What We Do

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We are a non-profit organization that works with pastors, churches, schools, and the local hospital in Chiquimula, Guatemala. We host training seminars for pastors, leaders, and youth from rural areas and we help supply the congregations with Biblical materials to minister to their communities. We visit several public schools to share a Biblical story and play with the kids. We also pray in the local hospital and give out toys, toiletries, and Biblical materials. Ways to Be a Part of this Ministry: Come - We need pastors and leaders to come and teach these pastors and leaders here in Guatemala. Or you could bring a group to work in the churches or schools with construction or evangelism. Financially Support - If you would like to support this ministry, please visit our website at www.eyeswideopenministries.com to donate online or send your donation to: P.O.Box 245 Florence, Alabama 35631 Make your checks payable to Eyes Wide Open Ministries. All donations are tax-deductible. Pray - Please pray we will follow God's leading in all we do.

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

The Tongue!

I have been reading James, and I think that most know that the beginning of chapter 3 talks about our dangerous MOUTHS. It starts out talking about how small the tongue is but how powerful it can be. Its like a rutter on a huge boat and a bit in the horse's mouth...although a boat and a horse are big, a small rutter and a small bit can direct them to go where they want them to. When I read verse 6, I started getting so sad. It says "The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell." The part of this verse that really caught my eye was how our whole path of life can be set on fire and destroyed by our mouths.
I was listening to the radio the other night, and the host asked people to call in and share stories of how their mouths got them in trouble. One mother called in and shared a story of how she has not seen her daughter in years and has never seen her grandchildren because of a comment she made to her daughter's husband. That mother's words set their relationship on fire.
Also, the power of our words can destroy the path that God has set out for us. When we let our words of doubt, fear, or insecurity direct our path instead of God, that path that God intended us to take will be burned along with all of the blessings God had in store of us.
Although there are terrible consequences to letting our mouths run wild, I can't help but think of that part on Lion King 2 (a favorite right now with my kids) where Simba takes Kovu for a walk to talk to him and they come to a place where everything has been burned. He tells Kovu that sometimes after something has been destroyed by a fire, the things that grow back our stronger and better than what was first destroyed if they are taken care of. God tells us the same thing. If we would give Him our burnt relationships and plans, He will restore them and make something good out of the ruins. Praise You Lord that You don't give up on us! But, please help us to go to You before we burn it all up.

Saturday, November 13, 2010

The Leading of the Holy Spirit

I've been reading in Acts these last few weeks, and a couple days ago I read in Chapter 13 how the church and leaders prayed and fasted for the leading of the Holy Spirit.
It says in verses 2, 3, and 4 "While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, 'Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.' So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off. The two of them, sent on their way by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia..."
Then Paul and Barnabas went from place to place ministering and preaching the Gospel of Christ to the Jews and Gentiles and speaking with the power of the Holy Spirit...and even in verse 44 it says that in one city after hearing about the power in which Paul spoke, "...almost the whole city gathered to hear the Word of the Lord." Can you imagine the whole city of Florence or the whole city of Athens coming to hear the Word of God? They weren't coming to see some famous ball player or some famous singer or actor; they came to hear the Word of God. And the thing is...when this CITY came to hear what Paul had to say, they weren't coming for Paul. It all had to do with the leading of the Holy Spirit because they were in God's perfect timing and speaking God's perfect words. The pressure was off of Paul and Barnabas and it was put on God's shoulders where it is suppose to be. (Matthew 11:29-30 "Accept my teachings and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in spirit, and you will find rest for your lives. The burden that I ask you to accept is easy; the load I give you to carry is light." New Century Version of the Bible) God tells us here to give Him our lives and decisions and worries and accept, in exchange, His ways and His leading and His comfort. This is when we can truly be led by the Holy Spirit. I'm mean really...what were the people in the church and leaders and Paul and Barnabas doing before they even went to this specific city to preach the Gospel?...worshiping, fasting, and praying. And then what happened? An entire city came to hear the Word of God. Worshiping, fasting, and praying is all about God and all for God, so why wouldn't we then be able to understand the leading of the Holy Spirit? Now, if we are worried, distracted, and not praying, the opposite will happen because then we are focused on how WE feel. We will then worry too much to sense the Holy Spirit, be too distracted to fast or pray, and therefore make immature, human decisions that have little to no effect for the Kingdom of God. What a waste of energy and time. How much time and energy do I spend without the leading of the Holy Spirit? How much do you?

Today, worship the Lord (sing or listen to worship music, write about how awesome God is in a notebook or journal, tell God how thankful you are for what you have), fast for the Lord (sacrifice something you really like to do today and go do something that puts your focus on the Lord, give up chocolate or movies, or just plain fast for today and spend it in God's presence), and pray (write to God, talk to God, sing to God...but then be sure to listen).

God, I pray that you will teach us to walk daily in Your Spirit and be led by Your voice.

"So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives...the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!" Galatians 5:16, 22, 23 New Living Traslation

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Sweet Home Alabama :) - CULTURE SHOCK!

Well, we made it to Alabama, and we have gotten settled in to where we are staying. I have to admit, the culture-shock is hitting me hard...everything is a little overwhelming...and Daniel says he tries to feel overwhelmed, but it's just not working. :p Anyway, I wanted to right a little bit about the way I have been feeling just because Daniel is not home to make fun of me...
So, we get into the Atlanta airport on Tuesday around 12am Atlanta time, and first of all..everything is so stinking big! and loud! and there is a train inside! and everyone is speaking English! and Levi and Mary Kathleen are trying to put their fingers in the electric medal belt thing that spits out our luggage and spins it around to us! Then we get out in the freezing weather, into the van, onto the freeway in Atlanta, and all the cars are fast and Brother Bryan is driving and after stopping at a gas station to get my wonderful husband some State-side milk because he's been a year without it, we go to the huge hotel. Well, the kids wanted to sleep in their "Mae Mae's" and "Daddy Bone's" room, so I spent the first part of the night trying to convince myself that everything is ok...the kids are just in the next room...they are not still in Guatemala, and the last part of the night tossing and turning because the hotel bed felt like I was sleeping on a huge pillow...and yes, that may sound dreamy to some of you, but to me, after sleeping on a very stiff bed all year, I woke up hurting from head to toe. Then, we get up and get ready to head to good ole Alabama, and we stop for breakfast...and there are so many stinkin' choices, I start getting overwhelmed again and just want to hug my children...I don't know why. Anyway, we decide on a chicken place, and the biscuits were sent from heaven and the sweet tea was too...and it didn't even matter that the restaurant had a 71 health rating. :) (The truth...the score was hanging up next to the amazing sweet tea) Then we get back on the terrifying freeway and Brother Bryan is still driving :) and Mary Kathleen is just fussing about her car seat and Levi is hitting her for fussing so then we have to spank him and her...then they are both crying..but then an amazing thing happened. We stopped at a McDonald's and the woman working the drive through spoke Spanish, there were no cups for our coffee, and there were no lemons for Brother Bryan's sweet tea, so I just felt right at home for a split second. But then we got back on the road and I'm back to terrified again. We make it home 5 hours later, and we step into a wonderfully warm house and start unloading the bags. Then, we immediately go to my mom's house for dinner, then we get on the scary highway again and go to Killen for church and to see everyone on that side of the river, and then we go to Wal-Mart (at 10pm) to get more milk and some cereal...and let me tell you...I don't know what it is about Wal-Mart, but it scares me too right now. I'm sure I will get over this very soon because everything was so pretty in there, but I was very much happy to leave last night. Then I had to drive for the first time because Daniel drove another truck home, and his truck did not have a speedometer, so he wanted me to go first, but after following me going 45mph on the highway, he decided he would take his chances and go first. Ok, finally make it home, and Mary Kathleen decides she is now afraid of the dark and wouldn't go to sleep, but we did finally make it to sleep. Today started very very busy with unpacking and my bother coming over and telling me all the things he wanted to do and we had to do all of these things before 2pm because he then would have to go back home. Then we go to Rogersville because Mary Kathleen is now sick with congestion because of the weather change...and I have a break down and start scaring my mother....I hear that this is culture shock and that it will soon ware off, but I am now wide awake and it is almost midnight and I have no idea why I can't go to sleep...but maybe it will ware off soon and we will get back into a routine again. :)

