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, December 23, 2016

Where are the Faithful?

Daniel and I, before we went to Guatemala, went on a trip to the beach for our anniversary. I was preganant with Levi, so this was about ten years ago.
On the way down, Daniel and I got to talking about how alone we felt. We had just heard some terrible news on the radio about a bad guy doing bad things, and I guess we just felt discouraged. We talked for a while about feeling like we were in a losing battle in this world and how it seemed like it keeps getting worse. 
When we arrived at our hotel, we soon realized that the owners of the hotel were Christians. Verses and crosses were hanging on the walls of our room, worship music was playing in the lobby, and then we actually met the owner. He shared with us how he and his wife felt called to share God's love and truth with everyone that stayed in the hotel. 
When does that ever happen? We had never stayed in a hotel like that before. We never have since. We know that God had set that weekend up to show us that we are not alone. We are not the only Christians in the world, not even close. We are definitely on the winning team, and God knows what He is doing. 
I thought about that weekend this morning as I read Psalm 12:1. David says, "Help, LORD, for no one is faithful anymore; those who are loyal have vanished from the human race." 
David must have been feeling like Daniel and me were that day on the way to the beach. Discouragement is a tool that the enemy uses to make us feel defeated. He used it with David, and he'll use it until God shuts him up forever. 
Hear Jesus's words this morning from John 16:33 "...in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
 

Saturday, October 15, 2016

Our Bodyguards

Over the past few months, gangs from El Salvador have been leaving their country in order to expand their "territory" and start other gangs in other countries. Guatemala has been fighting against this and arresting many of these gang members. Many of them have been killed as well. It's crazy living in a place where there is still this "wild west" mentality on handling crime and "bad guys."

But some of these gang members were coming up to El Morral village, where we are living, in the middle of the night to steal motorcycles and whatever else they could grab. Our friends here were very upset and nervous about all this. One night, a motorcycle was stolen from the front porch of a house. The houses here are built differently from the States. The door to go into the bedroom is on the front porch. So for someone to be bold enough to steal something from your porch was basically going into your house while you are there sleeping and stealing your stuff. So....our friends were telling us to be very careful and what to do or not to do. One of them started praying and fasting about all this and asking God to protect the families and the houses from the gangs and thieves.

One night, his wife had a dream. In the dream, she heard something outside on her porch while she was alone in the house. She quietly went outside to see what or who it was. Turning the corner on her porch, she found herself right in front of a huge, very tall man. His clothes were a sky blue color. She was so afraid and didn't know what to do. He said, "Don't be afraid. I am sent here to protect your house from any evil. And not only your house, but every house where God's people live."

She woke up and didn't feel upset or worried anymore. And her husband said that this was God answering his prayers and pleads to protect them from evil.

Isn't God awesome?! And He most definitely is our Comforter, Protector, and Peace. Amen!




Friday, September 30, 2016

A Thyroid Problem

I have a little problem with my thyroid (a butterfly shaped gland in the neck that puts out hormones). It's called Hashimoto's disease, which is an auto-immune disease, where my immune system attacks my thyroid. I was diagnosed with the disease 12 years ago, and I've been taking thyroid hormone replacements ever since. The symptoms I have are very sporadic and weird.  Sometimes I feel very fatigued and short of breath, and there are times where I can't sleep and feel anxious. I often break out in hives, and my eyes and ears swell up like Will Smith's on the movie Hitch. I don't handle stress very well most of the time, and I struggle with feelings of depression from time to time.... The list keeps going. I have pretty much experienced all of the "normal" Hashimoto's symptoms.
One morning, feeling extremely fatigued and stressed, I was standing in our kitchen holding a piece of bread. I looked at the bread, and I felt God say, "Bread makes you feel worse." So for six months, I haven't eaten anything with wheat, and now I'm trying to take all grains out of my diet... except corn of course, because who could live without corn in Guatemala?? I have felt a lot better ever since! 
I would also like to mention that my grandmother, Nanette McBay, has it too, and this month our 8 year old daughter, Mary Kathleen, was diagnosed with it, which of course broke our hearts. Obviously, this little problem is hereditary.
There is very little I like less than talking about sickness. We believe in a very real and powerful God, and over these years of struggling with this disease, He has spoken to my heart numerous times and told me that His Grace is enough. And it's so true. He has been faithful to give strength and peace every single day. As we patiently wait and take our daily medicine, we ask God for a healthy thyroid. We believe that one day, He will give us this desire, but we continue to worship Him no matter what.
I'm sharing all of this for a few reasons:
1. To testify to the faithfulness and realness of God. Without His strength and grace, I would be a huge, hot, whiny, swelled-up, depressed, mess. (Even when We are a hot mess though, He still loves us.)
2. To speak the Truth that God is good and full of love for us no matter our circumstances. He deserves our worship in good times and tough times.
3. To, of course, ask for your prayers. Dealing with sickness as an adult is one thing... having to see your 8 year old deal with sickness is another. Wow! Does it hurt. It's difficult to give my daughter a pill every morning knowing that something's wrong. Going "grain-free" as an adult is understandable, but we are struggling with the pros/cons of this diet with our daughter. No Cupcakes!!! Come on! We have more tests to do and more doctors to talk to, so we are just beginning this journey. Again... we are blessed!! There are much worse senarios we won't even start to think about, but we humbly ask for your prayers. 

