Merry Christmas!

I’m sitting now in my new apartment, we moved in on Wednesday due to the water problems. As much as I loved the other house, this apartment is beautiful and I am incredibly thankful to have found somewhere else to live within my budget!

I will be leaving in just a few days for home, and cannot wait! Just this past week there were three new students added to the student sponsorship program. I met with the families to make sure they were getting registered in time for the new January school season. (Classes begin at the beginning of the year). When I get back in January, I’ll be visiting all of the schools to meet with teachers and principals. One or both parents are required to be in the meeting, because we want to ensure a team effort and that the parents of the child are supportive.

I was skyping with my Dad the other day, and was feeling stressed out by the things I had to do before leaving, because of the move, and the transition home. He reminded me that it is Advent, and as Christmas nears, it is a time to settle our hearts and focus on what is really important; Christ. I have been distracted lately and know that I push God aside when things are busy. Even though He is still pursuing me, I ignore Him. This season, starting today, I don’t want to do that. I am empty without Him. I don’t want to fill myself with other distractions.

With all of that being said, I also don’t ever want to cease to be thankful! I thank you all greatly for your continued support through finances and prayers. I don’t think you all will ever know how full my heart is because of how blessed I am, especially through CUMC church. A thousand times thank you! I probably won’t write until my return back to Guatemala, but I hope to see many of you when I’m home. God bless you all, and Merry Christmas!

Christmas Season...

All of the lights are going up here, the nights are cold, and the Christmas music has started. I can feel myself getting into the Christmas spirit; I even just downloaded classic Christmas music to listen too! And yet at the same time it is not the same. This is the time of year where it is hardest to be away. I would give anything to see snow, and to be able to sit down with my family around the tree and fireplace. But once again I am blessed beyond what I believe, and will be going home for 9 days on December 19. Lisa, Mateo and I are trying to finish all of the projects we can before the end of the year, and have everything prepared for when we come back at the end of the month.

School will be starting for all of the students here in January, and right now I am meeting with families to make sure they are registering students for the coming school year. They have been on break since November.

We had a nice dinner with all of the employees from the Hope Haven factory, and were able to pass out certificates saying that they have passed English Level 1. It was special; all of the ones who participated in English classes were proud of themselves, as are we! Classes will begin again next year, and for them it will be considered Level 2. I’ve started giving lessons to 4 youth in the family that received the first stove, and tutoring sessions with a girl that works at the coffee shop. All of them are interested in learning, and it is a great way for them to have more opportunity in the future if they continue learning another language.

More Filters and Stoves!

I hope everyone enjoyed their Thanksgiving, it is always a reminder of how many things we truly must be thankful for. We were able to host a dinner on Thursday evening for a close group of friends, and it turned out to be a very special night! We didn’t make any traditional food that we have at home, but it was all delicious none-the-less. I am continually thankful for the friends and “family” I have here.

Two more water filters have been installed through the money raised by Catonsville United Methodist Church’s VBS money. Both families are related to the LAVOSI School. The first family has two students who are deaf and attend LAVOSI’s program. The requirements that we have for families to receive water filters are that they are either buying purified water, or they are boiling their water first. We’ve found that many families will not use them if they don’t understand the importance of clean water and that drinking water directly from the faucet or well can be dangerous.

The second family was the family of the director of the school. It is a beautiful family; the son of the director, and both his brother and sister are deaf. I’ll admit it is frustrating not being able to communicate with them through sign! But we are learning some, and planning on studying it more since we will continue to work closely with LAVOSI. This family was also buying purified water.

This morning we visited another family of one of the students to install a stove. Again, this particular type of stove uses 40% more wood, which saves the family money. It also sends the smoke out through a chimney which is better for everyone’s lungs. They were grateful, and all we can tell them is that it is a gift from the Lord, which really it is.

We are always thankful for you all who are donating money for projects and sponsoring these students. I hope each person understands what this means to the people of Guatemala, and that it is a means to let them know that people care, and so does the Lord.

