Por Fé, Hermano

My father Rich (WIND Exec. Director) and I with Francisco Chamay

“God, if you save my leg, I will give my life for you!”  That was the prayer that brought Francisco Chamay to Christ.  Since then, Francisco has struck true to his promise, miraculously walking each week to far out villages on that same leg that was almost amputated, making disciples for Christ.  In my 30 years of life, it’s possible that I have never met a man with more faith than this short, humble Ixil man whom they call “Hermano Chamay.” 

I first met him almost 3 years ago at the Bible Institute that WIND supports.  At the time my Spanish was very poor and I only roughly understood as he spoke of his ministry of walking to all the villages.  I did conclude, however, that a person that spends the majority of their time walking to villages, and who pastors only a handful of people at a tiny church, would likely have financial difficulties.  So I asked him how he had money to live and support his family.  His response I did understand and remember to this day, “Por fé, hermano (by faith, brother).”

I have had two meetings with him over these past two months at his tiny church, trying to pin down how extensive his ministry actually is, but he seems to have no interest in numbers.  Discipleship making books made by the Global Church Movement were loaned to him and he went out and started a 4 book diploma program out of them.  Eventually, I was able to gather from him that this program has 6 teachers and over 200 students spread across at least 10 villages.  He informed me that he has to give the books back by the end of the year while the students are in the middle of the series.  We estimated how much it would cost to make about 200 copies of the books, estimating it to be a little over $1000 which might as well be a fortune to the Ixil people.  Having no idea how these books would get paid for, he told me he was leaving in a few days for a “run” of the villages to tell them the program would continue again in February.  I laughed out loud, shaking my head at this man’s bold faith.  He smiled and said “Si, por fé, hermano.” 

He showed me his leg, which is slightly deformed below the knee.  He says God always gives him the energy he needs to walk and not feel pain.  We talked about faith, how people often wait for money first before moving to serve God but sometimes God is waiting for us to move first, to show faith.  I had had a conversation just an hour earlier with another local church leader who said he would love to evangelize in the villages but that first he would need to have money for gas, materials, etc.  It is human nature to want to know what will happen or know we can succeed before we set out but sometimes God is waiting for us to simply obey him and boldly dive into the unknown, trusting that He will provide for us.  Francisco gets excited with this topic for he has seen personally how God always provides exactly what is needed for him to complete His will.  “Por fé, hermano.”

I ended my visit with a walk to his home (or as he calls it his “ranch.”)  As I expected, the house was small and impoverished.  A little 4 year old girl greeted me and I asked if it was his granddaughter.  “No, she is an orphan that we are caring for.”  HOW GREAT IS OUR GOD.  Francisco, with no guaranteed income to support his own family or ministry, still has enough to support this little orphan girl as well.

POR FÉ, HERMANO

The world may not know who this small man is, living in a tiny house in the remote mountains of Guatemala, but in the Kingdom of Heaven, I know we will see Hermano Chamay as one of God’s mighty warriors of faith, who walked on a miraculously healed leg to all the villages that surrounded him, giving his life for the sake of making disciples for Christ.    

The Night Sky

The cold night air chills us to the bone

The stars shine bright, our heavenly blanket

We look up in wonder, peace fills our hearts

Everything will be okay, everything will be alright

In our Father’s loving arms we rest

A bright light races across the sky, our souls fill with awe

and bursting with adoration, bursting with joy, we proclaim,

“How AWESOME is his love for us!  How WONDERFUL his promises!

How GREAT and MIGHTY is our dad, our papa is I AM!”

Graduation

Dionicio

“God planted a seed in your heart through your studies at the HOREB school and as you go out into the world, be like a salmon that swims against the current.” These were the words of Pedro Elias, the vice president of the Board at the HOREB Elementary School, speaking to their 4th graduating class. Maria and I were privileged to watch as all eight of the 6th graders received their diplomas.

Eylin

I have gotten to know these kids, visited most in their homes, and served as their English teacher off and on for the last three years. They are a really bright group and eager to learn. Keep these students in your prayers, that God would comfort them in troubled times, lead them on the right path, and that He would use their lives in mighty ways for His kingdom.

