Edy is Fianlly Home

The last few weeks have been very challenging. I'm sure if you keep up on social media with anyone in the ministry you have heard a lot about this. Honestly I haven't wanted to write any of this. On May second we lost Edy after he fought for years. Daryl and Wanda were in the states, which made it harder on them, and harder on us to not be all together. But the team here came together. So many people from all areas of the ministry stepped up to help cover things. So the next morning, on May 3, we had Edy's funeral, and buried him in a tomb. I can't say much about the funeral because it was a bit of a blur to me; unreal maybe. It is sad that we have almost a routine about how to arrange a child's funeral. We have made the short walk to the cemetery too many times.   

So many people loved Edy. He was surrounded by it every day and loving arms carried him home. So now we have begun the necessary, but hard details like giving his wheelchair to baby David, who desperately needed one tat small. But it is Edy's chair and it hurts to see someone else sitting in it. It is confusing to the kids who comprehend in varying levels. Cesar sees David in Edy's chair and asks where Edy is. We didn't have enough space to fit beds well in the boys room, but now we do. We pulled his name out of the med chart because accidentally setting up and dumping his meds is expensive. His towel has passed to Kevin, and it feels wrong to see Kevin wrapped in it. Soon cloths too need to go to the other boys his size who really need longer pants. But how do you do that and not feel like you are forgetting him? I know we aren't, but why is it so hard to peel off a simple label.

Nearly 2 weeks later and I still expect to see him when I go down in the morning. When it is my night to watch the monitor I wake up abruptly because I can't hear his labored breathing and in my dream he just stopped breathing again. I want to grab him for snuggles when I call home, have computer work, or reading to do. I miss his hair through my fingers, and his tiny hands wrapped around my thumb. I regret that my family now can never meet him. I miss his huge eyes and every facial expression from scowling or crossed eyes, to a side grin or his full face smiles that brought his head around. Sometimes I stop and remember just what he felt like curled in my arms, head bobbing from the effort every breath took for him.

I remember, and it hurts not to have him. But I prayed for this. I prayed that his suffering would come to an end, and that he would know peace. And I praise God that he breaths without pain now. That he sees the face of his creator and knows true joy. Edy always had so much joy here, despite tubes, and coughing, and spasms. I know however, that here it is only a poor reflection of the joy he encounters now with Christ.

Elsewhere, life keeps going in the home. More diapers, meds, and therapies. Just a few moments are here. Esther is practicing standing. She really hates this, but she really loves food. So members of our team get creative in motivating her to stand.

Livni is our night nanny, and loves our kids deeply without often seeing many of them awake. Here is a precious moment I caught the other morning when I came down.

Humberto's feeding tube popped (which happens from time to time), so we got to insert his new button port from the states. Now his tube doesn't get caught on anything, and doesn't get so infected. It also is better than the button port Walter has because it has a one way membrane on it that doesn't let fluid pass. This means no more tube feed spills!!

  

As a family we were blessed to be able to go together to see a movie we all enjoy a lot; Avengers End Game. This may seem silly, but after the week we had had, getting excited about this long awaited finale was quite a release. The Alvarez family covered both houses so we could go together. Whether practice for their home, or just fun with the kids, it was a great blessing.

I had a moment to think the day Edy died, and I posted it quickly to facebook.  Two weeks later I'm still set on this.  

“Edy is finally home. Free from pain, and gasping, and sharp spasms and tubes in his nose, and hurt. Breathing easily, seeing beauty, walking and running with the king. Edy took his first breath without pain today. And my arms feel empty. God thank you for the gift of this child. And thank you for bringing him peace. He was loved in person and from afar. And he has impacted more lives than he could ever have known. Edy was a missionary himself teaching people about the deep and profound love of God. I praise God for every moment I got to spend with him. Every hug, kiss, cuddle, laugh and smile. Also for the hard moments of medications, tubes, suctioning, crying and spasms. Edy was so crazy loved by so many. And God is so good. Thank you God for letting me be a part of Edys life. And thank you God that he is finally free.”.

