One of the regular complaints I receive about my blog is that I seldom give family updates. I can get so wrapped up in the ministry side of life that I forget that many of you would like to hear what is going on with my lovely bride and kids. So, before I dig into a long list of ministry news, let me tell you about our home life.
I am just coming off a four day vacation. This is the first extended break from ministry I have taken since our move last January. I can’t begin to describe how much I needed it. I have been exhausted for the last month, gradually worn down from the hectic schedule, so this break was just what the doctor ordered.
On Thursday we celebrated a traditional Thanksgiving together. We had invited Dick Rutgers and Pat Duff to join us, but their obligations at camp prevented them from coming. So, it was just our family and Gerardo. We had a great day watching the Macy’s parade and enjoying a wonderful meal together. (Yes, we can get the parade on television through NBC, but we discovered that the network feed was from California. As a result, the coverage didn’t start until 11:00 am our time which required some slight schedule modifications to our day. So, while we were waiting for the parade to start, we enjoyed a huge game of hide and seek as a family.)
We were pleased to find that most of the food items that are a part of our traditional Thanksgiving meal were available here. However, quite a few of them were more expensive. But I am pleased to report that the turkey was nearly perfect, the mashed potatoes were excellent, and we were all stuffed and the bird was unstuffed at the end of the meal.
On Friday we celebrated our Annual Fulp Family Christmas Tree Day. You will note that this has an official title along with capital letters because in our home putting up the tree is considered an official holiday. Occurring each year on the day after Thanksgiving, it is a festival of decorating, strange Christmas clothing, carols and snacks that concludes with the movie Elf. This year was especially fun as we were decorating our new home in a new country. We all had a blast together.
On Saturday we loaded the family in the van and headed to Guatemala City to take in the Zoo. In the US such a trip would have cost around $150.00. For our entire family plus parking the total was less than $30.00. We had a great time together enjoying God’s creativity in His creation of animal life, and then enjoyed lunch at Pizza Hut. The afternoon was a little less enjoyable as we ventured into Wal-Mart to allow the kids to do some shopping. (A rare treat for the kids and an all too frequent torture for me.) I am sorry to say that it is every bit as chaotic to shop here during the holidays as it is in the States. Yuck!
Now that I have featured our family for a little while, I want to fill you in on our ministry. One big piece of news is that the board has just voted to hire Gerardo Hernandez full-time to work alongside me. My schedule for the last two months has been exhausting. I have reached the point at which I can no longer get everything done alone. So, beginning on December 1st Gerardo will be my full-time assistant. (You may also recall that he is our first student in our Encarga pastor training program. Don’t worry, I will allow him the necessary time to devote to his studies as well.) I praise God for this much needed help!
Last Tuesday I met Angel and his family at Hermano Pedro so that he could receive his new leg braces. He beamed as Marvin placed them on his feet. He began physical therapy on Friday and his family is so excited. His mother wrote the following letter to his US sponsor:
“I am writing to thank you for the financial help that you gave us. Thank you for paying for the braces that my son needed. We ask God often to give you health and His blessings. For you and your family we ask Him for success daily. Thanks for being an angel that God has sent. Through your help, my son Angel is going to walk and it will be a great joy for us! It brings us great happiness to think of him playing, walking and running, and we will soon see these things ourselves.
Thank you so much!”
Over the last two weeks I have met with and evaluated 12 people in three towns. On Wednesday Wanda, Bob Ecklebarger and Gerardo drove up to El Progresso to meet with Gregory who had found several special needs people in need of assistance. We met with and evaluated nine people that day. Some we were able to help without financial assistance, but they need your prayers. Others need your help. So, here is my Christmas wish list for 2011. Would you prayerfully consider meeting one of these needs?
Franklin is 16 years old and began to experience severe seizures suddenly about three years ago. These would occur about two times each day. Although he is a very intelligent young man, he eventually dropped out of school due to both the teasing of the other students and their fear of him. (Many do not understand the seizures that caused him to act in such scary ways.) The seizures are mostly under control now, but he does not want to return to that school, understandably, due to the cruelty he experienced there. His family is paying large sums each month for his medication and cannot afford to pay for his education in another school. I would like to arrange for sponsorship for him. The cost is only Q170 for registration ($22 US) and Q140 per month ($18.50 US). Would you consider being his sponsor to provide him with the education he so desperately wants?
Jose David is also 16 and has severe Cerebral Palsy and microcephalus. His single mom is working hard to provide for his needs, but is struggling. His needs for medicine, diapers and physical therapy is overwhelming her. I have made repairs to his wheelchair and will be providing them with a water filter to help with his reoccurring intestinal parasites and teaching the family how to do the appropriate physical therapy, but we need some assistance in providing for his monthly needs. Would you consider sponsoring this family for $50 a month to provide food, diapers, and medicine?
Maria Isabel is 70 years old, lives alone, and has struggled for 20 years with an ulcerated sore on her left leg. When we arrived at her door, she had a bandage around it. When she took off the wrapping both the sight and smell nearly took my breath away. The sore was infected and weeping, so I asked if she had been to see a doctor. Her answer was, “Yes, at the national hospital, but they didn’t do 
anything.” That is typical of a visit to such facilities. I immediately made the decision to pay for her to go to a private doctor in El Progresso. We are awaiting news of that visit, but I expect that there will be more expenses in medications and treatment in the months ahead. Please pray for Maria.
Jorge is 21 years old and has both diabetes and seizures. His mother and father work hard to provide for his needs, but the four medications he requires costs his family nearly $400 a month! His father is a laborer working 10 to 12 hour days, but this cost alone is more than he makes each month. We don’t expect anyone to sponsor them for such a large sum, but we would like to find a sponsor to assist them with $50-100 each month to offset some of those costs.
Miguel is elderly and had a stroke six months ago. He is paralyzed on his right side and no longer has bowel or bladder control. Understandably, this has made it difficult for his two daughters to care for him. He needs a travel wheelchair and his family would like adult diapers for him. The cost of the chair is $90 US. The adult diapers will run about $25. Can you help with this?
Marian is 10 years old and has spastic Cerebral Palsy and scoliosis. Her single mom struggles to care for her. I am in the process of getting the necessary parts to repair her chair and will be teaching her family how to do ongoing physical therapy, but she also needs new leg braces ($200 US). Would you be willing to help with this one-time expense?
Britani is almost 2 years old and has had two surgeries to repair a club foot. Unfortunately, both of those surgeries were done at the national hospital and she is no better off than when they started. She needs to have corrective surgery done by competent doctors, so we are arranging for her to come down to Hermano Pedro hospital in January to see an orthopedic surgeon. The cost of this surgery will be more than what her parents can afford, so you will likely read more about her in January or February. For now, please pray for Britani.
After sharing these needs, I need to let you know about a policy change we are making in our ministry. Once these needs are met, we will be limited our assistance to people with special needs who are 18 years old or less. This has been a difficult decision to reach, but due to the growing list of needs we felt we had to focus the scope of our ministry. Of course, we will continue to serve those we are already helping, but will screen all future requests using that criteria.
Over the last five years I have learned so much about what is really important. As a result, I don’t want anything for myself this Christmas. I actually have more than what I need, so why would I want more. These needs are my Christmas wish list for 2011. Nothing would make me happier than seeing these needs met. So, if you are looking for a gift idea for me…
Because of Him,
Daryl, Wanda and the Crew
