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.