It was nice to see moms and families involved...

Abigail with her mom

Eylin with her family

Mayerly with her mom

The girls

Alejandro, first in his class, receives his diploma

My pose with the graduates...

Top from left: Abigail, Adilia, Jordan, Mayerly, Eylin
Botton from left: Manael, Dionicio, Teddy, Alejandro

The Lunch Program

WIND provides lunch to 10 of the most needy children at HOREB.  Please watch this video to learn more.

Students in Need of Scholarships

During our last visit to Cotzal, we were able to meet with these four students in their homes.  I have personally taught all of these children off and on for these last three school years.  All four will graduate 6th grade this year from the HOREB school without resources to continue on in Middle School.  If you wish to sponsor one of these children for the 2015 school year, the estimated costs for all their expenses is about $50 per month.  If you wish to support one of these students in their future studies, email us at jordanrrice@gmail.com.


Mayerly has studied at the HOREB school for all six years of her education.  She is one of four siblings who recently has dealt with the loss of her father who died from alcoholism. She wants to continue studying at a Christian school in one of the nearby towns if given the opportunity.  We interviewed her while she was attending to her family's little store, their main source of income.

Dionicio is a bright kid who is near the top of his class at the HOREB school and is always the first to contribute in class discussions.  His favorite subject is English and has the best pronunciation of all the children I taught at HOREB.  He wants to be a judge when he grows up.   

Abigail is a sweet girl who works hard in her studies and has studied all six years at HOREB.  She wants to be a teacher when she grows up.  Through my experiences watching her teach some of the younger children, I can tell she is going to be a great one!  She is the middle of three sisters.

Manael is the middle child of many siblings and he loves to sing.  After not being able to attend HOREB his 5th grade year because of low finances, he received a scholarship for his final 6th grade year.  In this video, he and his mom explain why he attends the HOREB school.  We did not directly interview Manael and hope to get a better interview when we return in October.

Juan's Story

Picture taken during our interview with Juan

“There is something different about him,” I told my wife after interviewing one ten year old boy. We had been interviewing 24 students at HOREB who were receiving scholarships, but this one stood out.  His eyes were full of light as he shared deeper things about himself, demonstrating a maturity different from the other children his age.  He was small in stature but talked with confidence and conviction, sharing how he had changed from an angry boy to one who had become more at peace.  We decided to dig deeper, visiting his family in their home and talking with his teachers.  This is the story of how God changed his life and used HOREB and WIND to facilitate that change.

As in every story, this one begins long before Juan was born.

Tabita

Tabita Juana Toma de la Cruz is the daughter of a Pastor who was shot dead on his way to a nearby village.  She doesn’t know who killed her father, whether it was the army or the guerillas, but it doesn’t matter.  Her father was dead, but he left an imprint on her life; a seed that would grow and one that would carry her to start the first Christian school in her town of San Juan Cotzal.  She worked hard to receive her education, receiving a four year degree from a university in Guatemala City, a very rare feat for an Ixil woman.  Then she did something even rarer, she came back to her town.  A missionary heart had been formed inside her, and the children of her home were on her mind.  The town was in the midst of much gang-related violence, and teenagers were killing each other.  Her concern for her town led her to begin a school where the Word of God would be taught in the classrooms in an environment of love and care.  After a couple years of prayer, Colegio HOREB was founded.

Four years later as Juan entered the first grade, the school was in trouble.  Tabita didn’t have money to pay the teachers and felt a lot of pressure.  She confided in a close friend that she was thinking of closing the school.  Her friend, a missionary from El Salvador asked her, “Whose school is it?  You can’t shut down a project of God.”  It was in this period of great need that God provided for the school in profound ways.  The founders of WIND were on a vision trip when they found themselves in Tabita’s home listening to her story.  After returning home, they sent an email offering a little support to help pay the teachers for that next school year which was the year Juan entered the second grade.  The project of God moved on.

Juan with his third grade teacher, Joel

At that time, Juan was a very angry child.  He explains, “I would throw my books on the floor and yell in the middle of class.  I could not control myself.”  At home his father was battling with alcoholism, a problem that runs rampant in the Ixil.  His family was poor and didn’t have much to eat.  His mom would ask him to help in the home and he would only scream back, “NO!  I don’t want to!”  He was on a path to destruction, but everything changed his third grade year.

