into the void of the human heart. You know, I was really close to not making these stupid cardboard pieces, but I felt like God had urged me to do it. How many times do I feel Him directing me, and I shake the feeling off? If we listen, I believe God is always speaking to us....Sometimes maybe there's nothing big, but His word (the Bible) is always there with us to guide us in what's right. If nothing else I know he is always just saying that He loves us.

Movies and Parents

2009-07-03T18:48:00.000-07:00

McMuffins, movies, advertisements, new cars, lottery tickets...these are all things that I saw yesterday in Guatemala City. We made a trip in with the 182, and it was my first time in the City in a while. That place is like a different world from here (and anywhere else I've ever seen as far as the drivers go!). There are nearly all of the luxuries of my native St. Louis, if you know where to look. I'm not saying it's all bad (like the crazy drivers), but it's just different...It all made me reflect on life.

And then this morning I read a passage in a book that really made me think about all the
entertainment we humans have created for ourselves. Is the world not fun enough, dramatic enough...hard enough for us, that we need hours of television, movies, and internet to be entertained? I think we've almost created two worlds for ourselves, the real one and the make-believe one.

Speaking of movies, I think I got the speakers we have to work this afternoon. I would adjust the speakers and run to the other side of the yard to listen, so I'm sure neighbors were wondering what was up. I went to town to scope out the feel in the "centro" on a Friday night, and to talk to a new friend, Mike. He's lived in Canillla all his life and thinks the movie idea is good (so I hope you can see that I'm not against all movies, just the out of whack need-for-entertainment that I think ails so many people).

Anyway, clinic is tomorrow, and that's always a dose of "real world" for me. There's this little girl named Helen who comes in nearly every week. I've wanted to take a picture of her, but never wanted to make her mom feel weird. Enough people are always staring into her stroller, and I know her mom feels safe at clinic. Before I knew her, Leslie tells me that Helen's parents took her into a hospital in Guatemala City for a couple months, but that the doctors never attended to them. Eventually the money ran out, and they all returned home, disillusioned with the health care system. Helen has hydrocephalus (the natural fluid in her cerebrum doesn't drain like a normal person), so her head is really big. Helen is about one year old I think now, and when her parents first came to us the doctors didn't expect her to live. Multiple times we believe God has miraculously caused the swelling in her head to go down (we measure it's circumfrence every other week. Last week it was down to 53 cm from 55), but there are still bad weeks. The last two times Helen's mom brought her in she had a really bad rash. She also still can't sit up on her own, because she can't support the weight of her head.
It always touches me how Helen's mom takes such good care of her. Outside in the courtyard before she comes in I notice that she is constantly talking to her, rocking her, and kisses her often. I have also made a couple trips to their house just to check on them and pray. Always Helen is being taken good care of. Although Helen's situation is very sad, I believe her parents still have hopes of her growing up normally. I hope she does, but I believe it will take a miracle. That's what we're believing for, week by week.

Although Helen is just one of many very sick kids that come through our doors, she has been on my heart for several months and I thought her story is worth sharing. I don't like to ask for tons of prayer that I know probably won't happen (my own prayer life has much to be desired), but I know Helen is on God's heart and mind and that nothing has happened or will happen to her that He is not aware of. He loves her more than anyone, and that's why I believe it's important that we stand with Him on her behalf. For some reason God likes to include us on what He's doing.

Also, Helen's mom is only one of hundreds of parents who buy numbers and wait hours in line to come into clinic. Sometimes throughout the week a family or just a mom and a baby will come to our door and knock. My first reaction is annoyance because it's not a clinic day and I'm busy with something else, but when I see that it's a parent, risking their neck to bother the gringos because they're worried about their sick child, my heart softens. A couple weeks ago a lady walked over 5 hours to get to our gate for her 1-year-old boy who had pneumonia. She didn't speak Spanish, and came by herself. I know she had to be so nervous inside, but love for her boy drove her on. If we, who are bad and imperfect can love our children that way, how much more does God who is perfect love us? God is the perfect Dad, and is willing to go greater lengths to lavish on us His love than we could ever imagine. And why do I think I need to watch a movie to stimulate my emotions?A rare syndrome has also caused this red, hemangioma on Helen's face. Sometimes these leave in time. Also this is an old picture and Helen's head is about half the size as it is now.

Christian Gambling

2009-07-01T18:39:00.000-07:00

Well, it may not qualify as gambling but David and I bet each other who could break into the "honeymoon sweet" today the fastest. I don't know who locked the lovely guest room, but no one had a key. The best way in seemed to be through the two identical windows on either side of the door. David beat me my about a minute, but I think it's because he knew how the window latches worked. So now that I lost, I'm at Davids mercy for who knows what in the future.

I needed into the room to test out the projector and sound equipment. My plan is to show a dirt bike video in town followed by "Fireproof." We just watched the movie, which is dubbed in Spanish, and I think it has a good message about marriage that the people in town would receive. I'm still praying a lot about the night and making preparations. The speakers didn't work so well in my trial run in the honeymoon sweet, so I'm going to have to see who might let us borrow some...