Saturday, October 30, 2010

Getting the Final things Together

Well, I'm here in the house with the kids getting the last things together before we go home. Bags are packed, bills are paid, floors...will soon be mopped :) and Daniel is having his final meeting with the men in the village today. He is taking them out to eat in the city again because they had such a fun time last time. This time Daniel invited Hermano Ronald, who will be teaching the men along with Jorge while we are gone. He has taught the Bible study for the past two weeks in the ministry, and the men are responding so well to him. Daniel is very excited, and Ronald was definitely an answer to prayer. Also, a man named Jose will take over the Bible study in our house on Tuesday nights and Miss Milgian will be teaching the girls' Bible study on Tuesday afternoons. It is so refreshing to know that when we are in the States, the work that the Lord started will continue even if we aren't here.
It sure is a hot day today...breezy, but hot. We will not know what to do when we arrive in the States! But surely it won't be as big of a difference this year because last year we got back in December! Wow! Now that was cold. And I also hear that it is unordinarily hot this year, but we will see what "hot" means. :) We are very excited to see what the Lord will show us while we are in the States. We are seeking Him and for what He wants for our lives next year, so please join us in prayer as we seek His direction.
Also, for all the teachers out there...I am having to renew my teaching liscence by May. Lord willing, I will be taking two internet classes in the next few months to get the credits I need, but I was wondering if anyone can tell me what the process of renewing your liscence includes. I know I have to send my credits and some info somewhere...but I am really not very informed in this area. Can any of you teaches out there help me with that??? :)
Well, better get the floors mopped. We are having the preachers and family from our church for dinner tonight too. We are serving REAL southern States food, so please pray that they like it. :)
Bye!

Friday, October 22, 2010

Senor Trip!!

Well the first graduating class at the ministry is taking their trip today for the weekend. They are actually getting to go spend one night at the beach. This will be the first time for almost all of them to leave the village and the first time for all of them to see the beach. Mom and Dad were able to raise the money to send them on their trip. So thanks to all who may have contributed to their trip. This will be a life changing experience and for many the only time they will leave the village. The teachers saved up as well as the kids, as much as they could, and they are all going together and will come back tomorrow. They are soo excited! They gave us a going away party the other day. It was wonderful and sad at the same time. They are precious kids and we have gotten to actually know many of them, and the teachers are now our friends here so it was a very special day for us with them. They all said wonderful things to us and gave us cards and then prayed for us! But we are going back to the States on Nov. 2 if nothing else changes. We still have not made a decision about next year. We feel the moving in the direction to come back but with a different focus and maybe in different areas here in Guatemala. But still need a lot of praying and guiding I feel before we get to that decision. We are planning on having meetings and conferences while in the States to disguss this with the churches and the people who have been a part of God's ministry here with us for the past two years. So please be in deep prayer with us to see God's direction and to hear His voice. It is not easy at times to serve here in Guatemala and feels like it would be "better" to start something in the States and would feel "more right" to do so but we are all here as workman approved by God to do good works not what feels better or makes more sense. And NO, I am speaking to myself not to those who feel I am addressing you. HA And they know who they are. So pray for the light to shine on the right path and for us to have the courage to continue, whereever and with whatever, to be that good workman created to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do (Eph. 2:10). We will be home in almost one week!!! We are soo excited to be able to see our families and friends! It has almost been a whole year since we have seen most of them so it will be wonderful! Levi and Mary Kathleen are already asking about when we are going to see them and telling us what they want to do while they are home. Well mostly Levi since Mary Kathleen speaks Spanglish it's hard at times to understand her. So if and when you see her you will need to greet her with a big "Hola! Como Estas?" and a big kiss for her to warm up to you. And we will have to find a place to buy the flour to make tortillas or she may not eat her meals! She loves the food here and Levi loves the food in the States. So we will have our work cut out for us! But are looking forward to spending the time with our families and friends and receiving further direction from God as well! Love yall and please keep us in your prayers. God bless!!

And today Brandi will be performing her piano recital and playing three songs after taking lessons for two and a half months. Haha She feels embarrassed but I think it is wonderful! I will record it and show it to the churches! Ha No, just to friends and family. Funny.

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Prayer

I go to a prayer service we have at our church at 5am on Saturday mornings. I usually take my friends Nancy and Jenny and sometimes their family with me. Well, I didn't go for two weeks, and I had forgot to call Nancy and Jenny and tell them that I was going to go this past Saturday, and I feel 4:45am is a little too early to call them to remind them. :) Well, I went on to prayer, and when I got there, Nancy and Jenny weren't there. (I wasn't surprised.) But, when I got up from praying, there they all sat in the congregation! (And they do not drive.) They told me that their cousin was suppose to come pick them up so they didn't call me to see if I would bring them, but then he ended up not showing up...so, THEY WALKED. Instead of going back to sleep at 5:05am, they walked to prayer...still dark outside...at least two miles away...walked. It convicted me so much that they would not only sacrifice their Saturday mornings, but they were willing to walk in the dark two miles to get to church to pray with their church family at 5am. You know honestly, if it would have been a Sunday morning service at 10am, I wouldn't have been as impressed at their commitment, but I know for sure that I would have said "Oh, I can just pray here." And then said a quick 10 minute prayer and gone back to sleep.
What about you?
God give us the passion for Your presence to make the, a lot of times, hard decisions to just be with You. Please teach us that "if everything is smooth and easy then I must be in God's will" is NOT the truth. Thank You that when You see us making sacrifices and obeying Your voice that You are pleased and that You bless Your people for being faithful and obedient.

Saturday, October 9, 2010

SOLD THE TRUCK!!!!!

Some sucker got the truck!!! HA Just joking!!! I took our truck to a mechanic in a city near by where some of our friends live and knew this mechanic. He was looking over the truck after leaving it there for a couple of days and someone came by and offered to buy it. And he said that we didn't have to fix the problem with the truck not wanting to start when it was cold. But he wasn't offering much for the truck but we took the offer to get rid of the truck and now we are out from under it. But we were honest with the guy and told him everything about it and he still wanted it and in reality got a very good deal on the truck!! I do miss having my truck or I should say a truck. But God's timing was Perfect as always. We were still able to use the truck while my parents were here and we are leaving in 3 weeks so really have no more need for it. So it was perfect timing. Praise God!!
Another interesting story was when we were coming back from the airport yesterday after picking up Sarita and a mission group, Sarita's truck broke down!!! Again!!!! Bless her heart. A good welcome after traveling all day and getting back from being gone a month! The bearing in her front left hub for the tire went bad. So they had to call a tow truck to get them and take them to the Isuzu service place but praise the Lord that we were only about 10 miles from that place when it broke down. But her truck was full of the luggage from the group. So I had to drive another 45 minutes to take the group to the hotel in Chiquimula and then drive back to pick up Sarita, Pili, and Jorge with the luggage. But we made it and everything worked out that night. But Sarita has to get her truck worked on and doesn't know when it will be ready! So pray for her. It is crazy here!! And seems to always be something that would normally in the States be easy to deal with but here it is never simple!! Well...there you go! God bless!

