Some final thoughts...

Here are some final thoughts from Edd...

Never doubt the power of God to achieve the impossible through a life wholly yielded to him...

Here's the story of a village in the heart of a country; it's a tale of two villages, actually. Aldea de Esperanza, Village of Hope, is a place where God is manifesting his glory, and extending his kingdom in ways that at first glance may be difficult to see. In another village, Chituc, there live a people whose lives are haunted by a spectre of disease, fear and want; whose only desire is to be whole and to know that they are loved. 

During our week in Guatemala, living at the crossroads of these two villages, it was the privilege of our team to bear witness to the love of Christ, expressed through the compassionate willingness of brothers and sisters at VoH who serve not from the strength of their abundance, but from their poverty of spirit. Todd and Amy Block have founded a ministry in which the transforming power of God works not only to address the material needs of many, but discloses the mystery of salvation to all those who hunger and thirst for righteousness.

There was the occasion of our team’s visit to Chituc on a day when we witnessed tangible evidence of God's provision and grace extended. As our team was returning to VoH, we passed near the home of a woman who called out to us like the blind man of Jericho. "Venga, venga, venga!" she repeated. Led by Todd and Amy’s daughter, Addisyn, our guide and translator, we learned that this woman, Teresa, knew who we were, and that as Christians, we trust in the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our afflictions. This 73 year old woman was suffering from an infection in her foot, the consequence of a surgery that left her bound to a rented wheelchair she could not afford to keep. She desperately wanted us to pray for her, which we did. Later that day VoH was able to provide her with a wheelchair that she could keep rent free, for as long as she needed it. It was the austere simplicity of moments such as this that the love of God was a blessing to Teresa, and an encouragement to our hearts. 

On another day we visited Yessica, a 21 year old woman, living with her mother in another neighborhood near San Lucas. Severely disabled, Yessica’s body is twisted by the ravages of Cerebral Palsy; she only has the ability to make facial expressions and greet guests with a single word, “Hola”. We learned from Amy that Yessica's was the first family VoH met in this neighborhood, which has opened new opportunities to show the love of Christ to other families in the area. A weekly visit by the staff to deliver food and to pray is always greeted with great affection and smiles. When we visited, Yessica seemed so excited to see us. As Addisyn fed her some crackers topped with a gelatin formulated to kill lice, Amy tenderly stroked her face and hair. Spending a few moments in prayer with Yessica and her mother, we were struck by the profound truth that the life of this young woman is precious in the sight of God. Yessica is loved, and the joy of her voiceless expression was the unmistakable song of thanksgiving--true worship to the living God.

Moments like those our team spent with Teresa and Yessica are only part of the story. Throughout our week, we learned that what God is doing through the ministry of brothers and sisters who serve at Village of Hope redeems and restores broken lives in myriad ways. For those ensnared by the violence of addiction, there is hope in deliverance; for those hollowed and defeated by the malaise of joblessness, there is hope in a purpose; for those trapped in a cycle of abuse and exploitation, there is hope in finding refuge; for those abandoned and destitute, there is hope, in receiving a name, and the welcome of a family! 

What a privilege it is to joint labor with those who display on their hands and in their hearts the marks of Christ. Men and women who may never achieve greatness or significance as man esteems such things, but who have despised the fleeting pleasures of this world to identify with those whose lives have been tempered by much affliction and travail, understanding that Christ is preparing for those who love him an eternal weight of glory that is undefiled and incorruptible, beyond all earthly comparison. -Edd

Day 6 at VOH

On our last day we visited Antigua to enjoy the history, culture, beauty, adventure, food, and even some shopping in the market. Our team split up into 3 groups for the morning.

The adventurous group headed up a hill overlooking Antigua to take in the beauty from above as they zip lined through beautiful landscape.

