Week of January 25

Barb and Trent have returned to Florida today, the 25th. The meeting in the square was awsome, with an estimated 2,000 people watching "The Passion"! They sat on a football field at the school, and on fences, on top of the buses; anywhere and everywhere. And they want us to come back in two weeks! God is present and working to show His love and grace to these people and we are so pleased to be used of Him in this process!

Week of January 20

Last weekend we went to Conception and Godinez. Conception was great. Packed the house. Godinez was very few people. The wind was blowing and it was freezing. We took pictures and put them on the computer.

The wind has been blowing since Saturday. It has been cold!!! You should see the lake! it is so rough. No hot water while the wind blows. The water pipe broke up the street from the house and they said it would be two weeks before they could fix it. The first day the house ran out of water at 3:00. The next day we had water until 6:00. For the last couple of days we have had water all day. Ther is an overflow of water but if it starts to run short the hotel gets it ans the houses around the area are cut off. You sure know your in Guademala!

Tomorrow is the big night! I think this is going to be the biggest thing we have done so far. I can't wait for you to meet this pastor. He is really great. I hope you can meet with him and set something up for Gene to go there. It is the perfect place. The square is like made for this! We got a boat to take us over and pick us up at 11:00. I am praying the wind dies down. Today it has been beautiful. If the wind picks up we will just drive. This pastor is going to set something up for the poor kids in a little town just past Santiago. Please see if you can time it so Cherie can go. If people can see God can use them to make a difference.

We paid for Josephina's dad to register all four kids in school. We are going over there Saturday to buy them school supplies. We talked to the oldest boy about paying for him to go to school but he decided he didn't want to. I don't know if that is due to he is needed at home to work with Nick (the dad) to bring in money but he told us at this time he can't.

Well it is just about time to go back to Florida. I know God is going to do a great thing here. I am so glad to have been part of it. I am praying for Cherie and Alan. I believe that if people could just see the need down here more would be done. It is very hard to explain to people. They have to experience it for themselves.

I will close for now. I want you to know from the bottom of my heart how much I appreciate this. Words can't express what I want to say but I thank God everyday for this experience. Just stay close to God and let him work through you and He will do amazing things in you and through you, especially when you can't see he is working that is the time the most is being done!

January 16

The church in Conception went very well. It was a packed house. Trent took pictures and he will download them on your computer. They want us to come back the 29th. Then another church over there is coming to the Cisne on Monday to set up a time for us to go there. We go to Godinez tonight. By now you have heard the we are leaving here on the 25th. All is good.
The water at the house is kind of iffy. A pipe broke up the road and it will be 2 weeks before it will be fixed. There is a a back up water system so we have water for part of the day. When that water runs low they give to the hotel so you have no water. There is nothing that can be done. This is Guademala! I hope everything is going well. Call me with what you want me to do.

Barbie

Christmas Day

Navidad Trent went to get the people at 1 oclock. I had taken everything to the Cisne and then he left to go get the people. The other families were supposed to be there at 3. Trent still was not back at 3 and no one was there yet. I was starting to get worried that on one would come. Then lo and behold Trent drives up with the truck full inside and out! Josephina and her family, another family that had no father and a pastor and his family we had invited. Very nice prople. Maria and Angel came to. Again God sent the people when I doubted. We had a great time. Oh I forgot to tell you. When we first got to the Cisne to make the punch the water was dirty. The whole town of panachel was like this. I did not know how we were going to make it. It takes one of those big blue pans to make this stuff. It is a holiday tradition here. You cut up all kinds of fruit and two cinnimon sticks and let it boil for 30 minutes. It was great. The people thought so too. We could not keep their glasses full. You should of seen Josephina eat! She had two plates full. Her older brother and her mom also had two plates. She was dressed in the blouse that we bought her. She looked so nice. Her whole family looked nice. Hector, Pedro and their families came and ate to. They had a baptismal they had to do so they did not get there till 4. We then showed a movie after we ate and then had dessert. The day turned out great. We then took everyone home. When we dropped Josephina and her family off, her dad just could not thank us enough. Josephina hugged me and would not let go. I just cannot put into words what these people do to me. We had bought gifts for all of Josephina's family. We did not give them out because we did not have anything to give to the rest of the people. We are going to go to her house Monday before the doctor to give the gifts to them. We are also going to take the two little brothers to buy them shoes. It does not seem like much but I know it is all we can do.

