Hope Fulfilled

The Value of a Buck

2012-02-08T16:32:00.001-07:00

Most of the time this blog is used to keep you up-to-date regarding our ministry here in Guatemala. I consider it personal accountability to our prayer and financial supporters back home, as they deserve to know if we are using their sacrifices wisely. By now you hopefully realize that we are not on some kind of extended vacation. Our weeks are very full of work, and our ministry is growing more rapidly than we can often accommodate. So I no longer feel compelled to report the details of every day. And, since we will be receiving a series of teams over the next month-and-a-half, I wanted to take a moment in the lull before the storm to write on some of my recent ponderings. (I know how dangerous it can be to take a glimpse inside my mind, so proceed with caution.)

I have been thinking a lot recently about money. No, I am not worrying about finances or becoming money-focused. But I have been thinking about its value, or the lack thereof. What good is it? Is it important or not? Why do we often struggle with an over-emphasis on it?

Face it, in the big picture issues money is pretty worthless. One day, when we lie dying, we will not think about the money we have made or the possessions it bought for us. In fact, it will likely be pretty low on our list of priorities at that moment. Likewise, money is of little value when you consider the ways it is often used. How many of us have stretched our budgets to breaking in order to buy the new vehicle that will soon have dents and scrapes and french fries down between the seats (where you can never quite reach them)? How often do we use our money to purchase the new clothing item or electronic gadget thinking it will bring us joy, only to have the emotional high fade quickly but the financial impact lingering for weeks, months or years. How many families have purchase a newer, nicer home thinking it will make life better, only to find that the financial strain only made things worse and their same old problems have followed them to a new setting? Money can be very worthless.

On the flip side, money is a necessity of life. After all, we do need it to feed, clothe and provide a home for ourselves and our families. You can’t do that without money. Money is not evil and can be used for great good. I have seen what money can do. Each month I encounter lives that have been saved by money. (Please don’t send me messages arguing this point. I understand that God saved each of them, but He used the generosity of others to provide the financial means through which He did so.) I work with formerly starving children who are now robust and eating healthily because of money. I have worked with people who were near death, but are now thriving because money provided them with essential health care. I see children who were doomed to a life of poverty due to a lack of education who are breaking the cycle and finding a new life because a financial gift is providing them with schooling.

And as I have thought about these things, I have been deeply convicted about how much money I have wasted in my lifetime. I could never (nor would I want to) count all the money that I have spent foolishly and selfishly during my 44 years of life. Not only that, but my heart breaks for how selfish I was as a pastor of Jesus’ church for so many years. How many times have I convinced myself the my family, my church or I needed something and spent money to buy it, when it was nothing more than a frivolous self-indulgence? How many times have I withheld a gift to a real need until the “needs” were met in our own family or church? I shudder as I think of that waste and poor stewardship of God’s gifts.

Obviously, money is neither inherently good nor evil. Neither is it inherently valuable nor worthless. It is simply a tool, and how we use it determines both its goodness and value. Used for self-indulgence it becomes damaging to both us and the world around us. Used for good, it brings glory to God, enhances our lives and makes this planet a better place.

During our 23 plus years of marriage, Wanda and I have never been wealthy by a US standard. I have been a youth pastor and pastor and I have started a new ministry. In none of those positions did we receive a large salary. However, during those years we did successfully build a large family. Small paycheck…large family…you do the math. As a result, we never lived an extravagant lifestyle by America’s standard of extravagance. And yet, we still had our share of waste. Looking back now, I realize that we could have made little changes to our lifestyle that would have made our money far more valuable. Simple little savings could have resulted in saved lives instead of another item for our home or another soon-to-be-obsolete toy for me or the kids. But, live and learn, and we are still learning.

In December we found ourselves with a chunk of money that was available to spend on ourselves, so we considered purchasing a luxury item that we have wanted for a while. I have always loved the stars and planets and have wanted a decent telescope with which to view them. We now live in the perfect location to own one. Not only do we have a great view of the sky with very little light pollution, but we also have a great view of an active volcano that spews its lava every night. So, after talking and praying about it for several weeks, we decided to stop in and look at telescopes while we were in Guatemala City finishing our Christmas shopping. We found one, and I had pulled out my wallet to make the purchase when God made it clear that we were not to buy it. The entire family left the store a little disappointed, but confident that it was the right decision.

As I drove home that evening I was suddenly hit by a thought that I knew was from the Lord. “If we could afford to consider purchasing a luxury item that we did not need, we could afford to give that same amount of money away!” I immediately turned to Wanda and shared that with her, to which she responded that she had been thinking the same thing. So, after discussing it with the rest of the family, we decided to give that money away to needs that we encounter. We have now given half of it away and are prayerfully seeking God regarding where the rest should go.

I hesitate to share that story, because we have always kept our giving to ourselves. I am not sharing it so that you will somehow think that we are noble or giving people. In fact, I want you to understand that we struggle with this issue along with others, even while living among such great need. But I do want to share it as a testimony, because we have found far more joy in giving it away to the things that matter to God than we would have ever found spending it on a telescope for ourselves.

I want my life and my money to count for God. Contrary to the bumper sticker, if I die with the most toys I still am dead, and I win nothing for my warehouse full of stuff. So, step-by-step I am trying to learn to use my money and resources the way God intended them to be used. I am still a beginner on this journey and have a long way to go. But with each step…I have more fun!

Enough pondering for now. It’s time to get back to work.

Greetings from Guatemala!

Daryl, Wanda and the Crew

Things that go boom…including my schedule

2012-02-02T15:41:00.001-07:00

On Monday I shared with you about our emergency trip to La Gomera to meet with the family of Alicia. (We are still looking and praying for a sponsor to provide her crucial medications.) Because of the urgency to get that blog and the need posted, I did not share the rest of that day with you.

You might recall that a few weeks ago I wrote about the geyser my 4-Runner produced when it overheated while returning from El Progreso. We limped into Chimaltenango on a prayer and parked in front of my mechanic’s place, only to discover that he was out of town for the next 10 days. He finally returned last Monday, completed the repair work, which included a new water pump and head gasket, and I left his place on Friday afternoon with my wallet $330 lighter.

During our trip to La Gomera on Monday, we found out that the problem was still not fixed. The engine began to overheat about 20 miles before we reached the town, but still stayed out of the red zone. After meeting with Alicia’s family, we checked the engine and realized the water level was low again, so we added more water and headed for home. The normally 1 1/2 hour trip took us over 3 hours as the engine kept overheating and we would have to stop, let it cool and add more water. Four times we went through that process before finally limping back into San Antonio Aguas Calientes.

So, my vehicle is once again in the shop and we are awaiting the bad news. As Dick Rutgers says, “In Guatemala you can either pay a little for a bad mechanic, or a lot for a bad mechanic.” Please pray that our mechanic, Ali, gets if properly repaired and that the expense is not too great.

After arriving back home almost two hours later than my schedule dictated, Gerardo and I had to rush to head out to Ciudad Vieja. On Friday I had met a gentleman by the name of Victor who needed some help. He has diabetes and severe anemia, and I realized he needed a doctor badly. He has already lost his left leg and foot from mid-femur down due to poor circulation, and his right foot is now looking very bad as well. In addition, while he is only 52 years old, I would have guessed him to be around 65. (This mistake was highlighted when I asked him if a 12 year old girl in the house was his granddaughter, and he informed me that she was his daughter. Oops.)

I told them that he needed to see a doctor soon, and arranged for them to see Dr. Augusto at no charge. But they informed me that they only had a motor scooter and he was too weak to hold on. So, we arranged to pick him up this past Monday at 4:00 pm and take him. This pick-up was complicated by the fact that his wheelchair is broken, and I had to carry him to my van, into the doctor’s office, back to my van, and back into his home. Fortunately(?) he only weighs about 80 pounds, so the task didn’t tax me. (We have since obtained a wheelchair for him and will be taking it to him soon.)

The doctor confirmed my fears and told us that he needed to be hospitalized due to both the infection in his foot and his anemia. (He was unable to even hold himself upright on the examination table, and I had to steady him several times.) So, Tuesday morning I picked him up once again and took him to the national hospital in San Felipe de Jesus.

I confess that I felt abusive leaving him in that place. The national hospitals in Guatemala leave quite a bit to be desired, including basic sanitation. This dimly lit and dirty place is filled with overworked staff. And, while there are some good doctors who work there, it is a crap shoot as to whether you will get one of the good ones. However, our ministry cannot afford to pay for a private hospital, so this is Victor’s only option. If he were in the States or in a private hospital here, they would likely be able to save his leg. In the national hospital, he will likely lose it. Please pray for him.

After we left the hospital we drove into Antigua and stopped by Hermano Pedro. My little buddy, Ervin, had returned the previous week from his holiday visit to his home, and he returned 10 pounds lighter and a different boy. Suddenly he does not want to eat and is withdrawn. Normally very affectionate and desiring hugs and kisses, he now pushes me away. So, I wanted to spend a few minutes with him.

While there, we ran into Dick who had come to take Ervin out to lunch at Pollo Camperos. So, Gerardo and I tagged along. Gradually Ervin began to warm up, and by the end of the meal he was blowing kisses, waving and hugging me. In fact, I had to pry his arms off me as I was leaving. His appetite was still down, though. Normally he would have finished his meal and then begged the rest of us for our leftovers, but for the first time ever, he left chicken on his plate.

Yesterday was another office day for me, as I sought to battle the stacks of work on my desk. By the end of the day, my desk was clear…which means I now need to dust it.

This morning Gerardo and I met two of our families at Hermano Pedro. Marian is 10 years old and has cerebral palsy. Jose is four and also has CP. My friend, Marvin, had agreed to cast both of them for AFO’s (Ankle and Foot Orthotics), but his plans changed when he saw Marian. She has low-tone CP, and he determined that her quads and hamstrings were too week to be effective with AFO’s. He told us that he has a friend from the States who is a pediatric orthopedist who is coming to Guatemala later this month. He wanted him to examine her (for free) and help him determine the best bracing system. So, they will be going in to see him on February 19th.

When Marvin met Jose, he also arranged for him to see the doctor on the 19th. Jose has never been properly diagnosed, and this gives the family the opportunity to see an excellent doctor that they could not otherwise afford. Marvin did go ahead and cast him for braces, though, and they will be ready on Valentine’s Day.

I praise God for His perfect timing and care. He has arranged excellent care and treatment for these two beautiful children that I could not have orchestrated, and He did it at no cost to our ministry or the families. At times, I feel as if I am carrying a load and find myself wondering if I can do justice to the people who seek our help. God reminded me again this morning that I am not the caregiver, He is. And He loves and cares for these people far more and far better than I ever could. And when I remembered that, I felt the weight drop right off my shoulders and onto His.

What load are you carrying? Take a lesson from a thick-headed and dull-witted guy, and let it fall from your shoulders onto His.

Blessings from Guatemala!

Daryl, Wanda and the Crew

A Critical Need

2012-01-30T13:48:00.001-07:00

Yesterday we received a call from one of our families in La Gomera. They were calling on behalf of their friends who have a 4 year-old little girl who has some major health problems and needed immediate attention. So this morning we loaded up and headed out on the 1 1/2 hour trip to meet with them.

When we arrived we found a beautiful little girl named Alicia. Her big eyes and affectionate smile captured our hearts right away. But as we spoke with the family, we realized that she was in serious trouble. She has kidney disease and severe anemia. In addition, she has had surgery to by-pass her lower bowels and allow for a direct flush.

The family’s needs are great as the dad works but only makes about Q.1200 each month (about $155.00 US). That would normally be enough for them, but Alicia’s medicine costs more than his salary.

The most expensive of her medications costs Q.116 ($15) per injection and the doctor is recommending she receive three injections a week. Our ministry cannot afford to pay for all of that, as the total would top $200 a month for all of her meds. However, I would like to be able to pay for one injection per week along with the rest of her medications which would total around Q.700 ($90 US). The family has said that they will pay for a second injection each week. The doctor has told them that she will likely not live without these medications.

If you would like to contribute some or all of this need then please e-mail me at daryl@hopeforhome.org. We have purchased a two week supply to enable them to begin the treatment, but we cannot sustain the continued purchase of these medications long-term.

I apologize for bringing yet another need before you, but feel that I have no other recourse. Thanks for your prayerful consideration.

Daryl, Wanda and the Crew

Mexico, Jose and Our One Year Anniversary

2012-01-25T12:15:00.001-07:00

Please note: There is now a “Follow By E-mail” option at the right of this page. If you enter your e-mail address there and click “Submit” you will receive my blog via e-mail each time I update.

My 4-Runner is still out of commission as Ali makes repairs. So, most of our ministry has been limited to close to home. However, we did load up our van and made our bi-annual trip to Tapachula, Mexico to renew our visas. We will begin the process to become residents soon, making this trip unnecessary. But for now we enjoy this as a family vacation.

Now that I know to ignore our GPS, this trip went far smoother than the last one. We had no death-defying trips down steep mountains in the rain. We did, however, encounter a two-and-a-half hour traffic shut-down due to a multi-vehicle accident that blocked the road. But since we were not in the accident we saw no reason to complain. We spent the time playing games as a family and talking about the last year in Guatemala.

We spent all our time at the motel swimming, playing games, eating and sleeping. In other words, it was the perfect vacation. Food in Tapachula is very expensive, so we saved money by packing our food and a hot plate and eating in our rooms. (But we did make an exception and splurge for Dominos Pizza.) It was wonderful to have a few days with nothing to do but enjoy the family!

Maybe you heard about the offshore earthquake on Saturday. Tapachula was the closest city to the epicenter, so we experienced our first real earthquake. We regularly receive little tremors at our home in San Antonio Aguas Calientes, but you can’t really classify them as true earthquakes. This one was the real thing as I was knocked from my feet when I tried to stand. The side-to-side motion made Wanda motion-sick and scooted items across tables. It was strong enough that it was felt back at our home in Guatemala, over 175 miles away. Thankfully, since it was offshore, no major damages or injures occurred. Yet another first for the Fulp Family.

We returned home on Sunday, enjoyed the end of the playoffs, and then got back to work bright and early on Monday morning. And the work was waiting. To be precise, 55 e-mail messages, 6 Facebook messages, 6 voice mails and a 1 hour meeting was waiting. After Wanda coaxed me from a fetal position and helped me back to my desk I was able to wade through it all.

This morning Gerardo and I went to visit a little guy names Jose Alejandro who lives on the outskirts of Ciudad Vieja. Their house is way up the base of the volcano Aguas where property is cheaper. Jose is four years old and has Cerebral Palsy. At least we think he does. He has never been formally diagnosed. However, his mother had complications at birth and all the symptoms are there as his legs are spastic in tone and scissor when he tries to walk or stand. They are going to a doctor tomorrow for the proper diagnosis.

In the meantime, several doctors have prescribed “helps” for him. One of these “helps” is a pair of “braces” that are actually just a pair of high top shoes with a metal bar between them. The doctor thought that since his legs naturally scissor when he tries to stand and walk that this device would help. As the parent of a daughter who has CP I know that this is one of the worst things that can be done as it prevents independent leg movement which is necessary to ease the spasticity. Fortunately, the family realized that this was not helping and stopped using this torture device some time ago.

There are six people who live in the household. Both the father and the oldest son work in the fields when work is available, but their combined income is about Q.1000.00 each month. That comes to just under $130.00 a month. Imagine trying to feed and clothe a family of six on that amount, plus care for the medical needs of a son with special needs.

We are making arrangements to provide him with a wheelchair. Praise God we already have a sponsor for this. We have also set up an appointment to have him casted for leg braces that will truly help him learn to walk. The cost of these braces is $200.00. We are also in the process of arranging for him to get physical therapy at Hermano Pedro. The cost will be about $17 a month. If you are willing to sponsor Jose for either the one-time expense of the braces or the monthly expense of therapy, please contact me at daryl@hopeforhome.org.

Today we celebrate the one-year anniversary of our move to Guatemala. Time has flown, so in some ways it is hard to believe that it has already been a year. However, when we look back and see how far God has brought us and all that He has accomplished, it is amazing that it has only been a year. He is so good and so faithful! All praise and glory to Him!

That is all for now. Blessings from Guatemala!

Daryl, Wanda and the Crew

2011 Year End Report

2012-01-18T13:21:00.001-07:00

I have recently completed the 2011Year End Report for Hope for Home Ministries. Out of a desire to make this report accessible to as many people as possible, I am posting it here. Hopefully it will not be as dry and boring as many of the reports I have been forced to read through the years. So, pop some popcorn, put on your jammies and snuggled up for a good read!

Hope for Home Ministries - Year End Report – 2011

As I look back on 2011, I see it as a year of huge transitions and rapid growth. That is true for our ministry and our family. God has brought us so far in the last 12 months, and we are excited about where he will take us in 2012. As we begin a new year, I want to take a moment to look back and inform you of what God has done and then look ahead to our goals for the coming year.

Our biggest transition has occurred as we have now began our ministry in Guatemala. On January 25^th my family and I landed in Guatemala City and moved into our new headquarters/home in San Antonio Aguas Calientes. This 6000 square foot facility houses our family and group home for children with special needs on the first floor and hosts our visiting ministry teams on the second floor. Since our work in Guatemala has three areas of focus, I will fill you in on each one at a time.

Guatemalan Ministries

1. Hogar de la Esperanza (Hope Home)

Our group home for children with special needs, Hogar de la Esperanza, is not yet open. The licensing process is long and extensive, and much of our first year has been spent laying the necessary groundwork to begin that process. Language study has taken much of our time and is still continuing. In addition, we have focused on developing contacts and mentors who have been through the difficult task of licensing and who are willing to help us through it.

We have now received the necessary partnerships to begin that process and will do so early in 2012. We have secured an excellent and honest attorney who was recommended to us by several Christian group homes who have used him in the past. The process involves two steps, becoming a recognized association with the Guatemalan government and receiving our official license as a group home. We have been told that the completion of these two steps will take two to three years and cost around $6000.00.

However, we have plenty of ministry to do during the process. Hogar de la Esperanza is serving as the headquarters for our ministries here and is already seen as a place to seek assistance for people with special needs.

2. Wheels of Hope

Our fastest area of ministry growth has occurred in our 4-wheel drive ministry which is called Wheels of Hope. This ministry provides support to Guatemalan families that have family members with special needs. Often disabled individuals in Guatemala end up in institutions as there is no health insurance or government assistance here. As a result, families are overwhelmed by the expenses involved in caring for them. Our rural village ministry involves finding these individuals and providing support by providing wheelchairs, walkers, crutches, medicine, physical therapy, water filters and food so that those with special needs can remain in their home and get the care they need.

We added our first 4-wheel drive vehicle in early May of this year and began our trips into the rural villages. Since that point, it has been difficult to keep up with what God is doing.

As we have found individuals in need of assistance, we have done careful evaluation to determine both the legitimacy and extent of their needs. This is done through interview and analysis of both household income and expenses related to the care of the family member with special needs. Sometimes the only assistance required is the one-time provision of a wheelchair or piece of equipment. Other times we find that more extensive and long-term intervention is required. All of these needs are met through sponsors from the US who respond to the needs as they are posted in my blog at www.hopeforhome.blogspot.com.

In the last eight months of 2011 this ministry has assisted 41 families. Of these, we are providing long term support to 27 in the form of food, medical care, therapy or medicine. In addition, we have provided nine wheelchairs, five pairs of AFO braces and 27 doctor visits. But all of this physical support we are providing is not the focus of our ministry.

The real priority is to bring glory to Jesus and draw people into a personal relationship with Him. As a result, during every visit into every home we talk about Jesus and pray with the family. And each time we are thanked for the help we provide, we tell them that the help comes from Jesus. This is a very religious culture in which almost everyone believes in Jesus but very few people know Him personally. Through our work, He is opening doors for us to share the Gospel, and He is working in lives. Here are just a few stories:

This afternoon we were invited to the home of one of our sponsored children. His mother just wanted to visit with us for a while. During our time together she asked me again why we were helping her. So, I shared my testimony and how much God loves her and her family. With tears in her eyes she told me that we were the first people who ever cared enough to help her son. And she told me that God was real in our ministry in a way that she had never seen.
A few weeks ago we received a call from the mother of a four year old for whom we are providing essential medication. She told us that before we came to her village she was desperate. She wanted to believe that God cared about her and her son, but he was so sick and she had no way to help him. One night she wept and prayed that if God was real would he please send help. The next morning we came to her door, brought by a neighbor. She said that she knew at that moment that God was real and that He loved them. They are now attending an evangelical church and are asking more and more questions each visit.
In June we found an elderly lady who was anemic, malnourished and dying of pneumonia. We immediately arranged to get her to a doctor who hospitalized her for five days. She has now recovered completely. The family shared with us that 15 minutes before we came to their door they had been praying that God would please send someone to save her life. Now, every time we visit we sit and talk with her, her children and her grandchildren about Jesus.

God is moving and He is being glorified through this ministry. We are hoping that God will provide more manpower and another 4-wheel drive vehicle so we can add a second rural village ministry team in 2012. Both the opportunities and needs are growing significantly and one vehicle and team is just not enough to keep up with this ministry.

Our Board of Directors recently voted to hire a young Guatemalan named Gerardo as my full time assistant. The benefits that Gerardo brings to our work are too numerous to share here, but let me simply say that he is very effectively sharing Jesus while providing some much needed relief to my schedule. In addition, through his connections and bargaining ability he has already saved our ministry enough each month to pay for his salary. I praise God to have this co-worker alongside me in ministry.

3. Encarga Pastor Training

On August 15 Pastor Ron Ecklebarger and his family arrived in Guatemala to start and oversee our new Encarga pastor training program. Encarga means “entrust” in Spanish and is based upon 2 Timothy 2:2:

“And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.”

The focus of this ministry is to provide both theological and practical training and equipping to rural pastors. Many pastors in rural settings have little or no training and base their ministries on what they have heard from others. This can be dangerous and deceptive. Even good men who love Jesus and want to follow Him have unknowingly embraced false teachings.

Pastor Ron is seeking to develop a comprehensive training program that will enable these men to complete the majority of their studies in the homes with a combination of self-study and regular visits from a coach who will mentor and instruct. In addition, there are plans to provide regular training seminars in a central setting.

Currently Ron is still involved in language studies and is working to develop connections with other ministries that are doing similar work. His desire is not to reinvent the wheel, but to build on existing programs and improve them for our purposes.

Beginning in February he will begin working with his first student, Gerardo, the assistant I mentioned above. This will be a learning process for both teacher and student as Gerardo will be helping Ron learn more about Guatemalan culture and churches while Ron teaches him about ministry.

US Ministries

As I share what God is doing in Guatemala, one area of struggle we are facing is our US Ministries. One of our priorities when Hope for Home was founded was to provide education to American believers and challenge them to adopt hard-to-place children in response to the biblical command to care for orphans. For the first two and a half years of our ministry we were successful in the endeavor and saw 81 children find homes.

When my family and I moved to Guatemala we left this task in the hands of Ron and Melanie Ecklebarger who took over the traveling and speaking ministry. However, since they moved in August, there is no one stateside serving in this vital role. We are currently looking for someone to fill this position, but have not found anyone at present.

The qualifications for this role are as follows:

A Christ-followers whose discipleship is evident in their life
A parent of an adopted, hard-to-place child
Public speaking skills
Management and organizational skills
Effective one-on-one skills in developing contacts and scheduling speaking engagements
A willingness to travel on weekends

While we are not in a financial position to pay a salary, the person would be welcome to raise support to fund their position. Travel expenses would be paid. Would you please pray with us that God will raise up someone to fill this position?