Later we went to play volleyball at the river (today was our Sabbath day of rest for the week). My team won the first three games and lost the last two...but we don't keep count :). My bee food is about done cooking, so I need to go, but I wanted to post something tonight. Whenever you read this I hope you are enjoying your day and trying to make someone else's better!

Getting Older

2009-06-29T11:49:00.000-07:00

(Two girls from Chiminisijuan, and Salvador, my mud buddy, behind them)

Rachel just made some amazing spaghetti sauce for our after clinic dinner. Clinic days are always hard on those who stay home because they don't know when we'll all be back to eat! Chiminisijuan was exceptionally hard to get to today. We got stuck once, had to disconnect a trailer once, and swap four-wheelers several times. Duane actually came to help us, take a sick baby back to Canilla (whom he flew to the hospital in Quiche), and then David drove the car back again when we were finished. There were an exceptionally high number of kids with pneumonia today. After Duane took the one family to Quiche there were another three that we advised to go on buses. It's always hard to see them go, knowing that there's a good chance they won't go to the hospital. One mom borrowed my phone to call her father-in-law because her husband was gone to the coast for work. She went off to the side to call and then just stared off for a minute before walking back with tears on her cheeks. We pray, but never now what they will do.

Sunday I had a good laugh with Paulino. He said he was only half-alive, but I assured him his blood pressure was good. As always he had hugs and kisses for all. The girls don't like it, but I don't mind... After he left this week, his daughter-in-law came in with her two girls and told me how much Paulino likes to come and see us (he comes every week). She said we treat him better than his kids and every weekend she asks him how it went at clinic. "They took good care of me," he tells her. It's not very often or even necessary to hear that kind of thing, but it sure made me feel good!

Saturday...I'm backtracking here...there was an 80-year-old lady who came to Leslie and my room at the Canilla clinic. For 80 she was doing really good, but she had a pretty bad ulcer on her ankle. The only treatment is just to bandage it and keep it clean. After explaining to her how to bandage it, I thought the lady seemed rather irritated, and just as Leslie and I finished her consulta she said, "You know, I'm just so angry!" She then began to tell us why. For a good five minutes she told us about how she lives with her kids and relies on them for so much that she needs, but they ignore her, don't take care of her, and she just feels all alone (her husband is no longer alive). She said that she tried a different church because her son-in-law (who is the pastor where she has been for a long time) is just so mean to her at home. The new church was just too hard though because she didn't know anyone. What we saw as irritation was just bottled up sadness that she hasn't been able to express to anyone. "I am a Christian," she would say with tears running down her wrinkly face, "and I just tell God as I'm lying in bed that he is my only hope."
(This is a family from Canilla clinic that we are helping get their daughter in for a cleft palate surgery)
So those are just a couple clinic stories from the weekend. Church at Joel's was good on Sunday night too. I think in the last two weeks there have been at least 4 people accept Christ into their lives.

When I've not been at clinic, church, or studying, we've all been working together on the Aztec. Aaron is really close to being ready to paint it. Just a few last rivets need to be picked around and the hangar closed in. We will all be really glad when that airplane is finished. That's all I've got for now. Sometimes it's hard to write about everything that goes on down here, but today I thought a few stories of some of my old people patients was good to convey some of the clinic experience. I used to think that getting older kind of gave you a right to be a little more grouchy, but my friend Rose Gardner said there's never an excuse for it. I'm beginning to agree, as I see several life-experienced patients that are still laughing, crying, and hoping for a bright future. Leslie tells Paulino that he needs to trade his body in for new equipment...One day he'll get it.

The Narrow, Muddy Road

2009-06-25T08:58:00.000-07:00

Tuesday Salvador and I were the only two left in the truck as we drove to clinic. For some reason the ladies didn't want to fight the mud with us, so they were walking behind us. Between mud holes my faithful companion and I were discussing what to share with the people before clinic. He would be the one giving the final message since he spoke Quiche, so I asked him to just share whatever was on his heart. Well, amid the bumps, turns, and re-runs he was searching the gospels and decided to talk about the wide and narrow roads. Wide is the road that leads to destruction, and many take it, but narrow and hard to find is the road to life with God. Good for the people in clinic who have a history of idolatry and polytheism, right? But then he shared something that I hadn't thought about it a while and that really spoke to me. He said that on the wide road you can walk side by side with a buddy, but that on the narrow road you have to walk alone. Now I'm not taking this so far as to think a life after God's heart is lonely or that He doesn't supply friendships and support, because He does, but the bottom line that spoke to me was the remembrance that I and I alone will one day give an account to God for the life I choose to live. Life on the mission field is like anywhere else in that it is full of ups and downs, hard times and easy times, but even more so in the difficult times I'm learning that I have to press into God for myself. I think one of the only differences on the Guatemalan mission field is that there's just a few more of those difficult times that involve mud. Salvador and I made it through this week, though.

