Journal, October 24 - 30, 2009

After being on the road with the Joni and friends teem for nearly a week I spent most of this weekend hanging out with my kids. They understand that what I do involves being on the road quite a bit but still hate it when I am away from home for several days at a time.

(Click on any picture to enlarge)

Monday, October 26, 2009

Today Chris and Donna headed out to do the last few days of camp recruiting. Because of all of the other responsibilities that they have I did most of the recruiting this year. I love doing it but since was happy that they found the time to do these last few days so that I could spend some much needed time staying closer to home.



This morning Fernando Esben and I went to Hermano Pedro. We had figured on swimming with a few of the kids but once again the therapists came up with a reason not to swim. I am not sure exactly what that reason was but it had something to do with the pool not being ready for them. Or then again it could have been that they were not ready for the pool.




We made good use of our day though. the boys played with the kids while I got together with Jessica and filled out paper work on all of the kids that need new wheelchairs.





At noon the boys and I took 3 of the kids out to Camperos for lunch. I some times wish that my kids could run the orphanage. They are so good with the kids. The orphanage kids absolutely love it when they come along to the orphanage with me.







When we got home my house quickly filled up with kids but after an hour I told the kids that I needed a kid break. This does not happen too often but I think that they could tell that I was ready for a break because the minute that I said it most of them quickly quit what ever it was that they were doing and headed for the door. I think that it could have something to do with the fact that I promised to take them all swimming tomorrow and in the past I have been known to forget these promises when the kids chose not to listen to me. Never the less I have the house to myself for a few hours.



I hate to do it but once again I am going to have to searchå the kids when they leave the house because once again some small items have been disappearing from my house. So far it has only been small things but I am going to let the kids know that the punishment will not be small. A few of them still have not gotten the message that it is wrong to take things. It seems that there is a mentality here in Guatemala that if some one has more then one item you have the right to one of them. Tonight it was only candy and a flashlight but I am going to do what ever it takes to see that it stops.

I told a few of the kids that they could come back at 9 so I am going to kick back and relax for about a half hour.

Goodnight,
yours in Christ: Dick


Even though the distribution that we did with the Joni and Friends team has ended, Rachel has added an entry to her blog that I want to publish. The following actually took place about a week ago.

Rolando - From Door on the Floor
. . . . . ., , ,. . ... .to Upright in a Chair.
By Rachel

One man in particular stands out amongst the rest. Rolando was carried in to the distribution center on a wooden door covered with a sheet. He lay on the door on the floor which has been his life for several years after being paralyzed as a result of a kidney operation and infection. The Team diligently worked to adapt a wheelchair for Rolando's use. Cindy Stroup was the seating specialist that worked with Dick to accommodate Rolando:

The mechanics Elmer, Ross and Monte used one of the recline kits that Greg Cowen made very useful. They also made a lap tray so that Rolando can eat and do other work from his chair.

When the chair was finished, the entire team posed with Rolando for a picture, his smile BEAMED. It was as if he felt like a man again, not a beast on the floor. He was holding his head up high and he could see and feel that he was Valued, not only in our sight, but Valued by Jesus. That is the Joni and Friends mission, accomplished.

Rachel

Tuesday, October 27, 2009Believe it or not today I took another day off just to have some fun with the kids. Since I have been on the road so much lately and camp is Just around the corner I have decided to make a point of sending some quality time with them while I have the opportunity. A new swimming pool has recently been built between here and San Marteen. Actually it is located out in the middle of nowhere. How this location was picked for a swimming pool is beyond me but the price is right and it is only a 15 minute drive from here. I don't think that this facility would exactly be OSHA approved but if you don't mind ducks and geese in the dressing room and survive the walk over the river on the not so new suspension bridge the pool itself is actually very nice. Although a few of my kids who had head colds did not swim all 15 of us had a great time and the kids asked me when we could return again.


After returning form our swim I ran a few errands, or at least I tried to run a few errands. Not until after I had signed a fairly large check did the clerk at my bank inform me that the banks computer was down so there was no way that I could deposit it. Not wanting to carry a signed check in my pocket I decided that I would get cash for it then hopefully make it across town with out getting robbed and pay a few months rent with the money. Then the clerk informed me that with out their computer there was no way that she could give me cash either. She told me that she could keep the check and my bank book and deposit the check for me when the computer came back on but knowing the track history of Guatemalan banks I decided that I had less of a chance of loosing the check than the bank did.

It has been a little over a month ago that I had my my new car alarm installed. After about 6 attempts the place that I bought it from actually got it working properly the only problem has been that they only gave me one transmitter. Guess why I bought the new alarm system in the first place. After loosing one of my old transmitters I was worried that I would not be able to start my car if I lost or broke the only transmitter that I had. The man that sold me the alarm system is very nice but for the past 30 days I have really gotten to know the true meaning of mañana. Since it has been nearly a week now since he told me that he would have a second transmitter for me and since he sounded even more sincere then he did any of the other 20 or more times that I stopped by, I actually had my hopes up today. Silly me, perhaps mañana.

Then again I could go back to my original car alarm,

but dog food is getting expensive.

Well the kids are fed and all but the 3 that are staying have headed for home so I guess I will call it a day. More mañana.

