For those of you who have not seen my set of wheels, this is how I prefer to get around.  And this is my buddy Anna riding on the rack on back.  In Guatemala it is not uncommon to see three people riding on a bike.  Notice my nice basket on the front – with the rack and the basket I could strap on anything I needed!

And yes, I do ride my bike in a skirt.  You have to be careful it doesn’t get caught in the wheels.  Some skirts are better quality for riding than others, but that’s why they make skirts for every occasion!

Nate Saint on the day he was killed.

In part living in a foreign country doesn’t seem that foreign to me.  When I was younger I loved to read and buried my nose in books on travel, adventure, other cultures, and different time periods.  I loved exploration and thought the ideal life was that of the Boxcar children.  Part of my personality is to identify with the characters in the story almost to the point that I feel as if I am there.   When the anaconda emerged from the river in the Swiss Family Robinson, I got an adrenaline rush from reading about the escape and dreamt about it for nights.  And that same feeling still flows through me as I read stories of places people have been and experiences they have had.  Since I have read much about cultures and life as it is in Guatemala, I often have that feeling like I have already been here.

In the last ten years I have particularly enjoyed books by Elizabeth Elliot.  She doesn’t write many adventure stories, but focuses more on challenging me in my own life.  Her husband was one of the men killed in Ecuador along with four other missionaries by the Huaorani tribe as they were trying to befriend them.  Their lives were not in vain though as many have come to hear and know their story over the years.  Jim Elliot’s journals have been published and I can remember the first time reading  “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.”  Immediately I felt like this man was my friend as those words were how I felt as well;  I just hadn’t put it that simply in my mind.

Nate Saint was one of the other men on this trip and was survived by a son, Steve Saint.  Steve remained in Ecuador after his father’s death and actually befriended the men that killed his father.  Their reconciliation and story was recorded in the book (and movie) The End of the Spear.  Once I read all that Elizabeth had written, I moved onto Steve as he wrote about his life and experiences.  I grew to respect him so much for his willingness to serve and love the people that had killed his father and changed his life forever!

And so you can imagine how enthralled I was when I was sitting in the second row of a seminar at the conference and Steve Saint arose to speak.  I was like meeting a childhood hero!  If I told you a year ago he almost died as he was working on a plane and was hit by a beam knocking him unconscious, shattering his vertebrae, doing irreversible damage to his arms and legs, and leaving him unable to talk, swallow, or breathe on his own, you may never have guessed this was the same man.  He struggled to walk and his shoulders and arms had little range of motion, but his mind was there along with his sense of humor.

A project Steve was working on when he was hit with the beam.  This is a flying car that can be used on dirt run strips.

He spoke about the fact as Americans our response is always to jump in before we’re really needed.  We want to help others and sometimes in doing this we rob others of the opportunity of experiencing it for themselves.  As Steve was sitting down on stage he missed the edge of the chair and fell to the floor.  There were several people that went to the stage to help him up.  As they reached for him he said, “No, I can do it.  Let me do it.”  It was an obvious struggle as he could not use his arms and his legs were weak.  He had to rock back and forth as well as push himself up.  He also joked, “It’s just like you Americans always being quick to jump to the rescue.”  When he got into his chair after much struggle he was able to stand and then encouraged us by saying that he did all of that as an illustration.  Really what he wanted us to know and see is that we often do for people what they can do for themselves.  We just need to give them the chance.  Often God calls them to do things that may be challenging, but it is their own obstacle and use stepping in is robbing them of that challenge.

This is a message I have been hearing a lot and challenging me.  It has been frustrating at times as I see things that could be done “better” or “differently” and think that our Western way of thinking would be more productive and help more.  But the truth is that my role is to help others and equip others to think outside of the box for themselves.  I need to allow them to see what God has in store for them instead of seeing with my own eyes.  And so as things progress, as we continue to be led, continue to grow, it’s my hope for the valley in which we live that others would be challenged as well and see this challenge for what it really is!

