God Has Better Plans: Tony

Magdalena, who was sick and taking care of her three orphaned grandchildren, could see the reality.  There was no money, there was only so much she could do.  So when her middle grandson Tony graduated from 6^th grade, she told him that he couldn’t continue in school, he had to work full time.  Tony shined shoes in the town square, it’s what the poorest children have to do.  If they are lucky enough to get business, they earn 1 quetzal (about 13 cents) for one pair of shoes. 

Tony in the town square with his shoe shining buddies

We knew about Tony through his sister who attends Colegio HOREB.  God had led us to visit the family several times, as we were aware of the dire need they had.  When the scholarship program was started, children like Tony were firmly in our minds and hearts.  We felt a desire from the Holy Spirit to give children like him a chance to receive an education.

When his grandma told him he would not be able to continue in school, he was devastated.  This was evident when we went to his house to interview him.  He began the interview trying to act happy with a smile on his face, but it lasted only 3 seconds.  He said, “My story is…” and then he broke into tears. 

Through tears he continued, “I want to continue studying, but the money doesn’t exist, we don’t have money to continue…”

He told his story, how his mom had passed away, how his dad had abandoned them, and how his grandma is old and is not able to work too much.

 

“Yes, we work, but the money only exists for a moment, it goes fast to the others.  We use the money, but only to buy corn, we eat, only for this.”

Tony with his grandma and sister

Through the connections that God creates, we were able to offer Tony a scholarship.  A sponsor from the United States heard his story and kindly offered to support him.  He not only was able to continue his studies, but God sent him to arguably the best middle school in the area, founded two years ago by AGROS.  Besides the usual work load of middle school, they provide a tutor in the afternoons, agricultural and carpentry workshops, and devotions once per week. 

Tony is making the most of this opportunity in his first year at the new school.  He is scoring above the average in his class and turns in all his homework assignments.  He is very participative and takes advantage of the tutor that stays in the afternoons.  His attitude is one of thankfulness, knowing how close he came to giving up further education.  In the future, he dreams of being an accountant or a lawyer, using what he has to help others.

I ask that you keep this young man in your prayers, pray that God would use his life in big ways for His kingdom and for him to grow deeper in knowledge and draw closer in relationship to our Heavenly Father and our Lord Jesus Christ.  I ask that you pray the same for the other three wonderful children in this program as well.

 

God is doing a work in the Ixil.  I can see it.  I see it in children like Tony.  Though many fathers have abandoned children through alcoholism, divorce, or desertion, this generation of children are getting educated, the Spirit is moving, and schools like HOREB in Cotzal and Filadelfia in Chajul, are giving sound biblical teaching.  Through the ashes of a devastating war, God is raising up a people after His heart here.  I see great hope in this generation of children.  The harvest is upon us.  I invite you to be a part of it. 

Learn more about WIND (wind-guatemala.org) and consider donating to this cause.  You can also consider sponsoring a child for a scholarship for the next school year (information to be provided later) and let God use you to change the trajectory of a child's life, like Tony's.   

The WIND scholarship kids at their school, from L to R: Abigail, Mayerly, Tony, and Dionicio

Down the Path - The beginning of our relationship with Colegio HOREB

He stopped the car and pointed.  “Down that path is a woman who has a Christian school.”  Paul, a missionary here in the area, kept driving and moved on to the next subject.  But my mom and dad did not forget that brief moment.  They had planned on leaving the next day, but they both knew they had to return to see what God had for them down that path.  

Down that path was a woman named Tabita.  The Christian school which she founded was floundering.  They didn’t have money to pay the teachers and she was considering closing the school.  She prayed to God for help.  My parents, by following the stirring in their spirits, and showing up to Tabita’s house were a part of an answer to her prayers.  Through WIND, they would later pledge financial support for the school.  I came that next school year to teach English to the kids.

Tabita didn’t have to start that school.  Paul didn’t have to say a word about Tabita.  My mom and dad didn’t have to follow that path to Tabita’s house.  But they did.  It was all in God’s plan from the beginning.  He was answering prayers, He was doing something big, and He was using all of us to accomplish this purpose. 