While we are struggling with securing someone to cover our public speaking ministry we are blessed with our wonderful Office Manager, Emily Vance. She has kept our stateside office running smoothly and has provided vital support to us in Guatemala as well as our donors and adoptive families in the US. I don’t know what we would do without her crucial work.

Looking Ahead to 2012

In the coming year there is a lot to do. Would you please pray with us toward these goals:

Secure permanent residency – Currently our family is living in Guatemala under a tourist visa. This means we have to renew our visa in Guatemala City after three months and leave the country by driving to Mexico after six months year after year. While many people do this long term, it is expensive for a family of 11. Early in the new year we will be beginning the time consuming process of become permanent residents of Guatemala.
Receive our association paperwork and begin the licensing of our group home – As stated earlier in this report, this is an expensive and time consuming process. Please pray for honest and responsible representatives in the Guatemalan offices and for the provision of necessary funds.
Add a second 4-wheel drive team – We need another family to move down and work in this vital ministry. In addition, we need a second 4-wheel drive vehicle. Please pray for both of these to be provided sooner rather than later.
Finalize the structure of our pastor training program and have resources and curriculum in place for larger groups of students – This is a tremendously difficult task that has been given to Ron Ecklebarger. He will be working with men who have little education and some who are even unable to read. Developing an educational program that will encompass these needs and effectively equip is a challenge. Please pray for wisdom and direction for Ron.
Become increasingly effective at sharing the gospel in this culture – As stated earlier, this is a very religious culture but many do not know Jesus. The difficulty of sharing Jesus in homes steeped in religion is compounded by many social taboos that are considered offensive. We are only now beginning to really understand the Mayan people and their mindset. But with each new insight, our ability to effective share Jesus increases. Please pray that 2012 will be the year in which we will see many come to true relationship with Jesus.

Thank you for all your prayers, financial support and encouragement in 2011! Without you, we would not be here doing this ministry!

Because of Him!

Daryl I. Fulp

Director of Hope for Home

Gagging and Geysers

2012-01-12T13:39:00.001-07:00

I know, great name for a blog. Hang with me and you will understand where that title originates.

The beginning of a new year is my least favorite time. While most people are embroiled in the illusion of keeping their New Year’s resolutions, I am up to my neck in reports, paperwork, and government forms that go along with being the Director of a 501c3 charity. And, for those of you who know me, you know how much I just love office work. (I case you can’t pick-up my very subtle use of sarcasm there, let me help you out…THAT WAS SARCASTIC!)

So, for the last 12 days most of my time has been spent in writing reports, filling out forms and pouring over financial reports so that I can actually get back to doing what I love. Yesterday gave me that opportunity as we loaded up the 4-runner and headed to El Progreso to visit with our families there.

We started at Marta’s house, and that is where the gagging part of the title comes into play. We first met Marta about three months ago. She has a nasty circulation sore on her leg that she has had for 20 years. When we first found her she had an infection, and we sent her to a doctor who put her on antibiotics. The infection cleared up quickly, and we stopped in to see her about three weeks later when Dick Rutgers, Gerardo Hernandez, Jeremiah and I were heading up to Peten. Dick has had experience in treating these kinds of sores and brought along special medicated wraps to use. When we visited her in late December her leg was looking much better and healthy tissue was growing, so I expected more of the same on this visit. I realized I was in for a surprise when I sat down next to her and she placed her leg up on a bench for me to unwrap and examine. The smell took my breath away, and I recognized before starting that she was infected again. By the time I had the first layer of wrapping off my eyes were tearing and I was swallowing down my gag reflexes. When I removed the final layer of wrapping it was literally dripping wet from the drainage. There was an angry infection in the midst of the healthy new tissue that had grown.

We arranged for her to go back to the wound specialist on Saturday (the first day he would be back in town) and I treated her with antibiotic ointment and gauze wrap. This was no small task since the wound was weeping so much that I had difficulty keeping it dry enough for the ointment to stick. She was making great progress until this infection. Please pray for Marta that God will quickly heal the infection and that the wound healing can continue.

From there we went to visit Don Jorge. This gentleman is 89 years old and lives with his daughter Romelia. He is desperately in need of a new wheelchair because his current one is falling apart. When we first met him, we were taken to his home by a man name Gregori, who was related to Olga who died back in November. He told us of several people in the area with special needs and asked us to come up and see them. Don Jorge was one of them. During that visit we arranged for Gregori to bring Olga’s wheelchair to Jorge. The following week we called to see if he had done so, but he did not answer and would not return our calls. In December, we stopped in to check to see if the chair had been delivered, but no one was home. When we arrived yesterday his daughter acted distant at first and we wondered why. She proceeded to tell us that she had called Gregori to ask about the chair, but he was hostile toward her. He told her that they had given the chair to someone else and that he didn’t work with “those people.” He also told her not to call him again. As it turns out, he thought we would pay him for finding people with special needs for us to help, and when we didn’t give him money, he got angry.

We took the time to explain to Romelia that we did not, indeed, work with Gregori and that we were very sorry for how she had been treated. We explained that I would return in a few weeks with a chair for him and that if she needed anything for her father that she should call us and not Gregori. She was greatly relieved and very thankful.

It is a good thing that we did not run into Gregori yesterday, because I was ready to lay hands on him in Jesus’ name. There are so many wonderful people here who work hard to help their people, but there is the occasional person who just wants to exploit need for a profit. This man was one of them.

We also checked in on Miguel who receive a wheelchair from us last month. We wanted to see how he was doing and how the chair was working for them. His daughter told us how his grandchildren had been taking him on walks and he was able to get out of the house for the first times since his stroke 8 months ago. It has also saved his two daughters’ backs since they no longer have to carry him from room to room.

We then delivered food to Amilcar and his family. He is an adult man with Down’s Syndrome who is cared for by his sister. They struggle to pay their bills and eat, so our month food delivery is greatly needed.

From there we went to put new wheels an Marian’s wheelchair. Her old tires had gone flat, and I was able to get new ones from Bethel Ministries. The only snag was that the new wheels were wider at the axel and the existing release pins would not work. So, we began the hot and sweaty task of removing the tires from her old wheels and putting the tires from the new wheels onto the old wheels. The best ways to describe this feat is to have you imagine putting 10 cats into a box that is 2 foot cubed and having one of the cats being a mountain lion. However, with three of us working together, we got it done. We then had the pleasure of telling her and her mom that we have a sponsor to provide new leg braces for her. Marian’s face lit up the room when she heard.

We also visited with Britani, a two-year-old little girl in need of surgery for cleft foot and arranged for her to come in to Hermano Pedro for evaluation and to get on the waiting list of the next orthopedic surgery team that is scheduled to come through in March. She has already had two surgeries at the national hospital, but they seem to have done more harm than good. We are hoping that they will be approved to have the surgery when Faith in Practice comes from the States in two months.

We rounded out our visits by delivering a box of Kids Against Hunger packets to Carmen and her two daughters Manuela and Marsela. These packets are literally keeping them alive now as they have no income. They are close to being evicted because they are so far behind on their rent payments, but they are being charged way too much for the shack in which they are living. They are about $440 in arrears, but I hesitate to provide that for them because the “house” is in such horrible shape. I would like to get them out of there into a more suitable home. Please pray that God will give me wisdom to know how to properly help.

We stopped for a quick bite to eat and then headed for home. This is where the geyser comes into the story. We had just made it back through Guatemala City when I started to hear a funny noise coming from the engine. I checked the gages, but they all read normal. After another mile or two I realized something was wrong because I was losing power. I had just decided to pull over when the engine died. I was able to coast to a decent spot to stop and saw smoke coming from under the hood. The engine had overheated badly without ever showing a problem on the gauges. It was then that I realized that my radiator was dry, even though I had checked it and all my fluid levels two days earlier in preparation for this trip.

Fortunately we had a nearly full cooler of drinking water which we were able to use to partially fill the radiator. However, as you can see from the photo, I was impatient and started filling it too soon resulting in our imitation of Old Faithful. The engine eventually cooled down and we were able to drive to another station where we added more water. We decided to drive and pray our way to Chimaltenango so that I could leave the truck with my mechanic, Ali. However, we once again overheated and had to pull over about a mile from his shop. Some very enthusiastically helpful men went and got water and spent the next 45 minutes dumping over and into my radiator to help it cool down. Eventually we were able to start it and drive it the rest of the way to the shop. There we discovered that Ali is out of the country for the next 10 days.

So, my 4-Runner is out of commission for a while. Praise God that Bob Ecklebarger has agreed to use his Nissan XTerra to help us get to a couple of towns early next week that are awaiting our visit.

So, there you go. From gagging to geysers in a single blog!

Blessing from San Antonio Aguas Calientes!

Daryl, Wanda and the Crew

A Message From My Daughter

2012-01-05T08:52:00.001-07:00

Last night during family devotions my daughter, Brittney, shared part of a message that she wrote to one of her good friends in the States. I was so impacted by its message that I felt it would be good to share it through this blog.

It tells of her special relationship with a little guy from Hermano Pedro named Leonel. It gives one of the best views and descriptions I have ever seen of the heart of our ministry. But, more importantly, it give one of the best views I have ever seen of the heart of God. Enjoy it…with tissues nearby.

When I hold little Leonel in my arms, I care nothing about the fact that he cannot speak to me or wrap his arms around me. I care nothing about the fact that he cannot lift his bottle or a spoon to his mouth, wipe his drool, change his dirty diaper, or do anything to care for himself. On the contrary, I LOVE to sit by his side or cradle him in my arms and do everything that I can make him comfortable and happy and to help him understand how much I love him. And the joy that it brings me when his eyes light up or a smile crosses his lips is far more valuable to me than anything he could bring me through further "capabilities". And it is completely inexplicable!

Leonel has done nothing to "earn" my love. There is nothing that he has given me or offered me to produce this love for him in my heart. In fact, to even imagine such a thing being the cause for my love for him just cheapens it! I despise the thought. No THING or CAUSE could produce this love for him in me. My joy comes from the very act of loving him. The one and only thing that I desire from him...is his returned love. My favorite moments are the ones when I look in his eyes and can see that, although he cannot speak, he knows that I love him and he loves me, too. And cleaning him up, changing his diaper, feeding him mashed potatoes one slow, small bite at a time, cradling his frail body in my arms, re-positioning him for comfort, asking endless numbers of yes-no questions to find out what he wants and needs, and whispering words of love into his ears...are all my favorite uses of my time because they let me show my love to and spend my time with him...my little Leonel.

And one day it hit me. It is as if God is saying, "You know that love that you have for Leonel?...That is just a small glimpse of the love that I have for you. You are weak, frail, and helpless. You are incapable of cleaning yourself up and meeting even the most simple of your needs. There is absolutely nothing that you can do or give me to earn my love. And yet you have it...in a quantity and magnitude so much greater than you could ever imagine.

I DELIGHT in you, and my greatest joy is found in seeing you smile and knowing that you are catching even a small glimpse of the love that I have for you. And there is absolutely nothing that you can offer me...except your love.

You don't know what love means yet. You have a distorted and entirely weak perception of love and what it means to give and receive it. And yet...I delight in your best efforts. You are my little child bringing your best piece of artwork (a wrinkled piece of paper covered with crayon scribbles), and I am your proud daddy hanging it on the fridge for all to see. I don't mind that you aren't a professional. That does not mean a thing to me. I just like to see you try because you know that I love you and you want to love me, too. One day, I will bring you HOME and then I will get to see you paint like an artist. But for now, this wrinkled, scribbled paper is the absolute best thing that you could give me. And I DELIGHT in it, because I DELIGHT in you. You are mine and my greatest joy is found in loving YOU."

That is all for now, and it is enough. Blessings from Guatemala.

Daryl, Wanda and the Crew

Christmas in Guatemala

2011-12-29T10:17:00.001-07:00

I am taking some time off to rest and enjoy the holidays with my family, but I wanted to take a few minutes to tell you about our first Christmas in Guatemala. While this year has been very different for us, it has also been one of our best Christmases ever as it has fulfilled a dream for us.

Some of the differences this year are as follows:

Temperatures in the mid to upper 70’s (No need to check the forecast for a white Christmas)
But the song “White Christmas” playing in Spanish from the local Catholic church
Christmas shopping in Guatemala City (Not a pleasant experience)
No traveling to visit family (We miss the family, but not the driving)
Fireworks, lots of fireworks

Christmas here begins at midnight on Christmas Eve as people set off fireworks. We stood on our roof and watched the show as they were shot off from all over the community. Imagine a 4th of July grand finale that lasts for 20 minutes, only this one covered an entire town. It is the Guatemalan way of welcoming Christmas and is quite awe-inspiring.

Many families then go door-to-door bringing food and greeting their neighbors and then return home to open presents. Our family, however, decided to go to bed.

The next morning our family arose early and started our day as we always do, with the story of Simeon from the book of Luke. This tradition started when Brittney, Krishauna and Carissa were very young and has continued. We then opened presents and had a great time together.

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?

I want to thank each and every one of you who pray for us, support our ministry, and enable us to be here. It is the greatest privilege we have ever known.

There are more pictures below. Have a very happy New Year!

Daryl, Wanda and the Crew

A Thought for Christmas

2011-12-23T22:55:00.001-07:00

I should be sleeping now, but my mind is preoccupied. All evening long I have been contemplating the Christmas story and one person’s role within it. Namely, Joseph. When you stop and think about it, he was a pretty remarkable guy.

I think our familiarity with the story (along with the commonness of modern day promiscuity) has blinded our eyes to the drama of it all. An unmarried teenager from an upstanding and spiritually faithful family turns up pregnant. Can you picture the scandal of that for Mary and her household? Everywhere she, her parents or her siblings walked they were followed by condemning eyes and accusing whispers. Former friends distanced themselves, shopkeepers gossiped and we don’t even want to think about what it must have been like for them to walk into the synagogue in Nazareth.

I can’t imagine what it must have been like for that poor teenager, Mary. But, at least you can make the point that she had no choice. It was thrust upon her by God, Himself, and she seems to bear up willingly and with a faithful heart.

But Joseph falls into a different category. His situation was far different than Mary’s in one key area…he could have walked away. I mean, after all, it wasn’t his baby. Even after it was revealed to him that the child was from God, he was under no obligation to hang around. But he did. We are told that, after a visit from an angel, “he took Mary home as his wife.”

It is easy to breeze right past that little nugget and not even notice it, but this is incredible. By making that decision, Joseph not only chose to honor his betrothal to Mary, but he chose to accept Jesus as his own son. And, in so doing, he implicated himself in the whole baby-making process. This man who seemed to consistently do the right thing suddenly became the guy who got his girlfriend pregnant, thus immersing himself as a key player in the scandal. Overnight, he became the guy that everyone thought had done the wrong thing simply because he did the right thing.

And that has me thinking, would I make the same decision as Joseph? Would I be willing to do the right thing even if it meant that everyone (and I mean EVERYONE) would think I had done the wrong thing? Or is the opinion of others too important to me? Would I be willing to let everyone think that I had blatantly sinned and be content with knowing that God knows the truth?

I hope so, but I wonder. I can be so hung up at times on what others think. Don’t get me wrong, I am not a follower and I have no problem going against the flow when I think I am right. But I have a handful (okay, a large handful) of people whom I respect and want them to respect me as well. And I find myself wondering if I would be willing to sacrifice their respect and friendship in order to simple obey God and do the right thing. Would I be okay standing solely in the approval of One? I want to be a Joseph kind of guy. I really do.

In light of Joseph’s story, I also thought about the child who caused the scandal…Jesus. About 33 years later He found Himself condemned, beaten, and nailed to a cross for doing the rightest thing that anyone has ever or could ever do. He was accused of being an ego-maniac, even as He made the most selfless sacrifice in human history. He was accused of being a cult leader, even while leading people back to the only true faith. And He was accused of being a liar, even though He was the Standard of Truth wrapped in human flesh. And, long before He stepped from eternity into human time, He knew that would be the response.

Tomorrow we will celebrate the fact that He chose to make that step anyway. And, in so doing, has given us the opportunity to know Him and, through that relationship, become the kind of people who will live for the approval of One and only One. Lord, help this to become true in me.

Merry Christmas!

Daryl, Wanda, Brittney, Krishauna, Teisha, Carissa, Taryn, Jeremiah, Joshua, Kimmie and Jonathan

Pilar Passed Away

2011-12-19T17:47:00.001-07:00

We just received a call informing us that Pilar passed away a few hours ago. You may remember the she was an elderly lady that we found in Las Palmas who was very malnourished. We have been providing Ensure for her and visiting regularly with her and her family.

Two visits ago I realized that she was declining, so I shared the gospel with her through Gerardo. She assured us that she knew Jesus personally and looked forward to seeing him. I told her that soon her suffering would be over and she would never be sick again. I remember her smile upon hearing those words.

Last month when I saw her she had deteriorated badly. She had an intestinal blockage and had a severely swollen abdomen. Her family asked if we could help them pay for surgery. As hard as it was to tell them no, I had to. Such a surgery would have cost $3,000-5,000. In a pinch, we could have raised the funds, but in a country with no health insurance and no medical safety net, we have to prioritize our resources. She was very elderly and weak, and even if we could have provided surgery that would have saved her from this crisis, she would have died soon. We have to use the little money we have wisely and in such a way to make the most impact. So, when I said goodbye I realized that it would likely be the last time I saw her.

Even as I read over what I just typed, I realize how horrible it sounds. It makes is seem as if I don’t value the elderly. Nothing could be further from the truth. Pilar was my friend. She was sweet, kind, and had a beautiful smile and incredible stories to tell. I will miss her greatly. I have spent much time questioning my decision to say no, and after this news I will likely lose some sleep tonight and in the coming days questioning it more.

For now, I take comfort in knowing that, whether my decision was right or wrong, Pilar is with her Jesus in a place where there is no malnutrition and illness. I am confident that she is dancing with Him tonight. And I bet it isn’t just slow dancing, either.

We were scheduled to head back to Las Palmas to visit with her and several others tomorrow. We will be taking flowers and grieving with her family. Please pray for all those who loved her deeply.

Daryl

A Very Special Praise for God’s Protection

2011-12-10T09:34:00.001-07:00

I have a major praise to share. I broke a tie rod in my 4-Runner! What? That doesn’t sound like a praise to you? It is, and let me explain why.

Over the last seven months I have driven that vehicle thousands of miles with many of those miles being over extremely rough and remote roads. It has been pounded by rocks and ruts and crossed dozens of streams. Some of the miles have been in the mountains with treacherous curves and no guardrails separating us from steep edges. During the far majority of these travel times, the breaking of a tie rod would have been catastrophic, resulting in serious injury or loss of life. In many cases, even if I had avoided an accident, I would have been left stranded for hours (or even overnight) with a long walk or wait for someone who could help.

Yet with all these possibilities and rough miles, the tie rod in my vehicle snapped AS I WAS BACKING OUT OF OUR COURTYARD. I heard a loud pop and suddenly realized that I had no steering. So, I pulled forward a few feet, put it in park, and took the van instead. I have called my mechanic, Ali, who is coming to my home on Monday to make the repairs. While he is here I am going to have him check out the rest of the suspension and steering to look for other potential problem spots. Not only did God help me realize that there was a serious problem, but he did in in a way that created almost no inconvenience.

For our rural village ministry we pray several things:

That Jesus will receive all the glory and that we will receive none
That we will share Jesus boldly and with sensitivity to the movement of the Spirit
That God would guard us from those who would do evil to prevent His work
That God will protect us as we travel, keeping us free from accidents and breakdowns

This last request was answered yesterday right here in our courtyard.

To all of you who pray regularly for us, I want to say a very heart-felt “Thank you!” Your prayers are being heard and answered.

Daryl, Wanda and the Crew

Road Trip to Peten

2011-12-09T11:17:00.001-07:00

Last Friday my beautiful bride celebrated her 45th birthday with gifts and cake. All during that day I kept thinking how glad I was that she had robbed the cradle and married a younger man. I don’t know why she didn’t take that as a compliment when I mentioned it to her. Seriously, I am so grateful for such a wonderful wife who somehow manages to love me and get more beautiful with each passing year.

Earlier in the week I was able to get a new wheelchair to Joel in San Antonio. His old chair was starting to fall apart and was not a good fit for his needs. The Ecklebargers had brought a wheelchair when they moved from the States that they no longer needed, so they donated it to the cause. I spent about two hours making repairs and adjustments, and it was a perfect fit for him. He beamed as he sat in it for the first time.

Since Gerardo began working for Hogar de la Esperanza full-time, he has been such a blessing to me. He has been doing a wonderful job of checking in with families and doing much needed work. He has turned our ministry into a much more personal outreach as he is able to visit families several times a month instead of my normal once a month drop-ins.

His help has also freed me up to spend valuable time in my office getting better organized. As our ministry has grown, it has become increasingly difficult to track families and needs and to make sure that the appropriate follow-up is done. So, last week I was able to spend two full days organizing a database that enables me to track families by towns, needs, or dates. I was also able to clear about a three-inch stack of work from my desk.

Another benefit is that Gerardo has managed to find a doctor in our town, Dr. Agusto, who will treat the special needs children that we send to him for free. In addition, he is willing to give any samples he has to our children for free, saving us a lot of money on prescriptions. Finally, he has also agreed to treat any non-special needs person we send to him for half-price (Q.45 instead of Q.90). I am so thankful to this doctor and to Gerardo who found him for us.

You have heard me talk about Kids Against Hunger and their food packets numerous time on this blog. Over the last several months I have been rationing those packet carefully as we were almost out. This past summer Dr. Coral Matus and her family came down and spent a week with us. During that time she mentioned that they had started a KAH branch in Toledo, OH and were sending shipments into Peten. She readily agreed to share those packets with us, but it has taken us some time to put together the details and arrange the trip to pick them up. Early this week, we finally managed to do it.

On Monday morning bright and early Gerardo, Jeremiah and I picked up Dick Rutgers and started on what I thought would be about an 8 hour trip to Peten. Just over 11 hours later we finally arrived. The trip was only 350 miles according to my GPS, but that same unit also let me know that our average moving speed was only 34 mph. Driving in Guatemala is not like driving in Ohio at all.

Along the way we stopped in to visit Marta. You may remember that I wrote about her in my last blog, but I called her Maria there. It seems I have trouble reading my own writing at times. She has a nasty ulcerated sore on her left leg that she has had for 20 years. Dick had seen the photo in my blog and knew exactly what it was. He had a special wrap that is used to treat it and donated it to the cause. When we arrived she told us that she had seen the doctor who had prescribed two kinds of antibiotic. As a result, her wound was looking better. The bad smell was gone and it was no longer oozing green. Dick cleaned and wrapped it and she told us it felt better. I will be checking back in with her next week.

By the time we arrived in Flores we were all exhausted, but were very happy to find a motel that had a grand slam of services (a clean room, air conditioner AND hot water)! And the cost was only Q.100 (about $12.50) per person. We checked in, took a brief break and headed to meet Coral and her team and pick up the food.

We met them at the Nazarene Church District Headquarters in Santa Elena and began loading KAH food packets. I had expected to receive 30 boxes, but when we hit that amount we were told to keep loading. I was thrilled. When we hit 40, they again told us to keep loading. We finally insisted that we take no more at 50, and I had tears in my eyes. These 50 boxes represented 1,800 packets of food or 10,800 meals. In dollars, this is $2,700 worth of food. I was overwhelmed by what this would mean to our needy families. I am so grateful to Kids Against Hunger, Coral and her ministry, Sew Hope!