One catalyst for this change was a teacher at the school, Joel, who spent a lot of time mentoring Juan.  In particular, he led Juan to Proverbs 14:17 which is a verse he continues to recite to this day.  It reads, “A man of quick temper acts foolishly.”  Juan learned about the Bible and Jesus through his teachers at HOREB.

That same year, his father died from alcoholism.  Juan was sad, but his mom shared with him a dream she had when her mom had died from anemia.  “Don’t be sad that your father died, because that happened to me when my mom died.  I was so sad, but the people in the church prayed in my room and that night when I was sleeping, my mom appeared to me in a beautiful house with a lake that shines like gold and she was fat and better and she said to me, ‘Don’t be sad because I’m better, I am a singer here, you need to accept God in your heart.’  After I woke up, I was not sad for my mom anymore.”

Enma working with a student

A woman named Enma, the acting Principal of the school, saw his change throughout the year.  One day she called him out of class.  Undoubtedly, Juan walked with a little apprehension as he approached his school principal wondering what he had done wrong.  She had a simple question for him.  “Juan, I know how you love God.  Do you want to accept him?”  This question probably took him by surprise as he remembered the dream that his mother had shared with him.  He said yes, and the two prayed together.  Afterward she said, “Since the moment you were born, the name of God has been in your heart.” 

Since that day, he is a changed young man.  He reads a borrowed Bible alone in his room and goes alone to the church every Saturday and Sunday.  His new stepfather is good to him but only makes $4 per day working in the fields.  His uncle buys shoes and clothes for him or gives him a corn drink called atol.  Sometimes that is all he has to eat, but Juan accepts it and doesn’t complain since he has received God.  He also works more in the home, is more obedient to his mom, and doesn’t get angry like he used to.

Juan shows off the family's new stove (with his mom and sister)

His mom is very thankful to HOREB for all they have done for her child as well as to WIND for giving him a scholarship to study there as she can’t afford the $3 per month it costs to attend.  She is also thankful for the stove that was installed this year in their home by Westminster Chapel.  It has helped bring in a small income for the family as the mom is able to cook tamales and sell them. 

During our interview with Juan, we asked him a question we asked all the scholarship students: “What do you want to be when you grow up?”  Without hesitating Juan responded, “A lawyer.”  That seemed like a typical answer.  “Why?” we asked.  He replied, “Because I want to help people.  One day somebody tried to accuse my mom of something she didn’t do, and I stepped in to defend her.  That’s what I want to do, to defend those who are being unfairly accused.”  That is a young heart set on the Kingdom of God and a great hope for the upcoming generation.  But there is still a lot of work to do and a lot of children who are on the wrong path, like Juan was.

It is Tabita’s vision to grow HOREB to include a middle and high school.  There are currently no such Christian schools in San Juan Cotzal.  HOREB also desperately needs a new elementary school building as the rented space they meet in is dilapidated and unsafe, making for a very difficult learning environment for the children.  Tabita is currently trusting God and waiting on His provision of the land for building.  I hope you join us in prayer for the children of the Ixil, praise God for stories like Juan’s, and think about how you can support this ministry.  This is indeed a project of God, and God will provide according to His will.  

Juan with his family and a new Bible provided to him by WIND

Juan enjoys art, here he shows off one of his paintings

September Trip Report

In the last week of September, Maria and I were in the Ixil for another week.  We visited many families associated with Colegio HOREB.  We shot some video of some of the graduating children who are in need of scholarships for the next school year and checked on some of the stoves that were installed in homes.  We talked with two Christian middle schools as we search for a good Christian school in which to give scholarships.  We also interviewed with the Director of HOREB and the kindergarten teacher.  We also took a video of the feeding program which we hope to publish soon, spoke with leadership of the Jorai Bible Institute, and gave a special gift to one student.  Here are some photos from our week:

Director Enma helping the first graders with a project

Buying rainbow looms for Humberto, Elizabeth, and Alicia

Some of the shoe shining boys

Little Juan receiving his own Bible

Maria visiting with Matias at the feeding program

Maria visiting with some of the girls at the feeding program

Jordan visiting the fifth grade class, singing songs

Visiting with Omar who had been in a serious accident

Inside the home of one family, Manael on the right is looking for a scholarship for the next year

September Newsletter

We have finished writing our September Newsletter .  In it we write brief stories about how God is using the programs that WIND supports in the Ixil.  We hope you can check it out.