Challenges

I apologize for not having written in the past few weeks. We have been meeting with various families of the students that go to LAVOSI about installing water filters, from the money donated by CUMC. A woman who came down on a team has donated money for two stoves; one was installed a few weeks ago and the other will be installed on Saturday. We also came across a woman who lives in an area called San Antonio Aguas Calientes, and went to meet her family. It was a God meeting, because they are a Christian family whose mother has people come to her home when they need prayer or has a need in their family. They sell sewn products in the market in Antigua, and try to employ those in need of jobs. God has lead us to this family because they will become our connection for that town.

Along with that, these past few weeks have certainly been a test. When I first arrived here I moved into a house and signed a lease for 6 months. We found a house that was in the price range of my two friends and me, and loved it. Lots of natural light, perfect location, everything I could think to ask for! But we began having problems with the water; it just wasn’t coming into the system of the complex where we live. First it was a problem of a shortage of water in the area. But then we realized it was solved outside of the complex, and it was only our houses that weren’t receiving water. We had some people come to clean out the tubes; the owners have come to look to see if they can figure out why water isn’t coming. We have had to pay the firemen to come and fill the tank, and it was beginning to become empty every couple of days. We finally all went for about a week without water, showering, and washing clothes in another house, trying to cook how we could. But filling buckets of water and going different places to do these things was taking up so much time! Since then we have met with the rest of the renters in the complex, and have decided that we need to move. We are currently looking for places in the same area, but we cannot go higher in price. This is another prayer request for everyone! I might move into the Hope Haven house until I come home after Christmas, and from there we will hopefully have one lined up for January. It’s unfortunate because it has taken up much time, waiting for the tank to be filled so we can fill up bottles of water and wash dishes. I hope I don’t ever take having water for granted!

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, and I am always thinking of my family and friends back home! We are going to be having a large dinner at home to celebrate tomorrow evening (even if we have no water in the house!) Let us never forget how we are blessed, and that through even the most difficult of circumstances, God is near.

Murals and Stoves

The past few weeks have been a little of here and there, working and starting various projects. After installing the filter at LAVOSI School, we have cleared out a space for a garden that will be planted there. The students are now on a holiday break until the very beginning of January, but before they left they were able to do a mural on the walls around where the garden will be. We told them to be as creative as they wanted and to paint whatever they could think of. It was a great time, and we were surprised when three boys painted Mario, Luigi, and a zombie. We are not sure quite yet what will be planted in the garden, since we have some time until they come back to school. They will be learning in class about agriculture and nutrition to go along with the garden, and it will be good for many students who have vegetables growing at home.

 

We have also identified a family to start the first aquaponic garden for, and this week will be looking at the land and buying materials. This family also received a stove, which is a type of stove that uses 40% less wood than cooking over an open fire and is better for the family’s health because it sends the smoke through a chimney.





Today I spent the day visiting our families in Xenacoj, and meeting with the family of the two boys who are being sponsored to go to school. Education is incredibly important, and is the key to a better life for these boys, Oscar and Luis. Even though all students are on break until January, there are still inscription costs and money needed for materials and uniforms once they are enrolled in school.

Please continue to pray that the Lord directs the steps of smallchange4bigchange, and that through these projects we can be a light and witness!

LAVOSI Water Filter

We have had the privilege of starting projects with a Deaf school in Jocotenango, called LAVOSI, Las Voces del Silencio (voices of the silent). It has around 19 students of varying ages, and has an incredible staff of workers who all know sign language and have a genuine love for the students. We were introduced to the school a couple weeks back, and that is where the first Sawyer water filter has been installed. Last Friday, we went with Dick Rutgers to set it up and for him to explain how the filter is to be used and how it will be most beneficial. The other filter they had been using was questionable, and they were not sure if it was even still working. Catonsville United Methodist Church had raised money for Vacation Bible School over the summer for filters, and this is just the beginning! God was amazing in providing the money to be able to have projects like these.

The Sawyer filter (http://www.sawyer.com/tech-water.html) is a type that can either be in-line or can be filtered through a bucket. It is tiny and lightweight, but extremely powerful. They can go for a decade without being replaced, they only need to be flushed (cleaned) ever week or so.