Afterwards, their generosity continued as they treated us to supper at a local restaurant. They had brought a team that included Coral, a doctor, Gary, a pediatrician, and Jenny, a nurse, and have been running a clinic in Peten all this week. Their ministry is a real blessing to the region, and it was great to spend some time with them.

We finally returned to the motel, showered, and hit the sack at almost 11:00 pm that night. We slept peacefully to the sound of Dick’s coughing and snoring that reminded me of a slaughter house and rose early to hit the road again.

On the way home we stopped by to visit some friends of Dick, Mike and Karen Rhea. It only took about three minutes before I considered them my friends as well. They run a ministry in Rio Dulce called Rancho Esperanza (Hope Ranch) that takes in children and teens that have been emotionally or physically abused. They are somewhat isolated (about 5 hours north of Guatemala City), so it is difficult to attract teams to help. Most groups do not want to spend so much time traveling once they arrive on the ground, so they get overlooked in favor of other ministries.

However, their ministry is worthy of support. They are making an incredible difference in the lives of these children and teens and they desire to expand their work in the name of Jesus. They are currently praying for house parents who would come work with them and enable them to open another home (already partially completed) on their property. They also hope to open a school and a clinic, so they need medical workers and teachers. And, like all ministries, they need additional funding. Would you prayerfully consider if God might have you come and work with them, either as a short-term or long-term worker or if he would have you support them financially. Click here to visit their Web site and learn more.

After that we finished our journey, which included an encounter with a speed bump at which I attempted to fly and our battle with rush hour traffic in Guatemala City. I think we all slept well after spending 22 out of 36 hours traveling.

That’s all for now! Blessings from San Antonio Aguas Calientes, Guatemala!

Daryl, Wanda, and the Crew

My Grown-up Christmas List

2011-11-29T12:12:00.001-07:00

One of the regular complaints I receive about my blog is that I seldom give family updates. I can get so wrapped up in the ministry side of life that I forget that many of you would like to hear what is going on with my lovely bride and kids. So, before I dig into a long list of ministry news, let me tell you about our home life.

I am just coming off a four day vacation. This is the first extended break from ministry I have taken since our move last January. I can’t begin to describe how much I needed it. I have been exhausted for the last month, gradually worn down from the hectic schedule, so this break was just what the doctor ordered.

On Thursday we celebrated a traditional Thanksgiving together. We had invited Dick Rutgers and Pat Duff to join us, but their obligations at camp prevented them from coming. So, it was just our family and Gerardo. We had a great day watching the Macy’s parade and enjoying a wonderful meal together. (Yes, we can get the parade on television through NBC, but we discovered that the network feed was from California. As a result, the coverage didn’t start until 11:00 am our time which required some slight schedule modifications to our day. So, while we were waiting for the parade to start, we enjoyed a huge game of hide and seek as a family.)

We were pleased to find that most of the food items that are a part of our traditional Thanksgiving meal were available here. However, quite a few of them were more expensive. But I am pleased to report that the turkey was nearly perfect, the mashed potatoes were excellent, and we were all stuffed and the bird was unstuffed at the end of the meal.

On Friday we celebrated our Annual Fulp Family Christmas Tree Day. You will note that this has an official title along with capital letters because in our home putting up the tree is considered an official holiday. Occurring each year on the day after Thanksgiving, it is a festival of decorating, strange Christmas clothing, carols and snacks that concludes with the movie Elf. This year was especially fun as we were decorating our new home in a new country. We all had a blast together.

On Saturday we loaded the family in the van and headed to Guatemala City to take in the Zoo. In the US such a trip would have cost around $150.00. For our entire family plus parking the total was less than $30.00. We had a great time together enjoying God’s creativity in His creation of animal life, and then enjoyed lunch at Pizza Hut. The afternoon was a little less enjoyable as we ventured into Wal-Mart to allow the kids to do some shopping. (A rare treat for the kids and an all too frequent torture for me.) I am sorry to say that it is every bit as chaotic to shop here during the holidays as it is in the States. Yuck!

Now that I have featured our family for a little while, I want to fill you in on our ministry. One big piece of news is that the board has just voted to hire Gerardo Hernandez full-time to work alongside me. My schedule for the last two months has been exhausting. I have reached the point at which I can no longer get everything done alone. So, beginning on December 1st Gerardo will be my full-time assistant. (You may also recall that he is our first student in our Encarga pastor training program. Don’t worry, I will allow him the necessary time to devote to his studies as well.) I praise God for this much needed help!

Last Tuesday I met Angel and his family at Hermano Pedro so that he could receive his new leg braces. He beamed as Marvin placed them on his feet. He began physical therapy on Friday and his family is so excited. His mother wrote the following letter to his US sponsor:

“I am writing to thank you for the financial help that you gave us. Thank you for paying for the braces that my son needed. We ask God often to give you health and His blessings. For you and your family we ask Him for success daily. Thanks for being an angel that God has sent. Through your help, my son Angel is going to walk and it will be a great joy for us! It brings us great happiness to think of him playing, walking and running, and we will soon see these things ourselves.

Thank you so much!”

Over the last two weeks I have met with and evaluated 12 people in three towns. On Wednesday Wanda, Bob Ecklebarger and Gerardo drove up to El Progresso to meet with Gregory who had found several special needs people in need of assistance. We met with and evaluated nine people that day. Some we were able to help without financial assistance, but they need your prayers. Others need your help. So, here is my Christmas wish list for 2011. Would you prayerfully consider meeting one of these needs?

Franklin is 16 years old and began to experience severe seizures suddenly about three years ago. These would occur about two times each day. Although he is a very intelligent young man, he eventually dropped out of school due to both the teasing of the other students and their fear of him. (Many do not understand the seizures that caused him to act in such scary ways.) The seizures are mostly under control now, but he does not want to return to that school, understandably, due to the cruelty he experienced there. His family is paying large sums each month for his medication and cannot afford to pay for his education in another school. I would like to arrange for sponsorship for him. The cost is only Q170 for registration ($22 US) and Q140 per month ($18.50 US). Would you consider being his sponsor to provide him with the education he so desperately wants?

Jose David is also 16 and has severe Cerebral Palsy and microcephalus. His single mom is working hard to provide for his needs, but is struggling. His needs for medicine, diapers and physical therapy is overwhelming her. I have made repairs to his wheelchair and will be providing them with a water filter to help with his reoccurring intestinal parasites and teaching the family how to do the appropriate physical therapy, but we need some assistance in providing for his monthly needs. Would you consider sponsoring this family for $50 a month to provide food, diapers, and medicine?

Maria Isabel is 70 years old, lives alone, and has struggled for 20 years with an ulcerated sore on her left leg. When we arrived at her door, she had a bandage around it. When she took off the wrapping both the sight and smell nearly took my breath away. The sore was infected and weeping, so I asked if she had been to see a doctor. Her answer was, “Yes, at the national hospital, but they didn’t do anything.” That is typical of a visit to such facilities. I immediately made the decision to pay for her to go to a private doctor in El Progresso. We are awaiting news of that visit, but I expect that there will be more expenses in medications and treatment in the months ahead. Please pray for Maria.

Jorge is 21 years old and has both diabetes and seizures. His mother and father work hard to provide for his needs, but the four medications he requires costs his family nearly $400 a month! His father is a laborer working 10 to 12 hour days, but this cost alone is more than he makes each month. We don’t expect anyone to sponsor them for such a large sum, but we would like to find a sponsor to assist them with $50-100 each month to offset some of those costs.

Miguel is elderly and had a stroke six months ago. He is paralyzed on his right side and no longer has bowel or bladder control. Understandably, this has made it difficult for his two daughters to care for him. He needs a travel wheelchair and his family would like adult diapers for him. The cost of the chair is $90 US. The adult diapers will run about $25. Can you help with this?

Marian is 10 years old and has spastic Cerebral Palsy and scoliosis. Her single mom struggles to care for her. I am in the process of getting the necessary parts to repair her chair and will be teaching her family how to do ongoing physical therapy, but she also needs new leg braces ($200 US). Would you be willing to help with this one-time expense?

Britani is almost 2 years old and has had two surgeries to repair a club foot. Unfortunately, both of those surgeries were done at the national hospital and she is no better off than when they started. She needs to have corrective surgery done by competent doctors, so we are arranging for her to come down to Hermano Pedro hospital in January to see an orthopedic surgeon. The cost of this surgery will be more than what her parents can afford, so you will likely read more about her in January or February. For now, please pray for Britani.

After sharing these needs, I need to let you know about a policy change we are making in our ministry. Once these needs are met, we will be limited our assistance to people with special needs who are 18 years old or less. This has been a difficult decision to reach, but due to the growing list of needs we felt we had to focus the scope of our ministry. Of course, we will continue to serve those we are already helping, but will screen all future requests using that criteria.

Over the last five years I have learned so much about what is really important. As a result, I don’t want anything for myself this Christmas. I actually have more than what I need, so why would I want more. These needs are my Christmas wish list for 2011. Nothing would make me happier than seeing these needs met. So, if you are looking for a gift idea for me…

Because of Him,

Daryl, Wanda and the Crew

God-Sized

2011-11-15T16:25:00.001-07:00

There have been a few times in my life at which I have found myself completely overwhelmed by my desperate need for God. Each of these moments have been triggered when I have found myself facing a situation that is way too big for me to handle. Last night, I found myself facing a God-sized task and it led me to literally fall on my knees and cry out to God in desperation.

I have come to the realization that most of what we have been doing has been Daryl-sized. Don’t get me wrong. I am not trying to say that God hasn’t been the Provider and Door-opener for our current ministry, because He has. But the reality is that, so far, I have only been willing to take steps in ministry that will not lead to devastation if God fails to move on our behalf. We have assisted a child or two at a time and I have sought support for each of them as they have come along. But now I find myself facing a large number of needs and there is no way that we can meet them. And last night God asked me a simple question… “Do you trust me?”

I am getting ahead of myself. Let me give you a brief overview of the last week. That should give you a better understanding of this current crisis/opportunity of faith. So much has happened that I can’t give you the whole story, but let me touch the highlights.

Last Wednesday I awoke early and headed out for a day of ministry in our 4-wheel drive. I took my ministry partner, Gerardo, along with my daughter, Krishauna, and both Bob Ecklebargers (grandfather and grandson). We were heading to El Progresso, but first made a stop to deliver a wheelchair to Rosa in Antigua. This beautiful young lady needed a new chair badly and was so grateful when we delivered it and made final adjustments. She hugged us tightly and would not let go.

From there, we headed northwest to El Progresso where we stopped first at Olga’s home. Two blog entries ago I shared with you that she had passed away suddenly, so we stopped to offer our love and support to their family. We were met by two grieving daughters and had a nice visit with them. While we were there, one of their relatives stopped in and asked us about our ministry. It seems he has worked with another organization and has contacts with a lot of families with special needs children. He asked for our cards and told us he would call us soon. (More on this later.)

After that, we headed to the home of Carmen who has two daughters who have severe cognitive delays and epilepsy. This is one of the most destitute families that we serve. They live in a tiny steel shack and wear old discarded clothing. At times, they scavenge in the garbage to find food. We delivered Kids Against Hunger food packets and money for anti-seizure medicine to them. As we visited with Carmen I noticed that she had lost weight and was looking much frailer than three weeks previously. We asked her how she was doing and she said that she has been sick. She went to the national hospital, but they did nothing for her. (As Dick Rutgers says, the national hospital is the place you go to die. If you aren’t dying when you go in, you will be when you come out.)

The gravity of this situation is severe. If something happens to Carmen I don’t know what will happen to her two daughters, Manuela and Marsela. We immediately arranged to pay for her to go to a local private clinic and purchase her medication. Please pray for healing for Carmen.

Another need that we have recently encountered is a young man by the name of Joel. He is 32 years old and was shot in the head six years ago by a store guard while committing a robbery. He did not come to us for help, but I met him in the street and asked about his needs. He was honest about his past and confessed that it had happened because of his sin. He has since come to faith in Jesus. He was ashamed as he shared his story, but lit up when I told him that Jesus forgives and so do we.

Joel needs a new wheelchair, but that was not his biggest challenge. He lives with his two elderly parents in their home in San Antonio and it is not handicapped accessible. There is a step leading down to his bedroom and another leading up to the toilet. The layout and size of the room was such that ramps would not work. He is mostly paralyzed on one side and can only negotiate slight inclines. As a result, his parents were never able to leave him along. I made the decision to purchase the necessary gravel, dirt, and concrete to put their entire home on one level. The total cost…$163.00. Their family and friends pitched in to do the work and did a fantastic job. Gerardo got quotes, ordered materials, and made sure that things progressed smoothly. Joel is thrilled and the family is so thankful. We will also be installing hand rails around the toilet to assist him.

At the same time, Gerardo found a young man named David in Santa Catarina. He is 16 and has Cerebral Palsy and microcephalus. He lives with his single mother who is struggling to care for him. He is in need of medication each month along with some wheelchair repairs. (He is still waiting for a visit from me and my tools to make those repairs.)

On the same day, we received a call from a gentleman named Flavio who is the president of a local association for children, teens and adults with special needs. He wanted to know if he could meet with me, so I arranged for him to come on Sunday afternoon. When he arrived, he brought with him five other people who were a part of the group. We visited for about an hour as they shared that they used to received support from a wealthy Canadian who had stopped sending money recently because of some financial hardships. They were hoping that we could help with a Christmas party they are having and with the needs of the group.

At one point I asked Flavio how many people with special needs they worked with. His answer was…wait for it…48. Suddenly 48 families who had been receiving help to care for their needs were cut off. He wanted to know if there was anything our ministry could do to help. Just to give you a point of reference, we currently work with 36 children, teens and adults, so this would more than double our load. We do not have the man-power or the resources to even begin such an endeavor. (Remember, I started all this by talking about the difference between God-sized and Daryl-sized. There is a BIG difference, and He is beginning to show me just how big that difference is.

But wait, there’s more. Last night Gerardo showed up at out home and told me that the gentleman from El Progresso (mentioned earlier) had called. He has eight children with special needs that are desperately in need of help and are awaiting our visit for evaluation. At that point, I went upstairs and found a quiet spot and fell on my knees. Never have I been more aware of how inadequate I am. (Please note: Often people write or express these kinds of thoughts because they are seeking to have their egos stroked. They want words of argument to tell them that they ARE adequate. That is not the case for me. God is God. Two plus two equals four. Gravity holds us on the earth. And I AM INADEQUATE.) I must learn to trust God to do the miraculous to overcome my inadequacy.

Please understand, I am not saying that we are supposed to meet all these needs. I simply do not know. As in every situation, we have to listen to God’s voice and follow His instructions. But I do know that God is calling us to do more than we have been doing. He is asking us to believe more, trust more and attempt more in His power. He is asking us to lay aside the tiny Daryl-sized ministry and embrace a ministry that is God-sized.

Today Gerardo, Taryn and I went to Antigua to purchase the food for our monthly distribution. For the first time we have reached the point that our purchases are all being made in 50 or 100 pound quantities. We have come a long way in the last six months. But today I found myself wondering if we would be making those purchases by the truckload a year from now.

I am not asking for sponsorship in this blog. Usually when we find a need that is my response. These needs are way too big for that. Instead, I am asking you to please pray and fast on behalf of this ministry. Our work will only be God-sized when He moves in miraculous ways to make it happen. Pray for God’s wisdom, strength and provision. Pray that He will raise up workers, because we need more. And pray that He will keep me constantly aware of how inadequate I truly am.

Because of Him!

Daryl

A New Blog to Follow

2011-11-14T16:54:00.001-07:00

I hope to do a decent update to my blog on Wednesday, but wanted to take a moment to introduce you to a new blog that you might like to follow.

If you have been following my blogs, you know that a young man by the name of Gerardo Hernandez has been working with our ministry. He has been such a blessing to the work we are doing as he has begun to assume some of my day-to-day tasks that are involved in our local ministry. Last week alone he saved me two days by supervising a construction project in San Antonio and doing some local tasks. He has also saved us money by negotiating prices for our ministry, thus saving us from paying the “gringo” prices.

He has recently started a blog and I would like to recommend it to you. You can find it by clicking here. His primary language is Spanish, so that is what he uses to post. However, if you are not a Spanish speaker you can still read it in one of two ways. 1) If you use Google Chrome as your Web browser, it should automatically give you the option of translating the page for you when it opens. 2) You can copy and paste the entry into the Google Translator which can be found here.

Please take time to follow Gerardo as he grows under the mentoring of our ministry. He will also begin formal ministry training under Ron Ecklebarger through our Encarga pastor training program soon. And, as you follow his entries, remember to keep him in your prayers.

Daryl

Olga Passed Away

2011-11-08T07:44:00.001-07:00

This morning I received a call telling me that Olga from El Progreso had passed away last evening. You can read some of my earlier posts about her here and here.

Olga suffered the after-effects of a stroke she had 2 1/2 years ago. When we met her she had lost most of her mobility because her right side was too week to handle a walker and she had no access to a wheelchair. We were able to find a sponsor and provide her with a chair. She wept and hugged each of us tightly on the day she received it.

In spite of having several conversations with her about Jesus, I honestly don’t know where she stood with Him. We live in a country in which almost everyone believes in Jesus, but many who believe don’t have a relationship with Him. I do know that several of her family member do not know Him.

I had planned on driving up tomorrow to give her an air cushion for her wheelchair. She was beginning to have some problems and I was concerned about pressure sores. Instead, we will drive up to take flowers to the family and offer our love and support in their grief. Please pray that God will give comfort to her family and that He will give us the words to say so that they will be drawn to Jesus.

Daryl, Wanda and Family

Gifts & Birthdays

2011-11-07T15:35:00.001-07:00

As I have lived and ministered in Guatemala over the last nine months, I have been greatly humbled by the giving nature of the families with which we work. So often we arrive at their door planning to help them, only to leave after having them bless us.

Frequently they long to give something back in gratitude for our help. This comes in the form of small gifts, usually from their back yards. I have been given bananas, eggs, plantains, T-shirts, a cold bottle of Coca Cola, and more. Just last month, one family tried to give me a live chicken. I explained that I didn’t have room in my vehicle, so they offered to tie it up tightly and put it in a box. We finally were able to slip out of their home without the chicken, and I think we did so without offending them. I am so humbled by these people who often live in extreme poverty who insist on giving something back.

On Saturday morning, a young man named Cristian showed up at our door. He is the brother of Joni, who lives just up the street and has Cerebral Palsy. We have been helping his family through the generosity of a US sponsor who gives the necessary funds to provide them with food each month. We also fitted Joni for a wheelchair and provided him with a new mattress for his bed.

On two occasions his mother, Marcelina, has broken down in tears and told us that her family (her mother, father, and siblings) doesn’t like Joni and believes he is a curse from God. They have told her to get rid of him. She told us that we are the first people outside their immediate family and her in-laws who have cared about Joni. According to her, we have made them feel less alone.

So Cristian showed up at our house with a hand woven bag made by his mother. She was giving it to Wanda to thank us for caring for their family. Marcelina is a gifted artisan, and the purse took weeks to weave and assemble. It is woven with Mayan symbols that tell a story, and she has promised to tell us the story (once our Spanish is better).

How do you accept such a precious gift of time and talent? With humility and gratitude. This family is so very precious to us, and their friendship is priceless.

Today we went to Joni’s 17th birthday party. We brought the cake and were treated as special guests. His dad’s name is Adolfo, and most of his family were there to help celebrate, including his parents, brother and nieces and nephews. We had a wonderful time with them all. Joni was ecstatic to have so much attention. He and I have formed a special bond and he lights up when I am around (almost as much as I light up when he is around).

So, I am learning that it is impossible to out-give God and it is very difficult to out-give these wonderful people. As I sat across the table from Wanda at the party, I mentioned that I can’t imagine what we would have missed if we had not found the courage to follow this call. I am glad I will never have to find out.

Greetings from San Antonio Aguas Calientes!

Daryl, Wanda and the Crew

Three Day Weeks

2011-11-04T11:58:00.001-06:00

I know, that’s a strange title for a blog entry. But it seems appropriate because the weeks go so fast. I woke up this morning thinking it must be Tuesday or Wednesday, only to look at my phone and discover it is Friday already. It honestly seems like my weeks only have three days in them.

This week our family went to Rehoboth Children’s Home in Parramos. This ministry is operated by our new church (more on this later) and does an incredible job of caring for kids who have been abandoned or abused. School just ended here (the school year goes from mid January through October) and we were invited out to enjoy a picnic with the kids to celebrate the beginning of vacation and learn more about their ministry.

We were impressed right away with the quality of care that the children receive and the love and openness among the kids. Considering their background, you would expect anger, rebellion and distrust, but the opposite was what we found. The kids were all respectful, loving, and happy, and the difference is their Jesus-centered approach. I think the majority of our own kids have decided they want to live there. This will be one of the ministries with which all our teams will work.

An unexpected plus of this visit was the guidance that Chici Barbella (wife of our pastor and co-founder of the ministry) was able to give us regarding the licensing process for our group home. After much prayer and seeking guidance from others, we have decided not to operate under the license of another ministry, but to pursue our own licensing. With the counsel and contacts she gave us, we will be ready to pursue that process early in January. Please pray for God’s provision for that process, as we expect it to cost over $5000 to complete.

In addition, our church also operates a rehabilitation center for drug addicts and alcoholics. Currently they have about 35 men enrolled in the program who are finding freedom through relationship with Jesus.

Hearing all this, you might think that we are going to a large church. In reality, the church is only about 120 people, but they are so focused on Jesus they don’t realize that they can’t do what they are doing. So, by God’s power, they do it. It is called Nueva Vida y Paz (New Life & Peace) and is pastored by Victor Barbella and his wife, Chici. Victor grew up in Philadelphia where he came to know Jesus while in jail facing 7 to 15 years in prison. He has an in-your-face approach to preaching that we love. The sermons and announcements are translated to English, but everything else is in Spanish. We love our new church and are looking forward to taking all our teams there. You can find more information here and even listen to the same great sermons we hear each week.

Our ministries to families of children with special needs continues to grow. News of our ministry is spreading by word of mouth, and more and more people are seeking us out. On Sunday, one of my friends pulled me aside and told me about one of his friends who has a 14 year old daughter with spina bifida. Her chair has worn out and she needs a new one. So, we went to her home on Tuesday to assess her needs and measure her for a new one.

Her name is Rosa and she has bright eyes and a beautiful smile. The challenge she faces is that her house is located at the bottom of a hill that has a long flight of concrete steps leading up to the road. As a result, her old chair has taken a beating.

While Rosa is paralyzed from the waist down, she has good upper body strength and trunk control. So, after consulting with Dick Rutgers, I have decided to try and find a more rugged but light-weight chair that will allow better control and a smoother ride. Praise God that we already have a sponsor for this chair! Just please pray that we can find the right one for her.

Another need that we encountered over the last week has been a little guy named Jorje. He is 8 years old and suffers from Autism. He has nasty scars on his forehead from where he regularly bangs his head against the wall, in spite of his family’s best efforts to keep him from doing so. He had not been to a doctor since he was 3 years old, so our first act was to arrange for him to go to our doctor for an exam and to begin getting him caught up on his inoculations.

