SOLD THE TRUCK!!!!!

Some sucker got the truck!!! HA Just joking!!! I took our truck to a mechanic in a city near by where some of our friends live and knew this mechanic. He was looking over the truck after leaving it there for a couple of days and someone came by and offered to buy it. And he said that we didn't have to fix the problem with the truck not wanting to start when it was cold. But he wasn't offering much for the truck but we took the offer to get rid of the truck and now we are out from under it. But we were honest with the guy and told him everything about it and he still wanted it and in reality got a very good deal on the truck!! I do miss having my truck or I should say a truck. But God's timing was Perfect as always. We were still able to use the truck while my parents were here and we are leaving in 3 weeks so really have no more need for it. So it was perfect timing. Praise God!!
Another interesting story was when we were coming back from the airport yesterday after picking up Sarita and a mission group, Sarita's truck broke down!!! Again!!!! Bless her heart. A good welcome after traveling all day and getting back from being gone a month! The bearing in her front left hub for the tire went bad. So they had to call a tow truck to get them and take them to the Isuzu service place but praise the Lord that we were only about 10 miles from that place when it broke down. But her truck was full of the luggage from the group. So I had to drive another 45 minutes to take the group to the hotel in Chiquimula and then drive back to pick up Sarita, Pili, and Jorge with the luggage. But we made it and everything worked out that night. But Sarita has to get her truck worked on and doesn't know when it will be ready! So pray for her. It is crazy here!! And seems to always be something that would normally in the States be easy to deal with but here it is never simple!! Well...there you go! God bless!

Daniel

Another Road Experience

Well.........Thank the Lord that he gives grace and favor to us and PATIENCE!! After we dropped off my folks at the airport this past Friday our truck broke down again on the road back to Chiquimula. There is some humor in this story...imagine that....but it sure was a rough experience. Well for the first time I asked Brandi to drive home because I was very tired from driving the day before and that morning. Bless her heart...the truck decided to break down while she was driving in the traffic on the road from the Capital to Chiquimula. I started hearing the belt on the truck squeal and started to smell the belt burning. I thought it was the belt to the air conditioner b/c the pulley for it has been making noises for a while. But it is a separate belt only for the A/C so I thought well if it breaks we will still make it home. I heard the belt break and said, "Well we don't have air now." But then Brandi started saying very nervously....Daniel, it is really hard to turn the steering wheel. Then it started getting really hot so I told her to pull off the road. So she started pulling off and tried to stop but the brakes weren't working either. Well she passed out but later regained consciousness and tried to stop very fast and ended up stopping half way out in the very busy road where they do NOT stop. So I said no Brandi not here pull up more. And she started with the half way crying voice saying...I don't think I can do this anymore. But she managed to get out of the road. It was the the main belt that had broke b/c another pulley bearing....tension pulley....stopped working. So we made our usual phone calls and praise the Lord for our friends here. We were able to get a wrecker to come get us and take us to a mechanic that one of Sartia's brother knew. We waited an hour and a half for the wrecker b/c he couldn't find a broken down car with four north americans on the side of the main road. But God was good b/c where we broke down was beside a hill that was full of rocks at the top. So we were able to entertain ourselves for about 45 min. throwing rocks. We had a rock throwing contest and I WON!! HA! Then the kids watched a little DVD that dad left with us that day to bring back when we go back in Nov. God knows all huh! Then we went to the mechanic and stayed there for 4 hours. Brandi was stuck inside a Toyota Corrola with the kids for 4 hours!! B/c it was raining and it isn't exactly the safest place in the capital for us. But God was good b/c despite the fact that all the part stores were closed they found one that waited for us to get there to get the belt for the truck . So we broke down at 2 and left the capital at 8:15 for the house another time. Praise God we made it home in time and was able to sleep after I climbed over the front gate of Sarita's house to attack a robber with my police flashlight!! Rocio called and said someone was inside her house breaking in and two little girls were inside sleeping that Sarita knows. BUT again....Praise the Lord...no one was there and I was able to return and go to sleep around 11pm. Not a bad time after all that happened. And also that same day Jorge and his family were on their way to the capital and for no reason the belts on their car broke also and they had to get the wrecker and wait until morning for the belts. I'm thinking God was keeping us from passing somewhere and being in a place at the wrong time. But we'll never know. AND then this morning we were leaving for church. Got in Brandi's car and IT wouldn't do anything!! Then I tried to start my truck and it wouldn't start so I had to push start it b/c it is a manual. After church I jump started the car and got in to drive it around to charge the battery and as soon as I push the brake pedal down....it went dead again and then nothing after this!! So I have to figure out tomorrow what this is with the car and Lord willing we will sell the truck within this last month here. I washed it yesterday and hope to put it out for sale as soon as we get Brandi's car going! But....we are still kicking and making it. I have to say that Nov. 2 has never sounded as sweet!! God bless!! There you go.