If you would like to see more about Steve’s journey and what he is currently doing, check out this website http://www.itecusa.org/

My heart is for children – of all ages.  Teenagers, toddlers, fourth graders, tweeners.  To me anyone my age or younger is a child J  Seeing a child smile automatically is reflected on my own face.  Our nutrition program focuses on kids under the age of two who are malnourished.  If they are in our program longer than this, then most likely they have something else coupled with the malnutrition.  Three kids that I have seen for years are Ana, Martina and Juana.  They smile when you say their name.  Their arms wave when they are excited.  They are familiar with the routine of being weighed and never cry.  Yet they are trapped within their own bodies.  They cannot communicate and have very little interaction with a world outside of their own mind.  Syndromes are not readily diagnosed here and cerebral palsy cripples children at a higher rate than in the states.  And so these children are most often tucked away and their failure to thrive leads to childhood mortality.

A friend was down this week who fits people in the states with wheelchairs.  And so we outfitted Martina and Juana with wheelchairs adapted to their needs.  Their new wheels came from a group called Wheels of Hope and it couldn’t have been more fitting ! Swimming noodles were readily used to create padding, cut by a machete and attached with cords.  Martina was the first to be equipped with a new car.  She has cerebral palsy and we suspect that her vision is not that well.  She can hear well though and always turns her head at the mention of her name.  She’ll laugh and laugh.  We also have a toy rattle shaped like a bee on the scale and she recognizes this and will try and reach for it at times.  Progress is progress with her and she always shows excitement when you talk with her.

We outfitted Juana at her house.  She has more control over her body and can sit up.  Hopefully this will give her more mobility as she becomes heavier and more difficult for her mother to carry.  Part of the difficulty lies in the fact that these houses are often located on slopes or mountains and it is difficult to transport these children.

Ana’s mom loves her very much and it has been obvious that she cares for her around the house.  As we worked with Ana and tested her strength and mobility I asked Ana’s mom if she had any questions.  Her response was, “I would like more exercises to do with her at home.”  What a welcome question as I often wonder what kind of attention these kids get at home.  Are they noticed?   Left alone? Abandoned?  All three of these kids appear to be loved by their families.  They are grateful for anything that we do to help them care for those kids that are most often lost and forgotten here in a world where survival is key.

The smiles on these girls’ faces show the joy in their hearts from the little things.  And so as they rejoice, I rejoice as well as I have watched their progress for years take only tiny, tiny steps.  Having a little more mobility will hopefully create a better life for them and their families.

I am back in Guatemala and transitioning to life here.  This is the first time I have transitioned from snow to sun and it was a delight (sorry to my snow blanketed friends).

The conference was definitely a great place for us to start when it comes to finding the equipment that we will need.  Not only was it a place to network, but it also gave a sense of being surrounded by so many like-minded people.  How refreshing!  The first night after seminars and talking all day, we entered the session and joined together singing a song entitled “Oceans” and that’s the picture of what the sanctuary was – an ocean of people all in the same boat.  The atmosphere was abounding with the attitude that we were all there to join together for the sake of the Kingdom.  I was encouraged that all of these ministries were there in support of one another and not in competition with each other.

Who did I meet?  I talked to nurses that have developed schools in other countries.  I talked to doctors and hospital administrators, bio medics and pharmacists that have worked in these countries and wanted to offer their assistance.  Remember James from World Wide Lab?  As I was walking an aisle surrounded by people I heard, “Adrienne!  Adrienne!” and looked to see a man chasing me down.  It was James.  He was there with World Wide Lab and while he was there he was also doing networking on our behalf.  He gave me a card for a guy that wanted to help.  I was to call him after the conference, but I thought if he’s here, it would be much better to talk to him face to face.  And so I stored his name in my brain.  And as I was talking to another man, I saw another card for this man.  I asked, “Do you know where this guy is?”  And sure enough, just around the corner I found the guy.  Connections, connections, connections.

To say the least the week was overwhelming.  At night I felt that I not only got the 15,000 words that my body has the desire to speak a day out…. But I also spoke 65,000 words that I had stored up for weeks!  Generally when I approach someone that I do not now I am shy and struggle to get my words across, but God’s grace was over me and I was able to speak with confidence and purpose.  Building a hospital is not easy.  But it’s not something that needs to be done in isolation.  We are all in this together.  This is the body of Christ working as one.  Thanks for going before and being a part of that puzzle.

This is a board that represented all of those present.  Each marker represents someone at the conference.

Ahhhh!  Looking through my drafts I realized that this never got posted!

