Update on Yosselin

Many of you have given to help Yosselin get the surgery she so desperately needs. Many more of you have been praying for her and her family. So, I wanted to take a moment to give you an update on her surgery this morning and explain to you how it almost did not happen.

First, Yosselin had her surgery and it was a complete success! It lasted around three hours, and I was with her parents when they saw her afterward. I am pleased to say that she was awake, alert and none too happy! She was crying loudly, which was music to my ears because it showed that she was strong and fighting.

Despite the good news, these moments were tough for Yosselin’s parents, Edgar and Jesu. Even though she was doing well, it is tough to see your infant daughter with half her head shaved, bandaged and crying. They could not even pick her up to comfort her for the first few hours until she was stabilized. So both of them struggled through tears for the first hour after she was out of surgery.

The doctor reported that the surgery went wonderfully, the pressure was greatly reduced and he expects a full recovery barring complications. So, we give praise to God for His provision through His people and for His care for Yosselin.

Last week, though, we hit a crisis that made us wonder if the surgery was going to happen at all…

On Tuesday we drove Brittney back to San Pablo following Thanksgiving weekend. It was time for our monthly trip there, so we combined family visits and deliveries with taking her home. Carissa and Jeremiah traveled with us and spent Tuesday night with Brittney and we all did visits on Wednesday. And Yosselin and her family were our fifth stop of the day.

When we arrived I greeted them and asked them if they were ready for surgery on Tuesday. Both Edgar and Jesu responded by looking uncomfortable and telling me that they had changed their mind about having the surgery. It seems that some family members and friends had been telling them that surgery was a bad idea. In fact, someone told them that almost every child who has this surgery dies almost immediately. (And I guess this is a possibility if the surgeries were done in the national hospital.)

This is a major problem here in Guatemala. So many people give medical advise, even though they have no real knowledge to back it up. Families are pressured to make bad decisions on a regular basis, neighbors give unfinished medicines to other neighbors and old wives tales are used to treat serious medical conditions. And often people die as a result.

So, we spent the next hour talking with her parents, seeking to convince them of how urgently she needed the surgery. I explained that yes, there were possible complications of the surgery. And, yes, she could die. But I also explained that they were not likely outcomes. We told them that is why we were paying for the best neurosurgeon to do the surgery at one of the best hospitals. And, by doing so, we were greatly reducing the risks over having the same procedure at the national hospital. And we told them that if they did not have the surgery, her head would continue to grow, pressure would increase, brain damage would become more severe, her pain would grow and she would eventually die.

Gerardo called the neurosurgeon who spoke to them on speaker phone and explained how necessary the surgery was. He then called the mother of Misael, who also has hydrocephalus. She spoke to them for 20 minutes in a very direct way, telling them that the surgery was crucial and they needed to have it done.

Then, after everything else was done, I spoke to them heart-to-heart. I showed them a picture of my family and pointed out Joshua, who has a shunt. I told them that I have the heart of a father and understand their love and concern for their daughter. And I told them that if Yosselin was my daughter I would have the surgery as quickly as possible and that I would have this doctor do it at this hospital. And I concluded by begging them to trust me.

They told us that they would call us the next day with their answer. So we left…and prayed…and prayed…and prayed. Finally, Thursday evening they called us and told us they wanted to proceed with the surgery! And I breathed a sigh of relief…for about three minutes.

At that point a solemn reality hit me right between the eyes. I had done everything I could do to talk these parents into having this surgery, and they had chosen to trust me. Which meant they would likely hold me responsible if something went wrong. And while our primary concern was Yosselin’s life, this was no small concern. If they and their family held us responsible for problems, it would likely result in the end of our ability to minister in San Pablo La Laguna. In fact, it would likely make it dangerous for us to go into that town as some may decide that we need to be punished or killed. And it could also make things very dangerous for Brittney, who lives right in the middle of that town now. In other words, I had placed our entire ministry in San Pablo on the line. And this gave me another reason to pray fervently for today’s surgery.

