good day

after experiencing the strongest earthquake i have felt here (the house was rocking, fridge and tables shaking, everything rattling, dogs going crazy!), it ended up being a great day.

we had our mandatory parents meeting for all 30 rhinos to kick off the 2012 year of the academy. it was an exciting night, great to see all the boys (including 6 new faces) who all expressed their excitement to get started again on monday. we had lots of positive feedback from parents, which comes as an encouragement since we've received some negative attacks lately...

looking forward to monday. we have new indoor shoes, cleats, hygiene kits, etc to give the boys. we're initiating some new changes into the program this year, all intended to help the boys love each other better - be better teammates and friends. we've only been off since christmas, but it seems like its been forever! i can't wait to get going again...

berter, my bro, and the great physician

me, mynor and anthony were walking around today letting all 30 rhinos know about the parent meeting for this saturday. when we walked by our friends anna & berter's house (12x12 house, 3 precious boys, long history with this family) we noticed there were tons of people in their yard, mostly crying. turns out berter, the dad, following the death of their 4 month old a couple months ago, had a stroke and has been in bed ever since. (crazy they never told us.) we went inside. he had just had a 2nd stroke, and half his body is paralyzed and he cant talk. he looked disabled and deformed.

we surrounded him and prayed over him as he cried and mumbled. he looked into my eyes intently - i have never seen eyes so desperate. when we got home we called a doctor who i just went down and met at their house. he said his blood pressure is dangerously low and he needs immediate attention. it is likely he could die or be paralyzed for life. when he said the exams (just to find out what we're dealing with) could be anywhere from $400 to $500, the family just cried. they said "that is impossible, there is nothing we'll ever be able to do."

i told them about my brother chad, and that i had just received a donation from him that was designated to help someone sick. unbelievable. they rejoiced, praised God, cried, hugged, thanked, and prayed. tomorrow we're taking him to get tests done. please join us in praying for the best. we already know that our God is the Great Physician and he holds it all in his hands.

of course i could have blogged this story, sent it out to people and asked for help. but the urgency would have made the wait super tough. if he has the slightest stroke in the next 24 hours, doc said he will almost certainly die. plus the fact that the check had already been sent gave God all of the glory in that moment! just crazy. as often as God does these amazing things, i still get blown away every time! unbelievable stuff. so thankful that people listen and obey the Spirit. awesome, awesome, awesome.

tomorrow we take berter in for tests. pray for him... i will keep you posted.

"only if you become his dads"

not a quote you here everyday.

Melsar is one of our new Rhinos starting the boys academy this year. we were visiting with his grandma today, explaining that he had made the team and that we would like for him to begin at the academy.

Melsar is an orphan. his mom and dad abandoned him when he was 25 days old, dropped him off with grandma and never came back.

as Mynor explained what we do at the academy (teach the bible, education, values and soccer)... grandma responded:

"i will allow Melsar to enroll in the academy, if you promise me to become his dads." she went on to say how thankful she is, and that she believes this is the opportunity that God has been waiting to give Melsar.

i think it is too.

so excited to have him in the program, and in our home every day.

Juana and my mom's birthday present

this morning, as mark and i were walking a group of friends around buena vista on a little tour, my friend greg asked if there are any 12x12 houses we could show them. we happened to be standing right in front of the entrance into Dona Juana's house, so i said sure - lets go visit Juana and you guys can see a "before" and "after", since their old cornstalk home is still up, being used as a kitchen.

Juana is an elderly widow, no parents, kids, brothers, sisters, aunts or uncles. she has no one. in the last stages of cancer, she battles with chronic pain. her skin is being eaten away, and her nose has literally fallen off of her face.

when we found her, she was on her porch in tears. she was having a terrible day. she was banging on her head with her hands, saying the pain wont stop. she began crying out to God, "please just come and take me home". it was as miserable as i had ever seen her.

a week or two ago, i had gotten an email from my dad, saying that my mom had asked him for a unique gift for her birthday. instead of a present, she asked if he would "send brock some money to start a 'Dona Juana Fund' that could be used as needed for medicine."