As for other happenings....
We're undergoing a rotation with the medical help. Heather is going home tomorrow, but Hannah has come to take her position for about a week and a half. We will all miss Heather not only for her help but for her smile and help on the volleyball court on Saturday afternoons :). We actually cheated today and played a game on a Thursday evening as it is her last full day here.
I did have some real encouragement this week from some friends here too. After church on Sunday night Juan Carlos and his wife Jael invited me over again, this time for dinner, and then they invited me over again to his grandma's on Tuesday evening. They're a neat couple, and we're working together to show Christ's love to his grandma.
The other encouraging visit I had was with Nancy and her mom Carmen (I wrote about them and posted a picture about a month ago). It had been over two weeks since I made my last visit there, and Carmen went on and on about how they listen to all the motorcycles go by hoping its the gringito (little white guy). I told them my name, even tried my middle name "Alan" since it's easier to say, but Gringito is all that sticks. They were really nice, and extra appreciative of the visit this time, but I always leave really burdened for them. I can bring milk, pray, and offer my time to sit and listen, but what they really need only God can give. It's just Carmen and Nancy there, and Carmen said this time that her husband used to take care of so many things (before he died two years ago), but that now she has to be the man and the woman around the house. There are many women in her situation, but I think having a totally dependent child makes it extra hard. If you ever think of them sporadically, please pray for them, and for Nancy's health.

Also, I'm only able to write this tonight because I'm not in Unilla like we had planned. The mayor called Duane a few days ago to say that he wanted more time to organize. Next month we may not be able to get in or have enough help, but we are taking it as a closed door for now. Still, we are seeking God's heart for the village and what part we may play in realizing His will there.

And just as a last note, the gas man changed my motorcycle tire for free today. To my knowledge that is a privlege that I think only David has enjoyed up to this point! I think I grew two inches today!
So, I'm reminded that the Christian life is a narrow road. There may not always be someone there beside you, and that's the time to press into God who is always there, but there are also the times when God puts others along side us to encourage us. Whateve season you're in, press into the Source of Life for yourself today, and enjoy those God has placed around you.

Light in Darkness

2009-06-15T18:32:00.000-07:00

Laughing at a bad joke, enjoying the mountain pine trees as the sun goes down, eating with friends and family, taking care of honeybees...these are some of the good things that God gives us. Every good and perfect gift comes from him, and I am so grateful for the light he gives us on this earth. At the same time I am all too often reminded of the darkness that exists in this fallen world. We got word today from the mayor of Unilla that the lady we visited died. I don't remember if I was ever told her name, but her family was really weird and chose to consult the local witch doctor rather than let us take her to the hospital. Malachi, Katie, Leslie, and I made several visits to her house to pray and check on her (she was the lady on whom I started my first IV), but her family refused help. Evidently her husband came (I don't know where he had been) and made her walk to a nearby village in the middle of the night. The next day he called our friend the mayor of Unilla for a plane ride from the white people because his wife was doing really bad. Well, we never knew any of this and couldn't get to that village anyway because it doesn't have an airstrip. So that day the lady and her baby (she was 5 months pregnant) died. I think she had at least one other child.
Anyway, we're really praying about what to do for the village. There is such a presence of darkness there and only the light of God will change the hearts and mindset of the people. Last night we listened to a message on the Internet from a preacher in Missouri, and the focus of his message was that as things change spiritually we see the results physically. So I'm trying to spend more time and effort in prayer, trusting that God is bigger than man.

As for news back here in town, there's not a whole lot new. David and Juan are working on painting large generator that Don Barton gave to the ministry a couple years ago. We've been using it at Chiminisijuan almost every week up till now, but it is finally in need of some maintenance. Also, here's a picture of my bee hive. My dad was wanting some pictures for reference.

Last night after church here (I didn't go to Joel's because I wasn't feeling too good with my puffy, itchy eyes) I went into town to have a soda with the post office man. He and his wife run a tienda in the park and lots of people go there to sit around and talk at night. We talked about bees, his family, my family and God. I was really trying to scout out and get a feel for night life there in the park. Duane, Katie and I are talking about singing some songs and then showing a movie on a Friday night with the projector. Most people know us and what we stand for, so we're talking about just going and showing a movie with a good message, maybe indirectly about God, but something that's still entertaining. The Jesus Film that we show in the aldeas and in the Zona Reina wouldn't grab peoples' attention here as much I don't think. They've been exposed to a lot of the Gospel, and have seen a lot church life that is opposite of the Gospel. Just going and making ourselves available for something fun would open doors in the future I think. Anyway, we're thinking about it.

Yesterday in San Andres was really busy again, but I don't think I scared too may kids with my puffy face. We prayed for several people. I got a drunk man (although not at the time) named Juan, who pretty much just lives on the streets without a family. His liver was enlarged and he's very anemic, so we prayed and gave him lots of vitamins. He was thankful, but I he didn't want to give up the bottle for Jesus. Later I got a kid who had some brain damage after some thieves jumped him in the bank, but don't worry it wasn't a bank around here. We prayed and gave him some vitamins and ibuprophen. This afternoon Leslie, Katie, Heather and I made our way back to San Andres to pray. On the way we saw "Petunia" along side of the road. I don't know exactly why Leslie named her Petunia, but Petunia is a midwife here who brings lots of her patients to our clinic for ultrasounds. She has no teeth, and gave us 12 rotten mangos. Katie thinks this was probably because they need to be soft for her to eat them... but she jumped right into our car-full of gringos and just talked away. Prayer was good. It's one more thing to do every week, but it's worth the investment. While we were inside praying we left our mangos sitting on the hood, hoping for some little kid to think he's found something good. But the kids know rotten mangos when they see them. (In Petunia's defense, they weren't completely rotten, just a little soft for us). Tomorrow we're heading up to Chiminisijuan for clinic. It's raining now, but the road should still be passable in the 4-Runner. So I hope you have a good day when you read this, and remember: pray hard, enjoy God's gifts, be light in darkness, and stay away from rotten mangos.