Tick tock

Tick, tock, tick, tock, tick, tock. The sound of the clock on the wall feels like a jail, each tick a prison bar. I am trapped inside the confines of my body, stifled by the constraints of time. My selfish desires and unwanted thoughts yell loudly like prison guards. They scream in my ear, commanding me to obey their rules. But my spirit knows another way, it has been written on to my soul. Eternity is before, it is now, it is after. I must remember who I am, that I am free, a child of God...

So I sing from the deepest parts of my soul. I am not of this world, I do not belong in a prison. I will not be defined by this temporary holding cell. My home radiates with beauty and my Father is love personified. I will not yield to the commands and oppression of the guards but hold fast to the Spirit that was given to me by my Father. I do not lose hope for I know that the walls are here but for a blink of an eye, swallowed up by the infinite vastness of His eternal kingdom.

August Trip Report

With Enma, the Principle at Colegio HOREB

I am no stranger to the town of Cotzal, having spent two and a half years being involved in the community with short term teams, teaching English at the HOREB Christian school there, and having built relationships in the community. This week though felt entirely different. I came with a different focus and one incredible partner.

We walked out our door in San Cristobal and caught a chicken bus to Quiche and then took a microbus (a van) to Nebaj. I had made that trip so many times before but it was the first time making that journey with my wife by my side. We were able to stay at our friend's rented house who was in the USA.

During our week in Cotzal, we interviewed 24 students at HOREB that are receiving scholarships from WIND with the purpose of making a little profile of each child to share with supporters of the school. We were also looking for stories of transformation for the kids involved in these programs and were pleased to find some major ways in which God is working in these children's lives. I am excited to share one story in particular of which I will be writing this week. We also had longer interviews with six of the teachers at their homes, asking them about their students and learning more about them as we build those relationships.

Maria taking notes in child interview

 We held several meetings during our time there. We learned more about the work of Compassion International, had a wonderful time discussing ideas and future visions for the Jorai Bible Institue, and also spent time talking with the board of Colegio HOREB about their current ideas for buying land in order to build their own school.

 God also put on our heart children in need of scholarships for middle and high school. It is our hope that a good education would be provided for a few of the students who are graduating from HOREB but who don’t have the resources to go to a good school. There are also a few former HOREB students who we see as good candidates for scholarships.

Children in Feeding Program

 We also observed the feeding program WIND has put in place for ten children to receive a lunch who otherwise would not have one. This program has made a tremendous impact in the lives of these children. The teachers have reported that these students come to class happier and of course have gained some needed weight!

We were only able to visit a few families in their homes, but it is always a highlight. I have visited frequently one particular family who is going through a difficult time and it is always special to see the children’s faces light up when we come. We also visited one family for the very first time and as soon as we arrived, a 4 year old girl ran with excitement to her mom, “They’re here! They’re here!” I sometimes put a lot of pressure on myself to be “in the Spirit” on these visits and feel like a failure a lot of the time, but this was a good reminder for us that even if all we do is show up, God is still using us to bring encouragement and light.

We left early Saturday morning to return home and a few long bus rides later, we walked to our home in San Cristobal. It had been a trying week with some difficult spiritual battles but in the end we completed what we set out to do. As we relayed to my dad, the Executive Director of WIND, all that we did that week, I was surprised. I always feel like I don’t do enough but while talking to him I realized that God had indeed used us greatly. We acquired a lot of information this last week and now it is time to organize it and report all that we have learned to the WIND.

Maria with a student during a family visit

Thank you to all who have supported us! We will continue to work as well as we can for His kingdom.

