Prayer for Today

This morning we go to deliver food and pray with families in the community that VOH has created relationships with. This afternoon we go to a local village and share the Gospel,  make bracelets and play some games with whoever shows up. Finally, this evening we go into Antigua to serve soup and tortillas to those who are on the street and pray with them.

Would you please pray that we would glorify God through our time and activity today, that we would be Jesus' hands and feet, and that He would give us hearts of discernment and compassion, voices of love and hope.

Day 3 at VOH

Monday

7:30 Breakfast

8:30 Work Project

12:00 Lunch

1:00 Time with kids

5:00 Dinner

6:30 Devotions

Please note flower behind Justin's ear

“Today was a very busy day. We finally started our work project, which was planting flowers around the campus. We had our breakfast and headed off to a nursery to pick out whatever gorgeous, exotic, or stunning flowers we liked. Once we got home, we proceeded to plant the flowers (which involves quite a bit of digging, mixing soil, and hauling water to where the hose won't reach). We then ate lunch. We were supposed to have time with the kids at 1:30, so we spent most of the time between lunch and then preparing crafts. Soon all the kids from the three houses (casas) were eagerly awaiting craft time. Today our craft was painting little houses, weaving potholders, and making headbands and bracelets.The next 2 hours were full of laughter as we tried to explain each craft in Spanish, and helping each kid finish up their projects. Then it was cleanup time while Miss Shelly started a game of sharks and minnows, with a fun twist— everyone had a soccer ball they had to dribble to the end, and if it was kicked out of bounds, they were out! Awhile into the games, the little kids had their Bible story time with Julio, Justin and Chris. This evening, we had devotions and now we are playing games. -Alle”

“So what happens when you start wondering what to do with all the extra crafts supplies that you brought despite all that careful planning time and money spent preparing?  Well, God provides extra time with the families that needs to be filled with activities that will allow parents and siblings to work together.  Yay, God!  Those of you who prayed for flexibility and unity on our ministry team, that prayer has been answered with amazing abundance.  Someone is always nearby and offering to jump in and help, change plans on a dime, or laugh along with our attempts to communicate.  I looked at the translator today while I was trying to explain how to paint little wooden houses and asked if he would help.  He said I was doing fine.  So sweet to have this young man’s vote of confidence, but I did need to know how to say “roof” … again. 

It was great fun to speak to the man, Rolando, who takes care of the grounds here and talk about all the beautiful plants.  His whole family knows the Lord and his wife and daughter also work here.  We are looking forward to God’s stretching us in new ways tomorrow as we minister by delivering food in a nearby village and soup to the homeless in the evening in Antigua.”

“I probably haven’t met most of you reading this, but I’ve certainly heard about your prayers and commitment to making this trip a continuation of sharing the love of God. I find myself smack-dab in the middle of a team of prayer warriors and brother (sorry Justin! glad you came though!) and sisters in Christ, and for this I’m so thankful. I’ve been on several different teams ranging from medical and construction teams from Haiti to Zambia, Mexico, and the Dominican Republic. This is my first team though where I knew only one person at the start. I guess that’s what’s really great about this trip. I get to meet so many new people. And they talk about you and their love for Christ and how he’s working in lives everywhere. I’m glad to be a tiny part. 

If I could help you picture what I’ve seen in the time since I’ve come I’d describe browned skin and soccer balls of every color. Cement block buildings with rainbows of clean laundry twisted into ropes blowing in the breezes. Cool mornings with good coffee (grown locally) and afternoons where the sun blazes onto the concrete as kids race and roll and tumble in play. Exclamations in a language where I catch a few phrases at a time, but where smiles and laughter and wrinkled brows are universal. Dogs barking (apparently there’s a nearby kennel) at all hours, and sirens waking you from sleep. Rain falling on a tin roof. Beaded bracelets, wrought iron bars, rough but thick blankets. Green-as-can-be guacamole and fresh mango and pineapple in bowls on colorfully woven blankets. 

Describing the good things here doesn’t change the fact that people here are still people. And their struggles day to day may not always be exactly the same as mine, but Satan is still the Enemy. And I pray that as you look at our photographs and read our thoughts and time goes on that you don’t forget to pray for our brothers and sisters here. For their children, for their marriages, for their example to the community here. That lives will be changed and healed and redeemed.  -Audrey”

“Today was encouraging for me. I was honestly feeling a little discouraged last night. I was thinking about the kids before falling asleep. I know they are accepted and loved here. I know they have an abundance of food, a family, shelter, and a chance to hear about Jesus. 

