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.

Friday, January 23, 2015

I am WEAK!!

We truly have an awesome God that really knows us and knows how to use us! He designed His plans and His ways to be empowered through our weaknesses. He must have been thinking about me when He put that rule into order! 2 Corinthians 12-7-10; 13:4 explains it better...but thank you Jesus that you can use me because of my weaknesses. I ain't got to go looking or trying to be weak! That happens without effort or having to look for it...or is that just me? But when I can totally depend on God and allow Him to lead me to accomplish His will, through His power, then I see things happening that I know for sure were not because I did them or because I was an expert in that area! And it's neat to see that God has our best interests in mind when He set that in motion...so that we would not become proud or trust in our own strengths and 'know how'. That leads to destruction and failure! Every time! So He made it to where we can go to Him, trusting completely in His Word and leading, and knowing fully that whatever He has asked or directed us to do will happen! And it ain't got NOTHING to do with our strength or knowledge. But God still chooses to use us to do it...pretty cool!
We are buying the land today, Lord willing. This is a lot of money and pretty scary and nervous to do this...that's perfect! God's power in made perfect in our weaknesses! So let God's power come and His will be done with this land and the money being spent to buy it and the construction of the ministry! All this seemed impossible a couple of months ago! But look at it now! It's starting to roll and move toward the vision God gave us! And seeing how it took Noah 120 years to build the ark and see the flood...Abraham never saw that awesome nation God promised him...and others received their promise the same day...it's going to happen in God's perfect timing! We are excited for what God is doing and pray that we continue to rely on His guidance and power to complete the work that He has started! Praise the Lord!

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

Residency!

We have been working on the kids' residency papers now for one year after working for a year on their temporary residency. Every time we go to immigration to get something done, something is not right and we either have to pay for something else or go back another day. It's a 4 hour drive to get there one way. We have been there three times in a week and a day! This time we were at the last point...the last step...and some thing was wrong with the paper work that THEY filled out! And we had to pay more money for them to fix it! They said it was my fault for not knowing what data had to be on there and not correcting it when they asked me to look at the spelling and see if it was all good. The spelling was good...they just put the wrong name on there! HA! How was I suppose to know what name was suppose to be on there...I thought that was their job. BUT after paying the fine and doing more paper work really fast we got back into the process without having to go home and then turn around and drive back just to pay and get into the process again. They told me we were going to have to come back another day b/c there were no more numbers...but praise the Lord for His favor and mercy...they stayed and waited and allowed us to get it done that day. We still have to wait 8 days and then go back and try again...but what else can you do?? As Josiah says, "The bird eats and the worm dies." I know...doesn't make since but makes you laugh and get over it.
That was stressful. I could actually feel my face get red and hot when they told me it was my fault and I had to pay them to fix it! I started feeling a lot of pressure in my head and my eyes started burning...I stopped and thought, what is going on?! Then I realized that my blood pressure must be going up! Haha I thought now come on Daniel! Calm down. I started praying and hoping that I wouldn't pass out or have a stroke! That was a first for me. And after getting Brandi calmed down and out of their, we made it home. I read a kids' devotion book to the kids before they go to sleep every night...well can you guess what it was about?? It was about not giving up and staying focused while you do your best for the Lord! HAHA! "Do your best to live at peace with everyone." I couldn't help but laugh and feel better! God is so good to us and always encourages us and gets us through everything! His gentleness is always there and His encouragement and love too. Sometimes we act like, "NO! Don't touch me right now...I'm mad!" when God is trying to comfort us and tell us it is going to be ok. Thank you Jesus for your faithfulness and strength!
Please pray that it all comes out correct and we can finish it when we go back in 8 days. I am so tired of that drive and seeing Immigration. But praise the Lord we'll get there and be done soon!

RATS!!!

I mentioned this in our monthly update emails...and if you aren't getting those and would like to just comment on here and I'll add you to it...but we have rats!! Or had rats! When we got home from visiting the States for 2 1/2 months, our house had a plague of rats! It sounded like a party was going on on top or our tin roof and wood ceiling because of all the rats running around and chasing each other. Our kids would tell us that they hear the rats running above their beds! We had to move Mary Kathleen's bed into the boys' room because the rats made her ceiling the bathroom or nest area. Her roomed smelled so bad and strong of urine that we had to move her and start working on getting rid of the rats!
So I started putting out rat poison everywhere and they would eat it all over night because it would be gone by morning. About 4 or 5 days went by and I never saw or found any dead rats. So I put out more poison...again, it was all gone by morning. Then they started coming out! We started finding dead rats everywhere! Every day! after two weeks, we have physically picked up 20 rats and because of the dead animal smell in three different places, I know there are more!! And I still see some running away from the dog's food bowl at night when I go out to feed her. Can you believe that! More than 20 rats were living in our house and above the kids' room! I was picturing that movie Ratatouille, or however you spell it, when that old lady's ceiling fell down and there was a colony of rats and she never even knew it! Imagine having more than 20 rats run into your bedroom at the same time! I'd hurt myself trying to get away. And these suckers ain't your typical field mouse or rat...the adults look like squirrels they are so big! But thank you Lord they are leaving and the urine smell is almost gone! And we can sleep without the rat race going on above us on the roof! There you go...