When "Poverty" Starts to Mean Something More: Day 974

In short, I have never seen the level of poverty I saw today, not on any trip with any person or group ever.  you all are familiar with Juana de Leon.  Today I met two families which make her seem rich...economically speaking.  This is not anything a person could say lightly because Juana de Leon is far from rich; in fact, she's pretty happy to just have a roof over her head.  All this being said, I want to share those two families with you.  I'm just going to copy and paste from the report I just typed up of today's activities because I fear that a "cold, detached look" into their lives is going to be about all that most of you can stomach.  (I'm sparing you the pictures because a) I didn't bring the camera cable, and b) if you haven't noticed, I'm not really sure how to get pictures onto my blog...but the second is something I'll be looking into in the coming days.)

Camelina C. T. – This family lives at the very end of Juana de Leon's road. It is a very young family. There are twin 3-year old daughters and a baby boy of about a year and a half. It is also a very poor family. They have two rooms in their home. One is a small kitchen/bedroom, and the other is a storage room (wood and clothes). The twin girls are fairly ill. Laura was up and greeted us, but she shows obvious signs of malnutrition and parasites. Ingrid, however, was laying in bed with a bottle and barely opened her eyes to acknowledge our presence. Camelina does artisan work, and her husband is, what I will call, a round-up worker (meaning that when someone needs to do a big project, they round up workers). Their floor is made of dirt. Water hardly ever reaches up to where they live; so they carry water up and store it in uncovered 3 liter pop bottles. Their kitchen has a stove, but they don't really have much in the way of pans/dishes. Camelina's clothes were in very poor repair, and I was actually a little embarrassed that I had two men—Camilo and Ismael—visiting her with me because of the threadbare state of her clothing.

Maria C. X. – This visit was completely unplanned. We were headed to another house, but weren't sure which one it was when we stopped to ask for directions. Maria's husband committed suicide by drinking poison at some point. They have two children: Juan (age 11) and Elena (age 10). At some point, Elena tried to go to school, but it was too expensive for the family; so her mother sent her to work in a tortilla stand, but the people there said that she was too young and didn't make tortillas well enough; so now she stays home and helps care for the “house.” Juan sells gum in the buses. Their mother makes baskets. Their house is one room made with metal and wood walls and a metal roof. The metal seems to be in fairly good condition. They cook over an open fire in their room, and the “bed” is literally elevated planks of wood. They have a good sized piece of land which they mostly rent to a potato farmer for a very low price just to have a little steady income.  

To me, these are two very different situations, but both are going to be handled similarly.  These two families--barring any grand disagreement from anyone (which I don't imagine I'll get)--are going to be accepted 100% into the program.  Obviously Camelina's children are not yet ready for educational support which is fine.  The main focus with Camelina's family will be nutrition and health standards.  Both of the girls show signs of illness, and I worry that the only reason the little boy does not is because he only drinks breast milk and is probably still carried everywhere.  This family needs help.  

Maria's children, on the other hand, will benefit greatly from being able to go to school.  Per the program guidelines which I invented, only Elena will automatically be enrolled in the program; my cut-off was age 10.  Children aged 11-14 would be enrolled only if they did not work; however, I do not consider Juan's employment to be very significant at least as far as help goes.  When a family makes maybe $1 per day, your son's 25-cent contribution is obviously very significant; however, if I can find someone to sponsor this family, those 25 cents become very insignificant, and an education becomes entirely possible.  (Also, the boy is no longer spending time on buses which can be very dangerous.)  We obviously did not meet Juan, but we did meet Elena.  She seems to be a bright girl with a lot of potential.

These two families redefined poverty for me.  I have no doubt that tomorrow will prove to be just as educational and interesting for me.  Kaqchikel still makes my head spin.  

The original plan was to take on the 15 families which Ismael identified, but after visiting and understanding the extremes, some cases just don't seem that bad.  In addition, early this afternoon, the mayor of Solola asked me to take on 15-20 more families.  So, at that point I was "committed" to 30 families.  After 7 home visits, I don't feel that the initial number will reach 30 because I don't think we'll come up with 15 from our "home area."  However, as the program expands, I imagine that more people and families will be included.  Additionally, tomorrow I will head out with Edgar and a friend of the mayor (Manuel, I think) to visit the 10 additional communities where he would like me to take on 15-20 more families.  I think we'll easily find even more who need help.  Let's just say that this is so much bigger than myself now.

A big little trip: Day 966

Plans are moving forward to develop a program in Solola for the 15 poorest identified families in the area.  I have to say that I'm really quite excited about this.  I've spent the last two days building an outline for the program which is multi-faceted and pretty inclusive. So, next week I'll be headed to Solola to meet the 14 additional families (as well as see Juana and her family who will be the 15th family in the program).  We will spend the first morning in a meeting with all the families, and then the afternoon of the first day and all the next day will be spent visiting their homes and learning their stories.  I'll be posting more details as they become more official.

I'm excited!  If you're only half as excited as I am, you're pretty excited too!

Mission Moment: June Newsletter (Stateside)

 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.

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.

The Care and Keeping of a Missionary

I hope to see you all in church! I fly back to Gautemala on June 6^th. I look forward to this time of sharing with all of you.

More Little Faces (and updates on a lot of things!): Day 955

Ismael and I regularly meet to discuss the situation in Solola.  We always start with and update about Juana so I can understand her situation better.  I realize she has become my "poster child."  Ismael says that there are 15 more families in Solola who are in the same or a worse condition than she is.  All, or almost all, of them have similar stories to that of Juana.

