Thursday, June 21, 2012
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
May Happenings!
Our May was insane! It started off with Dayle and I taking a short trip to Minnesota for my brother’s wedding. It was a beautiful ceremony, and I loved the White Castle hamburgers at the reception. Yum! I guess that’s what happens when you marry a chef. Dayle and I also got to help decorate Matt’s car- payback for our car 19 years ago! Ha! While we were in the states we also got to speak at our home church Remnant Ministry Center and see friends and family. However, it was more like, “Hi. Long time, no see. Bye!”
After Minnesota we returned to Guatemala and had a few days before heading to Tapachula, Mexico on a bus. We needed to take that trip because our kids needed their visas renewed. So we stayed there a couple of nights and headed back to Guatemala to prepare for another tip- Nicaragua. Someone had given Dayle and I free plane tickets to attend a regional YWAM conference there. While we were in Nicaragua Dayle and I got to visit with a missionary friend from Remnant. Tom Imgrund and his wife Cecilia took us on a tour of Managua and out to dinner. We then went to their bakery and got to be heroes by bringing donuts back to our friends at the conference.
After that trip it was time to get ready for Alicia’s high school graduation! Dayle completed an amazing 12 years of home schooling and we watched our daughter in cap n’ gown walking down to get her diploma, which we got to give to her since she was schooled at home. In August she’s planning to move to Minnesota to work and prepare for nursing school. So we’ve come full-circle: To Minnesota, back to Guatemala, to Mexico, back to Guatemala, to Nicaragua, back to Guatemala, to Minnesota. Life is funny… and short!
After Minnesota we returned to Guatemala and had a few days before heading to Tapachula, Mexico on a bus. We needed to take that trip because our kids needed their visas renewed. So we stayed there a couple of nights and headed back to Guatemala to prepare for another tip- Nicaragua. Someone had given Dayle and I free plane tickets to attend a regional YWAM conference there. While we were in Nicaragua Dayle and I got to visit with a missionary friend from Remnant. Tom Imgrund and his wife Cecilia took us on a tour of Managua and out to dinner. We then went to their bakery and got to be heroes by bringing donuts back to our friends at the conference.
After that trip it was time to get ready for Alicia’s high school graduation! Dayle completed an amazing 12 years of home schooling and we watched our daughter in cap n’ gown walking down to get her diploma, which we got to give to her since she was schooled at home. In August she’s planning to move to Minnesota to work and prepare for nursing school. So we’ve come full-circle: To Minnesota, back to Guatemala, to Mexico, back to Guatemala, to Nicaragua, back to Guatemala, to Minnesota. Life is funny… and short!
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Fun Stuff we get to do!
There's so much randomness to our life that I thought just some photos about other stuff would be fun to share. Here it is!
Movie Night at the YWAM Base
Youth Drama Team for outreaches
Mark sharing the gospel at a medical clinic
Our friends and co-workers Eder and Carolina
doing what they do best! They are amazing.
Mark sharing at a movie night in Santa Maria
de Jesus
Mark and I visiting a rehab to see what we can
do to help them out.
It's a crazy but wonderful life.
Movie Night at the YWAM Base
doing what they do best! They are amazing.
de Jesus
do to help them out.
It's a crazy but wonderful life.
How we encouraged a bunch of heroes!
As Americans we are raised to think of our firefighters and paramedics as heroes worthy of our respect and the distinction of hero. They are thanked and honored in towns and cities across America. People recognize them for what they do and who they are and the way they put themselves in danger to ensure our safety and way of life. We are grateful! They are heroes.
Did you ever think what it might be like for fire fighters and paramedics in different parts of the world? In developing nations where the needs are so great that, even though they might want to, the government and the people aren't able to provide sometimes the basic needs of these heroes let alone take the time to honor them. The volunteer fire fighters and paramedics in our area regularly stand on the highways going in and out of town to collect spare change and money from people to use for things like gas for their emergency vehicles and equipment they need to do their jobs. They are volunteers yet they spend HOURS on their time collecting to make sure they can do what they need to do during hurricanes, earthquakes, fires, accidents, mudslides, and medical emergencies. They don't get thanked. They don't generally get honored.
We have watched the bomberos (fire fighters and paramedics) in Antigua care for our friends who live on the streets over and over again. They have bound wounds, cared for cuts, run them to the emergency room, given them water and food, made sure they had a blanket if they needed it, and even come to take care of them when they die. They are just really great people!
Last week we had a group from Toronto who helped us throw a party for them. It's something Mark and I have been wanting to do for a really long time and it finally worked! They raised $250 and brought down decorations for a luau including leis and we had a party. We made chili dogs, coleslaw, and 2 gigantic cakes and we also had watermelon, chips, pop, and coffee. Because we were able to do those things for so little we were also able to buy $100 in gift certificates for a local restaurant to have door prizes! We showed a movie, cheered them when they entered the station, gave them their flowers, and served them so they could just relax and have fun. There were a total of about 40 bomberos there that night!
One of the bomberos told me that this was the first time they had anyone say thank you to them and do soemthing to show their appreciation. We don't want it to be the last!
Did you ever think what it might be like for fire fighters and paramedics in different parts of the world? In developing nations where the needs are so great that, even though they might want to, the government and the people aren't able to provide sometimes the basic needs of these heroes let alone take the time to honor them. The volunteer fire fighters and paramedics in our area regularly stand on the highways going in and out of town to collect spare change and money from people to use for things like gas for their emergency vehicles and equipment they need to do their jobs. They are volunteers yet they spend HOURS on their time collecting to make sure they can do what they need to do during hurricanes, earthquakes, fires, accidents, mudslides, and medical emergencies. They don't get thanked. They don't generally get honored.
We have watched the bomberos (fire fighters and paramedics) in Antigua care for our friends who live on the streets over and over again. They have bound wounds, cared for cuts, run them to the emergency room, given them water and food, made sure they had a blanket if they needed it, and even come to take care of them when they die. They are just really great people!
Last week we had a group from Toronto who helped us throw a party for them. It's something Mark and I have been wanting to do for a really long time and it finally worked! They raised $250 and brought down decorations for a luau including leis and we had a party. We made chili dogs, coleslaw, and 2 gigantic cakes and we also had watermelon, chips, pop, and coffee. Because we were able to do those things for so little we were also able to buy $100 in gift certificates for a local restaurant to have door prizes! We showed a movie, cheered them when they entered the station, gave them their flowers, and served them so they could just relax and have fun. There were a total of about 40 bomberos there that night!
One of the bomberos told me that this was the first time they had anyone say thank you to them and do soemthing to show their appreciation. We don't want it to be the last!
Friday, March 9, 2012
How Mark and Alicia spent their Wednesday.
So this past Wednesday Mark and Alicia spent the day up in an indigenous village not far from Antigua working in a free health clinic. That evening we showed 2 movies to the people of Santa Maria de Jesus as well.
What kind of person goes to church in a dump?
Ummmm...that would be us!