Daniel

Sunday, October 3, 2010

Another Road Experience

Well.........Thank the Lord that he gives grace and favor to us and PATIENCE!! After we dropped off my folks at the airport this past Friday our truck broke down again on the road back to Chiquimula. There is some humor in this story...imagine that....but it sure was a rough experience. Well for the first time I asked Brandi to drive home because I was very tired from driving the day before and that morning. Bless her heart...the truck decided to break down while she was driving in the traffic on the road from the Capital to Chiquimula. I started hearing the belt on the truck squeal and started to smell the belt burning. I thought it was the belt to the air conditioner b/c the pulley for it has been making noises for a while. But it is a separate belt only for the A/C so I thought well if it breaks we will still make it home. I heard the belt break and said, "Well we don't have air now." But then Brandi started saying very nervously....Daniel, it is really hard to turn the steering wheel. Then it started getting really hot so I told her to pull off the road. So she started pulling off and tried to stop but the brakes weren't working either. Well she passed out but later regained consciousness and tried to stop very fast and ended up stopping half way out in the very busy road where they do NOT stop. So I said no Brandi not here pull up more. And she started with the half way crying voice saying...I don't think I can do this anymore. But she managed to get out of the road. It was the the main belt that had broke b/c another pulley bearing....tension pulley....stopped working. So we made our usual phone calls and praise the Lord for our friends here. We were able to get a wrecker to come get us and take us to a mechanic that one of Sartia's brother knew. We waited an hour and a half for the wrecker b/c he couldn't find a broken down car with four north americans on the side of the main road. But God was good b/c where we broke down was beside a hill that was full of rocks at the top. So we were able to entertain ourselves for about 45 min. throwing rocks. We had a rock throwing contest and I WON!! HA! Then the kids watched a little DVD that dad left with us that day to bring back when we go back in Nov. God knows all huh! Then we went to the mechanic and stayed there for 4 hours. Brandi was stuck inside a Toyota Corrola with the kids for 4 hours!! B/c it was raining and it isn't exactly the safest place in the capital for us. But God was good b/c despite the fact that all the part stores were closed they found one that waited for us to get there to get the belt for the truck . So we broke down at 2 and left the capital at 8:15 for the house another time. Praise God we made it home in time and was able to sleep after I climbed over the front gate of Sarita's house to attack a robber with my police flashlight!! Rocio called and said someone was inside her house breaking in and two little girls were inside sleeping that Sarita knows. BUT again....Praise the Lord...no one was there and I was able to return and go to sleep around 11pm. Not a bad time after all that happened. And also that same day Jorge and his family were on their way to the capital and for no reason the belts on their car broke also and they had to get the wrecker and wait until morning for the belts. I'm thinking God was keeping us from passing somewhere and being in a place at the wrong time. But we'll never know. AND then this morning we were leaving for church. Got in Brandi's car and IT wouldn't do anything!! Then I tried to start my truck and it wouldn't start so I had to push start it b/c it is a manual. After church I jump started the car and got in to drive it around to charge the battery and as soon as I push the brake pedal down....it went dead again and then nothing after this!! So I have to figure out tomorrow what this is with the car and Lord willing we will sell the truck within this last month here. I washed it yesterday and hope to put it out for sale as soon as we get Brandi's car going! But....we are still kicking and making it. I have to say that Nov. 2 has never sounded as sweet!! God bless!! There you go.


Daniel

Saturday, September 18, 2010

Driving Lessons

Well I am giving Chayo driving lessons here in the city. He comes here by bus at the end of the week to learn how to drive. I asked him one day what was one of his dreams and he said to be a taxi or bus driver in the city. So I told him I would give him driving lessons. It is soo fun and hilarious! He is a very smart and intelligent man but has NEVER rode in cars much less driven one in his life. So it is like starting from the beginning with your 15 year old or even younger b/c he has never been around cars like we were growing up. He learned how to use the clutch and gas and brake very fast! Got it. But he can't seem to keep the car going on one direction. It's like the bowling ball bouncing back and forth b/t the lines. But we are driving off the roads and not in traffic! And today he drove Brandi's car which is an automatic...easier to focus on staying straight and not all the gears and clutch. He did very good today. I actually got out and let him drive up and down a straight way by himself today and he loved it....until he ran over that little girl that ran out infront of him. HA Just joking! He went on and on about how awesome this was and how he prays that God blesses me for sharing and teaching him....so wonderful. I am going to video tape the next one so I can remember it and get his face also. It's funny when he starts going faster or doesn't know what to do. But we are having a great time! And God is blessing us both! Wouldn't trade it for nothing. There you go...God bless!!

Daniel

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Independence day

Today is Guatemala's independence day. Levi and I went to the village to celebrate it with the village and Brandi and Mary Kathleen stayed here to celebrate it with her school in the city. It was really fun and LOUD. They have these homemade BOMBS they call fireworks here and all they do is shake the ground when they go off and rupture your eardrum when they go off in the sky. But they love them and last night they went off all night long! And probably again tonight but its fun and they are all excited. They kids in the village danced and crowned the miss independence and freedom girls in the school. They were dressed up very pretty and gave a little speech too. For some of the girls it was the first time I had ever heard them talk. We had a good time. Levi just sat on the dirt hill throwing rocks and playing in the dirt. It has changed here and the rain is slowing down and the heat is picking up! BITES! But the evening usually cools back down into the upper 80's or lower 90's so it isn't that bad. Well we don't have much longer here this year. Only two more months until we go back home to visit. WOW! The year has gone by fast and slow. But we are still praying and straining to hear what God has in store for us next year. Really don't know what is going to happen and cant even imagine right now what we will be doing. But pray with us that it will become clear and our hearts and minds will be ready to do his will! We sure have made some true friendships here and REALLY miss the family back home!! But God is faithful and gives us more than we can ask for or imagine. So we are looking forward for what he has for us in the days to come. Well there you go. God bless!

Daniel

Sunday, September 12, 2010

Body Guards

We are very blessed here in Chiquimula, Guatemala to have a place called Pradera! Pradera is basically a mall with about 10 shoes stores, a dollar general, and a HUGE DIG STORE (which is amazing by the way coming from a family of Yard Sell-aholics). Anyway, this year, Pradera has brought in....whoohoohoo...a movie theater! And even better, on Wednesday, it is two for one! The whole family can go to the movies for less than $7!! :) (You just get excited about the little things sometimes!) Well, yesterday, we invited a family to the movies. We went to see "El Ultimo Maestro del Aire" (The Last Air Master). Last year, this family lost their father/husband in a car accident. Now, Ms. Nati, the mother, is raising two boys, 11 years and 6 years, all by herself. Lester is the oldest boys name, and he is in my Advanced english class. He LOVES soccer and absolutely HATES english. :) Ms. Nati told me that Lester said to her the other day "I like Ms. Brandi outside of class a lot better than inside." ;) Anyway, we all went to the movies and had a great time.
After the movies, we went to eat at the all famous McDonalds, and we must have been in the presence of royalty or something, because we counted 10 BODY GUARDS, all with guns and plenty of extra rounds, guarding this one family sitting right next to our table. I was nervous to put a french fry up to my mouth! Daniel pointed out three body guards behind us, and then he starts making his "Police Training" scenarios..."First I'll steal that guy's gun and shoot the other two before they know what happened." Afterwards realizing that he had missed 7 more body guards spread throughout the restaurant that would have been ready to unload on him. Yeah, he was on top of things. :) I guess being away from the PD for almost two years has gotten the best of him. Needless to say, we waited until the guards went to get their food to get up and leave. :)
Anyway, we had a great time with Ms. Nati and her two boys, but will you please pray for them. Ms. Nati worries a lot about Lester because he has changed so much since his dad passed away...who wouldn't, right? Please help us pray for this family.

Blessing!
Brandi

Monday, September 6, 2010

The Blind Girl's Grandmother

Weird description but I have a cool story that God did this past Friday. We met a 6 year old blind girl at one of the eye doctors medical team this past March. Her name is Andrea. She was born blind ad the doctors said there was nothing medical to do for her. So we prayed and she received her site!! Naw....I wish. But she is sooo smart and soo darling. You would have to talk to her and see her to fully understand how precious she is. But here in Chiquimula there is nothing for her like schools or help. And her family is very very poor. But she was soo precious and it didn't phase her at all when the doctors said she would never see. She only started talking about her family and the other people's needs and how she wanted to help them soo much! A 6 year old! Well I wanted to do what I could to help her so Jose and I went to visit her this past Friday. She was not there but was in the capital with her mom at her aunt's house b/c Andrea had a horrible cough and could not get rid of it in the bad living conditions and weather here in this area so she had been in the capital for a month. So we got her mom's number and hopefully will be able to talk to her. I think it is better for her to be there b/c maybe they can find her a school there in the capital and we can help get her in there and start learning more and improve her life. BUT her grand mother was there and had been praying the day before and that morning for some help with something. It was little but shows how much God listens even to our little prayers. She just found out that her mom was doing very bad and about to die and she had no money or way to go and see her before she passed away. Well there we were and going back in the same direction where her mom lived. So we took her to drop her of at her mom's house. She was soo happy and wouldn't stop talking the whole way there. I guess grandmothers all over the world are the same! HAHA But God showed himself faithful to her by this what seemed a simple little dropping somebody off on our way home. We were very thankful and blessed to be a part of that and see GOD minister to her and her family.
And the update on the woman in the village who might have breast cancer is that we still don't know the results from the exams taken. But she is doing good and hanging in there. Keep praying for her. When we have the results I will post them. But praise God for his faithfulness and goodness! Praise God for his strength and encouragement that we have everyday to continue. And keep your focus on his will and pray for revelation of that will and then take it one step at a time to get that will done! God bless!!!

Daniel

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

We're back!

