It’s the last day in November and I’m thinking about how thankful I am to be here in Guatemala and how just a couple of years ago we were still paying off student loans and a car but were praying that God would move and would help us get to Guatemala by 2016. God moved, transmission went out on one vehicle and I totaled the other car. He tested us and allowed some trials but after we came through them, God provided us with blessings. A car was given to us, Whitney got a new job, I got a bunch of overtime, and we met the Dechats.
Pete and Judy Dechat became supporters of #sendthesaultons even before we had the catchy hashtag. They became supporters the night we met them. I was catering a charity event for Safe Haven Village and Pete introduced himself to me and gave me a check because he knew that God was calling us to Guatemala and he and his wife wanted to help us get there.
Before we met Pete & Judy, they had been to Hope of Life and had been praying about remodeling the kitchen at the elderly home and praying that a chef would move to Guatemala and help to ensure that the food quality is always improving, that the proper equipment is bought, and that it is all well maintained. So while they were praying for a chef and I was praying for a call, God was moving and connecting us.
Since then, I’ve been able to help cater a wedding for some of Pete’s family, cook dinner for them, borrowed their truck several times, and got to know them better by enjoying some quality double dates!
Pete and Judy’s hearts are very much connected to supporting missionaries like us and others and Whitney and I are incredibly thankful for them!
Wanted to post a picture of a couple of Pete and Judy’s favorites from the elderly home. Hipolito & Gladis.
Thank you Pete and Judy!
-Bryan
*To support us like Pete and Judy, go to https://missionquest.org/118 to give a tax deductible donation.
One of the best things about our donors is getting to share what we’ve been able to do with that support. I am so thankful for that and to express that I have to tell a short story.
Back in March, Whitney and I were back in the U.S. using up some free flight vouchers that we had. Just before coming back I had noticed that kitchen at the hospital, elderly home & Kelly’s House were in serious need of an improvement in the blender department. This is something that is easily ignored by the average person. But to me, a chef, I notice these things. When you have a crummy blender and need to puree foods, you have to add a lot of water, then to keep it from being too thin, you have to thicken it up again. The problem with this is that the kids end up with a lot less of the nutrients that they need because it’s so watered down. They also end up breaking fast. This is why in the restaurant industry you buy the nice commercial blenders like Vitamix or BlendTec. These blenders are made to puree soups, meats, beans, whatever. I’ve seen them even blend car keys!
All this to say, I knew we needed a Vitamix. I knew I couldn’t afford to buy one. So I posted about the need of Facebook and asked if anyone would be willing to purchase one or help purchase one. I don’t know who responded first or how fast it was but I want to thank everyone that helped purchase or purchased a Vitamix. Thank you (in no particular order): Jeremy & Paula Watts, Matt & Christine Simmons, Paul & Erica Sheets, & Paul & Katrina Dysart.
Thank you all so much for your radical generosity! Thanks to you all we were able to purchase 2 Vitamix blenders and a BlendTec blender. Children at Kelly’s House & the hospital that are unable to properly chew foods or feed themselves have pureed foods that aren’t watered down so that they’re able to get the nutrition that they greatly need. And those at the elderly home can still enjoy food even if it’s pureed because it still has its original taste because it hasn’t been watered down.
On behalf of myself and all of the cooks, thank you so much for your giving
One of the blenders at Kelly’s House on the left and the new Vitamix on the right!
A couple of the cooks from Kelly’s House with the new blender.
The nutritionist that works on planning foods for those at the elderly home and hospital is on the left and the other 4 ladies are cooks at the elderly home
The head of the elderly home got in for a picture too!
Did you know that on average, it costs more than $12,000 a year to raise a child in the US? Here in Guatemala, you can sponsor a child for only $35 a month and dramatically change the trajectory of their life.
In a country where the median annual income is under $2,000 USD and many children go to work out of necessity before even completing middle school, child sponsorship gives them access to education, healthcare, and food. When you sponsor a child through Hope of Life, you also have the option to contact the child, write them letters and send gifts… and if you’re ever here to visit us in Guatemala, Hope of Life will arrange for you to see your sponsored child too! How cool is that?!
This season, let’s exchange consumption for compassion and use our resources to bless others.
If you feel called to do something for those who are struggling in the states, let me know and I’ll be happy to connect you with reputable organizations that we supported before moving here. If you feel called to sponsor us in our ministry, you can find out more about that HERE.