So yesterday Yosselin and her very scared parents took a chicken bus to Chimaltenango where Manuel and Gerardo met them and took them to Hospital Maranatha in Guatemala City. We decided to pay $45 extra per night for a private room in the hospital so both her mom and dad would be allowed to stay with her overnight. When we saw how frantic both of them were we felt that it was right and best to keep the family together.

Then this morning she had the surgery, and you already know the outcome. As we stood in the room with her, her dad turned to me and said, “Please give everyone who gave to help our daughter our deepest thanks! Without them, our daughter could never have had this surgery and care!” He was crying as he said this.

So, thank you! To each of you who have given and prayed for Yosselin, please receive the gratitude of a desperate father and mother. And please receive my gratitude as well. Without you, this would not be possible.

If all goes well, Yosselin should leave the hospital on Thursday or Friday. When she does, we will drive them back to San Pablo because we don’t want to place them on a crowded bus while she is recovering. We will then bring them back for a follow-up appointment eight days later.

Continue to pray for Yosselin. She is eating well now, which is a good sign. Pray that there are no complications, including infection. And pray that Jesus is glorified.

Thanks for all you do to make this kind of ministry possible! I am profoundly grateful!

Because of Him!

Daryl, Wanda and the Crew

Hope for Home Ministry–2014 Year-end Report

As I look back on 2014, I can honestly say that it was the most challenging and difficult year of my ministry. At the same time, I would also say that it was one of the most fruitful. As is often the case, God has used adversity and pain to produce a harvest.

Hogar de la Esperanza:

Those challenges began on January 6^th when our little Esperanza left our arms and went to the arms of Jesus. While we knew this was coming, it was still a very painful loss. We still feel her absence in our home, but we rejoice in knowing that she is now whole and with her heavenly Daddy. During the days surrounding her death we were blessed by the community that surrounds us as they helped with her funeral, visited our home and even dug Esperanza’s grave. Through our loss we also experienced great gain as we came to better understand the blessings and provisions of God.

Then, exactly six months later on July 6^th we lost little Thania. This was a sudden and traumatic loss as we had believed her to have turned the corner in her health. But a chest cold took a sudden turn for the worse that resulted in respiratory distress. She stopped breathing in route to the hospital and, despite administering CPR, we were unable to save her. Her autopsy report showed that she had undiagnosed cystic fibrosis which resulted in her sudden downturn. None of the specialists had spotted this as they had told us repeatedly that her breathing problems were simply a result of her cerebral palsy.

The children in our home are loved as our own children, so to lose two of them so close together was devastating for us all. Yet God is faithful, and we have experienced His healing and faithfulness through it all.

During this same time, we were also facing fatigue. Our group home had opened in August of 2013 and, in spite of our best preparation and planning, it still took a while to get all areas of our home running smoothly. For the first nine months Wanda and I were running on the edge of exhaustion almost constantly. This was aggravated by some staffing issues that left us understaffed and without a cohesive team that worked well together. Yet, with God’s help, we persevered.

If you were to enter our home and observe our ministry first-hand today you would see the finest staff and volunteers that you could find anywhere. Our home is organized, every worker is like family and the schedule flows smoother than I ever dared to dream. My wife, Wanda, and done a fantastic job of organizing and managing the household and every child receives top-notch care, therapy, stimulation and love. We have come through the fire and the results have been refinement.

Before we opened Hogar de la Esperanza our prayer was that God would make us a model for other homes. We wanted to exceed the greatest expectations of the government, the courts and the community that surrounds us. I believe God has answered that prayer. In each hearing for our children the judges have praised the care we are providing and note the progress they are making. In one instance, the judge wept and told me, “I never dreamed that she could make this much progress, and your home has done it in only one month!” And each time we are quick to give credit to Jesus Christ, the true Leader of our home.

Still, we are looking to improve more. We care for these children for the glory of God, and we want Him reflected in everything we do. So each week I see changes and improvements in both the care of the children and the efficiency of the household.

Since opening our home we have received 14 children, including Esperanza and Thania who are now with Jesus. We are currently full with the 12 that are in our home. This means we are saying “No” a lot. Usually two or three times a week we are called by the courts and asked if we can receive another child. This has resulted in our turning away around 130 children since our home opened. And this grieves us deeply. It is always hard to say “No” to a child in need, but we cannot continue to provide quality care and attention if we keep adding children. So, we have to leave them in the hands of God until we can open additional homes.