Goodnight,
Yours in Christ: Dick


Wednesday, October 28, 2009

This morning Calin, Miguel, Cesar and I headed out to see some families that live near the coast. This is The first time that I let Calin come along to interpret for me since I caught him stealing from me several months ago. Hopefully though it will not be his last because Calin has a real hart for his fellow Guatemalans. On a recent water filter distribution a lady from that area told us about several children that appeared to be starving. She told us that Dominica, the small town that she was from had a small clinic but told us that they did not have much medicine and they were not equipped to help kids that were severely malnourished. Her plans today were to meet here at the clinic to meet with the mayor's wife and the doctor. When we arrived I saw several people outside of the shabby building that served as the clinic. At first I thought that they were waiting for it to open but once I stepped inside I saw that there were so many people waiting to see the doctor that there was simply not enough room inside for everyone. (Sorry no pictures but since this was my first time here I did not want to take out my camera.) We were led to a small room in the back of the clinic. That served as the doctor's office, drug store, and examination room. The room could not have been more than 8 feet by 10 feet and the drug store was nothing more than a few small shelves that had medicine on them. We were introduced to the doctor who was a lady that appeared to be in her twenties. She told us that she had recently graduated from medical school and that she had only been at the clinic for a few months. I asked her how many other doctors worked there and she told me that she was the only one. She went on to say that there were severl families that had brought in malnourished children that were severe enough that they should be admitted into a malnutrition center. She had herd of Hermano Pedro in Antigua but did not know how to go about getting any of the children admitted there. I told her that I was fairly certain that we could get these kids into Hermano Pedro and that I would gladly help them do that. I was hoping that we could go and visit some of these families but was told by the social worker that she did not have clear directions as to where they lived and that it would take a few days to locate them. I am planning on returning on November 9 and am praying that it is not to late for any of them.





















The picture above is of 8 year old Julio when we found him not to far from this town a few years ago.





A five month stay at the malnutrition ward of Hermano Pedro made a big difference for Julio. Please pray that the children that we were told about today can receive help as well.










Last night I got a call from Ronny and his family asking me when I was going to pay them a visit. They were delighted when I told them that it would be today. While we were on our way there I received a call from Ronny's mom telling me that Clara, one of Ronny's sisters had just fallen and broken her arm. I told mom that it would be still be a few hours before I could get there but if she could not find transportation to a doctor before we got there we would help get her to one.







When we arrived at Ronny's place Ronny's father told us that mom, Clara, and another daughter had already left by buss for the National hospital in Esquentla. I can only imagine what an hour and a half ride on an old school buss down bumpy dirt roads feels like when you have an unsplinted broken arm.














Our trip was not a wasted one though because we had a good visit with dad and the kids. We also discovered that the family was out of groceries and in need of medicine. Besides that I have sort of fallen in love with this family.





























Our final visit of the day was at the home of the family that we are trying to relocate. I guess I can actually say the family that we are going to relocate. Thanks to a generous sponsor we are in the process of purchasing a plot of land near the coast and in February a teem is coming in to put up one of the prefabricated homes that we have been building.

When we arrived six of the kids were there but they told us that mom was doing layndry for a family that lives in a village about a mile and a half away. Up until now I have not seen any of the kids show any emotion but after visiting for about an hour I actually managed to get them to laugh while I was taking a picture. I won't say what I did to get them to laugh but I was sure glad that I was not the one that was having his picture taken.
When I got home my house quickly filled up with kids. I let them stay for a while but then told them that I was taking only Abner and Alex out for dinner. They both graduated from 6th grade today so I had promised to take them out to eat to where ever they wanted to go. I figured that since there were only 2 of them I could afford to take them out some where besides Camperos. Besides that I was looking forward to a good meal. How was I to know that they would choose Burger King? Oh Well it was fairly inexpensive. When we got back home I discovered that the entire group had not moved from my front gate. At least Abner, Alex and myself got hamburgers. Tonight I fed the rest of the kids corn flakes.


It is getting late and I still need a shower. Hopefully the 3 kids that are in it right now are water logged enough that they are ready to get out. I sort of figure that an hour long shower should be enough for anyone.


Goodnight'
Yours in Christ: Dick


Thursday, October 29. 2009

Today was pretty much a stay at home and get caught up on things day. Esbin, Elder and Fernando, stayed over last night and this morning they made it quite clear that they wanted to spend the day here as well. However after breakfast I told them that they would have to go home for a while so that I could get some book work done. I told them that I would let them back in after I had finished but that would likely be about three hours. Three and a half hours later I opened my gate and found the 3 of them sitting there waiting to come back in to my house. I asked them when they had returned and they looked at me and said that they had never left. I may have to reevaluate just how important it is to have the house to myself when I am writing these journals. Especially when there are kids outside that are not welcome in there own homes. All three of these kids have uncles or aunts that they stay with but Fernando has never met his father and has not seen his mother since he was a year old. Esben and Elder went back to live with there mother after the lady that was caring for them died but after a few weeks mom decided that they were a nuisance and kicked them back out of the house. This after noon I scrapped my plans to go to the orphanage and flew kites with the kids instead.

This evening I had to go to the airport. Esben and Elder's uncle had sent Marcos over to tell them that he wanted them to come home and do some work but Fernando was still hanging out here. I knew how much he wanted to go along but I had already promised 2 of the other boys that they could ride along with me. I told Fernando that I didn't think that I could take him along because the person that I was picking up was coming with a lot of luggage and I was not sure how much room I would have. Fernando said that he understood but I could see the tears building up in his eyes as he walked towards the door. As it turned out Fernando, Cesar, and Kevin had no problem fitting in with the luggage and I am glad that I let all three of them come along.