Last year we started something called Street Church with our homeless people on Sunday nights. It's one of those things where you can't really plan what will happen but it's always good! We usually have testimonies and sharing of the word as well as prayer. We've just started bringing food as well because it's been so cold that it's good for them to have something hot and nutritious before bed. Mark also decided that it would be fun to bring somekind of game to play with them afterward so we bring an old Viking game (because we're proud Minnesotans!) that we learned from his brother called kuub. It's been so great! The guys love playing the game and eating the food--it feels like something just natural for them, something that men just do. It's a time to just hang out and relax and fellowship with them. We love it!
Last Sunday night I met "Juli". When I looked at this person dressed in a woman's sweater and slacks all feminine and pretty I new that he wasn't a woman. I started talking to him and he asked if we had any food left. We didn't so I offered to take him across the street to get some pupusas (stuffed taco-like things) and salad. He came with Lorena and I. (Lorena and her husband, Fernando, work with us at street church) We ordered the food and then stood outside to talk. That was when "Juli" admitted that his name was Julio and that he was gay. I just asked him about his family and he broke down. He hasn't been living on the streets long. He came out to his mother that he's gay and she went crazy. She kicked him out and threatened to kill him. He has since found out that his brother is looking for him to kill him as well. He was just broken. He asked Lorena and I to pray for him and we did. He sobbed.
Please pray for Julio.
Here's some photos of our time at street church!
Last year we started something called Street Church with our homeless people on Sunday nights. It's one of those things where you can't really plan what will happen but it's always good! We usually have testimonies and sharing of the word as well as prayer. We've just started bringing food as well because it's been so cold that it's good for them to have something hot and nutritious before bed. Mark also decided that it would be fun to bring somekind of game to play with them afterward so we bring an old Viking game (because we're proud Minnesotans!) that we learned from his brother called kuub. It's been so great! The guys love playing the game and eating the food--it feels like something just natural for them, something that men just do. It's a time to just hang out and relax and fellowship with them. We love it!
Last Sunday night I met "Juli". When I looked at this person dressed in a woman's sweater and slacks all feminine and pretty I new that he wasn't a woman. I started talking to him and he asked if we had any food left. We didn't so I offered to take him across the street to get some pupusas (stuffed taco-like things) and salad. He came with Lorena and I. (Lorena and her husband, Fernando, work with us at street church) We ordered the food and then stood outside to talk. That was when "Juli" admitted that his name was Julio and that he was gay. I just asked him about his family and he broke down. He hasn't been living on the streets long. He came out to his mother that he's gay and she went crazy. She kicked him out and threatened to kill him. He has since found out that his brother is looking for him to kill him as well. He was just broken. He asked Lorena and I to pray for him and we did. He sobbed.
Please pray for Julio.
Here's some photos of our time at street church!
Things that are crazy.
There are a lot of things that are just plain crazy. Things that you can't explain but it all intersects to make something happen that you never expected to work. This Sunday one of those things happened.
When we first started working in the streets we ran into a guy named Gregorio. He was a violent, angry, bitter person. He had spent time in prison and had even stole some money from Mark at one time. It was one of those situations where whenever we saw him he was causing problems or was completely in the middle of something not good.
Over the past 2 years we noticed a few little changes, nothing too major just little things that made us notice that something was happening. He wasn't as bragging about his past as I remembered him once being, he was sleeping the the shelter and not causing problems there, he seemed less angry. I have to admit though, I didn't know if he was just putting on somekind of show or if something was really happening in him.
Last Sunday I saw Mark talking to someone in church off to the side and I was surprised when I saw that it was Gregorio! Shocked! What was he doing there? I also looked over the congregation and realized that our friend Jose Eduardo was there with all the students from Teen Challenge in Guatemala City! They only come to our church maybe twice a year. This was unusual.
When I talked with Mark about what was going on, he said that Gregorio was telling him he was sick of his life and wanted a radical change. It was a crazy God thing that Jose Eduardo was there that same morning! After church we introduced them and Jose Eduardo asked Gregorio how he was doing and Gregorio said, "Bad." Jose asked him why and he said that it was time for a change. Jose looked at him and said, "If you're really ready for a change why don't you come with us right now to Teen Challenge?" Gregorio mentioned that he felt bad because he needed to pay back the money he had stolen from Mark first. Mark told him to forget about it for now, we can deal with that later.
End of story? Gregorio went to Teen Challenge that day with Jose!!! Crazy.
When we first started working in the streets we ran into a guy named Gregorio. He was a violent, angry, bitter person. He had spent time in prison and had even stole some money from Mark at one time. It was one of those situations where whenever we saw him he was causing problems or was completely in the middle of something not good.
Over the past 2 years we noticed a few little changes, nothing too major just little things that made us notice that something was happening. He wasn't as bragging about his past as I remembered him once being, he was sleeping the the shelter and not causing problems there, he seemed less angry. I have to admit though, I didn't know if he was just putting on somekind of show or if something was really happening in him.
Last Sunday I saw Mark talking to someone in church off to the side and I was surprised when I saw that it was Gregorio! Shocked! What was he doing there? I also looked over the congregation and realized that our friend Jose Eduardo was there with all the students from Teen Challenge in Guatemala City! They only come to our church maybe twice a year. This was unusual.
When I talked with Mark about what was going on, he said that Gregorio was telling him he was sick of his life and wanted a radical change. It was a crazy God thing that Jose Eduardo was there that same morning! After church we introduced them and Jose Eduardo asked Gregorio how he was doing and Gregorio said, "Bad." Jose asked him why and he said that it was time for a change. Jose looked at him and said, "If you're really ready for a change why don't you come with us right now to Teen Challenge?" Gregorio mentioned that he felt bad because he needed to pay back the money he had stolen from Mark first. Mark told him to forget about it for now, we can deal with that later.
End of story? Gregorio went to Teen Challenge that day with Jose!!! Crazy.
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Photos!!!
Carlos
3 wishes!
Remember when you were a kid and you pretended you had 3 wishes and they would all come true? What would you wish for? Money? Vacations? 3 more wishes???
Some of our supporters through the years have occasionally challenged Mark and I to put a wish list on our newsletters. We really haven't a lot and I'm not exactly sure why! We just didn't. Maybe it's because we are just so appreciative of the fact that people send us money every month and it seems extravagant to ask for more! But this last newsletter we added 3 things to a wish list that we were needing/wanting. A new laptop--the one we have is extremely overworked and there's just too many people needing to do school and work on it and there aren't enough hours in the day for everyone to get done what needs to be done! A new camera--ours broke about a year ago and we haven't been able to replace it and haven't been able to take any photos. And a kitchen aid stand up mixer--I do a TON of cooking and baking for our family and others and even though it isn't truly a need it is something that would make my life a lot easier!
A week after we put it out someone wrote to us that they felt God leading them to give us all 3!!! Praise God! We are so thankful and we are truly enjoying the blessings! Our new camera is amazing! It is more than we could have ever expected. I am LOVING my new mixer--I call her Julia since Julia Child is one of my cooking heroes. And we are getting our new computer in about a week or so.
The lesson in all of this is that God is faithful! He is faithful with our needs and He is faithful with our wishes. He wants to bless us! What are your wishes?
