The Most Important Room

Posted on April 20, 2015 by adrienneorris

Really the most exciting thing happening around here is that the walls are going up at the hospital. But they are not the walls that we intended to lay first. They are the walls that God wants first…. and so we move forward.

We should have received a container full of plumbing supplies for a plumbing team to put in two weeks ago. But the container was delayed by a red flag from the government and a strike by the drivers. And so…. the team was here with no supplies.

Yet when God called us to build this hospital, we knew that the most important part would be the refuge it would provide and the opportunity it would be to be a light into the darkness. Part of the hospital includes a prayer room. The International House of Prayer (IHOP) has been a constant here over the years. IHOP is located in Kansas City and is 24/7 prayer and intercession for the needs of the world. We too believe that this is priority and a necessity to have as part of our ministry so it was included in the plans – in the front corner where it was accessible to all.

Where did we start building? From the back forward which would mean that the prayer room would not be finished first. Throughout this whole project though, God has constantly reminded us that we are nothing without Him. That this is He who is going forward and that it is important to make Him a priority above all. So when the container didn’t come, we took that as God asking us to move forward with the prayer room. How quickly it can go up!

After the floor was poured we had our first night of worship there – under the open sky! How beautiful to come together as a body of Christ and worship together. Priorities. It’s easy to say that God is first in your life and the most important thing. But putting God first in your life is another thing. For me, when busyness surrounds me, I can easily find that I lose sight of my priorities …. Yet my faith is strengthened when God steps forward and says that He has it already figured out.

For me, coming to Guatemala and committing to be part of this was something bigger than just a decision. It was putting God in front of any of my other desires that I had. I gave up a job that I enjoyed, a school family that I cared for, I moved far from my physical family and my church family. I gave up friends and comforts and opportunities. Yet the choice was one of priotities…. To listen to what God was asking or to listen to me.

As I have lived out life here and watched this come together, God has made His priorities clear and it gives me confidence and peace that He is in the driver’s seat. The walls of the prayer room remind me once again that we can lay the plans in our head, but God will lay the plans out in front of us. We walk forward in faith knowing that God is laying the blocks that He needs to reap the harvest.

Our first of many worship sets in this room.

Looking down the front corridor.

Duane working at night to perfect the floor.

In Like a Lion

Posted on March 4, 2015 by adrienneorris

Someone had to remind me that it was March. To me it feels like June. I guess March is always best when it comes in like a Lion and our like a Lamb. For me that might hold true this month, we will see. I picked up some extra courses as our Physics/ Math teacher was away for his wife to have their baby and spent quality time with some quality students. I lost my voice in the process yet my brain completely flipped. I found it difficult to talk in English and my brain much preferring Spanish.

There used to be a time of normalcy here where every week was the same it and it would be difficult to find a new blog even once a month. We have entered into the world of constant change – with the exciting news being that I could send you something new that happens each day.

It is currently the dry season…. lots of dust, lots of fires in the nights in the mountains and great sunsets and sunshine on the mountains. It will be like this for awhile.

Work continues at the hospital with more and more foundational walls being built. Two-thirds of these walls have been poured and the men continue on their schedule to push forward.

School continues to be the routine around here – as we settle into a routine. I am noticing this year that I feel a little more confident teaching although I am still not expressing and completely explaining like I would like. How I even managed words last year I am not quite sure. These students are both from our Cuarto and Quinto Bachi classes.

Foundations

Posted on February 1, 2015 by adrienneorris

Webster’s defines foundation as an underlying basis or principle of something.

Right now is such an important time, in every area of the ministry as the foundation is being laid. The principle is set. First things are first things. When I think about the fact that in ten, twenty or even fifty years, the work that is going into this year will still be continuing…. It makes me think of how important that foundation is.

I had a picture in my office that read “ The rains came, the streams rose and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.” Matthew 7:25 These words encouraged me daily to be sure that my foundation in my life was built on the Rock. So many times it seems as if the winds are blowing and the rain is falling here as obstacles and set backs are the norm in this culture. But if we can keep our focus on building the foundation, then we can trust that the Rock will sustain it.

This week we took a day to dedicate the hospital project to the Lord and shared with all those who are involved the purpose of moving forward. Local mayors gathered to be a part of the ceremony as well as representatives from the school and many who have been involved with this project.