Jack Cregs, the man that we picked up from the airport plans on staying for a week. Jack who is a wheelchair specialist brought a power wheelchair and a number of head control units along with him from the States. During the next few days he and I plan on getting a number of head controlled power wheelchairs going and hopefully deliver three of them to people that have been waiting for far to long.






I am actually writing this on Friday. Jack's plane arrived in Guatemala 2 hours late so the boys and I did not get home until close to midnight. When we got home I decided that sleep was more Important than writing in my journal so I put that off until 6:00 AM. Come to think of it that is only 6 hours of sleep. Think I will close for now and see if I can catch another hour of sleep before the kids wake up and turn on their rap music. They keep insisting that I should like it because it is Christian rap but I still have not acquired a taste for it. I guess I could tell them all to go home for a few hours but they would probably just tell me that they are at home.





Good-morning,
Yours in Christ: Dick


Friday, October 30, 2009
For the next few days we have the blessing of having not one but 3 seating specialists here from the states. Since we do not have any large wheelchair distributions planned we plan on using their talents setting up delivering some wheelchairs to several people that have been waiting for quite some time for wheelchairs that are specially designed for their specific needs. Most of our day today was spend in Bethel Ministries wheelchair repair shop getting some pediatric wheelchairs and head controlled power wheelchairs set up.



Seven year old Elder did most of the cooking tonight. Alex seldom complains but did mention that his french toast tasted a bit funny. I guess he must have gotten one of the peaces that Elder dropped on the floor.









Tonight's dish washing crew also consisted of 3 of the younger kids. Unlike some of the older kids the younger ones never have to be asked to help out with household chores. I think that is because no one has ever told them that work is not suppose to be enjoyable.
















Tonight some of the girls actually managed to get the computers away from the boys.







Well that's about it for now. Thanks for your prayers.

Yours in Christ:
Dick

Journal, October 17-23, 2009

Saturday, October 17, 2009

Four of the kids that hang out at my house were among those that were chosen to represent Chimaltenango in a soccer championship that was held in San Lucas today. Five of the kids that did not play and my self went to watch them play a teem from Antigua. They played a good game that went into overtime but the lost by one point. They were a bit disappointed that they did not win but still considered it an honer that they had been chosen for the teem.

This evening Chris, Saul, and myself drove 3 different vehicles to the airport to pick up 18 people and a lot of luggage. This is a teem from Colorado who have come to do a Joni and Friends distribution with us. Since some of the members of this teem also journal I am going to pretty much take a break from journaling and post their accounts of a very exciting week.

Hope that you enjoy what they write.

Yours in Christ: Dick


Sunday, October 18, 2009

Rachel Blake Wrote




Our 2 1/2 hour trip to Sacapulas ended up to be almost 5 hours. A mudslide hindered our progress for a time, and after we cleared that obstacle, heavy fog set in as we traversed the hairpin turns, and steep graded mountain road. I was one of 9 riding with Cris Mooney at the wheel, and I always felt that he was driving safely in spite of the tough road conditions. We stopped mid-way for fuel and these girls in traditional dress were selling colorful baskets.

Rachel





Monday, October 19, 2009

Rachel Wrote

God can use anyone...as long as they have an available heart, and use you in ways that might be unexpected. Meet Mike Foy, an orthodontist by trade who has used his talents on missions trips, but decided this time he wanted to do something "different". Here is a picture of Mike with a gentleman he helped to "seat". The man's family were thrilled with this particular chair because the footrests elevate, and he needs this for his illness.

Cunen....many in need, the first time the Mooneys have distributed chairs here. One of their ministry partners, Marcos who is wheelchair bound and helped to start BMI, was born in this town and was proud to have brought 40 chairs and 3 sets of crutches to his people. Here is one who is shown at her home.

I gave up the "LambChop" puppet I carried with me from the Springs (Thanks Dawn) to Alexander, one of our 3 children recipients because he lit up when he saw the lamb. Hopefully one day, he to will know the Lamb of God. He was seated in a Hope Haven chair, one that is manufactured here in Guatemala, by disabled workers since there were no JAF chairs that were just right for him.


























40 Wheelchairs were distributed, 3 recipients accepted Christ and 30 children prayed with Pastor Don and Donna Mooney to accept Christ after they were told the Gospel story via the evangelism bracelets.

Rachel

Tuesday, October 20, 2009
More from Rachel

We were able to "sleep in", leaving the hotel at 8:30AM for breakfast, then a quick stop at the wheelchair restoration shop for loading chairs and supplies for tomorrows distribution. Devotions at the shop, then a 7 hour drive to Coban.



Stefanie Kellemeyn, who is on her first Wheels trip and is a pediatric nurse in Colorado Springs, does some nursing on the roadside. Harrison, a physical therapy student received some bug bites and……why does that require a tongue depressor?

Our group of 18 has 3 sub-teams, and also Prayer Partners, consisting of two people. Here is part of our group paired with their partners and getting ready for a "Prayer Circle", a time of prayer and celebration before a distribution. Yesterday



Mary just blew me away.... She always has a ready smile and loves to "love on" people. This pre-school teacher has a way of making people feel welcome and valued, a true example of Jesus mandate in Luke 14. Here she is with some local Cunen boys as she makes up gift bags. This is Mary Jeans third Wheels for the World trip; twice to Brazil, and now Guatemala. She has a ready and willing heart and does everything from making pancakes and distributing beverages to team and recipients, to running registration, making up chair cushions and preparing gift bags. Thanks MJ!