Some of our supporters through the years have occasionally challenged Mark and I to put a wish list on our newsletters. We really haven't a lot and I'm not exactly sure why! We just didn't. Maybe it's because we are just so appreciative of the fact that people send us money every month and it seems extravagant to ask for more! But this last newsletter we added 3 things to a wish list that we were needing/wanting. A new laptop--the one we have is extremely overworked and there's just too many people needing to do school and work on it and there aren't enough hours in the day for everyone to get done what needs to be done! A new camera--ours broke about a year ago and we haven't been able to replace it and haven't been able to take any photos. And a kitchen aid stand up mixer--I do a TON of cooking and baking for our family and others and even though it isn't truly a need it is something that would make my life a lot easier!
A week after we put it out someone wrote to us that they felt God leading them to give us all 3!!! Praise God! We are so thankful and we are truly enjoying the blessings! Our new camera is amazing! It is more than we could have ever expected. I am LOVING my new mixer--I call her Julia since Julia Child is one of my cooking heroes. And we are getting our new computer in about a week or so.
The lesson in all of this is that God is faithful! He is faithful with our needs and He is faithful with our wishes. He wants to bless us! What are your wishes?
Give Us This Day...
It's interesting to me how we can learn the Lord's Prayer as a kid and not really know what it means until we grow up and live out a life of faith.
I remember praying "Give us this day our daily bread..." and thinking as a kid how much I like bread and that it's just so cool that God gives us bread every day! YAY God!!! It wasn't until we moved here on the mission field that I truly understood what that phrase meant.
When we lived in the US and things got tight we went out and got an extra job. Sometimes it was a less than glamorous job--but it got us through the tight spots. We struggled a little but could truly make things happen when we needed to. Thank you God for providing jobs and the opportunity to work and provide for our needs. He was giving us our daily bread.
Moving to Guatemala where we can't just go out and get a job (we don't have the right visa for that) if things get tight has really opened my eyes to what this means in our lives. Sometimes God provides daily--not ahead of time.
I have the American mentality that a savings account and a bit of a cushion is a good thing and a desirable thing to have. It's irresponsible not to have some extra little bit put away in case of an emergency. I have been under a lot of self-condemnation because that doesn't happen for us! It's been a tough thing for me to see. I often wonder why I can't save. Then I think about it a little and realize this: maybe God wants to provide DAILY.
We get our offering and it seems to be more than enough and I think "NOW we can put some away." Only to find that our car needs hundreds of dollars of more work than we realized or there's a medical situation to deal with or one of our homeless people needs some meds or one of our guys in rehab needs shampoo and eye glasses or our electric bill was figured wrong and now we have to make up the difference! This is a part of daily life here in Guatemala. Sometimes we can't plan ahead--and just when we think we have it's all gone!
I find it interesting that it's taken me this long to realize that daily means day by day. We may not be able to plan for tomorrow we just have to take God's provision as it comes--daily. This is faith! This is where the rubber meets the road. This is where we trust that He is our daily provider as we are faithful with what He provides.
So now when I pray "Give us this day our daily bread..." I smile because I realize now what it means to actually live completely and totally dependent on God for every. single. day. Not easy--but always worth it.
I remember praying "Give us this day our daily bread..." and thinking as a kid how much I like bread and that it's just so cool that God gives us bread every day! YAY God!!! It wasn't until we moved here on the mission field that I truly understood what that phrase meant.
When we lived in the US and things got tight we went out and got an extra job. Sometimes it was a less than glamorous job--but it got us through the tight spots. We struggled a little but could truly make things happen when we needed to. Thank you God for providing jobs and the opportunity to work and provide for our needs. He was giving us our daily bread.
Moving to Guatemala where we can't just go out and get a job (we don't have the right visa for that) if things get tight has really opened my eyes to what this means in our lives. Sometimes God provides daily--not ahead of time.
I have the American mentality that a savings account and a bit of a cushion is a good thing and a desirable thing to have. It's irresponsible not to have some extra little bit put away in case of an emergency. I have been under a lot of self-condemnation because that doesn't happen for us! It's been a tough thing for me to see. I often wonder why I can't save. Then I think about it a little and realize this: maybe God wants to provide DAILY.
We get our offering and it seems to be more than enough and I think "NOW we can put some away." Only to find that our car needs hundreds of dollars of more work than we realized or there's a medical situation to deal with or one of our homeless people needs some meds or one of our guys in rehab needs shampoo and eye glasses or our electric bill was figured wrong and now we have to make up the difference! This is a part of daily life here in Guatemala. Sometimes we can't plan ahead--and just when we think we have it's all gone!
I find it interesting that it's taken me this long to realize that daily means day by day. We may not be able to plan for tomorrow we just have to take God's provision as it comes--daily. This is faith! This is where the rubber meets the road. This is where we trust that He is our daily provider as we are faithful with what He provides.
So now when I pray "Give us this day our daily bread..." I smile because I realize now what it means to actually live completely and totally dependent on God for every. single. day. Not easy--but always worth it.
Friday, October 7, 2011
It's been How Long?
I couldn't believe when I looked on here that it had been since June the last time I wrote something! Time flies when you're having fun!
So what has our family been up to? Well here's a little run down:
Alicia: She spent the summer at Chico YWAM doing their summer program. It was a great experience for her and she has decided to go back in the fall to do her DTS before she heads off to college to pursue a degree in nursing. She is currently enjoying Guatemala and finishing her senior year. She is also working hard on translating a Spanish book on values used in the school system here from Spanish to English to be used in African schools.
Bailey: She is working hard on her sophomore year of high school and enjoying music and art. She wants to go to Chico YWAM next summer to do the same program Alicia did this past summer. She just turned 15 and is already talking about the time when Mark will teach her driving!!
Christopher: He is now in 8th grade and attending youth group and having fun with his friends. He is still really gifted at all things technical and I am constantly amazed at what he knows how to do. It blows my mind! He has been teaching at our church's kids classes on Sunday mornings helping to translate.
Soup Run
We have been working with the homeless doing soup run for almost 2 years now. This year it has really grown and we have also been blessed with a few teams who have gone out with us. Previously we paid for the soup and food that we brought to people and recently we have been blessed with a LOT of dried soup mixes with veggies and beans. It's been such a blessing since we are regularly feeding about 50 people! We are looking forward to working with more churches in another city nearby to start doing some soup runs there as well.
Evangelism/Street Ministry
We've been busy getting the bus ready to use and have even used it a few times to show movies and do outreaches. The most recent one was in September with our Discipleship Training School students in Chimaltenango. We were there all day doing children's ministry and evangelism near the central square. We were able to partner with a church there and pray with many people. We are hoping to take the bus out more once rainy season ends!
Mark still does street ministry every Saturday night and has had great talks and times of prayer with people in Central Park in Antigua. He is continuing to go out and bring others with him to share the gospel.
Discipleship Training School
On July 24th of this year we began our DTS with 12 students from Canada the US and Curacao. It has been a busy time!!! Mark is working with the 3 guys and I am working with 3 of the girls. We've been doing one-on-ones and small groups as well as coordinating activities for the weekends. It's been a lot of fun! They leave for 5 weeks in Haiti and then return to Guatemala towards the middle of November to do their last 3 weeks in different locations here. Mark may be joining them for the last 3 weeks of outreach but he will remain at home to work on outreach here and a team that will be arriving in November.
