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

2012-01-28T07:24:00.038-07:00

A Funny Thing Happened To Me On The Way To Insanity

For those of you who think that some of my journal entries have been too serious lately, I think that this one will make up for it. I did not think that it was all that funny at the time but after looking back on it I decided that it would be best to laugh about it, so I will do that as soon as I stop crying. I apologize for not posting more of my own pictures in this journal entry but I left my camera at home. (Had I taken it with me I would have gladly loaned it to the photographer at the driving school.)

Last Week Dave wrote about my little episode with the police stopping me and wanting to take my expired drivers license away from me. Fortunately Calin came to the rescue by telling t the police that as well as getting old I was also getting forgetful and had forgotten that January 8 had been my birthday and that my License had expired. (Thanks Calin, I think.) Anyway the police allowed me to keep my old license making it much easier for me to obtain a new one, or so I thought.

Bright and early Monday morning Ben brought me in to the drivers license department to get my license renewed. I did not want to drive because the new president is trying to crack down on things and the police and army are stopping cars at random check points between here and the city. I think that they are looking for people that are driving on expired licenses. I wonder who would be foolish enough to do that? I figured that if we got there early we could get back home on time to do other things. I figured wrong.

I have always had a truck driving endorsement on my Washington State drivers license but the law here requires that you have a Guatemalan Drivers license at least 4 years before getting that endorsement. I was told that the test was quite easy so I figured that since I had driven truck most of my life I would take the test and add it to my Guatemalan license. Little did I know just how easy the test would be. Ben had to park his car several blocks away from the drivers license department and as we walked to their office we were approached by several people asking us if we needed any help. Ben asked one them if they knew where we had to go to take the truck driving test and one young man quickly offered to guide us to the government building where we could do that. Once we entered the building he motioned for us to follow him out of a side door and into another building that looked like it was anything but an official government building. We were directed into a room where 2 young men were sitting at a table playing video games on a computer. After finishing their game one of them got up and directed us into another room and asked me to stand in front of the cleanest part of a dirty wall. He then took out his cell phone and took my picture with the camera that was on it. We then followed him back to the room that had the computer so that he and his friend could continue playing video games. About 10 minutes later the young man that we first met came into the room with some paper work in his hand. He told me that the drivers test would be 900 Q (A little over $100)

We then followed him back out of this building and into the Government building that gives the drivers tests. We went directed to the lady who gives the eye exams and she asked me to read the smallest line of letters that I could see. I am not sure weather or not she was even listening to me when I read them but she smiled at me and told me that my eyes were excellent. She then looked at the paper work that the young man had given her and told me that I had gotten an 84 on both the written part of the test that I had never taken and the driving test that I had never taken. I didn't ask but I have a feeling that another $10 could have gotten me a 100% on both tests. I was then given a receipt for 700 Q. Where did the other 200 Q go? Perhaps to buy a real camera but more than likely for more video games. I know that this all seems a bit dishonest but this is the same procedure that people go through to get their regular licenses and it is my understanding that this is the only way that you can get your license in Guatemala. Was this all there was to it. I only wish that it was.

Now that I had my drivers test out of the way all that was left was the easy part, simply renewing the license. I had all of the necessary paper work. My depei, (Guatemalan ID) my Expired Guatemalan drivers license, the test results from the test that they told me that I had just taken and last but not least, more money.

Last time I got a drivers license here I had a problem getting into the building because the Person that filled out the paper work for the test that I never took forgot to write on the test results of the test that I did not take that I did not speak Spanish. Today however the Lady that gave me the eye test made sure that they were notified that I did not speak Spanish, she even told us to tell them that the person that did not give me the test that I scored 84% on, spoke English. (If this is getting a bit confusing to you? You should be the one writing it, or the one trying to understand it in a foreign language. Let me not fail to mention that my hearing aid batteries were going dead.)

Once we were inside of this building we walked up to the friendliest looking of the 3 people that were sitting behind a table and I gave her my paper work. She scanned over my paper work and congratulated me on the good grade that I got on the truck driving test that I never took. (I thought about asking her if I could get some money back if I was willing to accept a lower passing grade but I held my tong. After looking over the rest of the paper work she told me that most of the paper work looked good but said that I had one small problem. She held up my depei (Guatemalan ID) and pointed to my name. "Your name on the depei is not the same as it is on all of your other paper work." she exclaimed. I looked at it and then some of my other papers the depei read 'Dick C...... Rutgers' all of my other papers read 'Dick C...... Rutgers.' "It all looks the same to me," I said. "No it is different." "What is different about it?" "The name is Different." "No it isn't." "Yes it is!" "No it isn't!!" "Yes............!!! This highly intelligent conversation was getting us nowhere. Finally she was able to explain to us that my name was wrong on my depei because my middle name Cordell (There now the whole world knows the name that I have been trying to keep a secret for 65 years is Cordell) was printed on the wrong line. Evidently this mysteriously made it my last name instead of my middle name and I was not allowed to have 2 last names. Thus the depei that took me over a year to get was no good. I will not go into a lot more detail except to tell you that the next 6 hours were spend standing in line, sitting in line, and driving half way across Guatemala City attempting to get my things straightened out so that I would not have to wait a year or better while they attempted to get me a new depei so that I could get a drivers license. Half way across town I finally got written permission to get my License but have only started the process of getting a new depei. Is this where the story ends? No!

When Ben and I finally got back to the license department more men approached us asking if we needed any help. We both said "NO!" One of the people that we had seen on the other side of town had promised us that he would phone ahead and tell them that we were coming and had assured us that I would have no further problems getting my drivers license. He evidently had some clout because we were treated like royalty. We were escorted to the front of the line and soon our paper work was being taken care of. My old expired license was cut into small pieces and handed back to me. (I guess their garbage can was full.) I was then directed to a room where my picture was once again taken, this time not by a cell phone. I was soon handed a brand new license and then directed back to the window where I had originally started. The lady there told me that the license that I had just received was not endorsed for trucks but only for cars so she took it from me and cut it up and gave it to me. Now my pocket was nearly as full of garbage as their garbage can was. Oh well at least it felt good to have a legal license for a few minutes. A little more paper work and I was once again in line to get my photo taken. The man taking the picture looked at me a little oddly so I told him that this time I was applying for a 5 year license instead of a 5 minute one.

It has been a long day but I am once again legal to drive in Guatemala. Oh I failed to mention that my Washington State Drivers License also expired on January 8. I guess I will worry about that the next time I go back to the States. Meanwhile I have to work on getting a new depei. Oh well the last one only took 14 months to get.

Funny thing I didn't get much accomplished today but I feel strangely tired. I hope that I can sleep well tonight, because the last few nights I have been having this reoccurring dream that my doctor calls me and tells me that I am so old that they have canceled my blood type.

Goodnight,
Yours in Christ: Dick Cordell
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,..,, Rutgers

...........Not: ...... ..Dick
........................Cordell Rutgers

2012-01-21T20:04:00.010-07:00

Sunday, January 15, 2012

The first few days of my week were actually spent near home here in Chimaltenango. Pat's landlords, her sort of adoptive family, invited me over to their home for a (one week after my birthday) birthday party, after church on Sunday.

" Why are we dressed in Black? "

I first felt honored that there were so few candles on my birthday cake but later discovered that they were afraid of burning the house down if they put the proper number of candles on the cake.

Monday, January 16, 2012

Most of my day was spent at the orphanage loving on the kids. Most of the kids are still at their homes for Christmas holidays but in a week or 2 all 240+ residents should be back. Most of the kids that are there during the holidays have no family or family that never bothers to visit them, so they welcome any attention that they can get. Today Pat, and I showed 2 groups from World Race around the orphanage and introduced them to the kids. It only took a few minutes before they were holding and loving on the kids. What an awesome group!

Unfortunately they already had other plans for lunch but Dave, Pat and I took 3 of the kids out to Camperos.

Gloria has not been doing well at all. She does a lot of choking and spends much of her time crying. That is why the highlight of my day and I am quite sure Pat's day, was when Pat got her to smile.

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

This morning Pat, Dave and I headed for the big city. All 3 of us had at least 1 reason or another to go to the immigration office. Not our favorite thing to do but misery loves company. Besides that I am the only one who has a car. It is more than 3 weeks after Christmas and this Guatemalan government building still has it's Nativity display up. It has been quite a few years since I have been in the USA for Christmas but it is my understanding that nativity display's are not allowed to stay up in government buildings 3 weeks after Christmas. The World Race teem is sharing Jesus in several of the Guatemalan public schools this week. Perhaps they can ask one of the students if they know if that is true. (Yes that was meant to be a little sarcastic, but it does leave one wondering who should be sending missionaries where.)

We got back from the City just in time to go to the opening ceremonies of the School that Cesar and Fernando are attending. Most of my kids started school this week. Calin and Miguel are the only one not going yet but they will start next week and now I will once again have to wait in line to use my computer.

Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Written by Dave,

(Dave has once again offered to do the Journaling while we are on the road. That may be part of the reason that I stretched this 1 day trip into 3 days.)

Dick received a couple of calls about Nery and Stephen's Power wheelchairs not working properly, so off to the lake we are headed. Albert from the school in San Juan also called, and needs a chair for a young girl.

Dick and Calin spend most of the morning getting things ready in Chimal. ( batteries, chargers, etc.), so I meet them at Hope Haven to pick up a chair for the girl in San Juan. While waiting for them to arrive, I get a chance to work on my espanol with Gustavo and the other guys working there. What a good bunch of workers.

It is almost noon by the time we leave, and we arrive at Nery's about 3 p.m. He is at school, so dad takes us to grandpa's home where they are keeping the chair because it is closer to Nery's school. Dad says when the chair was new, it would run for 2 days on a single charge, but now lasts just 1.5 hrs. Dick has brought a couple of other batteries, so we change the older one. Dad calls us later after charging the chair, and having Nery use it up and down the hill outside his home. Dad says the chair is working much better, so hopefully we have the problem fixed. It is quite a trip for Nery to get to school, so it is a blessing to get his chair working again.

Our next stop is at Stephen's in Chukmuk.

Stephen 2 years ago.

Stephen 2 years later

Stephen's muscular dystrophy
is taking it's tole.

Both Stephen and Nery depend on their chairs to get to school, and both of them have some pretty tough routes to take to and from school. Stephen's present chair does not handle the rough roads well and it is also having charging problems. We may have to buy new batteries tomorrow for a different power chair we have brought for Stephen as it requires a different size than the ones that we have with us. While at Stephen's home, we have a lot of fun with the neighborhood kids. The kids in this village used to be quite shy but most of them have gotten over that.

We then drive to San Pedro, only to find our favorite hotel full, so we are staying next door at the Casa Lola - a triple for Q150. ($20) The manager there graciously allows us to charge a chair and a battery overnight, after Calin rides back and forth on the main street to see how fast the batteries drain. Calin says he did not meet any novias (girlfriends), but knowing Calin I kinda doubt that.

While we are unloading our stuff, the manager notices 2 walkers we are bringing to Albert, and tells Calin his wife could use a walker, as she has a hard time walking now. Dick gives him one, and he is very thankful. Dick tells him it is not from us, but from Jesus. He is a very nice man, and it is a blessing to help him.

I take Calin and Dick to a restaurant up a back alley behind our hotel, and they start to wonder where I am taking them. We finally find the Clover restaurant, and it is well worth it. Chicken rolls with rice and fresh steamed veggies for Q39.

Off to San Juan manana to look for some proper sized batteries and deliver a chair to the girl in Albert and Ruth's school.

Can't wait to see what else God has in store for us.

Blessings, Dave

Thursday, January19 , 2012Today we hope to get Steven's chair working properly, and to deliver a Hope Haven chair to Lucia, a little girl who lives in San Pablo and attends Albert and Ruth's school in San Juan.

We spend most of the morning searching for batteries in San Pedro, as Dick is concerned about the ones we have brought. We jump in a tuk-tuk and the driver takes us to 2 or 3 places to look for batteries. We find some, but they are very expensive, so we return to our hotel and check on the ones we have been charging. They seem to be charging okay so we leave them on the charger while we head off to San Juan to deliver the Hope Haven chair to Lucia. At Albert's school we measure and fit Lucia to the new chair, and then take her, her mom, and Albert to their home in San Pablo to look at her old chair that is there. We find a Muholand chair, which Dick says is much to small for Lucia, so we take it and promise to bring Lucia another chair for home, as it will be very difficult to transport a chair back and forth to school everyday.

Albert takes us out for lunch in San Juan, and then to his home, and we then return to San Pedro to check on the batteries we have left charging. Low and behold, they are charged up fully, so Calin graciously offers to drive the chair back and forth on the main drag. I suspect he is just looking for girls, but he says no. He does surprise one necklace dealer by stopping and getting out of his chair to buy a necklace! Calin does this again later, as Dick wants to make sure the batteries are holding up. This time Calin, the ladies man, meets 2 girls and their adopted puppy at our hotel. Oh, Calin!

On our way to dinner last night I happened to stumble on a speed bump, and Calin and Dick rib me pretty good. On our way to the same place tonight, Dick stumbles on the same bump! I do not think that is the proper way to pray - but it worked!

(Actually I deliberately stumbled just to make my not so graceful and not so grateful friend feel better. Dick )

Sorry, Lord.
Dave

Friday, January 20, 2012

We head back to ChukMuk after delivering some food packages to Albert, and arrive at Steven's home.

After fitting Steven to his new chair, Dick suggests we walk with him to his school to check it out. It is perhaps .5 mile to his school, all dirt, with perhaps 100 yards of flat road. The chair seems to work well, and when we arrive at the school, we find a new wheelchair ramp all ready for Steven! What a blessing.

We have an entourage of a half a dozen kids there and back, 3 of which are cousins of Steven's, plus his 24 year old sister, Antonia, whom we can see loves and cares for him very much. This walk is the best part of the trip for me - Thanks Dick for suggesting it.
On our drive back to Chimaltenango, the police stop us along the way ( just a random check ). They find Dick's Drivers license expired on his birthday on Jan. 8th, and they want to keep his license. Dick pleads with them not to, as it will be much easier to renew with the old one. After Calin talks with the officers, they do return Dick's license. Later on Dick calls me to tell me what Calin had told them. Apparently he told them Dick had just turned 65, and his memory was failing and that was why he didn't renew his license! With my Spanish, I thought he had told them, Dick was Santa Claus, and was overly tired from Christmas. ( Come on, Dick, you know how many kids were calling you Father Noel! )

(If only Dave's Spanish were a little better he would realize how many people have asked me if he was my father. Dick)

Thanks for the great trip, Dick and Calin.
p.s. I believe Calin is scheduled for a dunking the next time we are near water - for his muchos “REALLY” after every sentence. Lo siento, Calin.

Blessings,
Dave

Thanks Dave.

In my next journal I will attempt to describe Dave's driving after I let him drive the rest of the way home but right now I still get far too nervous just thinking about it.

Now I know why Dave's favorite quote is "When I die, I want to go peacefully like my Grandfather did, in his sleep -- not panicky and screaming, like the passengers in his car."

Goodnight,
Yours in Christ: Dick

2012-01-16T00:03:00.008-07:00

Thursday, January 12, 2012

For the past several days Bethel Ministries has had a group of men from the USA here building some homes for needy families here in Guatemala. This morning they took a break from house building and I had the privilege of joining them in a wheelchiar distribution that we had here in Chimaltenango. This was a first time experience for most of the men that were here from the USA but they were eager to share God's love and caught on quickly and within a few hours close to 50 people were properly fitted into their new wheelchairs.

As exciting as this was what was even more exciting is that several of these people accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior.

Goodnight,
Yours in Christ: Dick

Friday, January 13, 2012

Written by Dave:

Dick has invited me to go along with him, Cesar,and Elder to deliver a motorized wheelchair to 11 year old Juan in Santiago Atitlan. (I will keep inviting him along with us long as Dave keeps offering to do the journals when he goes along with me, even if he is hard to understand since all he speaks is Canadian. Dick) He is the boy we met a couple of weeks ago whose legs are bent underneath him, and whose parents say they will build a ramp up a slope to get to the street.

On our way there, we visit Jessica, a little girl Dick met a distribution a year and a half ago. She had come for a chair, but as soon as Dick saw her, he left the distribution and brought her to the malnutrition ward of Hermano Pedro. She was severely thin. Today she looks very good, and has is now back with her family and is being well looked after by them. She has 2 sisters, Blanca and Enma, and 3 brothers, Danny, Angle and Hector. Enma and Hector are in primary school and had already registered for school which is scheduled to start in a few days. Danny , Angle and Blanca wish to go to Basico ( gr.7,8,9), but mom cannot afford to send them. Dad passed away about a year before Dick met them, and Mom's (Virginia's) only income is from selling the few Bananas that she is able to find growing near her home. She says it would be hard for her with the older ones in school, but says she could manage and it would be worth it if her kids could get an education. After figuring out costs, Dick called Chris to see what he thought about them sponsoring these kids even though they did not have someone to sponsor them. I was praying as Dick called Chris, as this family really touched my heart. Chris told Dick that just yesterday he had found five kids that needed sponsors and he said yes to them Trusting that God would supply a sponsor. Chris then said to go ahead and that they would just have to have faith that a sponsor would be found.