Ruedas de Esperanza (Wheels of Hope):

Meanwhile our rural village ministry, Wheels of Hope, continues to flourish under the leadership of Dale Beyer. In 2014 we have ministered in 25 different villages to 78 families on a monthly basis. In addition, we have ministered to another 43 families with one time provision of equipment (22 wheelchairs, 3 walkers, 3 sets of crutches) or with regular visits for training, encouragement, or special resources.

In addition, this ministry also took its first tentative steps into micro-financing as we gave our first loan to Juana in San Pablo La Laguna. She used those funds to begin a small business which sells items which are not otherwise available in San Pablo. She has converted this $125.00 loan into a growing business that is enabling her and her son to find independence and confidence. In the coming year we are hoping to give addition loans to other families and expand this area of ministry.

Staffing:

Meanwhile, we have made some excellent additions to our staff. In January Manuel Moran joined our staff the Home Coordinator. He is responsible for taking all the children to all the court hearings and doctor appointments, which are quite numerous. He does a fantastic job of representing our ministry and proclaiming Jesus Christ as he does so. As a result, he will be transitioning into a more prominent role in the coming year.

In June Anny Lopez joined our ministry as a nanny. We could not ask for a better worker or friend. She loves the children and has become a part of our family. Because of her excellent work we are increasing her responsibilities in the coming year.

Gerardo Hernandez continues to be an excellent right hand man to our ministry. He does a fantastic job of helping coordinate our rural village ministry. He is also a networker and continues to connect us with valuable resources.

Dale Beyer has done a wonderful job of directing the rural village ministry, Wheels of Hope. His work has been priceless during this time of ministry growth as my attention has been needed in other areas. This area of work has thrived under his direction. At the same time, Anita Beyer has faithfully served to assist with the hosting of teams, coordinating interns and all around support.

And, last but not least, April Clark has served as our Ministry Coordinator and has been priceless to me. She is responsible for coordinating teams, including scheduling, communication and leading them on the ground. In addition, she has assumed a lion’s share of administrative paperwork for me, including much of our bookkeeping. Finally, she has played a key role in helping our growing ministry get organized. I can honestly say that I don’t know what I would have done without her over the last year.

Looking Ahead:

As we head into 2015, God has helped me see clearly the next steps that need to be taken. We have already begun taking steps in each of these areas, and we are excited about what God is doing.

1) Development of Effective Training Programs

It is important for our ministry to multiply in order to more effectively minister. This multiplication needs to occur in two areas: 1) The opening of additional group homes for children with special needs. 2) Equipping of strategic people in rural villages and the US to minister to those with special needs.

In order to facilitate this multiplication, we are developing a training program to educate individuals and families regarding the causes, manifestations, treatment and care of children and adults with special needs, and to provide them with hands-on experience in working with those who have special needs. This will enable those who have a desire to begin ministry to those with disabilities to be properly equipped.

This training will be offered to the following:

o Those considering opening a group home for children with special needs either in Guatemala or other nations.

o Individuals and churches in the rural villages of Guatemala who desire to minister to disabled individuals in their community.

o Anyone who desires to do similar ministry in the US.

o Parents who have children with special needs or who are adopting such a child.

Our desire is that by providing this training we can inspire and equip others to multiply the work we are currently doing, both in Guatemala and around the world.

2) Increased Independence of Sponsored Families

Our desire in working with families in the village setting is to help them come to know Jesus while improving their lives. However, there is a fine balance between assistance and creating dependence. We do not want our work to consist of monthly handouts and prayer, but to instead give them practical tools that they can use to better provide and care for their families over the long-term.

As stated earlier, we took our first step into micro-financing this year and deem it to be a huge success. As we head into 2015 we are looking for ways to do more of the same. Dale Beyer, who has been leading our rural village ministry, will be transitioning into the role of Special Projects Coordinator. His ministry will be to oversee special initiatives to provide a hand-up approach to families and to streamline our ministry.

