To Toil

Today, being Tuesday, was clinic in Chimanisujuan. Thankfully the roads were open, and some maintenance had been done to the road directly to clinic. We were able to drive the whole way there. 
We gave out about 50 numbers for medical consultations, and I saw about 20 families for food and milk. 

This was my first time back to clinic in Chim. since leaving for our trip to the states in August.  I really missed the people.  I feel like I have built relationships with families, even if it is just exchanging smiles or a few words. I was so glad to see some of the children were doing better, and was sad to see that some were not doing so well.

I spent a little time in the garden there in the mountains.  I was sad to learn that my peas were practically dead, and only a few had some life left in them.  I worked a little more ground, planted more seeds and cared for the few feet of lettuce that has survived, but has not changed in the last month. 
I can't imagine what it is like for the people who live there.  Most of the locals in that village plant corn to grow for there tortillas.  I am sure they have just as much trouble as I am with my garden.  I just wanted to leave what was left of my garden to rot. I was so discouraged when the plants were not healthy.  I can only imagine how discouraging it may have been if it were my entire corn crop that had perished.

I am hopeful that we may continue to minister to the people of this area. There is such a need for so many families for food and salvation.  I am so grateful for all of the blessings in my life, but when I spend time with the people in Chiminisujuan, I can't help but feel indebted to pour out what God has given me so that they to may have a life of fruitfulness, not just toiling in the clay.

Thanks for reading. I hope to have some pictures soon of my seedlings.

Rain, rain, go away.

As I mentioned yesterday, it has been raining.  We saw a few hours of sunshine in the morning, and thanks to my early riser of a husband, some dry laundry.  The power went out at around 9am, and stayed off until a little after one.  I always wonder when, or if the power will come back on, and how much extra trouble it will be for the men in the family if it doesn't.

We had a nice lunch, with Abi trying to 'sneak' Jacob away from the table. It is so funny to me the things that kids will try to get away with.  After lunch we had a good women only meeting, and disuced the next couple month's and the direction we would like to take as the seasons begin to change. 

I spent a few minutes in the afternoon harvesting potatoes out of my garden. For the most part is was a good crop, but I think I lost quite a few potatoes to some uniformed gardening.  I am excited to see how the potatoes in the mountain garden do. I just strated the seeds for my winter garden in the AeroGarden that someone gave me to improve ou seccess rate with seed germination. We should have a full blown veg, herb garden in about a month. Thanks Lisa!!!!


We hope you are enjoying the fall weather, and enjoying the change of season.

Ruby Slippers



Well, we made it. Home. We had a relatively smooth trip from the city, until we reached the last stretch. After Zacualpa, we ran into some muddy spots. With the new tires, the 4Runner did great in all the mud.  It was amazing to see how the water had changed the roads, making them muddy,  deeply rutted, or in some places completely relocated or non existent. It is extremely different here, with how this country is completely at the mercy of the rains and weather.  In the States, we have some control on the roads, or at least we think we do.   Here, if it rains too much... your stuck.



It started raining a little on our way home yesterday, and it has not stoped since. Aparently, the rains are really heavy in September and October. Last yaer we saw a drought, so the rain is a welcomed change.



Thelma, our family dog, made it here to Canilla without any trouble. After traveling for 5 days couped up in the car, she did manage to bail out the window or door a couple times, once at the airport.  She is enjoying the attention, and is a great reminder that our lives, though taking a different path then we had planned, can still be what they were.     



The boys are doing fine. Jacob is enjoting getting dirty again, and playing with toys and his aunts.

We are glad to be home, and still thinking of all of you, back home.

A year in a month.

Here we are, after a little over a month of traveling, and we are all exhausted.

Duane and Leslie are already home in Canilla, and catching up on clinics and work. 

We will return home to Canilla tomorrow after another long car ride.  I know that the boys, as well as Thelma, are looking forward to getting loose.

We had a smooth flight this morning from Houston,TX. We were able to visit Hannah and Matt (the newly weds) for a few hours and spend som time with friends at a Catahoula Dog trial in DeKalb, TX.

We are planning on running a few errands in the morning and having the wheels alligned on the car before we head home,  hopefully before noon.

Here, in Guatemala city, it is hard to find a hotel with a bathtub. Jacob wanted to take a bath in the sink, like his brother. 

We are so glad we had time to visit with so many friends and family back home. I wish we would have had more time with everyone.

If we missed you this trip we will look foreward to seeing you next year, hopefully in March or sooner.  

As always thanks for reading. 

As we gather..

Our trip home to the states is quickly approaching. With less than two weeks left, we are pushing hard to tie up loose ends, and we still seem to be starting projects as we go.

Just last night Ryan and Aaron returned home with a group of 12 people from the states here for about a week.

They will build a  home from a woman that we have gotten to know.

Amoung other various trips to local schools and other outreaches, this week should prove to be very busy.

We are looking forward to seeing friendly faces when we return to the states, in Texas and in St. Louis. 

We are so excited to visit with everyone,

and would like to invite you to our open house,

on September 5, from 2-5 pm at Destiny Church, Town and Country, MO.

We will be there with the rest of the family, and it will be a great opportunity to catch up and make dinner plans to spend more time together.

As we gather together, we hope to find everyone well.

As always, here are some pics.

Joshua

Jacob & Mr. Scott

Jacob at Applebee's

Ryan and Joshua naping

Jacob and a turkey

Joshua in his makeshift boppy

smile...

Joshua sitting on the porch.

Mommy and the boys.

                                                                               Jacob playing in the rain.

Three month check up.

Here we are it's July, and I can't believe how fast time has flown by.  Granted, we have had our moments, but overall, it has been a smooth transition.  In the last three months we have managed to complete several projects, and along the way we have realized the need for more help, or at the least more time.
Ryan was able to help load corn into the grain bin, and unloads some every week to disperse to families enrolled in the corn project.  Jacob has started speaking Spanish, and loves to greet the workers in the morning with a 'bueanos dias' and every time we pas someone on the four wheeler, they get an 'adios'.  Joshua is enjoying his hammock time and being held almost constantly.  My garden is beginning to bear fruit as I continually fight the bugs to keep the plants alive.  We are enjoying our time here with family, and the visits from friends. Ryan's good friend Scott will be down soon, and we are really looking forward to having some company of our own.  We can't wait to see everyone this fall, as we will be in St.Louis for about a month, following Hannah's wedding in Houston. With one trip to the city in the past three months, I am looking forward to all the perks of living near a big city, or any city at that.  We plan on having an open house in Marine at some point, and hope to be an easy time for friends and family to stop by, and catch up.

After our trip to the states we plan on coming back down to Guatemala and staying through the winter, into next year, and playing it by ear. Ryan is fascinated by the opportunity for farmers here to improve their crops and hopes to teach by example and demonstrate the possibilities of some fine tuning in their planting and harvesting techniques. The people here are very independent, stuck in their ways, and reluctant to change. We hope we can open their eyes to possibilities in agriculture, industry, and lead them to know God. As the days fly by, it is hard to imagine not living here to help in the future, but even harder to imagine never coming home.