Ice cream

The children missed me so much they took me out for ice cream or vice versa :)

Trip to Nicaragua

     Two weeks ago Victor and I were in Nicaragua and we really had a very good time with all the men at the rehab center.  God is really taking care of everybody and everything, new men are entering to the program while others are leaving the program, but we know that some of them really want to change.
     Our purpose was to encourage the men and to buy all the supplies that were needed. We had some meetings with the staff to promote and advance the men's positions in the program.

We bought some clothing and food for the next few months in different markets.

Victor and Guillermo, a volunteer who comes in once a week to teach a Bible study. 

     Victor led some bible studies with all the men, and also we had special food during the week to spoil them.

     We are happy that the men from the rehab are attending a local church and they are allowed to serve in different areas like to read the Bible on Sunday's service and also to welcome the people in the entrance.
     We are looking forward for some volunteers to work in Nicaragua to develop the ministry.  We are looking for people that speaks spanish and is willing to be trained and who is teachable.

Construction Update on the Transition Home.

The Home construction is going really well. Every time I go up there, I feel like it looks more and more like a real home and less like a construction site.

We have doors!

 The living room.

 The big bedroom.

 Another door! :) To the big bedroom.

 The smaller bedroom, also holding space for the toilet. 

 Smaller bedroom.

 The kitchen.

 New border tile for the kitchen.

 Another wall in the kitchen.

 Storage/pila area.

Border for the tile in the bathroom . I think I am holding it upside down. Not sure.

Now we just need to finish the tiling, do the plumbing in the bathroom and it should be about done. I am excited to see the finished product with all the furniture in. And we all know that the teens are ready to move in!

A Group from Michigan.

A few months ago Steve, a member of the Living Waters Church, came to Guatemala to look for opportunities to minister. He visited our ministry and we shared with him our needs and when he went back to his church, the pastor decided to help us with some projects.

A couple weeks ago some members of the church came with Gary who is the pastor of the Church. He shared Sunday morning at our church and it was a very good sermon about being fruitful in our spiritual lives, and how even when we are fruitful God sometimes prunes us back in order to be even more fruitful.

On Monday eight people from the group came to the rehab center to replace the cement floors in two of the bedrooms that were in a very bad shape. Even though they were not used to working the way we work here in Guatemala, they were very excited to learn how to mix cement by hand. We can't use a mix machine because is very expensive.

Over the four days that they were here, they ripped out the old cement and put the new one and painted the wall of the two bedrooms. Men of the ministry worked along side the team and even though that they couldn't speak to each other, it was a very good experience for everybody. We had a very good time sharing our faith in Jesus as well as our lives.

They had already taken the old cement out. Now it is ready for the new cement.

They have to pour water to be ready for the new cement.

Pouring water.

First step is to mix sand with stones.

Second step mix cement with water, sand and stone.

Working all together.

Chici & Ginny. Ginny did a very good job with the garden.

Victor working very hard.

John carrying the cement to the rooms.

Cichi and the guys ready for a snack.

Painting the rooms.

Painting.

The new floor and new paint.

Gary sharing at the church in the Wednesday service.

The group was able to come and eat lunch with the kids during the week and on Thursday more members of the group were able to come and do a craft and play.

Fernanda with Keith.

Thomas and Megan having lunch with Debora and Antoni.

Each kid got to decorate their kite.

Playing with the kites.

Playing with water balloons.

After they played with the kids the group shared their testimonies at the rehab center.

God really blessed us with this group because He showed us his love through them. Both the kids and the men enjoyed their company and we would love for them to come and visit us again.

Thanks Living Waters Church for coming.

God bless.

Long overdue update!

This is Sandra. I'm sorry that it has been so long since we have written.

At the end of June, I went on my first trip going back to Nicaragua since I left 2 1/2 months ago. It was really a great experience to see how the guys are running the center by themselves. I really think that God is taking care of the ministry and guiding the guys to continue with the vision.

Chici and I did some projects like buy a new stove because we really needed a new one.

This is Jorge cooking on the new stove.

We also visited the elderly home with some of the guys at the rehab because we are teaching them how to share the love of God. We really enjoyed sharing some snacks and of course coca-cola because this is their favorite beverage. Of course we shared some scriptures that can encourage them.

David, Diego, Jorge and I.

We were given the opportunity to share in the local church, Chici shared in the women meeting and I did in the Sunday service. We really appreciate the opportunity that God gave us.

We had some meetings with the staff to see how are the things going and to advise them in different matters. We also had some Bible studies with all the guys. At the end of the week we wanted to treat them and they chose pizza.

Chici and I and the guys.

At the end of July I took a few guys from the ministry, a few of the teens and some members of the church to visit the elderly home in San Felipe which is near to Antigua. We took snacks for them, and we sang and read some scriptures that can encourage them. Even when they have no hope we can let them know that God has mercy for them.

Miguel tried to hug her but she told him don't touch me!

Conchita.

Adiran sharing some scriptures.

Felipe helping with the snack.

Carlos (from the rehab center) and Jose (from the children's home)

Megan from the church ministering.

These are a few of the things our ministry has been involved in in the last couple of months. Next week we'll share more pictures of groups that came to visit.

God bless.