Sunday, August 28, 2011
the DUMP
last week tuesday, i had the opportunity to visit Colonia Manuel Colon Argueta with some friends from Michigan who were down here serving on a missions trip with Hope Renewed. this squatters town consists of 140 families who have settled into the largest of three dumps that are present in the capital of Guatemala City. most families here make a living by scrounging for plastic, cardboard, and other products that they can sell to local buyers for a small penny. the necessities are few and far between: dirty water is shipped in via truck by the government and electricity was only added recently. a sewage system is also non-existent, but the presence of 4-foot-deep trenches throughout the town imply that that should soon become a reality. i cannot begin to put into words the smells i smelt and the sights i saw, but i am hoping that the photos i have included below will give you a little taste of the DUMP.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
La REINA
This past Sunday, August 21, we held our first inaugural Sunday service at the village of La Reina. The Sunday services will be held every other Sunday with the hope of reaching out to some of the working men in the village who are not able to join us for the discipleship program on Thursdays. In preparation for the service, we got permission to use a large building that belongs to the community. The shelter was much needed as it rained for most of the afternoon! We also purchased 50 chairs for the villagers to sit in, thinking that would be more than enough. However, the 50 chairs were filled up so quickly that we had to scrounge up 10 more...and that still left myself and a couple of the kids to sit on the floor. It was wonderful to see many familiar faces, and many new ones as well. Praise God!
The actual service went extremely well. Our pastor, Hermano Jesus, brought a few individuals from his church congregation to assist in leading worship and ministering to the people during times of prayer. Hermano himself also gave a powerful message that touched many lives within the village. We are hopeful that as the weeks and months go on, we will continue to see consistent or even increasing attendance, forcing us to hold the services every week! The children of La Reina have always had a special place in my heart, so we will prayerfully see where God leads in the direction of establishing a children's and/or youth program for them as well. Please join us in praying for the people of La Reina. I know many of them have touched your hearts in a special way, and this is a great opportunity for you to continue to come alongside of them as they eagerly pursue more of God's word and His love.
The actual service went extremely well. Our pastor, Hermano Jesus, brought a few individuals from his church congregation to assist in leading worship and ministering to the people during times of prayer. Hermano himself also gave a powerful message that touched many lives within the village. We are hopeful that as the weeks and months go on, we will continue to see consistent or even increasing attendance, forcing us to hold the services every week! The children of La Reina have always had a special place in my heart, so we will prayerfully see where God leads in the direction of establishing a children's and/or youth program for them as well. Please join us in praying for the people of La Reina. I know many of them have touched your hearts in a special way, and this is a great opportunity for you to continue to come alongside of them as they eagerly pursue more of God's word and His love.
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Filling the VOID
“The rain and snow come down from the heavens and stay on the ground to water the earth. They cause the grain to grow, producing seed for the farmer and bread for the hungry. It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it.” Isaiah 55:10-11
For me, this passage hits close to home.
The very first time I came to Guatemala with Paradise Bound Ministries was in 2006, on a week-long mission trip with Hager Park Church. Together, we conducted two remote medical clinics and built various homes in the village of San Jose Cajagualten. As dedication day drew near, I became very excited and nervous, for reasons I was soon aware of. The family who I had assisted to build for included a father, mother, and three young children. The family gifts soon brought us into the spiritual gifts, and the spiritual gifts into the presentation of the Gospel. The mother and the kids old enough to understand eagerly accepted Jesus into their heart, but the father refused…three separate times. I was crushed and could not even begin to comprehend why someone would want to reject the greatest gift of love one could ever know. The father was an alcoholic, however, and we were able to convince him and his brother to enter into a rehab facility that very day. The brother stayed in rehab, but the father checked himself out shortly after he was admitted. He passed away a few months later due to alcoholism, and to this day, I still hope and pray that he accepted Christ as his personal Lord and Savior before his time came. It still hurts, though, to see his children in that village every Wednesday during our discipleship programs, not having answers…
To this day, I flashback to that family every time an individual says “no” to Christ inside one of the homes we built. This past summer, that seemed to happen at least once a week…and almost always in the home I had helped lead. Two individuals that stick out to me specifically are Patti, the mother of the home we built the very first week of the summer, and Gloria, the single mom we built for with the fourth team of the summer. Although upset and discouraged at first, Dan Smith would always remind me of Isaiah 55. God’s word will never return to Him void, and He has indeed shown this to be faithful and true over the past few weeks and months. Even as we continued building homes throughout the summer, Hermano Jesus would hold a service in the village of La Reina during the second building afternoon in order to keep the discipleship program going that we established out there last fall. I remember the extreme joy I felt as I saw Patti walk into the service that second week of the summer, and I remember feeling the huge smile spread across my face as Gloria did the same a few weeks ago. They both have been attending regularly ever since.