Thank you to those who have helped us these past few weeks! My cousin, Audri Ragasa, who is a nurse practitioner and has all kinds of doctor-connections, has been a very calming and helpful voice. Dr. Wayne Melvin in Florence, AL is awesome too!! 
God provides everything we need. 
I Need You More, Kim Walker-Smith
 
 
These are kind of embarrassing! Haha! I get black eyes, fat lips, and hives, along with other non-visible symptoms. MK has only had lots of fatigue. 

Sunday, August 21, 2016

A day dream...

One morning, about a year before we came to Guatemala, I was sitting at the kitchen table in Greenhill studying for a Sunday school lesson I would teach.  Daniel was working at the PD, I was pregnant with Mary Kathleen, and Levi was asleep upstairs. We were in the process of fully committing to coming to serve in Guatemala.
All of a sudden, I saw a big field full of people sitting and listening to Jesus teach. My mom, dad, and grandmother were in the crowd sitting and listening. Jesus came to me and asked me to help Him serve, so I went around serving really quickly and then I went and sat down with my parents and grandmother. Jesus came up to me again and asked me to help serve, so I got up and helped as fast as I could and then went back to sit with my family. This happened one more time, and then Jesus finished teaching and everyone in the crowd got up to go back to their homes. I just stood there crying and watching my parents and grandmother leave when Jesus whispered in my ear that it was time to go.
When I "woke up", I was in the shower getting ready for church. 
I felt God let me see this because He knew that I was fighting between leaving my family and coming to Guatemala. Although it still was the hardest decision of my life, I often think of what I saw in the vision and remember that it was God who called us to serve here. 
I feel also God wanted me to see that we all have a calling. My family is where they are suppose to be, ministering where they are to minister.  There were so many people listening to Jesus, and they left to go back to their homes and tell others. We all have a calling and a purpose. 
 

Thursday, August 18, 2016

God still speaks to His people

I've shared these stories with some people before, but I would like to take the next few posts to write down and testify to how God has spoken to us in specific ways at one time or another in our lives. Please be sure to share your experiences if you feel led, because God speaks to his people all the time and it's important to tell others about it to encourage them... It's not bragging. It does not make us religious freaks. We are just telling the truth and testifying to God's "realness". 

We are a very distracted generation... It's true. There are not many people that can actually say they haven't walked into a wall, or something similar, because they were looking down at their phone. So, I want to point out that most every time we have heard God speak specifically, we have been in a fairly quiet place or intentionally seeking God... And the phone was put away. 

On a side note, God speaks to us every day. The Holy Bible is God (John 1:1). Although I am sharing just a few of the specific examples of where God spoke to us personally, God is very alive and active in His Word (Hebrews 4:12). Read It.

Ok, the first experience I would like to share is short since I've already talked too much.

I was at a retreat with my church, Casa Del Alfarero (Potter's House), the very first year we came to Guatemala (October 2009). Since I didn't know much Spanish, honestly I didn't expect to get too much out of it. Wow was I wrong. God speaks our language. I guess I had forgotten that. 
The very first few minutes of the retreat, Ms. Anita Marroquin hung a banner with Isaiah 54:11,12 on it and said, "Someone needs to hear this today." Of course I couldn't read it on the banner, so I got my Bible and read it and God said, "These verses are for you today." As I read the words, I felt God's love towards me in such an amazing way that I started ugly crying before the retreat had even begun. The verses on the banner spoke to a specific situation in my personal life, and although I was comforted in an unexplainable way, I was also greatly concerned for my kids' well-being at the time. The truth is, I wanted to go back to Alabama. God had given me promises just a couple moments before that He would take care of me, but I argued that He couldn't take care of my kids... So God says, "Keep reading." Isaiah 54:13 says, “All your children will be taught by the Lord, and great will be their peace.”  Why do we argue with God?
Later on in the retreat, we talked about the prodical son. The leaders put rings on our fingers like the dad did in the story, and since I didn't understand hardly anything that my leader, Dinora Leytan, said at the time... as she slid the ring on my finger, God took that moment to say, "I will never leave you." I believed Him too. I've since had a gold ring made with the words "God is with me" on it, and I never take it off as a reminder that God will never leave me. 
God spoke a whole lot more in that retreat too! During those three days, I began to let God change my heart towards our home in Guatemala. Shamefully, I fought a lot more after that, but God is faithful, loving, and very merciful. He keeps working on us. 
  