Daily, Yolanda uses my phone to take about 100 pictures….I don’t mind at all though because I love looking through them at the end of the day.Plus you get to see sweet things like Yolanda kissing Juanito’s squishy cheeks!Juanita is 9 years old and is at the hospital for medical issues. She loves to help with the babies!Everybody loves Diego.. He’s 3 years old and deaf, but has no problems communicating what he wants and when he wants it! He has a rare genetic disorder called Russel Silver Syndrome. I love his giggles and hugs! And he’s one of the smartest kids I know!Crowd favorites — Delmy and Herminio. Delmy is 9 years old with VACTERL association and phocomelia, but that doesn’t stop her from moving about and holding conversations with anybody about anything!Yolanda and my sweet Auner! Auner had his finally surgery for cleft palate repair a few months ago. Since then, he has become very vocal and talkative! We practice sounds daily so he can learn to speak more clearly.Rosario & Erika — sweet partners in crime waiting for their nails to dry!Cute little Erika… could just squeeze you <3Diego saw everyone else getting their nails done and wanted his toenails painted too!! Hahahaha Nora painted them with clear polish.The nannies in our hospital are wonderful!They love the kids and are so patient with each of them. You can show love to these kids too by sponsoring them today!
Today, I want to thank Len Picha & family, Edna Thompson, and Ken & Ginny Thelan for sponsoring us!!!! Your generosity goes beyond what you are giving to us, and filters into the lives of each and every one of these children you see. Because you give, we are able to work with these children on a daily basis. Being around them all day every week allows me to target their specific needs and help them to develop in areas they are behind. Some children need help with speech (Yolanda and Diego are deaf, Auner has speech disabilities from a late repair to a cleft palate), some children need therapy (Herminio has hip dysplasia, Isaac has cerebral palsy, Rosario is just learning to walk) and other children need emotional support and love (Erika and Juanita). Every child you see has a story, and every child you see has a specific need. I communicate with the doctors and therapists to help make sure the children are getting the best therapy available to them, and each of them are thriving.. even here in rural Guatemala where our resources are limited. Because you send us, you allow these kids to grow to their fullest potential and to hear about Christ’s love for each of them every day.
Matthew 25:40 says that whatever we do for the least of these, we do for Christ. So I challenge each of my readers this holiday season– what are you going to do? Will you spend your money on things that only bring 5 minutes of fleeting happiness? Or will you do something bigger than yourself… and give knowing that your money is changing a life.
Stay blessed.
-Whitney
**TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT CHILD SPONSORSHIP, VISIT https://www.hopeoflifeintl.org/sponsor/
There are times when living down here, I see things so harrowing that I am too choked up and unable to share about… or sometimes I feel like I just cannot post images of children with such poor prognoses because it’s hard for me to share things that are so hopeless and beyond our control. It’s hard to see a baby with microcephaly and an inoperable meningoencephalocele and know that she’s not going to make it. It’s hard to see a baby with a hydrocephaly so large (78cm at 5 months) and watch his mother struggle to lift him or to raise his head enough to feed him without aspirating. It’s hard to see 18 pound 20 year olds who have suffered months, if not years, of extreme malnutrition. It’s hard for me to be public about such heart breaking stories because I never know what tomorrow holds for some of these precious children. It’s hard for me to be public after I have held their mommas in my arms as they bitterly weep about the condition of their baby who they know cannot survive. I am a fixer and a helper, and it’s so difficult for me when I am faced with situations that I cannot fix nor help.
However, tonight is different. Tonight I am going to be sharing a story of help and hope and transformation. Several weeks ago, I had pleaded for some of you to pray for a rescue I went on. Now, let me be clear, that all the rescues I go on require prayer as the children are often only weeks from death when we bring them back to Hope of Life. However, this rescue was different. This one broke me and in the same time, reignited my passion for what we’re doing here… There are some hard to look at pictures in this post, but stay tuned for the happy ending.
3 hours. The drive to Pacayalitas was 3 hours from Hope of Life, but was still located in the department of Zacapa. Usually, our rescues come from Jocotan, Camotan, or Olopa in Chiquimula… But this one was in the other direction, far up into the mountains past La Union. Once we arrived to the small village, we began the 30 minute walk up the mountain, through the coffee bushes, through the mud, and arrived at the small stick and mud hut they called their home. The water source outside their home smelled foul and was a toxic green color. Birds ran in and out of their home as black smoke billowed out of the door way from their indoor stove. There were three makeshift burial sites behind the back yard, and the dirt above them looked very fresh.
Inside, I saw sweet 9 year old Blanca Luz, holding her sisters– 5 year old Rosita and 2 year old Iris. Although she was only 5, Rosita was small and frail, and was much smaller than her malnourished 2 year old sister. Unable to stand or walk, Rosita sat with a blank, lifeless expression in her eyes as she coughed and struggled to breathe. Blanca Luz appeared terrified as tears welled up in her eyes. She explained to me that both of her parents and an older sister had all recently died. “They became very skinny because they did not have any food and all of them had a cough when they died too,” she explained. Immediately, I became concerned that it could be tuberculosis.