Hector, Jessica,s youngest brother, is a real fireball, who actually RAN up trees, and swung like a monkey! He was a hoot. Dick was telling me about when they built this family a home, and how he made 10 or 11 trips = back and forth for cement, sand, and water, etc. It is quite the 4x4 drive, even crossing the river where Dick says they got their water from. Dick says he had been debating whether to make the trip up here today, but now realizes it is ANOTHER Godincidence. Had he postponed the trip until next week it is unlikely that the 3 oldest children could have been registered for school.

Due to a full hotel in Santiago we end up in San Pedro La Laguna, and manana will travel back to Santiago, to deliver Juan,s power chair.Every time I travel with Dick, he manages to take me up a road, which I think is the worst I have been on, and on the next trip, he shows me one worse!

(Dave ain't seen nothing yet. I am trying to break him in slowly. I can't wait until he goes with me to a village near Huehuetenango where we climb from 3 700 feet above sea level to 8200 feet on a dirt road that would make most mountain goats tremble. Dick)

Thanks, Dick and Cesar and Elder, tambien
And thank you, Lord.
Dave

Saturday, January, 14, 2012

After spending the night at my favorite hotel in San Pedro, Dick and I take Cesar and Elder on a boat ride to San Marcos, as both have never been on a boat before. It was quite wavy, and both boys enjoyed getting splashed, sitting at the front of the boat. On the way back, we sat at the back near the driver,and this turned out to be a wetter ride than the first trip. Elder's shirt was completely soaked,and Cesar was not far behind. This was a better ride than at an amusement park, and only Q10!

We then drove to Santiago and met Argentina, who took us to little Juan's home to deliver his electric chair. Dick was a little worried about him using his controller with his hand, but after some adjustments, Juan totally had control, and loved it! He was going back and forth, doing 360's, and laughed when he banged into the dresser a couple of times. To see the smile on his face was indescribable. Mom and dad also were pretty happy, and had even carried the chair down a fairly steep set of stairs, which I believe they will do every day for Juan to go to school. Cesar did a great job interpreting, and Elder helped make the adjustments, and took pictures.

Just as we were leaving Argentina received a call from Steven's mom in ChukMuk about his batteries heating up and not lasting long. Stephen and his older brother Sebastian both suffer from muscular dystrophy and without their power wheelchairs they can not go to school, or even leave their home. SOMEHOW Dick had brought along 2 extra batteries, so we stopped at the school where he was to check his chair. We replaced his batteries, and hopefully after a full charge, his chair will be okay.

We opt to return home via Escintla, with a stop at Saritas restaurant, maybe swaying our vote a little. We even got a police escort for about one mile, after they stopped us and asked if they could follow us hoping to lure out some bandidos that had been robing cars on that stretch of road. Dick said we might as well tell them yes and have them behind us rather than run into the bandits without the police with us. Fortunately no bandits showed up. We figured that the flashing lights on one of the 3 police pick-ups that followed us might have scared them away.

As I told Dick after giving Juan his chair, "I will have to stop coming along on these road trips, if all we can do is change one little boy's life and make him laugh and smile."

Just another cruddy day in Guatemala!
Thank you, Lord

Dave

Here is why both Dave and I had tears in our eyes when we left Juan's home. Weather it is a 50 wheelchair day or a 1 wheelchair day it is still exciting to be able to share the love of Jesus with those that God puts in our path.

"Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me."

Matthew 25:40

Goodnight,
Yours in Christ: Dick

2012-01-08T16:13:00.021-07:00

" And a little child will lead them."

Isaiah 11:6

(Click on any picture to enlarge)................

Last week instead of writing my own journal I stole some of what Pat and Daryl wrote. This week I did not steal anything that is written below. True it was not written by me but it was not stolen. It was given to me by my good friend David Black, no strings attached. Thanks Dave! Oh by the way it looks like I will have room in my car to take you back home from Huehuetenango after all.

Your good friend: Dick

Dave wrote the following.
Dick asked me to join him, Pat Duff, Cailin, and Cesar to go and visit Ronnie's family near La Democracia. Mom had called Dick and told him 2 or 3 of her daughters did not want to return to school in January abut wanted to stay home and help mom. Dick and Pat found this a little hard to believe, and wanted to talk to mom and the girls.

On the way there, we stopped at Carlos home. This teen is in a wheelchair, and has 2 or 3 seizures a day. His mom had to quit her job to stay home and look after him. He is receiving some meds. but needs another 2 or 3 pills a day to help control his seizures. Dick and Pat are going to look for these meds. in Antigua, and also Guatemala City tomorrow (where they are much cheaper). While we were there, Dick also measured Carlos for a bigger chair, as he has out-grown the one he has now.

Off to Ronnie's home we drove. I know Dick and Pat were not looking forward to this visit, but thanks to God, He gave them both patience And perseverance.
When Pat first asked the girls if they still wanted to go to school, she received what seemed like mom's answer. Mom said she needed the girls at home to look after the baby, while she sold lemons in Santa Lucia. When Pat asked one the girls if she still wanted to be a teacher, she did not say anything, but her eyes lit up! Later some of the girls privately indicated to Pat that they really do want to continue their schooling. Dick and Pat both stressed that if the girls did not go to school, they would lose more by not having a sponsor and not going to school than mom makes by selling lemons. After about an hour, Dick told mom to talk and pray with her husband about this, and get back to Dick next week. Please pray for mom and dad to make the right decision. I believe the girls need an education to have any chance of a better life.
As we were leaving, Calin reminded Dick to stop at Angelica's, just around the corner from Ronnie's place. This older lady had broke her femur a few years ago, and after a botched up surgery at the national hospital she later had surgery at Hermano Pedro. Unfortunately about a year later one the screws holding a plate came out, and was actually sticking out of her leg. This became infected but fortunately she got back to Antigua, and had it repaired. After visiting Ronnie's mom, (this visit was so much more enjoyable). The 3 girls here were in school, and wished to still go, and had their parents blessing. Dick and Pat hope to get them some backpacks filled with school supplies. I know Dick and Pat had not looked forward to this trip, but with God's grace, they both were granted wisdom and discernment. Thanks also to Cailin and Cesar for translating, their driving not so much, especially LEADFOOT Cesar !

(I can't understand it, because I am the one who taught Cesar how to drive. Dick)

Thank you Lord. Dave

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Dick invited me to come along with him, Pat, Calin, Esbin, Mario, and his daughter Maryann to visit a little boy, Julio (about 4 years Old) who lives near Champerico near the coast. Julio is a distant cousin of Maryann's, whom Mario believes is mal-nourished.

Mari, Pat's landlady, graciously gave Pat and I a ride to Dick's place in Chimaltenango where we loaded up Dick's Landcruiser. We managed to squeeze Esbin in the back, bur we could not see or hear him thru all the luggage.
Maryann, who is 10 years old, is a lovely girl who speaks perfect English, taught to her by her dad, whom she adores. Pat wants to bring her to her place in Antigua for a girly weekend to bake cookies and hang out.

After breakfast at Camperos we head off to the coast. After a couple of pit stops we pick up Doris, a social worker in Retalhuleu, who wishes to meet Julio and his family. When we arrive at Julio's home, he is asleep in a hammock. Dick really did not want to wake him, but had to in order to check him out. Between Dick, Pat and Doris, they determined he really was not too mal-nourished, but after talking to his mom (who is 17 years old), and grandma, it was discovered that Julio had a bad fever when very young, (possibly meningitis). His bone growth looks good though, and he even chewed a piece of liquorice. Dick had brought along a small wheelchair on a hunch, and Cailin, Esbin and I went about adjusting it while Dick and the others taught the family how to use a Sawyer water filter that we had brought along for them. Mom also walked Pat to the river for a nice chat. She really does care for her boy, and takes him every week to Fundabiem in Rehul, for therapy.

Julio sure took to his chair, and with the vitamins we left with the family he will hopefully gain some weight. Pat wants to work on ways to get him to communicate since he does not talk. Leaving Mario and Maryann to stay with their relatives, we head to Champerico for a dinner of fresh shrimp on the beach (Pat had to teach the boys how to say beach properly). What a beautiful sunset with a nice breeze off the ocean, which kept salty air blowing on Dick. Most of the salt was provided by Esbin who was pouring salt on his cucumber upwind from Dick.

As Dick told me, "What a great one chair day", with a really nice family.

Thank you, Lord, for days like these. Dave

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Today we are headed from Champerico to Huehuetenango to visit Erica and Christopher. Erica lives near San Francisco el Alto, and has a skin disease which requires salves and lotions daily, as there is no cure. She has a very supportive family, and a older brother who teaches her and her cousin Christopher, who lives nearby. Erica's father told us about 2 boys who live close by, and need wheelchairs. After delivering about 50 lbs. of meds for Erica (graciously donated from a sponsor in the states).

Dick and Carlin hike up the hill to visit Christopher. He went to camp this year, but since returning home, now has a urine infection and is now having at least one seizure a day. Dick and Pat are going to see if they can get him to a doctor. The mom of the 2 boys has hiked up the hill from her home and we drive her and Erica's brother, William, back to her home to visit the 2 boys - Wilmer and Miguel, aged 11 and 13. Dick says they both have M.D., but dad and mom do not know this, and ask if they can ever walk again. Dad asks Pat if they as parents can do more, and Pat tells him they are doing as much as they can do to help their kids. They take them to Fundabiem, where they have received the use of 2 wheelchairs. Dick checks out the chairs, and determines they could use 2 better wheelchairs. After a quick call to Bethel in Chimaltenango we find out there is to be a wheelchair distribution in Huehue (close by) on Feb. 11 (Another Godincidence). We measure the boys for chairs and head off to Huehue for the night.

Thank you Dick and Pat for showing God's love every day I am with you.

An extra thank you to Pat for trying to teach Carlin and Esbin proper English, although Dick's Spanglish seems to have gotten them by!

Hasta manana, Dave

Thursday, January 5, 2012

Today we are going to visit 3 of Maria Garcia's grandchildren (who my wife and I sponsor), check on Rolando and possibly visit Lionel's family. All these families live about 1 hr. north of Huehuetenango, up some pretty rugged 4x4 only roads.

We stop at Rolando's home to find he has gone with his dad somewhere. We had intended to talk to him about his schooling but discover that the wife of the teacher that was going to come to his home to teach him had just been murdered.

We arrive at Maria Garcia's home, where I get to meet Brenner and Monica, 2 of our sponsored kids. Brenner is 9 years old, and will be going into Grade 4. Monica is 9 years old and will be going into Grade 3. It sure is nice to meet them and their families face to face. Their grandmother Maria Garcia has done a lot of work in these parts for Bethel Ministries, and is a wonderful woman.

Next we head off to Lionel's home to visit with his family. Maria's daughter Aura and 2 of Maria's grandchildren join us. Very little Spanish is spoken by any of the members of Lionel's family so Aura came along to translate from Mam to Spanish.

Dick and my wife brought Lionel into Hermano Pedro a couple of years ago, when he was almost 11 and weighed 14 lbs. He did well at first but now is on a feeding tube, and was not able to go home for Christmas. Dick showed the family pictures of him smiling and actually chewing food at Darryl and Wanda's where we had taken him for Christmas dinner. I am sure I could see a twinkle in mom and dad's eyes.

Next we visited Wendy, the third grandchild of Maria Garcia that my wife and I sponsor. Wendy lives up a trail from the main road. Once there, we called my wife in Canada on Skype, and we all chatted on video. Here we were in the middle of the Guatemalan highlands seeing and talking to my wife in Canada. Oh, and she had also just walked in the door at home. Amazing!

We next stopped at Juana's, an older lady who has a teenage boy in a wheelchair. Here we found out he had been sexually attacked last September 29, A neighbor found him and brought him home. His mom asked us if we had a pill for fear. We said we did not have such a pill, but we would pray for him. Dick, myself, Carlin, and Esbin prayed for him. We also left some packaged food and vitamins. That was a tough visit.

Dick,, Pat, and Carlin went and visited Rudy down the hill from here, while Esbin and I repaired this boy's wheelchair. Rudy just had a new artificial leg put on, and is doing quite well.

We then dropped Aura (Maria Garcia,s daughter, who had come along to translate Spanish into Mam, the local Mayan dialect), and the 2 little boys, Luis and Tony off at their home, where Pat gave them some knitted hats and vitamins.

The boys sure liked the hats, and we sure enjoyed little Luis driving on Dick,s lap, as I did not even use the "Oh my goodness handles!"

In our devotions tonight ,we read from James 4:13-17. We had planned today (actually the whole trip) To visit certain people, and God keeps putting others in our path, like that young teen today.

“ If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.”

James 4:15

Thank you Lord. Dave

Friday, January 6, 2012

Today we are going to visit Silsa, a young girl Dick and Pat met a couple of years ago. We are going to visit her because her mom just happened (Godincident) to call Pat yesterday while we are here in Huehue. Mmmm…

Silsa was a normal, walking girl a few years ago, and then suddenly lost use of her legs. Dick got her into Hermano Pedro, where they could not find anything wrong. Apparently, a witch doctor had put a curse on her, but through lots of people praying for her, she is now walking again. Today she was using crutches, but was moving like she really did not need them. Praise God!

Just as we are leaving her home to go and set up a teacher for her, God puts another person in our path at the end of their driveway (Another Godincident). A neighbor has brought her daughter to meet us. She is 11 years old who lost her vision 2 years ago. Dick and Pat are going to see if they can get her into Hermano Pedro to see an eye doctor. Dick drives them up the hill to their home and finds out mom and grandma are both believers.
After a Q55 lunch of pop and snacks for all 5 of us, we drive to Jose's home up the hill from Colotenango. Jose is 17. Dick met him and his brother on the street one day several years ago. Jose lives about 2 or 3 miles from his school up a hill. His brother used to push him back and forth to school by hand before he received a motorized wheelchair. He also has to go up the last 100 ft. on a dirt path to his home. Jose is a very sharp boy, especially mechanically, and is always working on his own chair - even adding some taillights! Today Dick has brought him a new wheelchair as the 1 good chair he has and the parts chalr that he has are both not working. I can see why from the trips he makes each day. What a nice family - no mom, but dad, sisters, and a very helpful uncle. We almost lost Pat to a new born baby, and the 2 year old nephew keeps bringing Pat flowers after flower! (This kid really makes me look bad. Dick)

Dick and one of his helpers adjust Jose's new chair speed-wise, and he is quite happy with the faster speed.

Continuing with James 4 it looks like tomorrow we will visiting some more people near here, and not returning to Chimaltenango as "WE Had Planned."

“ If the Lord wills…..”

Blessings,
Dave

Saturday, January 7, 2012

Today we visited Esmeralda, a 12 year old girl who has limited use of her hands and legs, who lives near San Juan Atitan. Pat loves this girl and is bringing her a computer to help her learn. Both Dick and Pat think she may be able to use her hands with some exercises, and use the keyboard. For now Dick has rigged up a pointer on a head band which she seems to like to use. Her brother Henry looks like he will help her a lot, also. A local pastor visits her weekly to teach her. Another very supportive family.

It takes some time to set up the computer, and the MacGiver headband, and it is past noon by the time we leave.

On our way back to Huehue, we stop at Suculque, to find a man that the waiter at our hotel told us about. We find his home, and his family is bringing him towards us on a home wagon. Bartalito is lying on this wagon, smiling. He is 40 years old and is Hydrocephalic. Dick tells the family he can bring a higher and foldable flat chair, as he can not use a regular chair.

Pat starts taking pictures and the whole family joins in, especially the little girls. Pat hugs mom when we leave, and she starts sobbing. Pat consoles her and tells her she can tell the whole family loves and cares for Bartalito. What a sweet, loving family.

On our way to visit Amanda in Huehue, Dick asks me if I like these house calls. I tell him they are okay, but a little hard on the heart. As a song says: "Break my heart for what breaks yours, Jesus." Seeing these children sure tugs on my heart.

We stop on the way home so Calin and Esbin can get a picture of a mule, tied up beside the road. Dick and I question the boys why pictures with mules, and not with girls. Dick also is going to get his brakes checked, as we kept rolling away from Cailin and Esbin when they stopped for a washroom break.

On our way into Huehue, we picked up Amanda, a lady who has identified wheelchair needs in the past.

She takes us to Vida Aqua, a feeding center, where we meet Claudia (who had just emailed Pat last night about when she was coming to visit !). Claudia has a feeding program, and also has families come and get water from their Sawyer water filter - much to Dick,s agreement, as this proves which families would really use one themselves.

Claudia asks us if we could see 3 people tomorrow who need wheelchairs, so it looks like we are going to spend Dick's birthday in Huehue. I will let Dick tell his age!

Oh, and at dinner tonight, we meet a young boy in a wheelchair who needs a larger one, so his mom fills out a form, so they can exchange this one at a distribution here in February.