Benadryl

2009-06-13T20:13:00.000-07:00

Benadryl has been the drug of choice for the last couple of days. My trip with Joel was great, but I ate something that has made my face itch something terrible! It might have been the chile pepper that they convinced me to eat for supper one night. It won't burn they said....
Joel and I attented a meeting of pastors, visited some friends, and I got to see the school that Pastor Jacobo and his wife Julianna run. They're doing very good things.

For this post I wanted to share a scripture that impacted me a lot when I first came to Guatemala. In Isaiah 58:10 God tells the prophet, "and if you spend yourselves on behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will shine in the darkness, and your light will become like the noonday sun." This and many other scriptures tell me that God cares for the poor, the hungry, the widow, the orphan, those who are being beat up by life circumstances. He sees them and what they're going through, and I was reminded today of this. A mom came in to the clinic here in Canilla with her baby. We have known her for quite a while and she comes nearly every week for her baby girl, Helen. Helen has some type of condition that I don't completely understand, but part of the result is severe hydrocephilus (the fluid in her head doesn't drain normally). This means that little, one-year-old Helen has a head the size of a bowling ball and many other problems as well. Her parents spent a lot of money and several months in the City at a hospital, but the doctors never showed up to maintain a working shunt to relieve the pressure from Helen's head. Mentally I think she is still pretty normal. She looks around, cries, eats, and is pretty normal. But she cant' sit up like a normal baby of her age because her head is so big. I say all of the this mainly just to ask for prayers for the mom, dad, and Helen. We have spent many hours with them; I've made house visits to pray with them, and Leslie has developed a good relationship with the mom. There are days that Helen is better (we measure her head every time she comes in) and although her parents have lost hope in the health care system here, they are praying to God for a miracle. So if you think of it or feel led, please pray for encouragement for Helen's parents and for healing in her body. I know God sees them.

And my bees are still alive and working hard. Joseph made some sugar water for them while I was gone, and they thanked him by giving him a fat upper lip. For some reason they got made at him today and stung him right on his lip. The swelling is going down now, but he was pretty funny to look at. If I were a little meaner I would have taken a picture to put on here. Also, I may be able to find a picture fo Helen to post, but I didn't feel like it was a good time to take a picture of her today. Lots of people were already staring at her, and I didn't want to make a bigger deal of the way she looks. That's all I've got for now. I think the Benadryl is kicking in and making me tired. I hope whenever and wherever you're reading this you can take a moment to reflect on the blessings God has given you in your life, and take moment to thank Him. He is watching over us in every circumstance.

Jesus and Motorcycles

2009-06-10T18:04:00.000-07:00

I know most people wouldn't consider riding motorcycles very holy, but I think Jesus would've ridden with David and I if he were here today. We spent a good portion of our Sabbath up in the hills and in the river riding, walking, and enjoying the view. Sometimes a few of the kids in town go with us, and we get the opportunity to tell them why we're here...so we like to look at it as part of our ministry. Then there are other times when we just fall or drop our bikes and give them a good laugh. So motorcycle ministry may be stretching it, but it's fun when we have time off. Anyway, yesterday we had a really busy day in Chiminisijuan. Over 100 people again. Thankfully we've been able to drive all the way to the clinic in the 4-Runner so far this rainy season. The people are lined up outside the gate with several of the local tienda ladies and their blankets of chips and juices all spread out in the road. Lately they've been selling all of the homeamade tomales before we get there because so many people come. Opening the gate is not very easy, more like firing the gun at a race.

(This momma and her baby being "meenched" are listening to Armando preach before we start at Chiminisijuan)