But there comes the problem of how I learn about the needs of 16 families when I live all the way near Antigua.  It is a 2 hour ride from my house to hers, and that's if the bus driver is driving a little wildly--most of them do, though--and Ismael's parents are waiting for me with the pickup when I arrive in Los Encuentros.  As there is no longer any need for me to live in San Antonio and as all of my work is slowly pulling on me to move to Solola, I imagine that sometime this fall I will be moving to the area and getting down to business.  I will ideally be able to visit each family once per month, and work on setting up a sponsorship program for them.  I will start to work with the leaders in Solola to try to bring tourism to their area (which is what they say they want; although, I have cautioned against this.)

It will be a change from everything I have known up to this point.  For the most part, I will stop speaking Spanish and take up speaking Kaqchikel.  (For those of you who were curious about those Kaqchikel classes, I bought a book off Amazon which I'm going to use with Edgar's assistance.  It was a whole lot cheaper and a whole lot more logical considering my situation.)  I will likely find a new church to attend; although I haven't ruled out spending the weekends in Antigua.  New neighbors, new place to buy bread, new place to buy everything.  Let's just say, it's going to be interesting.

God has given me all sorts of new experiences here, and sometimes I can't help but wonder if Guatemala is it for me.  Although I love where I live and what I do, some of the things I go through make me lift an eyebrow and ask, "God, this is...weird.  Are You...?  Do You have something bigger planned for me?  Because, if not, this is weird."  I recently watched the movie "Taken," and a line that resonated with me was "I can tell you I don't have money, but what I do have are a very particular set of skills."  Mine is a set of skills that God started putting in me long before my birth and has only continued to cultivate as I've grown.

Anyway, it's big.  It's exciting. And it's the update.

Thank you, Salvation Army: Day 954

For those of you who are unaware, I am in the States for a few weeks, or at least I was.  I return to Guatemala fairly soon.  Anyway, as necessitated by my constantly shrinking waistline, I need to keep buying new clothes.  Every time I circle back to the United States, I visit Salvation Army and buy myself a new wardrobe.  I realize that sounds incredibly shallow, but in the last 954 days, I have gone from wearing L/XL shirts to S/XS.  I have gone from a size 16 pants to a size 4. (Although, the pants may be as a result of stretching. Since I wash clothes by hand in Guatemala, they don't tend to shrink back down in the dryer.  Size 6, upon buying them, tend to fit quite well; three months later, they're a bit loose.)  Anyway, this isn't a post about how Guatemala is the best diet-and-exercise program ever; it is a post about my visit to Salvation Army today.

Today I visited the Salvation Army on Sashabaw Road in Clarkston.  Fridays and Saturdays at all Salvation Army stores are 5 for $5 on one certain clothing tag color.  However, today was a very special sale.  It was not only 5 for $5, it was also 6 for $6, 7 for $7, 8 for $8, 9 for $9, AND...wait for it...10 for $5.  No, that's not a typo.  Buy 5 items at sale price, get 5 items free.  I called my mother, "Is it usually '10 for $5'?" I asked her.  "So that's why the guy looked at me funny today when I only had 5 items."  Bingo.  I had already put 10 items in the cart for me (as I try not to spend more than $10 on my wardrobe each time), but armed with this new information, I started filling my cart (and hanging clothes off the sides) for my kids.  You all are familiar with the story of Juana and her 7 boys if you aren't just tuning in for the first time; however, you aren't aware of some new changes which will be coming up.  (I will probably post about those tomorrow; so stay tuned.)

At any rate, I wanted to take this opportunity to THANK Salvation Army for the sale they had today.  I know they didn't do it for me, but through their generosity, I was able to buy 30 sweaters and sweatshirts for only $15.  7 of those already have a home they'll be going to; the other 23 soon will. Thanks for making sure my kids stay warm.  I appreciate what you do.  (And thanks to those who donate clothes to Salvation Army as well.  I appreciate you as well!)

Surviving: Day 924

Someone commented to me the other day that she didn't know how we--her friends and acquaintances here in Guatemala--live day to day with the extreme conditions around us.  No one had ever said this to me.  No one had ever made me think about this.  And until that moment, I hadn't thought about it.

Growing up in my family, we basically did without things unless they were a necessity.  Now, "necessity" had a very liberal definition.  We had a television, but we did not have cable.  I don't know of anyone who needs a television, but it sure helped us not get completely shunned by our classmates for being odd.  And we took family vacations every (or almost every) year, but they were road trips to interesting and educational places around the United States.  I didn't fly on a plane until I was around 15, and besides Canada (which, when you live 1 hour from the border crossing, doesn't count), I didn't leave the US until the day before my 18th birthday.  My brother bought our first video game system (an N64. You do the math.).  Our first family computer was an Apple IIe; our second family computer was a Gateway 2000.  (We may have had a Tandy in the middle, but that might have been my brother's computer.)  Basically, trips, electronics, clothes, whatever, never really happened.  One of my last Stateside memories of not spending money on something that wasn't necessary was going to a Lansing Lugnuts game with my then-boyfriend and his mother.  We got there a little bit early; so we went window shopping in the store.  I was told that if I wanted anything, that I could just ask and they'd get me a present with it being my first game and all.  I really don't know what it is to "want," and I'm still pretty clueless.  So, I politely said I didn't need anything and was just looking, and then we went to take our seats.  (There had been a hat I had been looking at and liked, but since I couldn't justify its purchase, I didn't ask for it.)  Well, from the moment we sat down, I knew I was going to have a problem.  The sun was in our eyes, I couldn't see the game, and, most important of all, it's dangerous to go to a baseball game and not be able to see...never know when a foul ball will take you out.  So, we went back and got the hat...not because I wanted it but because I needed it.