Right away, Alvaro, the Director of LAVOSI, and Melvyn, a part-time audiologist, were able to taste the water. They were very thankful, and said to pass along their thanks to those who sponsored the filter!

 

 

 

 

First Child Sponsorship

Smallchange4bigchange is very excited to announce that the first child in the program has been sponsored. His name is Oscar and he is 10 years old. Oscar is the middle child in a family of three. He has an older brother (12) named Luis, and a younger sister (2) named Angelica. His Father’s name is Jose and his Mother’s name is Maria. Jose had an injection that caused him to lose his sight 12 years ago. Therefore, it is more difficult for him to find work. He has been working in a bakery but has now been told that the bakery might be closing. In speaking many times with this family, both parents expressed a concern for their children’s education and understanding the importance of their studies, but possibly not being able to send them due to lack of funds in the family. Jose does not talk about wanting to gain his sight back, he only wants his family to be taken care of and his children to go to school. This family is a very special family, and God has big plans for them. (Photo below)

It costs $30 per month to keep him in school, and we will be checking on the family and the school (teachers and principal) at least once per month. This money is in the name of a woman in our church who has retired from many years of service to children, both inside the church and out. People will be donating the money on her behalf. God is so good!

For more information about this student sponsorship or to sponsor a child to go to school, visit www.smallchange4bigchange.org.

Where Is God Leading?

Hola a todos!

It seems as though even though times are going quickly, the process of beginning smallchange4bigchange projects is moving at a slow yet steady pace. A couple weeks back Lisa, Mateo and I were in the town of Xenacoj planning out how to begin with some of the projects we have lined up. As we were there, through a serious of events that would be considered God closing the doors to that particular town, we decided that we would not be working specifically with the town of Xenacoj. It is 45 minutes from where we live, and as of right now, we do not have a vehicle or form of transportation that we can rely to get us there often enough. All we knew was that in our hearts, God was leading us away from that community. We are still going to keep in touch with the families that we have relationships with, but it is not practical to be up there a couple times per week.

So we prayed. And we believed that God would lead us somewhere. A town called San Antonio, Aguas Calientes was mentioned to us several times by different people, so we decided to take the van and go exploring. We are seeking out:

1. Rural communities that would be able to have gardens by their homes.

2. Communities centers and/or schools to work alongside Guatemalan teachers and educators in starting gardens with vegetables, Moringa plant (http://www.moringatoday.com/nutrition.html) and possibly an aquaponic garden (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aquaponics).

As we were going further and further into San Antonio, we decided to turn around and head back home. We found a place to turn which happened to be a small library and children’s center. We went in and spoke with the teacher, who informed us that it was a Guatemalan run center for children and adolescents to come after school to have tutoring, lessons on character building, arts and crafts. They also have a garden and are interested in us coming alongside with them to continue the growth of their garden. These kids will also lead us to their families in the area who might benefit from vegetable gardens.

We felt confident in the Lord that he had led us there and that it is a start. We are waiting to have a meeting with the director sometime this week, and see where it takes us. But truthfully all we know is that God has a purpose and we are just to follow in His plan because He knows more about which direction we are going than we do!

Please be praying for guidance as we seek the community to start our projects in, and also specifically for a vehicle or some form of transportation that is within our budget. God bless you all!

Fuego Volcano Eruption

On Thursday night evening there was a volcanic eruption by Fuego Volcano. Many families were evacuated to nearby towns, but thankfully were able to return home on Friday. Samaritan’s Purse (www.samaritanspurse.org) donated money to Hope Haven to assemble food and supply baskets to be delivered to the families affected by this event.

Saturday we spent the afternoon assembling the food baskets and loading them onto vehicles. A large truck was sent from Municipality from the villages of Panimache 1 and Panimache 2 to carry all of the materials to two different sites. Early Sunday morning, a group of volunteers, led by Misael, Hope Haven’s accountant, traveled up the volcano to distribute the supplies, about 3 hours from Antigua.