Pressing my stethoscope against Rosita’s chest, I heard a deep, rumbling, rhonchorous breath sounds. When I picked her up, she weighed next to nothing, and her limp, boney body sunk into mine as I could see and feel the muscles between her ribs sucking in and gasping for air. I worried whether or not she would be able to make the long journey back to Hope of Life. We made the journey back to the ambulance with Blanca Luz, Rosita and Iris. Their grandmother joined us on the way.
When we arrived to the ambulance, I noticed the oxygen tank was on empty because it was the end of the month and it was unable to be refilled. I pulled out the pediatric ambubags, praying Rosita would be stable enough to not need them. We got settled in the ambulance with Blanca Luz holding Iris and myself holding Rosita. Less than 5 minutes down the mountain in the bumpy, hot and nauseating ride, Blanca Luz began to cry profusely. She said “Please don’t let my sisters die. They’re all that I have left.” And I promised her I would do everything I could to not let that happen. Through her small, choked up voice, she asked if I could hold her while I held Rosita too. My heart broke and I saw my 9 year old niece Kayleigh in Blanca Luz’s eyes. I thought about how I would do anything in the world for my Kayleigh, and I would do just the same for this sweet girl whose face housed fear and responsibility as she had dealt with more hurt in the past month than some people do in a lifetime.
Blanca Luz handed Iris to her grandmother and shifted herself from the ambulance bench to the stretcher to sit beside me and Rosita, the buttons on her hand sewn blouse popped off and she became embarrassed and began to cry harder. She said “my shirt is unbuttoned but please don’t hurt me. Please don’t hurt me,” she began to scream and cry harder as she buried her face into my chest. Not knowing what all this precious 9 year old girl had went through and only seeing the sheer terror in her face and the trembling in her voice, I wrapped my arms around her firmly and told her I would never hurt her and promised to keep her safe. The ride was very difficult.
We spent over an hour and a half on the bumpy mountainous road. At one point, we hit a bump so big that all of us were flown out of our seats and came crashing into the bars and doors against the back of the ambulance. I hurt my tailbone pretty good in that moment, but Blanca Luz and Rosita remained in my tight grip. After that, we entered onto the main paved road where the driver picked up speed and the entire family became nauseous and started vomiting from the car sickness. Covered in their vomit, the secretions from Rosita’s cough, and watching the lice jump from Blanca Luz’s hair and into my own, she apologized and I told her that everything was okay and she didn’t need to feel bad or worry.
Flash forward 3 hours we finally arrive back to Hope of Life. Dirty, bruised, and sore hands from bagging Rosita for the last 20 minutes or so of the journey, we rush inside to get Rosita stabilized so she can await a transfer to a higher acuity hospital with isolation rooms available for the suspected tuberculosis. The grandmother goes with Rosita, and I am left to help a terrified 9 year old settle into a foreign location to care for her 2 year old sister.
The next several weeks while Rosita was away, I spent hours each day talking with Blanca Luz. I would pick lice out of her hair, paint her nails, color with her.. anything I could do to help distract her from hurt. Each day, she cried for her mommy and for Rosita. As the days passed, she and Iris grew stronger, happier, and healthier. I talked to her about Jesus and how to pray when she was upset or scared. She became so comforted through the power of prayer.
About 2 weeks ago, Rosita was transferred back to our hospital much more stable. She was still weak for her age, but she was smiling and able to breathe on her own. Her lungs sounded clearer and stronger. Just the other day, all three girls were discharged to go home and I am so glad that while this story is far from ‘happy’, that these three girls are survivors and will be returning to live with their grandmother. Three precious girls, fighting malnutrition and respiratory issues and one who was barely surviving have been healed. Not just physically healed, but spiritually healed too as Blanca Luz accepted Jesus into her heart before returning home. Please continue to keep these precious ones in your prayers as the hurt they have experienced will leave wounds to last a lifetime, and the struggle before them is not yet over.
I am thankful for Hope of Life for springing into action into the mountains of Guatemala where people need help the most. I am thankful for the continued followup we will have on children like Blanca Luz, Iris, and Rosita to make sure they never get to that place of desperation again.
Gripping onto each other on the difficult ride back to Hope of Life.I was so scared we would lose Rosita that I prayed the entire journey back for her to make it.All the children got so sick and there was vomit everywhere. I rubbed hand sanitizer under my nose to mask the smell.Once we reached smoother roads, I laid Blanca Luz down to rest and mended a few buttons on her shirt so she wouldn’t be so scared / embarrassed.Iris, 2 years old at St. Luke’s Hospital, Hope of Life.Rosita, 5 years old at St. Luke’s Hospital, Hope of Life.Blanca Luz, 9 years old, St Luke’s Hospital Hope of Life.After being at the hospital for 1 week, the girls were finally starting to smile a little bit.Each week, I would buy them a few gifts with whatever I could afford that week.Blanca Luz after 4 weeks at Hope of Life, she had just accepted Jesus but was too bashful for a picture.That’s better, pretty girl! <3Iris after 4 weeks. This little cutie would smile and giggle non stop, but of course when I would pull out the camera, she’d run away!And sweet Rosita… while she is still delayed for her age because of the severe sickness her body endured, she is now an acceptable weight for her size and much healthier and stronger!Such a HUGE transformation from where she was just 4 weeks ago!! All glory to God!
