Guatemala Photo Of The Day – Right Place, Right Time

Betty’s oldest son, Marcos, is blind.  He lost his sight as a young child when a surgical procedure damaged his optic nerves.  In a town like Santo Domingo Xenacoj, there is little hope for a blind person.  They don’t have Seeing Eye dogs.  They have little opportunity for finishing school or for getting a job.  And there is not a government-funded welfare system to support blind people (or other disabled people).  It’s sad to think about what could or will happen to Marcos if something happens to his mom, his grandfather, or his aunt.

Marcos who is 14 does not go to school.  School’s in villages like Xenacoj are not set up to educate the visually impaired.  This means Marcos spends much of his time in the confines of his home – the small “yard” and the house.  Marcos listens to music and plays with a cheap plastic recorder most of the day.

As we were building his new house, we were blessed by the beautiful melodies coming from Marcos and his recorder.  Marcos clearly has a talent – a gift – for music unlike most others.  Our team commented to each other several times during construction that Marcos should record his music.

Our missionary partner, Dave, had the same thoughts after hearing Marcos’ music for the first time.  He started talking with Marcos, and he soon began dreaming about using Marcos’ music to support Marcos.  He began vision-casting a way to record, produce, and sell the music.

Shortly after this, we learned that this is actually the dream that Marcos has for his music.  It’s unlikely that Marcos could make this happen on his own, but Dave could probably find a way.  It’s amazing when life converges or even conspires to reveal something beyond our intentions.

We wanted to build a house for a widow and her family.  We knew this would provide protection from the elements, a concrete floor, and beds to sleep.  We believed this would lead to other tangible benefits.  But we didn’t know how else this home might change things for this family.  A recording opportunity for Marcos may just be the tip of the iceberg – the beginning of change for Betty’s family.

Did this happen by accident?

I don’t think so.  Being in the right place at the right time starts by following God’s callings in your life.  Our family felt the call to serve in Guatemala, and we responded by going.  We want to be in the right place at the right time.  How about you?

How have you heard God’s calling in your life?  How have you responded?  When have you experienced being in the right place at the right time?

Guatemala Photo Of The Day – Looking Out For Each Other

Introducing Marcos!

I’ll tell you more about Marcos in the coming days.  He is the oldest of Betty’s five children.  He’s blind, but he still watches out for his youngest siblings.  And they watch out for him too.

Who is looking out for you?  And how are you looking out for others?

Guatemala Photo Of The Day – The Three Musketeers

Introducing Jose!

Jose is the boy on the left, and he is the youngest boy in the family.  I don’t think he appeared in any of the Guatemala Photo of the Day posts so far.

Together, Betty’s youngest children make up The Three Musketeers.  They kept us entertained throughout the days as we worked on their new home.

“All for one, and one for all!”

Guatemala Photo Of The Day – Smiles And Frisbees Are Universal

Leanne is a preschool teacher in the United States, so it’s not surprising that she would find connection with Rosita and her youngest brothers.

Going on a mission trip to a foreign country can be pretty scary.  Short-term missionaries often wonder how they will connect with the people they are serving.  They also wonder how their gifts might be used in a place that is not familiar to them.

Leanne expressed concern that she couldn’t speak Spanish and would struggle to connect with those in Xenacoj, but I think this picture shows that smiles and frisbees are universal.  Since returning home, Leanne has been taking Spanish at our local community college.  She will be taking her first written final exam in many years this week when she finishes up the class.  She is looking forward to continuing these studies, so she’s ready to talk with Rosita and the other children in the village our family has come to know and love.

What scares you about going to a foreign land?  How do you think your skills and gifts be used in a place like Xenacoj?

Guatemala Photo of the Day – Ultimate Frisbee

Our kids brought down a couple of frisbees, and they came in handy with the children of Xenacoj.  Rosita and Jose treasured this simple gift from the United States.

For them it was an “ultimate” frisbee.

Guatemala Photo of the Day – Setting the Beam

When you build a house there are a few very critical things. First, the foundation must be firm. Second, the main beams must be level and secure.

In this picture, we are setting the back beam for the house. This step took longer than I expected, but it was absolutely essential to building a house that will last for a long time in Guatemala. The funny thing is that this beam is probably not even noticed now that the rest of the house is built up around it. But it’s still there.

Your foundation and your central beam is essential to living a life that matters. Have you spent the time necessary to lay a firm foundation and to set a level beam?

Guatemala Photo of the Day – Not Just Standing Around

Honest, I was helping here.

Holding up the beam as others secured it didn’t seem all that challenging, but it was part of the process. It took us an hour (or a little longer) to finish this task. Once we got going though, the house started coming together.

Sometimes we have to stand around a little bit to see how things will develop. I’m not always good at waiting, but Guatemala provided several reminders that it’s okay to stand around.

Guatemala Photo of the Day – A Family Meeting

I’m not sure what was going on here, but it looks like El Abuelo is taking time to listen to two of his grandchildren.  This family meeting was one of many as we worked on their new home.

I’m guessing these moments were repeated time and time again before and after we left.

There is something powerful about a grandfather spending time with his grandchildren.  They may not understand now, but he has such amazing wisdom to pass down to these young ones.  These family meetings are essential to life!

Guatemala Photo of the Day – Measure Once, Cut Twice…Or Is It The Other Way Around?

When we arrived on the job site the first day, German Espana had hired a couple of local workers to assist us with the house.

At first, I was a little bummed out that we weren’t doing this ourselves.  Then I saw what they were up to and how they navigated the roof of the house, and I was so thankful German made this decision.

In this picture, they are preparing the one of the two main beams in the house.  These were so long that they required marrying together several pieces of lumber.  They spent considerable time getting these two long beams together, and it was definitely worth it.  After taking the first beam apart, it was obvious we all would benefit from measuring twice and cutting once.  This is a lesson we would relearn as we built this first house.

Guatemala Photo of the Day – Proud Mama

Do you see the smile on Betty’s face?

She’s a proud mother.  She is blessed with five children who each have incredible personality and unique talents.  As she looks over the shoulder of her son, Fernando, she is full of happiness as her new home begins to take shape.