Huehuetenango

 Who Am I To Argue With A Friend?

My good Friend David Black is back in town. At the last minute David was able to join four of my boys and me on a trip to HuehueTenango.  It is great to have David along again,  Not only because he is a good friend but David has also once again offered to do the journaling on this trip.

Dick

Thursday,  Jan. 3 ,2013

 David Writes

After arriving in Guatemala, I headed to Antigua, re-activated my phone and called my good friend Dick. He and Cesar (one of his boys) just happened Godincidence? to be in Antigua about to have dinner at Picadilly's.  Dick called me back and invited me to join him and Cesar, Brian, Kevin, and Esbin on a trip to Huehue. I  wavered about that (I was a little tired from my trip) , but did join them for dinner.

While walking down the street ,  I felt a little nudge from God to join them on this trip, after all , there is nothing like hitting the road in Guatemala with Dick.

Dave

Friday, Jan. 4 ,2013

I took a chicken bus to meet Dick and the boys at Pollo Campero's in Chimal. There is nothing like a chicken bus ride  to get you back in the Guatemala swing of things !

 

 
After brekky (Dick will translate) Ya right! I have a hard enough time with Spanish yet alone Canadian.) (Dick) , we drove about 3 hours to Erica's home  near San Francisco to deliver some meds and food packets. Erica has a skin disease which apparently has no cure, so she needs these meds to ease the rash. She and her family seemed quite happy to see us. Dick left some money for oatmeal, (which Erica bathes with ), and a cane for papa, who has trouble walking.

We then went to visit Christopher who lives nearby, Christopher's  power wheelchair was acting up. Dick had brought another chair, so we exchanged batteries  and some parts right in the street, as the newer chair would not fit thru the doorway. His brother said no problem, as they could keep it elsewhere.

 

Off to Huehue for dinner and devotions, where Dick asked the boys if what we did today made us Christians. We had a good talk about doing good things to show God's love, but that does not make us a Christian - only Jesus can do that.

I was glad to hear that Dick is taking things a little slower.

Thank you, Lord

Dave

Saturday, Jan. 5 , 2013

After a late start ( Dick slept in - Thank you Lord!) (Actually I think that Dave may have sneaked into my room and shut off my alarm,)  (Dick), we went downtown to get some plastic buckets for water filters, and some meds. for Freddy who has seizures.  I know Dick is Dutch and likes a bargain, but somehow these 20Q  buckets ended up costing  250Q more ! I will let Dick explain. (Dave was suppose to be looking behind me for parked cars while I was backing up. He claimed that he said something but if he did it was in Canadian so how was I to understand.)    (Dick)

 

We are then off to see Jose near Colotenango whose power chair is also acting up. Luckily (?) Godincidence? we brought  Christopher's old chair from yesterday, and managed to jury-rig some repairs.  Jose travels a couple of miles each way to school, and the dirt path leading from his home is very steep. Both the front solid tires and one rear one were pretty well worn away.  The best part of this visit for me, was seeing the boys working side by side with Jose, who wants to become a power wheelchair mechanic. After the repairs, Dick re-adjusted the speed on Jose's chair, and we could tell by the smile on his face, he was quite pleased.

 Dick writes,

I do not normally do this but I have known Jose for close to ten years now and if anyone ever needed a break this young man certainly does. Until a few years ago when we gave Josey his first power wheelchiar Jose had to propel himself  in a manual wheelchair down a steep hill to his school which is nearly two miles away.  Then with all of the strength that he had and the help of his younger brother he would have to make it back up the hill to his home after school. After we gave him a power wheelchair it made life a bit easier for Jose but getting to and from school was still a struggle. A few years ago Jose's mother and grandmother both died.  Jose's father gives him little encouragement but Jose is determined to make it in life and continues with his schooling.  Fact is Jose's goal in life is to go on with his schooling and become an electrician so that someday he can go to work for Ministerial Bethel and  repair and rebuild power wheelchairs so that other Guatemalans who are disabled like himself can also have a chance in life.  Problem is schooling costs money.  We need a generous sponsor so that Jose can continue his schooling.  You can contact me by clicking HERE or Bethel ministries by clicking HERE.

Dick

 
Dave writes,

On the way back to Huehue, we stopped at Freddy's to deliver his meds and some vitamins, then we stopped at Silsa's  to give them some food packets and inscription money.  Silsa is the 15 year old girl , who last year could not walk because of a curse put on her by the local witch doctor. After many prayers by many people, she is walking  and now going to school. Last year she had a teacher come to her house to tutor her. Dick saw her run back to her home when she saw us arrive ! Thank you Lord  - what a  miracle!

Dave

Sunday, Jan. 6, 2013


Today we decided to take it easy and do nothing but visit Lisby's family near La Libertad towards the Mexican border. Lisby was a little girl who Dick and Pat worked with that passed away three years ago. Both Dick and Pat have come to love this family after finding  out how much mom and dad loved their little girl , after losing  2 daughters previously to the same ailment.

We left the CA-1 @ 3800 ' alt., and ended up  @ 8300' !  It was quite the climb, and we managed to hit market day in La Libertad also. after hitting market day in Colotenango yesterday! This town is basically  built on the side of a mountain, and the streets are narrow and sloped.  It was quite an effort to get thru there.

 

Movie   (Market Day)  (Taken today. Date stamp is wrong.)

After getting to their home, we met some neighbors and gave  out some food packets and vitamins. They graciously served us lunch. Dick told them to try this food, and to think of anyone needing wheelchairs for the future. As Dick told me later, we really didn't need to go there, but sometimes it is about establishing relationships. Amen to that. I am sure God will use this in the future.



 

Movie  (4500 Foot Decent From Lisby's Home)

We got back to Huehue, and had devotions on my favorite verse: Micah 6:8

Thank you Lord for a wonderful "do nothing" day.

Dave

Monday, Jan. 7,  2013

Today we visited Maria Garcia, Lionel's family, Rolando, Rudy and Juana. They all live about an hour north of  Huehue, off of the CA-1 up on a mountainside.

Maria Garcia is the wonderful lady who looks after distributing food and vitamins, and some school funds that Bethel ministries supplies to this area. What a blessing she is!  

 
After dropping off most of the food and vitamins at Maria's house , we head to Lionel's family home. It is  here when the poverty of this area hits me. We have so much to be thankful for at home. Even just turning  on a tap, and getting water. Turning a dial and getting heat in our homes. In the last few days I have seen little girls carrying water in 20  gal. jugs for a distance to their homes. I have seen men and boys carrying their days use of wood piled on their backs. I asked Dick how he gets used to it , and he said, "You don't get use to it, you should feel something every time you see this.  If you don't you should no longer be here."

 



After visiting Rudy, a little guy who has a prosthesis that needs some repairs, we find out that Marvin, the prosthesis guy from Hermano Pedro will be in Huehue this Thursday.  He only comes here once  a month, so it looks like we are staying to get Rudy to see him.  Apparently Rudy missed Marvin last time due to some foul-up.

As Dick says, a Godincidence?

Dave

Thank you Dave. We still have a few days left before we drive back to Chimaltenango so please pray that God continues to bless this trip.

Goodnight, 

Yours in Christ: Dick