Container Update, SOSEP Guatemala

Guatemala Evangelical Missionary Community

Container Update, SOSEP Guatemala

Distribution -- read about it here.

March 15, 2006

Well, it's finally over! It took over four months and about $3,500 but the contents of the container are safely stored in the San Juan 10:10 building in Panajachel. With lots of help and guidance from Nyree of the SOSEP office in Guatemala City, not to mention the hand and timing of God, we are ready to distribute the donated items. Thank you to all of you who helped in one way or another.

We are planning another container with a ship date of October 2006. Watch for details.

March 14, 2006

Today, after scores of e-mails, letters and phone calls, the container is on a truck and on its way to Panajachel. Praise the Lord! No, really: Praise the Lord! But what a journey.

Everything began to come together Friday in the late afternoon (of course, when everyone is closing offices and businesses). I received an e-mail telling me that the SAT taxing authority here in Guatemala had approved the tax exempt status and that the paperwork was forwarded to the Aduanas (customs) in Puerto Quetzal. Then, I received notice via e-mail that they needed the license number and a copy of the license of the driver who was going to pick up the load. We scrambled on Friday afternoon to get this information and finally did so. At that point they told me I needed to pay approximately $400 to the customs department by depositing the money into their bank account. The only problem was their bank was three hours away in Guatemala City! Bummer! And I was just there that morning picking up Barbara at the airport at 6 a.m.

So I go on Saturday to pick up Jimmy and Lucy from Texas at the airport in the city and pay the customs fee. This would be okay if I didn't have to get to the bank by noon then pick up Jimmy and Lucy at 9 p.m. But I did. And they were an hour late! But that's a different story you can read about here.

Anyway, that was accomplished and then Monday morning the customs people told us we could pick up the container on Tuesday (today). So the guys left at five o'clock this morning, our visitor Jimmy, Hector and Pedro along with the driver of the big truck.

And then I got a call at 10 a.m. They had arrived at the port only to be told they could not unload the container on the dock into our truck but had to find a truck to load the container and drive it off the dock, then unload it and return it. That was a task but the real problem was that the paperwork all had to be changed to reflect the different driver and truck from a security standpoint. But God was good and they found another driver with a truck and they loaded after waiting seven hours and are right now on the way back to Panajachel.

The really good news is that the SOSEP people (the Guatemalan government) have agreed to give us 175 boxes of donated clothes and hygiene and food products in addition to what we had in our container! We pick that up tomorrow! And we do know that God is good!

March 4, 2006

It's here, the container has finally arrived! That's the good news... or is it? But we haven't got it yet and that's the bad news... or is it?

Friday, March 3 Hector and I went to the government agency Sosep to find out the status of our container we believe to be sitting on the dock in Port Quetzal just a few hours from Panajachel. It has been difficult trying to get this container into the country and we are very close. We thought we were finished but now we are finding there is yet another hurdle to jump. It seems that customs has taken possession of the container and has not yet released it to us. We don't know how long we will have to wait. The supervisor at Sosep told us we should receive the container five days after arrival, maybe six. I informed her it had gotten here the 23rd of February so she then said 10 days. Again I informed her it'd been more than 10 days so she then asked me to have patience. And now we've discovered that we pay $50 a day while it sits on the dock awaiting release. Joy!

While waiting to meet with the government official, we met two ladies from Canada with the exact same problem. But they had serious donations to talk about, not just one container-- 90 containers! They told the official their organization was going to ship to Honduras and Costa Rica and El Salvador, where it's much easier to get things into the country. They didn't want to do this because the need in Guatemala is so great but they had no choice. The government official shrugged her shoulders. The Canadian then asked if there wasn't some way to get special consideration for 90 containers and the government official told her no. It's very difficult here as you can see.

But here's the lesson: God is not mocked. If he wants that container released now, it will be released. We will wait, not on them but on God. In his time we will have it. If it doesn't come in time for our group later this month then so be it.

Please pray that God will be glorified and his will be done in this matter.

We will keep you updated.

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February 8, 2006 It's off!

Updated by Jim Guffey, January 30, 2006

After several trips to Guatemala City and meetings with government officials we have had a great success. Her name is Nyree Mendez Andino and if you read the story about Joseph and the Angel you will understand when I say she is our angel. She has been very responsive and now our only holdup is with the shipping company. But today I received a quote and another company in the United States is working on this for us as well. Pray that God's will is accomplished with the shipment of these supplies.

Updated by Jim Guffey, December 17, 2005

The wait goes on. We submitted our application almost a month ago and have received no word to date. We leave this in God's hands. The trailer is loaded and ready, sitting at Immanuel Baptist Church in Highland California, waiting only for the approval of the Guatemalan government. God's time will prevail!

