Aguacatán, Suculque, Shetenám, Arenál, Malacantacito

To you, these are probably just strange words.  To Guatemalans, these are names of towns in the northwestern part of the country.  All of these towns were visited by the group from Edinbrook Church in Minneapolis.  They came  for one week.  They visited these towns mentioned above and held dental clinics in each one.  A total of nearly 200 teeth extractions and around 65 fillings were performed.  Over 800 men, women and children were administered medicine to kill parasites.  Vacation Bible School was held in three of the cities with over 500 children hearing the Word of God.  They laughed, played games, did manual crafts and were given a clear message of the plan of salvation.  Berea Bible Institute had new curtains made for some of the older buildings and a new roof was put on one of the large buildings.

We were able to hold two church services where the group  sang, gave their testimonies and shared God’s love with the people.  The first night, Julian came walking forward and kneeled to receive Christ as his Savior.  This man had been prayed over for many months and that night we saw the harvest.  Pray for Julian as he grows in the church named, “Jesus, the Light of the World.”

Today the group is leaving for Guatemala City as I stay behind wrapping things up.  They will return home tomorrow a different group.  God always works in the lives of the ones that come.  For many this is their 4th and 5th trips.  Some were first timers.  Pray for the lives that were touched here as well as the ones returning home tomorrow.

Evie with two Canjobal women from Soloma

Our group at the monument overlooking Huehuetenango at 11,000 feet

Children crowding around to hear a Bible story.

Children in one group playing the parachute game

Thank you for your prayers.  Wednesday, November 4, Edwin and I return to Atlanta and early on the 6th, we take off for Detroit, Michigan to be at Woodside Bible Church in Troy, Michigan for their mission’s conference.  We would appreciate your prayers for health as many of our trips are back to back.

Edwin and Evie

Let’s have coffee

 

Thanks for coming.  I was hoping you would.  I made some coffee so I can share with you a burden on my heart.  I hope you will then pray about it as often as the Lord brings it to mind.

It’s about our daughter, Jenny.   I may have told you that for the last 12 years she has been rebelling and living her life away from God.  Last May, it seemed that our prayers were answered.  She wanted to completely leave all of her bad habits, come back to the Lord and attend church to grow.  She left where she was living in North Carolina and along with Irie, came to live with us in Georgia.    What a wonderful decision and answer to prayer.

It lasted for two months.  For two months she left all of her bad habits behind and saught out a Christian counselor, attended Celebrate Recovery and was active in a small group at church.

The first part of July, she began conversations again with Irie’s father and before long, while I was away attending the funeral of my dear prayer partner o f 25 years, Jenny decided to go back.  When I returned home on July 7, she was gone.

I have been praying and just feel it is time to share so a flood of prayers will go out for her and for Irie, her 3 yr. old.  Please unite with us and pray for Jenny and Irie that they will be open to God’s voice and leading.  I feel the best way to pray is for God’s will.  He moves many times in ways  different than how we wold ask.  She seems to know the Lord and at times is so sensitive to His voice.  She does have a disorder that at times causes her to think in a disfunctional way.

Thank you for your prayers.  We appreciate you joining us as we lift Jenny and little Irie up to the Lord.

Take it to the Lord in Prayer

The hymn, “What A Friend We Have in Jesus”  tells us two times in each of its three stanzas to take our prayers to the Lord, everything to God in prayer.  So many times that is not our first thought.  A difficulty comes our way, instead of praying, we try to solve things ourselves.  What is your first thought when you face crisis?

The Lord gave me a very special friend 25 years ago.  Her name, Elsie Melton.  We met at a harvest party for our church adult small group.  We had various questions to ask those present to get to know them better.  One of the questions was how many countries have you visited.  It seems that many of the group hadn’t been out of the US, even though they lived 30 miles from the Canadian border.  Elsie, being from Texas and married to at that time a customs officer had been in many countries.  I was from California, married and ministered in Latin America with my husband.  We clicked that night and the friendship began.  We were only two years apart in age.  The more we chatted, the more we found our lives had similarities.

I don’t know whose idea it was way back then to pray together, if I had to guess, I would say it was Elsie’s idea.  Elsie loved to pray.  We started meeting sometimes weekly, sometimes twice a month and we would pray hours for our families and ministries.  Elsie became heavily involved with the Stonecroft ministry.  Elsie started many Bible Studies and planned many luncheons and dinners where after a delicious meal and special music,  a speaker gave a short non-threatening talk with the clear plan of salvation.