 

x

April happenings

Hello everyone, here is a little of our lives here in Guatemala this last month! First, Our sweet baby Ana has been moved into Canadian foster care as she is part Canadian. Although it is hard for us to see her go, we are all happy that she can live in a smaller family with much better access to healthcare. We miss her so much. Her social workers who traveled with her sent a few photos of her first birthday which she celebrated with her new family, and we were overjoyed to see the love she is receiving. We will continue to pray for her, that she may come to know Christ with this new family as well.

If you follow anyone at Hope for Home on facebook, I am sure you have heard about little Kevin. Dick Rutgers had been checking in on him in his home for a long time, but called very disturbed that he was doing very poorly. In fact, he was dying. After quite the legal fiasco (I would say so much more about this if I could without getting angry), Kevin was removed from his home and put in a hospital where he battled pneumonia and bronchitis along with severe malnutrition. When he entered our home, he weighed 15lbs at 3 years 8 months of age. We soon learned that he loves to eat, and finished every bottle we would give him; a whopping 8oz every three hours! This supported other evidence that his family had intentionally not been feeding him the formula we provided each month, and had been allowing him to starve. He also had been left for hours unattended and urine soaked on the floor. I wish I could say that this kind of neglect was unheard of, but sadly it is all too common. Please pray for this family. I do not know them, but whether Kevin's neglect were the result of confusion, pressure form family and neighbors, or apathy, this family desperately needs to know the love of Christ. Kevin is now safe and loved, but the family still remains in a place where they believed this neglect was acceptable. They need prayer, and they need Jesus.

Kevin's first full day
in our home.  15lb, 0oz

Kevin loves to eat!

Kevin's one month.  18lb 5oz

Kevin kets lots of therapy and
his high tone is lessening.  

Most important, Kevin is greatly loved.  

Kevin was welcomed into a crowded home with love and attention.  He gainned 3lbs 5oz in the first month. He has since slowed some on the gaining, and has begun to decline finishing a few bottles. This is a sign that he is not only feeling more satisfied, but that he is beginning to trust that if he is full and doesn't finish a bottle, he will still receive another bottle soon. He is learning that his needs will be met. Kevin still hates going to bed because even though he can hear the other boys in his room, he likely wonders at times if we really will come back for him. He is learning slowly that in this too he is loved and he can trust. Kevin loves all attention. He can take a moment to process stimulation, but when he does, he smiles and lights up the room. Kevin likes receiving kisses form Yenni, an older girl in our home, and he likes coming to the kitchen to 'help cook'.

Kevin does not love being put down.  

First of many big smiles

     

Early morning fun

Kevin has a wheelchair!

Laundry helper!

We have had a lot of small earthquakes here. Small enough that I myself have only felt one. But a few days there have been dozens of small tremors. This could mean a volcanic eruption is near, of it could mean very little. Either way, here is a fun supper outside because of many small tremors which kept us out of the house for an evening.

In the Fulp house, opening day for the Cubs is a big deal. The adults love baseball and supporting the team. Interesting enough, Jarred also loves the cubs. So he got a birthday cake to match this pasison of his!

Every Sunday, half of our family goes to church while the other half stays home with the kids who can't go. This month however, we have been at home because in a Catholic country, lent and leading up to Easter are a huge deal. The road in front of our church has been closed for processions, and the crowds would have us park a dangerously far distance form the church with so many wheelchairs and walkers who need close attention on busy streets! We are excited to get back to chuech soon. But in the meantime, I have loved snuggling babies for our messages at home!!









Easter and the weeks leading up to it are a very big deal here in Guatemala. For a good look at what this is like, please check out Lindsey Logsdon's blog which gives some details about the traditions of our town. http://lindseylogsdon.blogspot.com/2019/04/happy-easter.html?m=1&fbclid=IwAR0Jfc7AqepM93_7W5dB0cGDqzanOyF7JutxNwyn-QR2nrAkRphhwgIHAN0

For our homes, we take the kids on a walk to see all of our neighbors alfombras, or carpets. These are intricately designed, and made from colorful sand, sawdust, or fruits and vegetables. They often depict the life of Jesus, and represent the sacrifice he made for us.