Monday, August 15, 2016

Short Update - Yes!

Welp...this is going to be short. We are praying for y'all and love keeping up with some of y'all through facebook and email! We are praying for our country as well! May God's kingdom come and His will be done during the elections! And be sure to shine God's light and love as you live out each day for the world to see and glorify God in heaven! Good stuff!
We had two pastor seminars within a month period at the new ministry facility here in El Morral! We have been living in our new house for two weeks! It is so awesome! It is cooler here and away from the city and noise! We are so thankful and happy...love being here with the folks and seeing their reactions to having North Americans living here. And I ain't shy...I go around talking and getting to know them. Loving it! The kids love the house! Said it was the best house ever! Praise God! And the seminars were inspiring! Some of the pastors shared about how they were at that point of feeling abandoned, alone, and exhausted, but now they were leaving feeling inspired, encouraged, and ready to go at it again! That's what we pray and look for! God is good! Thank all of y'all for giving and praying so that they can be encouraged and grow in the knowledge of God! 
We have almost finished the second dorm and bathroom! Can you believe it!? We are getting to that point of laying the floor tile and installing the toilets and windows. The floor will cost $1,500 to finish, and the bathroom and windows will cost another $1,500. Please be praying for the ministry so we can get this next phase finished and start using the dorm and bathroom during the seminars. Right now we are teaching, sleeping, and eating in the one finished dorm room...but it's still so nice! The next process will be getting the roof for the auditorium put on. That will be $3,700. We don't have this but really need help getting these next phases finished so we can keep going with the smaller little by little costs in getting the walls and floors done for the auditorium. Be praying with us and watch what God will do! He is so faithful and good! And we pray blessings for all y'all that have helped and will continue to help the ministry and these pastors and their communities. 
Well...I'm older...and Brandi is getting older this coming Wednesday and then Mary Kathleen will be older this coming Sunday...dadgum! Going by fast! Thank y'all for your birthday wishes! We had a great time this past week with Brandi's parents here, Keith and Kathy. The kids loved seeing their Paw Paw and Maw Maw! And we loved sitting and talking and spending time with them! God is good and sure blesses us with the little things in life! We are so grateful! 

Well...that's all for now! Love y'all and are so thankful to have y'all as a part of our lives and as co-laborers in the ministry here in Chiquimula! God bless!!

McIntyre Family 
 

Thursday, August 4, 2016

Dry lives

We have been experiencing a very dry rainy season this year in Guatemala. My family in Alabama has shared that it's been dry there too and how people are losing their gardens. People have said they have already lost the first corn crop of the season here as well, and that's a big deal when you live off a harvest. 
Night before last, the sky opened and it rained for at least two hours in El Morral! It was actually kind off funny because we haven't gotten the shutters on all of our windows in the new house yet, and daniel got soaked. (My side of the bed was nice and dry though. After I laughed at him, he piled on top of me for the rest of the night.)  The next day, we expected to wake up to a wet land, but because it had not rained in so long, we never would have even known it had rained if daniel's side of the bed had not been wet. 
In a church service last night, they sang the worship song "Let it rain, open the floodgates of heaven, and let it rain." As I was singing, God spoke to my heart and said "When you go through such a dry season, one good rain isn't enough." 
Oh how this one powerful sentence spoke to my life. On crazy busy days, I forget to drink water. My body screams at me by mid-afternoon. And know what else I forget on those crazy busy days? I forget to sit in God's presence and drink His living water. I'll be really honest now... We've had crazy busy days for more than two months now it seems. My spiritual body was screaming last night in that church service. When God spoke to me about my dry life, He wasn't mean about. He just spoke the truth. 
The truth is that it's not healthy to wait until our bodies are dehydrated to drink water. The same is true for our spiritual bodies. 
I've heard some people say that they go to church on Sunday mornings to fill their spiritual tank for the week. Although we are filled ANTIME we sit in God's presence, it's not a healthy decision to only drink His water one time a week. 
We have busy lives... But God spoke truth to my heart last night. I don't want to wait until my life looks like dying corn before I come to Him and drink. Help us Lord drink deeply from Your love and Spirit, every day of our lives.
 