Over those 25 years, we still called each other.   Sometimes we had quick calls in-between our scheduled times for urgent prayer requests for our children our spouses.  You don’t realize how very important that is and how precious those hours spent in prayer are until you can’t call anymore.  June 26, God decided that it was Elsie’s time to be with Him instead of down here on earth.  It was very unexpected!  She was visiting her daughter in Oklahoma where the 13th grandchild was born.  She spent the evening calling everyone with the happy news.  It was that night that she slipped into eternity with her Heavenly Father whom she served so faithfully.

Why am I sharing this with you?  First, I wanted to share with you the life of this woman of prayer.  As her children shared during the funeral last Monday, “I would call mom with a problem or a decision I had to make and she would say, ‘let’s pray about it.”‘  She took anything and everything to God in prayer.

If you don’t have someone you can call anytime if the day or night and say, I need to pray, I suggest you pray about who can be that person for you.  It is the best feeling knowing that someone will really pray instead of just saying they will.  The Bible teaches us to pray alone, with the brethren, in silent, out loud, lying down, kneeling, etc.  God covers it ALL.  We are to pray without ceasing.  Thank Him.  You know those verses.

Let me just close with the words from that famous hymn.  The author wrote the words for one person, his mother, when she was facing deep sorrow.  Written for one person, but loved and is an encouragement ro millions.

What A Friend We Have in Jesus

1) What a Friend we have in Jesus, All our sins and griefs to bear!

What a privilege to carry, Everything to God in prayer!

O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear,

All because we do not carry, Everything to God in prayer!

2) Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere?

We should never be discouraged; Take it to the Lord in prayer.

Can we find a friend so faithful Who will all our sorrows share?

Jesus knows our every weakness; Take it to the Lord in prayer.

3) Are we weak and heavy laden, Cumbered with a load of care?

Precious Savior, still our Refuge; Take it to the Lord in prayer.

Do thy friends despise, forsake thee? Take it to the Lord in prayer.

In His arms He’ll take and shield thee; Thou wilt find a solace there.

 

Elsie, Richard and grandson

 

Full calendar + family emergencies

I don’t know if I should begin apologizing for weeks of silence or just say, if you don’t hear from me, pray more!  Definitely when I am not writing on a regular basis, we are either drowning in ministry or going through some kind of emergency.  Recently, both were the case.

Since school has been out for a few weeks in some states, trips to Huehue have begun. There are many more planned before the end of August.   Bogota is the next location for a Franklin Graham festival so Edwin has begun visiting to set up the training process for the counselors in sites all over the city.  Last week, Edwin, Irie and I spent a few days in Minneapolis visiting our supporting church, Edinbrook Baptist Church as well as home meetings in the Minneapolis area as well as in Wahapeton, North Dakota.  It was great to see friends that have gone to Guatemala on different trips. 

You probably know by now that OC has had major problems getting our prayer letters out.  They are now saying that all the bugs are out and hopefully have returned to normal.  This has been an area of concern for us since keeping you informed is important to us.  We want you to praise the Lord with us for God’s blessings and pray for us during needs and trials.  How else can you do that if you are not kept in the loop.  God willing, things will run more smoothly now.  You can always go to the OC site to see past prayer letters you might have missed.  www.OneChallenge.org.  On the side, a reminder that my email address has changed.  The new one is: worshipandarts@bellsouth.net.

Please pray for our daughter Jennifer and her son as they are now living with us.  You have been praying for her for many years and this is a huge praise, God is responding by bringing her back to Him.  She has been with us for five weeks now and she has been off of all the bad habits that have kept her away from God.  She is now attending church weekly and is plugged into two small groups for encouragement and growth.  Our emergencies during the last few weeks have centered around her, Irie and Irie’s dad.  Please continue to pray for them, that Jenny will continue to grow in the Lord.  That Irie will not have problems with what he lived through the last few years.  That Jenny will be able to get on her own soon, with a job and eventually a small apartment.  God is good and we are trusting Him  and HIS will in this situation.  Only HE knows what is best for them.  Pray with us that we will all be sensitive to His voice and leading.

Once again we thank you for your vital part on our team.  We are so blessed by your suport.

Below are a few photos of when we returned from Minneapolis with Irie last Tuesday.

Hugs, Evie

Checking things out

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

speed first, then we lift her up

Next Generation Family Reunion

So Edwin wants to know what color shirt he and I are going to wear for the photos.  It then dawned on us that, we aren’t invited.  Have you ever been in the position where you have always planned everything, did all the cooking, housing arrangements etc.?  Then as you begin to get silver around the temples, you realize that the younger generation are planning for you.  That is what is happening.  It’s our home.  It’s our kitchen, refrigerator, bedrooms etc.  Eddie and Nina are the instigators and planners.  Yesterday seven adults and children arrived from Guatemala.  Yesterday Eddie, Nina and Liam arrived from Washington.  We already had six here.  Within the next few days five more will come.  Are you counting?  All in all, we will have 26 people eating here and our house will have 14 sleeping here.  It is fun.  All I have do is roast the coffee, grind it and make it twice a day.    I have it made.  Here are some photos …..