Also, as I visited with the other kids, I realized that they were all undernourished. So, our desire is to begin assisting them on a monthly basis through food deliveries. So, you know what that means…we need a sponsor for $40 a month. If you are able to help, could you write to me at daryl@hopeforhome.org? Remember, every penny of your sponsorship gift each month goes directly to the family. None is withheld for administrative costs.

Last night Wanda and I slept on the roof. (Actually, we slept there until midnight when we realized that our air mattress had a leak in it.) While lying there looking up at the sky watching the volcano spew its lava and a few shooting stars darting past, I was reminded of the following passage from God’s Word:

“When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?” – Psalm 8:3-4

I am sure that I don’t understand why God is mindful of me, my family, or the people to which we minister. We sure don’t deserve his attention or his care. I only know that He is mindful of us in a very loving and personal way. So, I take comfort in knowing that the Source of it all holds us and every need close to His heart. And that is all I need to know.

I must end now so I can go do follow-up with several families and find a wheelchair for Rosa. Thank you for all your prayers, encouragement and faithful support!

Daryl, Wanda and the Crew

We need your help

2011-10-25T12:51:00.001-06:00

Yesterday Gerardo, Ron Ecklebarger, Taryn and I took another trip to four different towns and villages. It was an amazing day of ministry where we were able to not only share food, diapers and medicine, but Jesus Christ. I will share more of the details below, but first I want to let you know about three needs that we encountered and ask for your assistance.

Our first stop of the day was in Ciudad Vieja. This town is only a few miles from our home, and Gerardo had arranged for us to meet with two families who had children with special needs. When we arrived, we found the two families awaiting along with a third family who had heard we were coming. Each of these families need assistance to care for their children. Please note: If you sponsor a child through our program 100% of your gift goes directly to the child. No money is taken for staff, administration, or other expenses.

Fatima is seven years old and has Downs Syndrome. She is only able to say a few words and has difficulty with mouth and tongue control. Her family had been taking her to speech therapy, but stopped because they could no longer afford to pay. The cost for a one hour session is $10 (Q75). They have recommended that she attend therapy twice a week, but we would be very happy if we could provide her with one session a week. Would you be able to help by providing $43 a month to cover that therapy?

Angel is three years old and has Cerebral Palsy that affects both of his legs. Like Fatima, his family was taking him to physical therapy once a week until they could no longer afford the expense. When I spoke with his mother, I realized the therapy had been almost useless. The therapists had not trained the family to provide daily stretches and were attempting to teach him to walk without the necessary AFO’s (leg braces). I spent time teaching his mom and grandmother how to stretch his legs twice a day and found them to be eager and excited learners. I have arranged to have him casted for leg braces and to receive physical therapy once a week at Hermano Pedro, but we need a sponsor for both of these. The leg braces will cost $200 (about 1/10 of the cost of the same braces in the US) and the physical therapy will cost $8 a session (Q60) or $35 a month. Is there someone who would be able to help this little guy?

Finally, we met Luis who is 29 years old. He has Cerebral Palsy that is accompanied by seizures and behavioral disorders. In order to control his seizures the doctors have placed him on two different medications that cost the family $90 (Q680) each month. Recently they have been unable to provide those medicines due to the father, who is a carpenter, experiencing a shortage of work. They insist that they can pay for half of the medicines, but asked if we could help with the other half. Would you be able to provide $45 a month to help the family with these expensive medications?

If you are able and willing to assist with one of these needs, please contact me at daryl@hopeforhome.org.

I won’t take the time to fill you in on our entire day, but I do want to let you know about a few key visits. We spent time with Pillar who has begun to deteriorate rapidly. She fell last week and injured her hip. It was not broken, but she is dealing with considerable swelling. When they examined her hip, they discovered a tumor on her back. As we sat and talked with her, she shared that she is in constant pain and unable to eat. It is clear that her life is coming to an end. So, I asked Gerardo to talk with her about her relationship with Jesus, as my Spanish is still so insufficient. We found out that she has given her life to Jesus and loves Him dearly. So, we spent time encouraging her that her suffering is nearly over and her new life will hold no more pain or illness. We then prayed together with the entire family.

We also visited with Alejandro who is being treated for Asthma. We have two sponsors in the US who are paying for his expensive medications each month. We showed up and realized that one of his medications had run out. (This was my mistake as I thought he had been given a full month, but one of the medication were only for three weeks.) When we provided the money they needed to refill his prescriptions Alejandro’s mother broke down and began to weep. She hugged me and sobbed and said she hadn’t known what to do. I want to personally thank each of you who give to sponsor a child or family. You are making a tremendous difference in lives.

On the way home we also stopped by Esquintla to visit little Walter and see how his new leg braces were working. He ran up to greet me (Yes, I said ran!) and gave me a big hug. His braces needed a slight adjustment, which I made, but otherwise he was doing great. His mother and step-father were thrilled and they all showed us his graduation certificate from school. I have truly grown to love and appreciate this family.

On a personal note, the Fulp household has grown with the addition of Ki’ko, a Husky puppy. His name, according to some sources, means “guardian of the children.” We thought that was quite appropriate! We have all fallen prey to this little fur ball.

Thanks for all your prayers, encouragement and support that makes this ministry possible!

Daryl, Wanda and the Crew

Hard Lessons for a Dumb Guy

2011-10-14T10:58:00.001-06:00

Next week we will surpass our nine month milestone living in Guatemala. Since the last week has been slower with only the mundane to report, I thought I would take a few minutes to share with you some of the hard lessons I have learned. Actually, I should amend that to the hard lessons God is still trying to teach me. I am a slow learner who is very thankful for a patient and merciful Teacher.

Lesson 1: This is way tougher than I thought it would be.

I never thought this would be a cake-walk, but the demands of this life and ministry are huge. The toll this takes is both physical and emotional. The physical demands of long days, hot visits in tin-roofed houses, and long drives over very rough roads gradually accumulates and leaves you crashing. I don’t think I have ever known the kind of tiredness I experience at bedtime each night.

But the emotional toll is even greater. Each day we are faced with overwhelming needs, and we can only meet a small portion of them. While we have some success stories of lives that God has used us to impact, the stories that tend to stick in my mind are the ones of people we have not been able to help. It is so easy to look back over the course of my day and second-guess every decision. Did I do the right thing? Did I do it God’s way? Should we have done more? Those unanswered questions take the highest toll.

Lesson 2: I don’t know near as much as I thought I did.

I like to be right, and I like to prove that I am right. God has been showing me that pride, manifesting itself in this way, is one of my greatest sins and battles. I have failed to learn so much that I could have. I have damaged relationships. I have lost credibility. And all of that is due to my pride and insistence on being right. As God has shown me this ugliness in my heart, I am also having my eyes opened to how little I know. This applies to all areas of my life, but it has especially applied to my theology.

In the safety and sterility of the western church, it was easy to think I had all the answers. I learned about grace, forgiveness, justice and judgment from Sunday School age and up. From there, I went to college and learned more answers. Over the last nine months God has showed me how insufficient those answers are. Don’t misunderstand me, the unshakeable, unbreakables are still in place. God is still God and His Word is the inspired Word of God. But my understanding of the depth of His plan and truth for the world has grown in ways I never dreamed. It is one thing to sit in a middle-class home and talk about God’s provision, and it is entirely different to have that conversation in an 8”x8” bamboo shack where a single mom is raising her two special needs daughters. And if you want to learn about forgiveness, try having a conversation with a young lady who was impregnated by her father at age 11. Each day I learn a little more about how little I know and how much I have to learn. And along with those lessons I am finding the freedom to simply be wrong.

Lesson 3: I am not a savior.

It is easy to believe the hype. Once you enter a town or village and help one family the word spreads. The next time you enter that place people see your vehicle and gather outside the home in which you are visiting. When you exit, the crowd is waiting to give you their problems and illnesses. You feel important, special and needed. You are a savior!

But, speaking for myself, I am not. As I have already stated above, I am just an ordinary guy who knows way less now than I did nine months ago. I have limited resources and even more limited knowledge and skills. All too often, the only thing I can do is pray with them and refer them to the nearest doctor, perhaps giving them money for the bus and appointment. I am finding that we can only help 1 out of every 8 or 10 people in an effective way. We just don’t have the money or the skills to do more. This can be discouraging because the ones you can’t help are the ones that stick out in your mind. As my friend, Pat Duff, often reminds me, “There is only one Savior and they crucified Him!”

Lesson 4: God is way bigger than I ever imagined.

In the midst of all this exhausting and (sometimes) discouraging work, I am learning more about the faithfulness and awesomeness of my Father. He is showing me more and more about the depths of His love, the limitlessness of His provision, and the availability of His power for those who realize they need it. So, as I learn more of the first three lessons, I find that God is able to use me more effectively than before.

Not only that, but I have found a peace in knowing that I am not judged by the number of people I help or fail to help. Nor does He measure my life by how much I know or don’t know. His only concern is that I do everything with Him and for Him while depending on Him. If I can lay down each evening having done that, I have succeeded. I am truly learning that His arms are more than big enough to hold me, those for whom I care, and all my failures too. That is a growing peace that I have never quite grasped before.

Lesson 5: My family is still my most important ministry.

As I learn more of how big God is, I am starting to realize that I am not as important as I once thought I was. Actually, I am not important at all to God’s plan. The reality is that He will accomplish His purposes with or without me. He just chooses to bless me by allowing me to be a part of it all.

My first few months here I neglected my family and exhausted myself. On several occasions I was sick and should have stayed home and in bed, but insisted that someone needed me and left. I had bought the lie that I was somehow crucial and indispensible. But I am not. While God has called me to this place and ministry, I am not crucial to it. There were faithful servants of God doing similar work before I came and there will be others doing it after I am long dead.

But there is one place where I do play a crucial role…in my family. No one else can be a husband to my Wanda, and no one else can be a father to my kids. I dare not take off in a 4-wheel drive to “save the world” while abandoning them. My ministry and calling to Guatemala is important, but my ministry and calling within my family is paramount. God, help me to be the husband and father to them that you are.

Lesson 5: This is our home and our life.

As I sit here in Guatemala, there are some things that I miss about the States. I miss family and friends greatly. I wish there was some way to ship them all here. I also miss biscuits, real American sausage, Dr. Pepper, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, Monday Night Football broadcast in English, and American beer commercials. (Sorry but, come on, they are hysterical!) But otherwise, I don’t miss much about the US and have no desire to go back. Don’t get me wrong, I am not America bashing. In fact, as I have lived abroad I have grown to appreciate the States more than ever. (Even its political process!) But it is no longer our home.

I love these people. I love our neighborhood and neighbors. I love the Mayan people with their traditional dress and deep heritage and customs. I love walking up the street to buy fresh vegetables and spending 30 minutes in the hardware store buying three items. More than that, I love the ministry to which God has called my family and me. I love the children and families with whom we work. I love the visits with them in hot, tin-roofed shacks. I love this life.

And I love the lessons I am learning, albeit very slowly. And I love God who is so patiently teaching me. This is our home, and this is God’s classroom for me.

Greetings and love from Guatemala!

Daryl, Wanda and the Crew

Day by Day

2011-10-04T17:17:00.001-06:00

Once again, I realize that too much time has passed since my last update. As a result, I find myself overwhelmed with trying to catch up. But here is a day-by-day summary of the last 12 days in a format that will hopefully not turn into a novel.

Friday, September 23

Dick, Scott, John, Gerardo, and I made it home safely from our three day trip. I will withhold my normal critique of Dick’s driving since I was having some back spasms that day and he kindly chose to drive gently as a result. (By gently I mean that he hit the speed bumps at only 60 kilometers per hour instead of his normal 80.)

Saturday, September 24

This was a rest and recovery day after a very long week that included four days on the road in villages. It was nice just spending time with the family and having some fun.

Sunday, September 25

After worshipping at our church (Iglesia del Camino), we returned home and celebrated Jonathan’s seventh birthday. Presents and cake ensued and another milestone was passed. It is hard to believe that almost 4 years have passed since we completed his adoption from Guatemala.

In the late afternoon I drove into Antigua to meet Alejandro’s family. You may recall from my last blog that we found this little guy in Las Palmas. He was struggling with low energy and his lips and fingers regularly turned blue. So, we arranged for him to come to Hermano Pedro and be evaluated. Because of the family’s long trip by bus, they came in on Sunday and I helped them get accommodations in Casa de Fe. This is a free facility that provides lodging for families who are receiving treatment at HP.

Monday, September 26

I met Alejandro’s family at 6:30 in the morning and showed them how to begin the process in HP. The process is a series of long lines and long waits to see the necessary doctors. Once I got them started, I left them to take care of several responsibilities in the Antigua area, checking in with them frequently.

Finally, at 12:30, they were able to see a doctor. He quickly determined that Alejandro has asthma and prescribed several expensive medicines that totaled over $100. I was thrilled with the diagnosis because I had thought he probably had a heart problem that would require surgery. However, I was also overwhelmed with the monthly cost required to deal with his asthma. However, I am pleased to report that God has already blessed us with the necessary monthly sponsors to pay for his medication! God is faithful in His provision!

The doctor also prescribed two inoculations for Alejandro. After going to several pharmacies with no success, I finally had to place an order through a local hospital and made plans to bring them out to him later.

Tuesday, September 27

Two weeks earlier, while doing our monthly food distribution in Santa Catarina, we met a man whose son had been paralyzed in a fall four month previous. He had asked if we could come meet him and help with his care. So, on Tuesday we finally found the necessary time to go for a visit.

When we arrived, we found Elgar lying in his bed. His fall had paralyzed him from the waist down, and he had developed pressure sores on his feet and buttocks. After looking at the sores, I realized that they were not severe, so I showed his father and brother how to make saline, clean the wounds, and bandage them. We also provided him with an air cushion for his wheelchair to better distribute the pressure.

One thing that I am learning slowly is how careful I have to be in regards to medical advice. Thanks to Dick’s careful mentoring, I am beginning to understand how dangerous it can be to offer medical counsel or treatment. It is easy to begin to think that I know more than I do, and that can lead to serious problems. If I offer medical advice, treatment, or medication and a person worsens or dies, I can be held responsible legally. Plus, in certain areas, I could quickly find myself and the other missionaries targeted and the ministry shut down in the entire region. And, even if the treatment is entirely successful, we can find ourselves overwhelmed with medical needs brought to us.

As a result, I have backed way off in what I am willing to do medically. I quickly explain that I am not a doctor and refer them to one, providing the finances when necessary. I only give treatment to the most minor of bedsores or wounds when other options are not feasible. Please pray that God will give me the wisdom to understand my limitations and know what I should and should not do in helping.

Wednesday & Thursday, Sept 26-27

These were not my most favorite of days. If you know me, you know how much I hate office work. Sitting at a desk in front of a computer is not my favorite way to pass the time. However, if you are going to serve as Director of a ministry, it is a necessary evil. I have decided not to provide pictures of me pulling out my hair.

Thursday was also another birthday as Jeremiah celebrated his 11th. We had a good time of presents and cake. I think his favorite gifts was the Philadelphia Eagles jersey that we found in the Paca (used clothing section) of the market.

On Thursday afternoon, I went into Antigua with Jeremiah to pick up the inoculations for Alejandro. At that point, my plans for Friday changed as I realized that the injections were packed in dry ice and had to be given sooner rather than later. So, a last minute trip to Las Palmas was planned for the next day.

Friday, September 28

I woke up extra early to finish my office work and then drive to Pastores to meet Ron and Bob Ecklebarger. Their van needed work, so they followed me to my mechanic in Chimaltenango and I gave them a ride home.

I rushed back to my place, where Dick met me and accompanied Brittney, Carissa, and me to Las Palmas to deliver Alejandro’s vaccines. He had to install and new controller for Sergio in San Lucas, which was very close to where we were going. So, we decided to carpool together (with me driving this time). I am getting concerned with Dick’s age, because he complained so much about my rough driving. He must be getting senile because the drive in my Forerunner was smooth as silk.

Dick and I discussed the two shots Alejandro needed and decided it would be best for us not to give them. While both of us have given lots of injections, we don’t want to give the perception that we are medical professionals or be held responsible if something goes wrong. So we found a nurse who lives in the same town who was willing to administer the injections. This was a wonderful blessing as we realized that the nurse was the grandmother of a young man with whom Dick had worked in the past. He had gone to camp a couple of years, and his grandmother was more than willing to give the shots at no charge. Alejandro was a trooper and accepted the shots with very few tears.

We left Las Palmas and drove to San Lucas where Dick installed a new controller on Sergio’s chair and we visited for a while with the family. His mom makes a mean glass of lemonade, and we had fun playing with his younger sisters.

We left San Lucas ahead of schedule, thinking we would get home early. That illusion was crushed when we found ourselves stuck in standstill traffic due to a multiple vehicle wreck. That, combined with some heavy downpours, delayed our return considerably.

Saturday, October 1

For some time I have been needing to return to El Progreso to visit with three families we have been assisting. Due to an overwhelmed schedule, it had been three months since my last visit. So, Bob Ecklebarger, Gerardo, Jeremiah, and our friend, Alba, loaded up early and headed out. Alba’s parents live in El Progreso, so this was a good opportunity for her to have a rare visit with them.

Once again, we were making excellent time only to suddenly find ourselves sitting in standstill traffic due to road construction. (Are you starting to catch a common theme to driving in Guatemala?) This delay was only a half hour, so we considered ourselves very blessed.

We arrived at Alba’s parents house late morning and had a brief visit with them. We then left Alba there and headed out to visit with our three families.

We stopped first at Orefina’s house to check on her and her daughter, Iris. Iris had struggled with frequent headaches and dizziness, and the family thought it was related to the brain tumor that was removed 2 1/2 years ago. She had been taking expensive medication to help. In June, Coral Matus, a doctor from the States, stayed with us and examined her. She quickly determined that Iris was dehydrated and told her to drink more water. We found out on Saturday that her headaches and dizziness were now gone. That was a very simple and inexpensive cure.

Orefina has been struggling with a variety of health problems, the latest of which is a chronic kidney infection. We encouraged her to go back to the doctor soon and then just visited for a little while. We concluded our time with prayer.

From there we went to Carmen’s house. She has two older daughters who suffer from cognitive delays and epilepsy. We provided them with some Kids Against Hunger food packets and vitamins and then prayed with them.

Our final stop was at Olga’s house. I seated her in a wheelchair in June following a stroke that had left her weak on one side. I wanted to check to see if the chair needed any work and see how she was doing. We arrived to find that she had recently gotten out of the hospital after a 15 day stay. She had undergone surgery and was no longer able to walk at all. As a result, she is spending the entire day in her wheelchair.

Concerned about pressure sores, I told her that we would return in a month and provide an air cushion for her chair. We realized that the whole ordeal had taken a toll on the entire family, so we took some extended time to pray with them all. When we were done, I was ready to rush away, but Gerardo stopped me. He recognized that her daughter was caring extra hurt and wanted to pray especially for her. When he asked if it was okay for us to have special pray just for her, she broke down crying and readily agreed. I am so thankful for Gerardo and his sensitivity to the Holy Spirit’s prompting.

We returned to Alba’s parents and had a late lunch with them. I am pleased and surprised to report that the trip home was uneventful.

Saturday evening we had Alba and her family over for supper, but the night didn’t go as planned. Her husband, Cesar, is a police officer in Antigua and was scheduled to come over at the conclusion of his shift. However, he was held at work late, and by the time he was done, the rain was pouring down and streets were flooded. Alba received a call that his truck, along with countless other vehicles, we flooded and stranded on the road between Antigua and Ciudad Vieja. So, we loade Alba and her kids in the Forerunner and headed out to find Cesar.

We connected with him in Panarama, pushed his truck to the side, and drove them all home through some of the most flooded streets we have experienced to date. I once again found myself praising God for His provision of our 4-wheel drive vehicle.

Sunday, October 2

Another rest day. I fell asleep in front of football and nearly slipped into a coma.

Monday, October 3

This was a special day. We met little Walter at Hermano Pedro where he received his brand new leg braces. You might recall that we found him in Escuintla with pressure sores on both his feet from ill fitting braces. We showed his mother how to care for them and instructed them to leave his braces off. We also provided a wheelchair so that he could have some mobility through the process.

Two weeks ago, he was cast for new braces and today was the big day. I wish you could have seen his face when he walked for the first time in six weeks! His mother, stepfather, and grandmother all cried and hugged Wanda and I. We explained that the braces were provided by a family in the US and that all the thanks belongs to Jesus. This is just one example of what you sponsorship of a family can do.

While we were there, we also had Joshua and Kimmie cast for new braces. They have both outgrown and worn out their old ones and are past due.

Tuesday, October 4

I am typing this blog sitting in a Nissan dealership waiting on an oil change for the van. I will leave here, go to Antigua, and do banking and pay bills. Not a fun day for me. But, though it all, God is good. Even in the midst of Guatemala City traffic.

Blessings from Guatemala!

Daryl, Wanda, and the Crew

Bits and Pieces…Bruises by Rutgers

2011-09-22T21:11:00.001-06:00

There has been a lot going on this week, so I have decided to do another update. This time I am going to break it down day by day to keep things straight. Prepare for a long one…

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.

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.)

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. ;)

And 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! (I will be meeting them in Antigua at 4:00 pm on Sunday to set them up with lodging so they can be at Hermano Pedro early on Monday morning to see a doctor. We suspect he has heart problems and are concerned about the severity. His mouth and fingers often turn blue due to a lack of oxygen. Please pray for him. His name is Alejandro.)

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 dedication of this family has been a blessing to see.)

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.)

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. :)

(Thanks, Teisha!)

Tuesday, September 20
Today was one of those full days that were filled with back-to-back appointments. Here is a snapshot of the day:

8:15 am – Take Brittney to Rey de las Naciones school where she is considering accepting a teaching position for next school year.
9:30 am – Meet Walter and his parents at Hermano Pedro to see how their doctor’s visit for his ear problem is going.
10:15 am – Much needed stop at the bank with a long line ahead of me.
11:00 am– Pick up Brittney
12:00 pm– Staff meeting with our new Encarga Director
1:30 pm– Discipleship meeting with a young man
3:00 pm– Return to Hermano Pedro to take Walter and his parents to their appointment to get casted for new leg braces
4:30 pm– Return home to catch up on e-mails and office work
8:30 pm– Head to Ciudad Vieja to pick up our two houseguests, Scott Hardee and John Siemons and get them settled upstairs
11:00 pm– Crash hard in bed to prepare for a 7:30 am departure the next morning.

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

Wednesday, September 21
This morning Gerardo, Scott, John and I loaded up and headed to Chimaltenango to meet with Dick Rutgers 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. It was only a few weeks ago that I stopped seeing blood in my urine from my last trip out with him.

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.

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.

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.

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 slowly 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).

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!

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

An Inside Look

2011-09-17T17:10:00.001-06:00

I am tired as I write this. It has been a long day as Taryn, Jeremiah, Gerardo and I have weighed, sorted, and packed food and distributed it to some of our local sponsored families. Each month the process gets bigger as more families are added.

Today was just a distribution to families who are a part of San Antonio Aguas Calientes. That includes the three aldeas of San Andres, San Antonio, and Santa Catarina. Other distributions occur at the first of each month, and still others occur as a part of our regular trips into villages.

I thought it might be a good idea to show you what is involved in each distribution and how it works. I want transparency in our ministry, and our prayer and financial supporters deserve to know how God is using their help.