So when I came to Guatemala, I never thought about what I had or didn't have.  There is very little in the life that one actually needs.  And when we're talking about the people who live below the poverty line, those were the people who my friend was referring to when she said "extreme conditions."  People in extreme poverty live on less than $2/day. I personally live on $6.25/day. ($1 of mine goes to bus fare each day.)  I don't know what people in regular poverty live on, but I know I earn less than the minimum wage; so I think I might be in regular poverty.

So, what am I trying to say with all of this and how did I reply to my friend?  The secret to living in the midst of these "extreme conditions" is not living in the midst of them; it's becoming a part of them.  I deal with the same things my neighbors deal with.  We're all just here trying to survive one day at a time.  I feel I am a better advocate for them because I not only have the passion I came with, but I also know what it is like--as much as possible, anyway--to be one of them.  I don't only fight for a better life for each one of them, but for us as a community, as a whole.  When you truly understand who or what you're fighting for, you're better equipped to fight for it.

Mission Moment: May Newsletter

Sadly, the past month has little to report about my work here in Guatemala. If I were to pick one word to sum up the past month, it would be “sick.” I was blessed to meet a doctor here in Antigua about 2 to 3 months ago. She’s a nice person and gives me my consultations for free. So, when I started having debilitating abdominal pain about a month ago, I knew who to talk to. Long story short, I’ve been treated for parasites (which it turned out I didn’t have) and for a bacterial infection of my large intestine (which I actually did have). Between the exhaustion of the infection and the side-effects from the medicines, I’ve been sleeping 12-14 hours per night. In short, I have nothing to report except that I am slowly recuperating.

I can also report that I do have a date for my next trip to the States: May 21-June 6. I look forward to seeing you.

The care and keeping of a missionary

I just ask that you keep my health in your prayers. This infection and the treatment have set my immune system back a bit, and while I have faith that God will heal me, the waiting and lingering pain are annoying and discouraging. As always, I invite you to read my blog at http://GringaOnTheGround.blogspot.com and to e-mail me at asimmer@gmail.com. (Admittedly, not much has been posted on the blog since I got sick.) I look forward to hearing from you!

Mission Moment: April Newsletter

 March has been a busy month for me so far. I have gotten involved with a lot of things here in Guatemala, and at time I feel like maybe I've extended myself too far. I have a job working as a manager in hotels which pays my bills. I've also started helping out another missionary couple expand their project to include a school. I'm planning a trip out to Solola to visit Juana de Leon and her family on March 19^th to help get a new roof on their house, and I also have a meeting with the mayor to see what can be done to help the economy of the area. At the end of February, accompanied by a friend, I made the trip into the capitol to renew my visa for another 3 months. Basically, God is moving in a big way and I'm so excited to be a part of it!

John and Judy Prim (One Hope Ministry), originally from Chicago, are a missionary couple who are serving down here in Guatemala. They have a home in which they accept girls from poor, rural families. They provide these girls a place to live, teach them about sanitary living (drinking clean—not bacteria-infested—water, bathing one's self regularly, cutting/cleaning nails, cooking with gas instead of wood, and so on), and pay for the girls to attend a school which will provide them with the education to get a good job and help their family escape from the extreme poverty in which they live. Up until now, they've had about 12 girls living with them at a time. This year, due to a few health concerns, they scaled back on the number of girls with them (they have only 5) and are gearing up to build their own home to ideally house up to 100 girls and school which will also accept outside students as well. While helping them, I've managed to make a few contacts of my own which will help to ideally bring short-term groups to Guatemala.

You may recall the pastor couple with whom I was working out in Solola. Last I mentioned them, the situation was a little uncertain. I won't say that it is any more certain, but there is a family in the United States which has decided to sponsor one of the families (Juana de Leon and her seven sons) in Los Encuentros. Ismael, one of the sons of the pastors, is a community leader in the area, and he has been in contact with Juana. After visiting her, he went to talk to the mayor in Solola about this “activist” (me) he knows, and during the course of the conversation, Juana was brought up. As a result, her family will also be receiving 10 pounds of nutritious drink mix each month from the local government. Studies have shown that children who have a nutritious diet do better in school. I'm hoping for big things out of Juana's boys! Also exciting is that I am planning for the visit of two of the members of the sponsoring family who hope to come down at the end of July.

Additionally, the mayor would like to be able to send small groups of artesans to the United States to be able to put on shows (display and sell their wares, and maybe conduct some demonstrations of how the crafts are made as well as share a little about their culture). If you are interested, know anything about this, or know someone who might be interested, please contact me! Maybe a school district would like them to come in and do some demonstrations in each school. Maybe a community center would like to have them for a week. I don't know. I do know that as they are from a high-flight-risk country, they will likely not be allowed without an invitation.

Finally, I have plans to be in the area for a visit near the end of May. Actual dates have not yet been decided yet.

The Care and Keeping of a Missionary

You all take very good care of me, and I am blessed to have you as my sending church. I keep you in my prayers as I know you keep me in yours. Specific prayer requests are for the growth of the ministry which has been entrusted to Judy and John, for the family of Juana, for the residents of Solola, for my general health and well-being, and that God might work through all of us in at least a small way during the coming month. Additionally, I ask that you keep your eyes and ears out for opportunities for the artesans of Solola. If it is in your ability to look for opportunities, please do so.

As always, you can read more at my blog http://gringaontheground.blogspot.com and you are always free to e-mail me at asimmer@gmail.com. I love you all, and I am glad to call you all my brothers and sisters in Christ.

Happy Easter! (Day 893)

I hadn't planned on this post, but every once in a while something is said which sparks a connection in my brain.  Last night, a friend of mine was upset that he had been asked to clean up a mess which wasn't his.  It had been a long day, and he was tired.  And, perhaps most of all, he knew whose mess it was and felt they should clean it up.