 

All but two of the third generation. Irie and Liam are third and second from the right

 

A proud grandpa with Liam (7 mo) on left and Irie (3 yrs) on right

What do we work for?

A couple of weeks ago I had an experience that left an impression on me and I would like to share it with you.

I was driving very early in the morning and saw a well dressed man pouring coffee and passing out sandwiches to a group of homeless people from the back of his van.  I made some observations.  The group of homeless people looked very grateful and were patiently waiting for their turn.  It gave me the impression that this was a regular event.  As I looked around, no one was there to applaud him for doing a good job.  No one was congratulating him, handing out certificates of accomplishments.  He was just doing what he felt he needed to do.

This is what came to mind.  If there were more of us willing to serve behind the scenes, we could accomplish so much more.  Praise God for the many people in the church around the world who are willing to serve behind the scenes.  During the recent Franklin Graham Festival in Montevideo, I had the privilege to see hundreds of people working behind the scenes.  There was very little personal or public recognition, but the people were happy.

Thank you for praying for us and giving towards the ministry God has entrusted to Evie and I.  Thank you for being willing to work behind the scenes.  God knows the heart and we pray that He will give the reward.  The thousands of people that have come to know Christ you will only see in heaven.  The many pastors that have trained in evangelism will multiply and plant more churches.  The many people trained to serve in sensitive countries around the world are very grateful although they might never meet you this side of heaven.

Thank you.  God bless.

Edwin

Below, I am leading the counselors as they begin to share with those who opened their hearts at the Festival

 

 

PRAISE

For the hundreds of new believers in Uruguay and for the pastors and they take each name and address as they follow up and draw them into a church.

For the excellent weather we had.  It rained before and after, but we had blue skies all the way.

PRAYER

I am in Guatemala from March 26 to April 6 with a group of young people  from First Pres. Tacoma.  Pray for safety on the road and in the air.  Pray that God would speak to each one participating and that they return changed individuals.  Pray for all the people that these young people reach through song, testimony, and sharing one on one.  Pray they radiate Jesus’ love.

Sunday, March 8

Just a quick note to those of you who know Edwin’s sister Delmy and her husband Carlos. Carlos’ mother went home to be with her Lord early Sunday morning. She had been ill for many years. While Carlos and Delmy are now rejoicing that there is no more pain and she is with her Lord, there is much sadness for the spot she left vacant on this earth. Pray for them as they heal.

A few days in Santiago de los Caballeros de Guatemala – aka – La Antigua, Guatemala

 

Earlier this month, Edwin, Eddie, Nina, Liam and I were able to spend a few days in Antigua, Guatemala.  Edwin’s brother offered his home to us and we were there from Saturday afternoon to Monday afternoon.  So many exciting things happened in that short time.  I’ll share two with you now and more later.

 

Saturday evening, Edwin ran into a man who identified himself as Antonio.  He shared that 30 years ago, he was present when Edwin was the evangelist for a three day evangelistic effort in Pinula, a small town outside of Guatemala City.  Antonio’s heart was touched by God and as a young man, he opened his heart to the Lord of Lords.  Since then he has become very involved in his church and committed his life to serving in his local church.  He married, had children and they all serve God as a family with different talents.  His wife is the principal of the Christian school in the church and one of their sons is a worship leader.

 

Antonio continued to share that more than 20 young people who were at that evangelistic effort are either in full-time ministry, involved in their local church or missions today.  Many of them went to Bible school or seminary and are very productive servants for God.  What a blessisng.  So many times we don’t get to see the fruit from three days of sharing the gospel of salvation in a small town.  We obey God and do what He wants us to do and then He multiplies it for His Kingdom.  Praise God.

 

Sunday afternoon Edwin took us all out for lunch to celebrate my birthday a few days earlier.  We wondered why we had to show so much identification to get in to park our car.  Later, we found out why.  At the table next to us was the current mayor of Guatemala City  for three terms as well as the past president of the country.  Alvaro Arzú was president from 1996 – 2000.  He was elected mayor of Guatemala City in 1986, 2004 and 2007. 

 

When we finished our lunch, Edwin went over to greet him and of course I didn’t lag behind.  He stood up to greet us even before we got there.  We were able to tell him that we pray for him, his family and for his position, that he would honor God in all he does.  He thanked Edwin for the prayers and told us to keep praying. 

 

 

 PRAYER – Edwin is still in Guatemala with a short-term group from Pennsylvania.  Pray for safety on the road and an openess in the hearts of those visiting Guatemala as well as the ones whom God sends to hear the message of salvation through these young people.

 

 

When Mama ‘aint well, … the blog doesn’t get done!