Been gone for a while. We have been very busy with Brandi's finals at her school and the men's ministry and a birthday vacation. Our parents gave us money for our birthdays and we went to a place here in Guatemala that has a huge water park and a ride park too. The best thing about the whole birthday present was relaxing and spending time together as a family! The eight hour trip was horrible!! but the rest of the time there was great. Well I don't know if I have already said something about taking the men to Charlie's Pizza but we went and it was wonderful! The men loved it and are still talking about the food!! Our preacher from our church here in the city spoke to the men about the last supper and we also served communion as well. It was wonderful!!! And then this morning in the village we met at 6 am for a prayer meeting with the men. We had 13 men come and pray for their families, community, and lives. We served them breakfast afterwards, eggs and beans and bread. Brandi came along and help the other lady in the kitchen and served them. It was truly amazing and a work of God. Things are changing despite the devil and his workings. Pray hard for the men to continue to grow and mature in their relationship with God and teach their families the same! And pray for Brandi and me. We have started to have harder times with missing the family and friends here lately! It has been a while since we have seen our family and both our grandparents are having problems as well right now. There has been the hard and difficult days where the need for extra strength and focus is great!! But God is faithful AMEN! And we are still having opportunities opened to us to continue with the ministry and work God has given us. SO that means we still have to persevere and keep on going with the Lord's strength and guidance. Hard but a blessing!
But while at this rides park with the roller coasters and water rides...kind of like Opry Land but half the size, Levi rode this little roller coaster and he LOVED it!! He rode it like 5 times. I video recorded one of the rides and you can see his face when it gets his stomach. Hilarious!! He loves rides and things like that! He is like his moma and Mary Kathleen is like her daddy...they just about kill her! And the hotel we stayed at was really like a resort. It had 5 or 6 restaurants within the walls and two large swimming pools. There was putt-putt golf and bowling and a nice gym and ping pong. There was a spa where you can get a full body massage and a pedicure and manicure for only 25 dollars. The massage is for 45 minutes!! Brandi didn't ask about it until the last day and the next opening was the next day in the afternoon so she couldn't get one! But wow at this hotel! Good stuff. NO TV so we had to get out and do things...just was wonderful. Ok. Thank you for your prayers and talk at you soon. There you go...

Daniel

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Learning Every Day

Hello there. Been a while since I wrote on here but it has been very busy here and I fall asleep every night before I can even get comfortable and roll over. But that's better than not being able to fall asleep or not have a nice comfortable bed to fall asleep in. I always thank God for our awesome beds and our amazing A/C in our bedrooms every night!! You remember the man that was having seizures....I had to put him in his bed that night and saw that it was a concrete floor! So I am thankful and I do not mean that lightly. But things are going good for us. We have been very busy with the ministry and school and the clinic. Mme Jo is still doing very good and blessing a lot of lives. I still love helping her interpret to the people. When ever I get a chance to mess with the people I will tell them that the doctor said this is really bad and you only have a couple more weeks to live...after they turn white I laugh and tell them I am joking. HAHA I know...that is wrong but you have to learn to have fun no matter where you are and they eventually laugh after I convince them that I was only joking. Good stuff! But I'd like to share about two men in the village who have totally changed by the grace of God. Both these men are married to two sisters and have over 8 kids each. They use to get up before the sun rise and go off drinking and come back to eat lunch and then go back for more drinking until about 11 at night. They did not provide for their families and yelled and hit their families and caused a lot of hurt and pain for everyone. But now they have not been drinking for more the 3 months now and you should see the difference on their wives faces and the faces of their children. They seem content and actually have life back in the eyes! The men are working and helping with the kids. These guys seemed hopeless and had been drinking since who knows when but now b.c of the grace of God and his power, they are totally different and doing good now!! Praise the Lord! And another quick story...I went to visit and check on Esteban again and his grandmother. He wasn't there but his grandmother was so I sat and talked to her for a while. She was sharing that she feels soo alone b/c she has horrible arthritis in her knees and legs and can't get out to see people and no body visits her. So also said she needs food b/c no body helps her with that need either. So I wanted to see her kitchen and what she had to eat to see what I might need to take her. She had just got some beans and rice from her son and was cooking them. She had a little plate with some chilly peppers on them for seasoning. That is what they use for making their food taste good! You know...have flavor. I told her that I really liked the peppers and how they tasted. Well you know what she then did! She took what little peppers she had to flavor her food and offered them to me!! After sharing how she had no food and after I saw that she had very little food...she wanted to offer me the little bit of flavoring she had. So I took them all and ate them right there! HA JUST JOKING!! I told her NO!!! I would not take her food from her that she needed them. She agreed but look what she was going to do! I am reminded so often how good I got it and how much more I need to share and have a cheerful giving heart!! God bless her. Well we are eating in Charlie's Pizza this Sat. so pray that it goes good! I think this will be so cool and a wonderful experience for the men! Thank the Lord we are able to do this for the men's ministry! God is good!! There you go...



Daniel

Sunday, August 15, 2010

Pictures of the past few weeks...

Hey everyone! Thought we would just post some pictures of some of the things we have been talking about the last few weeks...enjoy.

These are the pictures of when Daniel and Jorge went to take Esteben his medicine for the seizures he has.



These are pictures of the HUGE spider ... tarantula ... that we found in our house!! The pictures don't do it justice!


Pictures of Levi and us in a parade the school in the city put on for the school's anniversary. Levi was a bunny, and Mary Kathleen was suppose to be a flower, but she didn't want to wear her costume. :)



Wednesday, August 11, 2010

SPIDER!!!!!

Well I'm headed to the village this morning and had just left the house when Brandi calls me and sounds upset. She asked me if I am far off or could I come back. There was a tarantula in our extra room. It was under one of her bags that she hadn't used in a long time by our computer desk. I thought that it must be pretty big if she was calling me to come back and get it. So I go back and when I pull up to the house I can see these huge hairy legs coming out of our windows on all sides of the house! Ha Just kidding. But wow the size of that spider. It was against the wall kind of crawling up and still on the floor with his legs together but stretched out in front of him. I better it was ever bit of 4.5 or 5 inches long from his legs that were stretched out to his butt. I thought that I didn't want to try and step on him or he might carry me off! Just kidding. I thought about the amount of guts and goo in that body that would get everywhere so I got the bug spray. And when I sprayed it, it started climbing the wall trying to go back towards the back door. And dang! It like tripled in size when it spread its legs out to crawl!! It was bigger than my hand when I spread out my fingers. But it eventually died. And then I went to check the old bag that it was under!! I saw another huge spider inside that started to get on my hand and without looking I threw it straight towards Brandi and the kids screaming and Brandi screamed and threw Mary Kathleen in front of her and the bag hit Mary Kathleen. HAHAHA All of that was true except there was no spider inside the bag. I was only joking but Brandi did throw poor little Mary Kathleen!! LOL It was hilarious! I said well some great protector you are mom! HAHA And she said, "No. Mary Kathleen fell forward into the bag trying to get away!" LOL! But now I feel as if I need to search my whole house to see if there are more of the human size spiders in here! Nasty!!! Helps you sleep real good at night knowing there might be more!
Another thing happened today...not so funny though. Yesterday a woman in the village came to the clinic and showed Mme Jo a hard lump on her breast that was hurting her and growing. Mme Jo told me that it felt like it was breast cancer. She also had two lymphoid glands very swollen on the same side under her arm. So today we took her to a "community health center" for the people in that area and that doctor said the same thing. She needs to get exams done to know whether it is cancer or not to see if surgery will be necessary. And these people don't have a bit of money so we are waiting ourselves to see how much this will cost. But the cost is not our concern at all right now b/c this woman has TEN kids at home and the youngest is like 2 and a half years old. She is 39 years old. She is so scared and worried about the whole thing so PLEASE pray for this woman. Her name is Santo Vasquez. We are going to the lab tomorrow to get the test done and find out the result the next day I think. So she will be away from her family probably for the first time and will have a lot more days away if it is cancer so keep her and her family in your prayers! God is in control and Praise God that there is actually a lab here in town that can check and doctors here that can operate if needed!
But we are doing good and fighting for the people here and demolishing strongholds and efforts of the enemy! God is faithful and ALL POWERFUL!!! He amazes me every day with something new and proves himself faithful to the faithful. And God sure is changing lives physically with the work through Mme Jo!! If any of y'all know her and can encourage her do so b/c there have been several women that never say anything nice not stop talking about how blessed they are to have their nurse so close and providing medicine! Well...that's all for now. God bless!!