Rachel




Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Dick wrote

79 year old seating specialist Mary Jane points out a few modifications that she would like to see done on a wheelchair that her and Benjamin are working on. Mary Jane does not let a little thing like cerebral palsy or being confined to a wheelchair keep her from going on wheelchair distributions. Fact is Mary Jane has been on over 40 wheelchair distributions all over the world. Sort of makes you wonder how she has found the time to write several books and start a school for disabled people in Africa .








This Joni and Friends teem has been incredible. Each member of their teem has pitched right in and done everything from making pancakes for the people that come in to receive wheelchairs, to seating and fitting some fairly complicated cases. I scarcely have time to do much else but seat people into wheelchairs during most of our distributions but this week this well trained teem has made it possible for me to be able to have enough free time to just wonder around from work station to work station and observe all of the different ways that God's love is being demonstrated to the people here in Guatemala.




Thanks Teem,
Yours in Christ: Dick






Thursday, October 22, 2009

Today we had our third and final wheelchair distribution of the week. Here are some pictures.









































































Donna brought the family pictured above to my attention. Father walked out on this mother and her 4 children leaving them penniless. The clothing (likely donated) that they are wearing may lead you to think otherwise but not only does mother not have enough money to send her children to school but the family more often than not goes to bed hungry. We are looking for a sponsor for this family.

There were tears but it was a good day.

Yours in Christ: Dick

Rachel wrote

We all serve the Lord in different ways. He can use us if we make ourselves available to him. Trevor Needham never thought that making pancakes would be a way to serve the Lord. But he proved indispensable this week. He and Christie Ramshur spent many hours making pancakes and serving the families at the distribution, as well as team members.



Rachel





Friday, October 23, 2009

By Dick

Today we were able to take the Joni and Friends teem that has been with us all week through the orphanage at Hermano Pedro. Since there are only 24 hours in a day and I have already used up about 23 of them I will once again let the Pictures do the talking.

Need I say More?

Thanks Teem!

Your love spoke much louder than words.





Yours in Christ: Dick

Journal, October 9-16, 2009

(Click on any photo to enlarge)

Friday, October 9, 2009

Tonight I once again find myself 140 kilometers from Chimaltenango. Actually my GPS shows that if the road we traveled on had been straight we would have traveled less than 50 kilometers from home but the short cut that we traveled was anything but short. Why then did we take the short cut to Robinel? Because the paved road adds another 60 kilometers to the journey. I must admit though the dirt road is a lot narrower. Fact is I got behind a slow truck and was unable to get around it for nearly a half hour. Those of you that have ridden with me know that does not happen to often. I finally got around the truck when an oncoming van ran him off the road . That did not speed things up much though because we spent the next half hour trying to tow him out of the ditch. Now before you go jumping to conclusions and think that a land cruiser cannot pull a truck that is at least twice it's size out of the ditch let me explain that my car had the power and the traction to get the job done but every time I tried to pull the truck out my tow rope doubled in quantity and shrunk in size. We finally managed to get the truck out and other than needing a new tow rope and a bath I was no worse for ware. I think that most of oil and grease that the truck had was under it and not in it.























Alex and Cesar are accompanying me on this camp recruiting trip. Since Cesar can not get back into school this year he has been joining me on a lot of these trips. This is one of the first trips that Alex has ever been on and he seems to be really enjoying it as well. Neither of these 2 boys are all that great at English but both have promised to do their best at interpreting for me.





















We arrived in Robinel shortly before dark and after checking in to our motel we went and found a place to eat. Let me tell you about the restaurants in Robinel. To my knowledge there are 4 places to eat. I have labeled them Cafe Bad, Cafe Worse, Cafe Worse Yet, and Cafe NO Way. Tonight we decided to go to Cafe Bad but after our food was brought out to us we decided that there are now 2 Cafe No Way's in this town.

The motel that we are in is the best of the 3 that I have tried out in this town. Actually I have only stayed at 2 of them all I had to do is look at the other one to put it on my Motel No Way list. The 3 of us could have rented one room for $7.50. but there are only 2 beds and I get sick of watching cartoons all night so I got the boys a room of their own. This was a bit hard on the pocket book because it is now costing us $5 per person instead of $2.50 per person to stay here. The place has a swimming pool but we have decided that since the sun has gone down we will wait to use it. Not that it gets all that cold after dark it's just that we want to see what color the water is and if there are any critters in the pool before using it. Well it is getting late and besides that I am hoping that there are less bugs under the covers than there are in the rest of the room so I am going to head off to bed.



Goodnight, (I hope)
Yours in Christ: Dick






















Saturday, October 10, 2009 1:47 AM

Beautiful PeopleWhat more can I say?

The longer that I live here in Guatemala the more I love these warm and friendly people. True there are the bad ones but you can find them anywhere that you go, but over all the Guatemalan people are gentle and loving. Because of civil war an the way that many of them have been treated in the past and are still being treated there is still a lot of mistrust, especially of foreigners but once you get by that they are worm and friendly.




This morning Alex, Cesar and I went and had breakfast at Cafe Worse. Guess what? It appears that Cafe No Way has bought out all of the restaurants here in Robinal and has evidently brought in all of their own cooks. It looks like we will be boycotting restaurants and living on junk food while we are here.