It starts when we find a person with special needs who requires assistance. We find these people in a variety of ways. Sometimes they just show up at our door seeking help. This has happened on six different occasions. Sometimes we are sent to them by friends or neighbors who know of their need. Still other times, we simply stumble upon them as a part of our village work. Often, we can only explain it as a God-ordained appointment.

Once we find a person in need, we seek to analyze their situation to determine if assistance is truly necessary. If support is justified, we determine the level of assistance that is required. Our goal is to provide assistance in key areas, not to provide all of their needs. Often the difference between losing their home and paying their bills is simply the cost of a child’s medication or doctor’s visit. In those cases, we provide the medication or pay for the doctor. In other cases, it is $30 of groceries.

Once the needs are verified and the level of assistance is determined, we seek a sponsor for that family. Our primary avenue for finding these sponsors is this blog. Someone reads here about the needs of a family and contacts me with a desire to sponsor them. Note: When a person or family chooses to sponsor a child or person in need, every penny that they give goes directly to provide the needs of that person. None is used for administrative costs, salaries, or even the cost of gas for deliveries. A $50 gift results in $50 of food, medicine, and/or diapers going directly to the sponsored family.

That brings us to the shopping (my least favorite part of the process). In the early days, that was done in local grocery stores as we purchased the necessary amounts for one or two families. As the ministry has grown, we have graduated to buying 20 lb. bags of sugar, 40 lb. bags of rice, 10 lb. bags of powdered milk, and 30 lb. bags of black beans at Pricesmart (comparable to Costco or Sam’s Club). Today I realized that we are ready to go to the next level of purchasing 100 lb. bags of each.

In addition to food, a list is consulted for the required medications and we shop at a pharmacy that gives us a 30% discount. We also purchase diapers for children and adult continence products for the older ones.

As the distribution gets close, the large quantities of product are split into smaller portions and sealed in ziplock bags to keep out insects and moisture. This can be time consuming as all of the food is split into 2.5-5 lb. portions, air is removed, and bags are sealed. Then the food is sorted into different piles for each family and bagged. Each family receives 10 lbs. of rice, 8 lbs of beans, 5 lbs. of Maseca, 3 lbs. of sugar, 2.5 lbs. of powdered milk, 3 bags of Encamparina, and 8 packets of soup in addition to any diapers or medication they require.

When the food is distributed we don’t just drop it off at the door. We enter each home, visit for a while, find out how the child is doing, give them the food/medicine/ diapers, and pray with them. We also check on the well-being of the entire family, knowing the emotional, financial, and physical toll that caring for a person with special needs can take. Each month we remind every family that the help is from Jesus and that He loves them very much. We also let them know that our prayers for them continue all month long.

On a regular basis, those who sponsor a child or person receive an update, along with a photo and news of recent deliveries. This process takes longer and longer each time we do it, as the list of sponsors and sponsored families keeps growing. However, we believe this is important as it keeps individuals connected to those they are supporting and reminds them to keep praying.

I love these distribution. They are my favorite part of our ministry, and I always return exhausted, but full of life. I want to thank each of you who pray and give to make these days possible. Whether you sponsor a family, give to Hope for Home or Hogar de la Esperanza, or simply hit your knees on our behalf, God is using you to make this vision a reality day after day. May He bless you richly in return for all that you do!

Daryl, Wanda, and the Crew

Catching Up

2011-09-16T12:22:00.001-06:00

Now that the Ecklebargers are settled in and no longer need my regular assistance, I am working hard to get caught up on all the things that I have neglected over the last month. At the top of that list was spending time with the kids in Hermano Pedro. I realized last week that it had been over three weeks since I had been there. So, on Friday Wanda, Krishauna and I headed out to hang out with our kids.

We had a great time holding the children and were able to check three of them out for lunch at Pollo Camperos. Elmer, Arianna and Miguel had a good time enjoying chicken, potatoes, french fries and milkshakes. And so did we. I had been so busy with life, I had failed to realize how much I missed all of our kids in HP. I found myself breathing fresh life after a marathon stretch.

Not all of my catching up has been this much fun, though. Office work, which I hate, had been stacking up along with a backlog of e-mails and correspondence that were waiting. I have had to frequently remind myself that everything is important and can make a difference as long as I do it to the glory of God…even office work. However, since I doubt you want to see photos of me sitting at my desk with a forced grin, I won’t bother including pictures of those days.

On Monday Gerardo, Jeremiah, Joshua and I traveled to Villa Nueva. Some friends of ours from the States have a young man named Daniel that they have unofficially adopted who lives there, and he has been going through a rough time. They asked us to check on him and provide him with some food. So, with nothing more than an address for his girlfriend’s house and the awareness that Villa Nueva is a red zone (a government warning regarding certain areas based upon crime and gang activity), we headed out.

Villa Nueva is only about 12 1/2 miles from our house, as the crow flies. We aren’t crows, so it took us about 1 1/2 hours to arrive in the city. The next half hour was spent asking six different people directions and gradually finding our way across town. When we finally found the address, only his girlfriends mother and grandmother were there, and they were very distrustful. It took us 10 minutes to convince them that we were okay and not out to hurt Daniel. Finally, her mother led us to Daniel’s workplace and we had a nice visit. It was quite an adventure!

On Wednesday we celebrated Gerardo’s birthday. This young man has become an important part of our family and life as he becomes more and more involved in our home and helping with our ministry. He now serves as my helper on our 4-wheel drive team, providing excellent translation when my Spanish falters. He also has Jesus’ heart for the people and shows it when he ministers to them. He is currently enrolled as the first student in our Encarga pastor’s training program and will be receiving excellent training from Ron Ecklebarger and ministry mentoring from me.

He turned 26, and our family had the privilege of giving him his first birthday cake. We also gave him a Cubs hat, which he had been wanting for some time. Now that he is officially a Cubs fan, he is now officially a part of our family! We love him dearly. Please pray for Gerardo in the months and years ahead as he prepares for ministry and assumes more and more ministry responsibilities.

Yesterday (September 15th) was Guatemala’s Independence Day. We celebrated 190 years of independence with parades of drummers, floats, and dancers from surrounding schools. They marched through Antigua and to the stadium where they laid the Guatemalan flag on the field. The entire parade was wonderful, although the drums were rather loud. The color, pageantry, and pride in their country was evident, and I am pleased to consider myself a part of Guatemala.

After the parade our entire family header over to Hermano Pedro for about an hour with the kids. (I told you I have some catching up to do.) As always, it was wonderful to have our entire family there ministering to the children. I believe those times are when I love being a father most.

As we walked through the park from HP to Burger King for a family lunch, we got caught in a downpour. (This was a rainy season downpour that you can come closest to experiencing by having your spouse/child/sibling/friend stand on your roof with a 5 gallon bucket of water and dump it on you as you walk out the door.) By the time we made it to the restaurant we were all dripping wet and laughing. After finally finding tables, we ate and dried off. (Actually, we went from dripping wet to soggy like a sponge.)

On the way home we encountered typical roads during rainy season. The photo here is not of a tiny country trail, but of the main road leading from Antigua to Ciudad Vieja, which we have to travel. After a decent rain, this road flows with 6 to 10 inches of water, and a boat or jet ski would be a better mode of transportation than a car or van. I have been told that they are going to get around to fixing that…one of these days.

Well, that’s all for now. Please pray for me as I will be doing a lot of traveling in the next week to catch-up with families in four different villages. I pray that you have a great week!

Daryl, Wanda, and the Crew

Looking for Normal

2011-09-05T15:44:00.001-06:00

I want to begin by giving you an update on my family situation back home. If you follow this blog, you read last week how my cousin shot his wife and then himself last Saturday night. This, understandably, was a shock to our entire family and we have wrestled with the situation all week. It is still hard to imagine this happening within our own family. Many of you have been praying for his wife, Tara, and Scott’s immediate family while also praying for me. Thank you for all your prayers. We have felt them.

As I reported on Monday, Tara is expected to live. The bullet hit her in the hand, one lung, and her spleen, and she has already had two surgeries to repair the damage. I received a message from my sister about an hour ago telling me that her blood pressure is high and she is now running a fever. They are doing some scans this afternoon to try to determine the cause of these complications. Please continue to lift her up in prayer. Scott’s funeral was on Thursday.

Meanwhile, life has continued here in Guatemala. The last week has continued to be filled with helping the Ecklebargers with their transition to their new country. There is so much involved in such a move that it is hard to adequately prepare a family for all the tasks ahead of time. But, overall, their family is dealing well with all the changes and work involved.

Over the last three weeks I have logged over 600 miles (1000 kilometers) in my van and Forerunner, driving them to appointments, house showings, shopping, governmental offices, etc. That gives you a small grasp of the monumental task involved in such a move. Over the last week, we managed to purchase the wood they needed for shelving, set up their bank account, obtain a NIT number for them, and purchase a van. This morning I drove into Antigua, did a money transfer to pay for their new vehicle, and set-up the meeting so they could receive the vehicle. I last saw Ron driving his new purchase out of Antigua at around 11:30 this morning.

The van they purchased is actually one that we tried to buy back in January. Our friend, Esdras, was not ready to part with it at that point, but he made the decision to sell it last week. It is the same make as our van (pictured here), but is 4 years old, enabling them to get a better price. With this purchase I am able to get back to some sense of normalcy as they no longer are dependent upon me for their transportation. (Be careful out there, guys! You are not in Kansas [Ohio] any more!)

On Thursday I was able to get back into the villages again. Ali (our mechanic) was able to make the repairs on my Forerunner and get it back to me on Wednesday, so I was itching to get out. In addition to missing the families with which I work, I was also needing the therapy and release that such trips provide. So, we loaded up the van and my daughter and son, Krishauna and Jeremiah, along with the Ecklebarger’s oldest son, Bob, and our friend, Gerardo, and I headed back to Las Palmas and La Gomera.

One of the things that I realized at the end of that day is that I need to assign someone to be my photographer on these trips. I get involved in visiting and working and completely forget to take pictures. So, I only have one picture of the entire day.

This is Pedro and Victoria and their daughter (I cannot recall her name). We were visiting with Ponceano and working on his physical therapy when their daughter came over and asked if I could visit her father. He has been having breathing problems and she was concerned. So, I grabbed my medical backback and headed across the street to their home. When I listened to Pedro’s chest, I realized his lungs were full of fluid. I told them that they needed to get to the clinic and provided 50 quetzales to pay for their bus fare.

I also explained that both he and his wife were dehydrated. They were both complaining of headaches, dizziness, and fatigue, and when I did the pinch test their skin did not spring back. So I told them they needed to drink more water. Pedro proceeded to explain to me that water made him sick. Patiently, through Gerardo, I tried to explain that as long as they failed to drink more fluids they would continue to struggle with these symptoms. This is one of our big challenges…convincing people to drink more. Most of these villages lie at lower altitudes, so the temperatures are hotter and humidity is high. They sweat a lot when they drink, and they don’t like to sweat. So they drink little, and we hear a lot of complaints about headaches, dizziness, and fatigue.

While we were in town we visited Henri and made some adjustments on his new wheelchair. We also stopped in to see Reina, but she was out taking a long walk. (A great sign considering when we found her she could not stand up unassisted.)

We were also called to the home of a lady named Clara that I had visited back in July. She is on Lasix and struggles with swelling. We found her in bed and in a tremendous amount of pain. Her abdomen and legs were severely swollen. I also listened to her lungs and heard fluid. We gave her and her daughter-in-law money for a trip to the clinic and told them to go soon. They assured us they would go the very next day. Please pray for her.

Finally, we stopped in to see Pillar. I wrote about her last month and described her as the most malnourished person I had ever seen upright. I wish I could say that had changed, but it hadn’t. Her daughter and granddaughter told me that she was stronger since we provided the ensure and vitamins, but she was still a thin sheet of skin wrapped around bones. I asked her if she was eating, but she said that the over-the-counter medication she takes for pain makes her nauseous, so she has no appetite. When I questioned her, I realized that she was taking an analgesic that is noted to cause stomach problems. So, I provided her with one that is more gentle on her stomach.

At that point, I explained through Gerardo that if she did not start drinking and eating more she would die. My Spanish skills have come a long way, but it sure was nice to have Gerardo there who could use the nuances of the language to say it in a loving and concerned way. If I would have said it, it would have simple been, “If you don’t eat, you are going to die!” He, with the love of Christ, was able to express gentleness while communicating the life and death urgency of the instructions.

From there we went to La Gomera to drop off food for Jorge and his family. While we were there, I checked his bed sores and found his foot doing much better. The one on his buttocks, however, is worse. Thankfully he has an appointment with a wound specialist at Hermano Pedro this week. We gave them Q800 from a US sponsor for a scan of his spinal column that is scheduled for this week along with an extra Q100 for bus fare. Please pray that they will be able to help this handsome young man.

While we were at his house, I taught him and his siblings my newest version of the Guatemalan handshake…a hand slap followed by a fist bump followed by an explosion. The kids loved it and their mom and grandmother laughed hysterically, although I am not sure if they were laughing with me or at me.

I returned that evening both exhausted and renewed. As I stated earlier, these trips are therapeutic, and I definitely needed some therapy after the emotional demands of the previous 5 days.

Thanks again for all your prayers and support that make this ministry possible! We could not do this without you!

Good afternoon from San Antonio Aguas Calientes!

Daryl, Wanda, and the Crew

Grieving from A Distance

2011-08-29T18:59:00.001-06:00

The Ecklebargers are settled in their new home. There is still a lot that needs to be done there, but they all have beds and their basic needs met. Now, for the first time in over a month, they are all living under their own roof together.

In the next week we hope to get them set up with NIT numbers and help them purchase a vehicle. Please pray that God will lead them to the right van and 4-wheel drive.

Currently, my Forerunner is getting some work done, so I am unable to get to the villages. I hope to get that back tomorrow. In the meantime, I find myself struggling with grief due to news we received from the States.

Occasionally, you receive news that turns your world upside down. On Sunday, that news came for me through a phone call. I found out that my cousin had walked into his bedroom, shot his sleeping wife, and then turned the gun on himself. I praise God that his wife is expected to recover after undergoing a long surgery, but my cousin was dead on the scene.

This is the kind of thing you read about in the paper or see on the local news. It doesn’t happen in your family. The cousin who lived across the road and served as your childhood playmate doesn’t do those kinds of things. Yet, on Sunday morning, those distant headlines became a very personal reality.

There are tons of emotions that accompany news like this. Anger. (What was he thinking?) Worry. (Will his wife be okay?) Guilt. (I should have seen it coming and done something to prevent it.) Helplessness. (It is now too late to do anything.) Grief. (I will never see him again.) Shame. (What will people think of our family?) Side note: Even writing this blog is scary wondering if my family and I will be judged by the actions of my cousin.

I can honestly say that over the last two days the States have never seemed so far away. To be here in Guatemala and know that your family is hurting and struggling through such devastation but you can’t be there to help is difficult. To wrestle with issues that involve extended family without having them close is hard. So, for the first time, I am experiencing the sacrifice of our move and ministry.

Up until now there have only been some minor struggles and problems that have accompanied our move. Nothing major. And, while we have all missed family and friends, we have been busy making more friends and throwing ourselves into ministry. This is the first time that I have felt the cost of missions. I knew there would be moments like this, and I tried to prepare myself for them. But, nothing really prepares you for a time like this. It has taken my breath away.

Don’t misunderstand me. I don’t regret our move to Guatemala. I know we are where we are supposed to be, and I want to be here. But, at this moment, my heart is torn between this country I love and a little town called Summerfield. For the sake of my mother, brother, sister, cousins, and uncle, I wish I could be there. But I now have to place them in the hands of Jesus and ask Him to be their Comforter and Healer. I know He does a far better job than I do anyway. And I need to be the listening ear (all be it from a distance) and a comforting response through a keyboard. Meanwhile, I have to take my own questions and grief to God and let Him be what I need.

Would you please pray for my extended family through this difficult time? Pray especially for my cousin’s wife that God would bring her the physical, emotional, and spiritual healing that she desperately needs. Also, please pray that all of us will get angry at the author of lies who brings about this kind of destruction of lives. We are at war…let us live like soldiers.

(Just a side note: I find it interesting that there seems to be an intentional and heretical push to convince the church that there is no Satan and no hell. Seems like the whole push is to get us to live as if there is no war and nothing important is at stake. As my cousin has demonstrated, in a catastrophic manner, everything is at stake. Let us fight for hearts, lives, and eternity.)

Thanks and good evening from San Antonio Aguas Calientes.

Daryl, Wanda, and the Family

Houses, Vehicles, and Guatever

2011-08-23T17:48:00.001-06:00

With the Ecklebargers’ arrival last Monday, our lives have been filled with helping them make their transition to their new country. Once they settled into their temporary living space upstairs, we quickly got to work helping them to find a home. In the meantime, though, we have had lots of fun having them here. The kids are getting along well and we have enjoyed some wonderful times of worship and devotions.

All of the other tasks that they need to accomplish rests on finding a place to live. They cannot purchase a vehicle until they have a NIT number (a tax identification number) and they cannot obtain a NIT number until they have a signed lease showing their address. In addition, they cannot set up a bank account without an address. So, on Tuesday afternoon we met with a real estate agent who took them to see five different home. After a couple of days of prayerful consideration, they settled on a home in Pastores and will be signing a contract tomorrow.

While waiting for the contract to be drawn up, we have stayed busy helping them to purchase furniture, appliances, and necessities for their new place. We were blessed to find a furniture store in Chimaltenango that was having a sale, and they were able to meet most of those needs in that one store. Yesterday, we took them to Guatemala City where we helped them purchase memberships to Pricesmart (a wholesale club) and do some other shopping. The plan is for them to sign their lease tomorrow morning, followed by cleaning, basic repairs, setting up a bank accounts, and getting them signed up for telephone and other utilities. They hope to move into their new home on Friday or Saturday.

Please continue to pray for the Ecklebargers during this transition. It can be overwhelming moving to another country, trying to learn a new language, and adapting to an entirely different culture. There is still a long road ahead, and I am sure they would appreciate your prayers. You can follow their journey from their perspective through Ron’s blog at http://encargapastors.blogspot.com.

Our ability to assist them with their move has been somewhat hampered by the absence of our van. You may recall that I had a run in with a Guatemalan traffic cone (a rock) over a month ago. Well, the repair shop has been holding it ransom for the last three weeks while doing repairs that will take eight days “mas o menus” (Spanish for “more or less”). So, for the last week we have been packing people into our Forerunner. (At one point, we had 12 of us sardined inside.)

On Friday afternoon, just before their shop closed for the weekend and too late for me to make it to Guatemala City to pick it up, they called to tell me it was ready. So, on Monday morning Wanda and I headed in to bring our precious and much needed vehicle home. Imagine my surprise when I arrived and realized that the van was repaired, but missing a part. The gentleman proceeded to tell me that they did not have the part in stock and it would arrive in 20 to 25 days, at which time I would need to bring my van back in for them to complete the repairs. At that point, I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, so I did neither. That is usually a good choice since neither laughing or crying produces any results. However, we do have our van (for now) and it will be a big help in transporting our 22 current household members around and assisting with the move.

Some other exciting news to share is that we have our first student for our new Encarga pastor training program. Gerardo Hernandez is a friend of our family from here in town. He has quickly become a part of our family and we now consider him a son. He is a fine young man who loves Jesus and works hard as a tour guide in Antigua, but God has been calling him to ministry and has used us to confirm that call. On the night before the Ecklebargers landed to begin that ministry, he accepted the call and agreed to undergo training through Encarga. We hope that he will eventually assist with the expansion of the program into villages. It will be a wonderful asset to have a Guatemalan man of God working with us in this endeavor.

Today Wanda and I took some time to head out to Esquintla to check on Walter. He is the little guy who has bedsores on both feet that were caused by ill-fitting braces. We provided a wheelchair for him so that he could keep his braces off and allow the sores to heal. When we pulled up in front of his house we were thrilled to see him in his chair with no braces. His family has been doing just as we instructed and the healing is progressing more rapidly than I had hoped. He can now continue without bandages as both sores have healed closed with no cavity underneath. I am waiting for them to heal for three more weeks before beginning the process of getting him new braces. We praise God for this process and thank you for your prayers for Walter.

Well, that is all for now. Greetings and love from Guatemala!

Daryl, Wanda, and the Crew

Help Is On the Way

2011-08-15T17:14:00.001-06:00

Another week has passed, and I find myself wondering where it went and how it is over in the blink of an eye. Life is busy, so every day tends to be a blur of activity that ends with our collapse into bed.

Last week was birthday week as both Carissa (18) and Taryn (13) celebrated their special days on Monday and Tuesday. In a two day period we added another adult and another teenager to our family. So, we had the normal cake and candles and a few modest gifts. As Taryn enters the teen years it means that she gets to have a Facebook account and start wearing make-up. Oh, boy. Pray for me.

Carissa decided that she wanted our family to celebrate her birthday by going to Hermano Pedro and taking out some of the older guys for ice cream at the park. We had a wonderful time with Juan, Max, David, and Elmer, enjoying the fresh air and wheelchair races in Central Park. It is so wonderful to know that these guys are some of our family’s closest friends.

Since we returned from Mexico, Wanda and I have been in the process of renewing our passports which expire in October. The US Embassy if very friendly and easy to work with, which is a refreshing change for the normal long lines and bureaucratic nightmares that we usually experience here. However, getting to the embassy is not so easy, particularly with our GPS (now named Cruella Deville) who has no awareness of one-way streets. And once we found the place, we spent another 20 minutes driving in circles looking for parking. But, eventually, we made it inside, filed the papers, paid our fees, and headed home again.

On Wednesday we returned to the Embassy to pick-up our passports. This time I had learned enough to ignore Cruella and take my own path, so we arrived and parked in about half the time. When we picked up the passports, it was determined that Wanda’s picture was too dark and the book needed to be remade. So, at the end of this week I will be heading back again. Yay.

On the bright side, life in Guatemala is teaching us patience. I find that many of the things that used to frustrate and irritate me so badly no longer fazes me at all. Traffic jams, long lines, and obnoxious chicken bus drivers hardly bother me any more. (Okay, the chicken bus drivers still get under my skin.) For years I prayed that God would help me to be more patient. I had no idea what would be required to make that a reality.

Speaking of patience, I have had to exercise it even more in relation to the van work we are having done. If you recall, I hit a rock in the road about 4 weeks ago, requiring body work on the van. So, 13 days ago I dropped off the van with Nissan to have the repairs done. At that time, I was told it would be ready in eight days, more or less. Surprise, surprise…it’s more! On day 10 I received this photo of the progress they had made on the work, only to discover that they had only just begun. I am hoping to have it back by the end of this week, but we will see.

Thursday and Friday were filled with shopping for our monthly food and medicine distribution to children who are sponsored by US supporters. This process is taking more and more time as the number of families increases. But, we find ourselves able to stretch our money further as we are now able to buy most items in bulk. Sugar, rice, beans, and soup are now purchased in 20 to 50 pound quantities and divided up. This is wonderful seeing the amount of food going to families increase, but the time it takes to do this is increasing.

On Friday morning, Jeremiah and I finished sorting the food and made deliveries in San Andres, San Antonio, and Santa Catarina. This is always one of my favorite times of the month as we visit with families. I stand amazed at the things God has done to grow our ministry and influence in this area. We have truly become know as Hogar de la Esperanza (Home of the Hope).