“Neil here. I don’t really like heights. I do like really high roller coaster drops though. Just some background info. In my humble opinion the zip line is not like a roller coaster. Case in point — I don’t doubt the safety of a roller coaster, but when I saw the cables, the engineer in me immediately wonders whether this thing is for real. I am sure the cables never break, but then why are there two? A main one and a backup one? And did they disinfect the helmet after the previous guy used it? Ok, I digress. Of course it ended up being a good balance of fear and fun, which was great. Everything went smoothly and the staff does a great job moving everyone along the course. Those of us with more um, momentum easily made it to the end landing platforms, but Thomas had to do a bit of hand-over-hand pulling himself to the end on one of the runs. No biggie. They did a good job training all of us for 2 minutes before we started. So we finished the short course and most of the group hoped to be able to do the longer and more death-defying “Superman” course (or secretly hoped not to). Ultimately the rainy conditions wouldn’t allow it. I actually was glad that they had rules in place for bad weather conditions, so I wasn’t too disappointed. Pretty sure everyone else would have done the Superman course during a hailstorm and/or monsoon.” -Neil

Another group chose to see more of the culture and history of this beautiful country…

“Our final day in Guatemala was spent touring Antigua with our wonderful team leader, Ronald. We went to Cerro de la Cruz, a park that overlooks the city, as well as the ruins of Convento de las Capuchinas and a beautiful church, Iglesia La Merced. There is such a rich, but sad, history in this country. The proud Mayan people were all but wiped out with the colonization by Spain. To this day, they are belittled and the target of racism in their land. The Catholic influence brought by Spain, while bringing 'Christianity' to Guatemala, also developed the mindset of ‘everyone who is born here is Catholic,’ so it can be hard to lead them to an understanding of their need for redemption and the grace of the gospel instead of the works of Catholicism.” -Suzy

And lastly, I (Christine) accompanied Addi and another VOH employee to the government hospital where 3 of the VOH kids had their appointments at the HIV clinic. Addi wanted me to be able to deliver the medical supplies that we brought, see the hospital, and share the experience of taking kids to their appointments. :-)

We left VOH at 4:45am with one of the drivers to make the drive to Guatemala City for the appointments at 6am. We arrived a bit early so I had a chance to watch the line of people about 100 deep stand out in the cold air as light began to replace the darkness of that early morning hour. Imagine waiting out in the cold, some with babies and children, for who knows how long, hoping to be seen that day? Sandra, a VOH employee, met us at the hospital. Since we had an appointment at the HIV clinic we were able to go to the front of the line and were immediately admitted through the gate to begin hours of sitting as we waited for each part of the visit to take place. Addi had her little one who is just a few months old; we also had an adorable, chubby little guy who is 6 months old (with fair skin and was mistaken for my son); and we had a sweet girl who is almost 2 but the size of maybe a 1-year old. We found seats among chairs that lined a hallway where a long line snaked back around the corner and presumably out the entrance doors. We must have been quite a sight — a Guatemalan young woman, Addi (blond hair and blue eyes), and me, with these 3 precious Guatemalan kiddos. We received more that one curious look, and others openly stared. :-)

The first stop was a room where each of our 3 kids had blood drawn. Then we moved to another waiting area where we would spend the next 5 plus hours waiting to see the nutritionist, the doctor, the psychologist, and then the nutritionist one last time. Our 2-year old was quite the celebrity among hospital staff since she had spent many months there before going to VOH. The hospital staff is grateful and impressed by the care she has received at VOH, and this is another open door for Addi to share about the work of VOH in the name of Jesus who loves the orphan and the children with HIV.

I was able to take a picture of the doctors with the donated medical supplies. Though their faces are stoic in the picture, Addi said they were very happy to receive the donations. As one of the doctors looked at the suture removal kits he said, “This is what you remove stitches with?” and kept a set for himself along with other supplies before sending the suitcase off to other parts of the hospital. We are not sure whether he removes many stitches in the HIV clinic but maybe he wanted one just in case. These donations will strengthen VOH’s relationship with the hospital and provide another opportunity to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.

There is a lot that goes on at VOH behind the scenes, and this morning gave me a better appreciation of what VOH is doing all the time to care for the children. Taking in kids who need special medications and care is, of course, a big undertaking; even with free government healthcare, there is a lot of effort that must be made to access and utilize it.