We visited two separate sites of those affected, and were relieved to see that the damage was not as bad as we had anticipated. Some of the roofs had small holes from the burning ash that fell, but most of the holes had already been there before the eruption due to old lamina. In speaking with some of the people from Panimache they generally said they were scared when it all started, but were able to return the next day knowing that the worst was over.

The people were very gracious and it was encouraging to them to know that they were not forgotten. At both sites, the Mayor spoke to his communities and let us say a few words on behalf of Samaritan’s Purse and Hope Haven. We were glad to be there so the families knew they had not been forgotten.

 

 

 

 

Finally Made It!

It was quite the adventure getting back to Guatemala. I had a layover in Dallas on Saturday, but I was informed that my flight was cancelled. So they sent me to Miami to stay for the night, and to fly out Sunday morning. I wish I could say that I had complete confidence in the Lord that I knew my bags would arrive, since I hadn’t seen them since Baltimore, but I was very concerned that they wouldn’t arrive with me!

Once I finally got here, I settled in pretty quickly. Monday I went by the factory to see everyone, but ended up staying for the part of a distribution that was going on. It was a breath of fresh air, the workers are some of my favorite people.

Tuesday we went to a town called Villa Nueva for a distribution. The Mayor and his wife were there and gave a small presentation before and spoke about how they were hoping to improve the community because of the wheelchairs.

My heart feels at so much peace being back here, even as much as I miss my family and friends. There is going to be a lot of work to be done in the coming months, Lisa, Matt and I have been trying to organize our “game-plan.” I do thank God for his provision over me, and pray that He will continue to guide every day.

Overwhelmed

The only word I can describe that I am feeling right now is overwhelmed. But in the best way. My church family has been incredible in raising money and committing to sponsor me for the next 6 months in Guatemala, and people have been overwhelmingly generous. I am humbled. I don't deserve this, but I have to rest in the fact that God has called me to do this and He is providing the means possible. I do pray that God will also help me to be a good steward of the resources He's given me. I am blessed beyond belief.

I am also blessed because I know there are friends, family, and a church that support me in prayer and believe in the work that is being done in Guatemala. People long to see God, and sometimes meeting their basic needs in life allows for that to happen.

This week and last week I have been able to visit with friends and family members one more time before I leave Saturday morning.

To those of you who are sponsoring me, I thank you again, especially if you haven't heard it directly from me. Thank you isn't enough, and so I hope that in reading about the work that will be done will allow you to feel connected to the work, thanks to your generosity.

Sponsorships and Preparation

There are only two short weeks until I take off again for Guatemala. The Vacation Bible School program at my home church, Catonsville United Methodist Church (www.catonsvilleumc.com) chooses an organization every summer to raise money for and send to. Every day, children bring in some coins or dollars to put into an offering plate and give to the sponsor various projects. This year, the church chose smallchange4bigchange. Thanks to God, $1,300 was raised to be used for water filters and to assist families with needs that may need to be met. It was a true confirmation from the Lord that this is the path He has chosen for me right now and it is an honor and a blessing to be bringing this money back down along with me. Praise God!

Right now, I am still seeking sponsorship from people both inside and outside of the church. I believe God has called to this for this particular season in my life, and the only way to do it is through those who support me financially. Words cannot express my gratitude to those of you who have sponsored me in the past, as well as continue to sponsor me now. If God has put in on your heart to donate, please email me at girlofgod08@verizon.net and I will be able to give you more information on how to go about it. Thank you again, as always I am incredibly blessed by all of you in my life!

Summertime: Thank God for Family

 

Small Change 4 Big Change

The website for smallchange4bigchange is updated! It is www.smallchange4bigchange.org. There you can find information about the various projects and programs. I am anxious to return and start back up, even though it has been the most amazing summer at home. On Saturday we will be going to Ocean City, New Jersey for the annual summer vacation with my Mom's side of the family.