Tonight, I want to thank some of our best friends and sponsors– Jordan & Jazmyn Ward. Jazmyn was one of the first people I tearfully told about this rescue. Although most of this year she’s been living in Germany, we have kept in touch through our late night face timing and snapchat sessions. Jordan and Jazmyn just GET us. They know when we need encouragement, and they freely give encouragement. They know when we need a laugh, and they tell funny jokes or reminisce on hilarious old times with us. They are our “iron sharpens iron” friends and our life has been abundantly blessed just having met them. Jortin’ & Jaz, we love you all and our journey here began because when people thought we were crazy to move to Guatemala, you said GO FOR IT. When vehicles broke down and power was out, you were there for us. We love you all so so so much, and we’re so thankful for the years of laughter we have shared and how you all have supported us and encouraged us through it all.
To support us like The Wards, you can go HERE to find out how. You can also sponsor children just like Blanca, Rosita and Iris by visiting Hope of Life’s Sponsorship PAGE. Just $35 a month allows you to connect with a child here in Guatemala by giving them access to food, water, and healthcare. You also get to write to the children and see them if you ever come to visit!
This Thanksgiving season, we’re beyond thankful. Our hearts are overflowing with gratitude and there’s so much more this year has in store for us.
Muchísimas gracias to all who sponsor and pray for us. We could not be the feet on the ground here in Guatemala without your support!
I’m writing this post a little late tonight (its 10:00 here) but in California, it’s only 8:00 which is good because my post is about thanking a friend of mine from California.
I met David Behoteguy back in January of this year. Whitney and I were still new to this whole being missionaries thing and hadn’t moved into our home yet and I hadn’t really settled into my position in the kitchen. Dave loves to build stuff. He’s an engineer, owns his own plastics design & manufacturing company, he’s really smart, and really creative. But Dave also loves coffee. So when he heard that we were building a cafe, he knew he was the man to help. Since I was free, I offered to help him build it. I’ll be honest, I’m not the greatest construction worker. I can lift some heavy(ish) stuff, paint, and drive a nail or two but I don’t trust myself to do a project alone. But David let me help anyways. We worked all week cutting whatever boards we could find at the carpenter shop, then put them up with whatever screws we could find, and just slowly but surely, often with less than typical tools or materials, we got it done.
This is Antonio (Tono) & myself working one evening at the Cafe. What you don’t see is to the right where our espresso machine is which David and I inaugurated back in January after we finished the job!
Fast forward to this past August. David came back with his wonderful wife Anne and he had a couple of free days later in the week. I had mentioned how I would love some input on making shelves for our kitchen at our home and that was enough. David and I came up to the house, took some measurements, planned it out and went looking for the materials. Just like with the cafe, we had to “Guatemala” a few things. To Guatemala something basically means making due with whatever you have available and finding a way to get things done. We went to the carpenter shop, found the boards, made the cuts, & got it done. I had actually thought I could have done it on my own before I actually helped in doing it. There is NO WAY I could have done this without Dave & if I had tried, there’s no way it would have turned out this well. The shelves look fantastic, we have our pots & pans hanging, & we stole an idea that he told us from his house in CA and hung our coffee cups. When you go from having a huge kitchen in VA with tons of cabinet and counter space to a small kitchen with 2 cabinets and 2 counters, you really got to get creative. Dave is that creative. I’m so blessed to have met him and his wife this year and become good friends with them. Thank you Dave Behoteguy, for taking time away from a million other things that you could have been doing around the ministry and back in CA to help a young missionary couple feel a lot more at home in a far different place than they had been used to. Thanks for helping us make a house a home!
Planning & measuring
Before pose
Making cuts on boards that were longer than the saw, but we made it happen.
Working hard all morning and afternoon deserves a little nap after lunch!
I know that a lot of what we do here in Guatemala is confusing. It’s honestly hard to explain the ministry and everything that we do without seeing things first hand down here. (So if you haven’t yet, you should come visit! We love visitors!)
A lot of what I get questions about is the baby rescues I go on. I will try my best to explain the process, but per usual, I will likely fall woefully short in my descriptions. My prayer is that you get a glimpse into the process, that you could begin to understand the hours of work behind giving each child an opportunity to receive health care, and that you will feel moved to pray for or participate in rescues!
What exactly is a child rescue?
A child rescue is when Hope of Life travels into the mountains, often 3 or 4 hours away, to bring back someone for health care on our campus. These families otherwise would have not had any access to health care and would die in the mountains without our help. A rescue could bring back anywhere from 1 child to 10 children (and one time in May, we brought back even more than that.)