Christmas Eve

Friday we went to Antonios fathers church. He said to expect 50 so we planned for 100 and had over 150 kids! We ran out of gifts and food but had plenty of candy canes! It was so great. These kids were so thankful. I had made cookies and gave them out. Since there were so many I had to break some of the cookies in half but they didn't know the difference. The electricity went out in the whole town for about 10 minutes. I thought we were going to have to pack up and go but then it came back on. We took them into the church to give out the gifts the whole church was full of all the kids. There wern't many adults at all. But it was worth the experience even the trip there. I didn't think we would ever get there. I don't remember it being that far or that bad of a road. We took a couple to Panachel from the church there. All in all it was a great night.

12/24

Jim,

PLEASE READ AT MOM"S ON CHRISTMAS EVE:

As you celebrate Christmas in the land of the free,
I wonder if you realize how much God has given thee.
So much we take for granted, each and every day,
Your life here means nothing, unless you give it away.
With just a simple thing, like a bright little ball,
A little toy car, or a baby doll.
A pair of shoes, a shirt or a dress,
Mean more to these kids than words can express.
Their life is very simple, they are happy as can be,
Down in guademala, where nothing here is FREE!

So as you open your presents this Christmas, many of which you won't use or don't need, think of these people in Guademala. They won't be opening presents. They will be thankful for the "special meal" that will be prepared. It won't consist of turkey or stuffing or pie, but just a simple meal where thanks will be given to God for continuing to supply there needs. It's quite amazing when you realize what your "NEEDS" are and what your "WANTS" are. Rest assured these people know!

Have a Merry Christmas. I miss all of you but would not have traded this experience for anything.

Love,

Barbie

12/22

We had the party for the english class. Went very well. They were so excited to get to swim and play basketball with a real hoop! We served hamburgers and I made cookies. Hector led a boy to Christ at the end of his talk to the kids. It was a great experience.

I have been praying about an orphanage we could go to around Christmas to hand out gifts but the closest one is in Chimaltenango by Guatemala City. It was to far to go. I have just been waiting to see if something else came about. Last night Antonio came over to the new house, (didn't even know he knew where it was) and said he had at least 50 kids and there mothers, and wanted to know if we could come on Christmas Eve and do a movie and food. These kids have no fathers. Well this is the closest to an orphanage I was going to get! We told him we would be there. We will have to do this with just Trent and I as the guys all have prior commitments. The 24th is the day that these people celebrate with there families. I am so excited to get to do this. I guess our ways are not the Lord's. It is amazing how you think you want to do something and then it turns out completely different.

For Christmas day we still only have Josephina's family. We are going today to ask the family across from the church. I was very disappointed at first because it didn't seem that we were going to have anyone. But then you never know here what is going to happen. The Lord will send who he wants and the rest will follow.

Today we are having a pinata at the Cisne.
Pictures will be forthcoming. Trent needs to call you so you can walk him through how to make the files. We don't have a lot of time and it is especially hard when the computer is here and we are at the other house. We will be out of the old house probably by Friday. Trent will try to call you Thursday or Friday so you can tell him about the pictures.

I forgot the new phone number for the house. You can call on the cell if you need to reach us. It is usually on.

I will talk to you this weekend.

Barbie

12/16/04

Well coming through the Godinez cut off a truck with no lights on, blocked the road in a "very" remote part, I aproached but stopped well before it. I saw an opening between the truck and the Gulley, it was tight but I went for it. As I did it 3 guys ran at us from the sides to stop us then tried to give chase, But we were gone and didn't feel inclined to see what they wanted. Interesting thing about it was there was a cop siting right at the turn off with of the main road, "his lights off" as well. I guess that will end taking that short cut in the late eve. this was about 10pm. To say the least Barbie's heart rate was "tested".

Thursday

Antonio came over and asked to have the movie shown again. I told him to come down to the Cisne and we could look at the best time for them and to make sure there is an opening in the calender.

Went to the new house "very nice" and "REAL" beds "Nice"... When would you like us to prepare to make the move as Barbie is in "love" with the Bathtub. Tried to use the oven in the place we are at now and almost blew my foot off interesting backdraft.... It dosn't work I found out after talking with Charlieo.