Thanks Lord, for another day in Guatemala.
Dave

Sunday, January 8, 2011

Today we are meeting Clara, Amanda, and Maximo at the Aqua Viva office to go and visit some children there and older persons who they think need wheelchairs. Clara who runs Aqua Viva has organized this just since yesterday. We head out at 8 a.m. Maximo is a local man who Clara has connected with for his local knowledge of the people and their needs.

At our first stop, we find a 84 year old man, taken in by a family because he has no relatives to look after him. He has no use of his legs after being hit by a motorcycle. Dick measures him for a chair, and hopefully he can receive one at the next distribution here, if possible.

We then visit a 80 year old grandma lying in bed who can also use a wheelchair to get around.

Now we head out of Huehue and up into the hills to a village called Canabaj. Here we find a 2 year old boy, Ramiro, with C.P. Dick talks to dad that anything is possible with kids like these, even walking and talking. This brings a smile to dad's face, (and also to Dick), and behold while Dick was talking, Cailin has befriended Ramiro, and even is helping him to walk! Dick measures him for a chair, and will bring a walker also.

Next we meet Josefa next, a 87 year old grandma who could use a chair and possibly a walker.

At our last stop, we find Evilio, a 91 year old man, who is still pretty sharp. Dick asks him what his secret to such good shape is, and he raises his arms, as if lifting weights. Dick interprets this as Evilio going to the gym every day! He has difficulty walking and could use a chair.

At this last home about a dozen neighborhood kids show up, and are pretty shy until we send Pat to them. By the time we leave, they are laughing, and taking pictures with us. They never had a chance once Pat, the Guatemalan grandma, went after them. According to Amanda, there have been gringos here before, but never much interaction with the locals, especially the kids. As Dick says afterwards, "We did not seat a lot of people today, but I think we have shone a little of Jesus light to the people we met."

Dick is finding more and more of these types of visits fulfilling. Not necessarily giving out anything, but just talking and visiting with the people.
After today, I would agree with him.

We had intended on going home on Friday, but God has kept us here a couple of extra days.

Thank you, Lord.
Dave

Thank you Dave for doing all of this week's journaling. I also want to thank Pat, Calin, Esbin, and those that were with us earlier this week. All of you helped to make this a great week and today a great 65th birthday. I guess getting older isn't all that bad after all.

We actually think that we will head for home tomorrow (Monday). After all we have only been in Huehuetenango 3 days longer then expected. The night is still young though and even though Dave and the boys are a bit tired Pat and I figured that we would go out and get a bit of exercise. We may have to settle for playing soccer though since the temperature is about 75 and there are no Indoor ice scatting rinks here in Huehuetenango. The video below may take a few minutes to load but Pat and I would really like you to see what we have been doing in our spare time.

Goodnight:
Yours in Christ, Dick

Christmas Guatemala Style

2011-12-30T19:02:00.037-07:00

It is nearly a week after Christmas and I have not had the opportunity to write anything about what went on Christmas eve or Christmas day. Fortunately I have a few friends who do not complain (at least not in front of me) when I steal something from their journals. At least I had the courtesy not to steel everything that they wrote. If you would like to read Pat or Daryl's complete journals just click on their names.

Dick

Pat wrote,

When church was over, we made a quick stop at my house to pick up tamales, ponche (a Christmas punch loaded with pieces of fruit), and cookies and headed up to Dick’s house in Chimaltenango to meet a bunch of his kids who had had to work late.

With Esbin’s help, Dick played Santa. (Maybe now that Christmas is over, he’ll cut his hair and trim his beard?)

( Pat already had a hard enough time recognizing me. This was the first time that she ever saw me in something besides blue jeans. I couldn't believe that those old bell bottoms that I kept from my high school days still fit me.)

Dick

Dave Black, a friend from Canada, joined us for the evening (though I think he came mostly hoping to get some chocolate peanut clusters!)

About ten o’clock, Dick brought Dave and me back to Antigua where I joined the Hernandez family for their traditional dinner of tamales at midnight. (And to think that I used to groan about having to attend an eleven o’clock Christmas Eve service at home. Of course, no snow makes traveling much easier here!)

Pat

Now on to what Daryl wrote about Christmas day.

At around 9:30 am, Dick Rutgers, Pat Duff and Dave Black showed up with four of the kids from Hermano Pedro. Dick had checked out Louis Andres, Julio, Carlitos and Leonel to spend the day with us. This was, by far, the high point of our Christmas! To see these kids celebrate Christmas in a real home and receive presents along with a home cooked meal made our entire move to Guatemala worthwhile. Several times I found myself overwhelmed with emotion as I looked around our home and saw the smiles on the kids faces.

We opened presents and enjoyed a wonderful meal prepared by Wanda. Somehow we were able to move the furniture in our living room and put two large tables together and fit everyone around them. Everyone enjoyed the food. Brittney was even able to get Leonel, who will not eat and is on a feeding tube, to eat six good bites of cheddar mashed potatoes.

The afternoon was spent playing and, all too soon, it was time to take the kids back to HP. Once again, I was overcome with emotions. This time it was because I looked around and realized how many more children there were who spent the day in the wards. I have a dream of seeing more and more families who live here and work in HP open their homes to the children and adults who reside there for Christmas each year. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if some day every ward was empty and the nurses could take the day off?

Daryl

"Keep on loving each other as brothers and sisters. Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it! Remember those in prison, as if you were there yourself. Remember also those being mistreated, as if you felt their pain in your own bodies."

Hebrews 13:1-3

Thank you Pat and Daryl you made this week's journaling rather easy for me. Now if only I convince the 2 of you to use Mac. computers so that you could do the fancy pictures for me.

Goodnight,
Yours in Christ: Dick

2011-12-25T19:20:00.006-07:00

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me."

Matthew 25:40

My good friend David Black is once again back in Guatemala for a few months so this week he has joined Fernando, Bryan and me for a 3 day road trip. Actually we planned on staying away for only 2 days but no one was ready go get back home so we are staying an extra night.

David promised that If I kept my eyes on the road instead of doing my journaling while I was driving that he would journal for me. Dave has always been a bit of a sissy whenever he rode with me.

Dick

On the road again with Dick

Written by David Black (Photos by Dick)

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Back in Guate again, and who should call and ask if I was up for a road trip to check on some boys with motorized chairs living around Lake Atitlan - my good friend Dick. (I had to check his new ride,also )

Pastor Efraim in San Pablo had mentioned to me about a boy needing a wheelchair there, so we decided to make a 2 day trip out of it. After taking a chicken bus from Antigua ( I forgot how much fun they can be ), I met Dick, Fernando, and Brian, at Pollo Camperos in Chimal., and off we went.

Dick said we might as well check on 2 or 3 boys on the way to Santiago, so our 1st stop was at Nari's His chair was working well, so off we went.

Our next stop was to visit Stephen, who lives in the new village of Chukmuk, which was built to replace Panabaj ( destroyed by a mudslide during Hurricane Stan). Stephen,s chair was apparently dying. Dick checked the batteries and charger, and determined the family was not charging the chair long enough.

Our next stop was at the home of Stephen,s brother, Sebastian. Both have muscular dystrophy. His chair would work okay until he went up steeper hills, where it would quit for half an hour, then re-start. His teacher was worried for his safety, so she did not wish him to come to school and have an accident. Understandably so. After checking his batteries,we found some loose connections, and screws, which after tightening, seemed to fix the problem. Sebastian talks very well, and speaks English pretty good too.We had met Sebastian at a school on the edge of Santiago, where Argetina,s daughter Andreas taught.

Andreas then led us to Argentina,s for a late lunch of soup and tortillas. What a nice lady.

Andreas then took us to see Juan, an 11 yr. old who needs a motorized wheel chair. What a sweet, smart boy. Dick believes he is similar to Nari, and Manuel (who lives in San Juan), and wonders if chemicals sprayed on plants or something in the lake water could be causing their handicaps. Dick assessed Juan, and believes he will have no problem operating a motorized chair. His family will have to build a ramp though, for him to get up the hill from his house (no small feat). This is also where Dick did his Santa Claus impersonation for the local street kids - who loved it!

Lastly, we visited Alex, down near the lake, in Santiago, whose chair was working okay. When we came back to the Landcruiser, low and behold, there was Dick,s old Landcuiser, parked across the road, still looking pretty good. Dick called Norm and Vicki who bought his old one, and informed them they owed him Q500 to pay the parking attendant (Actually it was only only Q10 we just wanted to give Norm a good scare). We hope to see them manana, as they will be following us around the lake.

Meeting those boys, driving around the lake, and hanging around Dick and his boys, sure has a way of humbling oneself.

As I have said before, thanks for another crappy day in Guate, Dick. I am pretty sure, God put you here for a reason.

David

Thurs., December 22, 2011

After breakfast in San Pedro, we decide to go and see Pastor Efraim in San Pablo, as Norm and Vicki ( The couple who bought Dick’s old Land cruiser ) are on their way there. Efraim introduces us to 4 children who have lost both their parents to Aids, and are living apart with both grandparents. They have a piece of land and would like to build a home there, and live together with the children, as one family. We told them we could not promise anything, but will pray that someone can help them build a home.

A little girl, Lucia, whom Efraim had wanted us to measure for a wheelchair, is actually at the school in San Juan where we are headed. Just as we are heading out, Norm and Vicki roll into town with their 2 children, Ryan and Heather. We have a nice chat with them on a downtown San Pablo street corner. They work at an orphanage north of Quiche, and are taking Ryan and Heather on a bit of a vacation around Guatemala.

Off to San Juan we go to see Albert and his wife at their school for handicapped kids. They also provide physical and speech therapy, and are doing wonderful work there. This was another God incidence, as when we arrived there, Manuel was there with a none-charging wheelchair. Manuel depends on his chair for day-to-day living, and after some troubleshooting; Dick finds a burnt-off wire near one of the fuses near the batteries. Fortunately, a quick fix. After lunch, Albert graciously gives Dick a computer (for Dick’s boys at his home). The Dutch embassy gave Albert 5 or 6 computers, as they replace them every 5 years. Another wonderful couple doing great work here.

We decide to return to Santiago, and spend the night at the Hotel Tiosh Abaj near the lake which has a swimming pool. It costs a little more, but is well worth it to throw Fernando and Brian into the pool!

Returning from dinner, we stop at a tienda to buy some aqua pura, and a little girl reaches up and touches Dick's hairy arm. Dick thinks she said: I touched Santa!

Friday, December 23, 2011

Returning to Chimaltenango we stop at Dr. Will’s near San Lucas Toliman as Dick wants to show him some pictures of a young girl possibly needing surgery. Dr Will is actually in Chimal when we arrive, so his wife, Diane, gives us a tour of their place. It is a beautiful place on a hill overlooking Lago Atitlan. They run a Christian primary grade school, and also a shelter for single moms and their children. Another amazing couple.

We drop the boys off in Chimal, and Dick graciously drives me to Antigua, where we stop at Pat’s home to visit. Pat has been baking all week, so Dick and I offer to sample her baking. After 2 or 3 of her peanut cluster things, she puts the lid on them and we get some white chocolate ball things. All I can say is : Keep up the good work, Pat!

I head off to my room, while Dick walks with Pat to the bodegona to go SHOPPING!

THANK YOU Dick, Fernando, and Brian, for a great 3 days.

What a Christmas present!
Dave

Thanks David,
Goodnight,
Yours in Christ: Dick

I survived a week on the road with 3 teen agers.

2011-12-21T21:43:00.005-07:00

(Click on any photo to enlarge)

Last week Cesar, Kevin, Miguel and I went up to Plya Grande to see some of our students, their families and our teacher. I meant to write about the trip as soon as I got back home but after spending 7 days on the road with 3 teen age boys I needed another 7 days just to rest up from the trip. Not only did we visit a half dozen of our sponsored kids and their teacher who live about 14 hours from Chimaltenango but we also stopped off and visited several people along the way.

One of our first stops was at an orphanage in Guatemala City where a number of kids that come to camp live. My boys had made friends with several of these kids last month at camp and they asked if we could stop by and visit them. Our visit was a rather short one but a good one.

"Don't worry it is only a wig."

Our first night was spend in Cobon after nearly ad day of riding in the car with Cesar, Kevin and Miguel I was ready for a rest. Fact is I made sure that my motel room was several doors down from theirs. Don't take me wrong I love these kids like they are my own but haven't you ever needed some time away from your kids? Especially if you have one like Miguel. Miguel works 8 to 10 hours a day and goes to school at nights so he has little time to let lose and have fun. I think that in the past 7 days he has done his best at trying to make up for time that he lost at just being a fun loving crazy kid. He has spent 95% of this trip being totally crazy. Fact is he has been so bizarre at times that it has almost driven me crazy. Why do I put up with it becasuse Miguel is one of the most sensitive God fearing boys that I have ever had the privilege of meeting and when he really needs to be serious he can be. I am still praying that we can get 10 % serious and only 90% crazy out of him the next time that he comes along with me, but I will invite him again in a hart beet.

Only near the end of the trip did I discover that on the nights that I did not have devotions and prayer with the boys Miguel did. On our second day out when we stopped off to replace a broken wheelchair at the home of an extremely poor family, Who do you think offered to pray for the family?

Fact is I am very proud of all 3 of these boys. One evening when they met some tourists from Israel that claimed to be atheists all 3 of my boys let them know how they felt about their Lord and Savior. Each and every day they demonstrated the love of Christ to those that we came in contact with. Was I tired after the trip? You bet I was! Would I do it again. You bet! Fact is I am writing this from a hotel room in San Pedro. We are here repairing a few broken power wheelchairs and checking on a boy that is in need of one. This time I only have 2 of my boys with me but those of you that know what Fernando and Bryan can be like when they are together know that one day with them can feel like 2 weeks with Miguel.

Oh well,

I guess I

can't expect them

to be as mature as me.

Here is an update on the kids that we visited up above Plia Grandi

Flipe, Mayra, Mario, Miceala and Onias are all doing great.

12 year old Felipe is a happy boy who loves the schooling that he receives from our teacher Blanca who comes to his home several times a week to school him.. He walks with some difficulty and talks only a little. His mother told me that there is no way that he would be accepted at the public school.

12 year old Mario can say only a few words and walks only with the use of a walker or crutches. He does well with his schooling. Like all of the other kids Blanca teaches him at his home as well.

Miceala and her siblings are very shy around strangers, but she took hold of my hand and smiled when I arrived. It took her a while to warm up to her teacher but now they are the best of friends. Miceala's mother seems to be taking a lot more interest in Miceala. This is a real answer to prayer as a few years ago only her Grandmother cared for her. I looked at some of her school work and she is doing very well.

Some of Miceala's brothers and sisters in the doorway of their home.

8 year old Mayra is the apple of her father's eye. Mom is a bit quieter when we are there but seems to love her daughter as well. Although Mayra does not talk much she is very bright. At times she rater play than study but Mayra's parents promised that they will keep the other children away when she is studying. We are working on getting her into Hermano Pedro to be fitted for some braces and then we will give her a walker.

Onias who is now 20 has decided that he no longer wishes to continue his normal schooling with Blanca, but his mother is going to continue to work with him at home.

The long hair is not his.
(That wig really gets around)

This was my first opportunity to meet Blanca, our teacher in person. She seems to have a real love for the kids and they and their parents have nothing but good things to say about her.

While we were visiting with Filipe we were approached by Maria's mother. Eight year old Maria who Maria has downs syndrome has never been schooled. Mom would love to have her daughter schooled and Blanca would very much like to work with her. We are praying for a sponsor so that we can get her schooled.

Wow! God answered that prayer really fast. We now have a sponsor for 8 year old Maria. (We have more kids waiting though)

Well it is getting late so I am going to head off to bed. Wish that I had put the Boys a few more rooms down from me though. I can still hear them even though I turned my hearing aids off.

Goodnight and Merry Christmas,

Yours in Christ: Dick and the kids.

Pat To The Rescue

2011-12-13T21:00:00.027-07:00

Tomorrow should be the last day of a week long road trip that 3 of my boys and I have been on. I planned on journaling about it this evening but then discovered that Pat had written about an outing that a few of us went on a few days before the boys and I headed out to Plya Grandy, so I have decided to procrastinate for a few more days and and post Pat's journal instead. Thanks to Pat I can kick back and enjoy my last night on the road.

Dick

Visiting Families in Tecpan

Written by Pat

I left Antigua early this morning to take the bus up to Chimaltenango where I was meeting Dick, the boys, and Liz, a volunteer down to help with camp. After a quick breakfast at Camperos, we headed to the Bethel shop to pack food bags we would be taking to six families living outside of Tecpan.

This area is one of the most beautiful in Guatemala, and if I were to move to a village area, I think this one would be it. (Dick reminds me, though, the people in this area are still not too fond of us gringos, but I do love the area and the people I know there. The problem for me is, I often forget that I’m a gringo.)

When we arrived, we discovered that Maria Son was not at home, but was a few miles away at her parents. Maria was Bethel’s first contact in this aldea, and this young widow with four children is one of my favorite Guatemalan women. We visited for a while with Maria’s sister, Josefina, and her family, though.