Prayer Requests
--Please pray for the 6 people that are in their rehab programs that God will work in them.
--Pray for our family to be able to have some time off for a little relaxation in the next few months. It's been
2 years since our trip to the US and even though we can't return there we would like to take some time off
here in Guatemala.
--Please continue to pray for our street people that God would continue to move in their lives.
--Pray for continued financial support for us to do the work we have here in Guatemala.
--Dayle
So what has our family been up to? Well here's a little run down:
Alicia: She spent the summer at Chico YWAM doing their summer program. It was a great experience for her and she has decided to go back in the fall to do her DTS before she heads off to college to pursue a degree in nursing. She is currently enjoying Guatemala and finishing her senior year. She is also working hard on translating a Spanish book on values used in the school system here from Spanish to English to be used in African schools.
Bailey: She is working hard on her sophomore year of high school and enjoying music and art. She wants to go to Chico YWAM next summer to do the same program Alicia did this past summer. She just turned 15 and is already talking about the time when Mark will teach her driving!!
Christopher: He is now in 8th grade and attending youth group and having fun with his friends. He is still really gifted at all things technical and I am constantly amazed at what he knows how to do. It blows my mind! He has been teaching at our church's kids classes on Sunday mornings helping to translate.
Soup Run
We have been working with the homeless doing soup run for almost 2 years now. This year it has really grown and we have also been blessed with a few teams who have gone out with us. Previously we paid for the soup and food that we brought to people and recently we have been blessed with a LOT of dried soup mixes with veggies and beans. It's been such a blessing since we are regularly feeding about 50 people! We are looking forward to working with more churches in another city nearby to start doing some soup runs there as well.
Evangelism/Street Ministry
We've been busy getting the bus ready to use and have even used it a few times to show movies and do outreaches. The most recent one was in September with our Discipleship Training School students in Chimaltenango. We were there all day doing children's ministry and evangelism near the central square. We were able to partner with a church there and pray with many people. We are hoping to take the bus out more once rainy season ends!
Mark still does street ministry every Saturday night and has had great talks and times of prayer with people in Central Park in Antigua. He is continuing to go out and bring others with him to share the gospel.
Discipleship Training School
On July 24th of this year we began our DTS with 12 students from Canada the US and Curacao. It has been a busy time!!! Mark is working with the 3 guys and I am working with 3 of the girls. We've been doing one-on-ones and small groups as well as coordinating activities for the weekends. It's been a lot of fun! They leave for 5 weeks in Haiti and then return to Guatemala towards the middle of November to do their last 3 weeks in different locations here. Mark may be joining them for the last 3 weeks of outreach but he will remain at home to work on outreach here and a team that will be arriving in November.
Prayer Requests
--Please pray for the 6 people that are in their rehab programs that God will work in them.
--Pray for our family to be able to have some time off for a little relaxation in the next few months. It's been
2 years since our trip to the US and even though we can't return there we would like to take some time off
here in Guatemala.
--Please continue to pray for our street people that God would continue to move in their lives.
--Pray for continued financial support for us to do the work we have here in Guatemala.
--Dayle
Saturday, June 25, 2011
So...here's what happened this week!
Usually when our kids go to camp I have a week to myself and Mark gets a little bit of a break as well. Not this year!!!! It was one of our busier weeks, doing good things, but, busy.
We had a team from South Korea here this week doing street ministry, children's ministry, and soup run with us. It was interesting because they didn't speak any Spanish and only a few on the team spoke a little bit of English--so translation was a tad tricky--but, they did wonderful! They were able to communicate through drama, song, and dance. They were able to pray with people in their language and bless our base with watching them play with the children. It's so great to see how God can use different kinds of communication to convey His love!
This week was a busy street ministry week. Tuesday night we took the Korean team out for soup run and fed over 50 people soup and tortillas. Mark took a different team from Kansas here working with another ministry out for street evangelism that same night. Wednesday night we did "Feed the Hungry" at our church for the 3rd and last Wednesday night (for this time anyway) and brought people in from the homeless shelter and streets for dinner at our church. We fed almost 95 people that night and everyone left with a New Testament as well! Thursday night we took the Kansas team out for Soup Run and fed about 50 people again.
All of that plus meetings with our YWAM team, a pastor from another city near us, and planning for and organizing Parent's Day at camp for Friday. This was a busy week!
One thing I know, as I work with the street people and addicts, I'm so grateful for God's power in the lives of those who are in rehab overcoming their addictions. It's a long road and they are struggling--please pray for them! Jaimie is in Teen Challenge. Ana and Miguel are in a rehab affiliated with a church in San Lucas. Charlie is in Hogar de la Roca. There are those who are working toward going to rehab: William and Victoria. Please pray that God helps them to walk in the direction of their freedom.
It's been raining a lot in Antigua and it's been raining hard. This is a difficult time for those who live on the streets. We are so grateful that we have been able to visit them more than usual. We are also glad when we can give them a fresh change of clothes that are dry and clean. We are hoping to stock up on men's clothing and warmer clothes for them. Also, it would be a blessing to them to be able to buy plastic tarps for some of them to use. Please pray that we are able to do that.
Also, we are praying for several of them who are sick right now--the weather is tough on their bodies. Dora, Carlos, Chmarco, and Ana have been battling sickness.
Pray for us as we continue to minister to the needs of the extremely poor and addicted people here in Antigua.
We had a team from South Korea here this week doing street ministry, children's ministry, and soup run with us. It was interesting because they didn't speak any Spanish and only a few on the team spoke a little bit of English--so translation was a tad tricky--but, they did wonderful! They were able to communicate through drama, song, and dance. They were able to pray with people in their language and bless our base with watching them play with the children. It's so great to see how God can use different kinds of communication to convey His love!
This week was a busy street ministry week. Tuesday night we took the Korean team out for soup run and fed over 50 people soup and tortillas. Mark took a different team from Kansas here working with another ministry out for street evangelism that same night. Wednesday night we did "Feed the Hungry" at our church for the 3rd and last Wednesday night (for this time anyway) and brought people in from the homeless shelter and streets for dinner at our church. We fed almost 95 people that night and everyone left with a New Testament as well! Thursday night we took the Kansas team out for Soup Run and fed about 50 people again.
All of that plus meetings with our YWAM team, a pastor from another city near us, and planning for and organizing Parent's Day at camp for Friday. This was a busy week!
One thing I know, as I work with the street people and addicts, I'm so grateful for God's power in the lives of those who are in rehab overcoming their addictions. It's a long road and they are struggling--please pray for them! Jaimie is in Teen Challenge. Ana and Miguel are in a rehab affiliated with a church in San Lucas. Charlie is in Hogar de la Roca. There are those who are working toward going to rehab: William and Victoria. Please pray that God helps them to walk in the direction of their freedom.
