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.

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. 

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. 

 

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

 

   

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 

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!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grt876IJiho

Christmas is just around the corner, and we are so happy to be in Alabama with family and friends.  Although we miss our Christian family in Guatemala, it is very nice to spend time with our grandparents, parents, siblings, nieces, and nephews.  We sure are blessed!  How about you?
Our preacher from Guatemala, Pastor Jendrick Lobos, shared a video on Facebook giving thanks for family.  He said we all have a family to be thankful for, and it is the truth.  Even if we were unable to be "home" for the holidays, we can say we are never alone.  We have been greatly blessed with a ministry family, a church family, and a missionary family in Guatemala.  Our cup is over-flowing with warm, loving family, and all I can say is God knows our personal needs.  Praise Him for His love and faithfulness! He even gives us those "extra"  blessings no matter where we are.

We are also very thankful to announce we have updated and redesigned our webpage at www.eyeswideoopenministries.com!  We are very grateful for my brother, Casey McBay, at Shoals Websites for designing and managing the site.  It is a great blessing to the ministry!  We hope you like it and can get to know a little bit more about what our family is doing in Guatemala.
Blessings,
Brandi