Daniel

Friday, August 6, 2010

Stomach Nast!

Well the nasty bug has made it's rounds back to this house. Brandi has not been able to eat anything for the past five days without getting sick just 30 minutes to an hour later. And Mary Kathleen has the same problem since the beginning of the week. I on the other hand must have a slitely stronger stomach b/c I only have horrible gas. I know.....too much information exspecially for those of you who really don't know me or understand the third world country bug but those of you who know me and know of the bug....totally get me! So pray for Brandi and Mary Kathleen! Not just about their stomachs but that they can endure mine!! HAHA! Ok...I always mention how hard and brutal Brandi is to me when I am sick or hurt, well I got her today! And don't be saying anything about bless her heart non-sense...she had it coming! But she was lying on the couch not feeling good at all and trying to relax and not hurt. Levi was being the typical three year old and asking her over and over and over what was wrong and why she didn't feel good. So I yelled to him to go tell her to suck it up!! HA And he went back in there probably thinking he was saying something sweet and encouraging and said in his little sweet cute voice..."Momma, what's wrong? Momma, suck it up." LOL But she didn't respond or laugh...where is the sense of humor? But any how...we are doing good besides the loving the toilet thing. It has been raining a lot and causing the evening and nights to be rather cool! So praise the Lord for that.
I am going to be teaching Chayo from the village how to drive! HA! He wants to learn how to drive so I am going to teach him here in the city. He is soo excited and I am sooo nervous! I think as smart and intelligent as he is it will not be hard but learning in this crazy traffic will be interesting. We will start outside the city though where there is no cars. I think it will be fun! He is a really cool guy and a really good friend so I want to help him in this area. It's like he is turning 15 and going to start driving with his permit. You remember how excited you were and offered to drive everywhere. Now you try to get in the passenger seat first so you dont have to drive! But I hope we can start next weekend. Good stuff.
Well keep us in your prayers and don't just read, ask questions or comment. I always thought that only my sister and mother-in-law read these things till one group came and one of the women started talking about everything I had wrote! I got a little scared thinking about what all I have said on here but it is all good. God bless!! There you go.

Daniel

Thursday, August 5, 2010

Getting Old!

Well for the past two days I have been putting grout(?) on the ceramic tile floor in the clinic at the village AND let me tell you that I never realized how bad my body is getting and that I have changed since the good old football days or even college days when me and Luke use to mow for 12 hours and then I'd go work out for 2 hours. After the first day I hurt pretty bad in my lower back and knees from having to sit on my knees on the concrete ceramic floor and fill in the cracks with the grout. But I was making it and did not DARE say anything to my compassionate wife about being sore. But after the second day of working from 8 in the morning until 5 in the afternoon on that floor, I couldnt hardly move that night, but I still didnt say anything to my sensitive wife. I cant believe how my joints and muscles hurt after doing a little job like that! I know I am aging. I just keep thinking...if I am like this now....a young scrapping healthy youngster...lol....how will I feel when I get old. And then I pictured Bones!! HAha...When his knee use to lock up or his back not work. Then I got a little better picture of the future. But we sure did have fun playing the good old football when it was happening! Still wouldnt trade it for nothing! But praise the Lord the floor is done!
Went to another city here in Guatemala today to learn how they plant beans and tomato so we can teach the men in the village so thay can grow these and eat them and sell them. Lord willing it will be a success but please Pray b/c this will deffinately push them outside their norm and make them do things that they have never done and be more patient with their work than they have ever been. Brandi make a good point the other day about this...I said I wish we could get them to see that if they would just plant the corn and wait for the 30x more to grow instead of grinding it and making several tortillas then they wouldnt always be so hungry. But she said that when you give them the little bit of corn to plant they are ALREADY hungry and feel like they can't wait three or four months for it to produce more. SO pray that the Lord's will be done and the right thing will happen with this project. But the land at this place was beautiful. They grow bananas, corn, beans, tomato, and coffee up on this mountain. It was so pretty and well managed!
And mom, we are going to take the men from the village to the city on the 21st of Aug. to eat at Charlie's Pizza and serve communion to them. They are still very excited even though there was a change of the day. They keep talking about the food and how they can't wait to eat it. I know...and this just breaks my heart...that for MOST of the men, this will be their first time to ever eat or see anything like the food there b/c it is more than tortilla and beans. We also do birthday parties one Mon. every month for the men and Chayo told me that that party was the first party and the first cake he had ever had for a Birthday and he is 29 years old. WOW! They are doing very good. I had a wife and her two kids from one of the men come to the clinic yesterday for some medicine for her kids. She said that Benedicto, her husband, is so excited about the Bible study and told her for now on leave Mondays alone b/c he is going to study the Word and learn more those days at the ministry. He is one man that knows all the memory verses and does very good! I have really seen a change in his behavior and attitude. She said that he also teaches them about the lessons and the memory verses. Dont know if that is true but look what God is doing in the lives of some of the men in this village!! If I ever get depressed or discouraged I only have to think about those men and pray for them and I feel so much better. So praise God for them and God bless them! Well...there you go.

Daniel

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Don't Worry!

Hello there. I have some pictures of me and Jorge giving Esteban his medicine and I was going to get Brandi to put them on here but we never seem to be in the right place together at the right time to get that done. So I wanted to go ahead and make it known that God totally opened the door here for us to be able to get his medicine without a "prescription-a really loose term here" and get him two months supply of the medicine. He was grinning from ear to ear in the photo when we walked to his house and gave him his medicine. I have to go tomorrow to check on him b/c he didnt come to the meeting Mon. so I don't know if he is better.
But God is soo good to me. He has opened my eyes to how much I am concerned about...Jesus calls it worry in Luke 12. I have been preaching about worrying ever since God spoke to me about it. But I feel soo at peace knowing that God already knows our needs and will provide for them (Matt. 6:8). I need to seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and then all the other things will come to be (Luke 12:31). It is hilarious in Luke 12 when Jesus said that if you can't do such a little insignificant thing like ADD ANOTHER HOUR TO YOUR LIFE!!! then why worry about the other things...God will take care of them. But that is how big our God is...he talked about adding time or years to our lives as if it was a tiny little effortless thing to do and NO BODY can do it here!! HA! God is big and powerful and he has my life in his hands and my needs on his mind. You know it gets really hard and difficult being away more times than others and we start really missing our families and friends. It feels like we are missing out...but we are not missing out b/c this is where God has put us and he is doing WONDERFUL things here and we are getting to see these things and experience them. So we are thankful but have to be reminded to keep focused and pray. I also read today in Luke 18 where Jesus told two parables about how important it is for us to be persistent in our prayers! So we have to keep exercising our prayer life here. But thank you for yall's prayers! We need them and feel them too! Thank you. So here we are and there you go. God bless!

Daniel

Friday, July 30, 2010

Incident With Men's Ministry

Hello. I was preaching at the village with the men this past Monday. There is a man named Esteban that comes to the meetings and he knows a lot about the Bible and goes to the church. A very knowledgable man on the Bible and the truth. But he is a little slow. This past February one of the men in the village shot him under his jaw upperwards toward the top of his head, but the bullet travled through his jaw and then went out behind his ear instead of going into his head. And he lived and only has scars from getting shot. We took him to another town to live with his sister then, but since then someone else has shot and killed that man so he came back to live with his grandmother. But he had missed the men's Bible study the week before, and I thought that was weird b/c he always makes it to the meetings. He came this time and told me before we got started that he was not doing good. He has to take medicine for seizures and had ran out of his medicine. He told me that was the reason he didnt come to the meeting the week before b/c he is having seizures three or four times a day. And right after he told me this he had two seizures within 30 minutes at the Bible study. He got embarrassed and tried to leave but he couldnt walk. So Chayo and I took him in my car to his house. I have since then been trying to find his medicine, but I have to have a presciption to get it for him. I felt so hopeless and bad for him. He came all the way down the mountain knowing that he was going to have more seizures and could have hurt himself had he been walking or something just to ask if I could help him get some medicine. So pray that we will be able to get something done fast!! There are also two other people in the village that has the same problem and suffering the same way. So please pray for us to be diligent in getting them help and successful. God bless.

