No, we haven't fallen off the edge of the nearest volcanoe! We have been traveling, working and rearranging everything in sight! We've tried to post a few blogs and somehow they got lost in cyberspace so we will try again. John wrote a great one about his recent trip to Senahu, 24 hours of driving through mountains and jungle areas but who knows where that blog went?? I did add some photos of the trip to teach a small group of IBEX students in this remote area.
The office opened on Tuesday, the 2nd and we have been in high gear! We are switching some offices, rearranging the storage areas, sorting and discarding lots of stuff, including in the pharmacy. All new metal shelving and plastic bins have been provided by 2 of our friends who are doctors' wives and so our pharmacy is taking on a new look. Our photocopier died but has been resurrected for the time being. Our wonderful Toyota 15-passenger van that we take everywhere with our visiting teams cost us a mere $3000 in repairs, mostly for damage underneath. Can't imagine why when we only take it on superhighways!! It's running like a new van now, at least until our big trips start up again. Our 2002 Terracan is being sold this week at a loss but we found out that it had been wrecked before and that is why we have had so many problems. Our male pup, Duke, is almost as big as his Dad, Kaiser, but ended up needing major work due to an abcess on his neck. So you can see things have been hopping!
On Saturday, Virginia and I took a group of 9 children with parents and some siblings into Antigua to see the surgeons who are operating on cleft lips and palates this week. Sebastian, who has had both repairs done before, was checked for a small opening in the palate. The surgeons decided not to do anything more for him at this time as the hole is not causing any problems. Little Fredy, 13 months old and only about 12 - 13 pounds needs to gain 3 pounds by May and then can get his operation. His family is extremely poor. They have, I believe, 13 children with Fredy being the youngest! When I first met them, the father was showing me a container of "milk" that a neighbor had given to him for Fredy. Turns out is was powdered coffee creamer! He had 3 containers and they were using it for little Fredy! Fredy is now getting the right milk!
The photos are of Carolina and mother Regina and Juan getting his palate checked by the surgeon.
The rest of the children were okayed for surgery. Dr. Heidi Bell and husband Matt returned from the US on Saturday and joined us at the hospital with the families. Virginia and I returned to Chichi on Sunday afternoon and the Bell's have overseen the surgeries and the families. I talked with Heidi today and the last little girl was operated on today. They have all done well and the parents are thrilled with the results. They will come to clinic next Thursday for a check up. I will try to get some photos to show the results! Can you imagine the sadness they felt (and fear) when their newborn had a gaping hole in their face? Just imagine the joy they feel to see that little face repaired!! It is an unbelieveable blessing to be a part of this miracle. The team of surgeons is from Boston and apparently they donate a week of time every month to travel around the world doing repair surgery. We are so blessed!
Today was our big clinic day with 3 doctors scheduled. The couple from Spain, Luis and Mercedes Velilla, called and said that their car was not working and they could not make it! Panic sets in as the people look forward to coming to get help on this day. They began to arrive at 2:30 am and Richard, who is the night guard as well as his other duties at ASELSI, dutifully got up throughout the night to tell the arrivals that the doctors would not be there. Dr. Edgar who is the orthopedic doctor who volunteers once a month did make it! I saw the prenatal care patients that had appointments with Luis, Virginia saw the sick children from the milk program and Edgar saw his patients so we had a busy day. We recently had 2 centrifuges donated and Letty was able to put the urine specimens in the centrifuge and do the analysis. She was pretty pleased as she has been asking for one for quite awhile! Well I tried to do spell-check and somehow the next 4 paragraphs got moved from their original spot at the top. I can't seem to put them back so keep on reading!
We have welcomed a full-time Canadian registered nurse to our staff as well as a young family from Dallas, Texas. Virginia Birss has been working on Thursdays with us for the last 11 months and has now come on board as full-time staff. How odd is it to have two 50++, pleasantly plump, white-haired nurses working together here in the mountains of Guatemala!!
Emily and Carlos Romero arrived here on Tuesday PM after driving through Mexico. They and their 3 children are joining us as full-time staff as well. Carlos is a pastor/teacher who will work with ILIO and Emily will be a full-time mom and homeschool David, their 6 year old as well as keeping up with Jonathan (21/2) and AnnaLyne who is a precious 9 month old who knows no strangers. Made us remember our early days in missions when we went to Mexico City to study Spanish with our 5 year old and 21/2 year old boys. It's amazing how resilient children are and how they can adapt so quickly to a new culture!
Tony and Carrie Taylor are back in the country but still in the capital. They spent part of November, December and early January in the States. Carrie will be have a C-section in February. Braegan is now 2 years old. Tony will continue to work with IBEX.
Bob and his family are still in the States and will return on January 23rd. They will come back, prayerfully, to a new daughter (little Miriam who will soon be adopted) and a new piece of land. Bob will continue to be the coordinator of teams.
John has made at least 6 trips to the capital in the last 2 weeks, as well as a trip to Senahu, spoken at a church where the mudslide took the original church down the mountainside, and heads to the capital tomorrow and back on Saturday early AM. On Saturday at 10 AM we welcome our new ILIO students and he will give the devotion. More trips are planned for him in the next few weeks as the extension centers are beginning to open. We are also getting ready to leave on February 5th for a 3 month trip to the States. We will be visiting our supporters and introducing our ministry to new people starting in Michigan, then on to NJ, DE, VA, TN, MO and AK. If you would like us to stop in during our travels, please contact us by email. Our Sundays are pretty much taken but we could meet with anyone during the days or evenings during the week.
We really need your prayer support and encouragement! We believe that God has strategically placed us here for this time and for His purpose. We know He is our provision and that He will give us the strength we need to finish the race. When we hear the stories of pastors who have prayed for years for someone to come and teach them about the Word of God or see the little children who need someone to be an advocate for them, our hearts break and we continue on. I know that may sound melodramatic but we do get exhausted, discouraged, worried, sad, and the enemy attacks from within and without! So please keep praying for us and for our team of wonderful Kingdom workers. Please drop us a line and let us know that you are standing with us. God has promised us an ARMY of faithful people to fight the good fight with us!! We love you and appreciate you.
