(Click on any picture to enlarge)

This week the I went to Jalapa with the Bethel crew and a teem that is here from Canada. One of the things that we did was build a house for a widow and her children. As it turned out a good part of the work involved tearing down their old home, moving their belongings (most of which they had collected from the garbage dump that is near their home) and leveling the land so that we could put up the new house.

Jason with some of the kids

Since Jason will not be starting school until next week we took him along with us as well. Thanks to many of you that contacted me this week not only will Jason be able to go to the Christian school that Cesar and Fernando are attending but some of other kids in my neighborhood that were in need of sponsors are also getting some financial support for their schooling.

More of the kids that stole our harts.

Since we had such a large teem some of the group brought clothing and water filters to some of the other needy families in the area. I went along to a few of the homes and was able to share with some of the families that the filters that we were giving out would help to supply water that would temporarily satisfy their thirst but that we were there representing the One that could supply their spiritual thirst forever.

On Wednesday we took a day off from house building
to do a wheelchair distribution.

It feels good to know that over 31 kids and 15 adults now have wheelchairs.

But it feels even better knowing that 15 people gave their harts to Jesus.

Jason holding one of the little ones that received a wheelchair.

Some of the kids from Canada that were on the teem.

A few more of the
wheelchair recipients.

Jason and I had to leave a day early so that we could get him enrolled into school so I was not there to get any pictures of the completed house. It is my understanding though that it has bunk beds, a wood burning cook stove, and a water filter.

One not so pleasant surprise when I got back home was to discover that the pump that supplies to this end of town has quit working. The good news is that I have a 300 gallon water tank on the top of my house for emergencies like this. However I left a key with the kids so that they could use the shower while I was gone. I am still trying to figure out how many kids it takes to use 300 gallons of water in 3 days but not a drop was left in the tank when I got back home. Fortunately there is a business that has it's own well and delivers water just across the street from me and by 6:00 PM I had water. Unfortunately one of the kids some how managed to burn out my electric widow maker shower head so it took me another 2 hours to locate and install a new one.

Since we managed to get back home early enough on Thursday to get Jason registered for school and I dfinally got that much needed shower, I decided to help out at a Hope Haven wheelchair distribution in Antigua on Friday. Pat Duff and Esbin (who had no school??) accompanied me. Esbin and I kept busy fitting kids into wheelchairs while Pat split up her time interpreting for me and making communication booklets for some of the kids.



I know that I have written in the past about parents who want nothing to do with a child simply because he or she has some type of disability but over the years we are meeting more and more families that show a lot of love to a disabled child. Today we met a family that not only accepted their little girl who was both physically and mentally disabled but they considered her a gift from God and a real blessing. Papa especially seemed to radiate when ever he was near his precious little girl. Was he praying that she would some day be heeled? Certainly! but whether that would be in this life or once she got to heaven this man and his wife had an unconditional love for their little girl that I have not seen in many parents. They were a real inspiration to all of us.

By the way, Pat has posted several journals in the last few days. I hate to swipe everything that she writes so instead I will leave you THIS LINK to Pat's Journal.

The rest of the teem got back from Jalapa last night. I did not get a chance to get any pictures of the completed house from them yet, but will try to post some soon.


This morning we all went to Hermano Pedro and spent a few hours loving on the kids.

Most of my kids have a youth group activity in Antigua this afternoon and evening so that is why I finally found some time to get caught up with this journal. I have to go and pick them up from Antigua at 8:30 Oh no! That reminds me I left my car at the car wash over 4 hours ago and promised to pick it up an hour later. It is now 6:30 and they normally close at 6:00 PM.

Goodnight,
Yours in Christ: Dick