Josefina’s oldest daughter (I think named Gloria) has not been in school the past few years since the family could not afford to send all the children to school. As in many areas, the families choose to educate the boys, sometimes at the expense of an older daughter. This girl is somewhat fearful of returning to school since she is about 14 years old and only in the second grade. She really wants to at least learn to read well though, and we promised to try to find her a sponsor. School in this area is relatively inexpensive, so, if you would like to help sponsor Gloria for $25 a month so she can return to school and learn to read, please email me (Pat) and I’ll give you further information.

Gloria spends hours every day weaving “huipils,” the blouses worn by Mayan women, and often purchased by tourists. She will spend a month working on one blouse, and will learn less than $100 for the finished product. This money goes to help feed her parents and her five brothers and sisters.

We were shortly off up the hill through a corn field, to visit another family in this immediate area. Magdelena lives here with her four children part of the year in a metal house built by Bethel ministries. Her oldest daughter, Rosa, works in Chimaltenango, and when school is in session, they live there so the young children can attend school, and Rosa can work and still care for her mother. Mom is bed-ridden, and we are currently trying to get some medical tests done to see what her problem is. (This is one of the things we do with our medical fund.)

Silvia, Magdelena’s daughter, is blind, and spends her days sitting in the house, basically vegetating. She has a “Presenter,” a hand-crank and solar powered audio Bible, she loves to listen to. She also loves Christian music, and has been wanting a CD player for a long time now. Through Liz’s generosity, Silvia now has one and can listen to music to her heart’s content.

Adelina, the youngest daughter in the family, just graduated from sixth grade and will be beginning “Basico” (jr. high) through the kindness of a sponsor. If you are at all interesting in sponsoring a child like Adelina for the upcoming school year, which begins in January, please email me (Pat) for information.

Adelina carrying a bag of groceries on her head,which I could not lift with both hands. Even Dick’s boys complained about how heavy the bags were, and she carried it without a word.

We set off down the trail to the next family. This family only receives food periodically. There is a father in the family, but they obviously are very poor and need help. Mom and the 19 year old daughter earn money weaving. We’re not quite sure what dad does, if anything, and don’t ask too many questions. Dad does not like “gringos” coming on his property. Unfortunately, we need to pass through their land to get to the next two widows we would be visiting. Today, dad was not at home, and we had a chance to visit with the family before moving on.

Our next stop was Samuel’s family. Samuel’s mom is yet another widow with five children. Not that long ago, Samuel was not in school because he was working in the fields to earn about $10 a week to feed his family. While the younger children were going to school on sponsorships, and even though one was available for Samuel, his mother could not afford to give up this small income for food. Hearing this, his sponsor increased their donation by $40 a month and now Samuel is in school and loving it. An added benefit is that he can still work the fields during vacations and weekends. We didn’t get to see him today, since he was out working, but had a wonderful time visiting with his mother, grandmother and siblings.

Our last stop was at the home of Maria José. She is an extremely frail widow with eight children who live in a two room adobe house. We were invited in today, and were astounded by the poverty in which they live. One room is a kitchen of sorts, with no more than a fire pit and some crude shelves. The other room had a single bed. We asked where the children sleep, and were told on the bumpy dirt floor—without blankets.

This time of year it gets cold at night, and both Dick and I felt our hearts break at the thought of these children sleeping huddled together to keep warm on a floor so uneven I had a hard time walking on it. And this woman has never asked us for anything. She has only recently begun receiving food assistance after her family was discovered almost by accident.

I have a few donated quilts left, and between them and the blankets the camp volunteers graciously left, these children will at least have warm covers this Christmas.

As we were getting ready to leave, Wilmer, one of Maria Son’s sons ran up to us from the field where he had been working, excited that his mother had come home to see us. So once again we were trekking up the steep path for a visit.

When we got there, Maria brought out a children’s huipil she had been saving for me. She’d thought I had a granddaughter and that I might like it for her. Unfortunately, no granddaughters, but the huipil was so beautiful I could not turn it down. It will be a beautiful wall hanging, and I might even get it framed. The only problem was that when I went to pay Maria for it, she only wanted to accept a third of what the weaving was worth. It took a while talking to her about the fact that while I appreciated her friendship, it would not feed her children. Finally she accepted a bit more, but still gave it to me for far less than she could have sold it in the markets.

When it was time to go, the crowd of children and adults following us had grown shockingly. Dick would have to turn the car around to get out from where we had parked, and we were not quite sure how to keep all the kids safe as he did so. I think Dick wanted to strangle me when I suggested he let all the kids ride in the truck as he turned around, but it would keep them out from behind the back wheels. Dick reluctantly agree, and we discovered you could easily (?) fit more than 20 Guatemalan children into a Land Cruiser.

I know I’ve written a lot about this one trip, but this area is very dear to my heart, and each family here has a wonderful story to tell. At times people challenge me as to why I am Guatemala while there is so much need in the US. These stories explain why. . .not just the poverty I see here, but what I don’t find here. I seldom see hopelessness, entitlement, anger, or any of the other things I have been taught are the side-effects of poverty. Each visit I learn more from my friends living here about living life to the full.

These families have a joy that only comes from their firm faith in Jesus, and their strong sense of community. While we took food to six families, there are probably sixty more who are in just as much need who we pass on the way into the aldea. There is no jealousy or resentment shown by those who are also in need. They often tell us of needs of other families in the area, but seldom their own.

They welcome us as long lost friends, and it fills my heart to bursting when children whose names I cannot even remember come running up to my shouting, “Paty, you’ve come back.”

Pat

Thanks Pat.

Goodnight,
Yours in Christ: Dick

2011-12-08T14:41:00.035-07:00

Chimaltenango Guatemala

Camp # 11

2011

Now that camp is once again history. I may find a little more time to journal. All I can say is that it was a busy 3 weeks, but 180 campers, their companions and all of the Americans, Canadians and Guatemalans that pitched in to make it work will agree that it was well worth it. I think that I could write a novel about all of the exciting things that went on during camp but I know that others have and hopefully some of them will send me some of the things that they wrote about so that can publish them. All I can say is thinks Gang for making this one of the best camps ever.

This year 3 of my boys took an active part at camp and did me proud.

Calin and Cesar helping out during Craft time.

Cesar's time was divided between helping get wheelchairs that needed repair to and from Bethel's wheelchair shop and being a care giver. Calin stayed at camp the entire 3 weeks helping out as a care giver to various campers that came without companions.

Jason spent a lot of time helping out at camp as well.

This year all 3 groups of campers got to spend a day at the beach.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

"I'M too busy doing God's work to help my Neighbor."

Not all of my time was spent at camp. A lot of it was spent bringing volunteers to and from the airport. Fact is 12 trips to and from the airport were made during the 3 weeks of camp. It was during several of these trips that I got to know Octuvio better. In the 11 years that I have been in Guatemala I have seen Octuvio at the airport almost every time that I have gone there to pick up a group of volunteers but I have rarely taken the time to visit with him. This is partly due to the fact that my Spanish is so bad but since I almost always have one of my kids or someone else with me that can interpret that is really not a good excuse. I can't really say that I do not have the time either because more times than not I have to wait an hour or longer for the people that I come to pick up from the airport to arrive, pick up their baggage and clear customs, and those are on the good days. I guess that during the week I see so many people in wheelchairs that are begging that I just sort of zone out when I get to the airport. After all thousands of people walk by Octuivo every day and many of them are Americans that have come to help the widows orphans and beggars of Guatemala so I am sure that since Octuivo is one of the first that they see after getting off their airplanes, he must do quite well begging and selling pencils. Granted his wheelchiar is poor shape but he no doubt has a better one at home. I know a lot of beggars who keep their good wheelchairs hidden away at home. I am sure that someone else will take care of this man's needs. I don't have the time, because I have to get these people back to Chimaltenango so we can do God's work.

During the past few week my boys and I have gotten to know Octuivo a bit better though. After looking at his wheelchair we found that it was in terrible shape. When I asked him if he wanted me to take it back to our wheelchair shop to fix it he was delighted. I asked him if he had another wheelchair and just as I expected he told us that he had another one at home but that it needed work as well. He said that it was alright with him if we took his for a week or 2 though because he really wanted it fixed. When I asked him how he would get around he told me that he would walk on the stubs of his amputated legs. He said that he lived only a little over a half mile away. I did not want to leave him without a wheelchair so I promised to bring him a refurbished one to replace his old one. One week turned out to be 2 weeks because I got busy. Besides that I figured that if the chair that he took to the airport quit working altogether he still had the one at home. After all it couldn't be in as bad of shape as the chair that we planned on fixing.

I finally managed to pick up a wheelchair from our shop on Friday afternoon. Saturday was to be the day that I brought the last group of camp volunteers back to the airport so I figured if I wanted to get this out of the way I better do it then. Octuvio had given me his phone number so I figured that if I called him 20 minutes before I got to the airport he could at least be waiting for me so that I wouldn't have to waist my time waiting around for him. If all went well this should not take long. Octuvio had no legs so we wouldn't have to even bother putting on and adjusting foot rests. As it turned out though Octuvio showed up about 15 minutes late. I managed to hurry things along a bit by having him fill out some needed paperwork on the wheelchair that we were giving him as the boys and I made some minor adjustments. I think that Octuvio realized that I was in a bit of a hurry because he apologized over and over again for being late. He explained to me that he was at home when I called and that he had a long hill to climb that he could not use his wheelchair on and that was why he was late. I had remembered Chris telling me just a few days before when I was asking him for a wheelchair for Octuvio that Octuvio had told him that he lived on the side of a hill but I hadn't thought much about it since most of the area around the airport is flat. Chris had also told me that Octuvio had told him that he was in need of a new house but Chris said that he had never seen the house that he was living in. Once Octuvio got into his new wheelchair he did nothing but give thanks. Not to us but to God. He told us that this chair was an answer to his prayers. Could it be that his other wheelchair was not in all that great of shape? Who knows maybe his house wasn't either. Soon Octuvio, the 6 of my boys and I were in the van heading to where Octuvio and his family lived. We only drove 8 to 10 blocks when Octuvio said, "You better park the van here because I don't think that you will be able to get back up the hill that is just around the corner." I could not see around the corner and since I was in the van and not my Land Cruiser I did as he suggested. I asked one of the boys to get Octuvio's wheelchair out of the van but he told them that it would be easier for him to walk the last quarter of a mile. Even though the hill was paved I was glad that I took Octuvio's advice it was so steep that I doubt that the van could have made it back up the 2 block incline with out spinning out. When we got down to where the road flattened out we made a left turn and then walked another 3 blocks. The narrow street was littered with abandon cars several of which were being dismantled by people whom I would not care to run into in a dark alley. Thankfully it was sunny and high noon. Most of the people seemed to know Octuvio though and most were very courteous to him and to us. I couldn't help but say a quick prayer that Bthel's van would not soon become one of those parts cars though. My kids were a great comfort by reminding me that I was the only Gringo in the bunch and if there was any trouble they would blend right into the crowd. This certainly was not the high rent district but all of the houses were made of cement and most were much larger than the corrugated steel ones that Bethel builds. We finally stopped walking and Octuvio reached into his pocket for some keys. The house we were at didn't look all that great but it was fairly large. It had no windows facing the street but there was a rather large mettle door. Octuvio tried several keys but none of them worked. He knocked but no one came to the door. He told us that his wife and 4 of his 7 children were at home but there was no way that they would be able to here him knocking because they were several hundred feet away. I didn't quite understand, unless this was a really big house. Finally the door was opened but the person that opened it disappeared before I could even see them. Octuvio then explained that this was not his house but going through it was the only way to get to where he lived. After zigzagging through several rooms we found ourselves once again outside and looking down a steep cliff. There about 100 feet below was the roof of what Octuvio told us was his house. The next few minutes were spent slipping and sliding down a steep mountain side to the dilapidated shelter below. Octuvio was in the lead walking on the stumps of his 2 legs.

Once inside the house we felt more like we were in a cave than a home. The walls were a combination of wood, card board and black plastic. A dark tunnel like hallway led past the kitchen area into a larger room where the entire family slept. This room was lit up better then the rest of the house but that was because there were large open places where the tin roof had rusted away. We were soon introduced to Octuvio's wife and 4 of his children. They were all very friendly and made us feel extremely welcome. Octuvio's oldest son has a job but it pays next to nothing and other than that and the money that Octuvio gets from hand outs and selling pencils it is scarcely enough for this family to stay alive on. In spite of that the children looked healthy and the younger ones all attend school. They also seem grateful to God that they have a place where they can live togather as a family and that Octuvio who has had both legs and 3 fingers amputated due to diabetes, is still alive and doing quite well.

After seeing where Octuvio and his family live it is doubtful that a new house can be constructed at this location. Especially considering the steepness of the terrain, the fact that the family says that there is a river running through their house every time that it rains and the dirt floor keeps moving.

<-- Kitchen

Octuvio's second wheelchiar -->
was indeed in his house.

Esbin and Marcos packed the wheelchair up the hill but once we took a closer look at it we realized that there was not a part on it that was worth salvaging

Before leaving my boys and I had prayer with our new friends. I then asked the family if they would consider relocating to a better location if it were possible. They told me that they felt that they had no choice but to stay here since they were still making payments on this piece of property. I can't help but wonder if the previous land owner well be able to collect anything when this land, the house and the family end up in the canyon below.

Goodnight,
Yours in Christ: Dick

Promotion Day at Hermano Pedro

2011-11-29T15:55:00.028-07:00

Chris, Donna, 4 of my boys and I headed over to Hermano Pedro to celebrate the end of another school year for the kids that attend the small school that we have there. Thanks to a wonderful teacher and a generous sponsor 7 of the kids that live in the orphanage are getting a wonderful education. Fact is Nanete, our teacher has helped see to it that 2 of the students that she has taught in previous years now go to to schools in town. Fidel (pictured above) is one of 2 students that have already graduated from our school. Although Fidel has severe CP and no use of his hands he managed to complete 2 grades of school each year and last year he graduated from our school. He now goes out and takes computer classes in Antigua. Even though Fidel has graduated from our school Nanete still spends a lot of tie with him and in his free time you will usually find him in the class room on his computer. Today he ran the overhead projector and the sound equipment for the promotion ceremony.

Fidel also showed us this slide presentation that he made.

Nanete is not only a dedicated teacher but a great advocate and true friend of all of our students.

Here are a few more pictures of the proud students and some of us who are so proud of them.

Congratulations
Gang!

Yours in Christ: Dick

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Congratulations Esbin and Jason!

Since Pat has been borrowing some of my journals. I decided that turnabout is fair play.

Dick

Pat wrote-

This year two of Dick’s boys “graduated” from the equivalent of Jr. High. Esbin graduated from a public school, and was so excited that we were able to come up for the graduation ceremony.

For Esbin, school is quite a challenge, and we’re so proud of him hanging in there and graduating. His determination to stay in school is especially remarkable considering that he has been abandoned by his mother. He was taken in by another family, and shortly after he moved in with them, the father of the family drowned. A few months later, the mother died from an infection on her leg. This “blended” family is being held together by the young adult son and daughter, who have continued to care for Esbin and his brother, as well as their biological siblings.

Jason graduated, with honors, from a private Christian school he has attended. This is remarkable for the young man who, a year ago, was missing and we feared dead. After Dick received a call from a pastor in Guatemala City and convinced him to come home, he began going to the same school as Cesar and Fernando, thanks to the generosity of a sponsor in the U.S. This seems to have made all the difference for him, and he has excelled academically and socially. He truly is a work of God. Jason has become one of my favorites of Dick’s kids, and I was very disappointed to miss his ceremony since I was sick. Dick provided me with photos, however.

Jason receiving his class ring from his parents
as a proud Dick looks on

Both of these young men will be continuing their schooling in January. Jason wants to study tourism, though recently, after working with the Hermano Pedro kids at camp, is considering teaching or nursing.

Dick with Jason and Cesar.

Cesar has one more year before he graduates

but he received an award for his excellent grades.

We are especially proud of these young men, since many stop their studies and go to work at this point. I can’t help but think that this is in large part due to Dick’s influence and his constant interest in their schoolwork. Way to go, Guys!

Pat

Adrian

2011-11-26T16:41:00.006-07:00

Most of our wheelchair distributions take place in large buildings where 50 or 60 wheelchairs are given out and fitted in a single day. Although I enjoy these very much I must admit that some of my favorites are the days when we go out and give out just one or 2 wheelchairs. Today was one of those special days. Fact is today we brought the average down a little bit by giving out 0 wheelchairs. I know that 0 is not an impressive number but I still consider it a very valuable day. Let me explain.

About 2 weeks ago I received an E-mail from Joel Vandyke. Joel told me about a gang member who was in prison in Guatemala City who told him that he had a 9 year old son who needed a wheelchair. Adrian, lives with his grandmother in one of the red zones of the City. Red zones are places in the City that are considered unsafe for outsiders to go into. However they are also places where there is much need. Since they are not the best places for strangers to be asking for directions Pat, Elsa (A therapist who works with Hope Haven International), Sarah (A therapist who is here working with Bethel Ministries for the week) , Calin, Kevan, Cesar and I arranged to meet Adrian and his grandmother at a McDonald's in a better part of the City. Edwin, the prison Chaplin had agreed to drive Adrian and his grandmother there.