Our family also dyes eggs with the kids, and later hides them for a fun afternoon helping the kids find eggs. The kids love this, and the family involvement is fantastic.

This year we also spent some time together at Stevie and Carissa Chapins home with their kids. All the kids together makes for a fun morning! Here is our lineup before the kids from the Fulp home returned to the house.

Please pray for health in the homes. The last month has held a lot of sickness in the kids, our workers, and myself. Sadly some of the kids are pretty fragile and a sickness is bad news. Kevin lost one of those hard earned pounds.

A sick Kevin is a sad Kevin

For a good look at each of our kids, and a short description about them, check out Kelsie Westers blog post at https://kgwester.wixsite.com/kelsiewester/blog/meet-the-kids?fbclid=IwAR3Y5xcZGiqk6vzhtF3_W9_bjotKIYB_K_CnlJ8demWmVTg0z4KLrMJe-kk

The Well

Out of the familiar quiet, Mayan mountain village, around the mountains spotted with a patch-work quilt of fields, past towns, cemeteries, soccer fields, and more mountains we drive. From there, we go down some windy roads with dust covered trees on both sides. Over some speed bumps we weave around and trough traffic. Over some metal bridges, and then into the chilling site where Fuego showed his might; we remember. We wait to be flagged by the constant construction and rebuilding, and over more bridges, passing also hand build retaining walls and ruined twisted concrete frames of what were once houses. Later we pass the fruit stands with coconuts piled high. On and down to the well paved highway lined by palm trees, and a plaza with modern restaurants, we know we can drive faster here. Next we pull onto the pothole ridden shared road with trucks overfilled with sugar cane, and passing burning fields, trash on the roadside, and also the hazy view from the flat lands of the four volcanoes I know best. Finally we turn onto the final road. It isn't very long, but it takes a while to drive it because even creeping along slow as a turtle, our heads are thrown back and forth by the large rocks of the road. And there, up ahead is a patch of bright blue peaking through the dust and smoke of burning trash from the municipal landfill next door. We made it to the birthing center, “El Centro de Partos el Gozo”.

“The Well” is a good name for what happens here. As he once said to Hagar when she had lost hope, God promises to provide for those who have no hope; who have run out of options. Many of the expectant mothers here are not filled with joy about the new life coming into the world. Many are scared. So many are too young, too poor, or too alone to find much happiness in the confirmation that yes, the test reads positive, they are pregnant. But here God promises that He will be with them. He will provide. And by his grace, there will yet be joy.

Two days a week we make this drive, and set up plastic chairs outside the door. Some days we are very busy, and other days we sit in the heat and wait. Stephanie and Taryn began working in the community for a year, but the building which is now El Centro de partos el Gozo was built and opened in late August. Some mothers have had their babies and return from time to time for baby checkups, or other support. But in all this time through all these prenatal visits, the walls have yet to echo with they cry of a newborn. Until tonight.

We make the drive again, but much faster this time because the main road is closed with unannounced construction in the dead of night, so we have had to go the long way around. We make our plan for once we arrive, and once the tires hit our gravel parking area in “Land of Hope” (an amazing ministry who loves this community with the love of Christ), we are off. It's very hot here, and even though it is now night, the sweat sticks our cloths to us as we work. Our mother Evelyn is already inside pacing as our caretaker and friend, Susana, opened the doors for her. This is her third delivery, but the first one in which she could choose her position, or have the freedom to pace. Her mother and friend wait outside. It is strange to them to be aloud so close to the birth unlike in the hospital here. In fact, a lot is different here. Things move pretty fast, and before we know it, she feels it is time. Less than a minute later, Carlos Alfredo enters the world. He is pale, but his color soon comes and he is caressed by his mother. After this, the women who had waiting patiently outside came in to greet the new little man. This is a community event, and it is not just family who welcome him.