Many lives have becoming affected through our relationship with HOREB.  The school itself has grown, nearly doubled in size.  It has been the start of many life changing relationships and has opened doors into many homes.  New stoves have been installed in houses, dramatically improving the quality of life.  Dental needs have been taken care of.  In one case, a dying boy was saved from his Leukemia.  Most importantly, children and teachers have accepted Christ, and God has been glorified more and more.  This is all the work of God, who works through our relationships.  He sees the big picture and He is working through us as we do our best to obediently follow him.

We never know when God is going to do something big through us.  There is a path of good works that God has prepared beforehand (Ephesians 2:10).  No matter where we are in our walk with God and fellowship with Jesus, He has something prepared for us every day.  We need to be open and attentive, living our lives with purpose, as sons and daughters of our great loving Heavenly Father.

The Faith of Showing Up

It is an amazing thing to be used by God, to be His hands and feet.  I have learned from my work here in Guatemala that what God calls us most to do is simply to show up.  That is an act of faith.  I believe that we Christians (especially American Christians) tend to overthink and complicate things a great deal.  We think we must have a master plan, be thinking ten steps ahead, to provide the best help as possible.  There is wisdom to that to be sure, we should be thinking!  But sometimes it tends to paralyze us to the point that we do nothing at all.  The problem is too big, we say.  It is like not feeding a hungry person because we can’t solve the problem of world hunger.  It’s not taking a step to help somebody in need at the moment because that help is not sustainable or we might begin a cycle of dependence (as if we’re not all dependent on God to provide for us in the first place).  We think of all these bigger problems and it keeps us from taking that first step, just to show up and see how God moves.  It’s okay not to have a grand plan.  It’s okay to be unsure of why you are even there.  

I have seen God use me in this way over and over again.  Sometimes I don’t know what I’m doing, sometimes lacking even a clear objective, but I visit a house, I show up, and little by little I find God blessing that person, that family, through these visits.  It is God that does it, of that I’m sure.  In any particular moment I may not feel His hand, but when I look back, I see how He has directed me ever so subtly.  This happens EVEN WHEN I DON’T FEEL PARTICULARLY “IN THE SPIRIT” as the phrase goes (though if we are Christian the Spirit is with us always, even if we choose not to be aware of it).

I write all this not to pat myself on the back, but to show how amazing God is.  He uses me DESPITE my weaknesses.  I struggle with bad attitudes and low faith.  Sometimes Maria and I show up to a house after a day filled with disputes and conflicts with each other.  Sometimes we show up at a LOW or a valley in our walk with Him.  But God uses us even in that state.

On one particular hard day, we showed up to the house of a girl we were thinking about putting in the scholarship program.  It was the end of the day, we were tired, feeling defeated, but we went.  That day the girl decided to open her heart to us, sharing how her dad had died from alcoholism, and she wanted to continue in school to help her mom.  Maria felt moved to give her a hug and we prayed for her.  She is now receiving a scholarship from WIND.

If we wait to be in the perfect mood or attitude to do good, we will miss so many opportunities and ways God wants to use us.  He wants to use us right here, right now.  Even if we don’t have a plan or a great attitude in the moment.

Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. (Romans 6:13)

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, that God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:10)

I write this as an exhortation to fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.  SHOW UP!  Do you know somebody in need but not sure of how you can help?  Do you know somebody who is struggling but don’t know what you can say?  Perhaps God put these people in your path for a reason and what He is asking you to do is simply to show up.  Do so while praying, do so being open to the Holy Spirit inside you.  GOD WILL USE YOU!  That has been our experience.

I hope in the coming weeks to share a few stories, how the Spirit has led us to certain people, how we have had the honor to be a part of answers to prayers, and how God has been glorified through it all.  

Groups of Blessings, WIND teams descend upon the Guatemala Highlands

Several WIND teams have descended upon Guatemala these last two months.

