A Year of Seeing The Lord

Before anything, I want to give the glory to God for everything and for every day this past year.  I see and I have experienced the faithfulness in abundance of my God toward me. I see God seeking me out, I see God going through me whole day, I see God when I hold my son in my arms, I see God when I see my baby girl dancing, I see God in my wife’s faithfulness and love, but when I see myself I see how much more I need to seek God. In my sinful nature and my imperfection I see how much God loves me. On the sixth day of creation I picture God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit in their workshop putting their heads together and thinking and planning and creating the perfect being in His own image; that is you and that is me. What shocks me is in the first five days He said it was good in everything that he did, but when he created man he said it was not good for man to be alone. But why? Because God created us to be in unity not to work alone, not to live alone, not to pray alone, not to love alone, not to walk alone, and for sure not to do ministry alone. So today I want to tell you one more time that you are not a number you are family, and the ministry we do in Guatemala God didn’t just give it to me, but he gave it to all of you as well. Because of you the one that prays, the one that gives, and you the one that goes, have been and still are investing in us, therefore, my ministry is your ministry, and my people are your people, and my God is your God. So, if you think you just give, or you just pray or you just do missions sometimes, let me tell you that you are wrong, because as I said God did not make us to do ministry alone and therefore, you have been joined in this with us as ONE. 

Romans 12:4-5 ⁴ For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, ⁵ so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.

 In this New Year I want to tell you how much I appreciate you and how much you mean to me. I wish I could tell you what I know or write about you because all of you have struggles of all kinds and even through with your pains, restrictions, and setbacks you have been faithful and you have loved us constantly. I have seen you cry, I have seen you doubt, I have seen you confused, I have seen you broken, and there is so much I want to tell you, but mostly that in all of this I have seen God in you. I have seen you loving me and trusting me with your resources, stay with me, bare with me, keep working with me for this ministry needs all of us.

Here is a bit of what has gone on here is year:

I am still working( I haven’t been fired J) as a pastor in a great organization, manna worldwide, they have entrusted me with their church and their people that they have invested in and prayed for. Please pray that I keep gaining favor in their eyes and in the eyes of the Lord with this big responsibility. In the San Lucas church we have seen growth throughout this last year.  I was ordained as a pastor, we had three babies dedicated to the Lord and seven baptisms, and many have received Christ.  We have started a women’s and men’s group and have seen the people start to open up and relax, and our hope is to see these groups start to make community within the church and that we can live more as one body. Also, we have been able to start English classes to help with the people’s desire to learn.  Many new things and faces this past year and we are praying for this New Year to bring people that love and serve the Lord.

A year and a half ago we gained a daughter, she is now 11 year olds. She has lived with us and it has been hard, so hard, we have lost battles, dropped many tears, gotten angry, and lost peace. And today I can tell you there is still a long way to go, but we choose hope. My American mom showed me God and gave me a blessing and I intend to pass that on, so one day Johana, my new daughter, can pass that on as well.  Join us in prayer for strength, endurance, guidance, and love.

In San Mateo we took a few steps back because we lost the place that we were in, but we are still fighting the good fight. We need so much for that place. We are feeding 75 kids Mondays and Wednesdays, so for now we feed twice a week and I look forward to the day when we can feed all week. On the upside this year San Mateo kids had a huge blessing of being able to enjoy a Christmas lunch out in Antigua where they all ate chicken and played and got to experience something not many of them have ever done before thanks to this special donation.

We had a wonderful team of youth join us this year for a week and we were able to build an addition on to a house, and for another family a kitchen area and a bathroom, as well as many food baskets and stoves for those in need. We are so thankful for their hard work.

We had two girls that ONE for Guate sponsored to go to school this year and they successfully passed and we are so thankful to see their future impacted in this great way. Pray for the new school year and new challenges that they will be completed with this His power.

This year finally I can take my family to the market, to the store, to school, and to dates knowing that my car will not break on me. Thanks to Grace church I can tell you now that I am so happy for our reliable car (that all my kids fit in and it even has a/c) and confident that I can move around without worrying that I may lose my brakes, as I did twice with my old car. Praise the Lord for functional gift.

This year we had the amazing opportunity to go to Texas and visit a church and we felt completely loved and taken care of. We are so blessed to have gone, to have met, and reconnected, but most of all blessed to know the feeling of being loved and accepted by the church body as a family. We don’t have words for how thankful and how deeply touched we are. We thank the Lord for always seeing us and caring for us beyond measure.

