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My grandma always told me, “Whitney, if it were easy..  then EVERYBODY would be doing it.”  I love that, because it holds true to most things in life.  Sometimes the right thing to do isn’t the easy thing to do… but I believe it is in our difficult moments that God defines us and makes us stronger.

With each day that passes, we realize more and more how much we need to PRESS IN to The Lord.  Even in the difficult, I am constantly reminded of all that God has done to get us here.  When I feel overwhelmed, unqualified, and poorly equipped, I remember that God has called us here!  God could have used anyone, and certainly there are far better candidates than Bryan and myself, but he called US.  And I’m SO thankful that he called us HERE… sweet Guatemala… where the land is beautiful and the people are kind.  Guatemala… where the weather is perfect and snow doesn’t exist…  Guatemala… where we are fortunate to have hot, running water…  Guatemala… where our roommates are scorpions and today, I literally had ants in my pants (and shirt… and water bottle…) today at the hospital. (So maybe things aren’t *all* good here 😉 hahaha)

There are so many parts about Guatemala that remind me so much of home in Sugar Grove, WV.  As I was walking outside tonight, I looked into the crisp, starry sky and noticed the moon and realized that although we’re so far away, my family is at home in America under that same moon.  I know it might sound cheesy,  but in that moment, it made me feel somewhat closer to home.  Because the moon was the common denominator between here and there, it made the world feel a little smaller at the time, almost seeming to bridge the 5,000 mile gap.

The more I thought of this, my heart was burdened because I know that here in Guatemala, under that same moon, there are children left in the wilderness to die.  There are babies without food, families without homes, so many people who are physically and spiritually desperate for help.

The other week, a team of Hope Of Life employees and myself hiked into very steep mountains– into a small village of less than 10 families– where everyone in the village wears cleats because it is so mountainous with no roads and nothing more than a dangerously narrow, steep, dirt trail.  In this village, we found 27 year old Valentin, on a bed made of sticks and tattered sheets, being tended to by his mother.  He was incredibly sick, needed IV antibiotics and a surgery to repair a bladder fistula.  Thankfully, Valentin was able to make it back to the ministry and is receiving care.  Along with Valentin, we also brought back 8 other children from another village.

I’m finally getting more acclimated to my role here as a nurse.  I am blown away by all the hardworking hospital staff here– from doctors, to nurses, our nutritionist, phlebotomists, and pharmacist… to administrators, housekeeping, and nannies…  everyone works so hard.  The days can be hot, long, and exhausting… but we are seeing real life miracles!

We have been given so much support — financial support, prayers, people offering to send medical supplies, etc…  that we are truly humbled and in awe of your generosity!!!  As you can imagine, living and serving in a third world country is quite an adjustment… but what we’re doing and what the hospital is doing, is very heavily dependent on those who help us!

Romans 10:13-15 says “Everyone who calls on the name of The Lord will be saved. But how can they call on the one they had not believed in? And how can they believe in whom they have not heard?  And how can they hear without someone telling them?  And how can anyone tell them unless they are sent?  As it is written: ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!'”

We’re thankful that we are here because YOU have SENT us!  Not everyone is called to pack up and move to Guatemala…  moving here was not as big of a deal when you realize the literal hundreds of people it has taken to get us to where we are.  Just as Grandma said “If it were easy to do, EVERYONE would be doing it!”  So we thank you for doing what is NOT easy–  which is supporting us through your donations and prayers.

We are also happy to announce that we’re coming home for a short visit!!!!  Here are the tentative dates and where we’ll be:
March 3rd- fly in to Dulles
March 4th-7th – Fredericksburg/Culpeper area (with a quick pitstop in Charlottesville for ANM‘s Thrive Conference!)
March 8-11 – Sugar Grove
March 11-13 – Harrisonburg
March 14 – Hanging out with The Wards!!!! (also, happy birthday to my brother, Anthony!)
March 15-19 – Huntington
Then we leave from Huntington and fly out of Cincinnati super early on 3/21.

It may be difficult to see everyone that we want to on this trip, but we’ll certainly give it our best shot!

 

You are loved!

-Whitney

 

 

Tonight we grew tired of eating rice and beans…  so we walked into downtown Llano Verde (nearly as happening as downtown Sugar Grove, WV) and I practically polished off a large pepperoni pizza all by myself, much like how Buzz McAllister does in Home Alone.  And just as Buzz joked about barfing up his entire pizza, I also feel the same… because AFTER the pizza, I thought it would be a good idea to get Cucos (Guatemalan ice cream in a bag).  Too much info?  Maybe.  Too much food?  Absolutely.

As we continue to get settled in here at Hope of Life, I look back and realize HOW FAST the past month has passed.  Wow.  Seems like just yesterday we were stressing out about packing up the house and now we’re here. (thanks to ALL who helped us pack, clean, and brought us dinner during that stressful time!!)  The first week of being here, we had amazing team from Lifepoint Church with us, so the week passed by very quickly.  This week has been slower paced in some ways, but has a whole different type of busy as I get settled in to serving at the hospital and practicing Spanish every evening. We’ve gotten to spend time with Safe Haven families, participate in Wednesday night worship at The Village of Transformation, and we’ve met some really amazing people throughout the past two weeks.

Being here long term makes me realize all the comforts I am missing from back home in the states.  In Virginia, I never had to worry about lizards crawling into the walls, never had to worry about killing cockroaches in the hallways, ants didn’t get into literally everything, and mosquitos definitely didn’t carry and transmit viruses.  In Virginia, the showers were hot and not nearly as scary, I was able to pick up Starbucks or fast food because the hospital wasn’t so far away from everything, my bed was much more comfortable, and I wasn’t six layers deep on DEET at the end of the day.