How Jesus Taught Us to Pray

During a recent bible study, Maria and I reflected on how Jesus teaches us to pray.  I wanted to share some thoughts on the topic, using Matthew 6:5-15 as our guide, with the hope that it is edifying to those who read.  Included are 10 heart attitudes that Jesus teaches us to have when we pray.

And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites.  For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others.  Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.  But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret.  And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

This portion of scripture is taken from the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 6.  Throughout the sermon, Jesus reveals the wicked hearts of the self righteous who think they are holy and follow the law.  Here He is dealing with the theme of doing "good" things in order to be seen by others.  It is not that other people see us that makes it wrong (Jesus talks about letting your light shine before others in 5:16) but it is the motivation in our heart that Jesus is revealing.  Do we seek the attention of others in order to be praised and accepted by them?  Or are we laser focused on our relationship with our Father?  Where is our heart?

For me, it is easier to pray alone than with other people.  The reason being is very simple, I am sensitive to what other people think about my words.  I have a hard time to pray with a pure heart because I become focused on the performance.  My heart is divided between praying and how my words sound to the others around me.

1.  A heart that desires to have a relationship with God without the need to impress others. 

And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think they will be heard for their many words.  Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

I do this all the time.  Sometimes I know I should pray, so I pray and say a bunch of words that maybe sound holy, but my heart isn't completely in it.  Sometimes reciting prayers, like the Lord's prayer that Jesus is about to teach us here, ends up just being empty words if we are not praying with the heart as well.

Another thing I do sometimes is pray for the same thing over and over again thinking if I pray enough times, perhaps God will hear me.  I don't always have faith that God is listening so I end up praying just to pray.  Here Jesus reveals something very important, that God already knows what we need!  In fact, He knows better than we do.  As a new step father, I am beginning to understand this.  Maria and I are always focusing on what is truly best for the girls and sometimes what is best runs contradictory to what they want in the moment.  It is the same with us as we pray over and over again something like "please God, I need this."  It is important to remember He knows what we truly need and knows what is best for us.  I am reminded of what Paul wrote in Romans 8:26.  For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.  A simple groan from the Spirit can be a more acceptable prayer and be more meaningful in your relationship with God than one thousand beautiful words with a heart not aligned with His Spirit. 

2.  A heart that desires to be aligned with His Spirit.     

After laying out what the desired heart should be of the person praying, Jesus begins to teach what is now the most famous prayer in the entire Bible.  First, I think it is important to note that the words He uses have no power in and of themselves.  This is not some magic incantation.  As we see in the verses leading up to it, if you pray this prayer and in your heart you are trying to impress others or with a heart otherwise not aligned to the words of this prayer, they are nothing but "empty phrases."  Therefore, I believe that what is important are not the words of this prayer but the heart behind these words.  Having said that, this prayer is special indeed, for it is the model prayer that Jesus gave for how we should pray.  So lets dig in.

Pray then like this: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name...

It is important to know who you are talking to.  You are talking to the Creator of the universe, the One who put the stars in the sky and designed every cell in your entire body.  You are conversing with infinite Love and Mercy.  Our hearts should be filled with reverence.  But at the same time, He is our Father!  How amazing that through Jesus, we have been adopted as sons into His kingdom.  Do you start your prayers with the deep awe that the great Creator is indeed our Father and loves us unconditionally?  Is your heart filled with the greatness of God?  Me neither.  A lot of the time when I pray, I usually get straight to the point.  "Lord, help me with this" or  "I need that."  But when we do that we are missing something very special because we have not taken in how amazing, loving, and powerful our Father is. 

3.  A heart filled with awe and worship at how AMAZING God is and that He is our Father!

Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven...

When you pray, is your heart focused on yourself or the will of God?  Are you thinking about what God can do to make you happy or for God's purposes to be completed on Earth?  The truth is, we are selfish and God exposes us through this prayer.  The object of prayer is not us, but God.  He is not some genie in a lamp, giving us all of our wishes.  He is the great I AM who through His endless love, has forgiven us of all wrong and adopted us as sons!  We should be filled with joy as we align our hearts with His perfect will. 

4.  A heart that is focused on God's kingdom and will!

Give us this day our daily bread...