This weekend we were able to spend some much needed time away together as a family due to the generous gift from Living Waters Church in Michigan. Games, swimming, pizza, and more were a part of our weekend, and everyone had a blast and returned refreshed. We took this time because the Ecklebarger family arrives today, and the next few weeks will be spent helping them to settle in and find their way around.

Speaking of which, we have many miracles to praise God for, with the greatest of which being that the Ecklebargers are finally here in Guatemala with us. When they checked-in at Chicago O’Hare airport at 3:30 am, they were told that they could not fly into Guatemala on a one-way ticket. The desk personnel told them they needed to show return flight plans in order to fly. There are hundred of people in Guatemala who live here and who flew down with one-way tickets, but that made no difference to Spirit Airlines. After a long discussion and numerous phone calls, they were finally allowed to board their first flight to Ft. Lauderdale with questions still being raised about whether they would be allowed to fly to Guatemala.

Meanwhile, their flight out of Chicago was delayed by over an hour, which meant they would not be able to make their connecting flight. When I saw their flight status, I told Wanda and we immediately began to pray. We praise God that their plane into Ft. Lauderdale was actually the same plane they would take into Guatemala. So, they couldn’t miss it. We also praise God that they were allowed to continue without question regarding their one-way tickets. So, we welcomed them to Guatemala and our home this afternoon.

Their addition to our team will be a huge blessing to us. If you read my blog regularly, you see how overworked and overwhelmed we have been. They will be providing assistance with everything from administrative duties to our 4-wheel drive ministry. Plus, it will be wonderful having these good friends here with us.

That is all for now. Love and blessings from Guatemala!

Daryl, Wanda, and the Crew

Provision

2011-08-08T10:08:00.001-06:00

It has been just over a week since my last blog update, but there is so much to share. We once again find ourselves overwhelmed by the goodness and provision of God, and I want to share those details with you.

When I last blogged, I shared with you about our trip to Esquintla, Las Palmas and La Gomera, where we were able to meet some needs and find some others. The last you had heard, we needed a wheelchair and a sponsor for braces for Walter, about $105 for a medical scan for Jorge, and money for Ensure for Pilar. I praise God that every one of those needs have been met!

It actually started last Saturday evening after we returned from the villages. We had our family devotions together and I mentioned all these needs and we prayed together for God’s help. After we were done, I came to my office to check my e-mail and found a message from one of our faithful supporters asking if we had any financial needs right now. I shared these needs with him and realized God was on the move.

On Sunday morning, before church, I updated my blog, and by the time I had returned home I discovered two messages waiting telling me that they were willing to help, and more followed that evening and the next morning. So, to summarize, we have a sponsor for Walter’s wheelchair and braces, a sponsor for Jorge’s scan, another sponsor for Ensure for Pilar, and someone has graciously agreed to sponsor the next wheelchair we need.

Then, on Tuesday, we welcomed a team from Living Waters Church in Michigan. While this was not a regular Hope for Home team, my friend, Gary Newton, asked if I would be able to work with some of his team and expose them to some orphanages and educate them regarding the needs of orphans in Guatemala. I readily agreed, as I am always anxious to get people involved with those needs. So, I spent Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday taking them to Hermano Pedro, Los Gozosos, and Amor del Niño. They were an excellent group with which to work! They were hard workers who did not complain. They were servants. And they were wonderful with all the kids they encountered.

Gary had told me that their team was bringing some water filters for us to distribute in the villages, but he didn’t tell me how many. I had told Wanda that I hoped they would donate 10 or 15, but would be happy with anything we could get. Imagine my surprise and joy when Gary told me that they had brought us 50! As we dumped those filters into the back of my truck, I was overcome with emotion, realizing the help and health those filters would provide to hundreds of people.

But Living Waters Church was not done. Gary placed his hand on my shoulder and told me how much they appreciated our work and that they wanted to see us stay here for a long time. As a result, he said they were concerned with burn-out. He told me that he wanted me to take time away with my family just to have fun and recharge our batteries, and he slipped money into my hands. It wasn’t until late that afternoon that I was able to count the money and realize that he had given us $2000.

As I shared this with my family, we struggled (and continue to struggle) with accepting that kind of money for ourselves. We deal with incredible needs everyday, and the thought of spending money for retreats and recreation is a little hard to swallow. At the same time, the entire family admitted that this summer has been hard on us all. Our home has been filled almost constantly, Wanda and I have been overworked, and the kids have had to assume many extra responsibilities. So, Gary’s cautions against burnout ring true. Our budget is tight, and we don’t have much money for even little things such as an occasional night out. Almost every penny is accounted for. So, we realized our need to simply accept their gift with gratitude and use it wisely and responsibly in the year ahead for the intent that it was given.

Thank you, Living Waters Church, for your service, the water filters, and the gift to our family! What a blessing you are to us, our ministry, and Guatemala!

On Friday, Wanda and I finally got a chance to get away for our anniversary (two weeks late). We headed out mid-morning and went straight to Esquintla to deliver a wheelchair to Walter. (I am deeply blessed to have the kind of wife who joyfully desires to start our time away by serving! She is a one-in-ten million kind of lady!) We arrived and found Walter playing outside his house. I was immediately frustrated when I realized that he was wearing his braces over the bedsores, but quickly realized that I had left his mother in an impossible situation. I had told her that he could not wear his braces, but without his braces he cannot walk and had no wheelchair. Unless they were willing to carry this six year old everywhere they went, he would need his braces. So, I fitted his chair for him, removed his braces, and discovered that he was developing an infection in his right foot. But I also found that his mother was treating the wound with saline and gauze, just as I had instructed her. I once again stressed that now that they have a wheelchair he must not wear his braces and they agreed.

The chair I found for him was a perfect fit after I made adjustments to the foot rests. As soon as everything was just right, I took him out to the street where he immediately began to wheel himself all around. His two cousins quickly joined in and were taking turns pushing his chair. As we said goodbye and received hugs and kisses, Wanda and I realized this was the perfect way to start our time away.

From there we headed back to Antigua where we did some birthday shopping for Carissa and Taryn (whose birthdays are today and tomorrow) and then checked into a motel that gives special rates to missionaries. The next 24 hours were spent simply enjoying one another’s company, recounting memories of our last 23 years, and eating some quiet meals together. I am blessed to have Wanda as a wife, yet another of the many gifts from God that I could never earn or deserve.

We praise God for His continued provision through people such as you. He is truly doing “exceedingly, abundantly beyond all that we could ask or think!”

Good morning from San Antonio Aguas Calientes!

Daryl

Appointments

2011-07-31T09:33:00.001-06:00

Some of you are probably falling off your chair right now. Seeing me do three blogs in one week is akin to seeing lightning striking three times in the same place. But with so much happening, I am working hard to keep all of you who so faithfully pray and support us up-to-date on our ministry.

Yesterday I headed back out to some of the villages with Wanda, Keith and Melanie Musser (Wanda’s brother and sister-in-law) and Andrea Birkmeyer. The back of the Forerunner was loaded down with two wheelchairs, food, vitamins, and tools. When we left we had plans of meeting with four families, but when we returned 11 hours later we had spent time ministering to six. God had some other appointments in mind.

Our first stop was in Esquintla, where I had arranged to meet Ingrid, Yubini’s mother. (I wrote about Yubini in my last blog, having met him at Hermano Pedro.) I praise God that we were able to find a sponsor for his wheelchair, which I picked-up on Thursday. Since I had never been to his house, his mother met me at a McDonalds and took me to their home. When we placed Yubini in his new chair and began to make adjustments, he beamed at me and said, “Muchas gracias! Muy amable!” (Thank you very much! Very friendly of you!) Wanda and Andrea passed out suckers to some of the neighborhood children while we worked, so lots of folks came out to meet the gringos while we were there.

One of the ladies that approached us told me that she had a grandson who had a sore on his foot and wanted to know if we would come look at him. I confess that my first instinct was to say no. It is easy to become overwhelmed with minor medical needs that families will bring to us if we are not careful, and his problem did not sound severe. However, as I opened my mouth so say no, I heard a “Si” come out instead. So, grandma crowded in the Forerunner with us and we headed across town to meet her grandson.

As soon as we pulled up in front of the home I was glad we had come. A little seven year old named Walter came waddling up to us with a very awkward gate. I realized quickly that he had Spina Bifida and club feet and was wearing improperly fitted braces. As soon as we removed the braces I saw that the sore his grandmother had mentioned was growing pressure sores on both feet.

After taking a moment to pray for wisdom, I communicated to his mother, Blanca, that he could not continue to wear the braces and walk around. His feet are twisted and the braces, while providing rigidity to his lower leg and feet, are causing him to bear his wait on the outside of his feet and creating the problem. I spent time showing her how to make a saline solution, clean the wounds, and bandage them. I also explained that he needed to keep the braces off, a very difficult and discouraging concept for a little guy that has adapted to his disability and is very active.

In order to providing him with some mobility during the healing process, I told his mother that we would provide him with a wheelchair. I also told her that once the wounds were healed we needed to take him to a specialist to find out how to best get him on his feet again. So, I find myself, once again, coming to you seeking a sponsor for another wheelchair. Walter needs a simple travel chair that will cost $90, so let me know if you are being led to help by writing to me at daryl@hopeforhome.org.

We finally left Esquintla 1 1/2 hours later than I planned and headed to Las Palmas. In my last blog I shared that Henri needed another wheelchair as he had outgrown his old one. I praise God that we found a sponsor and had a new chair for him when we arrived. As soon as his mother, Nereda, saw us coming with the new chair her face lit up.

While Keith and I worked to make adjustments on the chair, the ladies in our group spent time interacting with the children. Lots of photos were taken, suckers were given, and lots of laughter ensued. Meanwhile, I was dealing with a very friendly and persistent chick (a bird, not the slang term for a girl) that kept climbing on my feet, tools, and the wheelchair while we tried to work. After battling with a nasty curve in Henri’s lower spine, along with the heat and humidity, we were able to get him seated and looking good.

I spent a little time playing with the children when we were done. Some of the kids had been doing headstands, so I told them that I could do it just as well as they could. The picture to the right shows just how wrong that statement was.

As we were loading my tools back in the truck, we were approached by a lady who told us that her grandmother needed milk. I was somewhat confused about what she was saying because my Spanish is still weak and she spoke fast. But my questions were answered when she pointed over my shoulder and I saw an elderly lady approaching while being supported by another grandchild. Pilar is not the most malnourished person I have ever met, but I think she is the most malnourished person that I have ever seen upright. At 84 years of age, she is a skeleton with a thin layer of skin over top.

Upon examination, I realized that she was also severely dehydrated. Obviously, she was very weak, and her short walk to meet us had left her very winded. When I looked past her skeletal face, I saw kind and intelligent eyes and a sharp wit. This encounter led to another change in our plans as we headed to the nearest town to purchase Ensure and bring it back to her. When we returned we spent time explaining how important it is that she drink lots of water, use the Ensure, and eat, even when she doesn’t feel like it. In reality, she should be in a hospital with an IV (if they could find a vein) and feeding tube. But in a country with very limited resources and so many needs, that just isn’t feasible for such an elderly person. In a situation like this I always find myself asking if we did enough.

From there we headed to Reina’s house to check up on her. Once again, we were welcomed like royalty. Wanda was very warmly embraced when they found out that she was my wife. Reina has been asking to meet her for my last two visits, and she sat and held her hand for much of our visit. As she has recovered from her pneumonia and gained weight, her outer beauty has begun to shine and complement her inner beauty that was always there. I have truly grown to love the little lady. We gave the family some money to help with the cost of her doctor’s appointment next week, and the family gave us a large bag of bananas to express their ongoing gratitude. We said goodbye and set out again.

This time we headed to La Gomera to see Jorge and his family. Even though the hour was late, I had told his mother that we would come on Saturday and I didn’t want to disappoint her. We were carrying groceries for them that was provided by sponsoring family in the US, and I knew they really needed it. We spent some time getting an update on Jorge’s doctor appointments, and his mother asked me to check his bedsores. I was pleased to see that the sore on his foot had improved considerably, but was disappointed to find that the one on his buttocks has gotten worse. The wound was clean and well cared for by mom, but the wound size was increased. I was very happy to hear that she has an appointment for him at the end of this month with a wound specialist at Hermano Pedro. Bedsores can be deadly here if not addressed properly.

We finally returned home at 7:45, very tired, but very happy with our God-orchestrated day. The best days are the ones when God changes our schedule, and He definitely did that yesterday.

Today is a sad day as we say goodbye to Andrea, who has spent the last two months working with us. She heads home to Ohio today and begins making preparations for her freshman year at Moody where she will be majoring in missions. Please pray for her as she adjust back to life in the US and starts college life. We love you and will miss you greatly, Andrea! Hope to see you back soon!

That’s all for now! Have a great start to your week! May God use you in great ways!

Daryl, Wanda, and the Crew

Help Wanted (Really, really wanted!)

2011-07-26T15:19:00.001-06:00

I rarely do a blog update two days in a row, but since I used the entire entry yesterday to share about our trip to Mexico and God’s protection, I thought I should take some time today to catch you up on our ministry. There are so many opportunities that are presenting themselves in the form of needs that we are a little overwhelmed. At the same time, we are blown away as we see God expanding our ministry.

On Sunday afternoon our family took a cake over to Marcos Antonio’s house to celebrate his 14th birthday. We had a great time with Marcos, his mother, Maura, and a good friend of their family. I could never understand their friend’s name, but she was the life of the party. This elderly lady with long, gray braids had an infectious laugh as she tried to pronounce our English names. By the end of the day, we had decided that we wanted to adopt her as our honorary grandma.

The time we spent with them meant so much to Maura. She is a lifelong single lady who adopted Marcos shortly after his birth. Her family does not help her, and she is very much alone. As a result, we have come to understand that one of our primary ministries is to simply be there for her. She needs friends, and we are called to be those friends to her.

That is actually the case for most of the families with which we work. Due to some of the misconceptions regarding special needs, many families of children with disabilities find themselves isolated. Often extended family members will distance themselves, leaving the immediate family alone. In some cases, even spouses will leave, abandoning their partner to single parenthood of a child with significant challenges. Our role is to not only provide resources, but to BE the much needed resources of love, support and encouragement.

This morning I received a call telling me that Jorge and his family were in Antigua for a doctor appointment, and the wheel on his wheelchair was loose. (You may recall that Jorge is from La Gomera and we provided a chair for him about two months ago. We now have a sponsor for his family to provide medicine and food.) I grabbed my tools and headed to the hospital to meet them. Once I finally tracked them down, I realized he needed a new wheel, so I headed to Hope Haven where I was able to get what I needed and repair the chair.

In the process, Jorge’s family connected me with a young man from Esquintla named Yubini. He is 11 years old and has a seizure disorder that has been a severe hardship on him and his family. He regularly has seizures which can make him unable to walk for extended periods. As a result, he needs a wheelchair, but his family is unable to afford one. I measured him for a chair, but we need a sponsor to cover the $90 one-time cost of a basic chair. Would you prayerfully consider providing this fee? If you are interested, you can e-mail me at daryl@hopeforhome.org.

At the same time, I am also searching for a sponsor for a new wheelchair for Henri. He is from Las Palmas and has severe CP. Dick seated him in a chair that some friends of ours donated almost two years ago, but he has now outgrown the chair and it has worn out. The lower elevation at which he lives has high humidity which is very hard on chairs. His chair demands are more significant than Yubini as he needs lateral and head supports. I would like to put him in a chair that has reclining ability, but in order to do that we need a donation of $190. Would you consider providing that?

I don’t like asking for money. In fact, you very rarely see me seeking funds for our ministry. However, these gifts are not for Hope for Home or Hogar de la Esperanza, they are for children in need. Every penny of these donations will go directly to providing the chair each child needs, and no portion of the funds will be used for anything else. This is the policy we have for all sponsorship provided for children, whether one-time gifts or monthly support. So, please seek the Lord about helping with these needs.

While dealing with all of these opportunities, another opportunity came knocking on our door. (Relax, we already have a sponsor for this child!) Last week, a lady name Francisca came to our house seeking help for her child, Alex. Alex is 15 years old, but you would think he was only 3 or 4 by looking at him. I am not sure, but I believe he has Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) which has caused him to be extremely small with an aged face and cognitive delays. He is a charming little guy with a bright smile.

After talking with his mother, I realized that he had not been to a doctor for years, so I paid for him to visit our family physician. The doctor determined that he is overall healthy, but in need of extra nourishment. Specifically, he needs more food and some vitamin supplements. We are already providing the vitamins, and we now have a sponsor to provide food and medicine each month.

As you can see, opportunities abound. The family support we are providing through our village ministry is a full-time job. I confess that I am tired and that some of my other responsibilities are suffering. We need more help.

We are in the process of working with a couple of families that are considering joining us in ministry here. There are a few major needs that we have, and I would appreciate your intercession for these needs:

We need workers and additional vehicles for our 4-wheel drive ministry. Each trip yields more families in need, and there is not enough hours in my day to address them all.
We need a good mechanic who can address the maintenance and repair issues on our vehicles.
And I need a secretary/administrative assistant to take care of the office work that consumes so much of my time.

Would you please join us in praying that God would raise of people to assist us in this work? The pay isn’t great (these workers have to raise their own support) but the fringe benefits are awesome, both in this life and the next!

Thanks! Good afternoon from Guatemala!

Daryl, Wanda, and the Crew

Cruella Deville and Answered Prayer

2011-07-25T10:31:00.001-06:00

Last week our family headed for Mexico in order to renew our visas. To stay in Guatemala without becoming residents you have to leave the country every 180 days for 48 hours and then get a new visa stamp when you re-enter. So, we decided to make is a mini-vacation and enjoy some much needed time together.

The trip out was relatively uneventful. We took the southern route on CA-2, saw some beautiful sights, and bounced over numerous camouflaged speed bumps. (Guatemalan are the David Copperfields of speed bumps, making them impossible to see in the middle of the day.) We had some difficulty finding our motel, so I stopped at a gas station for directions. I saw a Domino’s Pizza delivery guy, so I asked him for help. He cheerfully told us to follow him and took us on a winding trip across town and straight to our Comfort Inn. We arrived at our hotel and enjoyed a refreshing swim to get some relief from the heat and high humidity.

While in Mexico, we made a couple of discoveries. First, driving is very different there than in Guatemala. We were not in the country for more than 30 minutes before I was flipped off by an irate driver for driving the way every Guatemalan drives every day. Mental note: They use turn signals and comply to lane markers in Mexico.

We also discovered that everything is more expensive there. We stopped at a Burger King to grab dinner only to do a quick U-turn back out the door when we discovered that a Whopper Junior value meal was over $6, and the majority of other value meals were $8-10.

We spent Thursday relaxing, enjoying the pool, and playing a family game. It was so nice to just be together and relax with no agenda. I was able to teach both Joshua and Jonathan to swim, and we all played several silly pool games. Most of the kids took extensive amounts of time learning to do flips from the diving board. In all, it was a great day.

Friday we enjoyed an expensive breakfast (because everything is expensive) and had one last swim before heading back across the border. This is where things went downhill. On the way out to Mexico I ignored our GPS and charted my own course. For our trip home I decided to follow the GPS recommended route to see if it would be better. It was not.

The path took us home on a northern route on CA-1. The beginning of the trip was fun and beautiful as we climbed over 9000 feet and saw the temperature plummet. We enjoyed a view that seemed to extend forever, before we finally disappeared into clouds that obscured our view. Then the GPS went psycho on us and had us turn south through Quetzaltenango on route 11. The trip went south in more ways than one at this point.

Note: Pictures cease at this point as we became more concerned with survival and less concerned with photographing our own demise.

At first we chuckled at the condition of the road as it turned to dirt and took us through some remote towns and villages. Then we moved to, “This is ridiculous!” as we experienced wash-outs and ruts that had our van bouncing. Our final stage was, “Oh, crud!” as we went down a steep mountain and over still rougher roads, always with the promise that a larger and better road was just ahead (according to the GPS). This all came crashing down as night was falling and we realized that route 11 was actually a dead end and we needed to turn around and head back to Quetzaltenango.

With complete dark only 20 minutes away and a serious doubt about whether our van could make it back up the mountain, I was suddenly overwhelmed by the desperation of our situation. There was not a gas station or service center within a 45 minute drive, and having a group of gringos trapped in a remote spot in Guatemala at night is not a good situation at all. While most Guatemalans are helpful and friendly, there are some that are distrustful, angry, and anxious to rob and take advantage. And, having a van full of young attractive girls, I was not comforted by the possibilities.

So, we turned around and headed out as the van was filled with sounds of prayers. At the first steep hill, the van faltered and could not make it. Wanda and the older girls hopped out and began to push, and we made it over the first barrier. From that point, I drove like a bat out of the bad place, taking each corner with as much speed as possible to preserve momentum and praying that God would help the clutch to grab. Somehow (we know it was with God pushing) we made it up even steeper hills than before while bouncing over ruts and rocks. At some point, Brittney began to sing praise and worship songs and the van was filled with a peace as everyone joined. Gradually, mile by mile, we made our way up the mountain and back to the nearest village.

It was there that we encountered the next problem. A nearby storm had created a rushing river down the main road heading back to Quetzaltenango, and water was flowing eight to twelve inches deep in our path. It was completely dark, the road was difficult to see, and the prayers continued.

By this point we had decided that once we got back to Quetzaltenango we were going to find a decent motel and spend the night. We were all physically and emotionally exhausted and desperately needed to rest. (I have never know such fatigue and soreness from driving in my life!) There were no chain motels that we could find, so we prayed that God would help us find a nice, clean, and safe motel at which to stay. We ended up outside a place that seemed to fit the bill, but was confirmed when I asked for rooms and the manager stopped, looked me in the eyes, and asked me if I was a Christ-follower. When I told him that I was, he smiled, told me that he was as well, and said that my family and I were welcome to stay with them. An added bonus was that all 12 of us were able to stay in three rooms for only Q.700 (about $90).

Once we were checked in, we all gathered in one room and had a time of thanksgiving and praise to God for His protection and help. At that point, the reality of what we had faced hit home for some and tears began to flow. This all may seem silly to you if you are unfamiliar with Guatemala’s remote areas. It is hard to communicate effectively how desperate our situation really was. It is also hard to communicate how miraculous it was that our loaded van was able to drive those roads back up that mountain. We know it was the hand of God that got us out of that situation, and our gratitude for His grace and help is overwhelming.

On Saturday morning we completed our journey home without further problem. On the way to Mexico we had a playful argument about what to name our GPS. The kids wanted to name it Raquel, while Wanda and I were settled on Carlita. (Get it? CAR-lita?) After the journey she led us on, we all firmly agreed on a name. She is now hereby labeled Cruella Deville, after the villainous women on 101 Dalmatians. She can consider herself fortunate that I didn’t throw her off the mountain at some point.

Through it all, we are very grateful for the following:

For a refreshing time together in Mexico.
For God’s protection and provision through the ordeal.
For our van, which performed beyond what any 15 passenger vehicle should ever have to perform and held up through it all.
For the way our faith and trust grew through the experience.

And through it all, we learned a valuable lesson:

Never, ever, ever trust a GPS in Guatemala!

Thanks for your prayers and support!

Daryl, Wanda, and the Crew

Another Team Gone and Mexico Bound

2011-07-19T10:57:00.001-06:00

Once again, we said goodbye to another team on Sunday and are trying to catch our breath. After hosting four teams in five weeks, we could use a little break.