Yesterday at work, I had a bottle of pop which I normally drink with my lunch.  The one time that I don't actually watch myself open my pop, it explodes.  Fortunately, none got on my light blue shirt I was wearing.  (The pop is red.)  It got on the desk.  It got on the floor...and it got on the yellow chair cushion.  A little also got on my dark gray pants, but you couldn't tell.  Well, my paid employment is at a hotel; so the yellow chair cushion having red spots in the reception area was just not possible.  The receptionist did me a favor and grabbed me a white washcloth to mop up the mess.  I did the best I could with that.  Then the cleaning lady walked in and started cleaning.  When she noticed what had happened with me, she came over and started cleaning up my mess, even to the point of putting her clean hands on the dirty mop to make sure the side of the desk wouldn't be sticky.  Later, I took the chair cushion and washcloth to her and asked her what to do because I really wasn't sure.  She simply said, "Give them here," and walked off to make sure they got washed.  I was a little embarrassed, but mostly I was humbled.  This was not her mess.  This was my mess, but I didn't know the best way to go about cleaning it up.

Those nearly 2000 years ago when Jesus died on the cross, he was cleaning up my mess.  In Matthew 5:17-18, we read, "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.   For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished."  So, what is the law?  The law is about cleaning up your own messes.  In Leviticus chapter 4, we can read about the sin offering, what had to be done to atone for sin.  A person had to sacrifice a bull, a goat, or a lamb without defect in order to purify them from their sins.  But what is really "without defect?"  When has your dog eaten your homework or thrown up on your rug?  I know little about livestock, but I imagine that they're much like dogs, not perfect, defective.  So, basically, all these offerings to God just weren't cutting it. (Reference Hebrews 10; it was too long to include here, and I'd like you all to get some exercise pulling out your Bibles...or googling it.)  Which is why Jesus, a.k.a. God, had to take on a human body and have his blood poured out for our sins.  God, being the guy who sets the standards, is the only one who can be without defect.  (It's a little like "keeping up with the Joneses.")

I am not perfect. I make messes.  Often, I am not adequate to clean up my own messes.  I am humbly blessed to have Someone who cleans them up for me.  Happy Easter!  Your messes are cleaned up!

Learning to Speak (Day 884)

I don't usually ask for money directly; however, I'm searching for donations to help me learn Kaqchikel. The cost of classes here in Antigua is $250/week (6 hours per day, 5 days per week) or $200/week (3.5 hours per day, 5 days per week). The former obviously appeals to me more due to the value (hours/$). I am theoretically only looking at 1 month of intensive classes, and then using my Kaqchikel to communicate with everyone around me (who speaks it) in order to further solidify it. Anyone have $1k to help me become trilingual and better serve the people I'm here to serve?

Normalmente, no pido dinero directamente, pero estoy buscando donacions para ayudarme aprender Kaqchikel. El precio en Antigua es $250/semana (6 horas/dia, 5 dias/semana) o $200/semana (3.5 horas/dia, 5 dias/semana). El primero obviamente me parece mucho mas por el valor (horas/$). En teoria, solo estoy viendo un mes de clases intensivos y dispues usando mi Kaqchikel para comunicarme con todos (quienes lo hablan) a mi alrededor para permanecerlo en mi cerebro. Alguien tiene mil dolares para ayudarme ser trilingue y servir mejor a la gente?

Bring on the Rain (Day 882)

Yesterday was a big day for me.  Yesterday was a big day for a lot of people.

Some of you may remember Juana.  In case you don't feel like viewing the YouTube video, she's a mother of 7 (all boys) whose husband abandoned them all.  The oldest two boys--still minors--work to help support their family.  I took Juana's story back to Michigan with me, along with some of the crafts that she and her sons make.  This story, through a really strange route, made its way to a woman named Christina.  Christina is a mother of 8 whose husband is very much in the picture.  And Juana's story touched Christina's heart.  So many people want to help and don't know how, but Christina took a step and asked me what could be done.

In the year and a half since I met Juana de Leon and her family, their condition has worsened.  Their roof had significant leaks.  They had no bed. (The bed in the video is reportedly just a few elevated planks which they were sleeping on.)  They had no money to celebrate Christmas (until I returned in late November with some money from items which had been sold).  It seems as though only two of her children are in school this year. The oldest one of the five who I met on my last trip has a large open sore on one of his hands.  In fact, none of the three boys who were present at the house when we arrived yesterday seemed to have grown an inch.  (We can probably attribute that to some low-level of malnutrition.  The boys don't look malnourished, but they aren't growing.  And considering that the three who we saw were aged 13, 10, and 5, they should have grown in a year and a half.)  And, perhaps worst of all, a large crack has formed in the side of their adobe house.  (It is slightly visible in the video, but now it is pronounced on both the front and backside of the house.)

However, one thing had changed for the better: Juana de Leon had a peaceful smile on her face which didn't seem the least bit strained.  Yesterday, she received a new roof through a donation made by Christina and one of her daughters (really, in a way, the whole family).  Sadly, the donation did not quite cover an entire new roof, but that was partly due to the decisions which I ultimately made.  In Guatemala, there are two thicknesses of roof.  The thin one is cheaper, and the thick one is more expensive.  I'll give you one guess as to which one holds up longer.  (This is part of the reason that the poor stay poor.)  Luckily for us, the man who runs the only hardware store in Los Encuentros is a member of the church where Camillo (Ismael and Edgar's father) is the pastor, and he was able to sell it to us for less than he would normally.  Even so, in the end the decision was made to use two of Juana's existing roof pieces which weren't in too bad of shape to finish covering the roof.  The even better news is that we had estimated a little poorly, and we only ended up needing to use one of the existing roof pieces.