Edwin and his wife showed up with the little boy and his Grandmother right on time. (Actually they were about an hour late but that is about as close to being on time as things get here in Guatemala.) Shortly after meeting them grandmother told us that the the wheelchiar that I had brought with me was no longer needed because her grandson had received an identical wheelchair at a Hope Haven wheelchair distribution just a few days earlier. She apologized to us for making the trip to the City for nothing. We all looked at each other. I think that we were all thinking the same thing. This had not been a wasted trip. Even though we had just met the 2 of them we were already in love with them both and even though Adrian apparently had some form of bran damage and could not walk or talk, he was one of the friendliest kids that we had ever met. And it was immediately apparent that his grandmother had a deep love for him. Grandmother told us that she had been working with him a lot and that she felt that he would benefit from a walker. After examining him I agreed. After talking with Grandma Pat felt that she would be able to figure out a way for him to communicate as well. We told grandmother that it would be easier for us to assess what type of walker and communication system would be best for him if we knew a little more about his environment though. 10 minutes later Grandmother, Adrian, Pat, Elsa, Calin, Kevan, Cesar and I were in my car and driving to where this family lived.

It took about a half hour to reach their home and most of Grandmother's time was spent holding him and looking out of the window of my car while naming things to her grandson. Even though his mother had deserted him, his father was in jail and he did not live in the best of neighborhoods it was apparent that Adrian was not starving for love. When we reached their home we were greeted by 3 more kids whom we were told were cousins of Adrian. We were told that both of grandma's sons are in jail. This was not one of the safest neighborhoods that I have been in but Grandma was doing her best to make her house a real home for these 4 kids. It was hard to say goodby but we promised that we would be back soon with a walker, some food, some communication ideas and some more Christian love. Had this been a wasted day? Perhaps so if we had been looking at how many wheelchairs we had given out, but I do not believe that is what it is all about.

"There are people in the world so hungry
that God cannot appear to them
except in the form of bread."

Goodnight,
Yours in Christ: Dick

2011-11-09T15:35:00.034-07:00

Marcos is 14 years old and weighs only 23 pound

Today Pat and I met Marcos. Unlike many of the children that have been admitted into the malnutrition ward of Hermano Pedro Marcos was not brought in from any remote village. Fact is his family lives only a few miles from the hospital. Just a few years ago most of the starving kids that were brought into the hospital were kids that had disabilities like cerebral palsy that made it more difficult for them to gain weight but more and more we are finding or seeing kids come in to the hospital that have nothing wrong with them other than that they are starving. Granted Marvin has C.P. but his appetite is good and it is obvious that he has simply not been given enough to eat and that what little food he has been given was likely nothing more than corn tortillas and water or at best coffee. Can you imagine how difficult it must be for a father or mother to watch their child go to bed hungry each night. It has to be even more difficult to deny food to your unhealthy child so that the more healthy one gets a bit more to eat. "Not happening!" you say. Thankfully not as much as it was a few years ago but it is still happening. If you don't believe it come and spend a week on the road with me. When I first came to Guatemala 11 years ago I soon became aware that a child that was disabled was in many cases looked on as a curse from God and was not treated in the same manor as a so called normal child but I have seen some changes over the years. Now many of the families seem to love and value their disabled child as much as their other children. Unfortunately with many families there is simply not enough food to go around and it becomes survival of the fittest and it even seems that over the past few years even more children that have nothing physically wrong with them are going hungry. At least the families that do not have enough to feed any of there children do not have to make a decision on which one starves and which one gets to eat. Last month 3 children all from the same family that had been admitted into the malnutrition ward of Hermano Pedro went back home. While in the hospital they all gained weight fast because there was nothing wrong with them other than that they did not have enough food in there home to keep them alive. When they left the hospital they were all looking good. Are they still that way? I pray that they are but I have seen many children return within a few months. Many do well when they return home but there are others that should have returned to the malnutrition ward but they have died instead.

Just this morning I was shown this picture of 9 year old Jose.

We gave a wheelchair to Jose a year or 2 ago. I can remember giving Jose a wheelchair that fit him perfectly but now it looks like you could place another child his size in the same wheelchiar next to him. His grandmother and him are very close and she fears if she brings him in to the malnutrition ward of Hermano Pedro that he will die of loneliness. I wish that we could tell her that she is wrong but I see that happening with others like 13 year old Lionel. What is the answer then? I don't know, but I was told by the social worker that showed me Jose's picture that without help she doubts that he will live to see the end of this month. We are dipping into our emergency fund and making sure that he gets enough food to keep him alive this month but there are more months and many more starving kids.

( Lionel ),), ..........,,...,,,,,,,

I am sorry. This journal entry was suppose to catch you up on what took place these past 2 weeks (Perhaps another day). Instead I covered little more then what I witnessed today. Those of you who reed my journals on a regular bases know that I seldom ask for help. That is why there is no button to click on if you wish to help. Not even a mailing address where you can send donations. I know that there are starving kids all over the world and many good organizations that are trying to help them. My question is are you doing any thing to help any of them? If not please reach out and help one of them in any way that you can. If it so happens that God is laying it on your hart to help one of the little ones that I just wrote about please contact me at dick@dickrutgers.com.
"Sometimes I would like to ask God, why He allows Poverty, Famine and Injustice in this world, when He Could do something about it.....but I'm afraid that He might ask me the same question."

Goodnight,
Yours in Christ: Dick

2011-10-26T22:49:00.006-06:00

Hurrah! Jessica goes home.

.......................................
Jessica..............................................Jessica
September 14, 2010 ........................... September 3, 2011

When I posted my Journal a few days ago I promised that now that Pat was back from the USA that she would soon start writing again. Tonight she sent me the following. Thank you Pat for an outstanding journal.

Yours in Christ: Dick

Pat writes

Today I got to be a part of one of the happiest times we have here in Guatemala. Jessica Vanessa was released from the malnutrition project at Hermano Pedro. In the past year we have become very close not only to her but her whole family as well.

A year ago I wrote:

Tonight I met Jessica Vanessa and her mom. I am always shocked when I actually hold these little ones. . .there was literally nothing to this child. Our guess is she is somewhere between 15 and 19 lbs. at age six. And she's beautiful. And she has more energy that anyone in her condition should have, and she has the sweetest smile. (to read the rest of the journal from Sept. 14, 2010, click here.)

Dick had encountered Jessica when her mom brought her to a Hope Haven distribution in Mazatenango to get a wheelchair. One look at her and he knew that if she didn’t get help she would not live to use a wheelchair.

It just so happened that there was a news team from Missouri covering this distribution. They felt compelled to tell her story:

We spent a day in the clinics, before Jessica was admitted to the malnutrition project. Since that time, Mom has called me Jessica's "abuelita" or grandma. Not only Jessica, but her entire family has become part of our family.

This trip was the first of many we have made back to visit the family. In January, 2011, Dick returned with a few friends and built a new house to replace the make-shift shack the family lived in (shown above).

Virginia, a widow herself with six children to care for, has become an advocate for other families in her area who have special needs children. It seems that whenever we visit, she has found another family to take us to who is in need of help for their disabled child.

It’s hard to describe the transformation that has taken place as Jessica grew stronger and healthier, and even a little bit chubby. The pictures say more than my inadequate words ever could.

Jessica upon admission, September 14, 2010

October 7, 2010

November 24. 2010

December 8, 2010

January 20, 2011

February 20. 2011

August 6, 2011

Jessica on her way home, September 3, 2011!

Were her brothers and sisters happy to have Jessica home? You decided. . .

So it was a real treat to go with Dick as Jessica returned to her community of “La Benedicion” (the Blessing) after a year of her being away. When I first came to this aldea, I was struck by the irony of a place of such desperate poverty being called a blessing. A year later, I finally understand. . .those who live here are the blessing and they have surely blessed our lives.

Pat

Thank you Pat, and welcome home.

Faith can move mountains, but don't be surprised if God hands you a shovel !

Goodnight,
Yours in Christ: Dick

2011-10-23T21:16:00.041-06:00

It is hard to believe that 2 weeks have gone by since I posted my last journal. I have good news though, now that Pat is back in Guatemala and getting settled in she has once again started journaling and she has promised me that she will soon have a journal that I can post. Meanwhile you will once again have to settle for a mostly pictorial account of the past 2 weeks.

Yours in Christ: Dick

I am left to single single-handedly fight off a machete attack while a teem from the USA has the easy job of replacing a roof in one of the villages.

(Actually a few years ago these kids would run and hide when ever we showed up. Now we have a lot of fun with them.)

Rosa and her family love the home that a teem from
Bethel Ministries built for them a few years ago.

Thanks to generous sponsors, Rosa's kids and others in this village are now able to attend school.

Even though the children in this family have sponsors the 11 year old girl (far left) feels obligated to stay out of school and work to help support her widowed mother and her 4 siblings.

Used clothing is always welcomed, especially in this village which gets quite cold since it is over 8000 feet above sea level.

One of the teems carrying food in to some needy families.

This teem from Canada had a great time with the kids from Hermano Pedro.

No outing is complete without going out for lunch at Camperos.

Last week we spent most of our time down near the coast doing wheelchiar distributions.

Cesar helping load one of 3 truckloads of wheelchairs
that Bethel Ministries gave out last week.

This girl lets Alexander know how grateful she is for her new wheelchair.

Not only were close to 150 wheelchairs given out
but dozens of people invited Jesus into their harts.

This is how many of the people got to and from the wheelchiar distributions.

We also brought food in to more needy families.

Below is a picture of the inside of this families home.

Two weeks ago they had to flee their home due to flooding. The little that they had was destroyed by the flood. Now they have to sleep on the wet mud floor of their home.

I spent Saturday with my kids.

Cesar and Abner's teem took second place in the soccer finals.

Happy thanksgiving!

I know it is a bit early but Camp takes place during Thanksgiving so on Sunday Chris and Donna invited a lot of us over to their place for an early Thanksgiving celebration.

As you can see it has been a busy 2 weeks but they have been good ones. We have seen the hand of God in so much that has taken place.

Goodnight,
Yours in Christ: Dick

2011-10-09T08:58:00.035-06:00

Click on any photo to enlarge

Monday, October 3, 2011

Today I met up with my friends Scot and John at Hermano Pedro orphanage and along with 2 volunteers from Korea. The 5 of us took 4 of the kids from the orphanage out to lunch. I don't know who had more fun the adults or the kids but we all had a great time.

After we got back from lunch Jessica (The head therapist from Hermano Pedro ) and I went out and visited Ricardo, A 15 year old boy that has muscular dystrophy. Ricardo is in a wheelchiar that is much to small for him so we are going to see what we can do to get him a larger one. We are also planning on getting him into a power wheelchair because he can no longer propel himself to and from school. Please pray for this family. It was recently discovered that Ricardo's younger brother has muscular dystrophy as well.

Goodnight,
Yours in Christ: Dick

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Pat is back!

This morning I took Keven and Esbin along with me to the airport to pick up Pat. She has been in the USA for nearly 3 weeks.
If you think that we missed her you are right but our welcome back was nothing compared to that of the orphanage kids.

Goodnight,
Yours in Christ: Dick

Wednesday, November 5, 2011

Pat was catching up on sleep today so Mario and I went out and did some camp recruiting. Most of the families that we visited with were old friends but one family that I have never had the pleasure of meeting before was that of Glendy, her mother and 4 siblings. Glendy (front center) appears to be around 10 years old but she is actually 17. Mother has worked hard at keeping her children in school and even Glendy who has some learning disabilities attends school on a regular bases. Life is not easy for this family as father is an alcoholic.

Our visit with Maria and her family was a bitter sweet one. In the past 2 years 2 of Maria's siblings who use to attend our camp have passed away. Today we discovered that Maria's health is now deteriorating rapidly. She insisted on sitting up when we came but did so with great difficulty. Both her cousin and I had to hold her up. She even mustered up a smile for this picture. Actually she smiled the whole time that we were there. These visits mean so much to our campers and their families.

Mari's mother is a real trooper. Even though she has health problems of her own, up until a few years ago she managed to get her 3 wheelchair bound adult children to and from camp by buss every year. Life is not easy for this dear lady as her husband and several other relatives disappeared during the war in the mid eighties.

Goodnight,
Yours in Christ: Dick

Thursday, October 6, 2011

I Can't really remember what I did on Thursday but I must have gone to the orphanage becasue I have these pictures of Lionell on my camera.

Actually I do remember but I would rather forget. It had something to do with one of my normally trust worthy kids and some missing money.

Lionell has been on a feeding tube for over 2 months now and up until today he has not eaten a thing the entire time. Today he seemed more alert than he has been in a long time. I got him to smile a few times and even managed to get him drink a little bit of milk.

Goodnight,
Yours in Christ: Dick

Friday, October 7, 2011

Another day at Hermano Pedro.

Thanks to 2 wheelchairs that I was given by Hope Haven Guatemala, today I was able to seat 2 kids in wheelchairs that they desperately needed. Juan Bernardo had long since outgrown his old one and Marina who is in the malnutrition ward received her first wheelchiar ever.

Goodnight,
Yours in Christ: Dick

Saturday, October 8, 2011

This morning 4 of my boys and I headed to Guatemala City to try and buy tickets to an upcoming soccer game but after several frustrating hours in the City we discovered that the game was sold out.

As we were leaving the city it started to rain and by the time we got home the streets were flooded. This did not stop 2 of my boys from playing soccer later in the afternoon though.

Goodnight,
Yours in Christ: Dick

Sunday, October 9, 2011

After Church Pat, my boys, and I grabbed a bite to eat then headed back to the orphanage. Soon Chris arrived with 11 people that are here for the week. This group is from, West Side, which is Pat's home church in Omaha, so she was anxious to see them. After giving them a tour of the orphanage we turned them and my boys loose on the kids.

Was it a worth while day? I will let you be the judge.

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this:

to look after orphans and widows in their distress

and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

James 1:27

Goodnight,
Yours in Christ: Dick

2011-10-02T17:27:00.028-06:00

Needed - A place for a dozen teen age boys to hang out
for a few days or until they turn 21.
Preferably the latter.

Ever try spending time locked up in a 3 room house with around a dozen teen age boys? My advice to you is don't. Actually I guess I could leave but it is my house but it isn't easy to ask them to leave especially since they sort of came with the place when I moved in about 8 years ago. Of course they were much smaller and easier to keep under control back then and I sort of figured as they grew up, that instead of hanging out here half of the time that I would see them less often. Wrong! Don't take me wrong I love these kids and most of the time I enjoy having them around but every now and then I feel a bit on overload. (Polite way of saying ready to go insane) This week end was one of those times. Well lets just say that most of my weekend felt like that. One of my favorite philosophers (Erma Bombeck) once said that the best way to raise a teenager is to lock them in a wooden barrel and feed them through a knothole with a straw. By Saturday afternoon I was looking for a cork so that I could plug the knothole.

It all started out Thursday evening (I know Thursday is not considered the weekend but things were starting up a bit early). I figured that I would take a quick shower before we (I had intentionally used the word we so that they would have some indication that I expected them to help) started dinner. I instructed the 2 kids that were already in the house to let any other kids that were still in school into the house when they arrived. Some times they have to be reminded of this because they are afraid that they will lose their turn at the computer if they go to the gate. After just a few minutes I heard a loud pounding on my gate. I know that it was loud because this time I had remembered to take my hearing aids out before taking my shower. (I will tell you that story another time) Anyway after about 5 minutes of pounding and hollering (I think that the kids out side of the gate may have been hollering as well) one of the kids that was in the house finally opened the gate. By the time that I got out of the shower (Which is located in a small room that is not connected to the house) all of the kids were in the house playing rap music (I use the word Music very loosely) on the TV, both of my computers and my cell phone. How do I know that they were all in the house? Because they had left the gate wide open and it is clearly visible when you walk from the bathroom to the house. Unfortunately so was I. How do I know that? Because my neighbor lady hollered over and asked me if I wanted her to do any mending for me. Seems my bath towel had a hole in it. After getting dressed I ran back to the bathroom and hammered a few nails in the wall so that the next time that I take a shower I can take my clean clothing in there with me.

Next I went back into the house and did a pantomime indicating that I wanted the music turned down and no more than 2 rap songs (Again the word songs is being used loosely) being played at once. For a few minutes there it actually got quiet enough that I almost put my hearing aids back in but some how the volume mysteriously got louder when I turned my back to go and see what we (still using the word we) would make for supper. I asked the kids if they were hungry. (I know, Stupid question) and what they wanted for supper and all but a few of them voted on spaghetti. Since we had not had spaghetti since night before last I thought it was a good choice, besides that we were running low on corn flakes. Funny thing happened next, It may have been from all of the yelling and pounding or perhaps from the loud music but I still can't figure out why they all heard me perfectly when I asked them if they were hungry and when I asked what they wanted to eat but some how they all went deaf when I asked them to help me make supper. I did manage to get the attention of some of them though when I shut off their music by disconnecting the router to the internet, and after some not so gentle coaxing 5 out of 10 of them got up to help me. I said something about wanting the other 5 to help but I must have been mumbling because they did not move. I then cleared my throat and this time I was clearly understood. Then after putting half of the spaghetti back into the cupboard the 6 of us that were still in the house went to work on making supper.