After breakfast (or what ever that was) the boys and I went over and picked up Julia at her house. We had planned on hiking some water filter cartridges into a village today but it rained all night so there was no way that we could safely walk across the river. We ended up delivering the cartridges to a house that was located on our side of the river and when the water is a bit shallower one of the head men from the village promised that he would get them to the people. These people were given water filters about a year ago and have been using them ever since and cartage replacement is fairly easy so even though I was dissipated that we could not go in and visit with the people I am fairly confident that they will be able to install the new cartridges themselves.

We spent the rest of our day visiting people that we are inviting to camp this year. Translation was a bit of a challenge but with my limited Spanish and the boy's limited English we managed quite well. Julia knows no English but she has helped us recruit for camp in the past so she was able to fill in any details that the boys or I left out.





















At about 1 PM we dropped Julia back off at her house and then headed to a town that is located about an hour from Robinel. Not only did we want to give Ludwig, a boy that lives there an invitation to camp but ever since he left the malnutrition ward of Hermano Pedro several years ago I have made it a practice to pick him and his family up and take them out to Camperos. Unlike other years that I have stopped there, this year I missed his birthday by about a week. However it is going to be his sister's birthday tomorrow so today's outing was in celebration of both of their birthdays. Mom dad and a grandson also joined us. Not only was the one hour drive that we made worth it to Ludwig and his family but it felt really good to be eating some thing that could be recognized as food.

Last night I slept quite well. Tonight is a different story. I was going to wait until morning to write today's journal but decided to get up for a while. I am hoping that this will give the bugs that have found a way into my bed a chance to either relocate or fall asleep. They are not biting me but seem to enjoy bugging me. They seem to have set up some sort of hiking trail that runs from my big toe to the top of my head. I have shook out the sheets several times but they seem quite persistent and within a few minutes they are back. Since there are 2 beds in my room I think that I will turn out the light and sneak into the other one. Hopefully they will not find me there for at least a few hours.

Good-morning,
Yours in Christ: Dick


Sunday, October 11, 2009

This morning we found a place that sold whole baked chickens so we bought one, divided it up and had it for breakfast. Alex had a bit of a cough this morning so he did not go swimming but Cesar and I spent about an hour in the pool before loading up my car and heading for home. Originally we had planned on being away from home until Monday night but failing to hike into the area where we had planned on bringing the water filter cartridges gave us an extra day. The trip back home went well but things got a little tense when we met 2 motor cycles that were traveling side by side around a narrow corner. Some how we all squeezed by each other with out exchanging any paint or parts but it was a close one.Only a few kids showed up this evening because as far as anyone knew I was not going to be back home until tomorrow night. I am sure that the word will get out fast though so tomorrow morning I will stock up on groceries.

Goodnight,
Yours in Christ: Dick


Monday, October 12, 2009

More swimming today, but this morning it was pool therapy with a few of the kids at the orphanage.

Cesar came along with me today, and he had a great time swimming with Lionel.

We even took a few of the orphanage kids out to lunch at Camperos, but some how we still managed to get a lot of wheelchairs repaired.

Strange thing,
but often times
when I get back home
from the orphanage,
I feel like I am still there.

Goodnight,
Yours in Christ: Dick
























Tuesday, October 13, 2009, 9:11 PM

The kids have all been fed and the majority of them have gone home. The number of overnight guests is at an all time low. Only Keven and Miguel are spending the night and they are 2 of my quieter ones.

I had planned on returning to Hermano Pedro today but that was before I found another broken stud on one of the front wheels of my car. I think that my mechanic thinks I am crazy because I always get them fixed when ever I find a broken one. I think that most people here in Guatemala believe that there are 6 of them on each wheel so that you can wait until 4 or five of them break before worrying about getting them fixed. Unfortunately I have seen to many cars, trucks, and buses loose tires and go over cliffs to go along with that philosophy.

(File Photo)

"I am afraid that I will wear my camera out
if I take a new picture every time my car breaks."

I also put new tires on my car today. The man that installed my new tires gave me the same look that my mechanic did. I am sure he was wondering why I wanted new tires when the cords were not even showing on my old ones. Guess I'm just a big chicken but I hate blowouts on curvy mountain roads.

After getting my car fixed I took 4 of my kids out to eat. Today was Cesar's birthday and he had asked me a few days ago if we could do something special on it. I had given him several choices some of which included most of the kids but he opted for going out to eat at a place that was a little more expensive and having only his brother Miguel and 2 of the other kids join us. We went up to my favorite place Restaurant 56. They originally came by this name because they were located a mile post 56 on the Pan American Highway. About a year and a half ago they moved to an old plantation and are now no longer on the highway but the name still stuck. Sure makes telling some one how to get there hard but it is a great place as long as you can find it.

After ordering their meal the boys decided to play a little soccer while they waited for their meal. I never did get the story straight but while playing soccer Marcos some how fell into a plastic swimming pool. When he complained that he was getting cold Miguel unselfishly traded clothing with him. I have a feeling that there may have been a little guilt involved in Miguel's generous offer though because I overheard the other boys saying something about Marcos being helped into the pool.


After lunch and a little more soccer we headed up to the home of Maria Isabel and her family. Maria and her brother and sister were campers at our first camp 9 years ago. With in the past few years both her brother and sister have died but in spite of deteriorating health Maria continues to come to camp.