The first was a team from Selah Covenant Church.  WIND partnered with Food for the Hungry which provides nutritional and health education to many villages in the Ixil area.  A breastfeeding class was provided to the moms of Colegio HOREB and to the woman leaders in the small village of Cajixay.  The team also built a kindergarten classroom at HOREB and helped dig a latrine in the village of Cajixay.  We also visited a few houses and discovered a little girl named Elsa who has a problem with one of her eyes, we hope to get her seen by a doctor from HELPS International.  This was a special team for Maria and I because my Aunts and Uncles came for the first time.  It was fun to show them what I’ve been doing these last few years.

Selah Covenant team in Cajixay

The second team was a team of dental professionals from Medical Teams International.  They saw over 500 patients during the week.  We had an advance team screen the patients that were to be seen at the clinic.  A lot of sickness struck this group, but they were a resilient bunch and somehow still met their goals.  On the last afternoon, we went to visit Cajixay, and a woman who was seen shared that she had dealt with pain for two years before coming to the clinic.  She was only one story among a sea of stories and the work this group  did blessed a lot of people.

Bryan and Lauri Olson from MTI treat a patient at the dental clinic

The third team was a high school team from Westminster Chapel in Bellevue.  They worked for a week at the school, putting on a soccer clinic for the kids.  They brought a lot of energy and the children absolutely adored them. After each class finished, a member of the team shared a personal testimony about how God had changed their life.  The last day was spent in the park playing and it felt like one big diverse family.  The Westminster kids and the kids at HOREB really have a special attachment and I love watching and being a part of it.  Each afternoon, we also went into the homes to build new stoves, 15 in all.  Traditionally the people cook inside the homes with open fires, so these new stoves bring huge health benefits as all the smoke now leaves the home.  It also much more efficient, needing less wood.

The team with the children and teachers of Colegio HOREB, after playing at the park

 

It was an honor to be a part of all these groups, God has certainly used them to bring much blessing to the Ixil people.  

Update on the Rices

 Here are a few updates about us and our work:

Teaching at Love Guatemala

Maria recently had the opportunity to teach a business class at the organization Love Guatemala for one week.  She had about 20 students and the class seemed to help immensely.  One of the women, who sells cakes, said she realized through taking the class that she sold her products for less than what it costs to make!  

Scholarship Program

This is the first year of a WIND scholarship program.  I spent most of my time in my trip to Cotzal in January preparing for the initiation of this program.  We have four students (3 of whom are HOREB graduates) attending the 7th grade at the middle school founded by Agros.  They have classes for 5 hours in the morning, followed by a 2 hour workshop after lunch.  We are excited about the opportunity these kids are receiving.  

HOREB

The Christian elementary school that WIND supports, Colegio HOREB, has ballooned to 149 students for 2015. They began Kindergarten last year with under 20 students, but this year they have all three levels with a total of 47 students.  This year HOREB, which currently rents a facility, is hoping to buy land to build their own school.    

Team Preparation

We have three teams coming in these next few months that we have been preparing for.  

Selah Covenant church will be coming in 2 weeks.  They will be doing nutrition workshops for the mothers of children at HOREB, helping with construction at the school, and also doing community projects in the village of Cajixay.

A team of dentists from Medical Teams International will be coming in March, giving some much needed dental work to villagers around the Ixil area.

Also, a high school team from Westminster Chapel will be coming in April to serve at the HOREB school, supporting the teachers in the classrooms and installing stoves in homes in the afternoons.

Immigration

We are currently in the process of immigrating to the U.S. and we hope to move in June.  Thank you to all that have supported and continue to support our work here.  Please keep that transition in your prayers.  We will continue to serve here until the process is finished and are excited for what God has in store for us in the future.

Oceans, Faith, and Testimonies of His Love

This song is my favorite of all time.  It touches my soul, awakens the Spirit within me.  My mind constantly tries to reason through everything, distracting me from my greater purpose.  This song cuts through all the noise, and straight to the heart of my walk.  The truth is, I am walking on water, I have no idea what I'm doing or where God is leading me, and at times I feel overwhelmed.  That is the essence of faith: believing, trusting, and walking, even when you can't see.