God promises us that His word will never return unto Him void, and He will never fail to fulfill one of his promises. We have gone out and planted the seed, and now God will continue to water them until they begin filling that void in their hearts and lives with HIM.
For me, this passage hits close to home.
The very first time I came to Guatemala with Paradise Bound Ministries was in 2006, on a week-long mission trip with Hager Park Church. Together, we conducted two remote medical clinics and built various homes in the village of San Jose Cajagualten. As dedication day drew near, I became very excited and nervous, for reasons I was soon aware of. The family who I had assisted to build for included a father, mother, and three young children. The family gifts soon brought us into the spiritual gifts, and the spiritual gifts into the presentation of the Gospel. The mother and the kids old enough to understand eagerly accepted Jesus into their heart, but the father refused…three separate times. I was crushed and could not even begin to comprehend why someone would want to reject the greatest gift of love one could ever know. The father was an alcoholic, however, and we were able to convince him and his brother to enter into a rehab facility that very day. The brother stayed in rehab, but the father checked himself out shortly after he was admitted. He passed away a few months later due to alcoholism, and to this day, I still hope and pray that he accepted Christ as his personal Lord and Savior before his time came. It still hurts, though, to see his children in that village every Wednesday during our discipleship programs, not having answers…
To this day, I flashback to that family every time an individual says “no” to Christ inside one of the homes we built. This past summer, that seemed to happen at least once a week…and almost always in the home I had helped lead. Two individuals that stick out to me specifically are Patti, the mother of the home we built the very first week of the summer, and Gloria, the single mom we built for with the fourth team of the summer. Although upset and discouraged at first, Dan Smith would always remind me of Isaiah 55. God’s word will never return to Him void, and He has indeed shown this to be faithful and true over the past few weeks and months. Even as we continued building homes throughout the summer, Hermano Jesus would hold a service in the village of La Reina during the second building afternoon in order to keep the discipleship program going that we established out there last fall. I remember the extreme joy I felt as I saw Patti walk into the service that second week of the summer, and I remember feeling the huge smile spread across my face as Gloria did the same a few weeks ago. They both have been attending regularly ever since.
God promises us that His word will never return unto Him void, and He will never fail to fulfill one of his promises. We have gone out and planted the seed, and now God will continue to water them until they begin filling that void in their hearts and lives with HIM.
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
...widows and orphans...
"Father to the fatherless, defender of widows-
this is God, whose dwelling is holy."
~Psalm 68:5
this is God, whose dwelling is holy."
~Psalm 68:5
Friday, August 5, 2011
MARCOS IS BACK IN GUATEMALA!!!!!
After a successful surgery and recovery period in St. Louis, Missouri, Marcos returned back to Guatemala on June 29, 2011! Although he misses the luxuries of the United States, he is very happy to be reunited with his family.
What a blessing to bear witness to all that God has been doing in this young man’s life! Not only is Marcos able to walk without crutches for the first time in two years, but he is also anxious to throw aside the anger and confusion that has filled his heart for the past few years in order to follow the call that God has placed on his heart. With only a 6th grade education, Marcos would like to return back to school to become a doctor and help others just as he was assisted. He has also talked to us about pursuing a position with the ministry someday. Praise God!
Until then, Marcos will continue to take oral antibiotics to reassure that the bone infection will not return. In September, he will be brought in for one final x-ray, just to confirm that the bone has indeed returned to full health and strength.
Thanks again for all of your continuous support and prayers for this young man and his family! None of this would have been possible without each and every one of YOU walking alongside of us through this entire process!
What a blessing to bear witness to all that God has been doing in this young man’s life! Not only is Marcos able to walk without crutches for the first time in two years, but he is also anxious to throw aside the anger and confusion that has filled his heart for the past few years in order to follow the call that God has placed on his heart. With only a 6th grade education, Marcos would like to return back to school to become a doctor and help others just as he was assisted. He has also talked to us about pursuing a position with the ministry someday. Praise God!
Until then, Marcos will continue to take oral antibiotics to reassure that the bone infection will not return. In September, he will be brought in for one final x-ray, just to confirm that the bone has indeed returned to full health and strength.
Thanks again for all of your continuous support and prayers for this young man and his family! None of this would have been possible without each and every one of YOU walking alongside of us through this entire process!
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