While we were at Maria's we were introduced to a lady that had a relative that was in need of a wheelchair. So after visiting with Maria and her family the lady and a few of Maria's relatives climbed into the car with us and we drove to where this other family lives. When we reached this home we received a warm greeting from a family that I had never met before. The man that needed a wheelchair was in his mid twenties. He was lying in the dirt playing with a few sticks and some plastic bowls. The family told us that he had been mental handicapped from birth and that he usually just laid on the ground. We were told that his mother could no longer lift and move him because she broke her arm a few months ago. Her arm had not healed properly and it appeared to be infected. After taking measurements and feeling out the paper work that would be needed to get a wheelchair for this young man I talked to mom about getting in to Hermano Pedro and seeing a doctor. The conversation was actually quite interesting because I had to speak in English to Fernando who would then speak in Spanish to a brother of the man that was lying on the ground. This man would then speak Queche to his mother who would then answer back to him in the same language and the son would then speak to Fernando in Spanish and Fernando would speak to me in English. If you think that my explanation of the conversation was confusing you should have herd the actual conversation. Some how though we seemed to communicate and soon we will be making plan for mom to come in and see a doctor.

Our visit was cut short by a thunder storm and plans to visit a few more campers were also put on hold. An hour and a half later we were back at home and not only were the 10 kids that didn't get to come along to lunch with us today hungry but the 4 that came along acted like they had not eaten in days.

Well that's about it for another day so I am going to say, "Goodnight".

Yours in Christ: Dick


Wednesday, October 14, 2009

I know that a lot of you have been praying for Florinda and for Chris and Donna's daughter Lezeth. Both underwent surgery on Monday and both are doing well. This morning Roland sent me this picture of himself and Florinda that was taken just one day after her surgery. Please pray for a fast and total recovery of both Lezeth and Florinda.


I did a bit of bill paying this morning and then headed over to Hope Haven's wheelchair factory in Antigua. Mark had contacted me a few days ago telling me they were going to be giving wheelchairs out to about a dozen kids today and wanted to know if I could help out with the seating. Wheelchairs? Kids? how could I say no. I remember back not all that many years ago when I often went half way around the world to get in on a wheelchair distribution. This one was only half hour away.

We had some interesting cases today but got most of the kids set in wheelchairs that were manufactured right in the factory where we were working. One little guy who was really severe and having frequent seizure activity required a different make of wheelchair. Mark had a used one that had been shipped in but it required some work so we had to ask the family if they could return in a few weeks, after the chair had been repaired. I hated to see them go all the way back to their home with out a wheelchair but we wanted him to get the type of wheelchair that he needed. This poor little guy had several seizure while the family was there. He even had one while I was holding him.

Thanks to the efforts of the crew that works at the wheelchair Factory and others that came to help all of the other kids went home with exactly what they needed and not only will they be a lot more comfortable and mobile but moving them around from place to place will also be a lot easier for their parents.

We did not finish up until after 6 PM so I got home a bit late. Several of the kids were waiting outside of the gate and as usual they were all hungry. By the way all 3 of the kids that were not allowed in my house because they stole from me, or while they are with me are now allowed back but they know that they have to earn my trust back and that they are being watched closely.

Goodnight,
Yours in Christ: Dick


Tuesday, October 15, 2009

Today I spent another day at Hermano Pedro. Believe it or not I spent the entire day there with out taking any kids out to lunch. Not that I did not get asked by no less then 25 kids but I simply had too many things to do. My Main focus today was on Alex who once again no longer fit into his wheelchair. I wish that the reason that Alex's chair needed to be modified for the third time in six months was because he has been growing that fast but even though he has finally been putting on some weight that is not the main reason that his wheelchair had to be modified. Alex has to be one of the happiest most content people that I have ever met. All it takes is some one to say his name or pay him the slightest bit of attention and his smile lights up the room. It sort of makes me ashamed of myself because when I am not feeling 100% or am having a bad day, I am afraid that I do not do a lot of smiling. Alex on the other hand has a lot of bad days and as twisted as his little body is becoming I am sure that he has to be hurting a lot. There have been several evenings in the past few years that I have left the orphanage wondering if Alex would be there to greet me with that smile of his the next day but miraculously he is still with us, and I think that I know why. God has put Alex and other kids like him on earth so that they can minister to us. No Alex does not preach to me when I see him. The fact is Alex can not talk at all, but this kid, Mercedes, Ascension and many of the other kids at the orphanage have taught me more than I could have ever imagined. Today I attempted to make Alex's life just a little better for him by modifying his bed and giving his wheelchair a new seating system. Today Alex made my life a lot better by simply being Alex.Goodnight:
Yours in Christ: Dick


Friday, October 16, 2009

I was awaken at 6:30 by a pounding on my gate and the ringing of my doorbell. I figured that it was Fernando who was gong to come along and interpret for me today but he was an hour and a half early. I tried to ignore the knocking and ringing but after about 10 minutes of it I decided that that this nights sleep had ended. Had it been one of the other kids I would likely have reacted differently, but it was Etiline. This morning it was the doorbell, but Etiline seems to have a knack for pushing a lot of wrong buttons whenever she is around. In a not to pleasant voice I told her that she know better than to come to the gate that early in the morning and that I had told her and the other kids a hundred times that if I did not answer the gate after they had knocked 2 times it meant that I was sleeping or busy with something else. True I had told all of the kids the same thing but had I told them all in the same tone of voice that I was now using on Etiline? It made me think. Do I always treat the kids that come into my house or other people that I deal with in the same manner or do I let some of them get under my skin and retaliate by showing in my voice or mannerisms that they are not one of my favorites? I wonder how I would feel if my Heavenly Father did that to me.