Last week’s team was a small but great one. While only four members strong, Jeff, Emily, Justin, and Ginny were a fantastic group with which to work. From their first moment in Hermano Pedro they embraced the kids and loved them as their own. And, because their numbers were small, we could expose them to some opportunities that most teams do not get to experience.

In addition to some of the normal ministry options such as Hermano Pedro, Los Gozosos, and Amor del Nino, they were also able to participate in our rural village ministry. They traveled with me to both Las Palmas and La Gomera where we repaired a wheelchair and distributed food and medicine. We even had a chance to pass out some bubbles and stickers to some precious little ones.

We also stopped in to check on Reina, the elderly lady in Las Palmas who nearly died of pneumonia. I am happy to report that she is doing much better and gaining weight. On our last visit with her, we encouraged her to sit outside and get fresh air instead of staying inside in the stifling heat caused by their corrugated metal roof. She told me that the sun was too bright outside and hurt her eyes, so Zac Robinson donated his sunglasses to the cause. When we arrived this time we found her sporting her new shades.

It was a long day, and we all returned exhausted and in need of showers, but everyone was glad to have been a part of it.

The group was also able to participate in the monthly distribution of food, clothing, and medicine to the sponsored children in our town. Joni, Marcos Antonio, Carlos, and Luis Fernando all received much needed deliveries, and each family greeted those gifts with much gratitude and some tears. It is hard to communicate what this assistance means to these folks. We were also able to pray with each family and, as always, communicate that the help was from (and because of) Jesus.

We also took the time to visit with the family of Veronica, who is a resident of Hermano Pedro. Her father and siblings live on the edge of Antigua and struggle to make ends meets since her mother passed away a few years ago. We stopped by and dropped off some Kids Against Hunger packets along with some donated clothing for the children.

On Wednesday we said goodbye to Marissa Spencer who has spent the last two months with us. She was wonderful with all the kids and was a perfect fit within our family, and we are missing her greatly. Thanks for your service, Marissa! We love you!

On our way to take Marissa to the airport I had an encounter with a Guatemalan traffic cone. In most cases, instead of using high visibility cones to alert you to road work, this country will place large rocks in the road and dump some white (non-reflective) paint on them. As we traveled to Guatemala City on Wednesday at 4:30 am in a light rain I suddenly saw one of these “safety devices” in the road as I rounded a curve. A truck was in the right lane, and I had no place to go except into the rock. The damage to the van was enough to warrant the use of insurance along with our Q. 5000 deductible (about $650). It is still drivable, so the actual repair work is being delayed until August 2nd when we will have a break and not need it for a week.

Now, we are trying to catch up on some work that has been on hold for the last month as we have been hosting teams. Office work awaits, along with some vehicle and house maintenance and some extensive cleaning.

Tomorrow our entire family heads to Mexico for two nights. It is time to renew our visas, so we have to leave the country in order to do so. We are traveling to Tapachula, Mexico which is just across the border and will enjoy some time in a motel there. We plan to relax, swim, and just be together without demands of work. We would appreciate your prayers as we make that drive.

That’s all for now! Good afternoon from San Antonio Aguas Calientes!

Daryl, Wanda, and the Crew

Recovering

2011-07-06T13:07:00.001-06:00

After three straight weeks of teams, my family and I are spending some time recovering. When you read that, please don’t misunderstand. Each of our recent teams has been wonderful. Every member had a great attitude, a servant’s heart, and were a blessing to our ministry. But teams require a lot of work, seven days a week and 12 hours a day. When a team is here, my family sees little of me. In addition, the work that my wife and children do to cook and clean for the teams is a drain on them. So, it is nice to have a one week break before the next team comes on Saturday.

Last week brought us a team from The Gathering Place in Piqua, OH. These three couples, along with a teenage girl, were great workers who served God tirelessly. They were naturals with the kids and adults at Hermano Pedro, Los Gozosos, and Amor del Niño. In addition, I was able to take four of the team members out to villages to experience our ministry in Los Palmos and La Gomera while three team members remained behind and held and fed children in the malnutrition ward at Hermano Pedro.

Thanks Zac, Lindsay, Ron, Suzanne, Grant, Colista, and Aspin! You were a blessing, and we miss you already!

In the midst of a good week, there was also some heartbreak. I have continued to grieve as we have seen Lionel struggle with upper-respiratory illness and a loss of appetite. It seems that he has just given up his will to live. In addition, Yofri continues to struggle as we fight a constant battle to get the nurses to strap him into his bed properly.

But, the greatest pain of last week was losing Gabby, a 16 year old from Los Gozosos. After struggling for days to fight off an allergic reaction to new anti-seizure medication, she passed away Thursday evening. We attended her funeral on Friday and grieved for our loss while celebrating her gain. She is now in a place without seizures, crutches, or disabilities. We miss her and envy her.

On Saturday, Wanda and I took the team to the airport and said goodbye. We then enjoyed our first date in three weeks. Of course, our date involved stocking up on supplies and food at two different stores, but we also managed to sneak in a nice meal together. I am amazed that Wanda gets more beautiful every year. (Actually, I think it’s every day!)

On Sunday morning our family did something very unusual…we stayed home from church. We opted to instead have a family worship experience together with guitar, singing, and an extended devotional. After the three weeks of teams, we felt like we needed the rest and time together. We praise God that we decided to do this, because we found out our street was blocked until almost 11:00 am due to yet another Catholic procession. So, the stay-at-home church was perfectly timed.

In the afternoon we enjoyed pizza for lunch and family movies together. From the perspective of some that might seem like a wasted day, but they couldn’t be more wrong.

This week has been spent catching-up on office work and getting our home in order for the next team. I had thought that the week would be relaxing, and it has been more relaxing than most. But due to some unexpected needs we have encountered, the week has been full fuller than anticipated.

Yesterday we had a visit from three ladies who had heard that we help children with special needs. The mother told me that her son, Luis Fernando, is 16 years old and has severe autism. His father abandoned them several years ago, so she is trying to raise him and her 12 year old daughter, Laura, on her own. She has no work now because the tourist trade is way down and she has always sold tapestries. With tears in her eyes she asked me if we could help. So, I drove her home to Santa Catarina and visited her son.

Actually, driving was only part of the trip. Once we drove halfway up the mountain we had to finish the journey by walking a narrow footpath the rest of the way. When we arrived I was greeted by a block and metal shack that has a beautiful view of the valley. Inside, I found Luis Fernando on his bed, largely withdrawn into himself. He cannot talk or feed himself and can only walk for short distances. The medicine he takes, along with the necessary adult size diapers, have crippled the family financially. While some extended family members are helping them, their resources are almost gone as well.

So, once again I am seeking a sponsoring family for a child. Between the food, diapers, and medicine they need, we have to raise about $50 a month. Is there someone out there who has a heart for autistic children and would be willing to help out? We could even pair you with another family if you can’t give the entire amount. If you would like to help, please e-mail me at daryl@hopeforhome.org.

Today much of my work has focused on preparing for the next team that arrives on Saturday. We are about ready to gear up and do it all over again.

Oh yeah, I also need to get our vehicles washed…again. Rainy season is here and, with it, almost daily rain. When we get even a moderate rain, dirt washes down the mountains and hills onto the streets of towns. Even paved roads can look like dirt roads after an hour long storm. So, I can wash the van and truck in the morning only to look like I have been off-roading by late afternoon. Only four more months of rainy season…then it all becomes dust.

Thanks for all your prayers and support! God is moving, and He is using you to do it!

Good afternoon from San Antonio Aguas Calientes!

Daryl, Wanda, and the Crew

Gabby Is with Jesus

2011-06-30T20:53:00.001-06:00

Gabby passed away this evening. In spite of the doctor’s best efforts, they were unable to reverse the allergic reaction, so she went to be with Jesus.

I don’t understand why things like this happen, but I do know that God is good. He loves Gabby far more than we ever could and has done what is best in his perfect wisdom. God is good all the time…all the time God is good.

I take comfort in knowing that she is with Jesus now in a place without disabilities and suffering. And I rejoice in knowing that, when we see her again, she will run to us.

Please pray for God’s comfort on Maureen and the staff of Los Gozosos and everyone who loved her.

Daryl

Pray for Gabby

2011-06-28T15:51:00.001-06:00

Today our team went to Los Gozosos to do some work and spend time with the kids. Shortly after we arrived I spoke with Maureen and found out that Gabby is in critical condition at Roosevelt Hospital in Guatemala City. She has had an allergic reaction to her new anti-seizure medication that has caused her skin to slough off about 70% of her body.

I took the news especially hard because I was the one who discovered her petit mal seizures and recommended they take her to her neurologist who prescribed the new medication. My first thought was that if I had just left things alone and my mouth closed she would be fine now. After about an hour-and-a-half of self-flagellation, I actually got quiet and prayed and realized that I did the only thing that I could have done and would, in fact, do again in the same situation. But my heart still breaks for Gabby who is suffering greatly now.

I have been told she has about a 40% chance of survival and the next several days will be critical. If she gets an infection she will not be able to fight it off.

Please pray for Gabby. Pray that God will keep infection away and that the spread of the condition will halt. Pray that God will restore her completely. Pray for everyone who loves her and is hurting for her now. And pray against the enemy who seeks to use these circumstances to discourage God’s people and spread his ugly lies.

Thanks,

Daryl

Why?

2011-06-27T18:03:00.001-06:00

Today has been a lousy day. I am tired, discouraged, and overall feeling defeated. And the question that keeps driving it is a single word… “Why?”

This morning our team from Piqua, OH and I arrived at Hermano Pedro. I immediately went into the Anibal ward to check on Lionel, only to find him in his wheelchair quietly crying. I picked him up and held him for about 30 minutes. While his crying stopped immediately, he never responded to my attempts to make him smile. He is struggling to breathe, and they have reinserted his feeding tube. To be honest, it seems like he has lost the will to live. My heart breaks for him and I long to ease his pain.

From there I was called out into another room to adjust a chest harness that was cutting into the neck of Estefani. This was the same chest harness that I adjusted about 10 days ago. The nurses, in their great wisdom, seem to think that it is best to have the harnesses high on the chest, so they keep changing the proper adjustments. From that point, I spent the next 45 minutes readjusting chest harnesses, many of which I had properly adjusted just days before.

After that, I decided to go check some of the men out for lunch. After filling out the proper form and obtaining the head nurse’s signature, I proceeded to Father Jose’s office to get his. There I found out that he was out of the office until the afternoon, so I went to Father Francisco’s office. There I was told that he, too, was out until the afternoon. I spoke with Vicki who told me that she would try to get the signature of the one nun who was authorized but who was out sick. She went to her home, only to find her not there. So, after an hour of work, I found out we could not take anyone out to lunch.

I returned to the children’s ward to find little Yofri strapped improperly into his bed. This little guy suffers from severe CP which twists his back and threatens to bend him over double backward. You can read more about him by clicking here. The nurses had placed him in the special backboard that Dick had designed with the pillow placed in the small of his back, forcing him to remain bent backward instead of holding him straight. After controlling my anger, I picked him up and held him for a while until I had him relatively relaxed and straight. I then strapped him back into his bed properly.

At that point, the team and I left to grab lunch and take a breather, which I desperately needed. While we were out, Wanda surprised me by taking the chicken bus into town and meeting us at the restaurant. Her presence was just what I needed.

We returned to HP in the afternoon and I found Yofri, once again, strapped into bed improperly. This time there was no pillow in place at all, and his muscles were spasming, causing the strap to dig into his chest. So, once again, I fixed his positioning and rotated the bed so that he could lie on his other side for a while.

And so, this evening as I returned home I have been plagued with the same question that is pounding in my heart all day. Why?

Why has Lionel lost his will to live?
Why is he deteriorating before my eyes?
Why is HP making so many crappy decisions that is hurting the patients it claims to care about?
Why won’t the nurses do what they know they are supposed to do with Yofri?
Why does helping these children have to be so hard?
Why does Cerebral Palsy exist, along with all the other causes of suffering inflicted on the innocent?
Why? Why? Why?

Before you respond to those questions, let me explain that I would like to ask these questions of God, but I don’t want to ask Him with defiance or anger. I do trust God. I know that He is good. I know that He loves both the children of HP and me far more than I could ever comprehend. And I know that He has a plan for it all. My faith in Him is not shaken. But I am feeling tired, discouraged, and useless, so I would like to simply ask Him why and have Him hold me while He gives me just a tiny glimpse of the answer. I don’t need the whole unfolding of His plan, just a little glimmer of a single bullet point.

Please forgive me for venting as I have. Please pray for Lionel, Yofri, and all the kids of HP. And please pray that God brings an end to suffering soon.

“He who testifies to these things says, ‘Yes, I am coming soon.’ Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.”

– Revelation 22:20

I agree…come, Lord Jesus!

Daryl

Teams, Teams, Teams!

2011-06-25T09:00:00.001-06:00

It has been another very busy week, so I will tell the story, once again, with more pictures and less words.

For the last eight days we have been hosting a team from Pleasant Grove Missionary Church in Yellow Springs, Ohio. What a wonderful blessing they have been with both their encouragement and hard work!

After arriving on Saturday, getting a quick bite to eat, and settling in, our friend and Spanish teacher, Alba, came and gave the entire team a Spanish lesson. Alba is a great teacher, but some of them had trouble with the language. Through the course of the week I have heard “Elmo my llama” (instead of “Como se llama”) and “Aloha” (instead of “Hola”). It reminded me of my two friends Dick Rutgers and Bev Jansen!

On Monday the team spent time at Casa Jackson, the malnutrition center in San Felipe de Jesus. The team loved the time they spent with the children:

On Tuesday we spent the day at Hermano Pedro and took seven of the kids out to eat. This was the largest group that we have ever taken out, so there was a bit of chaos, but a lot of fun.

On the way back to Hermano Pedro we were caught in a rainstorm and had to take shelter. About 45 minutes later we were able to make it back.

On Wednesday the team went to Los Gozosos and spent most of the day doing work for this wonderful family-based group home for children with special needs. Projects included building a gate and a base for a slide, cleaning a mildewed bathroom, fixing a broken gutter, yard work, cleaning windows, sewing bibs, and more.

Thursday took us back to Hermano Pedro where we had another great day and took out eight guys from the men’s ward. Those are some of my favorite people in the world.

I let Elmer use my camera to take a few pictures. He has a unique eye on life:

Thursday was Corpus Cristi (Body of Christ day) which is a big Catholic celebration. There was a procession through Hermano Pedro and many of the children were dressed up.

Unfortunately, so was Aaron. As much as possible I tried to stand away from him and look in the other direction. For some reason, his wife, Sheska, was willing to be seen with him. Gringos…

On Friday we went to Amor del Niño and had a wonderful time with the children there.

This morning I am saying goodbye to this wonderful team and taking them to the airport. Fifty minutes before their flight leaves the next team lands. This group is from The Gathering Place in Piqua, OH, and I anticipate another wonderful week.

Thanks Aaron, Sheska, Brian, Allison, Melissa, Tammy, Linda, Jessica, Kimberly, Stephanie, Ben, Luke, Kayla Shae, and Kennedy! You gave us a great week of ministry!

So long for now!

Daryl, Wanda, and the Crew

The Summer Begins!

2011-06-17T18:01:00.001-06:00

Over the past week we have been hosting the first of our summer ministry teams. This group was not one of our typical groups as they had originally planned to be a part of a medical clinic in Peten, but due to the recent drug gang related violence in the area and a state of siege they had to change their plans.

Ed and Coral Matus and their three children (Alex, Lindsey, and Brent) along with Jim and Ginny Hiltner and their two children (Steve and Tia) spent the week with us experiencing a small taste of our ministry. Coral is a doctor and Ginny is a nurse practitioner, so we were greatly blessed by their wisdom and insight into several cases with which we have been dealing.

Tuesday was delivery day in San Antonio Aguas Calientes. We now have three children with disabilities in our town who are receiving support through our ministry thanks to some generous sponsoring families. So, I went shopping for medicine, food, and diapers, packed bags for each family, and Jim, Ginny, Coral, and I set out. We visited and made deliveries to Joni, Marcos Antonio, and Carlos. In each home we were welcomed warmly and treated as honored guests. And to each family we imparted the basic truth of our ministry…the help come from Jesus, not from us. Each family was told that the gifts were from a sponsoring family in the US that was simply passing along the blessings that God had given them. I enjoy these times with those families greatly.

On Wednesday, Coral, Ginny, Steve, and I headed out to El Progreso to follow-up with three families. The first home we went to was that of Orfelina and Iris. Orfelina has been struggling with a problem with her mouth which we had tried to address. Coral and Ginny examined her and prescribed vitamins and some other medicine. To be honest, whether their advise helps or not, I believe it meant so much to her to have someone listen.

Orfelina’s adult daughter Iris has also been struggling. On our last visit she told us about surgery for a benign brain tumor two years ago and the chronic headaches, dizziness, and fatigue that have followed. Upon hearing her symptoms, Coral asked her how much water she drinks. She told me that she hears those symptoms up to 50 times a day at the clinic in Peten, and that the cause is almost always dehydration. We gave her vitamins along with a refill of her prescription for pain, but instructed her to drink five or six bottles of water each day and only take the medicine as needed. I will check up on her in a few weeks.

From there we traveled to the home of Carmen and her two daughters Manuela and Marsela. Both daughters have Epilepsy which produces seizures. They are also cognitively delayed. The needs of the family are great and overwhelming. During our last visit with them I provided a box of Kids Against Hunger food packets, and they had eaten them all. Indeed, the family looked like they had gained weight and had better color in their faces. However, as they listed their needs I became overwhelmed and discouraged. We, as a ministry, cannot afford to provide everything they need. At present, they will have to make do with the vitamins and food we provide. As I walked away from their home I turned to the rest of the group and told them that, at times, I felt like we weren’t even making a difference.

That feeling quickly changed when we arrived at Olga’s house. Olga had a stroke two years ago and has been unable to walk unassisted since, due to partial paralysis on one side. We measure her two weeks ago for a wheelchair and I was returning with the one she needed. As soon as she saw us approaching and pushing the chair she began to weep. Her weeping continued as we helped her into her chair and I made some final adjustments. As we filled out the paperwork and took some photos of the family she continued to cry tears of joy. We prayed with their family and, as I walked away, I realized that we had made a very real difference to at least one person…and that was enough.

Meanwhile, back at the house, I had left Ed, Jim, and Brent to build two simple sets of shelves for storage. Coral laughed when I told her that. Ed and Jim are both engineers, and she told me that they don’t do anything simply. She was right! We returned that night to discover they had measured my wood and maximized their design for minimum waste and maximum storage. The results were impressive! Thanks, guys, for your hard and excellent work!

Yesterday Coral, Ginny, and I walked a few houses up the street to the home of Marcos Antonio and his mother Maura. When we visited him on Tuesday Maura mentioned that Marcos had not been to a doctor for six or seven years due to a lack of money. Coral offered to give him an exam, and we were returning to do so.

Through the examination Coral determined two things: 1) His mom had done a remarkable job of caring for him. 2) He had ears so packed full of hardened wax he was likely deaf. After spending nearly 20 minutes trying to carefully remove as much of the wax as possible without damaging his eardrums, she prescribed some medicine to place in his ears over the next several days. I will return to his house every three days for the next couple of weeks to do ear washes until I can see his eardrum clearly.

While we were there, I was also able to show Maura several stretches that she could do to help the range of motion in his legs. That, along with a follow-up visit from Pat Duff to work on communication skills, should produce a real difference in Marcos’ life.

After we returned to our house, we assembled the team and headed to Los Gozosos in Chimaltenango. This family-based group home is a wonderful place about which I have written numerous times, so I won’t go into detail again. The group spent the morning on various work projects including repairing a leaky washer, a leaky sink, and a broken bed. They also did yard work, installed a new slide, and cleaned windows and chairs. The afternoon was spent having lunch and playing with the kids.

Tomorrow morning we welcome a new team of 14 people from Yellow Springs, Ohio. This will be the first large test of our hosting abilities as we fill our second floor. They will be week two of three straight weeks of teams, so we would appreciate your prayers. The last two weeks have been difficult and exhausting, and the next two weeks promise to be filled with fatigue as well. Please pray for energy for me, my family, and the teams that are here to serve.

Thanks to all of you who read this blog, pray, give, and come to help! We couldn’t do it without you!

Because of Him!

Daryl, Wanda, and the Crew

A Special Little Guy and A Special Request

2011-06-12T17:26:00.001-06:00

This is a special blog update to ask you to commit to pray for a little fellow at Hermano Pedro orphanage. His name is Yofri, he is three years old, and he has severe CP that twists his tiny body severely. He regularly spasms and his body almost doubles backwards, bending his spine sharply.

He is worsening with the passage of time and this is, in part, due to the nurses’ unwillingness to use the special back board that Dick Rutgers built for him. Dick will adjust it and get him lying nicely, only to return the next day and find the board stuck under a crib somewhere unused. If things continue at their present rate, Yofri will likely not be with us for long.

Will you and your family please pray for Yofri? Please pray that God will ease the tension in his body and help him to relax. Pray that the nurses will use the tools available to help him. And please pray that those of us who love him will do all we can and then leave Yofri in Jesus’ hands.

Thank you,

Daryl, Wanda, and the Fulp Crew

A Couple of Weeks…in Pictures

2011-06-09T10:59:00.001-06:00

Once again I have gotten overwhelmed and almost two weeks have passed without a blog update. As I was thinking about catching up, I realized that the best (and quickest way) of doing so was to use more pictures and less words. So, here you go…

Since my last blog we were able to find a wheelchair for Joni, one of the young men from our neighborhood. That along with a new mattress that we provided, a sponsoring family in the US who will be helping with food and medicine, and just some love from us will make a huge difference in the lives of Joni and his family.

While my friend, Dick Rutgers, was recovering from surgery in our home he was surprised by a wonderful gift. Chris and Donna Mooney pulled up in a brand new 2011 Land Cruiser and handed him the keys! A gift from an anonymous donor, the new vehicle is almost exactly like his old one, but with a few nice additions, including a snorkel and a winch.

With the addition of the new Land Cruiser, Dick’s energy improved. I had planned to take a trip out the next day with Jessica and Paul and Elizabeth Branch to deliver a wheelchair and check on a few people, but suddenly Dick was ready to go along. So, we broke-in his new vehicle together. The next day, Dick left our home to complete his recovery at his place. It was good having you with us, Dick! We miss you!

Our first stop was in La Gomera where we delivered a wheelchair to Jorge. This handsome young man has Spina Bifida and is suffering from a couple of bed sores. However, he seems to have a wonderful family, and his mother has done a great job of caring for him. The medications he needs has been a strain on the family financially, but I am pleased to say that we now have a sponsoring family. So, those medications will now be provided for him each month.

While we were in town, we also stopped at the home of a little guy named Alexandro. He is an 18 month old who has struggled to thrive, but is quickly improving. His father was laid off from his job, so the family is going through a challenging and scary time right now. We will be providing Kids Against Hunger packets to the family along with some vitamins for Alexandro. Unfortunately, I don’t have a picture of this cute little guy.

From there we went to La Gomera to check on a couple of people. If you will recall, we met Reyna the last time we were there. She is the elderly lady that Jessica diagnosed with pneumonia who was also struggling with diabetes and anemia. We were very concerned that she would not survive, even with our intervention. We arranged for her to go to a local clinic which hospitalized her for five days. We were pleased to find her at home and much improved. Her color was back, her breathing was much better, and she had a smile on her face. We were welcomed to the home with hugs and love by the entire family. Above is an x-ray of her lungs that was taken when she was first admitted to the hospital. I don’t know if you can tell from the picture, but I have never seen lungs so crowded with fluid.

