Back in School!

Well, we went back to our first school this past Friday. I had such a great time with the boys. We played a game with them and then I spoke to them on "How to treat others." The teacher told me that they are starting to fight a lot and hit each other. So I taught them on the love of God and the command that God gives us to love. At the end, they were able to repeat to me that if we do not obey God's Word, then we do not know God. And if we do not love others, then we can't love God. Some of the boys started pointing out other "bullies" in the classroom saying, "He is a liar and does not love God!" Hahaha I thought, "Oh my! I hope this kid doesn't pound him later for saying that." But I had fun with the boys. I also learned that slapping a guy on the backside here does not mean that you are a big tough athletic jock like it does in the States...I won't be doing that anymore. Josh, who is a missionary living here now with his wife Jessica, came and helped me at the school also. He is like 6'3 and all the kids were talking about how tall he is. Many are calling him Goliath! Haha


Then we went to our second school in San Juan yesterday, and it was a little tougher crowd! Nancy, who works with us in the ministry, and I taught on the same subject, and we played games and had a great time, but these students seem to really be struggling more with stealing, fighting, and disrespect. I actually had one 8 year old boy yell out while I was speaking that I didn't know how it was here because I am a gringo and live in the States. He also kept yelling out the wrong answers and being a distraction throughout the entire lesson. I thought about using some of my police moves on him, but I decided to minister to him instead. Good choice I thought. Anyway, after Nancy and I told him that I had lived in Guatemala for a while and after telling him that one day he was going to get the snot beat out of him, he at least kept quiet so the others could listen. Please pray for these kids in the public schools. We have had several people tell us that many of them, like in the States, live with just their moms or with grandparents. The problem is though, the government does not support families like this like they do there. Many of the children are working by the time they are 6 years old, and because of this, they are put in great danger. One child that was selling candy in one of the communities here was stolen and murdered just a couple of weeks ago. So, to tell you the truth, I probably do not have a clue what these kids go through. Please pray that God will use us in the way He wants to minister to these kids and pray that our eyes will stay open to how we can help them in every way we can.

Update on one of our pastors and friends

We have asked for your prayers for our friend where we built the church on the rock. He had a mini stroke about three weeks ago and has had to stop working his construction job. He is taking medicine to help balance out certain levels in his body that are thought to cause strokes. He had to stay in bed the first full week and now is getting back slowly with therapy for his left side which was effected. He is able to move the left side but has no strength in his left hand and pain on the whole left side of his body. He is able to move around now and do a little throughout the day. He has not been able to work to provide for his family. We asked y'all to pray and those who could, to give money to help pay for medicine, medical bills, and food for his family. Well, the Lord provided through your giving in a big way!!! We received $460 to give to him!! PRAISE GOD!! He and his wife were soo excited! They told me that they had to borrow money from other people to pay for the medicine and the medical bills and that would cover that payment and give them plenty to live on while he can't work. They said over and over that they would be praying for all of you who are praying for them and also helping them financially! They were very appreciative and prayed for God to bless each of you! So thank you very much for your prayers! I have received many emails from many of you saying that you are praying or that the church is praying for him. I have relayed all those emails to him. Thank you! And thank you to all who gave money to help them out while he recovers. Please keep praying for a complete and fast recovery for him! He is still preaching too and leading his church and working there for the Lord while recovering, but I have to keep reminding him to slow down and recover while he can! Thank you again!

Seminar Pictures (Feb 2nd & Feb 23rd-25th)

First one day seminar with Pastor Alex Rodriguez on February 2nd. We were all challenged with Alex's presentation on how it is our responsibility to spread the Gospel where God leads us!












Second seminar of the year with Pastor Jendrick Lobos on February 23rd through 25th. He, and a team of pastors, taught about administration in the church and encouraged the pastors to push their congregation to grow spiritually. Also, he gave many ideas on how to better organize their churches and be better administrators in that which God has entrusted to them. They also gave food and other items to each pastor at the end of the seminar as a gift for their families. They all were such a blessing!

Trip to Belize

We had to make an emergency trip to Belize this past Sunday, 12th. We have been working on getting our residency papers turned in and starting the process for about two weeks now. This is a long process and requires many different kinds of forms. We thought we had all of it ready and were told we had all of it ready...but the day of we found out that we did not have it ready. We were late in leaving the country because every 90 days the visa for Guatemala expires and you have to leave. We talked to them and to stay and pay the fine was cheaper than paying to travel to another country. So we decided to stay and pay the fine. Once you are in the process for residency you do not have to leave. So we find out Friday that we are missing three papers that are all in the States!! These papers were not listed on the requirements; therefore, we did not have them. So because our visa had expired we had to leave the country. This is a SHORT version of what happened...having to return to the capital the same Friday after leaving the capital to get the papers to be able to leave for Belize and then later that NIGHT, after we were home, finding out that the immigration office made a mistake and had Brandi's passport at their office in the capital, 4 hours from us and we had to have it to leave the country on Sunday...but God was very merciful and gave us strength to make it to the next day. We had to take a 1 1/2 or 2 hour boat ride along the shore of the ocean to get to Belize with all the kids with us. And then we had to stay 2 nights and come back the third day to Guatemala to get another 90 day visa. They gave us a lot of mumbo chumpo at the border entering Belize and tried to get us to get our entry and exit stamps and go back that same day and not have to stay the night! Tempting!! Very tempting but we found out later that it is a requirement from Guatemala to leave for three days to get the visa so praise the Lord we stayed! We were able to relax somewhat. Belize seems to be more run down than Guatemala where we were, but it was cleaner and they speak English!! And they had real MILK!!!! I got to drink real milk like in the States!! Trip well worth it!! We made it home safely, praise the Lord, and have time to get the papers from the States to get our residency. The trip ended up cost like $460!!! The very reason we want our residency so we don't have to go spend a lot of money that we do NOT have to leave and come back! That trip alone cost more than one of the kids' residency and only $40 cheaper than Brandi's or my residency. So a little stressful but got through it all and are still kicking! We are just trusting the Lord for the money to finish out the month and keep going. He is so very faithful and knows what we need way before we figure it out and already has prepared it all in advance! Looking back only strengthens our faith and trust that He will continue to provide and accomplish His purposes here in Guatemala because looking ahead only makes us stress and worry! Haha We got today, praise the Lord! So thought I'd fill you in on this weeks adventure. There you go.