One of the most significant parts of the night was the burying of objects underneath this foundation – a Bible to represent Christ’s word and promises, wine to represent His sacrifice, wheat to proclaim that He is the bread of life, oil to represent the presence of the Holy Spirit and salt because Jesus is the salt of the earth… and also because salt is used as a preservative representing how we as Christians carry the responsibility to be the salt of the earth. There symbols represent the foundation of why we are building this hospital – because we believe that Jesus wants to move amongst the people here. And so, in a small hole in the center of the prayer room floor, nestled under the foundation will remain these things.

To read another perspective on the day, check out the Epperly’s blog at http://epperlyadventures.blogspot.com/

Here the mayor of Uspantan is addressing the crowd.

Duane took this as he flew over. You can see the hospital ground better than ever! The darker lines are the trenches that have been dug and filled with footer. The white lines are waiting to be dug and the tents are in the middle of the hospital. If you look closely beside the buildings on the side, you will see me in a grey sweater. I was waving 🙂

Adventures

Posted on January 10, 2015 by adrienneorris

This isn’t really ground breaking because we have been working at the hospital property for many months. All of those loads of dirt have been prepared and David officially began to dig the footings for the hospital. Inside the footings the men are laying rebar and then will pour the cement for the foundation. As I walked across the property I had chills thinking…. This really is happening. This property no longer will look like a field. The project really is going forward. Not a day has gone by without work being done or at least mental work as talk of the project is almost unavoidable around here at times…. But it is exciting to see all that is needed to be in one place. Another thing I have noticed as this project continues forward is how much pride the Guatemalans that are working alongside of us have in this project – the men that are doing the manual labor. To me some much of the work that they are doing is redundant and requires a lot of physical labor in the hot sun, but as the hospital takes more and more shape, they can see it too. It really is happening.

The Epperly’s have come for their stint for this year as they are the first of the DOCS group that comes through here. The kids enjoyed the footings as we took a look at all that was happening this evening. It was like an underground maze. If you would like to learn more about this family or the DOCS group, check out their blog here http://epperlyadventures.blogspot.com/

I have upgraded, although I’m not sure I want to call it an upgrade. I still prefer exercise over laziness. But this set of wheels has already saved me much time in running errands for the school this week. Thanks to all who supported my new mode of transportation. It will suit me well. The first time I took it to town, someone from the barber shop had to help me start it. I think I have a permanent bruise from where the kickstand indented my shin. And I have learned that cows move when you try to maneuver through them, but horses just kick you. Very good things to know when riding a motorcycle.

Construction is Happening!

Posted on January 6, 2015 by adrienneorris

Cement. Sand. Block. Dirt. Backhoes. Rock Crusher. These are the words that are constantly being discussed now. For those of you interested in the construction, I wanted to share some recent pictures with you so that you can see the progress.

At the hospital…. the team house is being built to house construction teams that are coming down to help. The land is being prepared. The rebar and block has been collected. And the guys are perfecting the cement making process.

And at the school the new classroom is being constructed to welcome two new classes of students. We did not have a room large enough to house the number of students that we are expecting next week for registration. And we also did not have a room large enough for a class of 25 students. And so we are building a room to serve this purpose as fast and efficient as possible!

Watching Each Step

Posted on December 6, 2014 by adrienneorris

Since school is out, I have had the opportunity to go to clinic in Chiminisijuan. This clinic is nestled high in the mountains offering amazing views…. And I love to go there because the people truly have a need….. Today’s trip was not as enjoyable as some others that I have had….

This last time there provided more of a challenge though as it had rained there and I don’t think the clouds had lifted for a few days. It was damp. It was cold. The road was slippery, so we had to park halfway and walk. I usually embrace this opportunity. It would have been better if I had thought ahead… I was without proper shoes to walk or a rain jacket. Some might have labeled me a rookie.

As I made my way down the road, I had to be careful of every step. It’s sort of like when I run, and I have to watch for the roots, cowpies, rocks, holes or anything else that might trip me up. On the road I was in search of the red dirt and the sand as these spots were more solid. If my foot found the lighter dirt, there was a good chance it would just slip – and potentially could face plant in the mud. On my very first trip here ten years ago, I feel a good ten feet down one hill and was sure I could repeat this adventure again. As I found solid footing, I trusted the rocks most and wished that the entire road was lined with rocks.

