Our friend/pastor's house

We know and believe that God brought our friend/pastor and his church family into our lives for a reason. We met him through a divine leading to help a woman that lived in his village and was a member of his church. And through this lady we met her pastor, our friend. We then became good friends and was lead by God to build a church for them. Since then, God as continued to use us together and build a lasting friendship with the pastor, his wife, and the church. He has always been right there ready to help us in any situation and with any need that we have in our personal lives and in the ministry. He is also one of our friends we can go to for spiritual guidance or advise. We have been very blessed knowing him and working with him. There are pictures and blogs about many of these things from the past three years. You can look back if you'd like and see and read about these things. BUT he has also been there to help with the groups that come to do construction projects. We'll call and ask him to look for a family that has a specific need, and he'll pray and go talk to the families for us. He also gets the material list for us and helps us do the construction work. He has been doing this with us for three years now. He does not have a house. He and his wife have been staying with their daughter until one day God would provide a house for them. And not once has he asked us for a house or that one of these groups build him a house. I know that God sees this humility and faith because a church came to help another family and noticed that he did not have a house. One of the guys in the group went home and raised money to build his house!! God is Faithful!! God provided a piece of land for him and later the money to build the house. He and his wife have been working almost everyday to build their house. Others from the village that have seen how hard he is working and also how he has helped so many in that village have come and worked here and there to help him on their days off. So little by little the house is getting built and is looking really good! I hope that by the middle of March they will be in their house and enjoy a time of rest and praise to God! I have only been able to help him two days because of everything else we are having to do in the ministry. And let me tell you...I felt like I was going to die those two days! It is very hard work! Out in the hot sun...mixing concrete by hand...moving and laying block...cutting and forming the re-bar. The water for the concrete is not at the house...they have to walk a ways and dip it out of a hole by hand to fill the buckets with water! It's all very hard work! But he has a smile on his face all the time and is so thankful that God has provided a house for his family! God deserves so much of our praise and deserves all the glory we can express with our feeble words and actions! God has always provided a place for them and is simply continuing to show His faithfulness and goodness to His children. I enjoy working with the pastor...he is always telling jokes and sharing about what God is doing in the church or in his life! He has so much vision and passion and it all comes out of his actions and words. He is a great friend! Please continue praying for them as they finish the construction and continue in God's ministry at the church on the rock! Good stuff!!

Updated Photo 2 weeks later from the above photos

Jose and I spent all morning digging the septic tank

The Beast!

How awesome and wonderful is our God! Not a question...He is pure awesomeness! He never ceases to amaze us and overwhelm us with His goodness and love for us. We have a testimony for our God...not that He needs one...but we want to give glory and honor to His name for the great things He has done. We have been praying for over a year for a truck to use in the ministry. We have to travel in the mountains a lot and when we God provides, we can work with the communities and pastors in building/improving houses and churches. This requires transporting the materials and goods to the villages. We have been blessed by so many here in Chiquimula in helping us with the transportation...paying for it and some simply wanting to help us. But there was always so many phone calls looking for that transportation, and many times we didn't find the means to get the things there until days before construction...nerve racking sometimes. So we just kept praying faithfully and waiting for God's timing. Welp...His timing has arrived!! We were blessed by a family in the States with a donation to the ministry that provided the money to buy the truck. So we looked for over two months in the States for a Ford F250/350 diesel, 4x4, six seed...well we never found one that had the 7.3 (better) motor in it in the States. We came back to Guatemala and kept praying and looking here for the same truck. There are hardly any of these trucks here, but they are here. But we heard the same story here as in the States..."Those six speed, 7.3's are pretty much impossible to find." Well is anything impossible for our God!?? Even though at times it seems that way and feels impossible...nothing is impossible for God! I actually found the exact truck that we had been praying for right here in Chiquimula, Guatemala!! About 2 miles from my house! That took away the shipping from the States, taxes here in Guatemala, and paper work getting it registered here. One of our friends here said, "It's like God had that truck set aside the whole time for the ministry." The owner wasn't even selling it and came off the asking price more than $2,000 to help out the ministry. So God had it taking care of years ago when we started praying about the truck. I love Ephesians 2:10 where God says that He has everything prepared IN ADVANCE for His workmanship. When He calls us to do these good works for His glory, He has already prepared everything in advance for us to do it. He knows what we need and provides it. He even provided the transportation before we even had a truck so we were never left without! And I know He would keep making a way even if we hadn't bought this truck or another one. So we are allowed to do these things for God who has it all lined up to be accomplished. God is good and so faithful! Glory to God! It is a 2001 Ford F350 crew cab long bed 4x4 6 speed work style truck. Please keep the truck in your prayers as we start using it and traveling around the country with the pastors and groups! God bless!!