August 2020
Life continues
As we wade deeper into 2020 and the unprecedented changes that have ensued following the Coronavirus, we are seeing more of what some of the long term effects may be, specifically in developing nations. As the nation slowly begins lifting many restrictions, the lasting effects in Guatemala are hunger and malnutrition skyrocketing, unemployment, and the collapse of hospital system. Some time back, overloaded hospitals said that if you were injured or sick, you were on your own. Many thousands are desperate for food. Everyone is hurting in some way or another.
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| Families are walking from a few towns over for the chance to recieve some rice, beans, and powdered milk. |
Hogar Rosalinda
(Nutrition Training Center)
Lockdowns and travel restrictions have presented a challenge. Although malnutrition is on the rise, Hogar Rosalinda has not had an influx of participants. Many families are working very hard to provide for their families. I have been using this time to help in other areas of the ministry including the homes, and distributing food in hard hit areas. (Although truthfully, nearly all areas are becoming hard hit areas). I have also begun experimenting in coordination with our directors of sustainability in ways to grow food in small, urbanized areas such as rooftop gardening vegetables and herbs. Hopefully with more input, better direction can go to help families learn the best things to plant in their homes to help sustain their families.
Big news for this side of the ministry came with the addition of half an acre of land on which the Tuckers can begin efforts toward long term self sustainability for the ministry, and to teach families. Their lives are now full with planning and utilizing this new land and preparing for the future.
Hogar de la Esperanza homes
The homes continue to provide quality and love filled care to the children we get to hold. Hearings have been suspended for a few months now, and all outside visitors are restricted. Our caregivings staff is asked to use caution when outside the homes. We have seen God’s protection over the kids, and none have become sick with COVID-19. Some of our staff have been positive, and others have lost family from the virus. For the kids however, life remains full of love. One favorite for the family, and the kids is watching baseball. Life may be different now, but God is still good, and life goes on.
The adult home is up and running! On July 6, we helped move our olders into their new home without head nanny Luisa. Luisa and her family had the passion to continue caring for our new young adults as they turn 18 and are required to move out of the childrens’ homes. We don’t want to lose them into a system that does not track or look out for adults with special needs, so we were naturally thrilled when Luisa, an already loved member of our team, stepped up into the role of heading this home. The olders are thriving with her, and continue to learn about Jesus while receiving top quality care. Checha, Alejandra, Brayan, and Yenni were the first to move, and within a week, Walter also will celebrate his 18th birthday and join them.
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| The kids love watching the game with us |
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| Helping with Supper |
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| Video calling friends in the ministry |
Read more about the different homes here:
Fulp home: Daryl Fulp: http://hopeforhome.blogspot.com/
Wanda Fulp: http://wandafulp.blogspot.com/
Blessing Angle, home intern:https://blessingjessica01.wixsite.com/website
Chapin home: Carissa Chapin: http://carissachapin.blogspot.com/
Alvarez home: on facebook at @light2guate
Our Kids
Walter
Walter is about to celebrate his 18th birthday! He has Cerebral Palsy, and is pretty tight and twisted. Walter does not see very well, but he always seems to know when something funny is happening and laughs hysterically. Walter seems to love everything about life and squeals with laughter whenever he hears music, laughter, other children running or playing, or whenever things get noisy. Walter loves being rough-housed with and when you spin him a few times before setting him in bed. The only thing he does not seem to enjoy is therapy! The Fulp home will miss him as his joyful disposition joins the other olders with Luisa next week. We praise God that the courts have allowed him to stay in our homes.
Ruavis
Ruavis also celebrated a birthday recently. He is now 7 years old! Ruavis has Microcephaly and Cerebral Palsy. He has been with the fulps longer than I have and arrived as a chunky baby. He is blind and does not interact very much, but he always loves to be held. Recently Ruavis has been declining in health and experiencing more painful spasms and seizures. At times he screams in pain and there is little we can do. We know his time with us is limited. Ruavis loves cuddle time, although at times the tightness of his muscle spasms are intense enough to give bruises to whoever holds him. We used to be able to coax out some deep belly laughs, but now about the only way to catch a smile is during a seizure. Please pray for peace and comfort for this little man.
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| Sleeping is about the only time his muscles are not tense |
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| Happy Birthday! Sadly smile is during a seizure. |
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| Snuggles always help bad days |
El centro de partos el pozo
(Birthing Center)
El Centro de partos el pozo also has some changes in the middle of a changing world. Director Stephany is getting married in less than two weeks and will be moving to a remote area in Canilla with her husband. Please pray that God will continue to bless them and grow them as they begin the next chapter of their lives together. Jow Woodie will be continuing on at the birthing center to train local women to give competent and loving care during pregnancy. Each day they build relationships with the women in this community, and their presence shares the love of Jesus with every woman who walks through those doors!