After a long morning of trying to keep these little ones content with snacks and  walking around the hospital while waiting to see the various doctors, we finally headed back to VOH about noon. We dropped off the children then hopped into Addi’s car to meet up with everyone. As we headed to Antigua, Addi asked me with a smile if her driving scared me…just for the record, it did not. :-)

All 3 groups met up for lunch in Antigua.

After lunch we headed to the market…

And before we left Antigua, there was one more very special place we wanted to visit. We wanted to remember and honor Emma Leigh Elizabeth Block.

Some of us meet this little one on our spring trip. She lived 31 days. She was born with only 10 percent of her brain and then abandoned at the hospital. Addi and VOH took in this precious girl believing that the Lord had a plan for her life. And in those 31 days, the Lord used her to change many lives.

March 2015

Now we stood before her grave. Suzy had bought flowers to place under the gravestone. It was somber as we stood remembering this little one.

I was not only struck by the brevity of Emma Leigh’s short life but also by the brevity of all of our lives. Whether we live 31 days or 80+ years, one day we too will be a memory. Then I began to think about the rows of graves bearing the names of those who had lived and died, many before I was even born.

Do people still visit these graves? Do people still remember their names? I don’t know the names of my family that lived generations before me and at some point after I am gone, no one will remember my name.

1 Peter 1:24 “All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord endures forever.”

It really doesn’t matter what these people looked like or what earthly treasures they amassed…only things that last for eternity matter now. This truth challenged me yet again.

Psalm 90:12 “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”

As our last day came to a close, Todd asked us if we would like to say goodbye to the kids. But he requested that we make it a happy goodbye. No tears. Umm, easier said than done. So we gathered together with the kids to say goodbye. A few of them shared and thanked us for coming. Then a few of us shared how much we enjoyed our time with them and what they mean to us. They know we love them. And they know we will be back. And then we took our group picture…

We praise God for the blessing of being involved in their lives and seeing His power transform their lives through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We praise God for Village of Hope!

“Only one life, twill soon be past. Only what's done for Christ will last.”

~Christine for the team

View of the volcano from Village of Hope

Day 5 at VOH

Ok, first off we need to answer the riddle from the last post: 

An apple tree has apples on it. But after a strong wind blew, apples were not on the tree, and apples were not on the ground. How can that be?

The answer: There were two apples on the tree. The wind blew one apple off the tree. So there was one on the tree and one on the ground. So "apples" weren't on the tree and "apples" weren't on the ground. Well, for better or worse, that is the end of the riddles, I think. Hope you enjoyed them...

On Thursday our work projects included more planting, hauling dirt in a wheelbarrel (up hill!), and painting a room for counseling (interestingly enough, Suzanne M., Kelsey and I painted that same room 2-1/2 years ago when it was being used for a different purpose). It has been a joy to watch the ministry at Village of Hope grow and see new plans unfold as they follow the Lord’s leading.

Next, we went into San Lucas for lunch, to a small restaurant that you might call a hole in the wall, to enjoy an authentic Guatemalan lunch complete with potatoes and garlic bread. After lunch we went to the market and purchased handmade candy, fresh fruit, and other treats including homemade jam.

That afternoon the kids continued their work on the pillow case project, the younger kids colored wiggly-wooden snakes, and Neil taught the kids how to make “mystery braid” leather bracelets. It’s a bit confusing in the beginning and some of their initial attempts provided many laughs but the end product was a very cool bracelet by kids who were proud of their accomplishment.

We ended our time with the kids out on the sports court. As games were played there was much laughter and cheering as Brandon lead games with small frisbees and water balloons.

I am always so thankful for the planning and prep that goes into the craft and game times!