Currently he is investigating the development and building of hydroponic systems that families can use to grow healthy vegetable in their home for a very small monthly cost. Under this model, a US sponsor could provide the one-time cost of a hydroponic system to a family that would provide years of healthy food instead of the sponsorship of monthly food or assistance.

In addition, he is developing local businesses that can provide an income for families with a small start-up cost. This will enable us to reduce or eliminate monthly assistance and work with more families.

Under this model, we would be able to find families in need and provide short-term assistance of immediate needs while developing and implementing a plan for long-term independence.

3) Guatemalans As Leaders:

As Dale transitions out of his role as the leader of our rural village ministry, Manuel Moran will be stepping into his spot. Manuel is a true man of God and a very effective evangelist. He will be working alongside Gerardo Hernandez who has been a part of our rural village ministry since day one. Together they will lead the day-to-day operation of our village ministry.

Because their medical and wheelchair experience is very limited, I will continue to be involved in the assessments of new families and wheelchair seatings. Likewise, Dale will continue to be involved by working with families on special projects and business development.

This is a very positive step for several reasons. First, Guatemala needs more examples of Guatemalans as ministers helping other Guatemalans. Second, this will make is easier to connect with families as it removes both cultural and language barriers. (Both Dale and I have come a long way in our Spanish, but we both still have a ways to go in order to effectively communicate the nuances of the Gospel and deep-seated emotions.) Third, Manuel and Gerardo are both excellent at sharing the heart of God and the Gospel. I believe this will lead to more transformed lives through the power of Jesus Christ.

As I look ahead to 2015 I have every reason to believe that it will be another year of growth. But, more importantly, I believe it will be the year that we hit our stride. Every person on our team will be serving in their area of passion and calling, and I believe we will be far more effective at sharing the Gospel.

Over the last four years God has built our ministry and helped us to become known and respected. The people with whom we work know that we are more than just words. They see our faith and love for God and them and, as a result, are ready to listen. May Jesus Christ be glorified and known in 2015!

For each of you that have prayed, supported and encouraged, I extend my heartfelt gratitude. Thank you for investing in the Kingdom of God in Guatemala!

I also want to remind you that we do not send out newsletters from our ministry. However, if you would like to keep up-to-date on ministry happenings you can do so at my blog at www.hopeforhome.blogspot.com. There is a spot there where you can sign-up to receive those blog posts via e-mail so that you can remain closely in touch. You are also welcome to write me directly at daryl@hopeforhome.org.

Because of Him!

Daryl I Fulp

Director, Hope for Home Ministries

Yosselin’s Surgery Is Paid For!

This is just a quick update to let you know that we have raised more than the needed amount for Yosselin’s surgery! Based upon the e-mails we have received and the PayPal contributions that have arrived, more than enough money is on the way. We praise God for His faithfulness and your generosity!

As I have stated, we have surpassed the expected costs required, but any excess funds will be kept to see if additional needs arise in her care. If not, it will be saved and used as an emergency medical fund for children that are in crisis.

Yosselin’s surgery is scheduled for the early morning of December 9th. Please keep praying for her and her family through this time.

Once again, thank you for giving to save her life!

Because of Him!

Daryl

Emergency–We Need Your Help

I very seldom come asking for money, except for seeking sponsorship for children. We do not fundraise for our ministry, and all the sponsorship for children goes directly to the children with no funds taken for administration or expenses of delivery. But occasionally we find a child with a need that is so great that we need an extra level of your help to meet it. This is just such a case.

A while back I wrote about Yosselin, a little girl from San Pablo La Laguna who was born with spina bifida and hydrocephalus. The doctor in the national hospital was telling her parents that they needed to wait to install a shunt to reduce pressure on her brain until after they had taken care of her leg problems. But I chose to override the doctor and take them to our neurosurgeon for an evaluation. It has taken a while to sort our way through the necessary appointments and testing, but we have finally completed the process.

The downside of these appointments and tests is that it has been determined that Yosselin has permanent and rather extensive brain damage. There is nothing that can be done to reverse this, but we can do something to prevent further damage. Currently her head is growing at three times the normal rate and internal pressure is building. She needs surgery to install a cerebral shunt to stop this build-up of pressure and enable her brain to grow more normally. If she does not have this surgery she will have increasing brain damage and pain and the pressure will eventually kill her.