It's been raining a lot in Antigua and it's been raining hard. This is a difficult time for those who live on the streets. We are so grateful that we have been able to visit them more than usual. We are also glad when we can give them a fresh change of clothes that are dry and clean. We are hoping to stock up on men's clothing and warmer clothes for them. Also, it would be a blessing to them to be able to buy plastic tarps for some of them to use. Please pray that we are able to do that.
Also, we are praying for several of them who are sick right now--the weather is tough on their bodies. Dora, Carlos, Chmarco, and Ana have been battling sickness.
Pray for us as we continue to minister to the needs of the extremely poor and addicted people here in Antigua.
Monday, June 20, 2011
Update!!!!
Sometimes things are just INSANE!!! You know how it is, you start the week thinking you have your schedule under control, and then the week begins and you realize it's just a crazy time. Ministry has never been better--we are just so excited about all the opportunities heading our way. The bus will be busy with outreaches, our homeless ministry is going well with good relationships being built, street church is a blessing to us and the street people, we are working with other missionaries and their teams to do street ministry and soup run. Whew!
With all of that, we add in the Discipleship Training School (DTS) that is starting in about a month! Mark and I will be working more closely with that than we have in past years because we are a little short staffed. We have 13 students coming which is a huge blessing!!! Mark will be working with the guys in the group doing one-on-one time with each of them every week, small group, and helping to coordinate the activities for the whole group. I will be working with about 4 girls doing one-on-ones, small group, and helping Mark coordinate the activities. We will also be doing some of the meals on Sundays for the group.
With all of that going on we have a few requests! Here are some things that you all could be praying for:
1. We absolutely NEED to up our monthly financial support. There are some major ministry things coming up and we pay for all our ministry with the homeless out of our monthly support. As our ministry grows, our financial need grows.
2. Our car, which is essential to our ministry, is in need of some major tlc! The brakes need fixing and now the starter is going. Please pray that we can get the work done and that our car lasts!!! We love our car!
3. Our kids are really stepping up and helping with a lot of what we do. Pray for them! They are figuring out what God has for their futures and making some big decisions. Pray for us as their parents to guide them.
4. Continue to pray for those in rehab: Jaimie, Charlie, Ana, and Miguel.
5. Pray for William who wants to return to rehab.
6. We have several others who want to change their life: Victoria, Carlos, Dora, Ana. Please pray for them and for opportunities to open up for them.
With all of that, we add in the Discipleship Training School (DTS) that is starting in about a month! Mark and I will be working more closely with that than we have in past years because we are a little short staffed. We have 13 students coming which is a huge blessing!!! Mark will be working with the guys in the group doing one-on-one time with each of them every week, small group, and helping to coordinate the activities for the whole group. I will be working with about 4 girls doing one-on-ones, small group, and helping Mark coordinate the activities. We will also be doing some of the meals on Sundays for the group.
With all of that going on we have a few requests! Here are some things that you all could be praying for:
1. We absolutely NEED to up our monthly financial support. There are some major ministry things coming up and we pay for all our ministry with the homeless out of our monthly support. As our ministry grows, our financial need grows.
2. Our car, which is essential to our ministry, is in need of some major tlc! The brakes need fixing and now the starter is going. Please pray that we can get the work done and that our car lasts!!! We love our car!
3. Our kids are really stepping up and helping with a lot of what we do. Pray for them! They are figuring out what God has for their futures and making some big decisions. Pray for us as their parents to guide them.
4. Continue to pray for those in rehab: Jaimie, Charlie, Ana, and Miguel.
5. Pray for William who wants to return to rehab.
6. We have several others who want to change their life: Victoria, Carlos, Dora, Ana. Please pray for them and for opportunities to open up for them.
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
A strange thing happened on the way to the meeting...
Do you ever feel like God is trying to tell you something. All at once. Loudly.
This afternoon has been like that for me. Within the space of one hour we experienced a strange variety of things that has me going, "Hmmmm..."
On the way to our weekly staff meeting at the YWAM base we saw a jack-knifed semi truck trying to make an impossibly sharp turn from a highway (under construction) to a little side road where all the regular highway traffic is being routed through. I felt so bad for the driver and felt a little bit of how frustrating it would be to try to manoeuvre through a centuries old, cobble-stoned, city to make deliveries in narrow, quaint little streets. Antigua is charming until you are a truck driver I'll bet!
So we had to take the long way around through another little town to get to our meeting. While on the road we were behind a police truck with 2 officers in it just minding our own business until a large can was thrown out the window of the police truck. Right away I said to Mark, "Did you see that? They just littered!" Why that was so surprising I still don't know! Then the second can was thrown out. That's when I noticed that they weren't just any cans, they were the large 20 oz. Gallo beer cans! So they were drinking and driving, on duty, and littering. "Hmmmm..."
Right about then my phone went off that I have a text message. Now, I usually don't check texts because, frankly, it's usually just ads for the company we have our phones with. But, for some reason I checked this one. It said that I had a court date. Tomorrow. For the Q4,000 (about $500) debt I haven't paid. The text was complete with case numbers and everything. I said to Mark, "What debt? We don't owe anyone that kind of money! What do you think this is?" When we got to the base we showed our director and he said not to answer it or even call the number because it's an extortion. ???????? Yeah, an extortion text message.
Then, while we were in the meeting I heard a truck trying to get through the street and heard a crash. Not good. Mark went outside and saw that the driver had hit our car with his truck and put a decent dent in it. For real. Not even kidding. I went out to look at what had happened and there was the driver trying to get away! I stopped him and our director helped me out while Mark was moving our car to assess the damage more accurately. The driver immediately started blaming US because we had parked on the street. Now, there's nowhere else to park at the base. There's only the street. WE had parked on the street and that's why he hit us and it's our fault. Our director made him get out of the truck and I said to him that it's not our fault it's his fault and he said that here in Guatemala it is the parked car that is blamed for these types of accidents! Again--????????
Our director immediately got on the phone to the police, and miraculously, that changed his tune. All of a sudden, he was all apologetic and wanted to know what he could do to make it right. We took his information and left it at that for now. The damage doesn't effect the performance of the car only the look--so it's not too bad. But, we do feel he needs to take responsibility for his actions so we're thinking of how to do that without causing his family hardship by demanding money. And in case you're wondering, the police never did show up.
So what do you think God is trying to teach us? Is He trying to tell us that justice is His and we can't look at man's idea of justice to work for us? Is He trying to tell us that He is in control and we need to rely on Him?
I don't know. But, I do know that God is good, and just, and He is in control. So, I'm not going to worry too much about it all. I'm going to continue to pray for our beautiful home country of Guatemala. I'm going to pray that HIS justice reigns here and thank Him for his grace and mercy that keeps us working here. I'm going to believe that He loves this country more than we do and that we can be instruments of His will here in Guatemala. I'm thankful that we are able to do what He's asked us to do. And tonight I'm going to bring soup to homeless people and addicts and be thankful for the things that keep MY life here normal for me.
This afternoon has been like that for me. Within the space of one hour we experienced a strange variety of things that has me going, "Hmmmm..."