Well let us know about doing the things at the new place I guess we can get some curtains and such Barb's making plans, hard to hold her back...

Hope your flight went well.

Trent

12/17

We are going to talk to Jose Carmen today about the house and when it is available. I need to use the oven next week. We found out we can get a turkey in Solola for about 200.00 quetzales.

Josephina's family is going to come for Christmas but I don't know who else. We took Josephina to the doctor today. She will start regular school in Jan. I met her family. Very nice. We take her to get her glasses tomorrow.

We are working with Hector regarding the party next Tuesday. I want to make christmas cookies, the kind you frost and decorate. I thought I would bring Josephina over and have her help me. We will see how that goes. Well let me know about the house and cable. Will write more later.

Barbie

Josephina with her mom and dad

New blouse and skirt and shoes...and SMILE!

12/18

Friday we took Josephina in to the psycologist. She has made great progress. The doctor showed us pictures of when she first started working with her two weeks ago. She asked Josephina to draw her family. The only thing she drew were circles. Then she showed us what she had drawn yesterday when asked to draw her family and she actually drew a stick man with arms, legs, eyes, nose ect. The doctor was very impressed. When we took her home we told her father and he was thrilled. Just the look on these people's faces is worth everything we do.

Trent, Pedro, and Hector went to Andre's Friday night. There were about 80 to 100 people. It was in like a town square. When the movie appocalipse started it wasn't long before they started leaving. By the end of the movie there were about 30 people left. We talked to Pedro and Hector and said let's show the passion from now on. Even if people have seen it they will watch again.

Saturday started out great! We picked Josephina and her father up at 8:30. Our appointment for the eye doctor was for 10:00. We got there at 9:40. We didn't get seen until after 11:00! We decided never to be early and maybe even come a little late from now on! But this is guatemala! Anyway Josephina was so excited. She couldn't sit still. When we finally got in there the lady gave her her glasses and she put them on. She was smiling from ear to ear. The lady gave her a coffee mug and Josephina took a glass case, kleenex, and whatever else was laying on the table.Again her father was so appreciative, thanking us all the way home. It was well worth the wait.

After taking Josephina home, we went to the Cisne. Hector told us the panasonic DVD player would not work. This was about 1:30. We had to leave for the church at 2:30. Trent looked at it and tried to see what was wrong with it. He couldn't find anything. Hector said we could use the computer to play the DVD so we loaded that up and off we went. Got to the church and tried to hook it up but could not get it to play. After trying several things and going back to the Cisne several times we finaaly ended up just playing uit in the television. BUT and this is the cool part. I have been trying to think of people to invite to Christmas dinner but haven't had much success. I was sitting in the truck for the most part of this fiasco (blessing in disguise) when I noitced a shack across the street from the church. For a door it had a wooden board held up with some wire. After a few minutes a little boy came out. He heard all the kids playing across the street. He started to come over but his mom came out and pulled him back inside. She was pregnant. A little while later a man went inside the shack. I recognized him from a couple hours earlier when we were at lunch. He was begging for money on the street. All the time I was sitting in the truck I was really disappointed that we couldn't show the big screen. When Hector and Angel came out all disappointed because they couldn't get it to work, it hit me, if this whole thing had gone right I would have never been in the truck to see the little boy or his father and would have never invited them for Christmas dinner. I shared this with Hector and Angel and I think they felt a little better. Trent and Angel are going to go over there next week and ask if we could pick them up for dinner on Christmas. The pastor said that the man begs for money and buys alcohol. I don't know how true this is.

Also, Hector said they had about 80 people on Wednesday night.

Another neat thing. When we were bringing Josephina home down Godinez road, there were hundreds of kids on the side of the road. There was a truck followed by a police car that were giving out big balls and baby dolls. It was great. Dont know where they were from but it was incredible to see all the kids for miles waiting fro there toy.

We were going to look into having the DVD player fixed. Probably have to go to Guademala City. First we are going to call a number on the DVD player. It is a support number. Maybe they can help us.

Trent needs to have the registration numbers for the XP software loaded on the IBM laptop at the Cisne.
He needs this ASAP.

We are moving into the house tomorrow. Everything looks real good. Jose will call on Monday to have the internet cable installed.

Pictures will follow.

Trent and Barbie