as Juana was crying, scratching her body, and banging her head... i remembered the fund. i called Dr. Carlos and asked if he could come out and treat her. he arrived right away, cleaned out her nose, gave her a shot for pain, and started her on a 5 day antibiotic treatment.

when i got home, it struck me that today - january 11 - is my moms birthday.

francisco's tears

today we went out to meet the hernandez family. our friends the moreaus are in town with us, and they wanted to meet the family that they had sponsored with their fundraiser for a "home for christmas."

when we got there, i was asking francisco (the father) some questions about his life, trying to get to know him. i was not expecting what i heard.

when francisco was 9 years old he watched his parents be burned to death during the guatemala civil war. he was left with no one other than his grandma, who dropped him off at an orphanage that had just been opened by some american missionaries.

francisco grew up from that point on with 300 other orphaned kids. he credits the "north americans" for saving his life.

tonight, as he cried, he said that God had once again sent north americans to "save his family." he said he knows that God continues to rescue him. as i put my arm around him, i watched a tear fall from his cheek to the ground. i could only imagine how difficult francisco's journey has been, and that it had led to this moment, to these tears.

it was a sweet time together as we prayed for francisco and his family. the beginning of another special friendship... between the hernandez family and the moreau's, and with our family as well.

Milagros and her family need prayers and help

while christmas eve was one of the most fun days i've enjoyed in quite some time with friends and family, it was just the opposite for our friend Milagros and her family. you may remember Milagros... i have blogged about her in the past. we helped her through a tough time a couple years ago when she needed some serious medical attention.

on christmas eve, her husband was robbed and murdered - shot 5 times in the chest.

we walked to the village of Tablon today with the Schmidt's, and a team visiting from memphis, to visit Milagros and her family. together we were able to give her a donation to help off-set some costs they have incurred (burial, morgue, etc). but the needs for this family are just beginning.

PLEASE read more at mark & gina's blog, watch the video mark posted, consider helping out, and most importantly pray for Milagros and her precious family.

"true religion... to look after orphans and widows in their distress..." James 1:27

the gift of friends

hope you are having a great christmas!

our last couple weeks have been memorable to say the least. we have our dear friends the harmons in town and we have tried to pack as much into 10 days as possible! in addition to quick overnight trips to mynor's coffee plantation and monterico beach, we have had end of season tournaments, ceremonies, and christmas parties for the 30 boys currently in the boy's academy... we have given out dozens of christmas gift "food baskets" to people in need... and yesterday we had the privilege of sharing the news to 21 families that they would be receiving a new home soon thanks the "home for christmas" campaign through the 12x12 love project! finally, last night we had a big christmas party with all of the deepStream families serving together here in guatemala.

for us this christmas we feel especially blessed that the deepStream family in guatemala continues to grow. last night (christmas eve) amidst games, laughs, and fun, it was easy to be thankful for this blessing. while many christmas gifts are temporal, the gift of christian family is eternal. serving together, living, journeying, working, laughing together... are gifts that will never grow old.

we love you all. we miss you all. we appreciate so much your friendship, support, and prayers.

feliz navidad!!

Doña Juana

our family has become close with Doña Juana. she doesn't know her age (probably 70-80). she doesn't know any of her living relatives. she is in late stages of cancer, it is literally eating away her flesh (she doesn't have a nose). she lives in the home of one of the families we have built a home for through the 12x12 Love Project, in exchange for watching their kids while they work.

Juana cried hard today as we visited. Kerrie gave her a pair of "fuzzy crocs" to warm her feet, and a nice warm under armour sweater. denea gave her a food basket full of food and goodies from the students of "converge on campus".

she cried, quoted scripture, and shared her heart. most memorable was her quote from matthew 25 when she said "the bible says that what you have done for the least of these, you have done for Jesus... today you have done something very special for Jesus."

it struck me later that night that i have always read matthew 25 from the perspective that i am the one being commanded to love and help the poor... and that Doña Juana reads the same passage from the perspective that she is the poor.

it is a simple yet incredible fact, that in moment such as these - taking care of people that are in need - the scriptures are being fulfilled, lives are being changed, and Jesus himself is receiving the glory.

worse than a widow

that is what she said... "i am worse than a widow."