The cost for this surgery, including hospital stay and follow-up is Q.22,040 (around $2,920 at the current exchange rate). In addition, she will require additional medicines and numerous trips to Guatemala City for appointments. I estimate the total bill for everything reaching around $3400 US.

Yosselin’s family is very poor. In addition to supporting his own wife and child, her father also supports his 9 younger siblings who live with them. They cannot even afford the bus trip to meet us in Chimaltenango, so we have been giving them money for the trips. Without our help this surgery will not happen and Yosselin will suffer and die. Yet today her parents were calm as they received the news. They love her very much, but they are trusting us to help save their daughter.

We have scheduled the surgery for the week of December 8. (The exact day is not yet known.) We are trusting God that we will have the funds available to pay at that time. For us to have those funds here in Guatemala, we need them to arrive at our US office by November 27th (six days from now). We need a miracle of generosity on the part of God’s people.

Would you please prayerfully consider giving to this need? Whatever you can afford or sacrifice will be greatly appreciated. Will you also please share this blog with others who would consider helping?

If you are willing to give, you can do so in two ways:

1) Mail a check to:

Hope for Home Ministries, PO Box 393, Troy, OH 45373

Please write “Yosselin’s Surgery” in the memo line. Also, please   write to me at daryl@hopeforhome.org to let me know you gifts is on the way.

2) Donate via Paypal at the following link:

http://www.hopeforhome.org/Donate.html

Please note that Paypal deducts a fee from what you give (about 1.5%, so keep that in mind.

Once again, every penny you give will go directly toward Yosselin’s medical needs. Nothing will be taken for administration or other expenses.

Thank you for your consideration and prayers for Yosselin and her family. And thanks for your help!

Daryl

The View of a Friend

Over the last three weeks my friend, Don Riley, has been visiting. Don and his wife, Melanie, and their three children are missionaries to Liberia, and I consider Don one of my brothers. We were prayer partners in the US while we were each preparing for the mission field, so this visit has been refreshing to me, both emotionally and spiritually.

Don recently wrote a blog update about his time with us, and I would like to share it with you. While I believe he made us look better than we really are, I also believe it is good to get another person's point of view of our ministry. (And since I have struggled to find the time to write an update of my own, this is a good time to steal his!)

I would also encourage you to save his blog and follow him as the work he and his family are doing with Wordsowers in Liberia is both inspiring and challenging. Please partner with them in prayer and finances as they seek to see a church in every village in our lifetime.

So, please click the link below and see what he has to say! 

Blessings,

Daryl, Wanda and the Crew

http://liberiacalls.blogspot.com/2014/11/pictures-and-updates-from-guatemala.html

Chikungunya and Privilege

I just returned from a two day trip to the Department of Esquintla. In that region there are three communities in which we work, Sipicate, La Gomera and Las Palmas, and I was anxious to visit with families as it had been quite a while since I had last been there. But with Dale Beyer out of the country, this was the perfect opportunity to do some catching up with the families I love.

We did have some wonderful visits with families, and I was greeted like a valued family member each place we went. I love these people so much, and it was great to reconnect. However, three visits into Sipicate we realized that these people were struggling greatly. An illness called Chikungunya had struck the region, and every family we saw had at least two family members that had been stricken. This illness is carried through mosquitoes primarily and the symptoms are harsh. A high fever, severe headache, vomiting, and joint pain and swelling combine to wipe out a person for at least a week. And, in some cases, people were forced to the national hospital for treatment. In many situations, parents have been helpless as their little ones suffer with pain and fever that causes delirium.

This is a special concern for us as so many of the special needs we encounter here are caused by improperly treated fevers. A loving parent sees their child shivering, so they wrap him or her in blankets. Their fever rises, the brain is damaged by the high temperature and permanent disability results. So we spent time at many stops describing how to treat the fever when it comes.