This is a corn field in El Morral. See how the bottom of the corn is brown? It rained again last night, praise God! Lord willing it won't die.

Sunday, July 31, 2016

The struggle

We moved to Guatemala on January 6, 2009. Although he was a day shy of 2 years old, Levi decided a long time ago he liked the States much better than Guatemala. He struggles with being a missionary. (Notice there I said he IS a missionary.) Of course he has informed us a few times that he will NOT be one when he grows up. ☺️ Bless him. He is such a trooper. 
The first night in our new house in El Morral village, he noticed that he can see all the city lights from Chiquimula, the city down the mountain. He then informs us in the morning that he has the best room in the house and that we live in the best house ever. Those two statements are a big deal. There's not much he gets excited about, unless of course we are getting on the airplane to go to 'Bama. 
I don't say these things to compare the States with Guatemala. (Mary K. And Uriah love every part of Guatemala.) I'm sharing a significant event in our lives. For the past few days, Levi has been a good different. (Of course being a 9 year old, he could wake up with a completely different attitude this morning.) But for this moment, I praise God for the spark. 
We pray our kids love God no matter how much they dislike their circumstances. He gives us those "rooms with a view" just at that right moment. He is good. 
May we trust Him far more than we trust our physical situation. 
 
 
This is the view from Levi's and Uriah's room. 

Friday, July 29, 2016

I don't mean to act frustrated

A young woman in Chiquimula calls us a lot. Every time she calls, I know there is a need - A financial need, a need for clothes, a need for medicine, a "can you meet me" need. My human nature struggles within me when I see her number on my phone. The "don't answer" voice screams in my head. Know what voice I'm talking about?
Every time I talk with this young woman or try to meet the need, God speaks and says "I'm not asking you to save her. Just love her. Look her in the eyes and listen." My know it all flesh wants to shake her and tell her exactly how her decisions are affecting her life and her son's ... and sometimes I give in to the flesh And say too much with my "fix it" mentality. But God is merciful ... and she keeps calling, so hopefully today when I meet her at the bus stop, I will love her and listen to God's voice instead of my annoyed one. 
 

Thursday, July 28, 2016

Never say never

We said we would never build in Guatemala. I guess we learned our lesson on that one. It's not a really good idea to say you will never do something. That may be exactly what is required of you. 
 I also said I would never homeschool my children. Hilariously we will begin our third year of homeschooling in a few days. 
Maybe it's fear that leads us to say we will never do something. Building a house and ministry center in Chiquimula, Guatemala and teaching the kids have not been easy tasks, and fear creeps in every once in a while (every day). But even as I write, a song by Elevation Worship is playing that says Nothing is too Hard for Our God. 
Good thing we serve such a loving God. And His love casts out all our fears. (1 John 4:18) He is so merciful and continues to use us even in the places we said we would never go and in the things we said we would never do. There's no other like Him!  
Follow the link to listen to this great song. Nothing is Wasted by Elevation Worship

 
   