Updated by Jim Guffey, December 4, 2005

We have submitted our application to the government of Guatemala which, once approved, will enable us to ship a container to Panajachel. As with most things here it takes time-a lot of time. But we're waiting patiently as God works out the details relative to the time of delivery in the country. We were hoping by Christmas we would have some word, and we will see!

Written by Jim Guffey, November 6, 2005

It is Sunday night here in California and we are no closer to having a shipping container and a means to deliver the needed supplies to Guatemala than we were 10 days ago when I arrived. It is very frustrating.

The government has a program to receive contributed items and streamline the process of transporting them to Guatemala. But it seems that a condition of this program is that they take possession and handle distribution of the contributions to the people. And this is not acceptable to us for obvious reasons. The option is to pay a 30% import fee on an arbitrary value set by the government, along with the cost of transport. This will likely be very expensive. It is very frustrating.

Having said that, and as much as I hate to say it, God has a plan. I hate to say it because in my heart, I know this will work out the way God intended it. But I want it to work my way, in my time. I have plane tickets to return to Guatemala soon and yet the plan may be for me to drive the supplies through Mexico. God has already provided a possible trailer, where we are currently storing the contributions, but there is still another small problem: a truck to pull it! This is a major problem for me, but for God...

And so we wait to discover the plan that God has. Whatever that is we will obey. And, ultimately it will be a much better plan than mine or yours. We just have to come to terms with the fact that we are not in control. But the good news is, He is!

We should find out tomorrow conclusively.

On another note, God has taken care of us in another instance. Through this web site, I met a man (e-mail only so far) who was headed for Guatemala and was kind enough to write me. As God does He brought us together and that man is now staying in my house in Panajachel where he is taking Spanish lessons and proving to be a great help in our ministry. His name is Rani and he is from North Carolina. I will be meeting up with him in a week or so, God willing. I am just thankful that he is there helping out with this shipping problem in the reconstruction of the homes in Santa Catarina. Oh, did I mention he has a background in construction?

There should be much more on these developments in the next day or two. Stay tuned...

Rani

Written by Jim Guffey November 1, 2005

I returned to California last Wednesday, October 26, 2005. The clothing drive has been very successful and we have many bags of clothes to sort and repack. We are very fortunate to have some volunteers to help from Immanuel Baptist Church and also, from my sister and niece. My niece is Stacey Guffey and she is bringing a group of young people from her church in Oceanside where she works to help. We appreciate very much all of this help.

Several donations are coming in for the shipping container from various sources. Core-Mark, a vendor we do business with here in the states, and Jack Links, a leading manufacturer of beef jerky products have graciously donated. Arranging the shipping container continues to be difficult but I'm sure it will work out with a little patience.

I especially want to thank my friend, Craig Monin for his continued support and assistance, as well as Pastor Rob Zin of Immanuel Baptist Church and his staff (Rhonda, Paul, Arilla and Darla) for all their work. And so many others who have worked to help the people of Panajachel and Guatemala. And of course, thank you to each of you who generously support this work with your gifts.

On another note, I received word yesterday that our pickup truck has broken down and will require $2000 US to repair it. Bummer. Or is it? We know that all things work together for the good...

Lastly, a new Christian brother, Rani, leaves for Guatemala today from the East Coast. God has brought him to us and we are eager to see what the plan will be!

If you haven't contributed yet, and feel compelled to get involved:

Send your tax-deductible check to

Immanuel Baptist Church

28355 E. Baseline

Highland, CA 92346

Attn: Guatemala Fund

Please write on the comments section of your check "Guatemala Fund". Immanuel Baptist Church, myself nor any other person or entity outside of Guatemala will receive any of the money contributed to this effort. 100% of the administrative cost of this ministry is already borne by others, as God has supplied. There are no salaries to myself or other Americans. 100% of your gift will go to the most needy people here, as God directs. 100%.

For those of you who forward this e-mail and have helped in this effort, “Thank you for giving to the Lord.” Look above at the picture of the little boy and imagine him saying, "I am the life that was changed…".

God bless you for your help.

To make a donation, send to:

Immanuel-Go Ministry Guatemala
28355 E Baseline,
Highland, CA, 92346

Make your tax deductible check out to Immanuel Baptist Church and please write "Guatemala" in the comment section.

To sponsor this family please send me an e-mail.

Thank you for giving to the Lord!

See the distribution of this product here.

Thank you for giving to the Lord...I am the life that was changed!