she didn't say it in a way that wanted attention, or hoped for any response. she was just saying how she felt.

i have blogged about enrique before. one of our rhinos, he is a precious kid with an unimaginably difficult life. his dad is an abusive alcoholic and his mom works ridiculous hours to take care of the family.

his mom has never asked us for anything. in fact, the only times she has ever walked up to the academy is when we host parent meetings. hesitant and embarrassed, she knocked at the door tonight.

she apologized for the "bother." was clearly nervous. i tried my best to put her at ease. she began to share...

they are completely broke, in debt, and desperate. they have no food. they owe money to the tienda, who has been allowing them to buy food on an "tab" to be paid later. on her last trip to the tienda, they told her they couldn't allow it to continue.

enrique wants to continue studying next year, but there is no way they can afford it. (the only costs are the uniform and school supplies).

that's when she said it. "my husband... all he does is drink. he takes the money i earn for the family, and uses it to get drunk every single day. what am i supposed to do? i work long hours to take care of my children, but he steals the money i earn. he is hurting us. i believe that i am worse off than a widow."

my eyes filled with tears. i asked her what all she owed, and told her we would share her need and do all we can.

enrique will be here tomorrow, like always, for class and practice. he will have his typical sweet smile on his face. this week, his team is walking through the village, giving out food and cookies to their neighbors. knowing enrique, he will do this with joy in his heart, despite the overwhelming needs in his own home.

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if anyone feels led to help enrique's mom, please send me an email at brockadamjohnson@gmail.com or you can donate through our website here. here are their current needs:

- $270 to the local tienda for their last 3 months for food.
- $75 to cover all costs for the 2012 school year
- any additional donations will be used to buy food for their family

opportunities in sufferings

a few weeks ago we were elated (a little shocked, but elated!) to find out that kerrie was pregnant. we shared the news with a few people, and began to really get excited about the thought of having another baby. needless to say, our kids were bouncing off the walls ecstatic (i was too!). a few nights ago, kerrie started bleeding and cramping, and sensed that something was wrong. at a doctor's office monday morning, we confirmed that she had miscarried. as if the bad news wasn't enough, this miserable day had just begun. following a couple hours of tears, letting the kids know, and making some arrangements, kerrie had to have an uncomfortable procedure to clean out the remaining placenta... and after 7 hours in a hospital came a bill that we couldn't afford.

very strange to experience such joy followed by such sadness....

we've had a few days to take it in, share as a family, pray, and think. while i consider myself a faith-led person, i have tendencies to be a practical thinker... so i kept trying to figure out why God was taking us through this trial. what can i learn, and how can i grow through this? i wondered if this experience was to help us, especially kerrie, better relate to the many local women who miscarry or lose their newborns. i also wondered if God allowed kerrie's body to reject the pregnancy because it knew something was wrong.

while either or both of those scenarios could be true, in my own quiet time with the Lord i was able to reach a different conclusion. phillipians 4 is so good. most christians know the reference to the "peace of God that transcends all understanding." but guess what allows us to know this amazing peace? its when we rejoice in the Lord ALWAYS, and we are thankful in ALL situations - including the toughest ones. immediately following this verse, paul shares how he has learned to be content in all circumstances... wonderful and miserable.

i have realized that i dont need to know Gods reasons why, as long as i am willing to seek him and grow. strangely, this tragedy has helped our family know God a little bit better. it has helped us strive for contentedness and peace in a tough circumstance. it has made us a little bit more dependent on Him. that alone makes it totally worth it.

over the last 10 years or so of taking God's word seriously, the very biblical idea of joy in suffering has been a mysterious concept that we've been pursuing. honestly, i don't feel like we suffer much at all. in fact, when i compare "where we live", "what we do", and "what we're sacrificing" to the examples given in the bible, i always feel like total B team! i have a friend named Cesar who puts me in my place in this department as well - taking joy in suffering to another level.

but i am learning something. situations such as the one we recently experienced are actually "opportunities". they are opportunities to suffer with joy in a way that can bring glory to our Lord Jesus. they are opportunities that help us prepare for greater sufferings that may come our way. and they are chances for us to gain the Lord's trust in permitting us to suffer for his glory time and time again...

my prayers this week have been riskier than normal (if that even makes sense with an all knowing God!). i am praying for God to trust me with greater suffering. i love God's word... it saved my life! so i am clinging to the constant and mysterious strand throughout scripture where God uses sufferings to glorify himself. all of the saints, the biblical heroes, suffered. they considered it joy to be counted worthy. they realized that their Savior is glorified best through their sufferings.