Tuesday, July 26, 2016

Good Stuff in Chiquimula

Hello folks! 
Some time has gone by since we've sent out an update to y'all about what's going on in the ministry and our lives. And we haven't been able to hear how y'all are doing through your replies and emails either. We pray that y'all are hanging in there and going strong! I pray that we all make the most of every opportunity that God gives us to show His love and who He is to everybody we see and to all who see us! I get worried thinking about that, but His invitation and opportunities come every moment and every day. If I miss one, I pray for His mercy and grace to cover that moment and for more opportunities to come. Don't forget that we are connected to the Life and Truth, live it and share it! Why would I not...LOVINGLY...share that with everybody? 
God continues to pour out His presence and love on our lives! We are truly amazed and blessed in ways we never even imagined or thought about asking for. The connection He has brought into our lives with the folks here in Guatemala and with the folks in the States fills us to overflowing! God has used y'all and the folks here to lift us up and strengthen and encourage us to keep pressing on towards the goal and to live in perfect peace and joy! That's why Jesus and the Word teaches us to stay connected and active in the Body of Christ! What can we do alone...well apart from Him we can't do anything! But separated from others...it makes it so much harder and exhausting! We need y'all just so you know! And we need the folks here too! Thank you for your prayers, emails, and for coming and working with us and leaving us stronger and motivated! This is why we are connected and a part of the same family! 
We have had incredible opportunities to minister along side so many people here that have come from the States over the months of June and July...7 weeks with 7 different groups! We have laughed so much, cried a lot, used the bathroom too much (hahaha), and ministered to so many areas and lives. We have seen so many folks make the decision to walk in a relationship with God, healings, restoration in families, laughing and playing with kids, pulling teeth, and sweating like a stuck pig doing construction work at the ministry learning center. What a joy to be invited into God's good works and see Him reaching out and touching and providing for so many people in different parts of life and parts of the world. He is an awesome God...a good Father! Please rise up and continue to do His good works where He has you and how He wants you to do it! There is no other joy or experience like it! Taste and see for yourself, the Lord is good and there is no one or nothing that can compare! And right now, our world needs to know this love and passion that God has for them. How else will they come to see it or have it??
We had two interns during June and one has stayed and will be here until the end of August. Brooke beat Tristen in arm wrestling! Just saying...lol We had so much fun with Tristen...he's so much like his dad it's scary for those of you who know him. And if you don't, you're doing good! hahaha Brooke is a beast and has shown up so many guys here this year! She is awesome with the kids and willing to do anything. One time we were unloading bags of food from the back of my truck that weighed about 20lbs each...Brooke comes up and says, "Give me four of them." They were carrying them up the mountain to the church. One of the team members, Shaun, started to walk away with just two...saw Brooke walk by with three...then stopped and turned around and looked at me and said, "Ok. Give me another one." Couldn't let the girl do more! hahaha Good stuff! 
God has been doing so much at the construction site. Lord willing!! Lord willing, we are going to be moving into our house this weekend! The second dorm and bathroom have a roof now! The bathroom stalls and shower walls are finished and we are about to put the stucco on the walls. Next will be the floors. We had to make a lot of unexpected repairs on the electricity for the ministry and our house...unexpected expenses. But we are still moving forward little by little and trusting the Lord to do His thing and complete His work! We want to say thank you so much to all who have contributed to the construction and who have been praying for God to provide! He is so faithful! Please keep praying and contributing to see this finished! There are pictures on the ministry Facebook (www.facebook.com/EyesWideOpenMinistries) that show some of the progress. We have even started using the dorm room to host seminars! We have had two seminars already in the new facilities! Awesome! You can also see a few updates to our website at www.eyeswideopenministries.com.
May y'all be filled with boldness to speak and love boldly everyday! We are praying for y'all! May God bless y'all and fill y'all with His presence and peace! Please keep us in your prayers! Levi is getting so big...Mary Kathleen is starting to worry about her looks and whether she's fat or not...Help us! And Uriah only stops when he is sleeping! And Brandi has only snapped a few of my bones this year...better than the past years! We're good to go! Can't wait to hear from y'all and see y'all at the end of the year! God bless! 

Daniel, Brandi, Levi, Mary Kathleen, Uriah 

Tuesday, February 2, 2016

Ministry Construction Costs and Video

The EWO Ministry Center will be used to host training seminars for rural pastors, leaders (men and women), and youth.  We will also host mission teams from the States here, and we hope to host retreats, revivals, and community Bible studies.  The missionaries will also live at the center.

The construction began in February 2015, and we are still in the construction process.  We continue to raise funds as well to complete the project.

Below you will find the construction costs and a video that describes the entire ministry center. Please consider taking a look.  Thank you!

Construction Costs
The specific amounts we need to finish the EWO Ministry Center are as follows:
1.  One dorm and bathroom are finished and in use!
2.  The roof on the second dorm and bathroom is installed and much work has been completed! We only lack $5000 to get these usable!
3. We will need $10,000 to finish the conference part of the center.
4.  We will need $29,000 to build the cafeteria/dining hall, kitchen, prayer area, office and storage room that are on the other side of the ministry center.  The footings are already dug out on this side, but nothing else.
4.  The ministry house is completed! Praise God!

On behalf of Eyes Wide Open Ministries in Guatemala, we want to Thank You for the donations you have already given to make this vision a reality!  We also thank you for your prayers as we continue this process.

If you would like to make a tax-deductible donation to the EWO Ministry Center, click
DONATE HERE.

Thanks again for being a great part of this ministry!

To see a full walk through of the Ministry Center (taken at the end of 2015), watch the video below!