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| Moms and babies are always welcome back for well baby checkups |
To learn more about el Centro de Partos el Pozo, follow Stephanie Konrad, at: https://stephaniedkonrad.wordpress.com/
Also check out the Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/CentroDePartosElPozoEscuintlaGuatemala
Aliento feeding program
Aliento continues to serve the community of Florido Aceituno during the pandemic. They have had to adapt some things like spending only the minimum time in the community, changing cloths after visiting, reducing the number of people who go each day. Although they have doubled the soup they take each day, they still run out after only 20-30 minutes. Director Taryn underwent a surgery on her ankle, so her team continues in her place during her recuperation.
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| Buying veggitables locally brings much needed income to the town |
You may also want to check out their instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/aliento_37.56/?hl=en
Rural village ministry
The rural village team continues to serve others. They still visit their families each month, build relationships, and encourage families with the hope only found in Jesus. With the increase in need, they also have had to step it into high gear and much food is distributed. In addition, food distributions can provide food to remote communities to the most desperate. These days work in conjunction with local leaders to determine the families with the greatest need. Each distribution, local leaders try to keep social distancing, and our team has the opportunity to share the love of Christ before beginning. It is a big deal here in Guatemala that no government or specific church receives credit for bringing food, but God alone receives the glory. It is a powerful reminder to each family that God sees their need.
For those following closely on facebook, you may have seen food distributions slowing somewhat. This is because the emergency response to this need has continued for months unabated now. Essential work in other areas of the ministry can no longer be pushed off, and the problem of hunger is now understood to be a very long term problem lasting beyond the restrictions that contributed to it. To be able to sustain aid in this form, a more long term approach has been adopted.
This applies at home too. We had to set a number limit on how much food we give out in out town each month because word spread that we would give food. The word spread fast. Our town is hurting, but has far more resources than places farther out. People are hurting here, but not yet dying as in more remote areas. Within 3 days, 70 people had come to the door to receive a number to get food later this month. Please imagine 70 people asking you for food in just 3 days. Now understand that this doesn’t stop when the numbered slips are gone.
As word spreads, more people come. This week, the abount of numbers doubled and they were gone in one morning. 150 numbers gone in hours.
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| Imagine waiting in long lines in the sun for a little food |
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| Dick and his team leading prayer with families |
To learn more, you can check out Dick Rutgers at http://blog.dickrutgers.com/
Or follow Daryl Fulp, Dick Rutgers, or Emanuel Alvarez on facebook.
Personal
Life is overwhelming. I don’t know how many times I have spoken or written those words in the last few months. Restrictions are slowly lifting here, so for the first time in months we are allowed to be out after dark since curfew was pushed back to 9pm! Many aspects of life will be a long time to return to normal.
Perhaps the biggest thing we face here is very personal. The needs are so many and the resources so few. Every conversation leads to how a family is severely struggling, or someone died due to hospital negligence and lack of resources. There is a great heaviness that comes with this.
In US hospitals we talked about caregiver role strain- the idea that the family member caring for a sick relative has their own very real struggle holding the weight of giving medical care for another person as day after day they give their all to help their loved one, only to watch them slip away a little more each day. I see this here. The more you want to help others, the more you are exposed to situations in which you cannot help enough or at all. It’s a crushing weight to leave for your house and be stopped by another elderly woman explaining another heartbreaking need, and to know that in that moment you can do nothing. It’s an impossible weight when the doorbell rings over and over, but you have already given out all you can right now so you have to say I’m sorry over and over and over with tears in your eyes.
Life is overwhelming, but God is still good!
I don’t say this flippantly. These words are very full. God is still good and He is still hope. I can’t give more food to people who are asking me right now. But I listen to their situation. I cry often for them, or with them. I apologize and say with intent that I will pray for them. Then I do. I pray for them with tears. Jesus Christ is the only hope in a world so heavy. In him there is great joy even when the weight presses down. Our God is a God who sees.
Prayer
Please pray for the hungry. Give thanks to God if you have food today, and remember to pray for those who don’t. Never again will I take food for granted.
***If you would like a list of specific names to pray for, I have begun praying for individuals who I talk to by first name. There are so many names.***
Pray more so that God will use these times to turn the hearts of His people back to Him.
Pray earnestly for the Hope of Jesus Christ to be present in the livers of all who are hurting.
To learn about Hope for home in Liberia, follow:
Don Riley at http://www.liberiacalls.blogspot.com/
Susan Mclay at https://www.instagram.com/suzieinliberia/?hl=en
To learn more about the ministry as a whole, check out https://hopeforhome.org/
Director’s blog: http://hopeforhome.blogspot.com/
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