Juana had a basket which she had woven and presented it to me.  I had a loaf of bread I had baked (especially for her family using incaparina in place of 1 cup of flour) which I presented to her.  I was also able to present her with a Spanish-English New Testament which came to me in August 2012 complements of some Gideons.  (Please, bring me more Bibles!)  And if that wasn't enough, Juana's day only got better...

...And my day only got more crazy.  You see, we were slated to talk to the mayor of Solola concerning the formation of a group of artesans to travel to foreign countries.  I'm supposedly the one who is supposed to make this all happen.  Anyway, Ismael called to double check about this meeting.  We were supposed to bring the artesans to the meeting!  So, we drove around to the houses of the two other artesans in Los Encuentros and advised them to pack up a sample of their work and get to Solola (the capitol of the department of Solola...I know, confusing), and then we drove towards Solola and picked up another artesan.  Shortly thereafter started a series of meetings which lasted about 3 hours.  The main language in which these meetings were conducted was Kaqchikel, the native language in Los Encuentros, Solola; and San Antonio Aguas Calientes, Sacatepequez (where I live).  However, my neighbors don't speak anywhere near as much of it.  I don't understand Kaqchikel.  I speak about 20 words of it (11 of those being numbers).  It really is on my list of things I urgently want/need to do.  Let's just say that meetings of any length being carried out in a language you don't understand are exhausting.  I was asked to share a few opinions which I did...in Spanish.  And then I was asked to name their artesan group.  Wow.  Talk about an honor.  But no one had warned me and I was supposed to come up with a name on the spot?  So, throwing a random idea out there, I said "Artesanos de Solola Internacional."  They seemed happy with it, and it describes the group perfectly.  Then they said I needed a name.  I don't know.  I think my parents gave me a fine name.  They said I needed an organization.  So, apparently, I need to become an NGO.  I've had a day to think about it, and I think I've decided on a name; I just know nothing about becoming an NGO.

As I said, Juana's day got better.  At the first meeting, we discussed Juana's situation a little.  At the end of the day, she not only had a loaf of bread, a New Testament, and a roof, she also had 2 foam mattresses, and a (supposedly, but I think more) 10-pound bag of healthy food for herself and children.  I was also able to talk to the woman who was in charge of our first meeting and share with her about the wall at Juana's house. She explained a little about a new kind of house that some people are trying to build in the area which looks a little like an igloo.  She asked me to send her the pictures, and she'd add them to the list of cases to try to get the project funded.

Things are going to get better for Juana and her family.  This weekend I will be sending some toothpaste, antibacterial cream, perhaps another loaf of bread, and a couple toys to the family.  Sadly, I don't think I have any spare toothbrushes sitting around.  A lot of the time, we say that there is nothing to be gained in just giving to a family.  They don't gain anything because they get used to receiving.  However, Juana didn't ask her husband to leave her pregnant and with 6 boys under the age of 10.  And yet, for 6 years, she has managed to the best of her ability.  I know very little about the oldest two boys and haven't seen two of the other ones in over a year and a half, but I do know that none of the boys have ever appeared neglected or unloved.  For a woman who likely had no schooling to have to suddenly provide for so many by herself, the woman hasn't done so poorly.  She is one of the 19% in Solola who lives in extreme poverty.  If you recognize those who are willing to put in the effort and you give them a hand up to get to even ground, that's when you can see them fight a fair fight.  It's not about giving her a car and a TV and a laptop to each child.  It's about putting a roof over their heads, a meal every day to take the edge off, and a place to sleep at night.  Once they have that, they can work to get the other meal or two per day; they can work to put the boys through school, and they can mend the clothes and buy new-ish ones (and no, we're not talking Abercrombie & Fitch here).

And today, it started to rain at my house.  I think God was waiting for the roof.

Mission Moment: March Newsletter

 I think God must be looking out for me. Within 48 hours of finding out that I was without a paid job with which I pay my house rent and food, I was offered another job. The new job was to start 3 weeks later, but I was also given two translating jobs in the meantime. In other words, I've been doing okay financially.

The new job isn't high on my list of things I'd like to be doing down here, but it offers me enough flexibility that I will be able to serve more in the communities where I have been led to serve. It will also allow me opportunities to translate for mission teams which is another way in which I am able to serve the people down here. I'm working as a manager for some hotels in Antigua. It's 4 hours per day, 5 days per week. The hours and days are almost completely flexible. It's definitely higher stress than teaching English. I'm now responsible for all of the English which happens in 8 different hotels; this includes making sure the receptionists can sell rooms to English-speaking people. In short, give me middle schoolers any day! However, while on one had I feel like I'm getting away from my goal—helping the people who need help—I also feel that I'm getting closer to it—being able to be in the communities where I would soon like to be able to bring groups and have the flexibility to be with those groups.

The story I have to share with you this month, though, is a sad one. I ran into one of my students from last year on the bus a week or so ago. She graduated from the 9^th grade and is now studying at a high school in Antigua. I asked her about her former classmates, if any of them had gone on as well. She told me that of the 12 of them, 9 or 10 are still in school. For me, the saddest part of it is that the brightest student out of the 12 of them (the only student in the entire school to have enough points to pass my class by the end of the third marking period) is not continuing on in her studies. This is likely due to a lack of money in the family. I've been considering what can be done, if anything, and what should be done. I'd ideally like to find someone to sponsor her education. The girl's name is Ana Gabriel, and she is one of those girls who could be a neurosurgeon or some sort of engineer or president of Guatemala. Someone with her drive and intelligence could become anything she wanted to be. But in this, one has to realize that maybe she just wants to be a wife and mother. Maybe she has come to her own conclusion that she doesn't need her family to spend any more money on her education. Maybe she herself has decided that ninth grade is good enough. Anyway, keep an eye out for further thoughts about her, and if you know someone who might wish to sponsor her education, let me know. (If you're not an e-mailer, you can send me messages through my mother who regularly e-mails me.)