Baby Carlos Alfredo

Evelyn and Carlos

El Cenro de Partos el Gozo team welcoming
our first baby born at The Well

Carlos is the first baby born at The Well. His birth means so much for this community. One of the women who had waited outside for hours, Susana's mother, said that she had experienced the hospital for 37 years, but what happened here tonight, this was different. The local hospital is a national hospital, and it is overcrowded, under supplied, and undermanned. I have heard a lot of stories. I imagine that many staff truly are caring and loving individuals who are simply too overwhelmed to give the care they would like. Because labor is time consuming and they need beds, C-sections are heavily overused. Overcrowding leads to two women sharing a hospital bed. Visitors are responsible for feeding their family members, but have very restricted visiting hours and are not a part of labor. There really aren't other options. We love and know some in this community who could not get to the hospital because the ambulance would not come down that road at night. One mother delivered her won baby along on the floor, but didn't know what to do when the baby didn't breath for a while. He now has special needs as a result. Others have trouble registering their children when they give birth at home, and are always fearful that their children may be taken away.

What happened here was unlike anything Susana's mother had seen before in part because this center was clean, quiet, spacious and well supplied when compared to the hospital. But so much more, she said this was different because of the respect and relational support which was evident in every action. This was a safe birth, but more than that, it was bringing little Carlos into the world surrounded by the love of Christ. Evelyn had the choice to come here, and she had the choice to pace rather than lie done. She had the freedom to let her mother and friends come in and visit her new little life, and she had the quiet privacy to rest through the night afterward interrupted minimally by quiet vital checks with the intent of maintaining rest for mama and baby.

All of this, every moment is because of the love of Christ. He directed the hearts of so many people toward this community and this service in ministry. He influenced the the faithful workers of BuildingGuate who have labored in love for this community for years. He influenced workers from Hope for Home who have seen and worked with so many children with special needs which could have been prevented by good prenatal care and experienced deliveries. God inclined the hearts of Stephanie and the other ladies who have invested in the lives of these women. God also worked on the hearts of countless people who could not come, but chose instead to show their love to these women through donations of money, medicine, and equipment. God is showering His love on the women in this community, and he allows so many people to be a part of it.

Weighing a newborn in a home visit.

Stephanie and I playing with Alaxander,
at one of his baby checkups.
Alaxander comes weekly because his mother's milk dried up
when the hospital kept her separated from him the first days of his life. 
Thanks to a sponsor family in Canada, He receives formula weekly.  

I praise God for what He is doing here. Weather prenatal visits, deliveries, baby checkups or just visits, His love is being shown. These women and babies are valued, and precious. Hagar had lost all hope in the wilderness, until God told her to lift her eyes and there she saw a well. He cared for her, and showed His love through this provision. Even so may women here, some of whom struggle to find joy in pregnancy because of the stresses they live under, find hope and peace in their father who cares for them.

Our friend Josefina a few weeks before she delivered.  

Josefina's baby, born by C-section at the national hospital.
Please pray for Josefina as some in her community say baby Sharon's cleft lip is Josefina's fault.
It is also challenging feeding Sharon, although Josefina is doing a great job.   

Home number 4

Eight years ago, the Fulp family landed in Guatemala to begin working toward the Hope for Homes first group home.  How God has grown and blessed this ministry!

Three years ago God brought home His little Angelita. God used her little life to sculpt my heart. He taught me a love I had not previously known through her.

I will never understand or comprehend His love, nor could I ever possibly hope to repay it. God used Angelita to show me a desperate love for someone who, from a action or deserving perspective, could never earn my love, or do anything for me. An entirely unselfish kind of love; a pure love.

This is a tiny drop of the love my Father God has for me.

I want to know Him, who loves everyone like this; who loves me like this. I want to spend my life coming to know Him, and this love.

The more I learn about my Father, and this love, the more I know that it is impossible to keep from sharing this love. “Anyone who does not love does not know God because God is love.” (1Jn 4:8)

So what does that look like?

I have lived in Guatemala for 4 years now, with some odd (but growth filled) time in the states thrown in. I have lived and worked in Hogar de la Esperanza, the first group home for children with special needs. For a time, I was privileged to travel to remote villages and love families months after month who have children with special needs. More recently I have been able to travel weekly to the birthing center in Esquintla, and assist our midwife Stephanie. In each of these, God has taught me, and shown me His heart for His people in all walks.