Edwin and I returned from Guatemala with so much news to share with you.  Edwin then traveled Mexico.  He was scheduled to be in Bogota, Colombia today and in Montevideo, Uruguay, this weekend.  For the first time that I can remember, Edwin cancelled these two trips to stay home and be my nurse.

On January 29, we received an emergency call from Jenny that we needed to go get Irie.  We left the first thing on Friday, the 30th and brought him home that same day.  He came with sniffles and a desire to share my coffee mug, my diet coke glass and many hugs and kisses.  Guess what?  Nana came down with a cold, much stronger than he had.

Irie was here until the 12th of February.  I had a very close friend come to visit me from 3 – 12.  What a God-send.  Tami Mitterling from North Dakota came at a time that only God knew I was going to be in need.  She came to visit me and see Atlanta.  She ended up nursing me and baby sitting Irie.  Thank you Tami!!  I hope she recovers soon.  My dear sisters from my Bible Study group provided me with yummy meals and cash for delivery and meds.  God’s family is so precious.

God willing, I will be better before this weekend.  Edwin and I just purchased tickets for Guatemala on February 25.  I will only be there until March 3.  Edwin returns on March 14.

Soon I will be back to fill you in on ministry updates.  Thanks for your understanding during this brief pause in news.  Thank you for your prayers.  It truly is the prayers of God’s faithful that keep us going.

For all you Guatemala travelers, the last weekend Edwin and I were in Guatemala, there was a news release issued for three volcanoes for a possible erruption.  As we were on that long strait stretch going into to Patzicia, we took these photos of Fuego, near Antigua, spouting off.  We saw it again the next day from the oposite direction.

 

Man makes plans and God directs them

Papi and Mami in their garden

Last Monday Edwin and I left Atlanta in the early morning and flew to Guatemala City.  First we made a pit stop at Mami and Papi’s home to drop things off for a local ministry and pick up some used clothes and toys for the people in rural Huehue.   (I included a photo of Papi and Mami because many have been asking me about them)   After a quick  yummy lunch and lots of hugs, we loaded up the car and drove to Huehuetenango.  This week’s goal was to spend one on one time with many pastors from around the area, planning for the future short-term groups that will be coming here this year. 

We finally made it to the guesthouse at 9:45 in the evening.  As we arrived,  we noticed cars everywhere and people standing around, all of them dressed in black.  The house across the street had big black bows on the wall signifying a death.  It was our neighbor.  He was a 70 year old man who was on the board of Berea Bible Institute, the Bible school we help so much.  His wife had left earlier that afternoon on the 2 o’clock bus headed to Guatemala City.  Edwin and I saw that bus.  We even commented on how long it had taken to get to the place where we crossed paths.  Shortly after the wife left, the man suffered a massive heart attack and went to be with his Lord. By the time we arrived he was already in the casket and ready to be taken to his church for viewing.  Here in Guatemala law dictates that one must be burried within 24 hours.  The wife arrived to Guatemala City around 7:30.  Her daughter was there to meet her with the news and to immediately drive five hours back to Huehue.

Edwin was asked to participate in the funeral and graveside services.  Because of the influence the man had around town, a good number of  important people were present, from city officials to state representatives.  Many were not believers, but God opened the door and allowed Edwin to share.  It was a wonderful opportunity to explain eternal life through Jesus Christ.  Pray that the Holy Spirit will use these words to change lives forever.

Afterwards, Edwin was able to accompany a family to visit with an elderly man who had been asking to see Edwin.  He is near death.  Another opportunity to share with this man and the family surrounding the bed side.  He is not a believer, but Edwin was able to read passages from the Bible to which the man nodded in agreement to what was being said.  Pray for this man and the family.  They thanked Edwin for the encouragement and comfort he brought that night.

Edwin’s plans for this week were to visit many pastors in and around in surrounding villages as preparation for the upcoming short-term groups that will be here during 2009.  He was able to accomplish his goals and beyond.  When Edwin plans, God directs.  Many pastors came to the funeral saving Edwin trips.  God is good.   We leave in a few minutes back to Guatemala City.  Sunday we will be in Eastern Guatemala in the town Edwin’s father grew up in.  What once was an area with no church for many miles, now there are many churches.  We will take the music and sermon to one that Edwin’s uncle planted out of his home.  They meet in a nearby church that now draws many from nearby towns.  We are excited to go.  God is so good!

Monday we return to Atlanta where I will wash and iron clothes getting Edwin ready for another trip.  Thank you for your prayers.  Continue praying for those who have heard the gospel.  Pray for safety in travel and strength to continue.  Pray for wisdom in making decisions.  Many times the opportunities outweigh time and finances.  We appreciate you and the important part you play on our team.  Thank you!