The Care and Keeping of a Missionary

Obviously, I'd like for you to keep Ana Gabriel in your prayers. As for me, I want to thank you, as always, for your constant support—both in prayer and financially—of the work being done here in Guatemala. I hope to travel to Solola soon and present a roof and clothes for 5 boys which a sponsor in the US has donated. I'd like to ask for your prayers of safe travel not only for that trip, but also for an upcoming trip to the capitol to renew my visa for another 3 months which I'll have to take in the next 2 weeks. As always, you can read more at my blog: http://GringaOnTheGround.blogspot.com and you can e-mail me at asimmer@gmail.com. I look forward to hearing from each and every one of you!

"I'm Sorry. You're not Allowed in our Church." (Day 854)

First, apologies for not writing more.  My life has gone through a lot transitional things in the past month, and we'll get to those in a later post.  At the moment, I want to write about something only vaguely related to anything I do down here.

Here in Guatemala, I attend a church called Iglesia del Camino.  It's a bilingual, multicultural church which I started attending just over 2 years ago when I moved to Antigua.  It is now a half-hour commute for me to get to church on Sunday, but the people are nice and the preaching is good.  Every now and again, I miss a service due to translating or travel, and I try to see if I can get my hands on the sermon so I can read it.

There is no easy way to say what I'm about to say, no way to sugar coat it, no way to make a good story out of it.  So, to skip straight to the "punchline," I met a man.  I don't know if he started attending that church because he saw me in the street and followed me there or if he started following me because he was attending that church.  At any rate, during the course of the last 2 years, this man has been stalking me, the first five or six months without my knowledge.  During the course of the last year and a half, the church has been helping me with moral support and translation services to tell this guy to leave me alone.  (In the beginning, this man would always speak English with me, and because my Spanish was not yet what it is today, I would tell him in English to leave me alone.  That's mostly what I'm talking about with "translation services.")  And, for about the past six months, this guy has left me alone.  I deleted the giant list of numbers from which he has called me which I had stored in my phone.  I stopped watching my back.  I stopped having the closest male answer my phone for any unknown number which called, even if I had to ask some stranger.  I stopped taking extra buses so that he wouldn't realize where I lived in case he was following me to the bus station.

And then on Sunday, no more than 15 seconds after I got on the bus, he got on--I thought, "Oh no.  What are the odds that he'd have business in my town?"--and sat down next to me.  He told me that he would have talked to me at church, but I was with a friend and he didn't want to interrupt.  My friend had walked me to the bus station to take his own bus to his town.  And I sort of wish that I had gone with him and surprised his mother with another lunch guest.  However, if it weren't this week, it might have been the next week or the next week.  I know this because he told me that he had been there the Sunday before--I didn't see him--but could never get me alone to talk with me.  (Someone from my town had accompanied me to church, and someone else had offered us a ride home; so I didn't even get on the bus or go to the bus station.)  At any rate, he eventually got off the bus after I said something about "My boyfriend wouldn't like you sitting here talking to me."

I promptly called the church and talked to my contact there who has been helping me with the situation.  The last time this guy was bothering me, the solution was to simply change my phone number...because the other option is somewhat time consuming and stressful.  After what happened Sunday, and especially now that he knows roughly what town I live in, we are going with the other option.  Today I will be filing a restraining order against him.  This is not something I happily do.  Obviously this man is in need of help, and because church is somewhere where we would run into each other, it appears that church is somewhere that he will no longer be allowed to be.

And I feel bad.  And I try to tell myself "This is not your fault."  But I'm getting him barred from a church.  A church! And I call myself a missionary?

So, I'm asking for your prayers today, for me and this situation, for this man, for my peace of mind, for the ministry that God has given me here.  Thank you all for your love and support.

Mission Moment: February Newsletter

All over Guatemala, schools were filled by students going back to classes for the year, all except the school where I've been teaching. Still owing the teachers 2 to 4 months of pay from last year, no decision has been made to open the school for classes this year. As the school year drew closer and closer with no word, more and more of our students have enrolled in other places. The days stretch on, and still no word. Whether or not an official decision is ever reached, if there are no students, there is no school.

However, this has not been without blessing. Working at the school, I received a check just big enough to cover my rent and about half of my food. Getting the other ends to meet has been difficult. I can earn enough through translating, but when I have to work three days per week at the school, I can't have a whole week free to translate, and therefore my services are unwanted. While no official decision has been reached yet about what I will be doing this year, it is likely that I will be relocating to Escunitla and working on the farm of a friend's family. My house in San Antonio is rented until the 29^th of this month; so as of this writing, I still have 2 weeks to finalize my plans. The farm would give me some place to live and work, but it would also give me the flexibility of schedule that I'd need to translate for a week at a time.

This week, I am translating. I am in Retaleheu translating for a group called Children of the Americas. I dare say that this is the largest group (and certainly the largest medical group) which comes to Guatemala during the year. It is a team of about 120 people—doctors, nurses, dentists, physical therapists, pharmacists, surgeons, anesthetists, orthopedics, translators (of course!), and even a sonographer—who take over a national hospital for a week (obviously with the permission of the hospital) and take care of everything from colds to gastritis to cancer to forming limbs where limbs didn't grow. This is my second year of translating for this group, and they're a bunch of friendly folk. It is not a religious organization, but when you ask people where they heard about the organization from, more often than not they'll say, “Oh, so-and-so is from the same church as me, and he was telling me about it one day.” In the pharmacy, they typically hand out a Spanish New Testament to everyone who walks through the doors. Even though I'm translating 13 hours per day, this is my vacation of the year. It's a time where I can literally do nothing connected to my regular life here; although I do make connections and have been sending information on a few children back to a contact I have who deals with special needs children in Guatemala.

