Sometimes you just need to ask for help!

I have never been one who likes to ask for help. If I couldn't do it myself, it probably didn't need to get done! I hate to feel like I am inconveniencing others.

Living in a foreign country as a missionary has definitely brought me down several notches on the pride ladder. And now starting a ministry from the ground up, I realize I need all the help I can get!

Administration is not a gift of mine. Recently I have been feeling completely overwhelmed with some of the tasks in front of me. This has caused me to put off tasks longer than I should have. Yesterday I had a visit from "super admin woman"! Well, I didn't know she wore this title until we were talking more. I had just invited them over for cookies. But we got talking and my confession came out. She immediately offered to show me more another day. During this same conversation I mentioned that since I had taken on more tasks that I was unfamiliar with I said that "it would be freaking convenient to have a husband right now!" I could pawn off all the unfun tasks on him. :) If you get lost, call the husband. Your car breaks down, call the husband. You don't like admin work, call the husband. You get my drift.

So today I headed over to their house for my admin lessons. And got lost. So I called my friend Karren and she immediately sent out her husband to rescue me. How convenient! When he showed up, this was the sign he waved out the window at me.

Then Karren (aka super admin woman) helped me set up a system and showed me how she had done hers and for some reason it made sense. Let's just hope it makes sense later when I try by myself. I do have her phone number though. Hee hee.

This is me looking somewhat confused with the computer in general.

 This is me happy with how magical excel spreadsheets really can be. :)

So thanks Karren and Rocky!

P.S. I even got lasagna out of the deal. 2 pieces of it! All in all, a good day.

Welcome to San Cristobal, Alta Verapaz!

This is the main road leading out of San Cristobal. Not a great picture, but I have more time now to explore the town and take better ones.

I have made the move! Well, sort of. I am housesitting right now and I will go back to Parramos at the end of the month to pack up the rest of my things to bring, but this is the town where Treasures of God Children's Home will get it's beginning. I have found a house to rent, and once I sign the lease papers I will take pictures to post.

This town is about 3 1/2 hours from the Capital City and 5 hours from my former house. It is a small town in the mountains that sits on the side of a lake. There seems to be a lot of rain in the afternoons and I am told their rainy season lasts a lot longer than the rest of the country. I am going to have to buy rubber boots. It is a friendly town with little trouble. Tranquille is the word people who live here use to describe it. When I went to the grocery store yesterday the cashier asked about me and what I was doing since she had not seen me before.

I have already met several people who are more than willing to give me contacts and help me to get started. People here are so wiling to help someone they have only just met. This is so important and I am so grateful that God brought me to this particular community.

Please keep praying. Transition and new beginnings can (and will be) bumpy and I want to follow the path God has planned for me, the home, and the children regardless of what the journey looks like.

Car wash!

I had the pleasure of meeting the ladies from a Bible study at Berea Baptist Church while I was up in Canada over the summer. They listened attentively to my story, then promptly proceeded to bless me with their enthusiasm, encouragement and kind hearts for abandoned, disabled children in Guatemala. 

I heard from them later that they had organized a car wash to raise some funds to buy furnishings for the children's home. It happened one beautiful Saturday in September.

A great group of ladies!

They raised $640!!! I was amazed and so thankful! What a blessing. These ladies have only met me once, but have caught the vision and is allowing the Lord to work through them.

I can't wait to buy bedding, furniture and toys for the children to use. It will be fun to pick items out while thinking about the children that will be safe and warm and fed while enjoying these things. I look forward to tell the children about a group of ladies who have never met them, but loves them anyway because God first loved us. 

Thank you ladies! I so appreciate all your hard work!

House hunting.

There has been some serious house hunting going on the last couple of weeks. Here is how house hunting goes in Guatemala.

Step 1: Meet people and tell them you are looking to rent a house.

Check. And although this cutie wasn't helping me look for houses, her parents sure did. And she helped lift my spirits so that counts for something. :) 

Step 2: Take advantage of friendships by dragging friend and her children around town looking for signs that say "this house for rent". Then try to convince her you can't speak Spanish on the phone and ask her to call and ask for details.

Check. But then you try to make up for it by baking really yummy treats with them!

Step 3: Wait for people to tell you they know someone who is renting. Do some dishes while you wait.

Check. Although technically this is not me doing dishes. This is aforementioned taken advantage of friend. Who also let me stay in her house for almost 2 weeks. And we are still friends! I think. Right Ruth? Right????