From Romans 5, The Message:
There's more to come: We continue to shout our praise even when we're hemmed in with troubles, because we know how troubles can develop passionate patience in us, and how that patience in turn forges the tempered steel of virtue, keeping us alert for whatever God will do next. In alert expectancy such as this, we're never left feeling shortchanged. Quite the contrary—we can't round up enough containers to hold everything God generously pours into our lives through the Holy Spirit!

happy thanksgiving

happy thanksgiving everyone!

we had a great one. spent the morning handing out food baskets to 14 families. they were donated from a family in the U.S. what this family does is donate food baskets to families in need, then for christmas gifts for their own friends & family, they send out a picture of the guatemalan family who received the basket. the christmas card says "this family in need received a basket of food in your name."

how beautiful is that? we've been talking a lot lately about using the christmas season as a time to rebel against the machine of consumerism and instead help those who are suffering around the world. i think this example of doing just that is awesome.

the only thing i wish is that the families receiving the cards & photos could be there when we give the food. to see the faces, hear the stories, and receive the hugs. our morning was full of special moments and it was quite obvious that God used these baskets to help some people in very specifically tough situations. one of which is Maria (pictured here), a single mom struggling to take care of her 5 children.

after that, we got together on this beautiful sunny day with the steeds, leivas, schmidts, and bunsos. mark's brother matt and his family are also in town, and their friend rodri as well. we enjoyed a meal, soccer, football, and hanging out together.

pretty close to a perfect day.

girls share about cesar

blogging from savannah, GA... we are here for "Faith Promise", a week celebrating the mission work done around the world that is supported by savannah christian church. i was blessed to have a chance to share our story, and about the Rhinos, at their main campus last night. i am thankful and humbled to have had that opportunity.

and my daughters madi (14) and brooke (13) had a chance to share about Cesar with over 400 students at "blitz"! blitz is the middle school youth group at scc who partnered with another family to build Cesar's family a new home last year.

the girls were also asked 1-what is school like in Guatemala? 2-why did your family move to Guatemala? 3-what do you miss about America? and 4-what can you share with the students about following Jesus? we (kerie and i) weren't able to be there b/c we were sharing at other campuses, but everyone told us they did a great job! so proud of them...

having a great time here. feeling loved and encouraged. nice to have a time to reflect, praise God, and thank people. missing our Rhinos, buena vista, and our guate fam.

for cesar, defying the odds is normal

late sunday afternoon we got a call from andrea that cesar was worsening. she said she had never seen him like this before. he was throwing up, wincing in pain, and unable to sleep. when we got there, he seemed to be slipping in and out of consciousness, his eyes opening for only a moment before nodding off again.

if you have visited us before, you probably met cesar. without going into great detail, i can confidently say that he is the most amazing person that i have ever met. 7 years ago he was given a few days to live - his spine is fusing together and his body is withering away due to an unstoppable degenerative disease.

he fights on... confined to his bed, he shouts out praise songs, gives glory to Jesus, and clings to scripture for his strength. he knows more scripture by memory than you can possibly imagine. it keeps him full of joy and hope. it keeps him going. from his bedside, his faith convicts and challenges all who meet him. often times, it leads people to their eternal salvation.

on this day it seemed to be the end. at one point he said, "this is it, i cant take it anymore." one by one, we all knelt at his bed and said our goodbyes. even his relatives came through, saying what seemed to be their final words.

he faintly quoted scripture. when he would open his eyes, clearly longing for strength to even speak, he would repeat over and over "God is good, and he'll always be good." somehow, as he struggled to stay with us, he began shouting worship songs.

it would be appropriate to say that we could't believe what we were seeing. but because i have been around this man and his family for the last couple years, it simply felt normal. with cesar, he makes radical faith seem normal.

