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.

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Use what you got

Have you ever felt like you weren't doing enough or needed to do more? Sometimes I feel like we need to be doing more, but when I look at my days and our calendar there just doesn't seem to be any more time to do more. So then I look at what we are doing to make sure that there aren't things that need to be cut out to do more of something else and all of it seems to be what God has called us to do. So then I wonder if it is just my flesh or pride that is telling me this. Last week I looked at another ministries webpage and it made me feel like we were doing nothing compared to them. This is a lie...I know but I still felt that way after watching their videos and seeing all their projects. So then I go to praying and asking God if there is something more we can do. And God spoke to me through the Word. I was reading in Matthew 25 and read the parable that we all know and have read so many times, but this time I saw something in the parable that answered my questions about doing more. I heard God say to me that He is the one that gives us our plans and abilities to do things. It was like He said, "I am the one who gives you your assignment." And according to this parable some assignments are bigger than others but nothing is mentioned about being more important or valuable b/c He congratulates the man with 10 more the exact same way He does to the one with 4 more. BUT!! The one who did nothing was condemned and what he had was taken away from him. So God told me to relax and stop worrying about doing more or not doing more. He has given us our assignment and also has given us exactly what we need to do that assignment ,and then I can only do and work with the things that He has given me. If he only gives me 2 then I can only work with two. If he gives me 5 then obviously I could do more with 5 than with 2 but according to God they are both equally important and what He wants! So I need to focus on what He has assigned ME to do and not look at what everyone else is assigned to do. But I am still held responsible for what He has given me to do but....no more than that. Isn't God just and fair! We often don't feel like He is but that is during the times when our pride gets in the way or our feelings and we start focusing on the world's standards and what we want rather than God's already supplied plan and purpose for us that is very enjoyable and peaceful and fulfilling and satisfying and perfect!! Gos is amazing and it is wonderful to be His servant and worker!! Well....there you go. I'll try and have a more humorous story next time.

Friday, April 8, 2011

A Bloody Experience

Hello there. I had a wonderful near death experience the other day. Nah...just joking but I did almost pass out. And this has nothing to do with me. I know Brandi will fuss about the title. Well Mme Jo is working in a new village where we are building the church. There is a young boy there that has a piece of wood in his leg from fall off a telephone pole. As he slid down the pole the wood went deep into his leg. this was three months ago so the leg was healed and better but you could still feel the piece in his leg. So Mme Jo said she could do a small surgery and cut it out. Well I had to translate, meaning I had to be there and watch. I also was holding the light for her during it all. Well after some time of her trying to find this piece of wood in his leg she discovered that it was deeper than we thought and the local anesthetic was not enough for the boy not to feel her FINGER DEEP IN HIS LEG FEELING FOR THE WOOD!!!! Nasty!! After I saw the boy in pain and the sounds her finger was making in his leg...I started to feel dizzy and like I was going to throw up. So I had to leave and get some fresh air so I would throw up! I was as white a ghost. When I came out of the room...all the other folks waiting to see Mme Jo looked at me with big eyes wondering why North Americans could change the color of their skin! Then as I was lying there I remembered that I was the translator so I got back up and went in and just sat there in case she needed something. Well she finally stopped and said he needed general anesthesia b/c it was too deep to get out and sowed him up. The next day God did a miracle and we found a good Christian doctor who is one of the best here that said he would do the operation for free!! So the boy will receive the surgery and, Lord willing, get the wood out of his leg and everything be good to go. AND!! the best part...I don't have to watch it! I don't know what happened b/c I have seen some really nasty things as a police officer but the heat in the room, the blood, the boys face with pain, and the sounds from his leg as Mme Jo moved her finger around inside of it was just right for me to lose it! But it's all good. Keep praying for the boy. God bless!!

Daniel

Saturday, April 2, 2011

The Singer in Brandi

Well hello there! How's it going? I have a funny story about my wonderful wife, Brandi. Well everyone knows how much Brandi loves to sing! No secret and not only sing....but sing???? LOUD!! She does have a wonderful voice that is very pretty and she uses it to worship and glorify God. But I think God had to sneeze when she past by on the way to earth and He forgot to put the volume knob on her b/c all she knows how to sing or talk is loud! But I love her! Well she used some money we got from a friend to buy her a keyboard here in Guatemala so she could play and sing at her cell group and practice at home. All the houses here are with-in spitting distance from each other and are concrete walls with open windows. So when she sings....the WHOLE neighborhood can hear her! HAhaha One day Jorge...who lives behind us...was sick and trying to sleep in his room while he had the house empty and to himself. He told me that he was just getting to sleep when Brandi started practicing and singing, and then he could not sleep. He said he was like...Brandi, shhhhh. I love her and love listening to her sing and play her piano. Well, there you go. God bless!!

Daniel