So for a long time my heart has been pulled toward these, and many other areas where God uses people to minister to others. Compassion is never a bad thing. But without direction it can be crippling when it is time to move. The fear of choosing wrong risks immobilizing me. So for this four years I prayed that God would show me where he would have me serve Him, and He wanted to told me to be content in not knowing the plan. Further, He wanted me to see that I could so easily be seeking after the ministry, and not after my Father. Flipping burgers while pursuing Christ with my whole being would be a greater use of my life than curing Cancer in the name of a God I don't actually know.

Having said that, God has now settled a peace on my heart to pursue His passion for children with special needs on a intimate and daily level. I am thrilled to announce that I will be opening another home for children with special needs here in Guatemala with Hope for Home. God has already wrecked my heart in loving these kids. It will be hard to move out of daily life with the kids I already love so deeply, but I cannot wait to embrace the children God is now preparing to come into my home.  

Please join me in praying for this home that will come, as well as for the Alvarez family who are already working to open the third home. There are a lot of things that need to happen before home 4 can open, though I trust God to provide. First is finishing my residency. Though I have been in process, this can be a lengthy process, and seems to have some hiccups. Next is locating a suitable home and begin physically preparing it to be handicap accessible and pass inspections. Along with this will be the process of licensing. Then come hiring and paying a Doctor, Social worker, accountant, nannies, and other staff, and purchasing a van and safety seats. Finally, each child who comes will have their own unique medical or physical needs.

There is so much ahead, but I trust in a God who knows the how when I do now, and provides. I trust God to grow this home physically, but I also trust Him to provide for these kids in the areas where I fall short. God will grow them, and by His grace this will be a home of healing. Both for these children and their physical needs, but for all who work with, or witness the love of Christ there. My prayer is that God would use this home, as he does the homes already running, to touch the hearts of many draw them to Him.  

7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 

8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 

9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 

10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 

11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

x

December without snow

Life continues here in Guatemala! We celebrated Humebrto's 7^th birthday, and many more smaller moments in their lives. We have been battling some bad diarrhea for a few weeks now, and a few of the kids have parasites which makes them feel pretty rough. Please pray for our sick kiddos.

Here in the homes we had a lovely thanksgiving time, or to differentiate, a lovely American thanksgiving as our Canadian thanksgiving was sadly under-celebrated! It takes the whole family together to pull off somehting so huge! We borroed oven space from nearby family, and even brought an entire oven over. Nearly 50 family gathered to celebrate and give thanks to God for all he has done for us.

The next day the family gathered again to celebrate the beginning of the Christmas season, and decorate the home. The kids enjoyed special snacks, and all dressed in red or green. Lots of chaos and smiles, and laughs.

In Guatemala, death is a near companion. A few weeks ago, friends lost their first baby at a day old.
Last week our friend and and another who chooses to call broken children her precious jewels lost a daughter. Our group of hard working nannies and interns helped watch our children so some of us could go to the funerals. Since returning in August, I have been to three funerals for babies. And yet God is good. In this life I have known loss and brokenness I had never comprehended before. And even here God is good. He is faithful. He is so so near to the brokenhearted.

At the birthing center, RN 14 has been open more than it is closed lately. They continue to do repairs over 6 months after Fuego's eruption killed thousands and swept away the road. Women continue to come, and we are blessed to continue to encourage them and provide medical care. More so, this is an opportunity to show the worth their child has, and that they themselves have. What a blessing to serve in this setting. God is so good!

Fianlly, today one of our interns, my friend Susan left and will be returning to her family in New Zealand for a time, then traveling to Liberia in Africa to work with our friends and partners in ministry, the Riley Family. Please pray for her travels, and what God will do in her life. Also traveling this month to return soon are Stephanie our midwife, Kelsie a friend and intern, and the Brubaker family who are family and work with children in our town. We covet prayers for safe travels.

Thank you for your support and prayers. Praise God who cares and provides for all, great and small near and far. May God show His glory this Christmas season as hearts are open to hearing his name.

After His heart

Katie Riley

October happenings

This has been a very busy month in the homes and in the ministry!