Daniel

Sunday, July 25, 2010

A new old idea

Well today in church I was hit with a thought and reason from God about my life and my idea of what I need to do or the "work" that God has for us. I go to a church where there is ALWAYS something to do or something going on, maybe at the church or other events or house groups. There is always something going on and they STRONGLY encourage you to get involved with everything if you can. Sometimes it feels as if their encouragement leads to the feeling that if you are not involved with everything then you are not doing enough or seeking the Lord. Not everyone leaves you with this feeling but some do. And b/c of this I has developed an attitude of something kind of like...why do I need y'all to be in God's will or why do I have to go to your training to have a ministry here. I felt like...just leave me alone with the ministry that God has sent me to do b/c I am busy enough with it and don't have time for your everyday events and obligations. I know...strong feelings! But it was also...WRONG! My attitude. Today the Lord reminded me in church that it is not my life that was formed but a creation that was formed by God for him. I am here for him. The Bible always instructs us to seek first God and his ways...his desires...his direction. One verse that I am coming to love more and more is when Jesus instructed us before he was about to ascend to heaven in Matthew the last chapter the last section. He said, "Go and get your educations and be sure to go all the way to your universities and secure your job with benefits and get your houses and find your favorite church to attend and be a committed Sunday and Wednesday church goer and the rest of the time is your decision to occupy." WONDERFUL verse...huh?? HAHA Not What It Says! Today I was reminded that we are given the OPPORTUNITY to be connected to Christ and be involved with his ministry and kingdom of making disciples and teaching them to obey God's Word while living in this world (Matt. 28:19,20). The Christians, the followers of Christ, in the early church in Acts would meet together regularly and pray and encourage and praise God. They provided for each other and basked in the presence of God! The presence of God!!! B/c they were seeking him with all their heart and desire and giving to him so he could give to them in return. I am going to pray for that instruction to be my heart's desire. I don't have to have my houses and trucks and "things" first or for the most part and then what time and part of me that is left give to the ministry in my church or the ministry in Guatemala or whatever God puts in my path to conquer and gain for the glory of God!! I am way to caught up in myself. I was aggravated with my church making me feel bad that I wouldn't get up at 5 am to pray or go to an event at night or start a prayer ministry in the morning at the village! God has given us a whole 24 hours to relax and re-energize so we don't go insane. I have taken advantage of that 24 hours today and I feel sooo good!! I have been more calm today with my kids and been able to play with them without thinking I have to leave in 5 minute to go take care of something else. I have enjoyed being with my wife and relaxing! But I WANT to start living now with a Christ like heart and put first and seek first his kingdom and be involved with his work and be shown the very things of God!! Jesus says we are his friends if we obey him and he hides nothing from his friends. I am excited and pray for the strength and courage to go crazy for the Lord while I am here in Guatemala. God is good!! Well...there you go.


Daniel

Friday, July 23, 2010

Got Nothing

Hello. I really don't have much to say. I just heard a story from Brandi where she made a little girl in her school here in the city cry! I thought that was funny b/c the students think she is mean and always mad. But really she is almost the only teacher there that disciplines her students or makes them GO TO CLASS!! (SO DIFFERENT THAN THE SCHOOL IN THE MINSTRY ! Those kids up there are so good!) Anyway it is pretty rough but she is doing good...making them cry and behave. I love it....better the little kids than ME!! HAHA But just about finished setting all the tile in the clinic today. There is only a little bit more left after a two day job turned into a week and a half job! But it is going to look good and be easier to keep clean after some patients have accidents on the floor. Oh yeah...I have been trying to fix my truck for little over a month with the fan clutch to cool the radiator. I got the part today and hope I can put it on and see if it works tomorrow. First part I get didn't go to a Ford Ranger....but the mechanic said it went to a Ford so it has to work. Weirdo! Well...it didn't work. Would not even fit on the motor. So the mechanic told us to cut the blades down on the fan so it would fit. Couldn't do that b/c it was not for my truck and would not fit. They just couldn't understand that. So I was able to send it back to him with the help of my neighbor and let him find the right fan to send back. I explained I do not want anything but the fan that goes to my truck. Well if they didn't just
"fix" the fan themselves. The metal center piece on the fan had cracked and broke it places. They welded another piece of metal around the broke piece and cut holes for the bolts. I just don't understand but Lord willing it will work. I am going to try it tomorrow so pray for us. Well we have been having fun here lately with the kids and each other. It has been raining off and on causing it to cool down here so that is wonderful. I am sorry I only talk about frustrations...they seem to teach me more and make me laugh more than the other things. But I will write more about the good things here when ever they get here...HAHA Just joking!! We are doing great and enjoying the ministry that God has blessed us with and hope to continue to have the privilege to serve God where ever He wants us. God is GOOD! There you go.

Daniel

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

The PAIN!!/Teaching Trip

The men in the village had to work on a concrete floor with us the past couple of days. Mme Jo is going to lay tile on the floor but it was a finished concrete floor and the stucco(?) would not stick to the smooth floor so YES! we had to pick the floor to take off the smooth layer of concrete. The men used hatchets and hammers to get it off. I help the second day and thought I was going to die!! You sit there and hammer and hammer and after three or four hits a tiny little piece of concrete comes off. And it is a 340 sq ft building. Towards the end of the day I couldn't use my hands. If I was gripping something I could get my fingers off later b/c I couldn't straighten them out. If I was trying to grip something with strength I couldn't b/c I had none! And that was only one day. And my compassionate, tender wife had very encouraging words for me...I am tired of hearing you complain about your hands and how you hurt. You need to stop complaining! Ohhhhh how I love you in those moments! The men worked the entire day before doing this!! And they never complained!! They were very thankful to get the job and work! It reminded me of when me and my brothers would always get asked to do the nasty jobs when we were younger. B/c we were the only stupid ones who would do it! But here...it doesn't matter...you have them lined up to do the job! DIFFERENT! We one time cleaned UNDER the weighing scales at the Sale Barn. For you who don't know...that is where all the urine and poop go! from the cows and animals go while they are standing there being weighed! Or having to mow an entire yard with a straight down slope with only weed eaters...but thanks to Luke's generous idea to mow the straight down slope with a RIDING MOWER we finished that fast!!! After we pulled him off the upside down mower with the tires still spinning and the motor running!! HAHA Or when me and Luke crawled under a house with hardly no space to crawl and pulled all the insulation out a little hole at one end or the house. Or picking up constructions sites after the destruction of building houses. But see....half of these do not even compare to that work the other day!! And the men left smiling and willing to return for more! We even had to tell them that that was it and they could go home! Good stuff. Do all things without complaining and whining! in other words....So there you go!

Daniel


Hey! It's Brandi. I wanted to tell you about last Friday (July 16th, 2010). I teach at a school in the city and I teach one day a week in the ministry in the village. On Friday, I took my advanced students from the city school to the school in the village. Only one of the students from the school had EVER seen the village before! So, they were all super excited to go see a different part of their city. When we got there, there was a car that could take us up the mountain to the village school, but I gave the students the option of walking the mountain to see what these students in the village have to do every day to get to school. So, all but two of the students took off walking, and yes, I did too. When we reached the school, we all were just a sweatin', but they were so excited to be there. The students in the ministry received the city students so well and they gave them a beautiful welcome and they put on a drama for them and gave them cards, in English. It was so awesome. The city students brought 20 bags of food to give to 20 different families in the village, and they also brought clothes to give to all of the children. Afterwards, they all had the opportunity to teach an English class and they all did SO awesome! They gave the students in the village candy for doing "well" in class and stickers too, and we all just had a great time. Now my city students have to write a comparison paper, in English, describing their experience.

Next semester, my high school class in the city are going to do the same thing, and many of the teachers and students in the city school want to continue doing this. It was such a great experience, and I wanted to share it with you. :)

Blessing!