the image that is stuck in my mind is when his little girl joselyn (7) laid on his chest sobbing as he stroked her head and told her that it would all be ok, that he would always be with her, and that God would take care of her.

today at 7:15am my phone rang. when i saw "cesar & andrea" on the caller ID, my heart sank, assuming he had passed away. but she said she was calling b/c cesar wanted her to tell us all thank you, that he was feeling a little better. he said that as all the kids (johnsons, schmidts, bunsos, steeds) came by his bed with words, prayers, and tears, he felt as if angels surrounded him with comfort. andrea said he really just wanted to say thank you to all the gringo kids.

cesar, andrea and their family are fighters. their love for Jesus, for others, and for life itself, is nothing short of incredible. cesar is still in a lot of pain and not sleeping. please join us in prayer for them during this difficult time.

this is why we are here

this is why we are here. all of the long days, emotional roller coasters, crying, working, laughing, worrying, praying, grinding... its all for moments like this.

a couple of our older Rhino's (in the boys academy) chose to give their lives over to Jesus.

this puts in perspective the last 4 months of daily interaction, friendship, struggle, practices, classes, and experiences. sometimes in the daily grind of it all, the bigger purpose of what we're doing can slip my mind. but friday night, around a fire pit on the roof of the bvsa house, it all made sense.

me, mynor, and anthony were sharing about our own walks with Jesus, his love, grace, and the freedom and joy we have in Him. as we talked, Gato (pictured far right) - by far the hardest, toughest, most distant, street kid on the team - broke down. actually "broke down" doesn't begin to do it justice. this was a new experience for me. Gato's heart was literally overcome with pain. he couldn't breathe. as he gasped for air, he leaned over and told me he couldn't take the pain as he tapped his chest over his heart.

his symptoms were as if he was having a heart attack. he needed help. he began to cry. as we prayed over him, he finally gave up. he let go of the life and the image that he was holding on so tightly to. he chose to be free. to give it all to Jesus, and start over.

it was intense and beautiful to experience. anthony, mynor and I knew exactly what was happening - God was literally fighting for this young man's heart, so strongly that he had his head between his knees in pain, gasping for air. but he had to be the one to let go, he had to choose to say yes to the grace of Christ, or to hold on to his sin. he said yes, and he was freed.

another Rhino, Josue (2nd from left), shared with us that he had fallen to the temptation of the world. satan, he said, had many things to offer him, and they were all too strong for him to say no. in tears, he said he wanted to leave it all for Jesus Christ. he confessed that his life of sin only brings temporary happiness, and he longs for true, lasting joy.

i am so amazed that i get to be a part of this. are you kidding me God? i get to be there in the trenches for these battles? what an honor!! thank you! thank you! thank you!

this is what it is all about. this is how the future of this village (and any village for that matter) can be changed and transformed. God, help us disciple these boys well. use these young men to break the generational chains of sin and abuse in this place! we praise you for what you are doing!!

hearts softening

i know i write a lot about the rhinos, our 30 boys who we pray will one day change the entire village of buena vista (www.bvboys.com). they are an amazing bunch of kids, and we dont take lightly each day and each opportunity we have with them.

i think we just experienced a breakthrough.

a team from savannah christian church was here serving, and they did a week long "camp" with the boys. every day was full of activities... interactive games, arts and crafts, drama skits, music, dancing, and much more. we even closed each day with worship songs and prayer.

for us as the staff at bvsa, one thing that we all agreed on was that this week came in God's perfect timing.

we have been spending the last several months getting to know the boys. through schooling, practices, movie nights, and opening our home, we have been seeking to get to know each of them deeper. now we know that God had planned this week in his perfect timing to soften their hearts towards hearing his voice.

i could not believe how they cried tonight. so sad to see their new friends leave, they stood up one by one (voluntarily) and shared how much the week meant to them. some of the comments included "i will miss you so much", "i love you more than my own family", "you have filled us with joy and happiness", and "i will pray for you every day."

