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, February 12, 2013

Back from the States!

Well we are officially back in Guatemala from our two month visit in the States. We had a great time with our family and visiting new churches and meeting new people! We were sick the majority of the time...but being sick in the States with the family there to still visit and help out isn't as bad as being away and being sick. We got back in Guatemala on Jan. 30th. We then tried to get some paperwork done with our residency process but could not find the ONLY form that we needed to finish. We found everything else that we had when we got the form...but not the actual form itself! So aggravating. So we had to apply for a lost document certificate and return in 10 days to the Capital and finish. Lord will we are going back tomorrow to get that done. Our wonderful friends who were taking care of the house while we were gone had cleaned everything up and left the house ready to live. Usually there are layers of dirt and dust and bugs. But it was good to go this time. While we were in the States, the owner of the house fixed the leaking roof and the molding, moist concrete walls...so the house would have been horrible! But it was wonderful and clean! I had to work on our toilet for a whole day! Took it apart three times trying to get the new parts to work and stop leaking. Went and bought a complete installation package from the hardware store and got home, took the toilet apart to put the news parts on and found out that the very important seal for the toilet was not included in the COMPLETE installation package even though it was listed on the items list on the bag. Took it back and the people at the store said...."Yeah, that's not included even though it's on the picture and is listed. Weird huh?" So I had to buy the seal separate and go back to put it together. Then find out that it still leaks after taking it apart and tightening things up twice! So my neighbor said that I had to put silicone on it. I said NO! You are not suppose to have to put silicone on any of this. But he said, "Daniel if you don't have the tool to tighten it then silicone it and be done with it." But that is exactly why it was leaking to begin with b/c nothing is done correctly but rigged up. But...I siliconed it and everything works good now. Then that next day our electrician came to rewire some A/C and showers in the ministry bunk rooms. While in the process of checking to see that everything worked around 8:30 that night...the electricity to the house went out after some wires got hot and burned through! We had to go without electricity for that night and the next day. But God is full of mercy!! For some reason our bathroom in the house had electricity and one electrical plug on the wall. So we had extension cords running from our bathroom to the kids' rooms on the other side of the house to use their fans that night and to the kitchen for our refrigerator to stay cold. But praise God he found the problem the next night and was able to get electricity back to our house! We also had some men working on closing the door to the other side of the property and opening another entrance for our vehicle because the owner sold that piece of property while we were gone. They showed up one morning and started breaking a hole in our wall where the car would go in. Then AFTER the hole was there, they discovered that the doors to place in front of the hole were not here! I thought....Wouldn't that have been better to get lined up BEFORE you knocked a hole in our house wall!! SO they found some different metal doors that were too big and took them to have them cut to fit and work for the car entrance. So we went a few days with stacked up wood in front of the hole so no one could get in and steal anything. Funny how things work here. But you know...I have never been apart of running a ministry and getting things built and done in the States, so maybe it happens there too??  So we had a different first week back in Guatemala! But the kids are doing great and we are getting ready for a group to get here this coming Sat. the 16th. The kids are back in school and are doing good with that, and Brandi is teaching them English here in the house. Brandi does a wonderful job with them both! A little corny at times but it works! Haha So we are getting there and are looking forward to being apart of what God is going to do this year! Please keep us in your prayers!! We appreciate what everyone has done for us and for supporting the ministry and our family! God is soo good and faithful! God bless! There you go...