Our Work

A Little History...

Jordan teaching at HOREB in 2013

Our work actually began in January of 2012, one year before I met Maria.  WIND had just begun supporting a Christian primary school called HOREB.  I taught English for three months at the school and fell in love with the children and people of San Juan Cotzal.  I formed relationships during that time that has continued and grown to this day.

I returned in January of 2013, finding a place to live in the center of town.  Aside from teaching at the school, teachers and students also began coming to my house.  I visited many HOREB families in their homes, learning about, encouraging and praying for them.  I began to feel more a part of the community.  After meeting Maria on a plane in February when I returned home for a quick visit, she started to become a part of the work I was doing as well.  She made three trips that year up to San Juan Cotzal, including the 6th grade graduation in October.

Maria with Diego

One day I emailed her of an urgent need of a 12 year old boy, Diego, who was about to die from the worst form of leukemia. I only asked for her prayer, but she went into action!  She found organizations that could help and persuaded the family by phone to bring him to Guatemala City.  The doctors at the public hospital in the city, who were ignoring Diego thinking he was going to die, received an earful from her.  Diego is now alive, doing very well and is a student at HOREB!  His brother honored Maria by making her the maid-of- honor at his wedding.  We will forever be close friends with that family.

I returned to the U.S in August of 2013, and Maria and I got engaged during a visit she made to Seattle that November.  After returning to Guatemala in February 2014, I spent three more months in Cotzal teaching English.  I made several trips to Guatemala City to see Maria and deepen my relationship with her girls, and she made several trips to Cotzal as she began falling in love with the work I was doing.  We will be married on July 19th.


Our Work Vision...

As we move forward in our journey, here is an overview about what we plan on doing through WIND, Lord willing.  We want to:

Be an advocate for the Ixil people

Maria and I have found ourselves in a very unique role over this last year; we are in the middle.  We have developed close relationships with poor indigenous families in Cotzal while also having close relationships with missionaries, other non-profit organizations, and our friends and families in both Guatemala City and the U.S. We are in a great position to connect needs as we find them to resources that are available to address them.

Ensure WIND programs are operating effectively

There are two major projects that WIND supports in Cotzal:  Colegio HOREB and the Jorai Bible Institute.

Colegio HOREB is a K-6 Christian primary school that WIND began supporting in January of 2012. They were near to closing their doors because of a lack of funds when God brought WIND literally to their doorstep.  Today, there are over 100 students currently attending.  WIND has helped through providing financial support and educational opportunities for the teachers, starting a teacher mentoring program and a feeding program, and has raised money in order to help in HOREB's vision of building their own K-12 school.  The children of HOREB have given us an avenue into the homes of their families where we have learned their stories and addressed needs as they have been presented to us.  WIND installed 40 stoves into families homes this past year and plans to install 22 more this year.      

The Jorai Bible Institute provides various levels of pastor training and Bible education.  WIND began working with them in 2007 and it has grown exponentially since then, with several extension programs now operating in the surrounding villages.  Since many pastors in the region have never made it past elementary school, these programs have provided vital resources.

In our mission work, we plan on meeting with the families, staff and board members involved with both HOREB and Jorai, observing the programs and reporting back to WIND's Director of Programs.  We will also choose some of the recipients of these programs and write their stories.

Strengthen and develop relationships with other NGOs, churches, and spiritual leaders.

There are many churches and NGOs currently at work in the Ixil triangle, but few are working together.  We seek to have a better holistic understanding of all the work that is being done.  WIND has a passion for working together with other organizations, whether it be sending dentists with Medical Teams International, installing HELPS stoves in people's homes, or working with Agros to bring agricultural education to HOREB.  If we see a need and know another organization that can better fill that need, we prefer to connect that need with that resource.  The best way to work is together; we are one body in Christ!

Explore the idea of a scholarship initiative

As we work closely with the indigenous population, we will keep an eye out for deserving individuals that need scholarships and then share their stories in order to find sponsors for their education. Education is the most sustainable way to help lift people out of poverty. This current generation of Ixil people is beginning to realize the value of a good education, but the vast majority can’t afford to go to high school. It is estimated that only one out of ten indigenous Guatemalans reach the 10th grade.

Help with short term missionary teams

It is undeniable that short term mission trips change the lives of the people that decide to get out of their comfort zone and do one.  If not for short term missions, I would have never begun to serve as a missionary in Guatemala (or maybe anywhere).  As many have experienced, God can use one week to change the trajectory of your life forever. 

As missionaries serving in Guatemala, we will be in a position to help guide these teams, offering in-country logistical and translation support.  It is an amazing privilege to be able to join these individuals in their faith journey as they work alongside those they come to serve. By the end of 2014 these teams will have provided dental exams to 600 and urgent care to 250, led a workshop for around 50 pastors, installed 22 stoves in homes, and taught for one week in a Christian school.  Perhaps the most important work done through short term teams is the relationships that are forged as many people return time and time again.

The Most Important Task...      

Building relationships is always the most important task as it is the only work that will last for eternity. We hope to continue to build those existing relationships, letting our love be an example of Christ’s love to the world in order to spread the gospel message and fight the darkness in our world together. Only God knows the new people He will send on our path, but I pray that He will give us love and wisdom in beginning those new relationships as well. 

We pray the love of Jesus is evident in everything we do and that it will be God who receives the glory in whatever good works that He has prepared for us. We hope to not only serve people through what we do but also through our testimonies. We want to be an encouragement and a light for people that might be lacking in both. We are confident that the work we do with WIND will give us an avenue to share about Jesus, the perfect sacrifice for all of us sinners.