I am really never lost for words. Those that understand that, are like me. Our minds are constantly full of words, thoughts and ideas. I should be a pro at this blog but in reality it is the learning my way around that slows me down. Technology has left me behind a long time ago. We are home in Michigan taking a time off Missions to visit with our children and grandchildren. Such joy to see them in person and receive those hugs and kisses that melt our hearts! We are bonding with our youngest ones as they are too little to remember us regularly. It is very important that they know who we are, so they can understand themselves better when they grow up..(joke) After this cold spell in May here in Michigan I've decided to scratch that month of May out of our visiting schedule. At that pace we are limiting ourselves to a couple of possible months a year...(funny, isn't it).
Many friends have contacted me in hopes to have a visit and a chat in person. How much I love walking downtown, go to the grocery store, to a restaurant or to a gas station and have people say how are you and how is it going in Guatemala! Only in a small town USA you experience such warm and homey love. I must admit, I miss Guatemala and cannot wait to head up those Highlands in June. My puppies await me, Vicenta and her family, the warm people at the clinica and my fellow missionaries. This week the news gave some disturbing information about a "massacre" in Peten, 10-12 hours away. How disturbing to know that the Mexican Drug Cartel continues to want to take over Guatemala so they can freely traffic their drugs to the USA. The government has ssized the area but they were not able to stop the brutal murder of dozens of innocent farmers. First the Civil War and now more Drug Wars...Lord, when will it end? When will these people have real peace and left to survive day by day? So what can I do? I pray. I shared with others so they can pray. I do my part while I am there and when I am here. I love my neighbor like myself (well, not always succesful but I should try). I teach these concepts to those around me. So see, even when we are at this "home" we long for the other. That is as an "imprint" that makes us want to be there and partake on their sadness and suffering. It is like watching Canadian Geese with newly hatched gooselings that know exactly who they belong to. We are gathering several things to take back. Erv is bringing more tools. I am bringing things the traditional birth attendants (rural midwives) need to be equipped. I have a group of 50 plus eager ladies wanting to learn how to save lives and keep them healthy. My guess is that there will be 100 before the year ends. In the meanwhile, we will go and hug grandbabies, squeeze them a lot and try to "imprint" their smell and little faces in our hearts and minds for the months to come...
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
After a year...
I've always been some sort of organizer. Since the elementary days of organizing events to organizing my head so I can get multiple tasks done. Today, I hardly do that. Burned out perhaps, too many years planning lesson plans for multiple level children, planning meals for my family, planning Sunday School, planning church activities, planning these moves, don't know but I can't live without it. After a year here in Guatemala, we've moved 3 times, gotten 2 dogs, an apartment full of "stuff", more school scheduled and trying to narrow our scope of ministry. I would like to say that our highlights have been saving lives and bringing people to Jesus but in reality it has been adapting and searching for our "niche". Those that know us, know what we are good at. Those that are getting to know us give us words of encouragement and gratitude for our service to those we come in contact. Deep in my heart I know what my purpose is...it is not what I am good at or what I am known for. My purpose is to please my Father, enjoying His Company in my day to day walk, and be good to my fellow men. There are things I want to do for example, I want to get to know my neighborhood and perhaps show Jesus in being a good neighbor. My hope is to teach the Mayan Women about health, birth and God. In return I hope to learn from them resilience, patience and endurance among many other qualities they have. I must focus and organize myself, my house, my time and my priorities to accomplish those things I desire to do and those things that pleases my Father in Heaven...hope to continue bloggin..
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Testing...testing
Another day..another blog...I am new at this. Get used to the ...these are run in sentences and I make them legal that way. That is a disclaimer before my friend Brenda, the retired English School Teacher gets after me. To be honest it is hard doing this, especially because it is mostly written for other bloggers who are much more gifted at this than I am.
Our first Presentation of "Guatemala in Pictures" at HFMC went very well. For rookies the reviews were very uplifting. We hope to have gain a Short Term Team for next year. They collected small blankets and cloth diapers for the special children. Tomorrow will be at our "home peeps" in Tecumseh. There we get lots of laying on hands and impartation. Have a mature family interested on coming also!
Called our "sister helper" Vicenta yesterday. She was thrilled to hear my voice and likewise. She let me know the plants have been looked after and that everything is fine at the homefront. What a blessing she is...Vicenta is a 48 yrs old, breast cancer survivor (just a year ago), strong in the Faith, has 2 sons, one is all grown and lives in the Capital. The other is 14 years old, cleans the house for her, is very mature and handsome also. They live in a family house where other siblings have a room (called my home). She cannot help but shed tears when sharing about God's Goodness and her cancer recovery. One expression I will never forget the first week she worked for us was..."I thought I was drowing" as she comes out of the first shower she has ever taken. She does not have running water at home. There were many firsts for her at the dorms...Vicenta speaks K'che' and Spanish and can read both, which is a big blessing to us. She likes going to clinic to translate. She is very resourceful and God has brought her into our lives to be a blessing to each other...do you have someone you mentor, sponsor or love that in turn you are the one being blessed?
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
5...4...3...2...1...Blast off!
Ok...finally I have the guts to launch this Blog. I first worked on it when in France with photos and details...then the Lord changed our direction! Mentioning it often on FB and on emails for someone to do this for me I realized that I can do it! I can do it! I can do it! Ok, said three times and knocking my shoes together, here it is..tah tah! I admit, computer work is not my forte, wish I had a personal IT person to do all this for me. I just love to communicate and share about our lives and have others share about theirs. I promise not to bore you but bring true stories to life so you can journey right along us. I give God all the credit for all He has helped us accomplish this last 2 years...that is how long since He changed the course of our ministry. From Pastorate to Missionary Work...the transition was beautiful, with very intense moments both good and tough..as He refined us to become the vessels He intended us to be...So here we are...now to reveal His Glory to others here in Guatemala. Today we will begin sharing with our Communities of Hillsdale/Lenawee Counties what Jesus is doing around us in Guatemala.
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