I wanted to let you know that I will be home soon and would love to share with you all that has been happening here.  There has been an open house scheduled for October 27th from 1-5 at the Legacy Banquet Center in Grove City.  At that time I will be sharing with you the road traveled as well as the road ahead.  As we walk this road together, I want you to be in the know!  Lots of pictures and stories.  I won’t be home long and would love to see you all!

Go to the lost, confused people … touch the untouchables. You have been treated generously, so live generously (Matthew 10:5, The Message).

Here are a few snapshots of people that come to clinic.  These people keep coming to my mind to pray over, to pray for their communities.  To pray that they may come to know truth and hope….

As I listened to a young girl at the age of 20 tell her story, I looked at how clean and neat she appeared.  Her smile was shy and her eyes were bright and her face was very attractive.  She appeared healthy and bright.  She came to us because she had been having seizures for 3 ½ years.  She had been taking medicine that was able to control the seizures, but if she missed a day, the seizures returned.  When asked about a husband or family, she shook her head.  From her bag she pulled out a packet of medicine.  Leslie explained to her that the medicine that she was taking would eliminate her seizures, but at the same time it would prevent her from having children.  I could see the fear creep into her eyes as she thought about what would be worse, to have seizures and have children, or not have seizures, but not have children.

After Leslie finished explaining, the gratitude that flowed from her lips was so genuine that it stood out to me throughout the day.  Often times we are told thank you, but this was different.  She had been taking this medicine for some time and no one ever shown concern about her or her future.  The smile returned to her face when Leslie gave her a different medicine that would control her seizures and allow her to still have children in the future.  Only one question remained, where was this money coming from that bought her medicine – 250 quatzales a week (which in the American economy is about 250 dollars a week).  She explained that she was in the church and they took up an offering for her so that she could continue to buy the medicine.  With these words I was encouraged, that the body of Christ is living and active.  That she is finding hope and peace in knowing that her needs are taken care of and she has others around her that will walk this path with her. And so we pray…..

The same day a father brought his 18 month old daughter in.  At first glance she appeared normal, but there was a stare to her eyes that said something was really wrong with her.  She has been admitted to the hospital and put in intensive care for 30 days and then in the pediatric ward for 60 days.  Since she was released, her father said she is unable to swallow or see.  When asked why she was in the hospital, he said that there were so many people there, no one ever told him.  But the concern in his eyes showed that he realized his daughter was not the same.  He had heard that we could help babies like her so he brought her to us, a five hour walk up and down mountains.  And so we asked about his support network, if he had a pastor and church.  He explained that yes he knew Jesus could heal and that his pastor was praying for his daughter and family.  After explaining to him what had probably happened to his daughter and that she might not ever develop further, he welcomed prayer and was grateful to finally have answers as to why his daughter never healed.  Although there was no medical care we could offer, he left with the understanding that Jesus was the only one who could heal.  And so we pray….

We pray for the hearts of those that come seeking  as well….. as I listened and talked with a girl that was 23 and had been with her husband 8 years and had had no children.  She came seeking a fix to this problem.  Her husband was beating her and abusing her and blaming the fact that they were childless on her.  Knowledge about pregnancy is pretty limited and although she had hoped we had an answer for her, this was not the case.  Armando (a pastor who has a heart for these people)  explained all of the issues that could cause infertility and especially that it was not her fault and she was not cursed.  He spent a long time talking to her about her life, her husband, and how to approach the next steps.  Here in Guatemala there are few options for infertility and it is almost like a curse.  Children are needed to help around the house, to care for you in your later age, to work in the fields.  Without children, it is like having no retirement plan.  And so those who never have children are often some of the most sorrowful people that we meet as their hearts yearn to have children…. And so we pray……

On a morning stroll up the mountain, you would see the sun peeking over the top of the mountain to the east…..

And awakening the birds and other critters along the way.

A tuk-tuk, sort of like an open air taxi that takes people into town.

The clouds settle in during the night and linger until the sun is high in the sky.  This is a view over the valley.  Our house is just out of town, but this picture shows you the town of Canilla.

A typical Guatemalan home made of block.  Other homes here are made of adobe.  This is new construction going up in our valley.

A downfall to our house is that we are within half a mile from the cemetery and the town dump.  The rich people are buried above ground and the poorer people in the back.  Some mornings I’ll run around the cemetery as it is quiet and usually free of people at this time.