Earlier in the month, we hosted a medical teamcome from the states and held three medical clinics in remote villages. All three were in the department of Esquintla, and one was at one of the villages which had been cut off by lava flows in Fuego's eruption back in June. Many people here had similar health concerns related to contaminated drinking water and complications from the ash. Rout 14 has been open now for a few hours each day as they are still repairing the damage from the pyroclastic flows. But even with this open, El Celan can only be reached by driving through a few rivers. There was some concern that we could be trapped up there after the day's rain, but we were able to get out in the evening to return home. Between the three clinics, we were able to see a few hundred people in El Celan, Las Palmas, and the dump in Esquintla.

Medical clinic in El Celan

I always have mixed feelings about medical clinics because for as many people as we can help, there are so many more whose health problems stem from lack or resources or malnutrition. Really, on a scale as large as malnutrition is in Guatemala, there is little we can do to help. We can give vitamins and teach families that their children to eat healthier and more, but if they cannot afford the food, in a while the vitamins will run out and they will still have no food.

The gravity of this was driven home for me by one family in particular. A mother brought her 3 boys in, and one by one it was clear that they were each malnourished, mom included, and their health concerns were all directly related to poor nutrition over time. While talking with them, we learned that their situation was very serious and they had no food in the house. A team member gave the mom some money and we walked her to her home so the next time our ministry visited families in the community, we could visit them as well. The mom broke down and shared that that morning she had woken up and none had eaten. She had the equivalent to 1 us dollar to feed the entire family of 5 that day. She herself was malnourished, and described symptoms of major anxiety attacks. She felt like a failure of a mother being unable to provide for her children. Her husband also could not look up as they shared further into their situation and more personal details. We spent time with them, and prayed with them to encourage them. But the reality is, I was talking about the hope we have in Christ in the most hopeless of situations. On some level those words felt empty against the magnitude of their fears. Their children were starving as they watched. But as we prayed, this mother showed us their family bible and shared that they read it together every day.

Medical clinic in Las Palmas

My heart breaks for this family. I have cried many tears for them in the last few weeks. But there are so many more like them. Guatemala has been in a drought and many families that lived in poverty before are now dying. This nation needs our prayer. They are filled with desperately hard working, loving parents who are loosing their families and their lives through preventable deaths related to poverty and now the drought. 2.2 million people in Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras are starving. I can't even comprehend this number so my mind goes numb to it. But this family, I have sat with them and cried with them and they are real to me. For them, my heart breaks and I can begin to understand this crisis.

Also this month, the directors of the ministry, along with their 4 youngest returned to the U.S. For a short visit with family, and speaking engagements in PA and NY. For the youngest 3, this was their first return visit in 7 years. Wanda and the kids visited for a week and a half in which time the interns in the main grouphome looked after the kids here. Many people throughout the ministry stepped up during this time to help keep things across the ministry running smoothly. In the main home, our family felt small with only 20 people in the house. We had smaller suppers, and all fit at one table a few nights. Our kids and ourselves greatly missed the other part of our family however, and not a day passed when several of the kids asked dozens of times when they were coming back! Some of our boys struggled the most however without an adult male in the house, and the remnants of an early life of abuse and abandonment started to show their face in behaviors surfacing. Their minds are set at ease however as all are now home again! 

We are facing the repercussions of a law passed in Guatemala to try and return all children possible who were removed from their homes and are living in the system back to their families. The clear issue here being that they were removed for important reasons! As our kids have hearings, we now realize some could leave for a hearing and not return to our home. We love these kids, so to hear the situations they came out of, and to know they may be sent right back is terrifying. One of our boys will however likely be returning to his mother in a month. We disagree, and our hearts hurt that he will no longer be in our home, but also at the situation he will be returning to. It is challenging to welcome his mother into this home to teach her how to care for her son knowing his story and history with her, and seeing his responses in all of it.

Finally, many kids and a few adults in both homes are sick with respiratory issues, diarrhea, and lowgrade fevers.  Some are spiking high fevers as well and a few have vomited.  This is a struggle for many reasons, and some of our kids are very fragile.  Please pray for the health of our kiddos!