God used this wonderful, selfless, and loving team of 12 individuals to soften the hearts of our rhinos. i watched one of the hardest/toughest of our boys break down in tears tonight as he hugged them goodbye.

how exciting for us going forward, to work with these softened hearts and be able to share more with them about the one true hope found in Jesus Christ!

another unexpected death

have had a broken heart lately. a local man in his 30's named Angel died last week, leaving behind a wife and 3 kids (15, 11, and 9). Angel worked for us on the boy's academy jobsite for the last 5 months that we were under construction. as usual, the family is unsure why he died. from various people, i have heard "bronchitis", "neumonía", "heart problem", and "lung problems." whatever it was, as is the case with so many others who have died here, i can assume that it was something that could have been prevented. which means that it was none of those causes that killed him... rather it was poverty that caused his death. no health insurance, no doctor or hospital visits, no money for medicine, and nobody to help. i just wish we would have known.

when we went down to visit them, Geronima (Angel's wife) was sitting in their house next to the memorial shrine that they had set up in their home. her 15 year old son Edgar sat on the other side of the shrine, crying. we brought food and toys, but what do you say? so we just sat there and shared with them in their sadness. i ended up sharing about Jesus with them. i dont even remember it all, but i hope what they remember is that He is always good, even when we dont understand.

i am reminded - yet again - about the definition of true religion as stated by the apostle James, the brother of Jesus. true religion is caring for the widows and orphans in their distress. as we sat in Geronima's home that day, she asked me in tears, "what are we supposed to do now? our family does not work without Angel. he takes care of us. he does everything for us." if these words dont define a widow's distress, i dont know what does.

I told Geronima and Edgar that our door is always open to them, and to please come to us with any needs they have. i worry that they won't, as they seemed extremely reserved and shy. but we will check in with them regularly, and i will keep praying that God provides for all of their needs.

if you would like to help them out, make a donation by clicking here, and note "for Geronima's family". we will carefully use all donations for them in the most appropriate manner that we can, beginning with food, bills, and daily needs.

more than a trip to mcDonalds

have you ever been to new york city? if so, do you remember the first time you stood in times square and found yourself in awe as you looked around at all the buildings, lights, and billboards?

now imagine what that same experience would be like if you grew up in a small farm town, and this was your first time to ever leave home.

now times that by 100.

that must have been what it was like for our rhinos the other night. we traveled into guatemala city to play against a high profile futbol academy with 4 outdoor-fields with synthetic grass, in a lighted staduim-style atmosphere surrounded by giant billboards on all 4 sides. then (after a tie and a win)..... we took them to mcDonalds.

we confirmed, for every single one of them, it was their first time to guatemala city. this fact is amazing, because from our village of buena vista (which means "good view"), the sights of guatemala city are all these kids have seen since they were born. but from buena vista, the city is a distant, far-away place that they will likely never visit...

each sight captured their attention. the bus ride was shockingly quiet...because they were all glued to the windows, anxious to take everything in. when we entered the stadium, it was easy to sense their mixed emotions of excitement and nervousness. they all must have used the bathroom 3 times before we played.

but it was the trip to mcDonalds that i will never forget (link to short video below). as i sat back and watched these boys enjoy a happy meal and play in the playplace - something most of us consider completely normal - i couldn't stop my eyes from watering. my mind kept drifting back to their village, and their living conditions. the thought of their families... and how they were doing something in this very moment that none of their parents had done in their whole lives.

as we ate, my wife and i sat there speechless, just taking it in. surrounded by people (ourselves included) who completely take for granted a mcDonalds meal, God was giving 15 boys from the poor village of Buena Vista a moment that would forever be lodged in their memory.

as if the moment wasn't special enough, most of the boys saved half of their meal so that they could take it home and share it with their families. the next day at bvsa, they all told us that their parents said to thank us.

i feel blessed to be a part of something groundbreaking that God is doing in this place. not that it has anything to do with traveling to the "big city" or eating at mcDonalds... but in the process of all that is happening, generational chains of poverty are going to be broken, and brighter futures await.

quick thank you to lindsey - a 24yr old girl who is visiting - for sponsoring the 15 happy meals.

check out this short video from our trip to mcDonalds!!

