My
clock reads 8:30 am, but I know to add 2 hours. I have found the
large jars of pickles waiting for me in the cupboard, but can't seem
to find cereal. I'm listening to the CD which I purchased from
Amazon.com. At some point later today, I'll have to try to find my
keys to the house and car which we keep in the same place. In some
ways, it's strange to be in this place that I still call home when
I'm here; I won't go into all of the ways, but let's just say that
sometimes I pause and think, “Something isn't right. How/What do
I...?” However, this post isn't about the United States.
The past month has offered a wealth of experiences and has helped shaped my future. May 13-15, I was delivering water filters with Iglesia del Camino (the church I attend in Guatemala) donated by Compassion International and provided by Sawyer. These filters cost Q400 (about $50 each), and I'm looking at providing some of them to the families with which I already work in Guatemala. I think that God is using Solola to provide me with an area that is in need of help both economically and spiritually. He has provided me clear needs which can be quantified and categorized. It's a structure which I appreciate and feel able to work with. Additionally, the political and legal structure in the indigenous community of Solola is, in a word, “fair.” I have heard and seen many examples of their judicial system in the area, and I'd like to share a couple of them with you.
The past month has offered a wealth of experiences and has helped shaped my future. May 13-15, I was delivering water filters with Iglesia del Camino (the church I attend in Guatemala) donated by Compassion International and provided by Sawyer. These filters cost Q400 (about $50 each), and I'm looking at providing some of them to the families with which I already work in Guatemala. I think that God is using Solola to provide me with an area that is in need of help both economically and spiritually. He has provided me clear needs which can be quantified and categorized. It's a structure which I appreciate and feel able to work with. Additionally, the political and legal structure in the indigenous community of Solola is, in a word, “fair.” I have heard and seen many examples of their judicial system in the area, and I'd like to share a couple of them with you.
Story
#1:
A
woman
stole
a
chicken
so
that
her
children
would
have
something
to
eat.
The
woman
is
caught,
but
the
chicken
is
already
dead.
The
woman
has
no
money
to
pay
for
the
chicken
and
it
can't
be
returned
as
it
was.
The
reason
why
the
woman
stole
the
chicken
is
because
her
husband
is
a
drunk
who
works
but
doesn't
provide
for
the
family,
instead
spending
his
money
on
alcohol.
Who
is
guilty?
Well,
the
woman
is
guilty
of
robbery,
but
her
husband
is
as
well.
(Most
of
the
country
is
rooted
in
the
idea
that
the
man
needs
to
provide
for
the
family,
and
if
his
provision
is
not
enough
then,
and
only
then,
should
the
woman
take
work
outside
of
the
home.)
The
woman,
whose
job
it
isn't
to
earn
money
for
her
family,
is
sentenced
to
a
half
a
day
of
washing
clothes
for
the
family
whose
chicken
was
robbed.
The
man,
whose
lack
of
care
for
his
husbandly
and
fatherly
duties
caused
the
robbery,
is
sentenced
to
a
week
of
work
in
the
fields
with
part
of
his
earnings
going
towards
paying
for
the
chicken
and
the
other
part
going
straight
to
his
wife;
he
is
also
given
a
stern
warning
about
responsibility.
Should
the
situation
occur
again,
the
wife
would
serve
the
same
“sentence”
while
that
of
the
man
would
be
heavier.
Story #2: Juana is a woman I work with. She was abandoned by her husband when she was pregnant with their 7th son. He mortgaged the house and land to the bank and took off. 5 years later, the bank wants payment or the land. He isn't interested in paying off the mortgage because he lives somewhere else with another woman. Juana was able to raise some money to work on paying off the mortgage. (I am unsure if she has completed that or not.) However, her husband—having the mortgage paid—said that he now wanted to sell the house. Basically the indigenous legal system told him “You can pay child support (including 5 years in which you have not paid anything) and the property will stay yours. Otherwise, the deed is being transferred to Juana's name.”
The plan is to move out to Solola sometime in September-November. This is still a recent decision, and I will of course be praying about it over the course of the next several months; I invite you to join me in prayer.
Story #2: Juana is a woman I work with. She was abandoned by her husband when she was pregnant with their 7th son. He mortgaged the house and land to the bank and took off. 5 years later, the bank wants payment or the land. He isn't interested in paying off the mortgage because he lives somewhere else with another woman. Juana was able to raise some money to work on paying off the mortgage. (I am unsure if she has completed that or not.) However, her husband—having the mortgage paid—said that he now wanted to sell the house. Basically the indigenous legal system told him “You can pay child support (including 5 years in which you have not paid anything) and the property will stay yours. Otherwise, the deed is being transferred to Juana's name.”
The plan is to move out to Solola sometime in September-November. This is still a recent decision, and I will of course be praying about it over the course of the next several months; I invite you to join me in prayer.
The Care and Keeping of a
Missionary
I
hope
to
see
you
all
in
church!
I
fly
back
to
Gautemala
on
June
6th.
I
look
forward
to
this
time
of
sharing
with
all
of
you.
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