There was some exciting talk at the house about a call Duane received from a pastor in San Marcos (a city close to the coast). Marcos Witt, who is one of my favorite Hispanic worship leaders, is going to be in Guatemala at the end of June and the pastor asked Duane if he could fly him into San Marcos. (Marcos Witt is probably one of the most famous worship leaders out there). Duane made some calls and found another pilot who had a bigger plane for a good price, so he's not taking the flight, but it was fun to talk about. If we can find somewhere to stay in the City some of us would like to go to his concert when he's here.
The next few days I'm going to be with Joel in a town near Antigua for a pastors conference. He took me with him a couple months ago to an international meeting in the City, but this one is going to be a little smaller. I'm looking forward to spending time with him again and getting to see part of Guatemala I've never seen. Our plan is to come back Friday night.
Here is a picture of Paulino and me. He is one of our regulars at clinic. Normally he comes in and gives us all a hug to let us know he's ready to have his blood pressure taken and get his ranitadine for his stomach. He comes every week to San Andres clinic and sometimes to Canilla (and then again to San Andres the next day). When he first started coming his pressure was out the roof, and now he's normal. We normally pray and tell a few jokes. He likes to teach me new words in Quiche and tell me stories. He's been in 4 car accidents, is missing an eye and three fingertips, has over 30 grandkids and great grandkids, and every week he tells us that he's close to dying..but not yet. I pray he has many more years left here, but we talk about heaven too. Very often I am reminded that there is more to life than what we see with our eyes. I want more and more to be living for eternal things. Last night God really spoke to me while I was praying before bed about making much of Him. I pray you also receive a fresh glimpse of what it means to serve an eternal God. His love, his ways, his power is not like ours, but he offers us all of His heart.

Going's On

2009-06-07T20:19:00.000-07:00

A momma and her baby in San Pedro
Lots of patients for Malachi and Leslie

Taking a nap while she waits on momma :)

Our internet wasn't cooperating, so I didn't get to write earlier. But I want to say thanks to everyone who prayed for our San Pedro trip. We got in and out the same day, saw lots of people, and pulled lots of teeth (actually our friend Dr. Pedro from the City pulled lot's of teeth.) Two people accepted Christ, and a couple people asked for Bibles. It's always a blessing to be there. One of my favorite parts was while I was carrying supplies to the building where we have clinic. Kids were walking behind me on the dirt path singing "la la la la la" from a song I went over with them a month ago. Time and relationship are a necessity here to touch people's lives.

Friday when I we got back I spent the day studying and making a plan to capture the honeybees in our yard. Joseph and I were up until 11 that night, but we got a hive built and got the bees in it. We'll see if they give us any honey!
Duane helping me suit up.

Saturday was clinic day here in Canilla. It was hard to get up and pray and share a message with the people, but it's always worth it. There was the usual amount of people, and I especially remember a mother and her two daughters. The husband left her and the girls a couple years ago, and she was really open to talking and praying. Her mom is a Christian is supposed to come back with them next Saturday. In the afternoon we visited with our pastor friend Victor from Quiche. He runs the drug rehab center there and it was good to talk to him. In the evening Malachi led some worship for us all. He left today for his new job in Connecticuit this week. We'll miss him, but I think he'll be back.

Today I spent the whole day in San Andres. Over 100 people came through clinic, but they went through pretty fast with so many of us working. Our friend Doctor Jeff and Russel (from Agape) came to help us since they are in Quiche for the week. In the evening church at Joel's was good. Tonight I felt like I had a harder time singing in Spanish, but God's presence was still good. Some of the ladies who make food afterward gave me a "chuchito" and some rice/chocloate drink as a refreshment. I don't know if I was just really hungry or if it was just exceptional, but it hit the spot. Also, I don't want to get off of here without letting you all know that Paulita from San Andres (the diabetic lady we've been visiting) accepted Christ today. It's really cool when we pray and ask God to move..and then He does. We may not see or understand how, but prayer definitely changes things. I hope you take time in your day today to have a conversation with God. If we take time to talk to friends and family, why not take time to talk to someone who
loves us even more than them and can do anything?

Peeling a pineapple in San Pedro

Honey in the Horizon

2009-06-03T17:34:00.000-07:00

(Our friend Armando is making use of his surroundings as he preaches on a previous trip to San Pedro. I think the chairs represent sin and the cares of this world that can hold us down.)

I've read recently that one reason we're not supposed to worry about the future is because normally we imagine it without God. So as we prepare to go into San Pedro tomorrow (another village in the Zona Reina like Unilla) I'm trying not to worry about it too much; rather, I'm really expecting God to move. In the natural it's easy to get really hot and tired, but when I'm praying I know God wants to do something. Of course the heat is no fun and there's a chance we won't be able to get home the same day due to weather, but my main concern is for the people there. As I pray for them I'm really burdened with their need for Christ. There are very few Christians, and I sense that they are the kind of people who need to see a miracle to truly be converted. They need something personal, not just a story-book God from a people from far away. I don't know, but I know we pray and continue to serve them, asking God to move. It's been almost a year and a half since we began helping the people there (normally at least one trip a month). Duane has also made several emergency flights and taken several people to the hospital in Guatemala City from there. If you think of it or feel led, please pray for God's will to be done tomorrow. I know his will is that all people may know his love.
In addition to all of that, I'm really excited about this honeybee swarm in the yard. If we can find or build a hive I'd like to try my hand at beekeeping. People here really love honey and I hear its good for allergies...We're getting ready to worship and pray as a ministry, so I need to go. After the heat is over I'll hopefully post an update on how the trip went. Stay cool for me, and if you think of it, have a spoon full of honey with your toast in the morning.