I'm going to be leaving at the end of this month to go back. I will continue working with Hope Haven, hosting teams and working with distributions, but mostly with these new programs that we have beginning. There is still so much to be done, and many people in need. This is just a quick update, but I will have more information as it comes along!

Home Once Again

Home once again!

It's been two weeks since I arrived, I am floored at how quickly time passes. (Again). I was in time for Catonsville's 4th of July festival, and have spent most of my time visiting with family and friends and trying to get things in order here. I am also working for a few weeks beginning tomorrow as a substitute teacher at the Delrey School of UCP.


We are currently in the process of seeking people to help us write grants for Small Change 4 Big Change, and working on some fund-raising. There is much to do in the US before I head back to Guatemala in a month or two to get things rolling. God is opening doors and putting people in my life that are able to help us continue to set up the organization, which is confirmation to me that this is the Lord's work, not mine or Lisa or Matt's. He is leading this process and I am thrilled to be a part of it!

Vacation Bible School at the church this year will be using Small Change as their fundraising project, and the members of my church have once again been extremely supportive. I am blessed always.

There is nothing like home, having my own car, carpets and comfortable couches, being able to sit down with my parents, family and friends without having a break-up in the skype connection! I'm soaking up every moment of summer here because I know that soon I will be heading back again. I love every part of my life, both here and there.

For more information about Small Change 4 Big Change, visit our website at www.smallchange4bigchange.org or contact us at hello@smallchange4bigchange.org.

"If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from His love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being in one spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others." Philippians 2:1-4

Leaving Guatemala

I will be leaving here tomorrow morning, and have been preparing all of the work to be put on hold for a couple months. I’ve been trying to prepare emotionally to leave; thinking of leaving people behind hurts my heart. I know that it is right for me to be home for the summer, for various reasons, even if it is difficult to pull myself away.

When I look at my life, I am overflowing with thankfulness. Sometimes I cannot believe that God has blessed me so much in the way that He constantly provides ways for me to serve Him and fulfill my heart’s desires. I have the best of everything. I have an unbelievable and friends, who I know are consistently supporting me in all ways. Both at home and here in Latin America I have the opportunity to work in fields that are close to my heart. It is easy for me to get caught up in myself and become extremely selfish, but finding contentment and joy is a matter of choosing it above all else. I know that I will look back at these years in my life as some of the greatest, even though at certain moments I may not feel that way. God always has a plan, and I still pray daily that through my mistakes I can stay on the narrow path to walking with Him and serving Him.

I am looking forward to seeing all of my church family, those who have also been on this journey with me! As always, I thank you for your support financially, and through prayer. See you all soon!

Inspirational Families

I was able to spend the day in Xenacoj and San Juan, places where we have been working both with and without mission teams. It is a blessing to get to know these families and build relationships with them.

A woman who had come down with a team decided to give a donation to two different families. To one woman, who is 23 years old and has juvenile arthritis, she gave money for vitamins and ibuprofen. To the other family, Jose’s family, she gave money for food. We were also able to give him vitamins. 12 years ago, he went blind due to an injection that went wrong. There was the possibility of surgery, but a nurse looked at his case and decided against it. After so many years, the risks would be greater. They were able to use the money that would have been used for transportation to help him fix the wall in his home that was falling apart and allowing rain and dust to get in. He had explained to us that many years ago, all he had dreamed about was giving his wife and children a nice home, and now he feels like it looks much better. This man is truly an inspiration, and has an incredible faith in the Lord. He works some at a local bakery, because the most important thing to him is to provide for his family. I have not ever heard him once say that he prayed that God would give him his sight back, only that he wants to be a good husband and father. The walls of his house turned out well, a friend of his did it for free (which is sometimes unheard of here).

I will be going back for the day with some others from Hope Haven to Hermano Pedro, the large Catholic orphanage and hospital to help work on some wheelchairs. There are many, many children, teenagers, adults, and elderly who are living there, and only one man, Dick, who takes care of their chairs. The needs are endless, and they are hoping to have at least one day per month to go.