Brandi

Thursday, July 15, 2010

The Simple Things

Hello. I had an interesting day two days ago in the village with Chayo. I went thinking we were going to build up some steps out of concrete for a ramp to get from the bottom classrooms to the top at the feeding center. But when I got there Chayo was planting banana trees b/c there was no sand to make the mix for the steps. So I jumped in and started helping Chayo planting banana trees. We were planting them in rows on the side of a mini cliff or a steep hill so the rain wouldn't take more of the soil off that steep hill. So that was difficult trying to swing a pick and use a shovel on the side of the hill. I fell several times and after every fall I would hear a very calm voice from Chayo saying, "Be careful Daniel." He would never look up or laugh, just say be careful. There is more grace and mercy here than back at home with my family b/c we always laughed when things liked that happened but I reckon as often as it happens here nothing would get done if we always stopped to laugh. But we had to cut a huge limb off a tree that was above the banana trees that we were planting so the banana trees could grow up tall and not be hindered by the other tree limb. Well Chayo throws a string around the limb and hands it to me and then goes and climbs the tree with his machete to cut the huge limb down. I think it took him as long as it would have took with a chain saw to cut the limb with his machete. It didn't fall on me if that is what you are anticipating to read! But after we got it down. Chayo and another teacher went on and on and on about how much money that limb would sell for in the village to be used for construction or support for something. They didn't stop talking about that limb for over an hour. A LIMB. The same thing I was thinking that is an annoyance for us and that we cut and throw in a pile and burn or put on the side of the road. They treasure this limb and use it Chayo said for a the Least TEN years. It's like they were touching and moving a monument. But it reminded me of how blessed we are here in Chiquimula that God always provides for his people whether through tree limbs or rain for the food or encouragement from your bother. I am always reminded of how much I complain and EXPECT from God when I work with the ministry and the people there. It is a blessing and a privilege to be here and I am encouraged all the time by being here. Even though at times all I can think about is going back home. I think there will always be those moments that come and cause me to feel that way. But when I keep my focus and open my eyes...then I can see and learn more and more about God and myself! Now I understand Paul when he says what a wretched man I am. But we ended up planting about 13 banana trees before lunch that day. Anyhow...Another funny site is watching the people that have never seen a escalator come to the newest thing here....the mall...and watch them attempt to go up and down it. I had to help a lady last night go down. I have actually seen them put one foot on it and start the splits as that one leg moves up with the moving step and the other foot stays on the floor! LOL Hilarious! Or they will get enough courage and just jump on the moving step but instead or maintaining their balance, they will start leaning backwards and the person behind will catch them or the person assisting them will pull them back straight. I have never seen one fall praise the Lord b/c they actually have guards posted there for...I imagine...assisting these people in ascending and descending without injuries. Good stuff. I know...A.D.D. But there you go!

Daniel

Sunday, July 4, 2010

Happy Independence Day!!

Well, I'm home with a sick little girl. She started getting a fever last night when we were in a youth event at the church, and she has pretty much had one ever since. We don't really know what is wrong. She just doesn't feel good and has a fever, so Lord willing, she will be better by tonight. Please pray for her.

Happy 4th of July everyone! You know, the Independence day here is on Sept. 15th, and they make their own fireworks here...actually, I would call them bombs, but whatever. They say that the ones with colors are shot during Christmas, but we have been in the States for Christmas, so we don't know. Fireworks are a big deal here. Every birthday is celebrated with fireworks...at 5 in the morning...EVERY BIRTHDAY. And we live in a pretty big neighborhood where each house has at least a family of six living in it. Usually a band follows at 5:15 am, and at 6 am, everyone goes back to sleep. And if you think I'm exaggerating, just come and live with us for a week, and you will experience the 5 am birthday blast. (Just ask my parents.) But, it is funny how your ears get used to things. There are also some black birds that sit outside our windows, and when the sun comes up, they got to "singing". (Actually outrageous squawking). But we didn't even know they still were there anymore until my parents came to visit us a few weeks ago and asked how we could sleep with the birds and fireworks in the morning. Don't even notice them anymore. :)

Anyway, I guess I just wanted to share the firework story...and wish everyone a Happy 4th!

Much Love,

Brandi

Friday, July 2, 2010

Still Making it!

Well another frustrating moment when my truck started heating up while we were driving. I thought that maybe it just needed more water or maybe the thermostat was sticking or something LITTLE!!! But NO!!!! So one afternoon I was looking at the motor trying to figure out what tools I would need to take out the thermostat. And as I was scanning over everything I noticed that the freakin FAN in front of the motor was MISSING!!!!! I noticed it was sitting on the bottom of the fan cover in front of the radiator. It had been lying against the belts and was starting to burn throught the blades on the fan. I didn't know what to think! I did thank God that we were not left stranded when it happened and made it home. I called the mechanic and he said it was the bearings inside the fan clutch that were bad and that was why it came off. Well a new one cost....mucho and I haven't been able to find a used one yet but I will probably be going to the capital in the next couple of days to walk the "parts streets" to find a used fan clutch. I do believe that Lord willing when we get it fixed I will drive it straight to the street corner and put a for sale sign on it and sell it! Enough! But I am thankful that it made it this far and hopefully we will make it with just Brandi's car...I know WE will but it will make it more complicated to get things to and from the village and with me and Brandi going two different ways for work will be a little harder too. But Praise the Lord we do have a car...pray for our car. And we will make it and keep going and doing what we can do. Pray that my truck will sell and the right person will get it. BUT I cant tell you how bad I am missing my family now. I don't know why it seems so hard right now but I am looking forward to hanging out with my crazy brothers and my sister. Keith, Luke , and Jo are soo funny and most of the time it's funny to listen to them get Keith all upset or see Josiah pout like dad does. OH It was so funny while Luke and Jo were here. Jo and Meg were left one night at the mall through an incredible miss understanding but Jo....soo funny...was soo overwhelmed with the idea that they were left that he was soo dramatic and sensitive!! You could not help but laugh at his face and the way he was yelling and going on about how bad that was. And then when Luke would laugh....OH....he would start rubbing his chest just like Bones does and get the exact same expressions that Bones has when his feelings are hurt. If you know Josiah...you HAVE TO ask him about that experience and watch his face! Hilarious! But God is good and very funny!! Love Him! Well...there you go.


Daniel

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Mary Kathleen Praising the Lord

It is so funny how God speaks to us sometimes. Tonight I was just going through the house picking up because Daniel has a men's Bible study in our house on Tuesday nights, so I was cleaning and gettin' the house smelling good (yeah, real important to men) and not really paying attention to what the kids were doing. All of a sudden I realized that Mary Kathleen was walking around the house yelling at the top of her lungs...but she wasn't crying or hurt or talking to anyone...she was singing! It was so funny and awesome because there wasn't another person in her little world. She was just singing as loud as she could and it didn't matter what it sounded like and who heard or whether anyone was listening at all. She was just singing her little heart out, and it was as precious as it could be! And it got me to thinking about our worship to the Lord. Daniel and I are Mary Kathleen's parents, and we just loved hearing her sing, even though we couldn't understand a word that was coming out of her mouth and we couldn't hear each other talk because she was so loud, we just laughed and listened and enjoyed. How much more does God love it when we worship Him? I mean really worship Him. Not worrying about how we sound, how we look, or who is watching. Just us and Him...Giving it all we got. So many times we let our environment and circumstances effect the way we worship God, and it is so sad because we miss out on the blessing of pleasing our Lord.
God, give me a Mary Kathleen heart...to worship You no matter where I am, no matter who's listening, and no matter how I sound. Give me a heart of child-like worship!

Brandi

Sunday, June 27, 2010

EARTHQUAKE!!!!

Hello there. I reckon you are bored and decided to read a blog. Thank you. We are having tremors here if you haven't heard. But it is funny...the people here are calling them earthquakes. There has been several just this month that have come through Guatemala. We have learned that one of the big (don't know how to spell it and don't want to look it up) fault lines is right under Guatemala and this is why there has been so many tremors and sink holes. Well today was my first experience of actually feeling one of the "earthquakes" while we were in church. I was with the kids in our "nursery" with two other ladies and their kids. They handled it well. They jumped up yelling "EARTHQUAKE!" and grabbed their kids and started doing a nervous dance that really took them in no particular direction...just back and forth. I started saying that it is ok, it's ok. and then when they realized nothing was moving any more they calmed down and started talking about how strong that was. I only noticed that I was swaying back and forth as if someone was shaking my chair to get my attention. But we were on the second level of a building in Guatemala, not really knowing if it will stand the shaking or all collapse! But I had my laugh and asked Brandi about it. She looked very confused and said she didn't feel anything. Of course she didn't feel anything. Her style of worship kind of mirrors the effects an earthquake has on the body. HAHAH I'm cracking myself up. But she didn't feel it...tells you how little it was. But let me tell you...I have been studying all that is going on in the world...earthquakes, volcanoes erupting, oil spills, sink holes, flooding, war, suicides, hatred toward Christ and his people, land slides, tidal waves, hurricanes, famines, extreme hot, unusual cold, and many many more things that have occurred over the past YEAR. If it aint progressing to the Day of the Lord then I don't know what is. In the words of Luke McIntyre, "We are closer now to the end of the world more than ever." And the response from Kimberly, "Are you for real? How do you know?" LOL Oh Kimberly and Brandi...funny. But I really hope God brings us Christians together stronger than ever and we stand up for him and not be ashamed so he will stand up for us and not be ashamed of us! We are here to give others the truth and let the Spirit do the rest in their lives. Don't get in the way...only be ready to do and continue on...the Holy Spirit does the work. Jesus never said that he would send his PEOPLE to the world to convict and make known the things of God to them...but his Holy Spirit. Just a little something God has shown me here lately. But pray and be watchful!! God bless and there you go. One more thing, go check out the topic on Yahoo's home page...they are announcing and celebrating their support for the Homosexual anniversary! Horrible for yahoo!! Going to have to change our email carrier.