"Father please help me to treat each and every child that comes into my home with the same unconditional love that you give to each of your children.

Surprise! Fernando had no school today. Good reason though, his teacher said that he had to get some work done and didn't any students around to bother him. Fernando was a great help to me though because I wanted to do a bit more camp recruiting and could find no one that could come along and interpret for me. Cesar was more than willing but his English is no better than my Spanish. Before heading out to see any camper the 3 of us made a quick trip down to Hermano Pedro. A man was there that lived very close to the man that I met a few weeks ago that had lost his leg in an electrical accident and he was willing to deliver the wheelchair to him when he returned home in a few days.






After dropping off the wheelchair we headed to San Martin and visited several people that we wanted to invite to camp.








We got home in time to gather up the rest of the crew and have our weekly soccer game. I am happy to say that for the first time in several weeks I didn't go home with any new injuries. I wish that I could credit that to finally getting into shape but the real reason is that since 13 of my kids showed up to play 2 of us decided to be fans instead of players.




After the game the entire crew came over for supper. Tonight's supper was an easy one. This evening just before we went to play ball Alex's mom was going around the neighborhood selling tamales. When I told her that I wanted to buy 2 dozen of them she told me that she would make me a good deal and give me 2 more at no additional cost. The 13 of us got 2 tamales each and Alex's mom had her biggest sell of the week. The only part that I am still trying to figure out is why she only gave me 2 tamales for free when 3 of the kids that a fed were hers. Some how I think that she came out a little better on this business deal than I did.

Never the less the kids all went home with full stomachs. Come to think of it they didn't all go home with full stomachs. Five of them are calling this home for the night.Goodnight,
Yours in Christ: Dick

Journal, October 3-8, 2009

Thursday, October 8, 2009

I know that my last journal entry was on October 2 and that I am suddenly jumping to October 8 but before filling you in on some of the things that took place this week I want to make you aware of what has been happening with Florinda, the little girl that Roland Elf and myself brought in to Hermano Pedro a few months ago. I have been on the road recruiting for camp a lot lately so it has been difficult for me to keep as close of an eye on some of the kids that we have had a hand in getting into the malnutrition ward of Hermano Pedro as I would like to. Thankfully Roland has given his all to see to it that kids like Florinda continue to get the treatment that they need. During the past year we have seen some of these kids die but praise God we have also seen some of them recover and survive. Although Florinda has gained a lot of weight and most of the time seems much healthier than when we first brought her into Hermano Pedro there are still times that we wonder weather or not she is going to make it. During the past few weeks progress has been made in determining what her condition is and what can be done for her.


Here are parts of some e-mails that Roland has sent me during the past several days.

Sept 25, 2009

Hi Dick,


Florinda update: I had another long conversation with the sister of Florinda and I think it will work fine tomorrow. They has said to her that her and her mother has to be at Social work HP at 9 o’clock so that they will leave their village early tomorrow. She said that they has said that they leave to the national hospital at 9 or at 10 o’clock from Hermano Pedro to travel the national hospital I also explained to her sister that Florinda just has to be a the national hospital a short time to have that Edema in her right knee cured and when she will return to Hermano Pedro ward, she is going to explain this to her mother to avoid that her mother take Florinda home, that would be a disaster, the reason for that she started to think so , is that the national hospitals has bad fame, and she is afraid that Florinda instead of being better will be sicker,....but also the social worker said yesterday that they will explain, I got very very nervous because of this, but her sister understood what I said and this risk is gone now, she will explain to her mother.


Sept 29, 2009

Hi Dick,

Here is a little update about Florinda.

I have today talked to the woman at Social work at HP and she explained the situation. And I also talked to Xiomara. Hopefully tomorrow there will be an answer from the doctor at national hospital if it is necessary an operation of Florinda’s knee that is swollen of edema. Or if it is possible at the moment. The social worker said that is not possible that Florinda’s mother can take away Florinda and bring her back to HP without an agreement between HP and the hospital, the risk is that if she tries to do that the result can be that Florinda can’t return to any of these places. She said that Florinda has to be there now, but if the mother is patient and let them do the treatments, including injections that they are giving Florinda for some reason. Florinda can come back to HP. The social worker said that the mother and her elder sister need to be at the hospital all the time taking care of Florinda all the time, which can be a long time, maybe weeks. Until she can come back to HP.


September 30, 2009

Hi Dick,

I was over half a day at the hospital with little Florinda, her mother and sister. I hold her for a moment and I gave her massage and she became calm for a moment. You can see that Florinda continue to suffer of pain, one moment she is calm and the other she starts to cry. I think you can see how tiered her mother and sister was. Her sister had been with Florinda all the night and she had not slept at all and they are still there. Mother talked again yesterday with me (Saturday) about taking Florinda with her to her home, and she has asked me (in her language Mayan Kiche) to search for a private doctor, I wish could find the best surgeon neurologist. When I was there her mother became more calm and she changed her decision to take Florinda to her home, but yesterday she was again talking about that, she is very afraid and not pleased with the hospital. She said that the nurses are sticking needles in Florinda's arms, and I phoned the doctor and she said it has to be done because for the medicines the vain has to be changed each two or three days. One big problem is that her mother does not understand Spanish at all, her elder daughter does, but I think that also for her it is difficult to understand. Florinda received tomography at the capital, I talked to the doctor at the hospital on Friday, and she explained the result, but it was a difficult to understand on phone, if I understood correctly the cause of Florinda's suffering was an infection that created some kind of a "bag" with liquid in her head that causes several problems including the seizures, convulsions. This "bag" has to be taken away she said, an operation, so that there can be any possibility to take away the pains, and I think perhaps it also can mean that her brain will have space to develop, I am not sure exactly how it is. I hope to receive more detailed information from the doctor soon.