How does Hope of Life find out about these kids?
Hope of Life works very closely with community leaders in these remote villages. If there are sick children in their villages, they will contact the ministry. We also have the incredible Alfredo Gonzalez who works for Hope of Life– his days are spent riding his motorcycle into these villages to check up on them and touch base with their leaders. He also contacts the ministry when help is needed. Without Alfredo, we wouldn’t be able to find as many children, and we would certainly never get to these villages as he helps navigate when we go.
Alfredo and I at work
So why do families wait until their children are so sick to look for help?
Well, this is a tricky question to answer because so much goes into it and everybody’s story is different. Often times, they just don’t know. Unfortunately, because these villages are so isolated and poverty stricken, they might not know that help is available. Sure, there are hospitals around, but can you imagine walking miles and miles (probably 40 miles or more) in 100+ degree weather, carrying a sick child? They likely wouldn’t survive the journey. Even if they did, once they arrived to the hospital, the family could not afford care. Sometimes, it’s just fear or pride that stops them. That’s why what Hope of Life is doing is so wonderful, they intervene when things look helpless.
How do these children get so sick?
In this area of Guatemala, we are in the middle of a 5 year drought and famine. This has severely affected access to clean water (or ANY water in the dry season). These children suffer from severe forms of malnutrition– Marasmus (which is a lack of any nutrition) and Kwashiorkor (lack of protein) are two of the most common forms of malnutrition in this area. Also, with families having one room houses, we see a lot of cases of parasites and respiratory problems. It is not unusual for a family to have birds living in their homes or to cook inside their homes on an open fire– birds carry bacteria that cause respiratory issues, and the thick, black smoke that billows up from the open flame stoves just remains in the house to be inhaled, as these houses are poorly ventilated. Histoplasmosis, Toxoplasmosis, Tuberculosis, Parasites, and a slew of viruses are easily passed among family members in these living conditions. Once a child who is already sick gets one of these infections, the problem sort of “spirals out of control.”
You can find out more about the health and disparity here in Guatemala HERE.
What happens after the child is rescued?
Usually the mother ends up coming with the child (or sometimes, there will be more than one of her children that come). We will walk from their house back to the ambulance and begin the long journey back to Hope of Life. The ambulance ride is difficult. The road is steep, bumpy, and there is really nowhere good to sit, so the mother is usually sliding around and nauseous the entire ride. I help by holding the baby since I’m used to the ride, and the whole way back, I assess the baby to make sure they are not going into respiratory distress. When we arrive to the hospital, we get the patient stabilized, collect a health history from the mother, and the nutritionist will see the patient to determine the severity of malnutrition. The mother and child are given a room, clean clothes, and food. They will be given 3 meals daily, receive medications, and see the doctors. A 6 week stay is usually the minimum amount of time it takes for them to recuperate. However, that time frame can be significantly longer if we find other problems. The mothers often get homesick for their other children, and much of my time is spent reassuring them how vital it is to be at the hospital, because if they are sent home too early, the baby will get back in the same place and could even die. If a surgery is needed, we arrange for the surgery to be done. If they need a referral to a specialist, we arrange for that and take them there. Because this area is so remote, often times we’ll have to drive 3+ hours to Guatemala City when a patient needs a nephrologist or other specialized doctor. Hope of Life pays for all of this.
While the mother is in the hospital, she will bathe and feed the baby. If for some reason the mother has to leave, OR if she abandons the baby (which isn’t a very common occurrence but it does happen), then the baby will be placed in a room to be cared for by a nanny. The orphaned children undergo a long, difficult legal process to be placed in one of the house families here on Hope of Life or released back to another family member.
What happens after a child is discharged from the hospital?
Once they are clinically stable, they are sent back home with education, medicine, and food bags for their family. Hope of Life coordinates clinical follow ups so that the families bring the patient back routinely for check ups. It is always so much cheaper and easier to do preventative health care, or to catch a child that is only mildly malnourished, than to allow the problem to progress and to treat them when they are critically ill like before.
My role in these rescues goes far beyond bringing the baby back to the hospital. While that is important, and maybe one of the most difficult days, the real work begins when they arrive to the hospital. I spend a lot of my time educating these mothers about hygiene, safety, and how to care for their children. I comfort the mothers, encourage them, and pray for them daily. When they are in a position where they are able to listen and understand, I talk with them about who Jesus is. That He was sent to this earth to love us and care for us, and that He died for our sins. Because these families are from indigenous remote villages, for many of them, it is their first time hearing the gospel. If they leave Hope of Life and don’t personally know Jesus, I know that I have at least planted a seed and allowed them to see His love… a love that will follow them even into the most remote corners of Guatemala.