When your children are little,
they step on your toes....
When they grow up,
they step on your heart.

On Friday evening I got home just in time to take my kids to youth group which is held every Friday evening at the church that we attend in Antigua. While the kids were at youth group I went over to Camperos to visit with some friends and after youth group the kids all walked over to Camperos to meet me for supper. When they arrived I asked them what they had done at youth group and most of them responded. However 2 of my boys Susan and Maria (The names have been changed to protect the guilty) sat there like they did not have a clew. I did not think much of it at the time because these were 2 of the same boys that had spaced out when I asked them to help with supper the night before. However I did a lot more thinking about it when I received an anonymous (Actually I know who it was that called but I know that he would not like me making up a name for him so he will remain anonymous) phone call a few minutes later. Seems that anonymous had proof that 2 of my boys, Susan and Maria (not their real names) had skipped out of youth group and gone to the park. I did not say anything until I got home but then questioned each of them separately. J...., I mean Susan came clean but K...., (allies Maria) stuck to a poorly fabricated story until I re questioned him the following day. I let him know that I was never going to force him to go to youth group but did expect him that go if he came along with me to Antigua for that purpose, and as far as the lying goes I told him that there would be consequences.

When we got home I went straight to bed but I told the 3 kids that stayed over that they could stay up for a while. They asked me if they could move the furniture a bit and do some break dancing. I told them that it would be all right as long as they did not make any noise (Silly me).

On Saturday morning we stuck around home and by 10 there were at least 10 kids in the house. All went well until I tried to find my Camera so that I could down load some pictures to put into my Journal.

Rule # 303 New cars no matter how strong, will get dents and scratches if you use them as a break dancing platform.

Rule # 304 (This one is directed at my boys) Do not lye about not using some one's car as a break dance platform until you delete the pictures from their camera.

Today is Sunday and things have gone much better. Oh yes I still woke up thinking about trying to find some one who wanted a few kids until they grew up. Fact is I was going to offer to pay some one dearly to do so but after church the boys and I went to Hermano Pedro (At their request) to love on the kids that are there. All I can say is wow. My boys have a way of showing Christ's love to the kids that are at the orphanage that I have not seen in many people.

Fact is today Su..., I mean Jason told me that he would love to get into some type of Christian ministry that involves working with children in an orphanage.

Children don't make life easier....just better...

Goodnight,
Yours in Christ: Dick

2011-09-29T20:10:00.013-06:00

A few days ago I posted a Journal that was primarily written by Daryl Felt. A day later I received the following from John Simons, who was one of the other men that accompanied us on the trip up to Nebaj. I thought that you would enjoy reading what John wrote about the trip.

John wrote the following.

Once again I find myself back in Guatemala for my second short term mission. And again I am traveling with my best friend Scott Hardee from Kansas City. We connected with Daryl Fulp from Ohio who we met down here last year. Since then Daryl has moved his family here to Guatemala. Our second day started with a 3 day trip with Dick Rutgers to sign up special needs Guatemalans for camp this November which will be the 11th held here since Dick arrived in Guatemala. Also traveling with us was a young man named Gerardo who is a Guatemalan who the Lord's hand is upon. Our journey will take us through the rough terrain of Guatemala's mountains and valleys searching for the villages and homes of several campers. The 5 of us will become a Band of Christian Brothers who will come to know, love and appreciate each one's gifts.

As we traveled the steep mountains and their valleys we encountered dozens of rock and mud slides, and we were unable to count all the pot holes and speed bumps in our path. In spite of the swaying back and forth and the many bruises and back pain, we endured the long hours traveling each day. During this time we shared about the many speed bumps, pot holes and mud slides we had encountered in our lives(whether they were the failed relationships, our hardened hearts or times of doubting our faith). But as each one shared THAT when we repented, like the small passages through the rock and mud slides that Dick's new Toyota was able to find a way through, God was always there to help us through and welcome us back. As we encouraged each Other with God’s word and knowing Jesus is the author and finisher of our Faith. In psalms 121 it reads I lift my eyes to the Hills, where does my help come from, my help comes from the Lord the maker of heaven and earth. And the last verse reads the Lord watches over our coming and going both now and forever. Even through the valleys and all the way to the mountain tops. Praise be to our God.

Dick has traveled many times through the rough terrain giving wheel chairs and other support that is needed to these special people. And he would be the first to say all would be in vain if not for Jesus and the message of salvation through HIM. My key verse coming to Guatemala is 2 Corinthians chapt 5 verse 20: We are therefore Christ's ambassadors as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf; be reconciled to God. It was a privilege to meet the campers in their homes where they welcomed us as family. Especially the 70 year old lady who has not missed a year at camp. She does not speak a work of Spanish, but a local Mayan language. I could tell that she was proud to be a part of camp and displayed a certificate of last year's on her wall. We also met Victor, a 19 year old man, who also is coming to camp and needed new crutches. We also brought him a P.E.T. The best way to describe it is a 3 wheeled wagon with a seat and hand peddles that turn a gear to the front wheel. He had one as a child and out grew that one and this larger one fit him well. As we started to put the P.E.T. together the neighbors and his family came out. What a blessing to see the acceptance he has with his family and village. Before we left we prayed for Victor and his family and for a blessing upon the village. We really were blessed by Gerardo with doing the translating and prayers. We also encountered Donald, Dick's friend who runs a restaurant and school for the poor and special needs children in his town. I had the privilege of praying over Don a blessing on the restaurant and school, and that he would come to know Gods purpose for his life. I hope you have been blessed by reading of the journey of our Band of brothers in Christ.

John Symons

Thanks John,
Goodnight,
Yours in Christ: Dick

2011-09-26T00:10:00.009-06:00

This weeks Journal has been written by Daryl Fulp and his Daughter Teisha. Teisha takes after her mother, Wanda, so you will find all of what she writes to be true. Daryl however takes after no one else that I know and although he can be truthful most of the time you will soon see that at times he simply makes things up. This is especially true when it comes to him writing about my highly talented professional driving skills. I personally thought that he retract what he wrote about my driving especially after he backed into the guide wire that runs to the light post by my house 2 minutes after getting out of my car after a 5 day accident free trip. Oh well I guess not all missionaries can be 100% truthful and close to 100% humble like me.

Dick

Monday, September 19

This entry was written by my daughter, Teisha, who accompanied Dick Rutgers, Gerardo, Taryn, and me on a trip to Las Palmas and La Gomera. Comments in red were added by me.

Daryl

Today, I had the wonderful opportunity of accompanying Dick, Daryl (my Dad), Taryn, and Gerardo (our translator) to visit Escuintla and Las Palmas. We visted and were able to help more people than I imagined we would! Our day went a little something like this... After departing at roughly 9:30 this morning, we headed off for Walter's house (a six year-old boy who is just about as cute as they get!) He has an appointment at Hermano Pedro Hospital in Antigua tomorrow, and we went to talk to his mother about all that would mean as far as what time to get there and what to expect. We also provided her with the money to take the chicken bus into Antigua along with money for the appointment itself. Please pray that all will go well with his appointment tomorrow and they will be able to take care of all that is needed!

(Actually, we went planning to arrange for their appointment for casting of his legs for new braces. After talking to his mother, we realized that he is also having hearing problems, so we arranged for her to come in early the next morning to see a doctor for that as well.)

Daryl

Second stop was David's house.. We went there to invite him to camp and also to see when his graduation will take place... which is a pretty big deal! It was a privilege to get to meet his family! :) Third stop was down the road to visit an elderly woman, Pilar, who is 85 years old and who is struggling from malnutrition. I can honestly say that I've never seen a person that skinny in person before... We checked in to make sure she was drinking the Insure we provided her a little while ago and to make sure she was drinking plenty of water. We found out that she was only taking about half the Insure she should be taking and that she hardly drinks water... She prefers coffee. But Dad (Daryl) explained to her (with the help of Gerardo) that she needs to be taking more Insure and she needs to be drinking lots more water for 2 reasons. First that she will start to feel better physically and gain some weight and be healthier altogether. And Secondly, she'll gain the energy she'll need to meet some new, cute men. ;)

While we were there with Pilar, we met a little boy who is 4 years old and who has struggled with fevers, breathing, and just lack of energy his whole life. His big brown eyes and his sad little face broke my heart! But we were able to set up a time for them to go to Antigua to Hermano Pedro next week to get him checked out. Prayer would also be greatly appreciated that all will go well with his appointment!

On our fourth visit, we saw a man named Ponsiano. We were pleased to see that his father had built him some parallel bars.. that he can hold on to to hopefully Work on his walking! It was very encouraging to see his famly step up and try to help him in his need! It was kind of rough for him to stand and walk, but it didn't matter because the excitement in his eyes and the smile on his face made up for it! Hopefully with time and more practice, he'll get much better at it.

The fifth place was across the street from Ponsiano's house, where we visited an elderly couple, Pedro and Victoria. Being as old as they are, they were previously advised to drink about 6 cups of water a day because they were dehydrated... and they could use all the energy the could get. They're now up to drinking 3 cups of water a day... that's progress, right? Sixth stop was a few doors down to Reyna's house, an elderly woman who was also having dehydration issues. We stopped there for just a few minutes to make sure she was drinking all that was suggested to her (and of course she wasn't... but she's drinking more water than she was before..) But even though we couldn't stay for long, the smile on her face when we walked in told me that it was worth it anyway.

After Reyna's, we went to Carlos' house to drop off a few camp forms... one for himself and two others that he would give to his friends... And after Carlos, we went to Maria's house to also drop off a camp form. She's 23 and has severe spastic Cerebral Palsy. She lights up the whole room with her beautiful smile!

(At this point, God redirected our trip and we ended up visiting a family that we hadn’t intended to visit. It was a God orchestrated change, as we realized that we needed to confront a family with some concerns. We praise God that both Dick and I were there for this and that Gerardo did an amazing job of communicating and confronting in love. Due to confidentiality and my respect for the family, I have chosen to omit these details.)

Daryl

I am so thankful that I could be a part of the ministry of Dick and Dad (Daryl) And I am thankful that I can learn how to better serve my Jesus with them. I would be very blessed if someday I could have half as much wisdom as they do... So today was a long, but great day and I learned a lot! ..but most of all, God was glorified! And that's all that matters. :)

Tisha

Tuesday, September 20

On Tuesday I had to run some errands and pick up some things for our upcoming trip so Daryl met up at Hermano Pedro with Walter and his parents. Don't worry they took the buss, they did not ride with Daryl.

NOW IT IS MY TURN FOR THE COMMENTS IN RED. Dick

Here are a few pictures of Walter getting casted for his braces. He had a good time smearing plaster on my arms and face!

Daryl

Wednesday, September 21

This morning Gerardo, Scott, John and I loaded up and headed to Chimaltenango to meet with Dick and head out for a three day trip to recruit for the annual camps for children, teens, and adults with special needs. Of course, this means three days of dealing with Dick’s driving and the ensuing bruises.

Daryl

Although Dick insisted that we arrive at his place early so that we could get an early start, we didn’t leave Chimal until almost 11:00 am. Dick lost his cell phone, and after looking for some time, decided that it must be stolen or destroyed because it was off when we tried to call it. So, off we went to the Tigo store so that he could report it missing and arrange to have his number transferred to another phone. Nothing is easy in Guatemala, so an hour and 15 minutes later, we left the store with the process not yet complete. We all took a vote and decided we should tie Dick’s new phone around his neck.

Daryl

First one that I lost in 11 years and I am still wondering if Daryl took it.

Dick

Since we got such a late start we were not able to accomplish a lot today. We made the trip to the town of Nebaj and had a brief visit with an elderly lady named Juana to invite her to camp. She speaks Ketchequal, so the conversation went from English through Gerardo in Spanish and then through Juana’s daughter to Ketchequal. Then the process was reversed.

After leaving her home, we checked into a nice clean motel. We had the choice of rooms that shared a public bathroom and had hot water and rooms that had a private bathroom with no hot water. Dick, Gerardo, and I chose the latter while Scott and John chose the hot water. That was a good thing since John had been complaining about how cold he was all day. When I came to there room to get them for supper, I found John trying to stay warm and looking like the Virgin Mary.

After getting settled, we headed to a local restaurant run my an American named Don. The food was good and cheap, but I think we were his only customers all night. So it took a while for them to heat up the stoves, find the food, and kill the necessary animals they needed to cook. But we had a nice visit as we waited and left after 1 1/2 hours.

Daryl

Epilogue from the following morning:

We returned to the motel and had a good night’s sleep. I did, however, wake up once to Dick talking in his sleep. I think he said something about hitting potholes and killing Daryl, but he was mumbling so I’m not sure.

Daryl

What I actually said was "Daryl, although I have never in my life hit a pot hole, do you actually think that it would kill you if we did." By the way I was not mumbling. Daryl simply refuses to have his ears tested.

Dick

Thursday, September 22

We met this morning at 7:15 to head out for an early breakfast. We wanted to eat quickly and hit the road because we had a lot on the agenda for the day. We quickly realized, however, that those plans might be in jeopardy when we arrived at Don’s restaurant, placed our orders, and Dick and I had to walk up the street to buy eggs for our meals. As Don ambled casually about the kitchen making our breakfast, we had still more time to visit.

We finally got our food, ate, paid and left the restaurant at 9:00 am. So much for an early start. But we have all learned that it is just a part of life here.

We left the motel and made another stop to invite a camper to camp. This was at Maria’s house, a young mother with a bad leg who walks with crutches. It is always a treat to see the previous year’s campers light up when they see Dick at the door. They know that means that camp is almost here again.

From there we headed through some of the most beautiful countryside you have ever seen. Winding and rough roads take you over mountains and through valleys surrounded by God’s creation that takes your breath away. Even Dick’s attempts to hit every hole and bump couldn’t detract from our wonder (although I still need to take time to count my bruises and check for internal hemorrhaging).

Daryl

By this time Daryl's phobia about the possibility of us hitting a pot hole was getting worse. I was beginning to think that we were going to have to restrain him becasue there were a few times that he tried to grab the steering wheel out of my hands had try to head my car over the cliff in fear of hitting shadows that he feared where potholes.

Dick

We arrived at Victor’s house late morning. He is a charming 19 year old who suffers from cerebral palsy, but is a very motivated and driven young man. He and his family managed to get him into school years ago, before most children with special needs were admitted into public schools. He has thrived. Today we delivered some crutches and a PET chair to him. A Pet chair is a wagon that is propelled by hand pedals. These chairs have worked well for Victor in the past, so Dick had found another one that was for adults to deliver to him.

While we assembled the chair, we attracted a growing crowd of locals who came out to see what was happening. Before we were done, there must have been 15 or 20 people gathered around. Once we were done and Victor had a chance to demonstrate his skills in it, we all had prayer together. A church service broke out as many of the Guatemalan’s prayed out loud together. This was a special time of connecting and sharing the love of Jesus, but I am not sure who received more of the love, the people of the town or our team.

From there, we headed to the nearest decent hotel (about 2 hours away) and checked in for the night. We put our bags in the room and headed out for one more visit with a wonderful lady named Maria. She and her husband, who is disabled, have been regular attenders at the camp for some time, and Dick wanted to make sure they received their invitation. We arrived to discover that her husband is in Guatemala City for surgery to remove a cancerous tumor from his throat. We knelt together and prayed for both of them. In spite of her sadness and fear, Maria radiated the joy of the Lord. Please pray for this couple.

Near the end of the day, we found out that Dick has been struggling with his new GPS unit. It has a feature which allows you to take a photo with it and it places it on the map to help people see the destination for which you are looking. Dick keeps turning it around with the lens pointing toward him and trying to take the picture. Scott observed that we probably have a lot of nice photos that show us what Dick looks like at Maria’s house, at Victor’s house, at Don’s restaurant, etc. Remind me not to borrow Dick’s GPS!

Daryl

No Comment, but if anyone wants an autographed photo let me know.

Dick

Tonight we enjoyed a nice meal in a local restaurant that did not take hours to prepare. Plus, it was extremely cheap. But we still sat and visited for over an hour as we shared our testimonies with one another. During that time, I was both humbled and touched to realize what a privilege it is to work alongside these men.

Now I am settled into my room that has BOTH a private bath AND hot water. I cannot tell you how pampered and spoiled I feel!

Blessings from some little town, somewhere in Guatemala! (I can’t remember the name and I am too tired to figure it out.)

Daryl

Thanks Daryl, Gerardo, Scot and John

All kidding aside this was a wonderful trip and I totally enjoyed the fun and Christian fellowship that the five of us had while we were on the road together and I hope that we can do it again soon, as long as I can do all of the Driving!

I have great faith in fools; self-confidence my friends call it.