We were able to touch many people through many random contributions that are not seen by many, but are so helpful. Just a few examples: medicine for a baby with pneumonia, tests for cancer, food, car repairs for a pastor, San Mateo kitchen helpers Christmas donation, and many more. Please realize every dollar makes a difference in even the smallest ways because giving is a blessing, giving is multiplied, and giving changes lives. For that we want to thank you for every single dollar you have given, every prayer you have given, every encouraging word you have given, and every second you have given. ONE for Guate is thankful for you, for this body, for the way God has woven us together.

Fast and furious(maybe a little more fast than furious)

              June was a good month and also a very fast month. It seemed to fly by in almost every way. However, fast doesn’t mean bad it just means busy. Also, not a bad busy, a busy that we love because there was much work to be done and that meant we got to see many people blessed. We got to see a house be built for a family that goes to our church and was completed in one day even the leveling of the whole piece of land. On top of that another family of our church was blessed with a part of their land being leveled and a semi-retaining wall built to prevent water washout from happening. Our church was cleaned, leveled, painted and cleared of debris by a wonderful church from California. Multiple family visits were made including returning to the family from last month of the 9 nine brother with around 30 family members in total. On top of all this at the first of the month we were able to visit near the volcano to bring some relief materials. God is good in the way he provides, takes care of, and overwhelms.

               We have had the joy of having friends from Texas here in Guatemala this month which has been wonderful and refreshing. They have been going through a marriage conference with the pastors and leaders of manna worldwide here in Guatemala. It has been nice to be invested in, taught, loved, and taken care of in this way. It has shown us the leaders, pastors, and teachers need to be taken care of as well. To not always be the ones running the show, but to be able to come listen and just take in the blessing of being invested in is so so important. So I challenge you if you are not one of the people in these positions search, pray, and seek how you could invest in those that are the ones normally doing the investing. Because it is a blessing to take care of, but also to be taken care of.  Thank the Lord for His people and the work and love of His people.

This month we ask specifically for prayer for our church: for male leadership, volunteers, and that our church may be filled with people that truly love Him.

Personally we ask for prayer for health for our family, as we have been battling with stomach viruses this month.

Thank you for your love, support, and prayer from afar; we feel it, need it, and appreciate it greatly!

We Are Still Here

We Are Still Here

As the month ends I see the blessings that I have every single day. Also, it is always a privilege to work with wonderful people. After 2 and a half years we, ONE for Guate ministry, had our first group from Elberton Christian church Georgia. We visited San Mateo and visited two families that were blessed with a half of a bunk bed and pastor Angel and his family were blessed with a wood burning stove.  In addition, our volunteer moms that work in San Mateo were given food baskets and shoes what a day what a long day, but a blessed day.  In San Lucas we also visited one family that needed a wood burner stove; however, once we hike what seemed like the whole day and all the gringos got really tired we notice that the people that we visited didn’t have a roof for their stove. The visit that was suppose to last no more than one hour took us half a day.  So this family got a roof, a stove, a bunk bed and a new walls and roof for their bathroom that was not in our plans, but for sure it was in God’s plans.  I saw hard work and kindness from Elberton even though this was not the plan and even though we went over budget I want to believe they saw God in their sacrifice.

In addition, Elberton visited eight more families in San Lucas and built a small house for another family this was two more days of hard work and 8 food baskets for people that needed it.  Many people were blessed this month by God and by His servants from Elberton and from Manna worldwide ministry. Yesterday, June 6 I deliver the last food baskets(left by Elberton church) to a lady that just had a baby a few days ago. So to summarize the week I will say that God works everything for good. 

Elberton left the country June 1 and June 3 Guatemala suffered the wrath for the volcano named, Fuego (fire), Fuego began spewing lava and ashes into the sky destroying towns around and killing everything in its way.  From that day till now I have seen Guatemala in pain and tears and as Peter cried out to Jesus “save Me” I am doing it today save us father save us.  I am sad that my people are in pain, but I am happy that our volunteers are ok and today will end, but tomorrow will be a new beginning.  On the other hand I have seen Guatemala as one and Manna worldwide working and serving the people that are in need right now.  I am so grateful with Manna this specific organization does so much for our people and today they are here working hand in hand with the Guatemalans giving food, beds, water, cloth, and so so much more.  Before Elberton church left they left me some donations to give away eventually, but when we didn’t know was the tragedy that happened afterwards with the eruption of the volcano.  We ended up having 8 full sizes trash bags with cloth and shoes for those in need from the eruption, so Elberton church I want to say THANK YOU.   Manna worldwide THANK YOU, all those that pray and give in many ways I want to say THANK YOU.