In Need of Something

2009-06-01T19:17:00.000-07:00

(Prayer makes me hungry)
Since the Unilla trip, life has been moving at a pretty fast pace. Saturday and Sunday we had our weekly clinics in Canilla and San Andres. We requested that only emergencies and chronic patients come to the Canilla clinic in hopes of getting out in time to get to the Pastor's meeting in the park. We made it over in the afternoon. I think about 500 people came (and maybe more for lunch), and it was a really good time of celebrating what God is doing. People came together to glorify Him, not as individual churches, but as a body of believers.
Sunday was a little rougher for clinic. There comes a time when our resources just don't seem like enough, and we're in need of something more (very much like in the case of Reuben from Unilla). Our morning started out with Paulita coming in. She has very uncontrolled diabetes, living with a blood glucose level of 500 mg/dL (100 is normal). Recently she has developed what we think is acute glaucoma, resulting in blindness. She has three children, no income, little food, and her husband just left her. Malachi and I stayed the afternoon to give her IV fluids and to monitor her sugar as we gave her insulin.
Another lady came named Candelaria. She and her kids come every so often. Leslie buys her food, gives her children milk, and we pray. Her husband left her for another woman, so she has no income and no food. She has no hope if God doesn't come through for her, so we pray, and she cries, and we pray for her husband to know Christ. We sent her home with about 50 pounds of corn, rice, beans and milk. This time I helped her carry it to the bus, and that extra time with patients like her kind of make the "real-lifeness" of her situation sink in.
On a little lighter note, I did get to break away from clinic for a while and have lunch with Joel and his wife. It was good to talk with him about what God is doing in each of our lives, and not only talk about church stuff. He's becoming a good friend. Later Malachi and I went to church there after taking out Paulita's IV. It's good to spend time with him too. He is probably one of the most intelligent people I've met, and his heart and attitude is just so real and good. I'll miss him when he leaves. After all, a night in the jungle listening to roosters together and lots of clinic kind of make you close!
Today I kind of got a break and had a chance to catch up on some school work and wash by bike. In the afternoon we went to pray in San Andres and try some new eye drops on Paulita. Leslie and Katie were there with Malachi to see Paulita, so I stayed on the street after prayer and ate some atol with some "hermanos y hermanas" from the church. Next time I'll try it without lemon.
So I sense that God is inviting me to pray more and seek him more. Reuben, Paulita, and Candelaria's situations remind me that we are all in need of something. I need God, so I know they need God. And I know that He has the ability to not only change their hearts, but to bring them hope and healing. (Paulita and her son who won't leave her side even at the house.)

People that Sweat

2009-05-29T15:48:00.000-07:00

Thanks to everyone who prayed for this last trip to Unilla. It was a lot better for me than the first one. Our projector worked, so over 300 people got to watch the Jesus Film in their language, and I slept on a sleeping bag this time. It's amazing what a little padding will to for a night's sleep...
I still don't understand how people there can sweat all day. You sweat when you work, eat, and sleep. But I guess you get used to it.
The people were really nice, but it was honestly kind of weird at first. Duane made two flights, got everyone in, and everything was set up, but it was like people were afraid of us. I played with some of the kids to try to show them I didn't bite. By playing I mean I kind of made a fool of myself. We turned a log into a teeter-totter and did handstands. Finally people started to come...and come...and come. I really don't have a good number for how many people we saw total. Leslie, Katie, Heather, Malachi and I probably saw well over 200 people yesterday. Duane was also doing eye exams and giving out glasses. Malachi and I were the only ones to stay the night to show the movie. Leslie came back with Duane this morning and we probably saw another 200 from the surrounding villages. It's so easy to get tired (especially with all that sweat), but when people have walked an hour (some more) to get to you, it's hard not to help them...Some memorable moments are starting my first IV on a sick woman (thanks to Malachi's guidance), and competing with Malachi to see who could wake up the most in the middle of the night. (Neither of us wanted to win). The first words out of his mouth this morning were, "I think I'll bring some more roosters next time we come." They were all around our building didn't know that sunrise needed to include the sun. On a little deeper note, I would like to ask anyone who prays to offer a small (or big) prayer to God for a middle-aged man named Reuben.
Reuben came through early this afternoon after having gone to a hospital in the City about two weeks ago. He brought in his CT scan results from a tumor that is growing the frontal lobe of his head. In the last month he's started to lose his ability to talk, and his left eye has started to drift. They told him in Guatemala City (two days travel from his home), that there was nothing that they could do, and sent him home to die. He got tears in his eyes as he told Duane the story. The way his said it in Spanish was that "they told me they couldn't save me." So Duane and I spent well over 5 min praying over him right in the middle of clinic. Crowds started to gather to watch, but it didn't matter. Reuben is a Christian, and he knows God has a purpose for his life. There is a place where medicine ends, and life just doesn't have a lot of purpose if we don't have a Creator who loves us. I was reminded today how thankful I am to have Jesus in my life. I pray you too hold onto Him. He is an anchor for our souls!
(Duane doing some eye exams)