The walk gave me time to think and reflect on the conversations I had this week last with others– and drew a parallel with the trek to the clinic and our trek in life. School and classes are officially over and I am preparing for a break from teaching. I have seen some of last year’s students and listened to their current thoughts…. how they parallel so many other adolescents in the world today….

We all know that we try to avoid the trials in life. We try to avoid slipping or falling. We want to keep our feet on solid ground. We look for the rocks, we look towards friends, we look towards stability. We don’t want to end up cold or wet or miserable. And yet one wrong step might find us on unstable ground, headed in a direction that we don’t intend. How quickly it can happen – and we didn’t even see it coming. That’s why it’s always better to look where you’re going. To find the path that has the best chance at providing stability. Yet, sometimes we do slip. Sometimes we do find ourselves in mud that we do not want. Sometimes we have to backtrack a little bit. This happened to be along the road. I would be on one side, thinking it had the best footing for avoiding the mud, and my foot would just sink. I could continue on, or withdraw it and start again. In life we get stuck too. In life we slip into the valley. Sometimes knowingly and sometime unknowingly. It just happens. But if we stay there too long; if we keep going in the wrong direction without heeding the warning…. The option of turning back might not be available any longer. And so I tried to keep my eyes fixed forward, on the footsteps of others to see where the path was solid and where I wanted to take a turn.

And so my encouragement to you is this… to keep your eyes focused ahead, looking for the ROCK –which is Christ. The one who lays out our steps for us. The One whose desire is to get us to our destination on solid ground. And when you slip, because we all do, pick up your foot and put it back on solid ground. Retreat if you need to back to the solid ground.

Before I left clinic my day was more than brightened. This little girl was one of our last. She came up behind me without me seeing her and wrapped her arms around my legs. When I turned around, I was greeted with the biggest smile and laughter. God not only provides rocks to help us along our path. But he provides smiles as well to warm us.

“ For who is God, but the Lord? And who is a Rock, except our God? This God is my strong refuge and has made my way blameless. He made my feel like the feet of a deer and set me secure on the heights.” II Samuel 22:32-34

Why a Hospital?

Posted on November 12, 2014 by adrienneorris

Why a hospital….

This question is often asked to me. “Aren’t there any hospitals for the people?” In reality, the nearest hospital is two hours away. But the definition of a hospital here and the idea of a hospital are two different things. It is hard to grasp a building that is sparsely equipped with less than 200 beds that serves over a million people. And unfortunately, many of the people from our area are afraid to go to the hospital due to racism and discrimination that has been shown to their families and neighbors in the past. Everyone seems to know some horror story about something that happened in the national hospital.

Why a hospital…

Today I spoke with a 20 year old woman, pregnant with a hydrocephalic baby. She didn’t understand what was wrong with her baby or the complications. She asked if it was a rabbit or a pig that was inside of her. As I watched the affect of her face and saw how motionless she was, I realized…. I wish she didn’t have to go through the government system. She will be left with more questions and more confusion…. if only we could refer her from our hospital….

Or for the 3 week old baby of one of our workers. Believing that the baby had meningitis, they took him to the hospital where he was taken from the parents and placed in the ICU. The next day there was an explosion of gas at the hospital and everyone was evacuated. The parents could not find their son (in the hospital here, the parents are often not told what is wrong and are not allowed to see their children – creating fear and uncertainty with many people). The parents were eventually given their baby and told he had an infection and there was nothing they could do. They sent them home and the baby died that day. The truth is the baby may have still died in our hospital, but we could have started treatment earlier. We could have shown compassion and Christ to the family. We would have allowed them to know what was happening and how they could pray.

Or the sixteen year old girl who came on Saturday who’s baby was 22 weeks develop and died in utero. She cried and cried which is not common here. I wish she could be surrounded by doctors and nurses during this process who would show her love and pray with her.

Or the woman that came in the afternoon Saturday, eight weeks pregnant with an ectopic pregnancy – in such severe pain that she passed out when she stood up. She already had signs of shock and had to ride the three hours to the nearest hospital on incredibly bumpy roads…. my prayer was that when she got there, they would treat her before she died.