On the way to our weekly staff meeting at the YWAM base we saw a jack-knifed semi truck trying to make an impossibly sharp turn from a highway (under construction) to a little side road where all the regular highway traffic is being routed through. I felt so bad for the driver and felt a little bit of how frustrating it would be to try to manoeuvre through a centuries old, cobble-stoned, city to make deliveries in narrow, quaint little streets. Antigua is charming until you are a truck driver I'll bet!
So we had to take the long way around through another little town to get to our meeting. While on the road we were behind a police truck with 2 officers in it just minding our own business until a large can was thrown out the window of the police truck. Right away I said to Mark, "Did you see that? They just littered!" Why that was so surprising I still don't know! Then the second can was thrown out. That's when I noticed that they weren't just any cans, they were the large 20 oz. Gallo beer cans! So they were drinking and driving, on duty, and littering. "Hmmmm..."
Right about then my phone went off that I have a text message. Now, I usually don't check texts because, frankly, it's usually just ads for the company we have our phones with. But, for some reason I checked this one. It said that I had a court date. Tomorrow. For the Q4,000 (about $500) debt I haven't paid. The text was complete with case numbers and everything. I said to Mark, "What debt? We don't owe anyone that kind of money! What do you think this is?" When we got to the base we showed our director and he said not to answer it or even call the number because it's an extortion. ???????? Yeah, an extortion text message.
Then, while we were in the meeting I heard a truck trying to get through the street and heard a crash. Not good. Mark went outside and saw that the driver had hit our car with his truck and put a decent dent in it. For real. Not even kidding. I went out to look at what had happened and there was the driver trying to get away! I stopped him and our director helped me out while Mark was moving our car to assess the damage more accurately. The driver immediately started blaming US because we had parked on the street. Now, there's nowhere else to park at the base. There's only the street. WE had parked on the street and that's why he hit us and it's our fault. Our director made him get out of the truck and I said to him that it's not our fault it's his fault and he said that here in Guatemala it is the parked car that is blamed for these types of accidents! Again--????????
Our director immediately got on the phone to the police, and miraculously, that changed his tune. All of a sudden, he was all apologetic and wanted to know what he could do to make it right. We took his information and left it at that for now. The damage doesn't effect the performance of the car only the look--so it's not too bad. But, we do feel he needs to take responsibility for his actions so we're thinking of how to do that without causing his family hardship by demanding money. And in case you're wondering, the police never did show up.
So what do you think God is trying to teach us? Is He trying to tell us that justice is His and we can't look at man's idea of justice to work for us? Is He trying to tell us that He is in control and we need to rely on Him?
I don't know. But, I do know that God is good, and just, and He is in control. So, I'm not going to worry too much about it all. I'm going to continue to pray for our beautiful home country of Guatemala. I'm going to pray that HIS justice reigns here and thank Him for his grace and mercy that keeps us working here. I'm going to believe that He loves this country more than we do and that we can be instruments of His will here in Guatemala. I'm thankful that we are able to do what He's asked us to do. And tonight I'm going to bring soup to homeless people and addicts and be thankful for the things that keep MY life here normal for me.
Saturday, May 14, 2011
How's the kids?
We get this question a lot because, they grow so fast!
Alicia
She is now 16 and finishing up her junior year of high school. She speaks pretty fluent Spanish and does a lot of translating for teams. She is participating on the drama team that Mark put together that participates in school ministry as well as street ministry. Alicia will be spending the summer in Chico, CA participating in the 24-7 program at YWAM Chico. This program is like a mini-dts that teaches leadership and service. She's excited to venture out on her own for 8 weeks! We aren't as excited for her to be gone, but, really happy that this opportunity has presented itself for her. Her future plans include some college online next year and then in 2013 she plans on moving in with her grandparents and attend nursing school in Brainerd. After school, she wants to return to Guatemala to work with villages that don't have a lot of medical care. She is also trying to coordinate a mission trip for our youth group here in Antigua to go to San Andres Quiche to minister to needs there.
Bailey
Bailey is 14 and finishing her freshman year of high school. She speaks really good Spanish and also participates in the drama team ministering in schools and on the street. She loves music and art and is very gifted in drawing. She has been taking piano and excelling at it! She hopes to participate in the youth worship team later this summer after a few more weeks of lessons. She will be spending the summer working with the different teams that will be arriving to work with YWAM Antigua this summer as well as helping to get ready for the DTS students who arrive in July.
Christopher
Christopher has just turned 13 and is finishing up 7th grade. He is taller than I am and he is still growing--too fast in my opinion! He speaks excellent Spanish and also has been helping with translating with teams and also for Mark in the park. He is busy with computers and friends and we are so thankful that he has a gift for computer technology and has fixed things here many times! He LOVES spending time with his friends and playing computer games and just hanging out. He just started attending our church's youth group and it's been fun to see him be part of what God is doing in our youth. He will be helping with sound and video editing for our ministry this summer and with the teams that are coming.
So that's it! They are growing fast and it's fun to see God work in their lives. Thanks so much for all the support and prayer we receive for our family--it's such a blessing!
--Dayle
Alicia
She is now 16 and finishing up her junior year of high school. She speaks pretty fluent Spanish and does a lot of translating for teams. She is participating on the drama team that Mark put together that participates in school ministry as well as street ministry. Alicia will be spending the summer in Chico, CA participating in the 24-7 program at YWAM Chico. This program is like a mini-dts that teaches leadership and service. She's excited to venture out on her own for 8 weeks! We aren't as excited for her to be gone, but, really happy that this opportunity has presented itself for her. Her future plans include some college online next year and then in 2013 she plans on moving in with her grandparents and attend nursing school in Brainerd. After school, she wants to return to Guatemala to work with villages that don't have a lot of medical care. She is also trying to coordinate a mission trip for our youth group here in Antigua to go to San Andres Quiche to minister to needs there.
Bailey
Bailey is 14 and finishing her freshman year of high school. She speaks really good Spanish and also participates in the drama team ministering in schools and on the street. She loves music and art and is very gifted in drawing. She has been taking piano and excelling at it! She hopes to participate in the youth worship team later this summer after a few more weeks of lessons. She will be spending the summer working with the different teams that will be arriving to work with YWAM Antigua this summer as well as helping to get ready for the DTS students who arrive in July.
Christopher
Christopher has just turned 13 and is finishing up 7th grade. He is taller than I am and he is still growing--too fast in my opinion! He speaks excellent Spanish and also has been helping with translating with teams and also for Mark in the park. He is busy with computers and friends and we are so thankful that he has a gift for computer technology and has fixed things here many times! He LOVES spending time with his friends and playing computer games and just hanging out. He just started attending our church's youth group and it's been fun to see him be part of what God is doing in our youth. He will be helping with sound and video editing for our ministry this summer and with the teams that are coming.
So that's it! They are growing fast and it's fun to see God work in their lives. Thanks so much for all the support and prayer we receive for our family--it's such a blessing!
--Dayle
George!
There is a man named George (Jorge) who has been coming to street church and we have been speaking to for a few months now. He speaks perfect English and tells everyone he's from Hollywood, CA. He has lead a rough life.