Step 4: Wonder why the police are driving down the road at a normal speed but with hand on holster.

Check. Wait, that isn't on the list.

Step 5: Break down on the side of the road, stress out and cry.

Check. Wait, that also isn't on the list! I must be a good multi-tasker. :)

Step 6: Wait for God to amaze you with His timing, connections, gift giving and grace.

Check. 

New logo!

In March I was visiting friends (who work in villages with children with disabilities) and I was able to meet Matt, a visitor from the U.S. He works with adults with special needs in the U.S. but has made several trips to Guatemala and has a real heart for the people here. We chatted a bit and when he returned to the states he offered to work on a logo for me.

The original concept was his idea and I asked for just a couple of small modifications. I love how it turned out and I am proud to present the official logo for Treasures of God Children's Home!

Thanks Matt! I love it! :)

Taking a break.

    I've been on the hunt for houses. As you know, not an easy task here. So one day a friend took me to a malnutrition center. It is supposed to be a hospital, but because of a lack of resources and staff, it is more just a health center. Only the babies can stay overnight and are usually in the program for several months.

 This is Wendy.

 This is Heidy. She is 14 months old and has had some noticeable delays since her birth.

 It was visiting hour for the parents so I didn't get to visit with all of the babies.

 Heidy loved to have her belly tickled!

     There were many needs in this center. The nurse in charge has only been there 3 months and I really felt like she had such a heart for these children. She was joyful to talk to and positive about the things that they could and were doing. At the end we prayed for her and she began to cry quietly. It is hard to see such a need and not be able to help more. But she drew her strength from the Lord. 

    I hope to be able to visit again and help out. Often at night, there is only one staff member on to look after 12 babies.

The House.

The search for the house is on! I will update you more on my trip to Canada and the U.S. in another post, but for right now I would like to share what is currently going on.

The social worker continues to work on the paper side of things. I am so thankful for his help and expertise. He has completed the paper work for many other homes and knows the language and expectations of the government. When I speak with him, he seems to have really caught the vision and even adds ideas on how I can provide more and better care to children with physical disabilities. I get excited that he truly wants to help the children, this is not just another job for him. We meet on a regular basis.

So my big job right now is to find the house. Down here, you can't just call a realtor, tell them your specifics, and be shown a bunch of houses until you find the right one. No, down here it all tends to be word of mouth. Which means this may take a little longer than I anticipated. I am trying to cast the net wide in terms of letting everyone know I am looking for a place. For example, there is a house that I am going to look at. I was told about it by my friend who heard about it from her sister-in-law who knows the owner of the house.

Please be praying for this specific job of finding a house to rent. There are certain specifications that I want, and there are certain specifications required by the government. This will likely require physical modification. Please pray for the perfect house. Please pray for the perfect location. Please pray for the landlords, that they will be compassionate, flexible and understanding.  I know God has the perfect house out there, I just have to find it! Pray that I will make the right conections and I will not rush into something that will be less than perfect for the children that will be living there.

In the future, I will have a piece of land to build on. I will have people help me to draw up a building plan that will be completely handicap friendly! Something that is not common here in Guatemala. This will take years to finish, which is why I am looking at a rental for the time being.

On the land I buy there will be a garden for the kids to "work"in. Dirt therapy! I would love to have a big green grassy yard that they can run, crawl or wheel around in. I would love to have a pool. Water therapy is fantastic for kids with physical disabilities. I want a big kitchen that will allow the children to help with and learn food prep. I want neighbours that will learn to love the children. I want a safe neighbourhood where we can all go walking.

There will also be room on the land to build the medical day care center. I want therapy rooms, play rooms, school rooms, nap rooms, and a big dining room. I want as many kids that desire to come, be able to. This will give their families a chance to work, go to school and have a break during the day. It will give the children attending the day care an opportunity to receive medication, physical therapy, food, education and whatever else they need to reach their highest potential. They will learn how much God loves them, and how valuable they are. The parents will be able to come and receive a weekly Bible study, education regarding their children and proper care, as well as meet other parents who are in the same situation and draw support from them.

But even if I don't get all that I want, I want the kids to know and feel two basic things. To know that God loves them, values them, sees them as His precious children and desires a relationship with them. And to know that I love them. To know that regardless of what they achieve or don't achieve, they will always be loved and cared for.

Thank you so much for your prayers. They are necessary and definitely appreciated.

God bless.