Hitting the Streets--an update

We have been privileged for the past year (one year this week) to do a ministry called "Soup Run".  Basically, I (Dayle) make a huge pot of some kind of soup (usually chicken and rice) and we put it into the back of our car with some cups, hot tortillas, and water and drive around Antigua.  When we find someone sleeping on the street, in the dump, or under some kind of shelter we stop and offer them soup and food.  We pray with them, offer them a jacket if we happen to have some that night (it does get pretty cold when you're over 5,000 ft. up), and sometimes just listen to their story.  They all have one.

Many times we are asked why we don't have pictures of our soup run people.  It's understandable that people would want to see what we are doing and how this all works.  But, we don't take pictures of this ministry.  Why?

We live in a tourist area.  Many thousands of foreigners (some here on short-term missions trips) come down here and photograph literally everything.  We are used to seeing it.  We also are used to seeing them take pictures of what they are doing here (which is good) so they can show it to people back home and keep as memories.  All good things!

We don't want our street friends to feel like a "project".  They are already ashamed of their situation.  They are already as low as a human being can be--sleeping and eating in a dump is lower than low for sure.  We don't want to make them feel as though they are being used for some greater gain on our part.  I wouldn't want to be photographed in that situation, I don't think you would either.  Even though they aren't always aware of what is going on around them (sniffing glue and drinking rubbing alcohol will do that to you) they are sensitive.  I have had women apologize to me for the way they smell.  They know it's not normal to not bathe regularly.  We never want them to feel as though they are on display.

Mark and I are working on a way to maybe start some kind of a sponsorship program and then, with their permission, we will take their photo so you know who you are sponsoring and who you are praying for.  We are wanting to be sensitive to their situation.  I know you all understand!

We are excited about some great news!  Charlie is a man we met early on in soup run.  He was adopted to the US when he was a baby and grew up there but returned several years ago to Guatemala.  He wound up on the streets of Antigua.  The first time I remember meeting Charlie, Mark and Christopher were trying to move him from the street to the homeless shelter and he was so drunk that he couldn't do it without a lot of help!

2 weeks ago we ran into him in the market where Mark and I were buying jackets for the street people.  He looked at us and said that he was ready to change his life.  He knew he couldn't do it on his own and needed help.  He was addicted to alcohol (at that time he was drinking 3-4 bottles of rubbing alcohol about 6 times a day) and needed help.

Mark and I took him into the City the next day where he willingly entered "Hogar de la Roca" Youth Challenge.  When we left  him, we weren't sure what was going to happen, but, we prayed that God would be with him.  The next morning Mark received a phone call from the center saying to pray for Charlie because he was really having a hard time coming off of the alcohol.  They had never seen worse.  He was hallucinating and had 2 seizures.  This was on a Friday.  By Monday they were thinking he needed to go to the hospital because they weren't sure if it was just the alcohol or also a mental issue because he was so bad.  They were going to give him one more night.  We prayed.  We had a lot of people pray.

The next morning, Mark called and was told that he had a relatively peaceful night and that he was doing considerably better.  The following Sunday, we attended the service at the center and saw Charlie.  We couldn't believe it!  We almost didn't recognize him, he looked so good.  So peaceful and at rest within himself.

He's doing so well, but, he has a long road ahead.  Please pray for Charlie.  He has a whole year ahead of him.  We are excited to see what God has for him!

Here's Charlie's story:  http://guatemalaresponse.blogspot.com/search?updated-min=2010-11-01T00%3A00%3A00-06%3A00&updated-max=2010-12-01T00%3A00%3A00-06%3A00&max-results=5

Thanksgiving

Where do I begin?  What am I thankful for?  Here's a little list of what I praise God for in my life!

1.  Grace and mercy

2.  My wonderful family and friends

3.  The fact that God knows what's best for us and brought us to Guatemala.

4.  The privilege of serving the street people that we meet.


There they are.  Generic, but, simple and to the point.

--Dayle

Anniversary!

5 years ago today we arrived, bag and baggage, at the Guatemala City airport intending to stay for one year.  It was the first time the kids had been on an airplane.  It was the first time I seriously questioned whether or not God really knew what He was doing.  I remember feeling so overwhelmed it was like I was in a daze.  All I kept thinking was, "One year, Dayle, you can do it for one year."  And that made me feel so comforted.

I didn't expect to ever feel like I was at home here in Guatemala.  I kept thinking of Minnesota as home.  I kept holding on to the fact that I was only here for one year so I didn't need to get attached.  I didn't need to really learn the language.  I didn't need to figure out the open air market.  It was all too much, so I didn't think about it. 

Until God showed us that we were here until He moved us.  Whenever that would be.

So I started looking at places to live and found the home we have been in for 4 1/2 years.  I started making an effort to learn Spanish.  I started to make a big effort to learn how to shop the open air market for my family.  I started to not get so nervous about my kids when they would get sick (we live here, parasites are sometimes part of the fun!).  And I found myself slowly loving what I had been given. 

I'm so thankful that God knows so much better than I what exactly I need for my life.  I'm so thankful that He sees my desires before I even know them myself!  How could I know that in just 5 short years Guatemala would feel so much like home that the thought of leaving, even for a short time, makes me just stressed out!  The thought of not doing soup run or seeing my friends at church or the kids at the base or the DTS students who come and go would make me so sad?  The thought of waking up and not seeing the beautiful valley we live in surrounded by the gorgeous and majestic volcanoes is unthinkable to me now. 

How could I know that I would compare the market with the grocery stores back in MN and the market would win?!  I never guessed that throwing the toilet paper in the garbage next to the toilet instead of flushing it would become so second nature to me and normal that on the few occasions that we do visit the US and can flush, we forget!  And, I love driving here in a passive-agressive sort of way!  I love my street Spanish!  And the thought of not kicking off the Christmas season with the burning of the devil and then walking to Central Park to see all the Christmas lights is unthinkable.

At this point, Christopher has lived most of his growing up years here.  Bailey's memories of MN are good, but, her memories of Guatemala are shaping her.  Alicia wants to make this her home.  What kind of people will this experience make them?  I can't wait to find out.

I love Minnesota and it will always be "home".  But, I'm grateful that there is place in our hearts for more than one "home".  I'm thankful that Guatemala has become home to us and the people here are like family.

Who knew?

--Dayle