PS. Our family and our ministry are ok just ashes rained on us.   If you want to help all these families from the volcano please let me know there is much to do.

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April showers bring May flowers!

April showers bring May flowers.

This month we have been showered with sickness. Our baby has been well for maybe only a few days the whole month. We are all currently going through a stomach bug. It seems to have been pouring down on us this month. However, in the midst of all this we have seen the Lord so much as well. He has sent people to encourage and revive us. He has spoken to us. He has shown His power. Even through such a difficult month in the home, I think I have heard us and others say more than even how GOOD our GOD is. So in the showers YES we are seeing flowers!

When we returned from the states the work in san Lucas has been amazing. I have met new friends and I have seen old friends as well. I have been tired, I have been sick, but also I have been happy because God never stops amazing me. This month we were able to serve more than 800 people in the medical field. We were able to provide general medicine, dentistry, optometry, and pediatrics. In, addition to all of this we have visited many families and been able to provide food and water filters that last for ten years. It has been such a blessing to work with Manna Worldwide and their teams.

As I have said before it is not always flowers sometimes it is rain. I had the chance to invest time into different families, one of these families live close to the church they are rude, mean, and bully others. It has come to my attention that the community does not care for them (of course I am generalizing). Many of our feeding center kids complain about them, that they insult them, bully them, and throw rocks at them. Other people say the father of the family have raped his daughters ( I pray to God this is not true, because I have no proof). When I went to visit them, what I did see was a controlling father, I brought a peace offering with me (I brought food) and I had the chance to meet his two older daughters. All of the children always look dirty and this time sad as well. The family told me about their brother (19y/o) that just got killed two weeks ago, he was stabbed in the back and could not make it to the hospital in time. Also, three years ago another brother (15y/o) was shot in the heart and died instantly. So they are devastated now, that two men of the family have been killed and are only left with little kids. I prayed for them and left without saying very much. That same day by coincidence, I met a second family that also lost a nephew, I found out that the same boy from the other family and this nephew were fighting to kill each other and the two of them died and another one is in prison. I prayed for them as well. In this family there are nine brother and all grow with their families equaling around 30 people that live on this piece of land. This day I have the pleasure of seeing one of the sisters accepted Christ.

A few weeks later I went to see the first family again with a team and this time we brought a water filter and a food basket. By now I already knew them more and every time I see them I say hi. This time we talked to one of the sisters her name is Olga, while we were talking to her we let her know that they need Jesus they have suffered so many losses and it is time to do something different. Ryan Jones, Manna mission leader, explained to her Christ through the water filter, and how God is the only one that can clean our sins and that there is nothing that we can do to clean ourselves. When I asked her if she wanted to accept Christ she said yes and that it was a good idea to do it, However, she needed to ask her dad first. She is a lady with kids and is in her 30’s but still felt that she needed to ask her dad. During my time in Guatemala I have seen my people being chained by ideas, by religion, by family, and by ignorance. They are tied to many things that are not Christ. But I know that none of this is my God because He is freedom. Pray for me so that God will give me wisdom to guide His people, and humbleness to give Him the glory.

Two month ago I started advertizing to our church, baptism, and finally this past Sunday we got to baptize 8 people. Praise the Lord! During these two months in different occasions and many times people have approached me, and have asked me can I get baptized? Can I get baptized if I’m not married? Can I get baptized if I have done it before? Can I get baptized if I was baptized in another church? Can I get baptized if I don’t serve in this church? What would you say? What should I say? This is what God said, “repent and come back to me”. So I said baptize. These were 8 flowers for our church to see the baptism and following in Christ. 4 last year and 8 this year, God is multiplying.

On the other hand, in San Mateo, the other village that ONE for Guate works in, we unfortunately lost the building where we were feeding in due to the land lord getting tired of the noise from the church and from our kids. So we got kicked out, but the pastors that we work with in San Mateo in a few days found another place to use. Now our need is bigger in San Mateo, we need supporters and we need churches to help us. The word of God says, “You are the light and the salt of the world.” ;and ” to take care of the widow and the orphan”. This is what we are trying to do and we are so grateful for each of you that come along side of us and take part in fulfilling these commands.

Please continue to pray for our family and for the work the Lord is doing in the people around us as well.