This week I am also preparing to leave. My flight is on Sunday. It is always a challenge to leave the life I’ve made, but know that I will be coming back in just a couple short months. I am looking forward to working at the Delrey School for the summer, and sharing some time with my family and friends!

The wall that was repaired in Jose's home.

Jose and his wife, Maria, and children Angelica, Oscar, and Luis.

Torn Between Two Places

I have a ticket for home on July 1, I cannot believe how quickly time goes. I will be home for the summer to work as a substitute at Delrey, and spend time with family and friends, which I am truly looking forward to! I believe God is calling me to come back at the end of the summer.

It is difficult to know that I am leaving and there is still so much work to be done. These past few weeks I've been working in administration for Hope Haven, organizing various projects and helping to organize a distribution in El Salvador. There is also a team from Adventures In Missions (the group I went to Nicaragua with) here for the summer and I have been hosting them and getting them settled in. They have their own transportation and a contact in Xenacoj, where they are living, so they are now pretty much self-sufficient.

The two other volunteers that were here during the beginning of my trip here and I are working on starting a small Non-Profit organization called Small Change 4 Big Change. What we were noticing was that a huge need that could change the dynamic of a family or a person is education. There is a lack of it here; many students drop out around 7th grade because they begin secondary school and the costs inscrease. We were meeting and in contact with various people who were intereted in sponsoring these students, and we wanted to provide a way for them to do so. It is a slow and detailed process, but have been making progress and are taking all of the steps so that when we three return in a couple months, we can begin a sponsorship program for Xenacoj.

I've been struggling lately with trusting in God's plan, especially when it seems as though you cannot see where you're going. It could be because, in all honestly, I haven't been spending as much time with the Lord as I should. Some of that is due to my own spiritual laziness, some because of busyness. But I can feel the difference in my heart when I distance myself from Him, and all of the sudden fear and unrest become a daily struggle. Therefore today, I will be sitting down to spend some time in prayer and meditation with God. Why is it that at times it is difficult to simply let everything go and follow His Holy Spirit? I get distracted, and I end up focusing my heart on other things. But our relationship with Him is not based on our feelings, but rather our choices; in choosing to sit down with Him and share all, in choosing His way above all other ways.

Please continue to pray for me, and the work here, through these next 3 weeks.

These past two weeks have been very busy for Hope Haven. We had two awesome visitors, Val and Duane from the Hope Haven office in the states, who came down to visit the factory and see how everything is run. They were only here for 3 days but all enjoyed their company!

We have also had 3 distributions at the factory. The first two were with physical and occupational therapy students from here in Guatemala, and the other was for the adult chairs for the elderly. We had 21 families come all in one morning!

Raul, the man who has been working with us for Mynor, was able to come with his wife to receive a chair that she desperately needs. She has a degenerative disorder, and has been very uncomfortable for the past few years. We were finally able to get one sponsored and have them come in, and it was truly a wonderful morning! They were both so grateful and pleased; she said she is more comfortable than she has been. I spoke with Raul the next day and he told me she could get outside to read in the garden in her new chair; what a blessing.

Raul and his wife receiving her chair

Bryan and his family

Gustavo who is one of the men who works at the factory, Javier, and Marcos, a physical therapy student

A child being measured and prepared to be fitted for a wheelchair

Two families from Lanquin, a town 6 hours from the factory

Water Filters

Matt setting up the water filter.

One of the families who received a water filter. Elie, the boy in the wheelchair, received his chair from Hope Haven.

The filter itself, two bags of sand, two bags of stones.

Water from the well.

The filter once it has been set up.

We had a couple boxes full of water filters at the factory and were given permission to give set them up with some of the families we’ve been working with in Xenacoj and surrounding areas. It is a container where water is poured in with BioSand and stones. The sand is used to reduce bacteria, viruses, and parasites from the water.

We are hoping that these filters will limit the amount of parasites and worms in the drinking water of these families. At home, we are currently also testing another type of water filtration system, one that is manufactured here in Guatemala by a Guatemalan company called Onil. This might be cheaper better to set up, and they would not have to be shipped down from the in the US.