Daniel

Driving Lessons

Well I am giving Chayo driving lessons here in the city. He comes here by bus at the end of the week to learn how to drive. I asked him one day what was one of his dreams and he said to be a taxi or bus driver in the city. So I told him I would give him driving lessons. It is soo fun and hilarious! He is a very smart and intelligent man but has NEVER rode in cars much less driven one in his life. So it is like starting from the beginning with your 15 year old or even younger b/c he has never been around cars like we were growing up. He learned how to use the clutch and gas and brake very fast! Got it. But he can't seem to keep the car going on one direction. It's like the bowling ball bouncing back and forth b/t the lines. But we are driving off the roads and not in traffic! And today he drove Brandi's car which is an automatic...easier to focus on staying straight and not all the gears and clutch. He did very good today. I actually got out and let him drive up and down a straight way by himself today and he loved it....until he ran over that little girl that ran out infront of him. HA Just joking! He went on and on about how awesome this was and how he prays that God blesses me for sharing and teaching him....so wonderful. I am going to video tape the next one so I can remember it and get his face also. It's funny when he starts going faster or doesn't know what to do. But we are having a great time! And God is blessing us both! Wouldn't trade it for nothing. There you go...God bless!!

Daniel

Independence day

Today is Guatemala's independence day. Levi and I went to the village to celebrate it with the village and Brandi and Mary Kathleen stayed here to celebrate it with her school in the city. It was really fun and LOUD. They have these homemade BOMBS they call fireworks here and all they do is shake the ground when they go off and rupture your eardrum when they go off in the sky. But they love them and last night they went off all night long! And probably again tonight but its fun and they are all excited. They kids in the village danced and crowned the miss independence and freedom girls in the school. They were dressed up very pretty and gave a little speech too. For some of the girls it was the first time I had ever heard them talk. We had a good time. Levi just sat on the dirt hill throwing rocks and playing in the dirt. It has changed here and the rain is slowing down and the heat is picking up! BITES! But the evening usually cools back down into the upper 80's or lower 90's so it isn't that bad. Well we don't have much longer here this year. Only two more months until we go back home to visit. WOW! The year has gone by fast and slow. But we are still praying and straining to hear what God has in store for us next year. Really don't know what is going to happen and cant even imagine right now what we will be doing. But pray with us that it will become clear and our hearts and minds will be ready to do his will! We sure have made some true friendships here and REALLY miss the family back home!! But God is faithful and gives us more than we can ask for or imagine. So we are looking forward for what he has for us in the days to come. Well there you go. God bless!

Daniel

Body Guards

We are very blessed here in Chiquimula, Guatemala to have a place called Pradera! Pradera is basically a mall with about 10 shoes stores, a dollar general, and a HUGE DIG STORE (which is amazing by the way coming from a family of Yard Sell-aholics). Anyway, this year, Pradera has brought in....whoohoohoo...a movie theater! And even better, on Wednesday, it is two for one! The whole family can go to the movies for less than $7!! :) (You just get excited about the little things sometimes!) Well, yesterday, we invited a family to the movies. We went to see "El Ultimo Maestro del Aire" (The Last Air Master). Last year, this family lost their father/husband in a car accident. Now, Ms. Nati, the mother, is raising two boys, 11 years and 6 years, all by herself. Lester is the oldest boys name, and he is in my Advanced english class. He LOVES soccer and absolutely HATES english. :) Ms. Nati told me that Lester said to her the other day "I like Ms. Brandi outside of class a lot better than inside." ;) Anyway, we all went to the movies and had a great time.
After the movies, we went to eat at the all famous McDonalds, and we must have been in the presence of royalty or something, because we counted 10 BODY GUARDS, all with guns and plenty of extra rounds, guarding this one family sitting right next to our table. I was nervous to put a french fry up to my mouth! Daniel pointed out three body guards behind us, and then he starts making his "Police Training" scenarios..."First I'll steal that guy's gun and shoot the other two before they know what happened." Afterwards realizing that he had missed 7 more body guards spread throughout the restaurant that would have been ready to unload on him. Yeah, he was on top of things. :) I guess being away from the PD for almost two years has gotten the best of him. Needless to say, we waited until the guards went to get their food to get up and leave. :)
Anyway, we had a great time with Ms. Nati and her two boys, but will you please pray for them. Ms. Nati worries a lot about Lester because he has changed so much since his dad passed away...who wouldn't, right? Please help us pray for this family.