Hot, hot and hot

2009-05-27T12:36:00.000-07:00

It's pretty stinkin' hot here today, and tomorrow is supposed to be worse. I just wanted to let anyone who reads this and prays know that we are planning on going to Unilla tomorrow. It will be our second trip to the village, and is about a 20 min plance ride in the 182. The village has no roads going to it, no power, and little access to health care. We will probably be spending the night and showing the Jesus film after clinic. Last time mostly men came to clinic (maybe about 200), because we think the women and kids were scared of us. So if you think or feel led to pray, please pray that their hearts be open to Christ, and also for discernment for us to know if it's a place the Lord wants us to continue to visit. (If so, I think time and relationship with the people will make the women less scared of us :)

A few pictures from the last trip:

The Chopper

2009-05-25T18:27:00.000-07:00

(Power went out, so this is from Mon. the 25th)
We would all like to have a flying "chopper" here, but our grass chopper will have to work for now. It's been a project for David and Juanito for the last month while we waited on parts, but today we chopped two truck loads of "sacate" grass for the first time. The plan is to use it to make silage and all round better use of the sacate we feed to the horses and cows. After cutting and carrying the 15 foot tall stalks off grass to the truck, I've learned its a good way to get good and itchy for the resto of the day.
In the afternoon Leslie, Katie, Malachi (our doctor from the States and good friend), and I drove to San Andres for our weekly prayer meeting. Our focus was from Isaiah 40 where God says to prepare the way for the Lord. This weekend is the big gathering of churches in San Andres, so we're really asking God to move. We want His agenda not man's. And I hope it's not just a party (although a party without the normal "cush" liquor is a good thing). Anyway, Joel came to pray again with us along with 5 other friends, so two churches were represented. It's always a little (actually a lot) harder to pray and lead worship in Spanish, but the Holy Spirit was faithful to guide us. Leslie just happened to pray for our hearts to be opened to what God wanted to do in the weekend's activity, and that set me up perfectly to sing "Open the Eyes of My Heart," a well-known worship song here. From there songs and prayers flowed a lot easier...
Yesterday in San Andres was pretty normal at clinic. About 80 people came through, but I didn't get any fresh pictures. My worst moment (that I'm aware of) was when I asked a pregnant lady if the guy with her was her dad. Ends up he was her husband, and of course he happened to be right there when I asked. It's hard to come back from that, so I put on my stethoscope and took her blood pressure....

Tonight I'm heading to bed early to be ready for Chiminisijuan clinic in the morning. Early to bed early to rise, right? Whether you're reading this morning or evening, I hope you too get a good nights sleep!

And just to post a few pictures.....

This is Abi, posing for a photo that's part of finalizing her adoption.

Marble and Clinic

2009-05-23T17:32:00.000-07:00

Some good marble guys came over on Thursday night from the City to install new countertops in our busy kitchen. They said it took them 8 hours to get here (it usually takes us 4-5, but that's not with a load of marble). So everyone in the house has been pitching in to get them installed as quickly as possible. They're nice guys, but hopefully they'll be out of here in the morning...

Yesterday we had some really strong rain and hail. Duane said it normally hails once a year, but I had never seen it so strong. Joel called me today and said that it was so bad in San Andres that it knocked holes in the church roof. Kind of reminds me of what my family says it's been like in Southern Illinois. Today it rained hard again, and we watched some of our treetops hit the power lines and short them out. On my way into town (to get a generator going for the marble guys), everyone was outside in the streets watching the river flow through town. It was pretty neat, and I made sure to wave real big since the gringo's big trees knocked their power out.

Clinic was good today. Honestly it's usually pretty exhausting. I get up, and the first thing I do is share a message with the people waiting in line. Some of them have been there since 4am. Today Salvador and Tomas both helped me by translating into Quiche for those who didn't speak Spanish. Tomas also had a good word he tacked onto the end of mine. Then I sang a song, prayed, and we began clinic. There are all kinds of people who come through our clinics: old, young, pregnant, middle-aged, pregnant, and pregnant. Today there were a lot of pregnant ones. As much as I've tried NOT to do any ultrasounds, I finally asked Leslie to teach me how about a month ago, just because I was starting to hold up clinic waiting on Leslie or Katie all the time. Actually it's really neat, and the ladies are super nice. They don't seem to mind that a young whippersnapper is running a probe over their belly. Just don't tell Joseph and David. Overall though clinic was good. We had some laughs, saw some sick people, and prayed for a lot of them. It's really good to be able to just stop or end a consulta by saying, "hey let's pray about this," and just put them into God's hands. Some of the chronic patients we only see once a month, but we know that the God who loves them is with them every day, and we pray He meets their needs. Tomorrow is a another busy day in San Andres at clinic and church. One promise we all have is that God is willing to be with us in the present, tomorrow. So I'm looking forward to seeing what He is going to do! Whenever you read this, I hope you can take a moment to enjoy Him too.