Daniel

Celebration at the Church on the Rock

Well last night, we were invited to the celebration at the church on the rock for the church building being completed. They have been having their services in the building now for about two months. They are still waiting for the electricity company to show up and connect power to the building. Right now they are connecting to the house beside the church with an extension cord to turn on their lights at night. They still lack things like putting stuck-o on the walls and paint, but they have the services inside. It was very exciting to see everyone there celebrating and the smiles on all the faces! They are soo happy and thankful to have a building now for their church. The expressed gratitude to the Lord and to everyone that gave to help build the church! So I thought I'd pass this along to those who have been praying for this project and also giving to the construction. God's name and mighty work were lifted up and praised last night. I am sooo thankful for all of you! Without you're prayer and giving out of obedience to the Lord it would have been a different story for us all. It was an act of obedience because it is never easy to just give money to something, especially when you don't see it or maybe are not personally involved with it. But God is faithful and completed His work in that village and with His people there. Many had been praying for a while now for a church building and look how God answered their prayers! Keep these people in your prayers and the spiritual growth of God's church in that village and building. We are very excited and amazed at the works of our God and His hand that touches lives all over the world and how He accomplishes what He begins and establishes. Thank you and God bless!

Daniel

Hanging by a finger

Well good morning to all. Got a little story that as nothing to do with the ministry but thought I'd share it anyways. I was looking at our property wall one day and the razor wire that is around the top of the wall. I have already had to climb over the wall a few times b/c I didn't have the keys and couldn't get in. But the electricity was not on when I did this. Well one time it was on, but I had help from a friend to balance me while straddling the wire to get to the other side. Makes you feel safe and secure knowing that no one can get in your house b/c you have electrical razor wire around your wall even though I've done it three or four times. But keep praying for protection from the Lord against evil. But back to the day I was looking at the wire. I thought that this wire is not sharp at all it is only pointy and thin. It wouldn't cut you at all to grab it if the electricity was not on. It can't cut b/c it isn't sharp. Well...I feel and think different now! I was getting some fruit out of our tree one day to make juice. The tree is next the property wall and the fruit was at the very top of the tree. So genious me got our ladder and climbed to the top where it says do not step or stand. I had one foot on the top of the ladder and one foot on the property wall under the wire. Well I got everything down just fine. When I was easing down the ladder carefully I made it off the wall and onto the ladder with both feet but still had one hand on the ladder and the other hand on the wall hold the medal post that the wire is connected to in order to balance me. So I made it down off the wall safely and was about to turn and put both my hands on the ladder when I felt my hand stuck on something and couldn't move it off the wall to the ladder. I pulled and pulled again but couldn't figure out what was going on. So I turned around and started to investigate the situation. I notice that my middle finger was stuck on something. Then I noticed a pointy piece of metal coming out of the top of my finger. It took a couple of seconds to figure out what it was and where it was coming from. Then when I was able to focus I saw that while I was swinging my hand around it hit one of the NOT SO SHARP razor pieces and went through my finger so fast and smooth that I didn't feel anything or know what was happening. After I screamed like a girl in my mind...I slid my finger up the razor piece and off the fence. Then I just squeezed my hand into a fist hard and walked to the house to recover from the panic in my mind and not lose it. Brandi saw me walking to the house and new something was wrong so she came in to check. When I started to open my fist to show her my finger, blood ran out. So I got a bowl of clean water and stuck my hand in it and started trying to clean off the dirt and blood. I saw where the blood was coming out but it sure did look little. So after I cleaned a little Brandi said she wanted to see. So I lifted it up to show her and she couldn't find the hole. Haha It was such a fine cut in and out that it torn nothing, praise the Lord. But we found it after looking for a while. Felt like Barney Fife and his trigger finger injury. But thank the Lord that it only was sore and is healing good and fast. I saw where the wire had rust all over it and I could see all the dirt through my finger. It went in toward the middle bottom part of the fingerprint area and came out at the top by my fingernail. So I had to get a tetanus shot and 2 more within 6 months. But I reckon now I think a little different about the wire. If you touch it, it will enter your body rather easy and fast. Then you either have to stop and figure out how to get loose or pull whatever stuck off the wire. NASTY! I am very happy that the wire was not plugged up to the electricity that day!!! There you go.

Daniel

Pictures of the "Church on the Rock"

This past year, we had the privilege of working with a pastor from a village close by. He is a pastor that was having his church meetings in his daughter's house. Someone donated a piece of land to the church, but they did not have the finances to begin construction. We visited this pastor and his family and his church, and God truly touched our hearts to help them. Throughout 2011, God continued to provide the finances and construction teams to build "the church on the rock". Praise the Lord, right before Christmas, the doors and windows were put in, and the church was finished. Thank you all so much who have been a part of this project. It has been such a huge blessing!
The following pictures are of the land where the church would be and the construction up until the end.