I read through some of the comments this song generated on YouTube.  It is obvious this song touches the hearts of many others.  Out of these comments, I found some amazing testimonies, which you can read below, verbatim.  We live in a world of doubt and skepticism, but testimonies of God and His love abound everywhere if we keep our eyes open and listen.

I'm in tears.. Just 7 days ago. I was at a park, just 1 pull of the trigger close too ending my own life.. But then a homeless man saw.. Quickly darted to me and screamed NO! I stopped, I set it down, he handed me a small bible.. And we talked about it and he read me some of his favorite verses. And he said I should never give up on life, giving up on life is like giving up on God.. I went home woke up the next morning and I looked up some gospel music.. Chris Tomlin really helped me and I watched a movie called Courageous and another called Fireproof.. I am glad to say I have accepted Jesus as my lord and savior. I am going to church this Sunday to continue my path with God.. I wish I could tell that homeless man thank you.. I tried looking for him 4 days after my incident.. I can't find him.. I'm going to continue and try to find him.. I just want to say tell him how grateful I am that he took his time to talk to me about it.. 

I'm breaking down right now as I'm typing this, because I had a similar experience.  As I was ready to load my Glock 17 to end my pain, walking up those dark lonely stairs back in the fall of 2004, a male heavenly voice called me, I swear it sounded like my beloved grandpa who passed away 10 years earlier, to stop! In that short brief moment, time stopped and I suddenly was reminded to know these truths - that I am loved, that I am better than this, that life is truly worth living, and that I'm not alone.  The lies I believed were being replaced with a renewed love and faith for my savior, a renewed soul to know I am not worthless, that I'm a son of a living King, that I'm loved beyond anything I can imagine.  Do I believe in guardian angels?  I don't think I would be here today without them.  They probably had to work overtime watching over me in this life I've lived. Thanks and praise to the one who saves all, even the lowest of low, the downtrodden, the broken ones, like me.  Since 2007, I have renewed my vows to Jesus, and help other guys to confront their demons, to submit back to Jesus Christ as their personal friend and savior, and to admit that it's ok to be human and a bit messed up, because we are still so loved and blessed, and that His grace is way more than sufficient.  His love for us?  Deeper then the sea, wider than the 4 corners of the earth, with everlasting arms.  May His hand continue to work in you and your life brother.  You're not alone my friend.

With all your respect,i believe you ,once in my life when i was 16 committing suicide because of a heartbreak,from a guy i was engaged .I goinh through strong emotions that took me to depression.At that time my life just didn't make since to me.At that i was a believer,i used to pray for everything.I remember i locked myself in the closet crying with anger.Asking questions,i said where are you! telling God that if i died i wouldn't care if i went to hell ,and i was expressing how i felt(with pain )I was also saying buy i was going to comment suicide the next day that nothing was going to stop me, or change my mind,that i had it planed it and was. i was tired of living pain..

But then he stopped me before that. God had my mom concern,which to me was awkward at that time,she sent me to her room and had the radio on a christian station.As i was laying down in the bed crying myself to sleep until mitnight...Then i wake up and heard a preacher in the radio saying if there's someone out there tring to commit suicide don't do it! because God loves you,please don't do it! He has a purpose for you. .But i still felt bad,so went back to sleep.So i was awaken the second time and the preacher was like "If you are going to kill yourself please don't do it God loves you and he has a purpose for you"Don't do this,God wants you to know he loves you "i was like yeah sure i'm dreaming" went back to sleep...then the 3rd time my shoulder was shook i felt a hand on my shoulder.I'm like what???! I look to my left shoulder and i see no one standing on the side of my bed,i sas nothing but white fog.I heared the radio and the preacher is worried " "If you are out there trying commit suicide listen God loves you so much,and you have a purpose to be here.I even looked at the time it was 3:00am .After that morning i was my pain was transformed,i felt so much better my mnd set was changed i was like new person i felt different,i left my moms room and then cleaned my whole room it was so dirty.Then i shared my testimony in a christian station to testify that God saved my life. If God had compassion for me i know that he has it for everyone else. He loves us all the same because we are his creation he tell us in the bible. Much blessing and prayers to you.

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?