To end the day there was a movie night with all the kids — Narnia in Spanish with English sub titles. :-)

Another blessed day. ~C

Day 4 at VOH

Drum roll…

Okay, so Andy Senft here, otherwise known as Concierge Grande. Brandon and I both thought before we came that Village of Hope is only about the children. But in reality it is much more than that. VOH employs about 35 people, and as a result supports the community around them. Jobs are very hard to come by and the people are very grateful for a steady paycheck. I discussed that with Todd and the impact that VOH has had on the community. He hopes to continue building those relationships. That is why the people we visited in the community all care for each other. Todd is amazing, because he dreams big. He knows we serve a large God and anything is possible, it is reflected in the all the things that have been accomplished in a very short time. He looks for ways to do improvements to save money so they can do more than pay bills. He hopes to bring a team of men to install solar panels on the salon (meeting room) to cut down on electrical costs.

-Andy

Answer to Yesterday’s Riddle

Give 4 kids an apple and give the 5th kid the apple in the basket. 

Bonus Riddle Answer: The word “incorrectly”…

Today’s Riddle

An apple tree has apples on it. But after a strong wind blew, apples were not on the tree, and apples were not on the ground. How can that be?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thoughts from our day...

I have had the privilege of taking care of the four children in Casa 4 in the mornings while the nannies are at parenting classes. I have enjoyed getting to know them better. One of the sweet things that I have seen in the children is that they are willing to help one another. One of the boys from another casa started crying after his parents left. In the casa that I was in there was a three year old named Rubi who held the boy's hand until he stopped crying and continued to hold his hand as long as he wanted her to. She has taken care of him every day that he has cried, and it is so neat to see the spirit of helpfulness already taking root in this little girl’s life. ~Kelsey

Today was another amazing day at VOH. After a light breakfast, we headed to a nearby neighborhood to visit with a few families that have become dear friends of the Blocks and VOH. These families struggle in their poverty, to provide adequate food and health care for themselves and their children. Ronald was our driver today, so we all piled in the van and headed out to our first family: mom Paula and daughter Natalie. Amy and Addy Block informed us that this family was the newest addition to the group of several families in this impoverished neighborhood that VOH has come along side to regularly visit, to provide supplemental food and medicine. Paula accepted the lice medicine (a dollop of jelly medicine on a graham cracker) for her daughter, and then asked that we pray for their health and provision. We prayed for them, and then we walked down the hill to Yessica's house where we were greeted with her beautiful, contagious smile. Her mom, sisters, and nieces were there with her, and in fact, they were all smiling and very happy to see us. We were encouraged to hear that her father had just obtained a temporary job doing masonry work for their neighbor. We gave the jelly crackers to everyone. Amy showed us the concrete curb at the entrance of their small dirt floored home as this was installed by VOH to keep rain water from flooding their house during the frequent downpours. Amy also showed us a couple of other things that VOH has provided, a new masonry block wood cooking stove and the wheelchair for Yessica, who we think has cerebral palsy. Confined to a wheelchair and being non-verbal, she has spent almost all of her life in the dirt lot where she greeted us today. Her parents have loved her, and that is evident in spite of their limited resources. Her smile is big and beautiful and evidence of God's great love for her, and it was a privilege to visit with her today. Then we visited single dad Rolando who has sacrificed much for his children and mother, and after we prayed for him he expressed his gratitude for the groceries and medicine. The last family we met with was a mom with her young daughter who was quite sick. We prayed to our gracious Father for this little one, and Amy was going to check in later on the girl. Visiting these families really is humbling. To see the joy on the faces of these living in great poverty is a lesson in keeping priorities in order. In 2 Corinthians 12: 9,10 we hear how God encourages Paul in his trials, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.” Paul goes on to say “Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” Our strength is not in our paycheck, our health, “stability”, or our own abilities; our strength is in the Lord!

-Rafe

The team worked on various small projects around the campus: Some did some painting of an office room while others helped watch the children while Marcella taught the parenting classes. A few sanded the adirondack-style chairs in preparation of re-finishing. Brandon worked on some computer improvements. All in all it was a busy day of crossing off a lot of things on the to-do list.

After lunch it was time for the painting of the pillowcases started yesterday. The kids obviously enjoyed using their creativity as we see dozens of brightly colored pillowcases hanging from clotheslines, over chairs, and on the grass. The final unveiling will be tomorrow after the glue is washed away from the fabric.