This would appear to be the first selfish part of the prayer, if not for the inclusion of "us" and "our."  Just as the prayer starts with OUR father, we ask for Him to give US this day OUR daily bread.  I believe at the heart of this entire prayer, it is a prayer not just for us as individuals but for us as a whole.  We are praying for God to meet our own basic needs the same as we are praying that He meet the needs of our starving brothers and sisters in Africa.  It is through this heart that as we pray, we become ONE (as Jesus prayed we would be in John 17:22). 

5.  A heart united with ALL members of the body of Christ

I am also struck by how He only instructs us to pray for what we need today.  I pray a lot for needs in the future, which maybe isn't always a bad thing, but what happens is that the prayer essentially turns into worry, meaning we are not trusting God to provide.  He instructs us in 6:34 Do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself.  Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.  God wants us to be focused on the present, to only ask for what we need this day.

Maria and I worry a lot about money and being able to provide for the family in the future.  But the funny thing is that everyday we have enough!  When we look back at the past, we see that God has provided for us every single day.  How silly is it that we worry that He might stop providing for us in the future.  He sees our needs.  We need to trust Him.  By only asking for Him to meet our needs today, our hearts should be filled with confidence that He sees what we need tomorrow.

6.  A heart focused on the needs of today with an implicit trust that God will continue to provide in the future.

and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors...

In this there is freedom.  One simple request and the slate is wiped clean and we can move forward with confidence.  This is the key part to the prayer, the part where we are made right with God.  To be able to ask for forgiveness though, we must be humble enough to be brought aware of the depravity of our hearts apart from God.  Our debts are insurmountable and no amount of works can ever make up for it.  Trying to earn His grace is folly, we can only receive it as a gift.

7.  A heart with humility to see the depravity at its core and ask to be cleaned. 

and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.

First, He says give us, and then forgive us, and now lead us.  Behind the words, there is an assumption that we can not provide for ourselves, that we can't pay back our debts with God, and now that we need to be led.  In conclusion, the prayer is one utterly dependent on our Father.  Missing are words that I use a lot in prayer which is "help me."  That attitude in prayer might be good intentioned but behind it sometimes is an assumption that you can do some of it on your own, you just need a little "help."  On the contrary, Jesus teaches us here to have a heart of utter dependence in prayer.

8.  A heart utterly dependent on God

After we are made clean by His forgiveness, we ask that He lead us away from further temptation.  Here Jesus reveals a heart that doesn't want to continue in its old ways but wants to follow the path of righteousness.

9.  A heart that wants to stay in the light!

For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

It is important not to take this verse the wrong way.  It does not contradict other teachings in Scripture like Romans 8:1 which says: There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.  The free gift of salvation for eternity, which Jesus accomplished on the cross as a perfect sacrifice, can not be taken away from us.  Instead, it is a day to day cleansing that is withheld from us if we refuse to forgive others. 

The fact that Jesus brings this up again means it is especially important.  If we come into prayer with our Father while holding a grudge against someone else or with hearts hardened against others, you will not be made clean and will not be free.

10.  A heart that is merciful

 As a whole, what Jesus teaches us here about prayer should shake us to the very core.  It reveals to us our own selfishness and how much we need to change to be more like Him.  In the end, it is our heart, not our words, that God pays the most attention to.  What are our hearts praying to God?

What Now?

So now, here we are.  A crazy month of transition is behind us and the dust has begun to settle in our new home.  So, what now?  We feel we are together not for ourselves, but for living in service to God for His glory.  That is all well and good to say, but what does that look like in practice?  The truth is, there is so much unknown.  God knows exactly how He will use us, but it is impossible for us to know everything.  We must only begin this journey starting with what is in front of us, trusting God to illuminate the path as we go.

First, what is in front of us is three children who need our love and attention.  We must begin our service with the people in our home, guiding them in the Way and doing our best to set a good example for them.

What is also in front of us is a two and a half year relationship with the people of San Juan Cotzal as well as an organization, WIND, that was started by family that works in that exact area.  So we commit ourselves to serving there.  We have a week long trip scheduled for the week of August 18th in which we will meet with the teachers and board of Colegio HOREB, visit families of the students receiving scholarships at the school in order to understand their current situation, and meet with members of other NGOs that work in the area.  We also will try to be open to the leading of the Holy Spirit, who will guide us to different situations that maybe was not part of "the plan!"  You can read more about that work in the Our Work page.