Even though my life is sometimes full of uncertainty, I am still certain that this is where God called me to be, and therefore I have no doubts or worries. I know that God cares for me daily and that He will never abandon me.

Sloth...and not the animal (Day 814)

Tonight I did something amazing. I won my 300^th game of Freecell (with a 100% win rate, I might add). I had a momentary feeling of “Yeah! Go me!” And then I paused a moment to wonder where I found all that time to play a computer game. Admittedly, I play about 95% of my Freecell—a solitare card game that comes standard with Windows, for those who don't know—after 9:30 pm. This is my 1-hour wind-down time before bed. It's a time when I might do a little bit of work (correspondence and such, although I try to avoid it because I get rather emotional and long-winded conversing about the populations I serve...and get geared up to solve all of the world's problems in one night), but I mostly read or sew or play computer games.

To be completely honest, I used to play a lot more computer games than I play now. I'd probably played about 250 of those Freecell games before I decided that computer games were distracting from my focus. What does that calculate to? Two hundred fifty souls who I could have told about the good news of Jesus? Two hundred fifty hurting women and children who I could have spoken words of hope? Two hundred fifty mouths I could have fed? Two hundred fifty what? Quite frankly, I'm a little embarrassed that I've hit three hundred, even though I know that I've changed my habits.

I know I'm not my job. I know I don't have to be a missionary 24/7. But I'm a missionary because it's what God called me to be, and God didn't call me to pull a 40-hour work week. I feel like I'm always “on call” so to speak. But it annoys me that people get caught up about missionaries and pastors. “Of course you're good. You're a missionary.” “Oh, I know you don't want to go to the party with us. You're a pastor. There will be alcohol there.” No, that's not who we are. It's not because we're missionaries and pastors; it's not because people scrutinize us more because of our callings. What we are are Christians, and sometimes that means going to the party because there will be alcohol. What kind of a friend, what kind of a sister am I if I let you go to that party where I know you'll be tempted? And if I can't deter you, I'd better go with you to say, “Hey, think about what you're doing. I'm here with you. Let's drink soda pop together, enjoy the music, and catch up on each other's lives.” Being a missionary (nor a pastor) isn't a 24/7 job. Being a Christian is 24/7, but it's not a job; it's a belief, a way of life, a way of being, a faith.

Who did those 250 (or even 300) games minister to? No one. For that, I'm ashamed. I know God forgave me for those games about 2000 years ago, but I'm going to try to make up for it. I know I'll never succeed, that there's nothing I can do to change my sin, but I do know that my sins have been forgiven and that I should “go and sin no more.”

Just some reflections on being a missionary (Day 794)

When you're a missionary, you live this different life in (often) a different country with different people who speak (likely) a different language than you grew up with, have different customs than yourself, and live in a different way than you're used to.  The most difficult part of the job is deciding if you're okay with "different."

The greatest gift that God gave me when preparing me for mission work was not my compassion and heart to help people.  These are the greatest gifts a humanitarian could have.  (Admittedly, my work often has a humanitarian bend.)  The greatest gift that God gives missionaries is humility.  People come to us in need of help--usually material--and thank us for it; we have to remind them that the real help does not come from us but from God who, regardless of what we suffer in this world, has something even better waiting for us.

No news = good news? (Day 783)

Coming back was quite difficult for me.  I don't mean that from a cultural, logistical, or emotional standpoint...at least not in the actual arriving part.  I mean that when I got here, my animals had not been cared for for the 38 (or so?) days that I had been away by the person who I thought was going to care for them.  My house had rotting food and fleas all over it, and I still have not managed to clean up all the dog poop.  Nor do I have my full set of house keys yet (and I've been back about two weeks!) from the person who was supposed to care for my animals.  Then I find out that the school where I have been working hasn't issued paychecks for October or November.  I knew the situation was rough before I left, but I didn't think it was that bad; I brought back checks from the United States and turned them over to the proper person my first week back.  We have still not seen checks nor had a meeting to talk about whether or not there will be a school next year.  Long story short, I may be moving again.  

In my fantasy world, some large sum of money would be donated so that I could buy a house and do mission work full-time, that I could translate when it was asked of me and that I could teach classes to pass the time.  And, quite frankly, I wouldn't mind opening up a school to help children who can't afford school, but as I don't have much access to communities that rural, it's still just a dream.

However, don't think that only bad things have happened since my return.  I took a few things with me to the US which I managed to sell--and I'm working with some people there to try to sell more--for the people down here.  Two of the families were without food when they were handed their money.  Maybe it hits deeper because it's just before Christmas, but that has to be a rough situation when you have a responsibility as the provider of your family.  A third family had just started making their house a little bit safer when they found out that the girlfriend of their youngest son is pregnant.  There will be a shotgun wedding before the end of the year; the money will probably be used to help fund it so that construction doesn't have to be halted.

So, for those of you out there who are praying types (I know some of you are non-believers who just like keeping up with me), please keep my entire employment situation in your prayers.

Thanksgiving, Going back, and the Future (Day 764)

Thanksgiving seems as good of a day to write as any.  I have survived almost all of my 38 day trip to the United States.  While it had been intended to be a working trip, I have spent a lot more times in my pajamas than I cared to, but perhaps that is what God wanted of me.  Perhaps He wanted me to just take it easy, recharge, and think about myself for a bit.  I know He will provide for my every need; so I don't typically think about me.  But I know that He provides for every single one of the people I serve as well.  Typically, He provides me, but in my absence, I know He has provided someone or something else.