Following the usual soccer game after the craft time, we had an excellent tamale dinner, some down time to relax, and time of devotions. It was actually a day of some planned activities and some unplanned, but at the end we are exhausted and looking forward to a good night’s sleep.

~Neil & Christine

Day 3 at VOH - Tuesday

Who is Concierge Grande (aka CG)?

Ok, so we did receive some guesses, but no correct ones yet. Not sure how many guesses you get. I think we will give others a chance to submit their guesses for maybe one more day, but no pressure to send us your guess...


Best caption for the photo of Suzanne thus far: "Hokey Pokey?" Any more?
Bonus easy riddle:

Yesterday’s riddle
For those who are anxiously waiting for the answer to yesterday’s riddle, the answer is "meat." Ha-

Today’s riddle (hopefully more difficult per Mark's request!)
A basket has 5 apples. How do you divide them among 5 kids so each kid has an apple and one stays in the basket?

What word in the dictionary is spelled incorrectly?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This morning the teams divided up into groups and worked on many projects. Some of us took care of the little ones so the House Parents and nannies could once again attend Parenting Classes. Marcella taught today and we heard that she did a great job and that there was good discussion in the class.

Suzy and the young boys continued planting in the large planter boxes. Brandon joined Todd in the office to update the computers. And the guys were once again in the work shop.

Neil said he was glad to report that the guys completed 4 boxes (with no injuries). With a whole day's worth of experience under our belt, it was a bit easier today. Finished planters were driven up the hill on the top of the van and are waiting to see where they will be installed along the fence.

Brandon and Andy leading game time in the afternoon in the new sport court

Soccer game started at the end of game time

"Todd, Director of VOH, had our team and staff take on the VOH kids in soccer.  Christine turned out to be a rock on defense and Edd was an amazing goalie.  We actually did win, though the kids' footwork and team play far outshone us.  The game was called on account of a bloody nose and dinner.  We do have our priorities!

"We had an amazing lunch on our trip to Chituc today.  The Blocks work with these women so they can earn money by providing a delicious meal for the teams at VOH.  One gal has been able to use her experience there to qualify for a job at a cafe in San Lucas.  As we walked home, a woman called to us and asked us to pray for her as her foot is infected from a recent surgery.  She also was in need of a wheelchair, which VOH was able to supply for her.  It is a wonderful example to us how the Blocks to take every opportunity to minister in prayer and material needs.  Please keep her in prayer. -Suzy"

Addy and Julio taking an unauthorized selfie during our lunch in Chituc :-)

Wonderful chicken meal in Chituc

Neil showing the family in Chituc how to make braided bracelets

Someone seems to have eaten a generous portion of chicken?

"When I boarded a plane last Friday, I thought I knew most of what I needed to know about the country to which I was heading. Guatemala is a land of extraordinary contrasts and troubling contradictions: natural beauty shaped by natural disasters, grinding poverty set within abundant resources, the intersection of Mayan and Spanish culture riddled by a legacy of corruption and oppression, a people whose kind hospitality contradicts the devastating reality that Guatemala is one of the most dangerous places on the planet to be a child.

        What I didn't know is that Guatemala is also a place where hope abounds. The few days I've spent at Village of Hope have been some of the most rewarding  in my life.  The nearness of God's kingdom is palpable, transcending barriers of race, language, culture and even accent (this week we've teamed with some terrific brothers and sisters from Tennessee). For example, doing a wood working project with Antonio, the shop foreman at VOH, who speaks very little English, alongside Jimmy from Tennessee, a good ole' boy with a drawl as lazy as a coon dog in July, has been a great time of learning, laughing and thanking God for the privilege of serving him in such a vital ministry. Every day, children are rescued, sheltered, and shown the love of Christ by people who sacrificially live and work here. At Village of Hope, the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

Grace and peace,

Edd"

We appreciate your encouragement and prayers!

Neil & Christine