We also stopped in to see Ponceano to whom we had provided a wheelchair on our last visit. He was sitting up on his porch having just completed his exercises and stretches that we had prescribed. I have really grown to love and appreciate this man and his family.

One of the things that has become increasingly apparent is that we don’t have to travel to remote villages to find great needs. Still another family from our town came to our gate last Saturday to ask for help for their 19 year old son, Carlos. He has CP, is malnourished, and has a seizure disorder. The medication for his seizures have been costing his family almost $75 a month, which is over half his father’s income. Praise God we found a provider who will sell it to us for $53 a month and we now have two families in the US who are covering these expenses. This will make a huge difference to their family.

On Monday (June 6th) I traveled to the town of El Progresso with Jessica, Marissa, Brittney, and my Spanish teacher, Alba. Alba’s father is a pastor in that town, and he informed us of several people who needed help. So, we made the 2 1/2 hour trip so he could take us and introduce us to them. One family has two daughters, Manuela and Marsela, who were born with genetic conditions that influence their cognitive abilities. Both daughters also have epilepsy. We will be providing some food and vitamins to them.

We also met Olga, an elderly lady who had a stroke two years ago and needs a wheelchair. We measured her and are seeking to come up with the necessary $90 to get the right travel chair for her.

Meanwhile, our entire family has been volunteering each week at Los Gozosos, a group home for children with special needs in Chimaltenango. Carissa (along with some other patient helpers) teaches four of their young ladies ballet. Some of the rest of us work with a little girl named Gabby, teaching her to walk with forearm crutches. I also do some maintenance around their home.

After a month with us, we took Jessica Huwer to the airport yesterday so she could fly home to her family and be a part of her brother’s wedding. We miss her already and our household of 12 still somehow seems empty without her. Thanks, Jessica, for your servant’s heart! We love you!

This morning I went with my friend Gerardo to meet his cousin, Mynor. He is 20 years old and lost his left arm and both legs below the knee when, at the age of 10, he climbed a power pole and touched the wires. He has been wearing the same prosthetics since he was 12 years old, and they are wearing out. We are investigating a US charity to see if they can provide new prosthetics. If not, we will need to raise approximately $1600.00 to have new ones made. (Similar prosthetics in the the US would sell for over $10,000 each.)

Last Saturday Jeremiah’s soccer team had a game in Ciudad Vieja. Since we have a 15 passenger van, we were asked if we would transport the team. So, we piled 23 of us in the Nissan and headed out. I don’t know if the kids had more fun playing soccer or riding. At one point, we took a wrong turn and one of the kids wanted to know where we were going. Another shouted “Los Estados Unidos!” and everyone cheered.

Well, that’s a quick summary of the last two weeks. This Saturday we welcome another team and will have three straight weeks of teams following. Life is full but good!

A Different Kind of Soccer Game

2011-05-28T11:47:00.001-06:00

This is a special blog update to give you another glance into our life here in Guatemala. Life is very different here, and it shows up in the little day-to-day activities that are a part of our lives.

This morning Jeremiah had a soccer game, so we loaded the van and headed out. We knew it was located in our town, so we anticipated no problems. However, we had to turn around and trade the van for our Toyota Forerunner because our van could not make it through. So, I thought I would give you all a little taste of a Guatemalan soccer game with a few pictures and descriptions.

The Road to the Game

The Parking Lot

The Field

The Concession Stand

The Public Restrooms

The Half-time Entertainment

By the way, they ended in a 0-0 tie.

That’s all for now! Have a great day!

Daryl, Wanda and the Crew

The Birth of a Ministry

2011-05-27T10:14:00.001-06:00

What an amazing week we have had! There are times when I struggle to keep up with the blessings and movement of God, and the last seven days have been one of those times.

It started last Friday when another neighbor rang our door asking for help. She has a 13 year old boy who she took in shortly after he was born who has some profound disabilities. We don’t know for sure what has caused his disabilities, but we suspect spinal meningitis. Meningitis is common here and, unfortunately, many Guatemalans believe the best treatment is to wrap the child in blankets to help with the fever chills and withhold liquids. As a result, permanent brain damage is often the result.

Her little guy’s name is Marcos Antonio and he is severely cognitively impaired. He has decent balance and can take short steps, but has no bowel or bladder control. He is underweight and they have no bed for him, so he sleeps on a thatch mat placed on a concrete floor. He has a bright smile.

We provided some Kids Against Hunger food packets along with diapers. Today I will purchase a roll-out mattress for the floor to provide some padding. We are hopeful that our children will be able to take him out in the street to play and provide some stimulation and interaction with other children. I am pleased to say that we already have a sponsor to assist he and his family on a monthly basis.

On Monday we had the inaugural trip of our 4-Wheel Drive ministry, and what a wonderful trip it was! Jessica Huwer (our visiting nursing student), Pat Duff, Paul Branch and I drove out to Los Palmos to deliver a new wheelchair to Ponceano. The excitement on his face when we pulled up was worth the entire trip. We made the necessary adjustments and he was riding comfortably quickly.

Then we took him to their backyard where I taught him and his family some basic stretches and exercises to improve his range of motion and increase his upper body strength. My desire is that we will be able to eventually get him up and walking with a walker. He and his family were excited to know that there are some things they can do to improve his situation.

While we were working with Ponceano, a line of people formed hoping to get some medical help from Jessica. A little girl with a skin infection, a lady with a nagging cough, a man with chronic hip pain resulting in a fall from a tree. Jessica was kept very busy.

Two cases especially tugged at our heart. Ponceano’s grandmother came asking for help. She suffers from chronic arthritis pain, but has also lost her appetite in recent months. We were alarmed to see how malnourished she was and immediately conferred together as a team to discuss how to best help. In the end, we decided to drive back to the nearest town (25 minutes of rough roads) and purchase some Ensure and ibuprofen. I will be doing follow-up with her very soon as I don’t know how much more weight loss she can survive.

Then, David’s mom took us next door to visit an elderly lady named Reyna (translated “Queen”). This sweet woman has struggled with a nasty respiratory illness for over a month, and Jessica quickly confirmed that it had turned into full-scale pneumonia. In addition, she had lost her appetite and was severely under-nourished. She was dehydrated and showed signs of anemia. We had the antibiotics with us to treat her respiratory problems but, after conferring together, it was decided that she needed to get to a doctor quickly. We stressed this to the family and they told us that they didn’t have the money to pay one of their neighbors for gas. We quickly provided the funds along with a two week supply of Pedialyte to help with her dehydration. The family wept as we provided the help and then prayed with them. Please pray for Reyna. I don’t know if we arrived in time to save her or not. Jessica and I plan on heading back to Los Palmos in another week-and-a-half to do follow-up with her and several patients.

At the end of the day, we all returned home tired but praising God for the success of our first trip. As always, we left with a plan, but God graciously changed it to make it better.

Tuesday was Brittney’s 21st birthday. When we asked her what she wanted to do, she didn’t hesitate. She told us that she wanted to go to Hermano Pedro and take some of the kids our to Pollo Camperos to eat. So we did, and what a wonderful day it was! Sonya, Veronica, Willie, Angel, Carlitos, and Diego all joined us for chicken and we laughed until our faces hurt!

What a blessing it is to have children who care about things that really matter! On that day, Brittney showed Jesus’ priorities, but all of my children model them on a regular basis. I am humbled to be the father of kids who love the least of these that most overlook. They teach me more about the heart of God every day.

Speaking of my kids, Jeremiah had another soccer game last Saturday. The game was held, as always, on a dirt field, so it was hard to see what was going on much of the time due to the cloud of dust that followed the action. But occasionally a breeze would clear the cloud and you could actually see the ball. His team lost 4-2, but they had a great time. After the game Jeremiah was so dark from the sweat and the dirt he almost looked Guatemala. I am posting a team photo below. If you have trouble spotting Jay, just look for the white spot.

Dick Rutgers continues to heal from his surgery in one of our upstairs bedrooms. The first few days were painful and difficult for him, but now that he is feeling better he is starting to act like a caged lion. Yesterday he convinced me to walk with him down the street to visit Joni and double-check my measurements for his wheelchair. (I don’t think he trusts me.) Now that we have his chair he wants me to bring him back to our house today to do the final fitting so he can supervise. (I told you he didn’t trust me.) As he takes less pain medication he gets a little harder to handle. Fortunately, we cook his food so we can slip some in occasionally.

That’s all for now. Blessings from Guatemala!

Daryl, Wanda and the Crew

Opportunities

2011-05-19T15:47:00.001-06:00

Blogs are a double-edged sword. When things are busy and a lot is happening is when you most need to update to let everyone know what is happening. But during those times it is most difficult to find the time to update. That is the perfect description of the last couple of weeks. I apologize for being lax in my postings, but it is difficult to write about life when you are living it. Let me now try to bring you up to speed.

Wanda’s mom and dad, Chester and Ruth, came and visited with us for nine days. What a wonderful time we had with them! They spent time with us at Hermano Pedro, got to know our town and neighbors, and were able to learn more about our ministry. On the last day of their trip they went out to visit a few families with Dick, Pat, and me. They listed that day as the high point of their trip.

While we were out we went to visit David and his family. You may remember that I wrote about David, who has spina bifida, over a year ago. He and his family are remarkable people who have thrived in difficult situations. David’s mom used to carry him on her back to and from school (and that journey involved wading across a stream). She did that for three years trying to get the teachers of the school to teach her son, but they would not. During the last year the teachers actually made fun of David because of his lack of bowel and bladder control that resulted in him having to wear diapers. Finally, she stopped trying.

Dick found him when he was around 13 years old and arranged for a tutor. He quickly caught up to the other students and eventually went to a high school that would teach him. He graduated with excellent grades last year and is now pursuing his bachelor’s degree. We stopped in to check on a bed sore that has given him problem for years. While it is improving, he will still need surgery to repair it in the fall.

From there David’s mom took us to a neighbor who is in a wheelchair. The man, now in his 40’s, had a bout with either meningitis or encephalitis when he was five years old. Since that illness, he has been unable to walk and has diminished strength in his upper body. He was sitting in an old wheelchair with rubber tires that were completely worn off. We were able to measure him and find a sponsor to provide a new chair. Next week I will deliver his chair and teach his family how to do physical therapy on his legs and arms.

While in the village we walked over to Henri’s house. Henri is a little guy with cerebral palsy that I helped Dick fit with a chair over a year ago. We made some adjustments, played with a few of the neighborhood kids, and then hit the road again.

From there we traveled up the rough roads to visit Jesica’s family. I wrote about them a few weeks ago when we traveled up to install a water tank. We wanted to make sure the tank was functioning properly and were pleased to find that it was working perfectly. We were also happy to discover that Hector’s head rash had almost completely cleared-up. From there it was a two hour ride home, including a brief stop for ice cream.

That evening I headed out again to Guatemala City to pick up Marissa Spencer and Jessica Huwer. These two college students have been friends of our daughter, Brittney, and our family for some time. Jessica, a nursing student, will be spending the next month helping us with some of the medical needs of our ministry in our community and the villages. Marissa will be loving on the kids in the various ministries with which we work. We are very glad to have both of them with us.

One of the real treat of living in San Antonio Aguas Calientes has been our opportunities to minister to our neighbors. We have formed wonderful relationships with those who live in our aldea, and our home is now known as a place of caring. Late last week a young man name Christian showed up in front of our house. He looked quite sad and Brittney was able to talk to him and realize that his parents were both drinking and he didn’t want to go home. After getting the permission of his older sister he enjoyed supper with our family while expressing fascination with the workings of our household. Later, we met his mother who thanked us profusely for caring for her son. Now our biggest challenge is helping Christian understand that he can’t stay here all the time.

Last night (Wednesday) a lady came to our door. She is one of our neighbors who lives about four doors down. I was excited to find that I could understand most of her Spanish as she explained to me that some of her neighbors had told her that we were people who help children. She explained that she has a 16 year old son with severe cerebral palsy. We had never met him because he rarely comes outside their home and courtyard. I asked if I could come down and meet him, and she excitedly agreed. We walked to her home where I met Joni. Joni is very malnourished and in need of a new bed and wheelchair, but his primary need is for good, nutritious food that he can eat.

I quickly came home, grabbed Wanda, a tape measure, and some food packets from Kid’s Against Hunger, and headed back to their home. I measured Joni for a wheelchair which I hope to get to him in the next two or three weeks. We will be returning today with some additional groceries, and Jessica will be giving him a physical exam. While there, I will also teach the family how to do stretches on his arms and legs.

This family needs some long-term support to care for Joni. One thing that would be a tremendous blessing is to have a sponsor to help provide food, medicines and supplies for him each month. Is there one of you out there that would be interested in sponsoring him for $30 a month? If so, every penny will go directly to food and supplies that we will purchase for him. If you are interested, please e-mail me at daryl@hopeforhome.org.

What touched us deeply is that after such a short time several of our neighbors have come to see our home and our family as a source of hope and help. Thank you, God, for opening so many doors so quickly!

On Monday our friend, Dick Rutgers, had surgery. When he told me that he was having a procedure done I got excited. I thought the doctor’s had finally discovered a way to cure his bad driving. But, alas, they have decided that his driving disability is incurable, so they just decided to do prostate surgery instead. He will be staying with us for the next two weeks, so pray that his recovery goes smoothly. Also, continue to pray for his driving because we know that, with God, all things are possible!

One other issue over which we would like for you to pray is for protection for us and others who are in Guatemala. If you have seen the national news you have probably heard about the drug related violence in Flores and the areas surrounding it. While this area is several hours north of us, it is part of an overall escalation of violence in Guatemala. Last week, about an hour from here, an entire chicken bus full of people were gunned down. Likely this was gang-related and simply involved innocent passengers who were in the wrong place at the wrong time. These things, combined with an escalation of kidnapping for ransom, have caused us to increase our prayers for protection. We have also spent time discussing how to best increase security in our home and when traveling. We are not afraid, but we do appreciate your prayers on our behalf for wisdom, safety, and courage to follow God’s call wherever He leads.

Because of Him!

Daryl, Wanda & the Crew

Hanging Out the Shingle

2011-05-10T16:46:00.001-06:00

Over the last couple of weeks things have been very busy. In addition to having my parents-in-law here for a visit, I have also been busy with the purchase of the new 4-wheel drive vehicle and arranging for the necessary modifications to get it ready for trips into the villages. Those things, combined with the work to prepare for our summer teams and a pretty nasty sickness, have left very little time for anything else.

However, I did find time for one addition project. While Dale and Anita Beyer and their family were here Dale offered to make a sign for our front gate. Using some wood we had on-hand, he hand-carved the Hogar de la Esperanza logo on both sides and then stained and painted it for us. The result was quite beautiful. Once the project was completed it took me a little while to purchase the necessary hardware and take the time to actually hang it, but late last week I finally got it done.

When we moved here I was determined to wait to hang any signage outside our home. There are a lot of missionaries who move here with pre-made signage and literature advertising their new ministry, even before the ministry is in place. And all too often, the advertisements never become reality. I did not want to be that guy. I was determined to wait until we were known to our neighbors as people who care and love them before hanging any sign. I felt that we needed to earn the reputation as a “home of hope” before hanging a sign that made the claim.

Recently we were told by one of our neighbors that we were a blessing to the community and viewed well by those living around us. I was deeply humbled and moved by those words. Before we moved we were told that it would be difficult for us to be accepted here as gringos living in a Mayan community, yet we have been warmly received from our first day here. And, after hearing those words, I knew we were ready to hang our sign.

So, the home that we dedicated to the Lord now has a name in the community…Hogar de la Esperanza (Home of the Hope). Please pray with me that we will live up to the words on that sign.

Good afternoon from San Antonio!

Daryl, Wanda and the Crew

The 4-Wheel Drive Ministry Has Begun!

2011-05-07T11:46:00.001-06:00

This has been a very full week and I haven’t had a chance to do any updates on the blog, but I wanted to take a moment to share a praise. As you know we have been praying for God’s provision for a 4-wheel drive vehicle that we can use for our rural village ministry. I am pleased to report that God has answered those prayers!

We received a $10,000 donation two weeks ago that has enabled us to purchase a well-maintained 1995 Toyota Forerunner with an off-road package. With the help of a Christian mechanic and our friend Esdras we have been searching for the right vehicle for over a month in faith that the money would be available when we found the right one. We believe this vehicle will be the perfect fit.

With a powerful engine and a rugged suspension it should be able to handle the rough conditions we encounter on a regular basis in route to the families we serve. And, at a price tag of $6,500 we will be able to make the necessary modifications, purchase needed equipment and still have about $2,000 left over for maintenance in the months ahead.

Please join us in praising God for His provision and asking Him to protect our team and make them effective as they travel and serve. Thanks!

Tanks, Filters and Low Overhangs

2011-04-29T17:24:00.001-06:00

We awoke Thursday morning after a somewhat toasty night, and I took another cold shower to start off the day. When I got up at 5:45 the temperatures outside were nice, and we enjoyed a pleasant walk to the restaurant for breakfast. By the time we finished eating we could feel the temperature and humidity rising. From that point, sweat was our constant companion throughout the day.

As we left the hotel we once again had to deal with a low entry arch and the water tank strapped to the top of Dick’s Land Cruiser. We gradually worked our way through with first me and then Teisha standing on the back bumper to weigh down the rear. We had to do a little bouncing and a little scraping, but we made it through and hit the road. (I think the hotel may be missing a little bit of their arch.)

We headed back up the mountain to Jessica’s family where we spent time explaining the medication we had purchased for Hector’s head rash and applying his first dose. We then set to work installing the water tank which will automatically fill when their water is on every other day. This will be a huge blessing to the family as they will no longer need to fill pitchers, barrels, and anything else they can find to provide a reserve for the dry times.

Dick and I worked well together after he learned to appreciate the Leatherman tool I always wear on my belt. He had spent much time over the last few weeks telling me how useless it is (even insulting it by calling it a Swiss Army Knife), but suddenly found himself needing it a lot. After we worked through his tool prejudices things went smoothly and we were able to complete the job in under an hour. Between Dick and I we had come up with a thorough list of the parts we needed, which was good since the nearest hardware store was about 25 minutes of rough road away. After the tank was installed we prayed with the family and headed out again.

On the way down the mountain we passed a group of ladies who were walking and decided to offer them a ride. We piled five women and two babies into the Land Cruiser and I hoped on the back bumper and hung onto the luggage rack for the rough ride down. Thankfully, Dick drove more like a gentleman than usual. (Gentleman is not a word that is usually associated with a description of his driving, and it is very relative.) However, as we were driving through the river he somehow managed to make sure that his rear bumper dropped below the water, soaking my boots. He said it was accidental, but he said it with a grin and while turning off his hearing aids.

From there we headed to the home of Sergio, a teenager who has Spina Bifida. He had received a new (to him) electric wheelchair the week before and it was not working. Dick was concerned because you never know the extent of the problem in a situation in which a chair has no power. It could be a bad charger, a bad connection, or a bad computer. We were pleased to discover that the battery connections had come loose as the batteries had shifted in transit. Once we discovered the problem it was a simple fix to reposition and secure the batteries.

The wheelchair is extremely important to Sergio because it is his only means of getting to and from school. The journey involves several rough areas with some steep climbs, so he needs a robust chair. While we were there Dick broke out his programmer and made adjustments to assure that he could climb the hills. He boosted the speed and power and made several trips up and down one of the hills himself. The kids in the neighborhood had fun watching the gringo go up and down, up and down, up and down...

By the time we left Sergio’s house we were extremely hot and sweaty and headed for the nearest air conditioned restaurant for a late lunch. I don’t think cool air ever felt so good!

After lunch we swung back by Herlindo’s house. As soon as we pulled up we realized something big was going on because the yard was filled with balloons and people. We found out that after having nine children together Herlindo’s parents finally decided that it would be safe to get married, so we had walked into a wedding reception. We were warmly welcomed by the family, offered drinks, and shown all the kids report cards. We then gave Herlindo the medicine he needed and explained the dosages to the parents. The medications are for a very bad stomach parasite that is in the family’s drinking water. It is the worst kind of parasite and requires strong medications to eradicate.

For some time now Dick has tried to explain to the family that their water is bad and they need to use the filter he had provided for them. Until now, they did not believe that this simple little device would make the water safe, so they just continued to drink it without filtering. Dick and Pat arranged for a doctor to call them and explain the situation and that the filter would work, and that seemed to convince them to use it. Only one problem…they had lost the filter. So, we hooked up another gravity feed water filter and taught them how to use it. Please pray that they make good use of it as it is imperative for the family’s health.

From there we headed home to the cooler temperatures of the inland mountains and refreshing showers. As we looked back on the trip we were blessed and amazed at how God caused everything to come together for such a great and productive trip. Through the heat, work, and rough roads He was with us the entire way.

Good evening from San Antonio Aguas Calientes!

Daryl, Wanda, and the Crew

Here are a few more pictures of our trip:

Bouncing around with Rutgers…again

2011-04-27T20:51:00.001-06:00

Today Teisha, Carissa, Taryn, and I took off on another road trip with Dick Rutgers. Unlike last time, Pat is not with us as she is currently home in the states visiting with her grandchildren and getting a break from Dick and me. So, Dick’s car is much quieter and neither Dick nor I are suffering from headaches that usually result from Pat’s head slaps.

As usual, Dick treated us to a flawless drive to the coast. We just hit a few potholes that resulted in a couple of damaged kidneys, but the damage was spread out through us all so we all still have one left.

As we drove toward the coast the temperature rose about 15 degrees and the humidity rose sharply. When we arrived in town all the motels were full except for one that has no air conditioning as. As you can tell from the photo, the ceiling fans are no good as they have gradually drooped and warped from the humidity. But that is balanced by the reality that we have no hot water. Tonight’s shower was the first time all day I have been cool. Earlier Dick and I were trying to decide who would get the better bed (the one without sharp metal sticking in your back). I decided that he could have that bed and I will sleep in the cold shower, but now he wants the shower. We will compromise and alternate hours.

As soon as we had checked into the hotel we took off for Jessica’s house. Jessica is currently in Hermano Pedro and doing quite well after recovering from malnutrition. The journey to their home is quite interesting and involves some pretty bad roads and crossing a couple of streams. Interestingly enough, Dick drives very carefully on those roads.

Someone donated some money to Dick to help with the family’s water situation. They currently only have water at their home for one hour every other day. As a result, they often find themselves hiking down the mountain to fill buckets. After analyzing the situation we realized that we could purchase a 200 gallon water tank that will fill automatically when the water is on and can be used as a supply when the water is off. So we left their home and traveled to the nearest town where we purchased the tank, pipes, and fittings that are necessary and will return tomorrow morning to install the tank. For the time being, it looks nice on the top of Dick’s Land Cruiser, although I had to stand on the back bumper to help it squeeze under the entry arch of our motel.

This evening we found a restaurant that was not top notch, but was quite edible (unlike the shrimp from our last trip). We were also able to purchase some medicine for a nasty head rash that Jessica’s brother, Hector, has. Hopefully this will resolve the problem.

Well, the hour is getting late. I think we are all heading out for a bite of ice cream and then I will return and tuck myself into the shower for the night.

Buenes noches de Patulul, Guatemala!

Daryl