Mark has talked with George very strongly about his need for Jesus and George kept saying "Someday, I'm just not ready now." But, he kept coming to street church and talking with us. He's has a lot of anger inside and is constantly getting into fights.
Last Sunday night when Mark asked if people would like prayer, George came forward and said, "I'm ready now, Mark." Mark looked at him and said, "I've been waiting for you for a long time!" George received Jesus as his personal Lord and Savior.
Please continue to pray for George! He has a long way to go with his addictions and his anger. We are hoping to start working with him towards rehab.
--Dayle
Mark has talked with George very strongly about his need for Jesus and George kept saying "Someday, I'm just not ready now." But, he kept coming to street church and talking with us. He's has a lot of anger inside and is constantly getting into fights.
Last Sunday night when Mark asked if people would like prayer, George came forward and said, "I'm ready now, Mark." Mark looked at him and said, "I've been waiting for you for a long time!" George received Jesus as his personal Lord and Savior.
Please continue to pray for George! He has a long way to go with his addictions and his anger. We are hoping to start working with him towards rehab.
--Dayle
What's Up with Street Ministry?
This is something I get a lot of questions about!
It's been so busy!!! During the month of April and into May the local homeless shelter shuts down and many of the people who sleep there on a regular basis are on the street. Needless to say, we've been crazy busy with soup run and gone through over 50 cups of soup every night that we do it. It's been great because we are building relationships with these people. It's important for them to see us on a regular basis so that they are able to build trust with us.
We currently have 4 of our street people in rehab! Jaimie and William are in Teen Challenge. Mark just visited them this week and took William to a doctor's appointment. William is doing well and still in the beginning stages of his rehab program. Jaimie is in the middle of it and is struggling a bit. Please pray for him. This is a difficult time when things are being dealt with deep inside of them and it's easy for Satan to come in and make them feel "picked on". Miguel and Ana are in a different program and are nearing the end of their time there in the next few months. We met with them this week and they are looking to join us with the street ministry we do here. There are a few things to consider with this so pray for wisdom for us!
In the past we've talked a lot about Charlie who was at Hogar de la Roca. He has chosen to leave rehab after 7 months in the program. We have run into him in the streets and he is drinking again. We are concerned about what will happen to his health for returning to alcohol after his rehab. Please pray for Charlie. He did tell us that he wants to return to rehab, but, didn't show up for some of the things we set up for him to do in order to return.
It's been a wonderful thing to minister to these people. We are so blessed to be able to do what we do! We have also started meeting every Sunday evening with them to do a "street church". We do worship and preaching and prayer with them. They have responded so well to it and we are seeing some definite results in their hearts! Keep praying that this continues to turn into discipleship of their lives and many more are set free from the bonds of alcohol and drug abuse.
--Dayle
It's been so busy!!! During the month of April and into May the local homeless shelter shuts down and many of the people who sleep there on a regular basis are on the street. Needless to say, we've been crazy busy with soup run and gone through over 50 cups of soup every night that we do it. It's been great because we are building relationships with these people. It's important for them to see us on a regular basis so that they are able to build trust with us.
We currently have 4 of our street people in rehab! Jaimie and William are in Teen Challenge. Mark just visited them this week and took William to a doctor's appointment. William is doing well and still in the beginning stages of his rehab program. Jaimie is in the middle of it and is struggling a bit. Please pray for him. This is a difficult time when things are being dealt with deep inside of them and it's easy for Satan to come in and make them feel "picked on". Miguel and Ana are in a different program and are nearing the end of their time there in the next few months. We met with them this week and they are looking to join us with the street ministry we do here. There are a few things to consider with this so pray for wisdom for us!
In the past we've talked a lot about Charlie who was at Hogar de la Roca. He has chosen to leave rehab after 7 months in the program. We have run into him in the streets and he is drinking again. We are concerned about what will happen to his health for returning to alcohol after his rehab. Please pray for Charlie. He did tell us that he wants to return to rehab, but, didn't show up for some of the things we set up for him to do in order to return.
It's been a wonderful thing to minister to these people. We are so blessed to be able to do what we do! We have also started meeting every Sunday evening with them to do a "street church". We do worship and preaching and prayer with them. They have responded so well to it and we are seeing some definite results in their hearts! Keep praying that this continues to turn into discipleship of their lives and many more are set free from the bonds of alcohol and drug abuse.
--Dayle
Holy Week!
It's been so long since I've been able to update! It's been crazy busy--but that's all good, right?
We had a great Holy Week--the week between Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday. It was busy with preparing for outreach on Holy Thursday. We had our church's youth group helping with the outreach and had a tremendous time with dramas and preaching right up until it started to rain. Hard. This was interesting since it wasn't rainy season and usually doesn't rain that time of year.
But these teens wouldn't stop. They went out anyway and just started talking with people and praying with people and handing out tracts. They were inspirational. So many people got to hear the gospel that night and we were out until 6:30 am. I can't wait until next year!!!
Good Friday evening is completely crowded in Antigua and Mark went out with a small team of people to do some street ministry. It was so fruitful that he was out until after midnight again! Saturday night he was out again until really late. It was a wonderfully fruitful time of ministry and the gospel was preached to crowds of people who had spent a lot of time that day thinking about what Jesus had done for them so many years ago. What a blessing!
Another answer to prayer--we are always needing tracts. It's been something that has been a real trick with getting them ordered and then shipped to someone who is coming down all at the same time that we need them. God is so good! Another missionary couple that we are friends with down here were talking with their chiropracters in California while they were home over Christmas and these doctors have a passion for evangelism. They also LOVE the Living Waters tracts that Mark uses! They wrote to him and asked him to make up a wish list of tracts that he uses. They ordered over 52 pounds of tracts, videos, and literature for us to use!!!!!!! They also paid for an extra suitcase for someone coming down to bring them to us. All in time for Holy Week! We are so grateful! Mark had all the tracts he could use and still has some to use. They also want to be kept up-to-date when he needs more. What a HUGE blessing!
Thank you all for your prayers during Holy Week. So many wonderful things happened!
--Dayle
We had a great Holy Week--the week between Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday. It was busy with preparing for outreach on Holy Thursday. We had our church's youth group helping with the outreach and had a tremendous time with dramas and preaching right up until it started to rain. Hard. This was interesting since it wasn't rainy season and usually doesn't rain that time of year.
But these teens wouldn't stop. They went out anyway and just started talking with people and praying with people and handing out tracts. They were inspirational. So many people got to hear the gospel that night and we were out until 6:30 am. I can't wait until next year!!!
Good Friday evening is completely crowded in Antigua and Mark went out with a small team of people to do some street ministry. It was so fruitful that he was out until after midnight again! Saturday night he was out again until really late. It was a wonderfully fruitful time of ministry and the gospel was preached to crowds of people who had spent a lot of time that day thinking about what Jesus had done for them so many years ago. What a blessing!