Goodnight,
Yours in Christ: Dick

2011-09-17T21:47:00.004-06:00

Cesar with 5 year old Jose, one of the orphanage kids

After being on the road from Sunday through Friday I was looking forward to having a quiet weekend at home. Those plans didn't last long though becasue as I was ending my 6 day road trip and pulling into the alley where I live I received a phone call from Ronny's mom. Ronny is the 16 year old boy whose family we have worked with for years who passed away a few months ago. Ronny's mom told me that her daughter Astrilla (spelling is not even close) had fallen from a tree and broken her arm. She told me that did not have enough money to get her to the doctor yet alone pay the cost of a doctor or x-rays. When I asked mom how long ago Astrilla had broken her arm she told me that it happened 2 days ago. A short time later I had Pat call to see if we could get more details and perhaps talk to dad who does not seem to dramatize things as much as mom. A few years ago mom had made called to tell me that another daughter was hysterical because she had fallen into a pond and almost drowned. It was only after a 2 hour drive to their home that dad told me that his daughter had fallen into a mud puddle and started to cry because she had gotten her new dress dirty. However after talking to dad this time we were convinced that Astrilla's arm could really be broken so early Saturday morning Pat, 3 of my boys and I headed down to the coast to see if we could find a doctor's that we could bring Astrilla to on a Saturday. Oh yes there was always the option of going to the national hospital in Esquentla but after some of the experiences that I have had with National hospitals I much rather pay for a doctor.

To make what is becoming a long story a bit shorter I will condense things by saying. We got her to a doctor. X-ray's were taken. Mom claimed that we were taken as well because the visit with the doctor, the x-rays and the cast that was put on the arm that was indeed broken came to a whopping $80 American. I wish that I could get taken like that in the USA. Anyway Astrilla is now back home and doing fine.

Arlindo felt pretty special when the older boys
asked him to play football with them.

We finally got back home well after sundown and some how I gained another kid for the next 5 days. For quite some time I have been promising Ronny's little brother Arlindo that he could come to my house for a few days again. He came a long a few months ago but a good part of that visit was spent in seeing doctors and getting tests done on Arlindo who was not eating well or feeling all that good. This time Arlindo although still a bit skinny and pale in color was doing much better though. Fact is he ate me out of house and home. Even though most of my boys are older than he is they all had a great time together and I think that he would have gladly stayed on for a few more days or even years.

Some of my boys watching the Guatemalan Election returns

The next few days were fairly normal, or at least as normal as it gets around my house. Especally considering that school is out for a few weeks.

Arlindo and a few of my kids spent quite a bit of time at the orphanage and Pat spent time with us when her stomach wasn't upset. She very well may have caught a bug from teaching table manners to some of the orphanage kids that we took to Camperos.

I have to give Pat a hard time while I can because on Thursday she leaves for the States for 3 weeks.

On Wednesday Fernando, Marcos, Elder, Arlindo and I headed out to do a few more days of camp recruiting. Arlindo would have gladly spent the entire week with us but I had promised his family that I would bring him back home on Wednesday so after visiting a few people in his area we brought him home. From there we headed to Mazatenango and stopped off at a few more homes before finally reaching the Bamboo hotel which would be our home away from home for the next few days.

We tried to get a fairly early start each morning because it is rainy season and the thunder storms move in almost every afternoon at around 3 and there is no way that you can drive in to some of these places once the rain starts. You would have to see it for yourself to believe it but within 15 minutes a dry dirt road can become a flowing river. The kids love it though because our motel has a swimming pool and the rain is always warm. I do get a bit paranoid and make them get out of the pool when the lightning gets close though.

I can not believe but it seems that almost overnight these boys are turning into god fearing young men. The 3 that I have with me this week are incredible. All 3 of them have taken their turns at driving Marcos who is now 15 has been my camera man and also the one that programs new places into my GPS for me. Fernando who is 14 has done all of the interpreting for me. And Elder who is 9 has been updating the phone numbers of all of the campers. Believe it or not that can be a full time job. That is also one of the reasons that we put on thousands of miles each year inviting people to camp instead of just picking up the phone and inviting them. I do not think I am exaggerating if I say that out of the campers that have phones close ot half of them change their numbers at least once a year. I think part of it is that most of the phones here in Guatemala are cell phones and many of them get stolen. Although no one will admit it I also believe that now much like the USA more things can be bought on credit it is done to help keep the bill collectors from finding them.

The number one reason that we do camp recruiting though is so that we can make personal contact with the families that we visit. There is something very special about visiting them right in their homes. First of all even though even though it has improved a lot in the 11 years that I have been in Guatemala many disabled people are still looked down on and the fact that you are willing to make the effort to go and see them means a lot to them. It also seems that these people really open up to you when they are in their own environment. Just today I had the opportunity to pray with Marco Tulio Ruiz, a young man that was paralyzed from the waist down when he was shot in the back a few years ago. Today Marco told me that a few months ago his father suddenly got sick and died and then a few days later his brother was murdered buy someone who thought that the money that Marcos' brother was carrying to go and buy a pig was worth more than his life. I would have liked to have visited and prayed with Marcos' mom as well but she was out working for a few dollars a day so that she can provide food for Marcos, his little brother and herself.

It is now Saturday night. We planned on getting back home this evening but an unexpected side trip to repair a power wheelchair for a boy that has no other way to get to school kept us from visiting a few of the families out this way. In a way it is good though because once I get back home it will be hard for me to find the time to do any writing. Besides that we found another motel that has a swimming pool and now that the lightning has moved to nearly a mile away the kids are once again enjoying them selves.

Remember,
Don't confuse fame with success. Madonna is one; Mother Teresa is the other.

Goodnight,
Yours in Christ: Dick

PS. Hurry back Pat we all miss you.

Besides that I hate having to write all of my own journals.

2011-09-08T22:40:00.009-06:00

(Click on any picture to enlarge)

Once again I see that it has been over a week and a half since I have posted my weekly journal. Even worse than that it has been that long since I have even written in it. Although I have not done any writing I have managed to use my camera Quite a bit so I do have some pictures to share. I must confess that the quality of the pictures leaves a little to be desired because some one decided that my good camera was worth more to them than it was to me but thanks to a 2 AM bid on eBay I should be getting a new camera in a few weeks.

I hope that you enjoy the pictures. They have been taken off from a 4 gig memory card. As far as the writing goes it will be as accurate as my own memory, which after 64 years has a few glitches and could stand to be reformatted. Lest I forget, I will start out by writing about this week while it is still fresh in my mind and then I will sort of drift into the past.

Yours in Chris: Dick

September 4-8, 2011

(On The Road With Chris and Carlos)

The kids and I hung around the house instead of going to church this morning because I was scheduled to pick up Chris and Carlos at 12:30 so that the 3 of us could make it up to Huehuetenango before dark.

Our trip to Huehuetenango was 2 fold. First of all it is once again approaching camp time so for the next few months I will be doing a lot of traveling to give out invitations to those that are invited to our camp which will take place in November. Secondly there are several families living up near Huehuetenango that Bethel Ministries has found sponsors for so that their kids can be given enough to eat, receive needed medicines, attend school or when needed do to disabilities have someone come in to their homes and teach them.

Although I try to see these families on a fairly regular bases up until this week Chris, who is the director of Bethel ministries, had met some but not all of them and Carlos, Bethel's book keeper, had never been in any of their homes and had met only a few of these families. Chris and I both though it would be a good idea if Carlos would meet the families that he has been so diligently helping us with from behind his desk.

Carlos getting acquainted with Erica and her Teacher
(Since Erica can not walk her teacher comes to her home.)

Since Carlos would not be able to spend the entire week with us we spent the first few days concentrating on meeting with our sponsored kids and their families.

Maria Garcia, who lives in one of the villages where we have several sponsored kids has been a big blessing to us. Not only does she know the "Mum language" (one of 22 Mayan diolects used her in Guatemala) but even though she was once beaten and left for dead by the some of the same people that she is now trying to help she still has a genuine love for her people.

Maria's orphaned grandson Luis (in red shirt)....

is one of the kids that Bethel sponsors..........

Luis is my designated driver when ever we go to see some one in his village.
(Luis told me that next year he will be able reach the peddles himself.)
(We will see about that. His village is perched on a 1000 foot cliff.)

Rolando had to stop his schooling for about a year due to poor health.

His sponsor allowed us to use his sponsorship money for much needed food instead of schooling until he regained his health. Thankfully Rolando has gained weight and is much healthier. He will soon be able to continue with his schooling.

Maria Garcia was not feeling well but one of her daughters came along
to homes like Juana's where no Spanish was spoken, to interpret for us.

7 year old Rudy is the little boy that I fitted with an artificial leg that a friend of mine in the USA, made for him a few months ago.

Rudy's older brother goes to school but his family does not have enough money to give Rudy an education. I do not know who was more excited Rudy or his parents, when we told Rudy that it looked like he may be able to go to school next year.

After much prayer Silsa is once again starting to walk.
Several years ago a witch doctor put a curse on her.

A sponsor has stepped forward and in January
Selsa will resume her schooling.

Chris showing Silsa's brothers how to play checkers on his I-Phone.

Armando and his wife have 4 children but thanks
to a sponsor the older 2 were in school today.

Eight year old Freddy has a sponsor.

He does not go to school but the medication that mother is holding keeps him seizure free. He use to have several seizures each day.

Ernesto's mother died several years ago. Up until about 2 years ago his sisters helped care for him while father who has health problems tried to work. After his sisters got married and moved away Ernesto's father had to stay at home and care his son and could not work even on the days that he felt well enough to. When I visited their home less then a year ago the 2 of them looked like they were starving. Now that they have a sponsor they are getting enough to eat and both are doing much better.

Carlos caught a buss and went back Tuesday afternoon. I think that he would have liked to stay longer. While he was with us I feel that I really got to know him. He has a real love for Jesus and for his fellow Guatemalans.

Yesterday and Today Chris and I visited several more people. Most of these were people that we are inviting to camp.

I think that Chris enjoys these visits almost as much as I do.

.............................

If you were arrested for

being a Christian,
Would there be enough evidence
to convict you?

Good,Night,,,,,
Yours in Christ: Dick,

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

I thought about writing about last week but it is getting late and I am tired. But guess what. Pat beat me to it I figured why not swipe just one more journal from her. Besides that I am all the way on the other side of Guatemala from her so she can't hit me. So hear goes.

Memorial at Maria’s—August 30, 2011

Written by Pat

Maria and her family

Today Dick, Chris Mooney, Brian, Carleen and Esbin set off for Tecpan. We had been invited to a memorial service marking the fourth anniversary of the death of the husband of Maria, one of the four widows in this community.

Four years ago, Maria’s husband left for work, as he did each day, to deliver bananas with Jorge, one of the Bethel Ministries workers. As he left, his mother said, “Be careful, son, your family needs you.” Maria’s husband replied, “Don’t worry. If something happens to me, God will care for my family.” A short time later, he was killed when he was hit by a truck crossing the highway to meet Jorge.

Jorge, of course, shared this story with Chris Mooney, the director of Bethel, and they went to see what they could do to help this family. Maria was barely more than a child herself, and now had four children to care for alone, the youngest a newborn baby. She spoke hardly no Spanish (only Katchikel, a Mayan dialect) and had never been more than a few miles from her home. This visit began a long time friendship between Maria’s family and those associated with Bethel.

A sponsor as found, and Dick began bringing food into the family once a month to help out. Soon, Bethel built them a new house, on a dry, raised cement foundation (only a short time after this, an adjacent building was blown down by a storm and the new shelter kept the family safe). An attempt was made to help Maria raise pigs to become more self-sufficient. This failed, though, when feed proved to be too costly and one of the momma pigs ate her offspring (yuck!).

My first encounter with Maria was shortly after the death of her husband, when I visited her home with on of the first Guatemala mission teams from Westside. We had brought food to them, and saw their “new” house. This experience deeply touched many of the members of this team. Whenever I would come back, I did my best to visit this beautiful lady, her family, and her amazing neighbors.

About a year ago, Maria needed surgery, and we were able to help her get it at Hermano Pedro. Bethel frequently has brought teams out to visit, and Dick and I visit when we can. I really is one of our favorite spots to go, and we sometimes make a trip here when we feel like we need to be refreshed a bit. (See Aug. 11 posting) This family and their neighbors are as much a blessing to us as we ever could be to them.

Now, the youngest of the children is four years old, the two oldest are in school, and the little girl who used to run hiding under a basket when Dick would come is now one of the first to greet us. This family has become our friends, and I was honored to be included with Dick and the Mooneys in the invitation to this “culta” (prayer meeting) honoring her husband and praying for Maria, her family and their future.

We arrived a bit early (actually on time, but by Guatemalan standards, early) and I was able to visit the home of Rosa, another widow who Bethel has built a home for and been serving in this area. Rosa, who has been ill, is now living with three of her children in one room back in Chimaltenago, but her oldest daughter had come to the home in Tecpan to get “guisquil” (a type of squash popular here) to sell in the market in Tecpan.

Shortly we were called back to Maria’s the service began. We were met by the elders from Maria’s church, who led us in praise and prayer for about an hour. These eight or nine men share the responsibility for the local church, and they rotate the responsibility for preaching among them. Their prayers were beautiful and heartfelt, and I’d love to return some Sunday to worship with them.

After the prayer time we were treated to a delicious lunch of a type of stewed chicken and rice. I felt somewhat awkward, as I was the only woman eating with all the men, but the Maria insisted that I do so.

After we ate I did slip into the other building where the women were cooking and eating and visited with them for a bit. They took great pleasure in trying to teach me once again how to wear a corte, the traditional skirt worn by Mayan women. I think they are beginning to agree with me that gringas need four more hands to be able to hold up the skirt while trying to wrap a long belt around their waist and pull it tight to hold up the skirt. I still fear I will walk out of mine, and am experimenting with ways to use Velcro to help secure the garment.

Pat

Rosa's family

Also written by Pat

While visiting Maria’s family in Tecpan, I finally met Rosa, the sister of a young blind girl. Bethel has built her family a house only a few feet from Maria’s. This was the first time I’ve visited this family, since usually no one was at home when we were here. This time, Rosa had return to Tecpan to get guisquils (a squash like vegetable) to seel in the market in Chimal. She was very eager to have me see their house here.

Rosa’s mother has been ill, and right now the family is living in Chimaltenango so that the youngest daughter (age 14) can care for the mother after school. Rosa asked if we’d like to visit the family today when we returned to Chimal, and we decided to give her a lift back to town when we would leave Maria’s.

When we arrived, we walked into a large building which seemed to have many rooms. I soon discovered that a different family lived in each room. We climbed a number of stairs and made our way to the family’s room at the rear of the house. This space was a vast improvement from where the family had lived the last time they were in Chimaltenango. Their previous dwelling was a room in an abandoned building, with no electricity or water, and boarded up windows. This place has those “amenities” and is warm and dry at least.

We made our way to Rosa’s part of the house, and found her mother, 2 sisters and younger brother waiting her return. Sylvia, another daughter is blind and unable to do much around the house. The youngest in the family is a boy of about 10 years.

It appears Mama is almost bed-ridden, though we’re not quite sure why. She says she gets too dizzy to walk whenever she stands up. It does not seem that she has seen a doctor, however. They have been receiving food assistance from Bethel ministries, and survive on what little Rosa can earn selling vegetables, doing laundry and doing other household work when she can find it. Today the youngest brother was also sick in bed with a high fever.

The biggest concern, however, was that the fourteen year old girl would be finishing “sixth” grade this October and would need to move on to “Primer Basico” (middle school, sort of) in January when school resumed. The problem was, this is much more expensive the primary school. This young lady (whose name I can’t remember, sorry) loves studying and is a good student. Dick tells of how she literally jumped for joy when she was told she would be able to attend school with the help of a sponsor.

Now she worries that she will have to quit school. She beamed when we told her we would try to find her an additional sponsor to help with the extra cost of continuing to secondary school. If any of you would like made a monthly donation to enable this bright young woman to continue her studies for another year, please email me and I’ll give you the details. Lately we have been feeling a significant burden over being able to keep the girls studying past the most elementary grades, and this is one young lady with a lot of potential, who hopes one day to be a bilingual secretary and earn a wage to help her care for her family. We would love to be able, with your help, to see her dream come true.

Pat

Valentina Goes Home

2011-08-28T21:18:00.005-06:00

Sunday, August 28, 2011

It is not often that I repeat myself. It is not often that I . . . . . . At least not intentionally, but I posted the following just 6 months ago. Actually I am not repeating myself I am repeating what Pat wrote back then. Those of you who have good memories and want to skip over reading about the Godincidence that led into getting 3 week old Valentina into the Malnutrition ward of Hermano Pedro before she died can skip over the Blue writing and start reading the light black (or dark gray depending on your web browser or your eyes,) to see how how things turned out.