October 6 2009:

Hi Dick,

Emergency situation

Florinda is now having fever and seizures (her eye goes up and she is having problems with her breathing told me her sister today) I am very sorry to tell this: The national hospital did not release Florinda but on Saturday in the afternoon her mother made the decision to take away Florinda from there, she acted in panic, not trusting the hospital at all and since Saturday night Florinda has been in their adobe house without any medicines etc. The doctor who I came to know on Wednesday unfortunately was not there during Saturday and Sunday, she returned to the hospital yesterday. On Saturday I had been talking to several persons and I thought that they would wait until Monday when the doctor was going to return. I explained several times directly and later on phone that mother has to have patience but she decided to bring Florinda home.

Roland and I both realize much like in the case of Lisvi who's family decided to take her home where she died less than 2 weeks later, this family has the right to make the this decision, but unlike Lisvi's family Florinda's mother wants her daughter to receive medical help. Even after making what I consider a mistake of taking her daughter back home with her she has been pleading with us to find a doctor that can treat her daughter. Unfortunately the decision that she made because of her fear of national hospitals may very well have severed her ties with Hermano Pedro.

Please keep this precious child in your prayers. Pray also for wisdom on our part. It would perhaps be easiest to say we did our best and that it is time to let go but even though mother made a decision that we warned her not to make she is pleading for help. Roland told me that during a telephone conversation that he had with Florinda's mom last night he could hear Florinda screaming and crying in the background.


Saturday, October 3 - Wednesday, October 7, 2009

A lot has been going on during the past 5 days, so much in fact that I have had no time to write about it. I thought about thinking back and detailing everything that happened in chronological order but have neither the time or the memory to do that. Here than is a hodgepodge of some of the things that have gone during the past several days.

Everyone has a photographic memory…
Some of us just don’t have film.

I do remember having lots of kids around during the weekend.

It was wall to wall kids As usual.

Those that did not fit downstairs stayed upstairs.

Oh, Oh, I forgot I live in a one story house.
I hope that it didn't rain that night.

We even made it to church.

My good friend John Sherrill and his 3 daughters are here for a week.

The boys and I took them to Hermano Pedro to spend some time with the orphanage kids.

No arm twisting was required to get this family to love on the kids.

My kids didn't require any prodding either.

, ,,, On Tuesday Chris, John, John's 3 Daughters and myself
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,.Brought some water filters to a village.

The 450 families that live in this village have only shallow wells and the water is extremely contaminated.

We only gave out 7 filters.

We will be monitoring them closely before giving out any more. They are a new design and are smaller than a soup can. If they are half as good as the company that makes them claims they are they may be much better than anything that we have seen used in the past.

Chris had no problem finding volunteers that were more than eager to try the pure water that flowed from these new filters.

Up until today these children have been drinking the water that came directly from their polluted wells.

Raw sewage and water from polluted ponds quickly seeps through the sand and gets directly into these wells that are only a few feet deep.

Most homes do not even have outhouses because allowing human waist to lye on the ground is better than having it go into a hole that is often times lower than the water table.

If these filters can save the life of even one of these precious children it will be worth it.

After giving out and setting up the Water filters we traveled to the coast with a few of the people that work at the Clinic in La Gomara.

After a boat ride to where the river ran into the ocean we ate lunch at a little restaurant and then went and looked at some land that was for sale. We are still praying that we can relocate the family that has the 3 children that have brittle bone disease.

Each time that I have visited in the past I have been told that father was out working. It was not until today that we discovered that several months ago he walked out on his wife and 8 children. I have seen my share of poverty in the 10 years that I have been in Guatemala but this situation is one of the worst that I have run across.

Wednesday we had a wheelchair distribution in Mazatenango.

Over 60 wheelchairs were given out and several people gave or rededicated their lives to Jesus.

One of the highlights of my day was being able to give wheelchairs and walkers to 2 little boys that I just happened to run across while recruiting for camp a few weeks ago.


Seeing Mario and myself talking to a man that was in a wheelchair the mothers of both of these children approached us asking if we knew where they could receive help for their sons neither of whom could walk. As it turned out we just happened to have a wheelchair distribution scheduled in their town a few weeks later.

GODINCIDENCE?




YES INDEED!

Thursday, October 8, 2009, 9:06 PM

I did it! I finally got caught up on my journal! You may be wondering what I did most of the day. My first sentence pretty much sums up a lot of what I did today. (I finally got caught up on my journal!) That and getting my car back into shape for my next outing which is planned for tomorrow. Since I plan to be on the road (or trail) for the next several days I think that I will send this journal out tonight. I also moved my weekly soccer game with the kids up a few days. That perhaps helps explain why writing this week's journal took a bit longer than usual. It is not easy to type with a swollen wrist. I am still getting letters that suggest that I act my age and leave the soccer playing to the kids but I figure that a stiff wrist from playing soccer is far better than stiff bones from sitting to long in my rocking chair.

Goodnight,
Yours in Christ: Dick