SEEDS: baseball, wrestling, school, girls, and soccer

this afternoon our property was littered with neighborhood boys. there were a few rhinos (members of the academy), but most were other neighborhood kids who live nearby. one of which is a known antagonist of our program, who constantly heckles me and our boys. he was standing outside the gate so i invited him in. i have made the mistake in the past of engaging his comments and spouting back at him... so today i had the opportunity to try another approach... invite him in to hang out and play some ball.

there were no breakthroughs, but we had a good time. my daughter brooke accidentally drilled him in the mouth with a baseball, which i thought was pretty funny. being about 15-16 years old, he was clearly embarrassed, so he laughed it off as well...

at one point me and a few of the older boys found ourselves sitting up on the balcony hanging out as the others played below. he (the antagonist) was up there with us. we all talked about school, girls, and soccer. again, no breakthroughs... but maybe some foundation laid for the future.

one thing i know is that God's promises are true. we are called to love the poor in the name of Jesus. i know that if i do that for these boys, it will not return void. i believe that every seed planted in His name will eventually return fruit, even if we never see it for ourselves. today, a few "seeds" took the shape of teaching kids to throw a baseball, play football, wrestling in the grass, and hanging out on the balcony talking about school, girls, and soccer...

we should all take advantage of our moments to plant seeds. the opportunities are all around us, all day long...

blessed by the moreau's... again...

recently we were visited (again) by the moreau family from lake city, FL. do you have people in your life that simply leave you speechless because of how generous they are? thankfully we have several... and the moreau's are certainly one of them.

they have come to guatemala every 3 months for the last couple years. they have blessed countless guatemalan families with houses, kitchens, stoves, and water projects. they sponsor the education for several local kids, and bless widows with new roofs and kitchens. they have fed more families than i can possibly count.

in addition to all of that, they bless us. not only with needs and finances, but with love and encouragement. their friendship is real... its the kind that encourages you when you need it, shares truth when necessary, and always leaves you wanting to be a better person.

while the moreau's have given thousands of dollars and countless hours to directly help the poor in their time of need, they also have a tendency for blessing our ministry in "behind the scene" ways that don't have as much emotion, or feel-good involved. they buy ministry vehicles, lawn mowers, car parts and paint. these are the things that are difficult for "missionaries" to keep up with or ask for because of the awkward nature of the expenses.

think about it... someone donates $100, feeling led to bless the poor... and we reply with something like "wow, this was amazing timing because we really need a new tailgate for the ministry truck!" don't exactly walk away feeling warm and fuzzy, right?

but thankfully the moreau's (and others) know that these things keep us here, working more efficiently, allowing us to keep the ministry efforts alive... all of which are focused on blessing and serving the poor in the name of jesus christ.

during their las trip, we celebrated a weight room that the moreau's donated for the boys academy. even though they have no desire for recognition, we had a little plaque made to show our thanks... not just for the weight room, but for the unwavering support and friendship.

having great friends makes me want to be a better friend to others.

thanks moreau's.

wonderful & dark... more on robinson

finally got a chance to meet robin's mom. is it possible to describe our time together as wonderful and dark?

robin's mom is precious. she shared her struggles and fears with us. since her husband died, she has been in survival mode. raising 5 kids, working from 4am to 8pm. paying for her oldest who is studying to be a mechanic, and prepared to pay for her next oldest to continue his studies as well. she grinds away every day, just to keep them afloat.

recently she received death threats from someone that apparently knows her. they would follow her and her family (knew what they were wearing that day, etc) and said that if they didnt pay them a certain amount of money they would kill her and her son. this type of extortion is common here. but to bring it upon a widowed woman fighting for the survival of her family infuriates me. sadly, the longer we live here, digging in, the more of this unheard of darkness we see (or hear about) in many of the people.

robin's mom told us that she pretty much "stays" scared. says she cant sleep some nights.

on this day we had brought her a giant food basket with approximately a month's worth of food. we also had friends visiting who after hearing her story offered to pay for the oldest boys schooling for 2012. her response was simply: "God hasn't forgotten me."

james 1:27 says that true religion is caring for widows and orphans in their distress. i would say "distress" would define the last decade of this particular widow's life. God, help me practice religion that is pure and faultless.... help my family be a blessing to this woman and her family.