But, I couldn’t help but think, surely there must be times they feel lonely. They must feel the sting of abandonment over and over, and hear the screams of past abuse. I wondered if they felt trapped in this safe shelter? I wondered if they ever felt cabin fever, wanting to leave and search for something more.

But, maybe they know there is no where else but here. They know there is no where else most of their physical needs can be met. They know there is no one else who will care enough…  SO maybe this IS their best; GOD’S best for them. 

My heart still broke for them as I fell asleep. 

But, after today, GOD encouraged my heart and reminded me of his faithfulness in their lives through the ministry at Village of Hope. The activities of today and the motivation the children had to complete the crafts proved the joy they feel from those who come and take time to sit, laugh, listen, and attempt to communicate in broken Spanish. Their simple smiles and laughter comforted my soul knowing that everyone who serves and supports this ministry, allows them to experience something different than the mundane. Each cheerful soul who knows the love of Christ and chooses to spend time here, or even those who consistently pray from a million of miles away, play a part in igniting a light of hope into their hearts… especially on those days where they must struggle to fight through raw and human emotions. -Chris” 

“Watching a former orphan, now team leader and translator's eyes sparkle and face light up as his silly faces and goofy sounds elicit raucous peals of laughter from an otherwise quiet 6 month old, God's immense love is clearly visible and almost palpable here. A 14-year-old teenage boy passes by a stroller and can't help but tickle his baby sister's chubby cheeks, hoping to turn her anxious expression into a smile. They are siblings by God's redemptive purpose, not by birth. A two week old baby, whose mother rejected her because her head was deformed by excess fluid around her brain, received life-saving surgery, has been given constant and tender loving care by a 19 year old saint, and changed the lives of an untold number of people lifting her up before their Father who helps the helpless. It was His design that this precious little one would break hearts and testify to the inestimable value of each life He creates; she is no "mistake". All of this we witnessed in twelve short hours today at Village of Hope; what a mighty and Faithful God we serve!”

Thank you for your encouragement and prayers! I leave you with the following selfie taken on an unattended phone... ~C

Day 2 at VOH

Reflections from the team...

8:30 Breakfast
10:00 Church at Village of Hope
12:00 Lunch
1:30 Crafts and games with kids
5:00 Dinner
6:00 Devotions, Reflections and Prayer
8:30 Playing "Loaded Questions" and other spirited games

“Today I got a good laugh at the group of small children here. The games were all planned out with a ton of soccer balls and dome cones. Of course, the kids had more fun putting the domes on their heads and trying to walk with a soccer ball on top of the dome. Always have to be ready to just go with it. Thanks for your prayers! ~ Shelly”

“Beautiful time of worship this Palm Sunday morning with the families. Dancing, singing, praying, and preaching from God’s Word. Blessed to be able to praise God together! ~Connie”

“This morning in Church, some of the girls danced, and it was really neat to see how joyful they are and how much they love praising God. One of the house dads spoke, and he talked about having faith in Jesus when we come upon hard times. After lunch, we did crafts and games. In crafts, our main project was making stepping stones. our cement was poured, but unfortunately we let it sit to long, and it hardened before we had finished. Eventually, we decided that the best solution was to break them all apart and redo them. The kids were happy to help us and soon we had hands covered in concrete and smiles on our faces from our comical situation. One highlight was when one of the boys decided that instead of a footprint or a handprint, he put his full face in his cement mold. All he got was a nose print however. I think he was a bit disappointed! All in all it was a wonderful day. We still have dinner and devotions, which I am looking forward too. -Alle”

“What a joy it has been to see the growth since last year, both physically and spiritually, of the children here at Village of Hope.  What a testimony to God’s faithfulness!  ~ Marie”

“Today was really an awesome experience. I loved to see the children interacting and playing with each other. You really see how impactful the kids’ experience her at VOH has been in their lives. After hearing their sad stories yesterday, it was truly amazing to see their smiling faces and laughing voices. Playing with the kids was another neat experience. They love to have you hang out with them and you see their desire to be loved. I am so thankful that each one of these kids was brought here by God to become what they were meant to be and to grow up with Christian parents who love them and, most importantly, to learn that God loves them and that they have a purpose.”