Yours in Christ: Dick

(The following was originally posted on February 24, 2011)

Pat wrote

Up the drive came a lady carrying a small baby. She had heard Flori was visiting Marcos, and had come hoping she could help her get surgery for her 20 day old granddaughter who also had a cleft lip and palate. We talked a little bit, and while the baby seemed tiny, grandma said she thought Valentina was heavier than she was at birth. They knew she had to gain at least 10 lbs. before the doctors would consider the surgery, and were waiting for that. (Grandma is Valentina's primary care-taker, as Valentina's mother, has a severe seizure disorder and mental illness. Grandma said she is afraid to leave the baby with Mom for fear she'll kill her. Talk about a difficult situation. . .)

Then, Dick asked to hold her. The look on his face when he picked her up sent my heart into my stomach. He said, "I don't think she weighs 5 lbs." We gently began talking with grandma about the malnutrition project at Hermano Pedro, and she was interested immediately. We asked her if we could take a picture of Valentina without all the clothes she was bundled in, thinking she could come to the clinic the 22nd of February when others from her area would be coming to Antigua.

I think both Dick and I caught our breath as soon as Grandma removed Valentina's cap--somehow she hadn't looked quite as tiny wearing a hat, and we could see that her sparce hair had already lost color from malnutrition. As we removed her sleeves and pants, we could see that, despite the best efforts of Grandma and Dad, this little one had wrinkles betraying how much weight she had lost.

We began talking about the possibility of bringing her in to Antigua when we return next week to build Bayron's house. The more we talked the sicker each of us felt, fearing she didn't have a week to spare before getting help. And, she's healthy now. No fever or diarreah, so could be admitted immediately to malnutrition. In her weakened condition, we didn't think that would be the case in a few days.

We asked Flori if there was any way she could get them in sooner. . .we were committed to Walter already, and he had waited more than 6 months for this appointment. I think we both felt a little helpless. Flori reluctantly said she would be going to Antigua tomorrow, but they were leaving at 4 am and there was no way they could possibly pick up this family in such a remote place.

Immediately it was decided that, if they were willing, we would bring Grandma, Dad, and Valentina back with us to our hotel, which would be on Flori's way to Antigua tomorrow. Grandma agree instantly, and was off to call Dad and get ready to come with us.

So, tonight we had a lovely dinner in the hotel with Grandma, Dad, and this darling little girl. For as tiny as she is, she's so alert, and makes such great eye-contact that she's stolen both our hearts. I'm proud to say that Dick and I didn't fight over who would hold her more, but shared her attention pretty well. I got tears in my eyes watching my bachelor friend walk the floor with this crying baby, looking for all the world like he had done this his whole life. What a sweet moment.

I have to admit, I feel somewhat sad that I can't just drop everything and go with them to Antigua tomorrow. I'm learning more and more, though, that I don't have to do everything, only my part. And tonight our part is just to get them to where Flori can meet them tomorrow. I'm so honored to have Guatemalan friends and colleagues here who are competent to help their own people, they only need our support.

Was it a random thought that made me ask Dick to go to visit Marcos? I'm sure it was the Holy Spirit, and for once I heard His voice, even if somewhat reluctantly. Just like it wasn't a coincidence that today was the day we visited them, that Grandma just so happened to bring Valentina while we were there, that Flori just so happened to be going to Antigua tomorrow, or that our hotel was on their way. I sit and marvel at seeing the finger-prints of God all over these events, and am humbled to be a small part of this.

How many days can you say you got to trade an afternoon of leisure for being a small part in saving a life? Thank you, Jesus, for today, and be with them tomorrow as they travel.

Pat

Dick writes

In the past few years we have brought several malnourished kids into Hermano Pedro not knowing for sure weather or not we were getting them there in time to save them. Some of them did not make it and it broke our harts. Others made it and it made all of our efforts well worth while. One thing we knew was there was no way that Valentina could last more than a week or 2 if she did not get some help, so we at least had to try. Valentina survived the night with us at the hotel and survived the ride with Flor to the hospital. However after she was admitted into the malnutrition ward of Hermano Pedro her condition did not seem to improve. She remained in isolation and for at least a month her weight stayed at 6 pounds. The doctors and nurses did their best and there were a lot of us praying for her but we all know that if she caught as much as a cold she would likely die. Pat and I vised her nearly every day but saw little change but as week as she was she still recognized us and let us know that she rather be held then lye in her crib. Then it happened slowly but surely Valentina gradually started to gain weight. A few weeks later she was released from Isolation and then put on the pounds even more rapidly.

A few weeks ago her mother and grandmother came to visit her and they could scarcely recognize her. Even though at one time mom had wanted her dead I could see that she really loved her daughter. Both mom and grandma were thrilled when they were told that Valentina had gained more than enough weight and was now strong enough for the surgery.

Last week Valentina had her Cleft Pallet surgery and all went well. She is now eating even more than ever and some of the nurses have affectionately nick named her "Gordo" (Fatty). The day before yesterday her family came and took her home.

Please pray for Valentina and her family. Her mom still has convulsions but seems mentally stable. Dad and grandma love her dearly so we pray that all goes well. One thing that I am certain of is that the same God that orchestrated us finding her, made it possible that she get into the malnutrition ward hospital in less that 24 hours and brought her from being a skin covered skeleton to a plump little girl in 6 months is capable of looking after her even though she is now a half day's drive from us.

Like Pat said, "Thank you, Jesus, for today, and be with them tomorrow."

Goodnight,
Yours in Christ: Dick

Trip to Santa Rosa

2011-08-28T19:59:00.012-06:00

Once again Pat has offered to write this weeks journal if I did the pictures.

Pat wrote

After a week of being sick a week of being sick, I decided it was time to get back into the swing of things. So Monday morning Dick and I planned to go to Guatemala City to pick up my passport from Immigration. It’s been there about 20 days to get approval for a 90 day extension on my visa.

When Dick arrived, he hesitantly asked what I thought about going on to Santa Rosa since if we went straight from the city it would cut about 2 hours off the trip we had talked about taking later in the week. After a couple of minutes of thought, I agreed (two hours off the highway here in Guate is well worth packing quickly).

So, after a quick trip to my house for some clothes we were off to the City. Our first stop was to buy dog food at WalMart—which I seem to be doing more and more often as Yogi and Booboo grow. I also wanted to get some repairs done on my computer under the extended warrantee—but was told I had to call first for an appointment.

Next we went to get Dick’s hearing aids adjusted, and were pleasantly surprised by the competency of the young woman who helped us. (Dick is no longer saying he can hear better without them!) Our next stop was to pick up Dick’s computer at the Mac repair place (it would be way too simple if we could both get our computers fixed in the same place).

Finally we made it to Immigration, just in time for their lunch break. After waiting more than an hour for the lady with the passports to return, I finally had permission to be in the country again. Days like today kill any romantic ideas I still have about life as a missionary. Most of it is plain old every day living stuff that can suck the life out of you if you let it!

We were finally on our way to Santa Rosa, and arrived in Cuilapa in time for supper and some rest. Running errands sure tires me out more than it used to! When I unpacked I realized that I had packed everything I needed except blouses! So, tonight I am sleeping in my pajama pants and the blouse I wore today. Tomorrow I will be “styling” in my old t-shirt I brought with, planning to sleep in. Any vestiges of vanity are being stripped away by life “on the road.”

The night was made complete when, about 10 pm, we had a 4.4 “tremor” whose epicenter was only about 15 miles from our hotel. I don’t think I’ll ever get used to feeling the earth move under me, especially when sitting in a hotel room which is literally built on the side of a mountain! (I guess it’s better to up the mountain that at it’s base, though, in times like these!)

Tuesday morning I placed a call to Anna, Bayron’s teacher, who we had come up to visit. (Bayron is a little boy who is deaf who is taught privately through sponsors with Bethel.) She was just about in Cuilapa on her way to Barberena where she teaches. Did we want to meet her at the park and go the rest of the way with her? After managing to find the park (by ignoring the directions we were given at the hotel) we were soon on the way to the school where she teaches.

We arrived and were warmly welcomed into the building which serves as the school for roughly 800 children. As Dick put it, we have surely acculturated when we think nothing of a school being housed in a building that would most likely be condemned anywhere in the US. But the staff was warm and friendly, and the principal immediately gave permission for Anna to leave her class and accompany us to visit Bayron and his family. This flexibility was a difference from the States which did not fail to surprise me.

On the way, Anna told us that Bayron has been a bit of a pill—not wanting to work, and sometimes not being at his house when she comes to teach him. We all decided it was good that we were coming to see him together.

When we pulled into their yard we were immediately greeted by Edgar jumping up and down like a monkey. This has become almost a tradition when were come here. He did not have school today for some reason (here in Guatemala, we seldom know why, only that kids have a lot of unscheduled holidays). We visited with Grandma, and with the help of Edgar, Grandma, teacher and our made up sign language, we made it clear to Bayron that he needed to buckle down and get to work. (It has more to say about Bayron’s raw intelligence than our skills at communicating that we were able to get this across. How much he manages to understand without hearing or speaking continues to amaze me.)

It was good to see this family enjoying the house which was built by a couple of guys from my home church and the Bethel folks. There are probably about 8 adults and 5 children living in the new house and some old buildings adjacent. It was also good to hear that Grandma likes using her new Onil stove because it doesn’t take as much wood.

Bayron then showed us his work, and also demonstrated how he is learning to imitate sounds with the help of his excellent teacher. After visiting with the family we soon needed to take Anna back to school. We did promise to return later in the afternoon to take the kids out to eat—where else but Pollo Campero!

Our next visit was to the family of Wilmer and Walter. Wilmer is being tutored through a Bethel sponsor, and a few months ago we had taken Walter in to see the neurosurgeon in Guatemala City. We wanted to check on how they were both doing.

Arriving at their house, we were surprised to see that one of the buildings had been torn down. We were even more surprised to discover that the family had moved. (Note to self: check with Carlos at the Bethel office before setting off on these trips to see if anyone’s moved!) After calling Wilmer’s mom, we were given directions to their new home in Anonillo—a place we had never heard of. Not to worry, Mom said. Her older son would meet us at the highway.

So we back-tracked to what we thought was the highway she was talking about. After calling her we discovered that we had gone quite a way too far. Only then did it occur to us (to Dick, really) that the young man who had waved to us as we were traveling down the dirt road to get to the blacktop was probably Wilmer’s brother! I’m still learning Guatemala-speak. Never in a million years would it have occurred to me to call a narrow dirt road a highway, but here in Guate it was (especially after we saw the roads that led off of it!)

We started back tracking again, this time through town, only to get stopped behind a van which was next to a car going the wrong direction down the two lane road. Imagine our dismay when the van threw it in to reverse and back up full speed into the front of Dick’s new Land Cruiser! I prepared myself for the worst as Dick jumped out of the truck to talk to the driver of the van.

Fortunately, the van driver admitted his mistake. (Other Guatemalans might have thought we were at fault for not backing up when we saw his non-existent reverse lights!) As we were discussing the situation, up came Eric, a local man who owns a bicycle repair shop in town and had originally led Dick to Wilmer. With his help we negotiated a fairly good repair price (for the driver at fault) and Dick left with a grand total of about 75 Q (roughly $10) to repair the “cow catcher” on the front of the Land Cruiser. Eric was also kind enough to accompany us to Wilmer’s and with his help managed to make the right turn up the mountain. (Yep, it was right where we had passed the “friendly” young man who had been waving at us!)

We traveled up a dirt road which became a trail which became two ruts, which ended rather abruptly. As we were sitting there trying to decide what to do, a little girl came up to the truck and said, “Dick!” It was Wilmer’s little sister. She pointed a short way up the hill to where we saw Wilmer’s mom waiting for us holding Walter. They had moved to this isolated area to be near her oldest daughter who was married with two children. Wilmer’s dad was building a block house for them, which promised to be quite nice. Now, however, they are living into a lean-to which is no more than some wooden walls covered by metal sheeting. We were welcomed in immediately though, as Momma talked about her dreams for the new house.

Wilmer was up the mountain at his sister’s house, and we hiked up to see him. I have to admit it was a bit of a challenge as we seemed to go straight up, but I managed to make it without either falling or having a heart attack so it was all good. Wilmer’s mom had found him a new teacher, and he was already receiving lessons in his new home. We were also very pleased to see the water filter which we had left on our last visit in use. Chalk up two great home visits and some good team work on the part of Bethel!

We returned to Bayron’s to take the five kids who live there to an early supper, only to be greeted by a number of other children who had come to “visit.” As hard as it was, we stuck to our original commitment and just headed off with Bayron, Edgar, Vanessa, Oliver, and Maria Jose. (Oliver is a little guy on crutches who runs faster than most able-bodied kids, and Vanessa and Maria Jose are his sisters. Their mother, Bayron’s grandma’s sister-in-law, had died a few months ago, and Grandma is helping her brother raise his children now, as well as Bayron and Edgar).

Our time at Campero’s proved to be about the most entertaining meal I have eaten in Guatemala. The kids drew and played tic-tac-toe while waiting for their food. When the drinks came there was the mandatory straw shooting (begun by Dick, of course), and much teasing and joking. It soon became apparent that the kids were entertaining not just us, but most of the restaurant. It was fun to watch the servers laughing as the entered their orders in a near-by station. Again, it amazed me how Bayron could communicate with us so well without speaking or hearing a word.

As we were eating our ice cream at the end of the meal, we were approached by a man who said he was a pastor. He said something about making a donation, and I assumed he was asking us for a donation to his church. I was astounded when he explained that no, he wanted to make a donation to us to help pay for the kids’ meals. I was more surprised when he said he was not from this area, but lived in Guatemala City and had his church in Xenacoj, which is only a short way from Antigua. This encouragement from a fellow Christ-follower was like a kiss from God to top off a rather remarkable day.

Pat

Thanks Pat

Yours in Christ: Dick

August 13-20, 2011

2011-08-20T09:40:00.012-06:00

For the past several days we have been blessed by having a teem from "Joni and Friends" that came from the USA to work with with us.

Grant and Rhoni Standefer who are with Joni and friends showed up a few days ahead of the rest of the teem.

Rhoni had collected some money for shoes from friends and members of her church so on Saturday we took about a dozen of my kids shoe shopping. This was a big blessing because the school year is about half over and many of them had shoes that were totally warn out.

Thanks Rhoni and everyone else who made this possible.

On Tuesday we we loaded up the 2 Bethel Ministry vans and headed out for 5 days on the road. Among other things we visited several families in their homes and did wheelchair distributions in 3 different towns here in Guatemala. The entire group has really rolled up their sleeves and pitched in to help make this week a huge success.

Not only were over 165 people blessed with new wheelchairs but many of the people that we worked with gave or rededicated their lives to Jesus.

Local pastors from each town that we did the distributions in worked with us and they will be following up on all of these people.

I am still working on trying to get some of the teem members to write a few things about thier

experiences this week but we have all been quite busy. When and if they do I will be sure to post what they wrote.

Chris and Donna's daughter Cindy (lower left) did an excellent job of interpreting for me at the distributions.

The little boy (lower right) was my enthusiastic mechanic's helper at the San Marcos wheelchair distribution. He shortened what would have normally taken me 3 hours to do down to about 5 hours, but his enthusiasm and the smile on his face made it all worth it.

We are now back in Chimaltenango and my house is quickly filling up with kids. Since they all want to share with me what they did this week I am going to cut my sharing short and let them have a turn sharing their experiences with me.

Goodnight,

Yours in Christ: Dick

Mostly Pictures This Time

2011-08-14T21:12:00.003-06:00

I know that it has been nearly 2 weeks since I made my last journal entry but I have a good excuse. I lost my good camera and my Mac. computer is once again in the shop and it has taken me a week to figure out how to start up this windows contraption. And then another few days figuring out how to use it. Sorry this camera takes fuzzier pictures than the one that I lost, and no fancy frames on the pictures this week.

I have been busy doing many different things these past few weeks. Here are pictures and a few brief remarks of some of them.

My boys love spending time at Hermano Pedro orphanage almost as much as I do. We were happy to once again see 4 and a half year old Jose, but hearing that he was returned to the malnutrition ward weighing about 12 ponds after being back at his home for only 6 months brought tears to all of our eyes.

Stopping off at the park on our way to Camperos

Henry helping adjust a new wheelchair at the orphanage

These therapy students not only did a great job of helping repair wheelchairs at Hermano Pedro but they also had the time of their lives helping me take some of the orphanage kids out to Camperos for lunch.

Lunch at Piccadilly's with some of my kids

(See, we do occasionally eat at other places besides Camperos)

I also helped out at a few wheelchair distributions.

Not only did many receive new wheelchairs.

Several invited Jesus into their lives!

Lora who is staying with Pat for a few weeks,

has a real love for the kids where ever we go.

but then

How can anyone

not love

these kids ?

Pat, Lora & I visiting with

a widow and her children.

Pat and one of the

three widows

that we visited on

this particular day.

Pat's love for the Guamanian

people is highly contagious.

Up until we found a sponsor for them grandma, mom, and 4 kids lived on the income of Samuel, the oldest of the 4 kids.

Before finding a sponsor

for this family,

11 year old Samuel

had to work

every day

and was earning

$10 a week.

Well I better get this published before this computer crashes again.

Goodnight,

<>< Yours in Christ : Dick ><>