Over the quebradas and through the jungles we go.The view in these villages is absurdly beautifulHowever, the poverty we stand face to face with, is not.Houses are simplistic, people have little, and they live off the land.
Even these types of outhouses are not common where we go. People usually go to the bathroom near their water sources or the woods behind their home.They cook inside their homes, which causes chronic respiratory issues from years of inhaling the smoke.This was one of the few animal cages I saw… Often times, birds that carry diseases are left to walk through their homes, which further exacerbates respiratory and health issues.Without Hope of Life’s intervention, these children would die in these mountains without access to healthcare and medicine.When we arrive, I assess the children and I observe their living conditions to gain a glimpse into their health history.A team of volunteers usually join to help carry the children back to the ambulance.Often, these volunteers are people who sponsor and pay for these rescues. Thanks to their sponsorship, we are able to afford what we do…Each rescue not only funds the expenses to go get the child, but also for their ongoing healthcare when they return.We bring back many babies each week.Some more critical than others.When we arrive to Hope of Life, the first 48 hours is critical and often difficult on the children as we introduce new food and medicine to their bodies...but our care doesn’t end there. To quote Bryan, “If we treat their health concerns but do not tell them about Jesus, we are just prolonging their hell.” While their moms stay for free in our hospital, I have the opportunity to talk with these mama’s daily. To teach them about hygiene and breastfeeding, and talk with them about Christ when they are in a position that they are ready to receive.However, the transformation that happens is ALWAYS worth the difficult rescue days we endure to bring them back.
Today, I would like to thank these people for sponsoring us and allowing me to be here and do the work that I love– rescuing babies and working with them daily as they recover in our hospital. I also love being able to work with the mothers by educating them, encouraging them, and praying for them. THANK YOU all for allowing this growth and transformation to happen! Tara Graham – One of my sweet former patients and part of my church family. Thank you for your support!! Love and miss you so <3 Rebecca Porter – My favorite teacher in nursing school!! You have ALWAYS encouraged me and pushed me. I wouldn’t be a nurse if it wasn’t for you <3 Sara Mitchell – Sweet girl whose heart is connected to mine through Kidspoint and Guatemala!! Can’t wait for you to come visit one day <3 Patricia Derr – Your generosity astounds us!! Thank you so much for supporting us <3 Pam Fadness – Someone who knows rescues first hand!! I’m so thankful that we’ve met, you inspire us and we’re thankful for your support!! <3
We love you ALL and could not do what we do without you.
Truly, thank you so much.
–Whitney
So if you hadn’t heard– this morning I made the mistake of drinking Bryan’s “watermelon flavored drink”… Turns out they put pre workout drink mixes in packets that are marketed toward kids (aka: me) and make it in fun flavors like watermelon. After walking outside and bench pressing a couple of trucks, it only took about 2 1/2 hours for my body to stop feeling like it was covered in stinging bees. So if you learn anything from this blog– don’t do that. Trust me.
Wanted to share a video today of some sweet Mayan kids we have at the hospital. These kids speak a Mayan dialect called kaqchikel. The Mayan language has over 20 dialects, and because many of our rescues come from remote indigenous mountain villages, it is not unusual for the families to speak Mayan or very difficult to understand Spanish blended with Mayan accent.
These sweet kids speak only Kaqchikel and do not understand Spanish at all. For me, I kind of feel right at home with these kids… where I have learned my Spanish by immersion, figuring out how to communicate has been fun and exciting. I love how smart they all are… not only are they wanting to learn Spanish, but they want to learn English as well!! They are definitely learning Spanish and English much faster than I’m picking up Kaqchikel. 😉
As I work daily to communicate with these kids… As cheesy as this sounds, I realize the language that speaks louder than all, is the language of compassion. Making an effort to talk to them no matter how ridiculous I sound, is investing in them and showing that they are valued and loved. Sure, I’m a nurse… but stopping to talk to them for 10-15 minutes… braiding their hair…. and counting from 1-10 in Kaqchikel, Spanish, and English has been such sweet moments during my days of working.
Today, I want to thank Katie Brill for your love and generosity!!! As a doctor in the US, Katie understands compassion better than most people I know. She’s smart, she’s kind, and she is a big reason why we’re able to do what we do here! Katie, I can’t wait to have you down here again so you can see all the growth at the hospital and meet some of these Mayan cuties. 🙂 You are asked about frequently down here and we can’t wait to have you back to visit!! Ütx matoix for all you do for not only us, but for the kingdom. <3
Nan chik y janila yatinwajo’
Te quiero mucho!
-Whitney
EDIT 11.16.16– added these videos of them talking in their own dialect upon requests 🙂 it’s hard to get on video because as soon as I pull out my phone they all start giggling and running away! 😜 None of these videos do the language any justice– it sounds so interesting when they’re speaking, the language has a lot of “clicking noises” to it.