We will fail, but God will lift us up..

It has been too long since we wrote a blog I  am sorry for that.  The past two months have been crazy especially in our house because everything has been breaking.  There is always something that needs to be fixed or replaced.  Our house, our car, our computer etc seems like it has no end and that is just a few of our problems, but at the end of every day the sun shows up the next day and we see a new beginning. 

Matthew 5:45  that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

When I think of my problems I think of this verse and I remember that God haven’t promised us comfort or that all of our problems will be solved.  All of us are children of God and many times we will have battles and many times we are going to fail and doubt so the question is not when we are going to fail, but how we are going to rise.  Also, my life of ministry brings me to another interesting verse in the bible

Psalm 37:23-24 King James Version (KJV)

The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way.

Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand.

When man falls it is not saying IF but when brothers and sisters this is life we are going to have dark days and sunny days and God still will be with us so we have to remember a few things:

1.      He orders every single step we make good or bad, sad or happy, He is there and He knows.

2.      WHEN we fail we will not be completely destroyed, and how many examples we have in the bible just remember that.

In our difficulties we must come back to how good and powerful of a God we serve. That He is for us and not against us. That we need to abide in Him; in His name, in His word, in His love, and in His truth. We are imperfect, We fall. We lose heart. We get down, We get frustrated. WE MUST COME BACK TO HIM! Why…. Because He is the source of life, the source of hope, the source of all…because HE is ALL! This world is fading away but some days this world seems all too big in our eyes and we must discipline ourselves to refocus our minds and hearts on our good Father.

In these past few months we have had such a wonderful pleasure of having some great friends come and visit and do ministry alongside us. The presence of brothers and sister in Christ here with us is so encouraging and more than a blessing. Also, having Manna teams coming giving their time, energy, and blessings to the people we work with is such a beautiful picture of the Lord for us to get to be a part of.

About a week ago we had the privilege of being a part of a 17 year old boy, we have been working with, become a Christian. It has been good to watch God change an arrogant heart into one that is humble enough to see the need for our wonderful savior. Pray for him in his spiritual growth and relationship with the Lord.  

Please keep praying for us as a new year we have new struggles and old struggles and remember you are not a number you are family.  Also, if we can pray for you guys please let us know.

Prayer list:

Car. Our car is a 22 years old and every week something different is breaking.

 Supporters for San Mateo feeding center we have 75 kids.

Partners in ministry in every way.

Computer.

Remember Manna World Wide (San Lucas feeding center)

Kevin- new Christian

finishes

                For us here in Guatemala October is a month of finishing. The kids finish school and start their two months of vacation. We finish our last month of the feeding center in San Mateo for the year. The six months of rainy season (Hopefully) is finishing this month! With many things coming to an end it brings our prayers to two things; one of thankfulness and the other of hopefulness. First we must look back on all the Lord has done and see how faithful he has been to provide, protect, and love. It is amazing to see the ways he has given to our family as well as to so many families around us. Also, to watch his hand and how he has orchestrated: people to meet, friendships to be made, needs to be met, vision to be given, food to be given.  For all of this that has happened we are thankful to our Lord.  Secondly, we look forward with hopefulness for the year to come. We are hopeful for our feeding center to open back up in January. We look forward to seeing the Lords hand work as always in amazing ways. We hope in Him for support and provision for another year. We are hopeful for health and protection. We hope to see peoples financial needs met by the people of God. We hope more than anything to see people (including ourselves) grow more and closer to our Savior Jesus Christ in genuine relationship. We hope you see God in what we do.

               As the year is coming to an end I thank God because in January it will be two years since we moved here and God has provided all this time and we pray that he keeps doing it. I have to believe in God because without Him all of this would be impossible. We moved to Guatemala with very little support but the hardest thing was not the money it was the lack of moral and spiritual support, but in all our trails God has been faithful and people like you have been faithful. I want to say thank you for those that have been helping us to carry that cross. You are the one that keeps praying for us. You the one who keeps donating. You the one that keeps sending messages of encouragement. You the one that keeps loving us even from afar. I pray to my God for you the faithful one as God has not forsaken us you have not either. In the Word we see how much God and Jesus long for consistent, faithful, and enduring followers; and our family has seen and experienced why. It is the consistent that you can lean on. It is the faithful that you can turn to. It is the enduring that you can run to. Of course the Lord wants these characteristics in His people. We are so blessed to have seen this from you! The body of Christ is about people helping those that go, emotionally, but most importantly spiritually, and loving them. Those are the three pillars that will build up a missionary, that will hold a missionary, and that will help a missionary keep going. So if you are our pillars or want to be our pillars we are asking you to keep going, do not forsake us, for my God will not forsake you.