Blessing!
Brandi

The Blind Girl's Grandmother

Weird description but I have a cool story that God did this past Friday. We met a 6 year old blind girl at one of the eye doctors medical team this past March. Her name is Andrea. She was born blind ad the doctors said there was nothing medical to do for her. So we prayed and she received her site!! Naw....I wish. But she is sooo smart and soo darling. You would have to talk to her and see her to fully understand how precious she is. But here in Chiquimula there is nothing for her like schools or help. And her family is very very poor. But she was soo precious and it didn't phase her at all when the doctors said she would never see. She only started talking about her family and the other people's needs and how she wanted to help them soo much! A 6 year old! Well I wanted to do what I could to help her so Jose and I went to visit her this past Friday. She was not there but was in the capital with her mom at her aunt's house b/c Andrea had a horrible cough and could not get rid of it in the bad living conditions and weather here in this area so she had been in the capital for a month. So we got her mom's number and hopefully will be able to talk to her. I think it is better for her to be there b/c maybe they can find her a school there in the capital and we can help get her in there and start learning more and improve her life. BUT her grand mother was there and had been praying the day before and that morning for some help with something. It was little but shows how much God listens even to our little prayers. She just found out that her mom was doing very bad and about to die and she had no money or way to go and see her before she passed away. Well there we were and going back in the same direction where her mom lived. So we took her to drop her of at her mom's house. She was soo happy and wouldn't stop talking the whole way there. I guess grandmothers all over the world are the same! HAHA But God showed himself faithful to her by this what seemed a simple little dropping somebody off on our way home. We were very thankful and blessed to be a part of that and see GOD minister to her and her family.
And the update on the woman in the village who might have breast cancer is that we still don't know the results from the exams taken. But she is doing good and hanging in there. Keep praying for her. When we have the results I will post them. But praise God for his faithfulness and goodness! Praise God for his strength and encouragement that we have everyday to continue. And keep your focus on his will and pray for revelation of that will and then take it one step at a time to get that will done! God bless!!!

Daniel

We're back!

Been gone for a while. We have been very busy with Brandi's finals at her school and the men's ministry and a birthday vacation. Our parents gave us money for our birthdays and we went to a place here in Guatemala that has a huge water park and a ride park too. The best thing about the whole birthday present was relaxing and spending time together as a family! The eight hour trip was horrible!! but the rest of the time there was great. Well I don't know if I have already said something about taking the men to Charlie's Pizza but we went and it was wonderful! The men loved it and are still talking about the food!! Our preacher from our church here in the city spoke to the men about the last supper and we also served communion as well. It was wonderful!!! And then this morning in the village we met at 6 am for a prayer meeting with the men. We had 13 men come and pray for their families, community, and lives. We served them breakfast afterwards, eggs and beans and bread. Brandi came along and help the other lady in the kitchen and served them. It was truly amazing and a work of God. Things are changing despite the devil and his workings. Pray hard for the men to continue to grow and mature in their relationship with God and teach their families the same! And pray for Brandi and me. We have started to have harder times with missing the family and friends here lately! It has been a while since we have seen our family and both our grandparents are having problems as well right now. There has been the hard and difficult days where the need for extra strength and focus is great!! But God is faithful AMEN! And we are still having opportunities opened to us to continue with the ministry and work God has given us. SO that means we still have to persevere and keep on going with the Lord's strength and guidance. Hard but a blessing!
But while at this rides park with the roller coasters and water rides...kind of like Opry Land but half the size, Levi rode this little roller coaster and he LOVED it!! He rode it like 5 times. I video recorded one of the rides and you can see his face when it gets his stomach. Hilarious!! He loves rides and things like that! He is like his moma and Mary Kathleen is like her daddy...they just about kill her! And the hotel we stayed at was really like a resort. It had 5 or 6 restaurants within the walls and two large swimming pools. There was putt-putt golf and bowling and a nice gym and ping pong. There was a spa where you can get a full body massage and a pedicure and manicure for only 25 dollars. The massage is for 45 minutes!! Brandi didn't ask about it until the last day and the next opening was the next day in the afternoon so she couldn't get one! But wow at this hotel! Good stuff. NO TV so we had to get out and do things...just was wonderful. Ok. Thank you for your prayers and talk at you soon. There you go...

Daniel