It's Been a Long Time!!

Hola Mis Amigos!!

So much has happened since the last time I gave an update, that I don't even know where to begin! Now that things are somewhat more stabilized, I feel like I can give an update! First, my computer was out of commission for about two weeks or so because I couldn't figure out what was wrong with it. I later came to see that I had problems with the Norton Virus Software. I deleted the program and downloaded a new version and my computer was back to normal!! Praise God for that!!

In my last blog, I talked about Juana and how she was supposed to go back to Uspantan, which is 8 hours away from here. Well, when I came back after that weekend, during the week, she called me on the phone. I immediately thought she was in Uspantan, but she told me that she was here, in Antigua! I was sooo surprised, I almost cried! I went to go and meet her after class that day and she told me that she had met a woman who was offering to let her work in her house, washing her laundry, for 20 Quetzales a day (Divide that by 7.6 and that's how many dollars she is making). She would be able to do this for one month. Juana was very excited about this possibility because in Uspantan, she was making 10 Quetzales a day, and was supposed to feed 7 kids with that. However, washing clothes here is not an easy project. Unless you are in the very minute upper-class, you wash your clothes by hand. It breaks my heart because Juana is trying so hard to provide for her family, that she will do whatever it takes to get a little extra money. Her goal with this job is to earn enough money to buy some hens/roosters and sell them and the eggs in the market at home. It would provide her with more money than she is currently making, but she needs to get the animals first. In the meantime, she has 4 children who are in Uspantan, who are now living with her cousin. Juana doesn't like the idea that she isn't home with her children, but she feels she has no choice and this will be better for them in the long run. Throughout the past few weeks, Juana has worked on and off because the woman has had other things come up and hasn't allowed her to work. Then, this past week, Juana has been very sick. I went to see her Thurs. before I left, and she was not looking so good. She had a sharp pain in the left side of her body, which may be from washing the laundry. She had a fever, headache, and other pains. She has nowhere to go during the day to sleep or rest, because the shelter isn't open until 6pm. She pretty much hangs around the park until it is time to go there. Then, to make things even more difficult, she got in contact with her cousin to find out how the kids were doing. Her cousin said that they ran out of food, that they had no more corn in the house. Her cousin doesn't work. She eats whatever she is able to grow on the land. Juana was asking me how to send money up to her cousin, so that she could buy corn. She had the money, but wanted help in getting it there. Her nor her cousin have bank accounts, so that pretty much took care of that idea. Juana said that she can't wait to get back, but will not leave until Nov. 8. because she needs some more money. Please, please pray for her and her family. Every time I see her and her kids, they look thinner than the last time I saw them. I honestly can't imagine what her kids in Uspantan look like. Please pray for me as well, as I want to go back with her Nov. 8. There are so many possible risks involved with this, however, I feel very much called to go. Her and her family are very special to me. I am not sure what God has planned, but I know it is something.

I have been going back to the ministry on the weekends, and to be very honest, there are so many changes going on that it's hard to keep track of what is actually happening. In the midst of the financial crisis, the ministry has decided not to have a school next year. The school year runs from Jan.-Oct., so the school year is officially over and the building is closed. The ministry is also in the process of downsizing and moving. The new building is a couple of blocks down the street, but is big enough to store the stuff from the school and to take one of the current ministry buildings and move it in there. The new building is actually very big. Even though there will not be a school, there will be an education program. Right now, it looks like the program will help kids with their homework and will provide reinforcement. I think the changes that are taking place are very good for the ministry, given the situation that they are currently in now.

Please pray for this ministry as they carry out the work God has for them to do. I also ask that you keep me in your prayers as I figure out what role God would have me play. There are so many different situations and circumstances that have come up, that I feel a strong urging to work with the people in the villages, rather than here in the city. My eyes have been open to alot of things since I have been here, and I am realizing that there are many organizations all over Guatemala and many villages where there is nothing. Every day I read in the paper about some village several hours away from here, where the people are dying from hunger, lack of medical care, the children have no schools, and they just plain don't have access to help. Please pray for me, as my ultimate dream or desire would be to start something in a village where there is nothing. I have no idea how to go about doing it yet, but I am looking into different possibilities. I thought I had a plan figured out before I left, but I am learning more and more how God may have something different in mind. Just when I think I know everything or have things all figured out, is when I realize how little I really know. I will keep you all posted as soon as I find out something. Thank you, thank you, thank you soooooo much for all of your prayers, your help, and your emails. You all mean alot to me!!:)