Another answer to prayer--we are always needing tracts. It's been something that has been a real trick with getting them ordered and then shipped to someone who is coming down all at the same time that we need them. God is so good! Another missionary couple that we are friends with down here were talking with their chiropracters in California while they were home over Christmas and these doctors have a passion for evangelism. They also LOVE the Living Waters tracts that Mark uses! They wrote to him and asked him to make up a wish list of tracts that he uses. They ordered over 52 pounds of tracts, videos, and literature for us to use!!!!!!! They also paid for an extra suitcase for someone coming down to bring them to us. All in time for Holy Week! We are so grateful! Mark had all the tracts he could use and still has some to use. They also want to be kept up-to-date when he needs more. What a HUGE blessing!
Thank you all for your prayers during Holy Week. So many wonderful things happened!
--Dayle
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Answered Prayer
I was just looking at our sidebar on this blog and realized that one of the prayer requests we put on there (over a year ago) was for new opportunities in the schools. We have been praying and believing for opportunities to go into the schools here to share the love of Jesus to the students.
In the last 2 months this has been starting to happen! Mark and the girls have been working with a group of missionary teens here to start a drama team to work on dramas and a program for public schools. This is a group of about 9 or 10 teens.
Since they've started this team they have ministered in at least 3 school programs! One was in a part of the City where the school called and asked for help because things in the school are bad and they need a change!
God is so good! If we prepare for rain, it will pour!
In the last 2 months this has been starting to happen! Mark and the girls have been working with a group of missionary teens here to start a drama team to work on dramas and a program for public schools. This is a group of about 9 or 10 teens.
Since they've started this team they have ministered in at least 3 school programs! One was in a part of the City where the school called and asked for help because things in the school are bad and they need a change!
God is so good! If we prepare for rain, it will pour!
Friday, March 18, 2011
When you Least Expect it...
I've been wondering for over a week how to post this story. It's been something that happened when we weren't expecting it and it's not exactly encouraging. I like to post really great and positive things that happen here in our beautiful home, but, sometimes it just isn't great or positive. This is one of those times.
Last week (Tuesday) we had a busy day as a family in the City running errands and getting some things done we needed to do. After we finally got home (about 3:30 or so) we all sat down for a quiet evening and a family time with maybe a movie or something. We were all tired.
About 6:00 or so someone started knocking frantically on our door. We went to the door and it was our neighbor telling us that they needed us in the house across from us because one of the young men who was living there had hung himself and there was a woman and a baby in there and the woman was bleeding terribly. Mark ran over there quickly to help out. In the room was the man, the woman was lying on the floor and her baby (about 9-10 months old) was lying next to her. He saw that the woman was still alive but not able to respond to anything and the baby was fine as far as he could tell. Alicia went in to see if she could help the baby and to bring medical gloves to her dad. Mark stayed with the woman until help could come.
The medics got here and went right in to help and came out with the baby, who by this time was screaming, and handed her to me. We got towels and blankets for her (they had to cut off her clothes because she was covered in blood and they needed to see if she was hurt) and tried to calm her. My neighbor came to help and Bailey and I ran to the nearby pharmacy to get a bottle, baby shampoo, and diapers. We came home and asked if it was possible to give her a bath and were told yes. They wanted to know if there was some wound they couldn't see in her hair or something--she was covered in blood and it was dried on.
By the time the whole thing was finished, about 4 hours later, we were still in total shock. What happened? Why did this happen? It was a very emotional evening for our family and our kids were a little bit shaken up. It was a tough night for sleeping.
We have since found out that the young man was very depressed, he was in an attempted robbery about 9 months ago (someone attempted to rob him while he was working) and was shot. As a result, he was paralyzed from the waist down. I can understand his depression. It would be hard to deal with that when you are as young as he was and face your entire life in that situation. The woman was his ex-girlfriend and the baby was his. He was angry about the failure of the relationship.
It made me realize that whenever I have seen him around he seemed, on the outside, to be doing okay. I mean, he didn't seem as angry or depressed as he obviously was. Could I have reached out to my neighbor more? Would it have mattered? I don't know. I can't beat myself up about what is past, but, I can change the future. It makes me more determined to be compassionate, open to the Holy Spirit leading me to speak to people, open to really taking time to find out about people and reach out to them.
It's so easy to go about my busy day and life and not really take the time. How many people do we know who could use encouragement? And, really, how hard is it to encourage someone?
This young man had people in his life helping him and encouraging him and working with him. People who loved him. He was unable to receive it. It's important to not only be givers but receivers. We have to allow people to give encouragement to us and love on us. It's just as important as being someone who helps and encourages others. Maybe more.
In an update--the young woman died this past Saturday. She lived for 3 days after the attack. The baby is fine and living with her mom's family in the City. Please pray for her.
Last week (Tuesday) we had a busy day as a family in the City running errands and getting some things done we needed to do. After we finally got home (about 3:30 or so) we all sat down for a quiet evening and a family time with maybe a movie or something. We were all tired.
About 6:00 or so someone started knocking frantically on our door. We went to the door and it was our neighbor telling us that they needed us in the house across from us because one of the young men who was living there had hung himself and there was a woman and a baby in there and the woman was bleeding terribly. Mark ran over there quickly to help out. In the room was the man, the woman was lying on the floor and her baby (about 9-10 months old) was lying next to her. He saw that the woman was still alive but not able to respond to anything and the baby was fine as far as he could tell. Alicia went in to see if she could help the baby and to bring medical gloves to her dad. Mark stayed with the woman until help could come.
The medics got here and went right in to help and came out with the baby, who by this time was screaming, and handed her to me. We got towels and blankets for her (they had to cut off her clothes because she was covered in blood and they needed to see if she was hurt) and tried to calm her. My neighbor came to help and Bailey and I ran to the nearby pharmacy to get a bottle, baby shampoo, and diapers. We came home and asked if it was possible to give her a bath and were told yes. They wanted to know if there was some wound they couldn't see in her hair or something--she was covered in blood and it was dried on.
By the time the whole thing was finished, about 4 hours later, we were still in total shock. What happened? Why did this happen? It was a very emotional evening for our family and our kids were a little bit shaken up. It was a tough night for sleeping.
We have since found out that the young man was very depressed, he was in an attempted robbery about 9 months ago (someone attempted to rob him while he was working) and was shot. As a result, he was paralyzed from the waist down. I can understand his depression. It would be hard to deal with that when you are as young as he was and face your entire life in that situation. The woman was his ex-girlfriend and the baby was his. He was angry about the failure of the relationship.
It made me realize that whenever I have seen him around he seemed, on the outside, to be doing okay. I mean, he didn't seem as angry or depressed as he obviously was. Could I have reached out to my neighbor more? Would it have mattered? I don't know. I can't beat myself up about what is past, but, I can change the future. It makes me more determined to be compassionate, open to the Holy Spirit leading me to speak to people, open to really taking time to find out about people and reach out to them.
It's so easy to go about my busy day and life and not really take the time. How many people do we know who could use encouragement? And, really, how hard is it to encourage someone?
This young man had people in his life helping him and encouraging him and working with him. People who loved him. He was unable to receive it. It's important to not only be givers but receivers. We have to allow people to give encouragement to us and love on us. It's just as important as being someone who helps and encourages others. Maybe more.
In an update--the young woman died this past Saturday. She lived for 3 days after the attack. The baby is fine and living with her mom's family in the City. Please pray for her.
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