November 2020

 

     Although rainy season typically ends in November here in Guatemala, two exceptionally strong hurricanes hit us within a week of each other.  Here in San Felipe de Jesús where we live we had rain,  light and heavy, for 3 straight days as a result of each hurricane Iota and Eta.   However, in Cobán, which is about 125 miles north of us both hurricanes hit hard.   Cobán is in the Chamá Mountains on the Cahabón River.   While there has been massive flooding, the village also sits on underground springs which have erupted.   The result has been flooding of the river and rising of the water from the springs for the past 3 weeks.

 We were able to partner with an organization and church in Cobán to help deliver much needed water and food supplies.   Over a 3 day period we along with about 10 other volunteers filled over 1100 bags with food supplies for the 6 hour trip to Cobán (Only 125 miles but much of the roads are wiped out).  Below are some pictures taken once the trucks arrived in the area.

 

 

 

 

 

 

These men were floating a mother and baby to the dry staging area to pick up the food bags.

One of the staging areas where the water stopped rising over the road

The assembly line

Some of the donations

We had to unload the trucks before we could bag and load the trucks back up.

 

 

 

Campos de Sueños In Santa Maria de Jesus

 

      During this month of November we were very blessed with donations for Campos.  Every meal (Wednesday and Fridays) this month we were able to supplement the normal beans and rice with chicken and fruit.    While we could not feed the children in the normal rooms due to Covid we did bag meals for each of the children.   Each day there was an average of 300 children being fed.

 

 

A couple of days they had chicken and rice soup. 

Buckets of cut and boiled chicken

A few of the young women who help prepare and clean

Patiently waiting her turn in line.

Cutting and washing the chicken

Myra, the head cook

Thanksgiving Day

     We had the joy of sharing a Thanksgiving meal with other missionary families here in the Panchoy Valley.   While we would have loved to be with our family and friends back in the States,  this was a time of thanksgiving and blessing with friends here in Guatemala.  

NOTE:   We were able to build a house and kitchen for Daniel Pich and his family this month, however the phone in which we took all the pictures has broken.   We are planning on taking it back to the States when we come back for Christmas and attempt to retrieve the pictures so that they can be shared next month.

We continue to covet your prayers for us and the Guatemalan community.   We pray the coronavirus vaccine will be available soon and the doctors and nurses can return in the next few months to help heal the many patients in need that have not been able to receive surgical care since March of this year.  We pray that while we continue to share the Gospel in Santa Maria that not only the parents, but the entire family will accept and turn their life over to our one true Lord,  Jesus Christ.  Many we work with in the village know of Jesus Christ but they do not know Jesus Christ.   There is much work here to be done and we cherish and give thanks for every moment we have to serve.