 We also hope to volunteer some of our time in the future with the organization Love Guatemala, which is serving in education and building a new trade school in a town nearby to where we live, called Magdalena.  We met the Director of that organization, Ben Kunkel, at Journey Church.  

We have raised only 30% of what we need to support our family doing missonary work.  We are both currently looking for jobs to help supplement that income and are also without a car.  We need your prayers to help fill those needs and if you feel called to give, a commitment to a recurring monthly donation would help us immensely.  Click the donate button to the right if you wish to donate online.  All donations made go through WIND and are tax deductible.

My goal is to write on this blog at least two times per week to keep everybody updated on what God is doing in Cotzal, what is happening in our lives, as well as writing devotionals from time to time.

Thank you to all those who have supported us either through prayer or giving!  It is exciting to see what God is going to do.  Remember us in your prayers.

In Christ,

Jordan and Maria      

Our New Home

After returning from our honeymoon, we spent a weekend with the girls before beginning a stressful moving week.  Maria´s mom and sister changed homes with us and now all 7 of us are settling into our new home.  This house in San Cristobal (a town just west of Guatemala City) has been a tremendous blessing for all of us.  The owner is a God fearing man and has been very supportive.  He gave us a good deal on the house as well as leaving furniture for us to use.  It has enough space for all of us to live comfortably and we love our location.  We are within walking distance to just about anywhere we need to go, which is good since we do not have a car.  There is an 8 lane swimming pool next door and I am excited to see what opportunity there might be for giving classes.  We also are close to Journey Church, the church we attend which is full of American missionaries.

The condominium where we live is full of playmates for the three kids.  Naty and Sofy have played outside everyday with our neighbors since moving here.  It has been nice eating dinner together as a family every night and we are starting to get into our routine.

As I survey my new surroundings, I ponder our path.  What is God teaching us, where is He leading us?  What people has He put in our path?  I pray for wisdom to help lead the family in the right direction and strength to fight my own demons that get in the way.  I pray for the environment of the home, that it is filled with love, patience, forgiveness, and a longing for God.
       

Family Trip to Cotzal

After the wedding, Maria and I traveled with my family up to Cotzal.  My mom, dad, sister, nephew, uncle, aunt, and two cousins traveled with us as well as Pastor Ralph with his son and daughter in law.  It was the first time some of them were able to see the school where I have spent so much time working.

 My family has been such a huge support for me in prayer these last couple of years and it was cool to watch them in the community for the first time.  The first day they went to the school where my nephew Micah was a huge hit with the children at HOREB.

Two teachers came with us: my sister Amanda and Ralph's daugther in law, Lorien.  They are part of WIND's teacher to teacher program which pairs teachers from the U.S. with teachers at Colegio HOREB in order to exchange ideas.  They were able to observe the teachers in the classroom and also participated with them in a teacher workshop put on by the Nicolas Fund of Education (NFE).

Through a donation from WIND, we also were able to present HOREB for the first time with textbooks for all the students.  It was an emotional time for the teachers because they had prayed for this kind of help.

 I was also able to bring some of the group into a few homes where we prayed and visited.  It was a short trip but it was a special relationship building time as my friends in Cotzal got to know more of my family.  As my family left on a plane to return home, Maria and I spent our honeymoon on Lake Atitlan, the start of a new life together.

Our Wedding

 Our wedding took place on July 19th. It was a blessing to have so many people travel to come celebrate with us. I had family and friends fly in from Seattle and a lot of Maria’s family was able to drive three hours from Guatemala City. We also had a few friends come from Cotzal, the town where we work. The same pastor that officiated my sister’s wedding, Ralph Rowland, flew from Seattle to lead the ceremony and the worship band from our new church, Journey Church in San Cristobal, was able to perform some songs. It was a blended and unique mix of people that God brought together for this occasion. My groomsmen were my best friend Adam and my brother in law Sean. Maria’s bridesmaids were my sister Amanda and her sister Clara. Maria’s best friend Guisela was our professional photographer. Micah, my almost 2 year old nephew served as the ring bearer. While looking a bit confused for part of his walk, in the end he ran right to me and handed me the pillow! Our daughters Natalia and Sofia were beautiful as the flower girls. We walked into the ceremony with the song “A Thousand Years” from the twilight movie and later our church worship leader sang the song “Oceans,” a song of great significance to us. It is a song about living in faith and walking on the water in midst of uncertainty. Ralph read our story that I wrote while my friend Carlos translated:


On January 1st, 2013, my dad led our family to write a big prayer for that year on a notecard and then put it under ground to be revisited when the year was over. I wrote: “My big prayer for this year is to provide a partner to go through life with and that you would make it clear when it came to making a decision.” When I reread what I wrote one year later, I broke into tears. I had not remembered the prayer but God had answered it in a big way. In 2013, God changed my life. 

My strong and loving father was about to have open heart surgery and on February 5th, I returned home to be with my family. I did not expect God to put a woman on the plane beside me who would remain at my side to this day. On that day, I felt the Holy Spirit come over me in a way I had never felt before. We began talking and before long, we were sharing deeper and deeper, the conversation flowing between Spanish and English. I shared with her a Bible verse I had been contemplating: Blessed are the poor in the Spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. She began to cry and felt God was calling her to a greater intimacy with Him. At the airport we agreed to do lunch together but lost each other after going through customs. I was astonished to find that we had the exact same gate at the huge Dallas airport. Now God was just having fun. I ran through the airport and we talked some more before her flight took off. I wrote in my journal that day how it was amazing how I felt like I could spend the rest of my life talking with her. Little did I know, I would be. 

The next time I saw her, she picked me up from the Guatemala City airport when I returned to do missionary work. From February to July we talked almost every day on the phone, reading the Bible together, and sharing deeper things about our lives that we had never shared with anybody before. She was the first person in my life who I felt I could truly share anything with. She visited me in Cotzal a few times and I visited her in Guatemala City. I met her children and felt a strong connection with them from the first moment I saw them. She came and visited me in Seattle in August and then pn a trip to Guatemala in October, I traveled with Maria and the girls up to San Juan Cotzal. I was amazed how God used Maria in the homes and how Majo, Naty, and Sofy felt so comfortable in this foreign setting. Before returning home, Maria and I prayed together and during an indescribable moment, God made clear to us that we were to do ministry together.

That November, Maria traveled to come visit me in Seattle. I greeted at the airport with flowers, got down on one knee and proposed to her while people around clapped and cheered. Since then, we have been preparing for life together. We feel called to live our lives in service to God and feel like we are together for an eternal purpose. We are planning on serving as missionaries here in Guatemala for at least a year while we ponder a transition to the United States.

Pastor Ralph shared a message about the beatitudes in Matthew 5. He talked about how they were ways of being, not just doing. He encouraged us to be poor in spirit, to be meek, and to be peacemakers, and our marriage will be blessed.

I said my wedding vows in English while Maria said hers in Spanish and we surprised the girls with heart necklaces with 1 Corinthians 13 inscribed with the date of our wedding. It was a symbol of our commitment to them as part of this new family, a touching and beautiful moment. We lit a unity candle with the song “How He Loves” playing in the background and we walked out to the song “You make beautiful things.”

At the dinner both Adam and Amanda gave wonderful wedding toasts and we did our first dance to the song “Fear is Easy, Love is Hard” by Jason Gray. Afterwards I shared a special dance with my mom while Maria danced with her mom. The dancing went late into the night as Clara and her friends spiced up the night with some Latin flavor. It was a party to be remembered, two cultures coming together, dancing and celebrating a new creation of God. My 23 month old nephew stole the show though, dancing in the middle of the circle, clapping and stomping his feet while spinning in circles.

It was a very special day and to see three distinct cultures represented and celebrating with us was amazing. Our story is God’s story. It is a story of redemption, a story of how God can take brokenness in our lives and make us whole. It is a story of how our superficial cultures melt away when looking at deeper manners of the heart. We are all sinners who need Jesus and we all can celebrate together when God begins something beautiful.