We want to do more for long term here in Guatemala and that is why we have created our project FAMILY 300 which basically means helping a family in one of three ways: bunks beds, wood burning stove, or fixing a house/building a small house. Each project would cost $300 and these families would be blessed for 10 years or more! Our desire is to be able to have the support to do one of these projects every month!

Secondly, we want to keep feeding the people of San Mateo, we have 50 kids and the place is growing and we really need you. To keep running we have to have a total of $4,000 a year, about $400 a month to feed 50 plus kids this includes gas, food, supplies, and offerings for people that help us.                                                                                             

oneforguate@gmail.com

ONE for Guate- facebook page

Check may be sent to:

One for guate

6300 deane hill drive

Knoxville,TN 37919

RETURN

For six months I  have been waiting for my wife and kids finally two weeks ago they come back to me.  I am super excited and grateful with the Lord for allowing  me to see my family and for keeping them safe in another country.  These six months were slow and my house and my bed felt cold, every night when I went to bed and every morning when I woke up. Now my house is loud and all the food is gone… so I may change my mind hahahaha just kidding I love it!  

            But too much about me let’s talk about God and His love toward us. For the past three months I have been teaching my church the old testament. Yes, sometimes it can be boring and some books are like long books without pictures …yes I know they are something else.  Now we are in 2 Samuel and every time I study a book I see how we humans keep pushing God away while God keeps and wants to get closer to us. Don’t ask me why I don’t have an idea.  What a great God we have, since the beginning the only thing he wants is to love us, and constantly I ask myself WHY?  Look at us sinful creatures we never choose Him first and he always chooses us first.  We never love him first and always loved us first.  This is what I have learned God created the most perfect creature, but not by himself and He said LET’S make men. So who He is talking to???  And then He walks with men.  WHAT!!! Do you understand this; He was walking with them basically hanging out, chilling with these two humans.  This is our God, a powerful God, that wants to hang out with us. 

   Well this didn’t work out so He said so sorry guys but I have to kick you out because I am holy and you are not anymore, but don’t worry I will be with you and we cans still talk.  Then many years went by and God said this is not working for me so He found a guy that He liked and He called him Abraham.  God told him from you and your descendant’s kings will rise and I will make you great and He did and He made the first pact with a human.

    Then God spotted another dude and He called him Noah, well this guy was different, but was an amazing builder and God told him, hey you guess what?  You will build and arc and I will bless you and your descendants because of your obedience. And He did, so God made the second pact with another human.    

    Then He raises up Moses and told him hey you, build an arc so that my presence and my spirit can be closer to you guys. In that way I can hang out with you guys as it was intended, but you guys have to come back to me.  So God made the third pact with humans. 

But the people didn’t want this they were not excited of having a God a King or a Father that loves them they want a ruler.  They want something that they can see and touch, they don’t want God.  By now many years past and one day God heard a crazy woman crying and God thought what’s wrong with her, why she screaming, is she drunk?  God said ohhhh this is Hannah so God remembered her and gave her a baby and she called him Samuel. One day when Samuel was already older the people asked him, hey you guess what??!! And Samuel answer WHAT !!! The people said we want a King.  So Samuel answered… you have a king and the people replied no we want a king made out of flesh, so God said do what they want. God still wanted a relationship with these people so God said ok I will give them what they want and guess what they were wrong again. The people chose a gringo… well wasn’t a gringo but he looked like one (probably not) apparently this guy was a good looking dude and tall …yeah probably that’s it.  Guess what this didn’t work what can I do God ask himself???                  How can I demonstrate my love, I have done everything, I have made pacts with them, I have made signs and miracles, I have saved them so many times, I have made them great among all the nations, I have heard they cry and saved them, I have made them my people, I have given them kings just to get closer to them. Just to be able to hang out with them when are they are going to come back to me, how long I have to wait for them? So God said to himself  I have an idea what about if I give them the best of me what about if I send my kid maybe they will listen to him and finally they can come back to me.  

        My brothers and sisters this is what God wants from you to return to him if you ask yourself what does God want from me the answer is simple FOLLOW ME.  I love my family so much and I was so eager to see them again!  Just imagine how long has God been waiting for you and how long will you keep him waiting.  Two things I will tell you: love God and love his people.