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