As some turned to the national hospital, another crisis was revealed. For months the hospitals and health clinics have been without medicine and supplies. The government has not been providing these things to the government hospitals and clinics due to “a shortage for funds.” Yet somehow the rest of the government continues to function with no problem, paying the politicians’ salaries like clockwork. In some hospitals doctors and nurses have gone on strike to send a message to the government that they cannot work without medicine and supplies. (On a side note, we have been trying to arrange for the immunization of the children in our home for six months, but all the clinics are without the needed vaccines.) So many with Chikungunya showed up simply needing acetaminophen to control their fever, only to discover that the hospital did not even have that basic medicine. As a result, people are dying of very treatable illnesses.

I don’t know about you, but until recently I never thought about how blessed my family is to have access to Tylenol. If one of my children gets sick and their fever rises, I pull it off the shelf, give it to them, and 30 minutes later their fever has dropped. But many of the families with which we visited do not have the money for even that basic medicine. It is heartbreaking and sobering.

So, we were instructing families to dress their sick family members in light clothing and wipe them down with cool water to lower their fever. We did not have enough acetaminophen to go around, so that was all we could do. Of the 15 families with which we visited, 14 of them had Chikungunya in their household. And of those 14, most of them had two or more family members affected.

So, the next time you find yourself reaching for a bottle of Tylenol, give thanks to God. Because if you have it, you are blessed.

In lighter news, little Humberto joined our household last Wednesday and is doing great! After waiting for 3 1/2 for our court appearance, the judge signed the order to move him to our home based upon the recommendations of Casa Jackson and the court’s social worker. This was a huge answer to prayer, as we felt strongly that Humberto belonged in our home.

When we first met Humberto, we believed that he could progress far beyond his current condition. That is why we agreed to take him, knowing our home could provide the therapy, stimulation and education he desperately needed. He has spent most of his life lying in a crib, and the completely bald spot on the back of his head proves that. So, our work with him has begun, with the goal of getting him out of his crib and into the world that surrounds him.

One of our first tasks was to get him a wheelchair fitted perfectly for him. So the day after he arrived we picked-up a new chair from Hope Haven. I went to their shop expecting to pay $250 for the chair, only to leave with it for free thanks to the generosity of a sponsor I do not know. Jeremiah and I worked hard to adjust it to his very small size and place it on a tilt, as his neck muscles are not strong enough to sit completely upright. As he spends more and more time out of his crib and sitting upright, his neck muscles will strengthen and we will be able to remove the tilt.

In the week since he has been with us, we have seen him begin to use his hands more to reach, grab and manipulate. He is also showing signs of progress in his speech, using distinctive grunts for “yes” and “no”. In addition, he came to us with chronic breathing problems, but our doctor has changed his medicines and we have begun doing breathing treatments three times a day. The doctor visited yesterday and told us that he had significantly improved.

We are anxious to see what this little guy can achieve in coming days. We suspect his progress over the next three months will be rapid and significant. Thank you for helping us pray him into our home so this could become a reality!

On another high note, my daughter, Carissa, returned to Guatemala after a four month stay in the States. She was there speaking and raising funds for her future ministry in Uganda. We are so happy to have her back. But sometime in 2015 she will be leaving again to do more speaking and fundraising, so we are just going to enjoy the time we have until then.

That is all for now. Please pray for those families affected by Chikungunya and for Guatemala as a whole. I continue to see the suffering increase along with the corruption of the government. We need your prayers now more than ever.

Blessings!

Daryl, Wanda and the Crew

The Alternative

This morning I had to say “No” to another child. I have had to turn away lots of children since our home opened, but this one hit me extra hard. Maybe that is because I know we really are completely full now and have no more room, man power or resources. I knew that I had to say “No” and I know that I will have to keep saying “No” for the foreseeable future.

Note: Since my last blog we were contacted by the malnutrition center, Casa Jackson, about little Humberto. He was supposed to come to our home, but due to a foul-up by CNA he was instead transferred to a state-run orphanage in Guatemala City. Casa Jackson has petitioned the judge to have him moved from there to our home because we are better equipped to care for his needs. He has a hearing tomorrow morning, and the judge has asked me to attend. We believe this injustice will be reversed and Humberto will come to our home. This will bring us to our absolute maximum capacity.