“My favorite moments are those when you connect with a child and manage to win them over. Getting them to crack a smile, laugh, or start to share a little more about their lives feels like a small accomplishment for the second day, as some are starting to interact more and try to have conversations despite the language barriers. One boy in particular today and i got a laugh when he put on my sun glasses and proclaimed ‘estoy muy guapo!’ : ‘I a very handsome!’”

“It is such a joy to work with these people, as they are so happy and patient with our attempts to communicate.  A lot of my high school Spanish is helpful, but I often get stuck in the middle of a sentence searching for the next word.  As a former teacher, I am so impressed with the kids’ attention spans as they work on the craft projects we have brought.  They are creative and share supplies and help each other, as well as putting great effort and time into their work.  They follow directions carefully.  However, today as we needed to add more water to the drying cement stepping stones, the activity finally evolved into spraying each other with the water hose and having great fun like kids anywhere. -Suzanne”

As I type there are several spirited games of cards going on in the dining room, much competitiveness and even more laughter. Loaded Question is starting so until tomorrow...

~Christine for the team

BTW - this is what happens if you leave your phone unattended in Guatemala...

Arrival and Day 1 at VOH

Our first day at Village of Hope was full and impactful.

Saturday

7:30 Breakfast

8:00 Quiet Time

8:30 Tour and Prayer Walk

10:30 Unload and Distribute Donations

12:00 Lunch

1:00 Crafts and Games with Kids

5:00 Dinner

6:00 Team devotions, Reflections and Prayer

7:00 Games and Hanging out

Some reflections from the team about our day…

“The founders and directors of VOH have worked hard to be a voice and advocate for these children while holding their hands and helping to heal their past. Through obedience, they have provided a powerful refuge where these children can come and hear about the love of God, and experience God’s blueprint for a “family.”

A 3 yr-old boy excitedly looks through a stack of foam letters and sticks them on to his T-shirt project. As he was working on his craft, his house parents walked in the room, and his eyes lit up. He yelled, “dad, dad look what I’ve made”. He repeated this several times, until his dad finally noticed and validated his work. This simple craving for confirmation, and acceptance of his work was important to him. A simple validation from his dad, mattered. He had someone to call “dad” and he had someone who cared to validate the work he was proud of.

Another one of the kids was working on a project which required decorating popsicle sticks. While all of the children were creating colorful designs and shapes, He had written the words: joy, faith, hope, love, bless you, kind, patient, God loves you, goodness, grace. What amazing proof that God’s word does not return void. God can save a soul that is breaking, and redirect a path that would lead to death. These simple words came from a heart of healing and peace and would not be possible if no one invested in sharing the truth of God’s love.”

Isaiah 61:3 “To give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that he may be called trees of righteousness.”

“Between the broken-Spanish phrases, desperate hand gestures, and reliance on translators there is a common language - a love for The Lord. It can be heard in the shared laughter between brothers and sisters in Christ, felt in the songs being sung in Spanish, and seen at string of picnic tables, connected end-to-end where Spanish speakers and English speakers and biological children and orphans and staff and missionaries and babies and teenagers and adults share a meal as The Body of Christ unified. This commonality of Christ is why one full day here has felt like a week - the spiritual bond we share is bigger than our borders and God’s love transcends the time we’ve been here. We have been welcomed as family, treated as family, because in the bigger scheme of God’s great plan, we are family.”

A Prayer Request from Shelly…

“Today we were brought to pray to our Almighty for several hard and weighty situations here at VOH. Here are a few…

13 day old little Elizabeth (Lizzy) was brought to VOH 3 days ago and quickly it was determined that her brain was swelling quickly and needed immediate surgery to drain fluid and implant a shunt to continue to drain the fluid. The surgery happened today and praying that God would allow her brain to heal completely.   

God is at work to bring about complete salvation, healing, and restoration.”

Thank you for your prayers!

~Christine for the team

Village of Hope sells fresh roasted coffee and T-shirts to help support their ministry. If you would like to buy coffee or a T-shirt please send me an email at pureundefiledreligionexpressed@gmail.com.

4 different types of coffee - 12 oz. bag of coffee $15

Med Roasted Ground

Med Roasted Whole Bean

Bold Roasted Ground

Bold Roasted Whole Bean

T-shirts $25, adult and youth sizes

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75 people plus 2 vans equals...