Isaiah 43:19 “See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.”
Every day that I go into the hospital, I witness miracles. Whether it’s a transformation that happened over night or over the course of a few months, I see a miracle every. single. day. I pray I never take this for granted, I pray I always see the miracles for what they are, am thankful for them, and remember that what God is doing here isn’t commonplace. What God is doing here in Guatemala is the result of the sacrifices of many– through hard work, generous donations, and fervent prayers.
Today I got to witness two miracles… Rosita is back from Zacapa hospital, and I will be sharing her story with you one day this week. Also, I got to see Luis today… and I haven’t shared his story with you at all yet.
Luis was a patient we had in a medical clinic with Liberty University this past July. During the clinic, doctors had noticed his difficulty breathing and insisted on a stat echocardiogram (which is a lot more difficult to attain here in this area of Guatemala than it is in the states!) Long story short, we were able to get this baby into a local hospital with a pediatric cardiologist, and the baby would later go into cariogenic shock– which he would have died from had he remained in his village or at our hospital which doesn’t have the resources to place him on a vent.
I am happy to share that Luis is now happy, healthy, and growing!! After his scary incident, he was stabilized and brought back to our hospital a few weeks after. He has access to vital medications he needs to survive. He and his mom were recently in our hospital for a routine follow up at our clinic and I just want to share his progress with you!
Luis in August, after being transferred back to Hope of LifeLuis in late August 2016August 2016– might be sick, but he’s still a ham!!11.14.16 Luis today!! Still the same, sweet, giggly boy!Except now he’s MUCH bigger…and much healthier too <3
Of course, I would not be here to witness his transformation first hand without donors like The Fair Family. We have known and loved this family for 5 (?!) years! We’ve served in Kidspoint at Lifepoint together… and Andie and I spent many nights performing our regal-est eagle-est dance moves for K-Motion… those were the days! hahaha
To The Fairs– I pray that your generosity towards us is blessing you as much as it blesses us!! The miraculous transformations here literally blow. my. mind. We miss you all so much and we’re so happy for all you’ve given to allow us to be on this journey! Your generosity, compassion, enthusiasm and love encourage us to press on even during the difficult days. We’re so very thankful for you!
2016 has already been so full of transformation in the lives and hearts of people we touch… and the year isn’t even over yet! I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again… the best is yet to come. I can feel it. <3
Cloud by day, and fire by night, we will follow you. We will worship you.
Would you mold me? Meld me, break me, use me? For I am Yours. Would you move me? Guide me, lead me, would you use me? For I am yours.
This afternoon, we were walking outside… and it was so cool to see the sun setting in the west behind our house, and the giant supermoon on display in the east against a backdrop of orange, pink, and purple clouds. It reminded me of a sunset that I used to see coming home from work in Culpeper. But what was cool about this one, was the presence of the moon… the same moon that would be lighting up the same skies in Virginia, although we’re thousands of miles apart.
Today, (and every day really) we are thankful for Lifepoint Church. Our roots with Lifepoint go almost 6 years back… back to when the church was only one location in Riverbend Highschool. What used to be a dream of having a campus in Culpeper, is now a reality.. and I was thankful we got to help launch that campus before coming here.
I could spend the entire month of November thanking people within the church… there is just no limit to our love that we have for this community. Through Lifepoint, we found out about the ministry we are now living and serving at. Through Lifepoint, we became generous and bold in our faith. Through Lifepoint, chains were broken that allowed us to step out of our comfort levels and into God’s plan. Through Lifepoint, we learned to live open-handed with the gifts, abilities, and finances God has given us.
Pastor Daniel and Tammie have always encouraged us to pursue our calling here. We are so thankful for your leadership, your support, and how you feed into us weekly. My Lifegroup was there to pray through the process of us moving here, and they were also there to help us pack up our house and send us here with notes of love and encouragement. (Janice, Lucille, Suzanne, Christine, Amy, Carolyn, Kate, Tori, Tracey, Hillary– you all have been SUCH a blessing!) I could seriously go on and on– The Klock’s, The Anderson’s, The Martinez family, The Rollins family, The Coopers, The Howards, The Buschurs, The Gregorys, The Rowe’s, The Brissey’s, The Tuuri’s, The Billig’s, Lifepoint Guatemala teams past and present and on and on and ON I could go. This isn’t a church of people who just believe The Word– this is a church of people who LIVE the word– who are there when you need them, who give and give generously because they know their giving will be multiplied. (Luke 6:38) If you attend Lifepoint Church, you are a supporter of ours, and we are thankful for YOU!