Big Grasshoppers

2009-05-21T09:22:00.000-07:00

Yesterday (Wednesday) is normally our Sabbath day of rest since we have clinic in Canilla on Saturaday and in San Andres on Sundays. It's a relatively new practice, and difficult to observe sometimes, but we're trusting that God can do more through us in six days than we can do on our own in seven.
I say all of that to say that we moved our day of rest to today (Thursday), because Duane had to go to the City for some adoption work yesterday. For everyone who's been praying for Grace and Abi's adoptions, thank you so much. Grace is officially a Ficker in Guatemala, and we're almost there for Abi.
So David and I ended up working on finishing a swingset for the kids here at the house yesterday morning. We got laughed at for trying it out, but we were just thinking of the kids' safety....
Later in the afternoon I did some schoolwork and then made some house visits. The first was to my friend Juan Carlos's grandma, Julianna. Last Sunday he had told me how she raised him and wanted him to go to church when he was little. Now that he's a Christian and is starting his own family, she isn't interested! So I asked Aaron if I could take some his cow's milk to her as a gift, and she was very thankful. As is custom here, she was very nice and invited me in to sit down. She was very sweet and made me miss my own grandmas. My prayer and hope is that she sees the good fruit in her grandson's life from his personal relationship with God and wants to have the same.

Later I went to check on Nancy, a little girl that with Cerebral Palsy. She is 23, but weighs about as much as an 8-year-old. Her father was killed in a car accident about 3 years ago during a church event, and now her mom takes care of her alone. I've noticed that several friends and family come to visit her, but I can't imagine how hard it much be to take care of Nancy by herself. Situations like Nancy's occur all over the world to the poor and the rich, but it is never easy to see and understand. She can't talk anymore, but she understands everything and smiles and laughs when we talk about the milk we bring "fattening her up" and going for a ride in Duane's airplane. When I think of her mom, I know she has a great purpose in the world in taking care of her daughter and that God desires to fill her heart with is love and joy. We prayed before I left just asking God's presence to dwell in the house with them.
Now Duane and Leslie are listening to a teaching on the porch, so I'm going to go join them. I hope that today is a blessed day for you, whenever you read this, no because circumstances are always ideal, but because the God of heaven loves you and has a purpose for you.

Prayer Can Change Things

2009-05-19T16:23:00.000-07:00

One of the coolest things that we've seen in while down here was the pastors meeting in San Andres yesterday. Actually I didn't see it, but Joel and Rody (two pastors) told me that 50 pastors came from the town and surrounding villages for the purpose of seeking God's heart for San Andres. This is really an answer to our prayers for the town, and really confirms that we're right on to have started prayer meetings on Mondays in San Andres.
This weekend was pretty busy. Saturday's clinic was good. Heidi had to leave in the morning, but it was still good to see her for a while. Our friends Dr. Sherwood and his wife Areli came for half of the day as they do nearly every Saturday to help. I was able to squeez in about an hour of volleyball in the afternoon before church in Chijo. It was my first time preaching, but the church was very gracious and thanked me several times for coming. The people were so nice that I don't think they'd tell me if I'd done terrible!
Sunday, clinic in San Andres was busy as usual, and then church at Joel's was very rich as usual. For the last couple of months God has really been touching people there in a powerful way. It's a pleasure to worship with them. Juan Carlos, a friend from the church, surprised me by inviting me over to visit Sunday night. He and his wife Jaiel just had a new baby, so that was my exuse for going over, but it ended up just being a really nice time getting to know them.
Today the medical group of us (Leslie, Katie, Heather (a friend staying for a month), and me) went up to Chiminisijuan for clinic. It was like the flood gates opened up. There were lots of sick kids, so we gave out a lot of prayer and antibiotics. I think like 80 people came. Medical clinics are one of the branches of our ministry that you never want there to be too great of a need for!

Armando (the worship leader), Armando (the pastor),
and me from Sat. in Chijo.

My mischevious buddy Juanito (in the middle) from San Andres.

Heather and Katie giving a lady and her baby
a once-over in Chiminisijuan today.

Drugs and Church

2009-05-14T20:51:00.000-07:00

Today I had the privilege of another flight lesson with Duane. He had some errands to run in Quiche, so we took the plane over there for the morning. While he was taking care of some adoption paperwork I went to visit our friend Victor who runs a drug rehab center. He was excited to tell me that each one of the 23 men staying at the center have a bed, roof, and food. When I got there a pastor friend of his was there having a Bible study with the guys. Then I sang some praise and worship songs with them. I hope none of them ever read this (not that many of them could read English), but I have to say that only God would think what we made was a joyful sound! I lied though and told them they were great singers, so they sang all the louder. It was a really good time.
Later Duane and Leslie headed to the City for some paperwork and a night without all of us at the house. David and Aaron were busy with tractor work most of the afternoon, and Joseph was finishing up a picture frame for Leslie. He's pretty good with wood, and said I needed to help Duane build some cabinets so I could learn....Tomorrow I think Heidi is going to come over. We really miss she and Matt.
Also, I went to a new church tonight about 10 min. out of town in Chijo. Last night God put the church on my heart, so I called the worship leader and asked if they had service tonight. The people were so friendly, and God was speaking to me throughout the service (a good sign for a church). Nothing was at all extravagant, but people were very real and really loved God. They invited me to preach this Saturday at a youth night, and I have a feeling that I'm going to be working more with them in the future. It's always exciting to see what God has planned. He's teaching me to spend my time and energy pressing into Him, and then he'll provide opportunities to serve Him.