Last week at Village of Hope we spent 3 days meeting together and praying about the ongoing ministry in Guatemala.

Thirteen of us joined Todd, Amy, and Addisyn because we all love the ministry of Village of Hope. And we love the Blocks, their amazing staff, the house parents, and the beautiful children and teenagers that call Village of Hope their home.

Jose David, Anna and Gustavo

As we concluded our time together we shared what had impacted us and how we should move forward to continue to advocate and support VOH in 2015 and the years to come. So many ideas resonated with me but there was something that stood out that I wanted to pursue immediately.

When Todd was sharing about what a typical day looked like for him, he talked about coordinating the use of vehicles. VOH has only 2 vans that they use for short-term mission teams, doctor appointments, taking kids to school or court, purchasing supplies, hauling construction materials, etc. Not only is that quite a puzzle to figure out each day but there are just more needs than these 2 vans can accommodate. And sometimes they take a van with just a few people in it. There has been a need for a truck for some time now but there just hasn't been the funds.

one of VOH's 2 vans

Now backing up to last year, there was someone who had told me that they wanted to provide $3,500 matching funds to provide for a need at VOH and also encourage others to invest in VOH too. We had an idea about how to use these funds, but the need was met so we decided to wait. I really believed that the Lord wanted us to wait until after the new year. So as Todd was sharing the need for a truck, the matching funds came to mind. I approached him and asked how much he thought he would need, wondering if the Lord would use these funds to meet their need. He said about $7,000. I couldn't help but smile. And yes, I was pretty excited too!

So our goal is to raise $3,500 that will then be matched for a total of $7,000 so Village of Hope can purchase this much-needed truck. What a blessing to their ministry this would be and what a great way to meet one of their tangible needs.

Right now at VOH there are 32 staff, 8 house parents, 33 kids and 1 adult mom with her son. 75 people. Just 2 vans. That’s crazy!

Will you help us reach this goal? I know it’s big!

But if we all do this together I believe we can supply this need!

We all have so much. Is there anything you can give up to help?

As the body of Christ can we come alongside Village of Hope and provide a truck for their daily needs?

Donations can be made to the church with "PURE - VOH truck" noted in the memo. If you have any questions about donations please send me an email at PureUndefiledReligionExpressed@gmail.com.

Let’s let Village of Hope know we stand with them! Please pray and share this post with others! ~Christine

Encourage One Another

Our time in Guatemala was really good. One of our special memories was our time with Addisyn.

As many of you know Addisyn Block graduated from high school last year and decided to stay in Guatemala as a full-time missionary. She has now moved out and is the process of raising monthly support. She will continue to be an interpreter and crisis counselor at Village of Hope. She is a delightful young woman and is being used in the lives of the kids in a life-changing ways. She says “a lot can happen when someone is willing to walk with you and show you truth. A lot can happen when someone believes in you and patiently and lovingly lets you heal.”

In an effort to encourage her we decided to collect money for a group gift to give to her when we visited last week. A couple weeks before we left she asked me if anyone had a crock-pot they would be willing to sell. That got me thinking that we could bless her by giving her items for her new home. So we decided to give her a mini house warming shower.

Amy and Addisyn

I asked her to send me a list of things she would like for her place. She was thrilled. Not only was I able to get everything on her list before we left, I was also able to take her a cash gift to help with immediate expenses. And yes, we did get her the crock-pot too. Here are some of the items we brought.

placemats and flowers

glass jars

yellow and white pillow

bath mat

After we gathered together to give her the gifts, we laid hands on her and prayed for her ongoing ministry in Guatemala.

A couple of days ago she sent me a message saying, “Thank you again for everything. The way your church and your ministry has come alongside me as a body of believers is such an encouragement to me... Thank you for everything you are doing for the kingdom.”

It was a joy to spend time with Addisyn. If you would like to read more about her ministry you can check out her blog or find her on Facebook. She would be encouraged to hear from you.

Blog: http://lifeasamissionarykid.blogspot.com

FB: Addisyn Block

Please keep Addisyn in your prayers! ~Christine

"Sometimes, in order to heal, you just need someone who will pick you up

when you've hit rock bottom and be there to point you to the Rock." ~Addisyn