There are literally SO. MANY. things we do down here through our ministry. This past week, I got to participate in a small Bible Study for some of the mom’s at the hospital. Let me explain who these mom’s are so you understand this significance… When I go on rescues, we travel 3, sometimes 4, hours away into remote villages. Often times, the people in these villages are of Mayan descent, and a lot of their religion is circled around beliefs of witchcraft. The ones who are not, are very opposed to religion because of how legalistic it can be here in Guatemala. Because they often have critically ill children and are in desperate need of medical attention, they comply in returning to Hope of Life with us so they can receive care in our hospital on the ministry. In our hospital, most of our rescues babies have a mother who accompanied them here for the duration of their stay and treatment. While here, this is an awesome opportunity to witness, minister to, and show firsthand the love of Jesus.
While there has not been an official study done on this matter, I believe the mothers in the hospital is the most under-evangelized group here on our ministry. I once had a sweet friend who lived here witnessing to these mothers daily, but since she has left, the mothers have went without Bible studies and discussion… and while I could never fill my friend’s shoes, I have felt called to step up and bring applicable lessons to these women from the unreached corners of Guatemala.
This past week, we studied 1 Peter 4:8 – “Above all, love one another deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.” I brought nail polish and lotion to the hospital. I showed them my hands which had chipped, cracked nail polish and how if I took the care to put on a new coat of nail polish, it covered the ugliness of the old polish and looked better at the end. I explained to them that this is how we become when our hearts are in Christ and we show love to each other… that our ugliness (sin) becomes covered by something more beautiful (grace). We took turns painting each others nails and praying over each other.
Will you join me in praying for these sweet moms? Pray for the health of their babies that I am caring for as their nurse. Pray for their strength as they are miles and miles away from their families and other children back home. Pray that I may show them love in a way that they deserve. Pray that The Lord uses my words for His glory and not my own.
A few of the sweet mamas and their new nail polish!Sweet Candadulce and her wild, purple nailsReinita is 15 years old and unable to walk, and loves to be pampered. Check out the colors she picked!For some moms, this was the first time they had ever had their nails paintedYolanda, one of our 18 year old patients who has been at St Luke’s for over 3 years, was a wonderful helper in picking out nail polishes and helping me paint.Thank you Lifepoint for supporting us so we can show love in a tangible way!
Lifepoint, we LOVE you. We believe in Ephesians 3:20 and that GREATER things are yet to come for YOU, and GREATER things are yet to come for US. We are the feet on the ground here, but YOU all are the prayers, the givers, and the people who set our ministry into motion.
Your love is creeping into the hearts of people from the corners of Guatemala who need it the most– and that’s all because you gave.
Well… a few days behind on the “thank you” train. A small part of that is due to laziness, and a larger part of that is due to the website being down and not allowing us to post. It was later today that I thought of the idea that I should have written my posts on a separate document and then posted them to the site when it was up and running again. I guess hindsight really is 20/20.
Today I want to thank Francis Asbury UMC in Sugar Grove, West Virginia!! Sugar Grove, West Virginia… the name of the small town is as cute and quaint as it sounds. It’s got my Grandaddy’s store on the corner, the volunteer fire and rescue station where many community events are held- from Thanksgiving dinners to summer lawn parties, and Francis Asbury UMC on the corner… covered in pieces of green, clear, and bright blue glass, glistening in the sun.
Francis Asbury UMC being photobombed by Dad’s trooper
This church was my first experience at church– from listening to old hymns played on the organ and memories of trying to catch the hair on fire of the girl standing in front of me during our children’s Christmas performances. I remember my grandmother singing loudly in the back, and feeling her eyes on me throughout every moment making sure I wasn’t misbehaving (which I usually did.) I remember scribbling pictures on the prayer request cards and sneaking mints out of my aunt’s pocketbook. And when I go back, not a lot has changed here. It’s still the same church, dripping with history and love and memories, and I’m so thankful for the foundation it gave me.
Although we love everyone from FAUMC, there are two people that we love MOST <3 I’m sure Grandma would kill me if she knew I took this candid photo of them, but I love how sweet they are sitting in their rocking chairs in Grandaddy’s store <3
From our very first trip to Guatemala in 2012, the church has supported us. They roll only about 20 people deep, but the love and support they show us goes even deeper. We are thankful for all of you and for your continued support as we are here long term. We love you all and could not do this without you!
Guatemalans LOVE snapchatWhich works out for me… because I LOVE making ridiculous faces!Me & my friend Katherine <3
Sweet Amparo was unable to move and just stared at me with blank, empty eyes when she was brought in. After 2 months of working with her daily, she’s bright, giggly, sweet and loves to play copycat in English AND Spanish! Sweet little bilingual baby. <3
Thank you for supporting the lives and health of these children by supporting our mission.
You are loved!
Whitney
Pete and Judy Dechat became supporters of #sendthesaultons even before we had the catchy hashtag. They became supporters the night we met them. I was catering a charity event for Safe Haven Village and Pete introduced himself to me and gave me a check because he knew that God was calling us to Guatemala and he and his wife wanted to help us get there.
