* GUATEMALA * * * * * * * * Dick Rutgers *

(Click on any picture to enlarge)

Dave has offered to write the journals for March 16 & 17.

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Dave wrote:

Dick, Jason, and I met Pastor Mike, Steve, Giovanni, and Antonio (all from Iglesia Caminos) at the church at 11 a.m. to head out to Rabinal to hike into the hills to deliver 25 Sawyer water filters to 25 families there who had received other filters about 3 years ago, which were due to be replaced. First we stopped at El Mastil (the local Home Depot) to buy 30 plastic pails. The owner there is a Christian, and he gave us a good deal.

Dick, Jason and I had to stop in Guatemala City to pick up Jason's belongings at the men's shelter where Jason had been staying, before Dick picked him up a few days earlier. The director there had taken Jason in, and had also taken Jason to a church near there, which Jason enjoyed very much. I will let Dick fill in more on Jason, and how God has brought Jason back to him.

Dick wrote:

I have tried several times to write an update on Jason explaining exactly what went on during the two months that he was missing. After much thought and prayer I have decided that it is enough to say that he is back at home and doing fine. He did not join any gangs so he has nothing to fear there. Fact is I can see that God was directing and protecting him the entire time that he was missing and I now see a young man who although he has been through a lot has also grown in his walk with Jesus. Although Jason has missed the first 6 weeks of the school year he is still hopeful that he can get back into school right away. I am seriously thinking of trying to get him into the Christian School here in Chimaltenango that Cesar and Fernando attend however to do so he would need a sponsor. Seldom do I mention the need for money in my Journals but having just spent the last 3 days with Jason I feel that a Christian education for this young man would be the investment of a life time.

Update, Sunday, March 20, 2011

Praise God, Jason now has a sponsor! I wish to thank all of the people that have written me saying that they were praying for Jason and also those that offered to help out financially with getting him back into School. If any of you feel led to sponsor another child CLICK HERE to go to Bethel's web page that tells you about some of the kids that are still in need of sponsors.

Yours in Christ: Dick

Dave wrote:

We met back up with our fellow travelers on the other side of Guate, (Guate - Canadian word for Guatemala City) and headed for a Saritas restaurant towards Salamas. We had a late lunch, And I could tell as soon as we sat down, this was a great bunch of men - lots of good-natured ribbing and jokes all around. I definitely knew this was going to be good for Jason, especially. After arriving in Rabinal, where we stayed for the night, the Caminos guys tried to introduce me to gringas, a meat and pineapple concoction folded in a tortilla. I politely begged off, and had a Snickers instead !

Dave

Thursday, March 17, 2011

We had to meet our rented mules @ 8 a.m., so we got up at 6:30a.m., had brekky, (Brekky is evidently the Canadian word for Breakfast. Dick) and drove to our take-off point. Dick had said it was quite a hike, and I thought the mules were for us! Nope.

The first 100 ft. showed us a kind of a trip it was going to be, as we had to cross a river by stepping on stones ( more on that later ). That was actually the easy part!

After the river crossing, we STARTED to climb up a path inundated with rocks , mud, and switchbacks. We soon lost sight of Dick,the dad,and son (who were up ahead looking after the mules) very soon. (Not to brag or anything but, Dave failed to mention that other than the son, dad, the mules and myself, were all older than the rest of the crew who all arrived nearly an hour later. Dick)

Dave wrote:

After about 1.5.-2 hrs., we caught up with Dick and found him sipping a juice, and chatting up a storm (Ha!) with the ladies gathered at the Centro Clinica. (I must admit it was a bit funny sitting there for an hour with nothing to say. I guess next time I will either have to find an interpreter that can keep up with me or take a book along so that I can study Spanish while I am waiting for the rest of the crew. Dick)

This clinic served 2 pueblos (if you can call them that as the casas are spread all over the hills here)

The ladies had even brought their old bucket and filters, thinking they had to exchange them - this was not the case.

After Dick (with Antonio translating) told the mostly ladies gathered there about these Sawyer filters, and how they could quench your immediate thirst, Mike spoke on how Jesus gives us living water , for eternity. We then made up the filters, showed them all how to clean them, and put a New Testament in every pail.