Despite all these comforts that I’m “missing out” on, I know I’m right where I need to be.  Right in the middle of my new normal.  I’m trying every day to shift my focus from remembering all that I’m lacking from America, and appreciating all that I’ve got.  Guatemala has stripped me from all the everyday distractions and already allowed me to grow in new ways.  I have come to appreciate early mornings with black coffee, frijoles, and new friends. I am blessed to have food and be surrounded by people who love. I have come to appreciate the hot, uphill walks to St. Luke’s Hospital.  I am blessed to be able to walk, and to serve in a capacity that I enjoy.  I have come to appreciate difficult IV sticks on malnourished babies.  Although very difficult to do, I am becoming better, and this skill is allowing babies to receive necessary medications and fluids.  I have come to appreciate little arms reaching toward me in the mornings, yelling “Wendy! Wendy!”.  I am blessed to be able to hold these babies and change their diapers… basic care and love that they have likely never been shown until coming here.  I have come to appreciate the challenge of learning Spanish.  I am blessed to have been able to see that God’s love transcends all languages, and you don’t have to speak the same language to communicate compassion.

I want to share with you a video by Hope of Life Intl’s president, Katie.  In this video, she is holding a 25 year old boy who I get to care for daily.  Although Wilson’s health is still fragile, he continues to make progress every single day by gaining weight and becoming more alert.

This is why we’re here.  This is reality for not just Guatemala, but so many other parts of the world.  

Yeah, so our “new normal” isn’t always comfortable.  It’s often challenging, often fun, and always rewarding.  I’m so very thankful for our friends, family, and churches who have helped to sponsor us and get us to a place where we are able to serve this way.  I can promise you, your generosity is literally changing lives here in Guatemala.  We are still just a bit shy of our necessary monthly amount, but we are getting by just fine.  If you’d like to sponsor us monthly, go to Hopeoflifeintl.org/donate and add “Send The Saultons” in the comment field at checkout.  Or you could also go to youcaring.com/sendthesaultons to make a one time donation.

 

You are loved.

-Whitney

 

Well, it happened.  I’m not sure if it’s the stress of moving and leaving everything behind, or maybe it’s just the flood of memories that this place holds…  But tonight I ugly cried.  And if I’m being honest, I may or may not still be ugly crying as I write this…

When we moved into this house, we intended to be here for 2 years max.  Once Bryan graduated from culinary school we were going to leave and settle down in West Virginia closer to our families.  But God had different plans.

When we moved here, we planned to find a small church that was similar to our roots at First Baptist Church of Kenova.  But God led us to Lifepoint instead.  When we moved here, we left a lot of great friends behind in WV.  But God gave us great friends here too.  When we moved here 4 1/2 years ago, we were so in love, and didn’t think we could love to a fuller capacity.  But God stretched our heart.  He stretched our heart for each other, He stretched our heart for our families as more members have been added to them over the past few years, He stretched our hearts for Guatemala.  He stretched our hearts for Him.

This little house holds so many precious memories.  It’s the first place we’ve lived since we got married.  We’ve cooked so many meals together in the kitchen.  We’ve had so many friends over, and relationships have deepened inside this house.  We’ve decorated, landscaped, bonfired, and even drug all the blankets outside to stargaze on summer nights.  We’ve danced in the living room while no music has been playing, we’ve restored trust here, we’ve strengthened our marriage here, we’ve had slumber parties with our nieces and nephew here, we’ve loved here.

As we pack up our things, and pile so many things to be sold or given away, I can’t help but to feel emotional.

Oh sweet 26183 Stonesiffer Lane, you will be dearly missed.  I will miss sweeping precious Roster’s hair off your floor.  I will miss having the most incredible neighbors in the world– The Nelson’s were maybe one of our favorite parts of living here.  I will miss trying to spell Stonesiffer to people who have asked for our address.

We’re in the process of rehoming Roster.  I’ve had him for nine years.  I’ve never done life without him.  I don’t think I can write about that anymore without emotional break down # 3 for the night.

The emotional difficulty of this process is nearly enough to make me want to call things off and stay here… Nearly enough for me to say “But God, are you SURE about Guatemala?” But God has truly called us there.  There is no doubt in my mind that Guatemala is where we need to go and what we need to do.  This has been confirmed in us more times than we can count.  As we’re down to the wire and in the crunch time before leaving, I am reminded of Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 4.  It’s so good, you should read the whole thing…  but it ends with him saying “..so we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”

We’re moving to Guatemala to do something eternally significant.  To help save those who are sick and dying (both physically and spiritually), to love orphans, to spread the good news of what Jesus has done in our hearts.  I know that while working in the hospital and rescuing malnourished babies, there won’t always be happy endings.  I know that the loss of “stuff” and closed doors on memories will eventually pale in comparison to the loss we’ll see.  I once loved a baby named Jenri at Hope of Life… but Jenri is no longer there and has been called to heaven where he will be able to walk and sing and he’s now free from  the pain that malnourishment had taken on his tiny body.

We’re leaving a lot behind to serve where we’ve been called to.  Many people don’t understand and think we’re crazy,  But God will provide for us while we’re there, too.

Ephesians 3:14-21

For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

I pray that while we embark on this journey that we keep our eyes fixated on Christ- who called us to this, who equipped us for this, and who will sustain us while we are there. I pray that we are rooted and established in love, and that His love overflows into the work that we do. I pray Isaiah 58:6-11 over us and that we will always be reminded of what God has done to get us here and that he “will satisfy our needs in a sun scorched land.” Our fear of stepping out into the unknown is great, But God is greater.

You are loved… Even during my ugly cry moments.
-Whitney