LORD,touch the hearts

Lord, touch the hearts

The violence is escalating in our area. The police do nothing. There are never any witnesses even when there are, if you know what I mean. All this is leading to more and more vigilantism. There are, of course, a multitude of problems with the vigilante mentality. When people take it upon themselves to exact justice it only leads to more tragedy. Leti told me once, when she was violated, that there is no justice in Guatemala, only with the Lord will there ever be justice. How painfully true.

Last month three teenagers 15 to 19 years old were murdered, one in the schoolyard right next door to Rancho Esperanza, on a Sunday morning. His brother was killed in Seja, the village next to ours. Their cousin was shot near Rio Dulce. They were suspected by some to have been involved in some acts of thievery. They were just boys and now have no chance of growing up to follow a different path. It seems they received the death penalty for stealing something that someone else felt was more valuable than three human lives. That is, IF they were even guilty in the first place.

There is some unknown group of people who have given notice to our village of Cooperativa and Seja, through dropped leaflets, that they are on a “cleaning mission” and anyone out after nine o’clock at night is subject to being shot down. Two weeks ago a villager from Florido (also very near us) was shot and killed. He was a hard worker and EARNED his money to support the family, who is now left to fend for themselves. Also a phone card salesman was shot and killed at night.

The citizens are scared to be witnesses to anything because of probable revenge on the part of the perpetrators. The police are in the same situation. Many times they know who the criminals are but do nothing, in order to protect themselves and their families. There have been some drug-trafficking casualties as well. The police, especially with these crimes, did not pursue closure.

When we lived in San Felipe, a mentally ill teenager was murdered there. And the villagers told me that he used to steal soap and stuff like that out of their pilas at night. They never knew him to do any more than take and hoard miscellaneous cleaning items that were left outside.

It has been a couple of years now since an unknown group or individual decided to “clean” the streets of Rio Dulce of all the mentally ill homeless people. One by one and in different manners, they were all murdered. Who would do these things? What kind of human beings could carry out these sick “cleansings”??? A person without a conscience, a person without a Lord and Savior.

On Aug 9th of this year a band of robbers boarded the sailboat of an older couple (on the Rio Dulce) and demanded money. When the couple gave them what they had on board, the thieves were not satisfied and became enraged. They hacked the man to death with machetes and also stabbed the wife who survived. The police in this instance, because of pressure from within Guatemala (worried no doubt about the tourist trade) and pressure from outside Guatemala, investigated and caught two suspects from the village in which we minister through the clinic, La Esmeralda.

Last Sunday on his way to work at 6:00 in the afternoon, the night guard for Mario’s Marina was shot and killed just outside the gate from Esmeralda to the marina. He leaves a young wife and small children behind. It goes on and on.

Every Wednesday morning, all ranch staff and family gather here at the house for intense prayer. We are praying that the Lord will touch those who do not know Him, soften their hearts to hear the Gospel message of salvation, love and mercy through Jesus Christ, that He would use us in any way to further His kingdom. We pray for Him to change Rio Dulce, Guatemala, the world, even if by “cattle-prodding” those he has already called but have not yet gone into active service (whatever or wherever that may be), to protect all those in His service in the USA and the world over, to open everyone’s eyes to the devastation and feelings of hopelessness in the darkness surrounding us, to give us strength and wisdom and peace that can only come from Him, to pour out His healing on the many missionaries who are leaving Guatemala and other foreign posts right now.

He doesn’t NEED to use us He WANTS to use us, and he wants us to WANT to be used by Him. Its that whole “free-will thing” that gets us in trouble sometimes. Please join us in our prayers for help, and our praises for what He has already done in our lives and countless others. We also want you to know that each and every one of you is prayed for by us as well. Thank you for your involvement in His project in Guatemala. May the Lord bless and keep you.

Love,
Karen, Mike, and Family