Red Tape Shredded! Children Coming!
It is the Lord's timing! Our friends, Manolo and Vilma Bendfeldt, at Fundaniños (orphanage in Guatemala City) have cut through the governmental red tape on our behalf. Rancho Esperanza has become a satellite facility for Fundaniños. Fundaniños is a larger, well established and wonderful Christian orphanage. We have known the Bendfeldts for years through our good friend Woody Woodson at Vine International. Manolo and Vilma have two families of children who are not adoptable and are in need of a more permanent family situation. And that is what Rancho Esperanza is all about!
One family group of children was living on the streets with their drug-addicted parents before arriving at Fundaniños two years ago. We don't yet know the full situation of the other children who have been with Fundaniños for three years. The children have never been visited by their biological parents. None of the children had ever gone to school while with their parents. So they are trying to catch up. They will be out of school for the year this month and we will pick them up on November 2nd!
Mike and I got to meet all the children last Thursday, the 9th of October! They are all very precious! I don't know who is more excited, us or them! Some of them are already packed. Vilma and Patty (their devoted care-giver) facilitated the meeting. It went very well and the children felt free to ask many questions. We showed them photos of the ranch, the house, the church, etc. They were thrilled that we have animals, especially the horses.
Francisca is 14yrs., Esperanza is 8yrs., Danny is 5yrs., Angélica is 13yrs., Lucía is 12yrs., and Pedro is 7yrs. old. There was one hitch though, two other children really want to come too. And because Vilma and Manolo are still trying to get custody of another sibling (10yrs. old) so as to reunite the family, we need to save space for her. But, then again, as Manolo said, if we can make room for one more bed for the sister, a bunk bed will fit in that space and maybe we could take the other girl? We'll see. Right now they are four girls and only two boys. We have one girl's room and one boy's room. Fortunately another of the children who wants to come is a boy! So we could end up with six girls and three boys, four boys including Michael José that is. That is going to max out our family situation, I think.
What I want to say at this point is that there are so many cases like those of our new children. We have come to the point, finally, of asking you all to put out the word at church, Bible studies, small groups, work, friends, relatives, etc., that we need another set of house parents here at Rancho Esperanza! We strongly believe that God has placed this service on the hearts of many of His children. Who will be obedient? Who feels called to raise children in the Lord? What is standing in your way? When we have a commitment of at least 3yrs. from a couple, another house will be built and we will be able to receive more children who need a family situation. This is His project, and His vision, who will answer His call?
Thank you so much for all your prayers! What a blessing it is to work with you all and to be able to witness, with you, the faithfulness of our Father in this project. Where God guides, He really does provide! We also want to share with you that another widow on staff has asked the Lord Jesus into her heart, our precious "Nanny" Vilma! It has been so incredibly fantastic to witness!
More later.
Love in Christ,
Karen, Mike, & Family
Monday, October 13, 2008
Monday, October 6, 2008
Please forgive
Please Forgive
Please forgive me if my update inspired fear for our personal safety! We feel just as safe here as we ever did at home. What I wanted to convey was the sadness for the people we minister to here, the urgency for us all to put on the full armor of God and to fight the darkness that surrounds us (meaning surrounding you all, as well) through the strength of the Lord, not our own.
If any one of you picked up your local newspaper, you would find the same things happening in your area. I wrote about the situation here because it weighs so heavily on my heart. We personally know many of the victims and some of the suspected perpetrators as well. Yesterday my "daughter" Leti told me more than I wanted to know about some of the recent tragedies. The locals know who's doing what to whom and why, but they will never tell authorities. It is a mind-set that is difficult for Gringos to understand, unless one lives in the ghettos in the United States... that is.
Supposedly, the teenaged boys murdered were involved in drug trafficking (like their late father, uncle) and involved in murders, themselves. We still grieve for their loss of opportunity to grow up and follow a different path. We grieve for their families as well. Supposedly, the guard at Mario's was killed because of a love triangle and nothing more. What a horrible price to pay! The man in Florido was killed because someone knew that he had just received his pay for two week's work, and wanted to rob him on the path to his house. The phone card salesman was killed for the same reason.
Nobody in the compound is going out after dark. The police have suggested that the citizens not be out on the streets after 9:00pm for the time being. We assume its because of the "cleansing" that is going on. Leti told me that it is a drug family who's responsible for the sweep, how ironic!!!!
We, in no way, feel led to leave our post in Guatemala. We do not feel that the compound nor the residents are in any unusual danger. We are expecting to receive six children at the end of this month. Gracias a Dios!!! Please know that we believe very strongly that we are in God's will and are being obedient in our service to Him. We do not want to be seen as anything other than two grunts who love the Lord and want to serve Him through ministering to the people here. Anything else is bull-puckey!
We love you,
Karen, Mike, and Family
PS This was just a note about what is happening in our little tiny area of Guatemala. This is not to say it is going on all over Guatemala. The police are serious in the city, they even give tickets.
Please forgive me if my update inspired fear for our personal safety! We feel just as safe here as we ever did at home. What I wanted to convey was the sadness for the people we minister to here, the urgency for us all to put on the full armor of God and to fight the darkness that surrounds us (meaning surrounding you all, as well) through the strength of the Lord, not our own.
If any one of you picked up your local newspaper, you would find the same things happening in your area. I wrote about the situation here because it weighs so heavily on my heart. We personally know many of the victims and some of the suspected perpetrators as well. Yesterday my "daughter" Leti told me more than I wanted to know about some of the recent tragedies. The locals know who's doing what to whom and why, but they will never tell authorities. It is a mind-set that is difficult for Gringos to understand, unless one lives in the ghettos in the United States... that is.
Supposedly, the teenaged boys murdered were involved in drug trafficking (like their late father, uncle) and involved in murders, themselves. We still grieve for their loss of opportunity to grow up and follow a different path. We grieve for their families as well. Supposedly, the guard at Mario's was killed because of a love triangle and nothing more. What a horrible price to pay! The man in Florido was killed because someone knew that he had just received his pay for two week's work, and wanted to rob him on the path to his house. The phone card salesman was killed for the same reason.
Nobody in the compound is going out after dark. The police have suggested that the citizens not be out on the streets after 9:00pm for the time being. We assume its because of the "cleansing" that is going on. Leti told me that it is a drug family who's responsible for the sweep, how ironic!!!!
We, in no way, feel led to leave our post in Guatemala. We do not feel that the compound nor the residents are in any unusual danger. We are expecting to receive six children at the end of this month. Gracias a Dios!!! Please know that we believe very strongly that we are in God's will and are being obedient in our service to Him. We do not want to be seen as anything other than two grunts who love the Lord and want to serve Him through ministering to the people here. Anything else is bull-puckey!
We love you,
Karen, Mike, and Family
PS This was just a note about what is happening in our little tiny area of Guatemala. This is not to say it is going on all over Guatemala. The police are serious in the city, they even give tickets.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
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
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
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