The child we turned away this morning was an 11 year old boy with a seizure disorder. He is in a hospital in Huehuetenango and is ready to be released, but he has no home to go to. The social worker begged us to take him and, when we explained the situation, then asked us to please tell her of other homes that might take him. We gave her the names and numbers of other places, but all of them are filled as well. So, we turned away a child today, and I have no idea what is going to happen to him.

This led to a conversation/argument between God and me. (I was doing all the arguing and God just listened while I vented.) To be honest, I am angry. I don’t think I am angry at God, but am instead angry at some vague entity that I call the church. I just don’t understand why, with all the need there is in this world and the access to information that brings that need into our homes day after day, Christians aren’t flocking into the world to meet that need and proclaim Jesus.

I have pleaded with God daily to send us more help to open more homes. I have pleaded with people through this blog to come and join us. And…nothing. Our home is full, we are turning children away, and we have no ability to open our next home because there is no one to lead that home. Why not?

Some people have told me that I am too transparent in this blog. I am too open and honest about my own failures and struggles and too open about how hard this ministry is. And maybe they are right. Maybe I have just scared people away as I have related both my highs and lows. (As I read back through my past blogs I find myself wondering if I would have scared myself away.) But the simple reality is that my blogs are true. This ministry is both wonderful and horrible. The highs are really high and the lows have led me to the graveside twice in the last year. This ministry has invigorated me and exhausted me, sometimes on the same day. And I have often thought of quitting only to quickly realize that there is nothing else I could do and still be happy. And before anyone would choose to join us I want them to know those truths. Because if my words would scare them away, the reality most certainly would.

So, I thought I would take a moment to share with you why I do this ministry, and why it is worth it, even  through the lowest valleys. There is a simple reason that you may or may not understand, and it is this:

It is way better than the alternative.

I could close up this ministry, sell off the possessions and head back to the States. It would take a little while, but we could do it. I see missionaries having their moving sales almost weekly as they leave the field and head back home. We could do the same.

I could get a job in ministry. I have lots of contacts and ministry credibility that would likely land me a job as pastor of a church. I was asked by one denomination to head their church planting efforts already, so I could go do ministry Stateside and it would be a noble cause.

We could purchase a decent home, get the kids enrolled in school and I could forget trying to master this Spanish language thing. (I can’t even explain to you how nice that sounds as a 47 year old still trying to learn Spanish.) And we could support missions from a distance.

But what we could not do is un-learn what we have learned and un-see what we have seen. We could bury our heads in the sand and pretend that everything is okay, but in our hearts we would know that is not true. We could not forget the faces and stories that have shaped our lives and ministry over the last seven years since we started coming to Guatemala. And we could not pretend that our absence would not be devastating to those we would leave behind.

You see, today I am mourning that I had to turn an 11 year old boy away. But if I run away I would be turning away 12 more that God has brought to us. I can grieve those that I cannot help, but is that an excuse to ignore and abandon the ones I can? Of course not.

Staying can be hard at times, but the alternative of leaving is unthinkable. So we stay. And at times things are good and easy. (Well, not easy, but easier.) At other times, things are hard and painful. But we stay because the alternative is far worse.

And in that is where the help we so desperately need lies. Somewhere out there is a family reading this blog, and the alternative of staying where they are is looking worse and worse.This family cannot un-learn what God has taught them and un-see what He has shown them. So the comfort of their life is looking less and less comfortable. The pressure is building, God is speaking and the clock is ticking. And, in them, lies the hope for a home for this boy we turned away this morning… and so many more.

I know that everyone is not called to this ministry. We need prayer partners and financial supporters, as do so many other wonderful ministries and missionaries. And if that is your call then thank you. You are valuable and precious to us.

But some of you are called. I don’t know who you are, but you are called. Maybe you are arguing with God and listing the reasons why He could not be talking to you. Maybe you have the excuses written out and memorized. But God is calling. And the alternative to going is looking less and less appealing. I want you to know that I am praying for you. I am praying that soon the call to go will surpass the alternative of staying.

The fields are white, the workers are few and people are dying apart from Jesus. That is the alternative.

Blessings,

Daryl, Wanda and the Crew