Daniel

Thursday, June 24, 2010

Salvation Is Here

Hello again. I had our regular meeting with the men in the village Monday and it was great. We got some clothes from the thrift store in Ford City and gave them to the men. It looked like Christmas in the village!! One guy wore all three shirts on top of the one he was already wearing as he left the meeting. They were soo happy and proud of the new clothes. God is good. And we also had one of the men get saved!!! Praise the Lord! I preached about the Holy Spirit from John 14 and 16. They were very attentive that night and answering a lot of the questions! I love it when they start leaning in and having that look of anticipation as they wait for me to answer the question. Some times I feel sorry for them b/c they are relying on ME to answer their questions and look at ME as if I know more. Bless their hearts. But I always explain to them that the answers are in the Bible from God and that night I was able to explain that we receive answers and guidance from the Holy Spirit that lives in us as well. This guy was very excited to receive the Holy Spirit that night and his brother let out a "YES" when he realized his brother wanted to know Jesus. He prayed with me and Jorge and then did not stop smiling even when he left. So praise the Lord. Pray for Fransisco and his new spiritual life please.
But today there was no work in the village for the vacation week they are having here. So Brandi told me that I needed to go do something instead of sitting at home b/c "there is just not something right bout that." I smacked her around and tied her to the pole outside. HA Just kidding. I did do things for the ministry and a lot of planning for the future ministry and other stuff. So that to Brandi! HA (And she is correcting my grammar and misspells as I am writing this.) So we are doing good and "working hard" here. God is faithful and surprisingly enough can show himself and his power more and more the more and more we get out of the way and humble ourselves and let him do it. Learning this more and more. Well...there you go.


Daniel
AKA The really hard worker!

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Ticks!!

Well we have ticks every in our yard. My dog is really a big tick right now b/c I think there are more ticks on him that his actual skin. We have bought poison and put it on him and our yard. But after I did this, the whole colony of ticks came out and started going every where! Even in our house!! It was very frustrating and nasty! Last night I caught more then 7 ticks in our living room by the door crawling on me and the walls. That makes you feel soo nasty and itchy the rest of the time like there are ticks all over you! After I killed them I went to wash my hands in the bathroom and was feeling NASTY and relieved that I got those out of the house and then I saw a tick in my HAIR!!! I cold only laugh b/c I was just at that moment thinking I don't ever want to see another.....There Is One In My Hair!!! It was already dead but still, nasty! I'll write more later. Got to go. There you go.
Daniel

Thursday, June 17, 2010

Living with the In-Laws

Hey there. It has been a while since we have wrote anything on here. With Luke's group leaving and Brandi doing an all out cleaning on the house before her folks got here this is the first time I have sat down and got on the internet. We are having a lot of fun with Keith and Kathy here! The kids LOVE seeing and playing with their Paw Paw and Maw Maw. Mary Kathleen will ask for Pa Pa all the time. They play and just sit and enjoy their grandparents. It is refreshing to see the kid's lives get filled up again with the love from their families. Last night little miss priss stuck her little finger in our metal fan for the third time but this time it wasn't just the tip of her finger. I thought it had cut off her finger. It put a deep to the bone cut on her middle finger at the middle knuckle. Brandi and Kathy both yell, Let's take her to the hospital!!!!!" And Keith only said, now calm down and let's look at it. I am glad he was here and kept the ladies calm and he actually cleaned it up and put the bandage on it. I would look and get nasty feeling and leave to try and convince Levi that Sissy was ok. We also got caught in a rain flood coming back from Hondurus yesterday. The sides of the mountain were falling on the roads as we were driving and water filling the roads till at one point the water was gushing up to the middle of our car's door!! Keith just turned back around form seeing this while Brandi was behinnd us in the car and said, Didn't like that. I started acting like my dad and the places where the road had actually fell and washed away I would act like I was going to drive close to the edge and he would "calmly" but strongly say, "I don't think so go to the other side now." It was funny. But so far we haven't lost any lives or fallen off any cliffs so we are doing pretty good this time with the McBays here. We sure are spoiled after having the brothers and now the parents here for almost three weeks in a role. I don't know how we will be able to live with Brandi after they all leave and it is just us again! HA I did lock us out of the truck this morning. That was interesting. But so far so good. Pray for my little girl's finger and the healing will come fast and without complications. There you go.

Friday, June 11, 2010

Love My Kids

Hello. Just wanted to write a quick something about something my kids did yesterday and today. We have been sooo busy with Luke's group the past 10 days that we did not have time to do anything but it was wonderful to spend time with the family and my brothers! Everybody told me....Daniel, we thought you were crazy!! I had the best time acting dumb and somebody actually appreciating it and laughing with me instead of looking at me like I'm crazy or weird. And best of all, my brothers are even crazier than me so I got to sit back and laugh the whole week! Sorry Leigh and Baker! We all thought it would have been complete with yall here. But after they left we had a lot of stuff to get done BUT on top of the stuff...we were freakin sick!! Both the kids!! Me!! and Brandi!! We all had the stomach nasty and pain and the kids were sick with a horrible cough and stomach sickness as well. So here we were trying to pay bills, take the kids to a doctor that we can't understand, and not have to change the undies again while doing all of this! SO we spilt up to get it done faster and easier. So I had Levi and we went to pay some bills and get some groceries. And at this time he had a 102 or more fever....sounds bad. I know a lot of you are saying, Well he shouldn't have been out and that's not good to have him out. Well I have this to say to you, Come live here and do it differently and write about it! HA But anyways, on our way back home with all the weekend traffic and weak from sickness Levi starts singing out of the middle of no where God is so good, He answers prayers, and he loves me so. He sings it over and over and I sing it with him. Then when we get home he hmmms the song for another 2 hours. I think God put this on him so I cold not think anything else besides God is so good! Love it! And tonight my little girl finally ate something after about 5 days in a role of almost not eating anything. We were eating grilled chicken and beans and smashed potatoes. Well my little Guatemalan girl saw the smashed potatoes and starting asking for some. We gave her some and then she puts them in her hand and starts patting them out like it is tortilla mix to make tortillas like her mom does! It was so funny! She patted out tortillas and ate her beans and chicken for supper. Love it! God is so good!! Well, there you go.


Daniel

Sunday, May 30, 2010

From the Country!

Good morning everyone. I am suppose to be at our church right now relaxed and worshiping God but I'm NOT! It is funny how the weather is in this country. It will not rain a DROP from the end of September to the beginning of May. But the other months between these...it doesn't stop raining! And at the beginning the rain that comes is very strong and since the ground is hard as a rock and very dry it doesn't absorb it very well and it floods bad...like the week ago with the people here in Chiquimula. So when you don't have a dryer to dry your clothes and you rely on the sun to do the job it makes it very difficult to have dry clothes when it is the rainy season. We have not been able to do any clothes for the past three days b/c of the rain. And now, pretty funny, we are hanging our clothes inside our house and putting our fans on them hoping they will dry before one of the kids pulls them down or the day is over with. And we don't have any rope right now so we are using our extention cord! But, Lord willing, we will have dry clean clothes after today! And I think we are going to bite the bullet and go buy a dryer probably TOMORROW!! But never know how long it will be before the 2-20 plug will be able to get put in and we can actually use the dryer if we get one. I think I will learn how to wire a dryer in the next couple of days. So pray that I don't die! first of all and then that no one else dies afterwards if I get it put in. But we are still having fun and trying to laugh. And the reason I am not at church is after Brandi left with our neighbors and the kids to go on to church, I was going to go after I got the extention cord and clothes all up and good to go...But my TRUCK won't start! I don't know what it is this time but I reckon we will get it straightened out sooner or later. So now I am going to go to Killen's website and try to listen to good ol Bones preach a message. Take care and there you go.

Daniel