For the two year old boy with severe pneumonia. The third child of a mom who is just 22. His stats were in the 70s and the father was working at the coast. The mom had no help at home and chose to give him medicine and pray. For her to navigate the hospital system here is extremely difficult.

These are just the cases I remember from that day, where I thought, “this would be a good day to have a hospital”. And so, we press forward with the task at hand, believing that a hospital in our area will provide for those who have no other options. The road to here has not been easy, but God is leading. God is guiding. And we take one day at a time.

Preparations

Posted on September 10, 2014 by adrienneorris

If it’s not one thing, it’s another.

I’m sure many people feel this way about their lives. In fact, I’m sure many people verbalize this every day. I don’t think I can remember when there was consistency in life or any type of form to a schedule. We are in constant change here, and working towards the life that is to come. That life consists of adding at the least 22 new bodies to our compound. That life consists of at least two new living quarters. That life consists of the beginnings of a hospital structure. That life consists of a University and another class or students. That life consists of the unknown.

It has not been easy to anticipate the needs for something we are not sure about. We are sure that we will need more space. We are sure that we will need more infrastructure. We are sure we will need more help. It would just be easier if we could see into what that is to look like just a little more. And so we pray… and we pray hard… for God’s favor through this all. We pray for the pieces of the puzzle that are missing. We seek that which God has entrusted us with. We walk in faith and not by sight…. because it is better to walk towards God than to stand still. Plus, standing still is not an option.

Here are a few pictures of the transitions going around here including equipment that was shipped from the states to help with construction.

Constant Change

Posted on July 16, 2014 by adrienneorris

I recently read a post about things that change when you live abroad, and so many of them were true. It’s true that you start to unlearn your original language and words that came quickly in English seem to vanish from memory. It’s true that normal becomes the new normal if you can even identify normal at all. It’s true that it’s hard to find words to tell about what life currently is like, but I think the strongest truth is that your world is constantly changing. Although there is some routine, everything is always in constant change and there is something new every day. You no longer have this job that you go to every day with clear-cut defined responsibilities. There is little routine to life, and if someone asks what you did today, each day will be completely different.

In the last week alone I spent Thursday at Chumisa. This first picture is of the boy whom Leslie gave the prize of the day to. He came into clinic, struggling to walk and sat down. He proceeded to tell Leslie, “I can’t see, and I have this” lifting up his shirt to reveal scabies all over his stomach. He believed that the scabies caused him to go blind within the last month. Clearly it didn’t, but he was convinced of this. He has tried to get to the states twice and has been sent back. He has waited the month (went blind in the meantime) and wants to try to reach the states again. When asked what he thought he would do there, he thought he would work. Forgetting that he is blind, can’t see anything, and probably can’t get a job let alone maneuver through the deserts, rivers, and trails that it will take him to get to the states. To find the root of the issue, he will need more testing – which means he will have to maneuver the government system here in Guatemala. He reminded me of that child-like faith that we are supposed to have though as he was eager to pray for healing, eager about having Jesus in his heart. In fact, when Leslie put her hand on his knee to pray with him, he grabbed her hand and held it… which is what this picture captures… the hope for something beyond the medicine we can give.

Friday the students came to the clinic for their first field trip. They were excited all week for this opportunity and I was glad to be able to share in the morning with them. We have been learning about embryo development and growth in class and they came to observe ultrasounds and wet their appetite for nursing. They are so curious, so eager. I find myself lacking the Spanish to explain to them deeper some of the important concepts, but this was a day of encouragement to us all!

And as we look to things that constantly change, it is encouraging to me as I ride by the hospital property at least four times a day, to see constant change in the ground there. Yes, there will be a hospital one day. A place where people can be treated and encouraged. Here are pictures of the progress. The fence is up in the front and the ground continues to be leveled.

Breaking Ground

Posted on July 2, 2014 by adrienneorris

This post is a little behind…. because ground breaking happened in June… but I continue to get the question, “Where are you on the hospital property?” Well… we are currently moving dirt. Leveling the ground, bringing in good dirt, moving dirt, digging ditches. Actually I am doing none of that – just observing. BUT we have officially broken ground and are moving forward! Exciting times!

Have a look…