January 2021 Update

A wild year

Hogar Rosalinda

(Nutrition Training Center)

During this year, the nutritional center made a move into another part of our town. We have not had participants because of restrictions and the virus, but we have seen the rates of malnutrition skyrocket in this country, and in developing nations around the world. Our formula programs are increasing to help children who are malnourished. This week we have out last local food distribution in our home town. He have been giving food to 600 people each month from our town, but also from towns nearby. Although this is our last distribution, the Covid’s impact on hunger here will be seen for years to come.

Hogar de la Esperanza homes

During the last few months, my focus has shifted somewhat to help with the needs in the group homes, specifically the Fulp Home (Casa 1). This was in part to help out as there have not been any new interns who have come to live in the home and help care for the children. In part this has been as a response to Wanda’s recent diagnosis of Breast Cancer. Both Darly and Wanda have stepped back quite a bit to allow their team to manage more of the ministry while they spend needed time together in prayer, and resting between chemo treatments. I moved into the home for several weeks until a new staff could be trained and a new routine established. Although I loved this time, it was quite a lot to try to fill Wanda’s shoes!

This has been a time of unknowns, and stressors. It is also a time when God has shown how much he has blessed each of us. God brought together an incredible team to love the children in the homes, and help manage the ministry as a whole for just a time as this! Looking back at our journey with my own dad’s cancer, I can see clearly how God used something so scary looking to strengthen and build up my faith, and to impact our entire family. God will use this too to bring glory to His name. This will be a long road, but not a lonely one. I praise God to be part of not one, but two families on this earth!

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

Jenny

Jenny is one of our new little ladies in the Fulp home. She came from another home, and we originally heard that she was deaf with Downs syndrome. We felt this was perfect since we are all already learning Guatemalan sign language for Alison. As it happens, Jenny is most certainly not deaf! We believe she does have downs syndrome. Jenny is about 16 months now, and an absolute doll! She is full of personality, and very smart. She is pretty underweight however. When she arrived, painful next and back spasms caused most bottles to promptly be vomited back up. After a few weeks with an NG tube, and regulating her medications, Jenny is eating much better, and generally drinks her bottles very well. SHe is very slow to gain weight however.

Cristian

Cristian is in the Chapin home, and has autism. He is nonverbal and does not walk. He needs help eating, and for other basic care needs. Cristian’s mom Carissa writes “Cristian is now 11 years old! Overall he is a very content child, he loves to sit in his rocking chair. He also loves to play/snuggle with people.... but only for a limited amount of time (sometimes its 30 minutes... sometimes it's only 3 minutes). You still very much have to learn to read his body language because once he has hit his limit with physical touch you have to stop almost immediately or he will likely meltdown. He is becoming very difficult and demanding right before mealtime, but we are working on that. Overall he is doing very good and we don't have lots of autism meltdowns like he did when he was younger.... he is much better at self soothing!”

El centro de partos el pozo

(Birthing Center)

The birthing center continues to grow despite the pandemic. Joy and Luki have continued giving mothers and excellent resource, and can now do ultrasounds on site! Stephanie is newly married in her new town. They have been building for the last few months to creat the next birthing center in Canilla. Construction is nearing completion! The hope is to open early February, and begin serving this new community!

To learn more about el Centro de Partos el Pozo, follow Stephanie Konrad, at: https://stephaniedkonrad.wordpress.com/

Aliento feeding program

Aliento continues to serve the community of Aceituno, Escuintla, and relationships are still being formed and strengthened. Tarn finds more and more administrative work as she monitors the formula program, and school sponsorships for come of the children in the town. Building loving and consistent relationships can be challenging when many of the kids or adults have experienced truly unconditional love. Please continue to pray hard for the spiritual health of this community. In the months to come, we hope to see maternity care, bible studies, nutrition classes, and tutoring begin in this community. Great things are coming.

Learn more about Aliento by following the Director, Taryn, at https://tarynfulp.blogspot.com/

Rural village ministry

Our team continues to love on families through monthly visits to take essential medicine or food. Although social distancing changes how these visits look, the love is still there. Sadly, we lost another this month as Katerin Donis is now complete and walking with the Lord. Although I am glad she is free, it never gets easier to hear that another child has died. I did not personally know her, but she was loved by her family, and our team who dedicatedly visited her.

Food distributions continue, but on a much smaller scale. The crisis is far from over, but hands and resources are scarce.

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

I am also so grateful for the family God has given me here. It has been challenging to not see my family last year, and to miss weddings of close friends. It has been especially hard to see people I love hurting, and not be able to be present with them. God knew these things and gave me an incredible family here. Now Cancer is a part of life, but God is still good, and he is still in control. I could not be with my family in Ohio this year, but God showed me the depth of love in my family here though this crazy hard time.

My birth certificate arrived with friends who came back from the states! This means I can restart the adoption process! I am praying that the essential workshops and meetings will still happen despite the virus. Many things have opened since the virus relented somewhat, but with new sreges come new area based restrictions. Also, through the end of 2020, I wanted to shift my focus off of my problems, and onto the one who holds the world in hands. I belive that we ought to live in a way to honor God spiritually, mentally, and physically. So to help clear my head from all the problems I was feeling overwhelmed by, and to shift my focus back to God, I began a virtual challenge to walk or run 100 miles before the year's end. I am very grateful for all God has done in 2020, and I refuse to deny Him credit for all the great things he has done in the middle of circumstances that, to our eyes, seemed so bleak. God is still good. And God is still in control.

Prayer

Please continue to lift up Wanda and Daryl in your prayers. Cancer is hard physically and emotionally! God is so good to have provided just in time a huge supportive team to help in their absence. He has truly shown his provision in this crazy time!

So Far Gone

Tuesday, January 19, 2021

A Wild Year