I will not say that this trip has been without its work successes, mostly for the girls' home in San Lucas which I visited just days before leaving and didn't even tell you all about!  It is a home for girls (and some of their brothers) who have been sexually abused.  It's actually connected to the school that I worked at for a week my very first trip to Guatemala in 2007.  They are seeking funds and long-term volunteers. I think I may have found them both which is a very good thing, but we'll save the celebrating until these things are fixed in place. In the meantime, just keep them in your prayers.

This Thanksgiving, due to various health issues in my immediate and extended family, I will be spending the holiday with a friend of mine and her family.  They are, admittedly, a different kind of extended family as I have always called her mom "mom" as well and my friend's twins who were born in July are told "Look, Auntie Annalisa is here!"

I return to Guatemala on Monday.  Since we're on school vacation there, I will be taking advantage of the time to do some traveling and ministry work. Normally my time to expand ministry is limited to a couple days at the end of every week; so, school breaks are a blessing.  Ideally I'd like to be able to do ministry full time--admittedly teaching English in the school is its own form of ministry--but due to my typical feeling of unworthiness at asking for other people's hard earned money, I just don't have the support to be able to do that.  If I can get this teams thing off the ground, I would be able to earn a little more money off of translating, but at the current time, I am unable to get by without the tiny stipend from the school.

It really is a vicious cycle.  Due to the need for money to pay my rent and buy food, I am unable to leave my job at the school (besides the sense of needing to help the children).  However, because of my job at the school, I am unable to take translating jobs which would earn me enough to stop working there (because of the week-long nature of the work which doesn't cotton to taking days off to teach).  So, I'm very pleased to have the month of December to get out and work in the communities...and maybe take a translating job if one comes up.

In other financial news, I was able to work at Oakland Community College during my time here.  It was just a few hours per week tutoring Spanish, but it was better than nothing.  It will make my pockets a few pennies heavier, and, for the most part, my parents were willing to foot my gas expenses while I was here; so  I might actually come out ahead.  I also had someone approach me and tell me that her company would like to help support me on a regular basis which I felt quite honored about.  It will certainly make me feel a little less guilty about withdrawing money from my bank account but never putting anything in myself.  I am, however, incredibly humbled, honored, and thankful that someone would consider me when deciding where to use their money.

And the final part of this note: the future.  There have been a lot of things that have happened over the last week or two.  Someone suggested that they saw an opening for my ministry in California or Texas, that people will come from there to serve in Guatemala.  Then, a day or two ago, without even knowing about this other person, my mother mentioned that I wouldn't have to come back to Michigan every time I have to leave Guatemala, that I could go to other places such as California or places that I could get to without a layover (Houston TEXAS!, Atlanta, Fort Lauderdale).  And, as I said in my last entry, I don't know who else is called or where they will come from.  So, when three people come up with the same thought at the same time...it's usually a God thing.  (Admittedly, my mother reads this blog, but why she would come up with California or Texas--which are the same two the other person mentioned--I don't entirely know.)

Happy Thanksgiving, y'all. :)

Visiting Stateside (Day 720)

Normally my visits to the US are a time to spend with family and friends, getting a little bit accomplished, but mostly just taking a break.  My upcoming visit--just a week away!--is something different.  Or, at least, that was the plan.

I had planned to visit the US and speak in a number of churches, schools, and groups about possibilities of mission work in Guatemala.  I e-mailed about 30 churches and have addressed 3 schools about the possibility of coming and speaking with them.  Of those churches, two have replied: one to tell me that they already work with an organization here in Guatemala and that, no, they do not want any information on short-term mission opportunities nor just Guatemala as a country.  The other replied to tell me that they'd pass on the information to their missions person whom I have not heard from.  Many churches hold their council meetings on the first Sunday of each month; this lack of response didn't bother me much until yesterday.  Of the schools, 2 have responded and both asked me to speak during some religious meeting that they hold.  I really am okay with that.  What I do is religious in nature; although some might just write me off as "a good person."

So, I'm throwing this out there: if you, your group, your school, or your church would like me to come speak to them about Guatemala and/or mission/volunteer opportunities in Guatemala, please, contact me.  You can leave a comment here; all comments are screened and private.  Only you and I can see them.  I only ask that if you, your church, your school, or your group is outside of SE Michigan that you do a bit of fundraising to help with my transportation costs...or we can do something via Skype.  Technology is a wonderful thing.

I only know that I was called.  I don't know who else is to be called and where they will come from.  Maybe I was just thinking too small.  Additionally, if you are from one of the 30 churches I wrote to and are reading this now, please get back to me.  Thanks!

An Unexpected Gift (Day 699)

On Sunday, I was given a gift.  Its value was equal to a month of rent on the house where I now live.  It came with no directions as to how it should be used; just my name on the outside of the envelope.  To me, this is a large amount of money; it's nowhere near what we need to equip the health center in Los Encuentros nor enough to buy a 4x4 vehicle to transport injured people, but it was significant enough that I couldn't just think, "Wow!  Thanks! I think I'll go get an ice cream cone with this!"  So, I contacted the giver and asked what it was for.  This person told me, "It is a personal donation for whatever you need."  Wow.  I mean...what do I do with that?

With the way I was brought up, there are very few things that I need in life. Food on the table, yes, but it doesn't have to be meat (expensive), and it certainly isn't going to be McDonalds (expensive and bad for the health). Clothes, yes, but it doesn't have to be the newest or most stylish clothing; hand-me-downs and Salvation Army have always been good enough for me. Water, okay, but that's Q9 which will last me a whole month. I have most everything I need. Sure, there are things I'd like, but I don't need them.

So, I thought about it a good while, and for now I'm saving most of it.  However, each month I pay Q145 for internet access.  It lasts me about a week at good speed (tops 10 days), and then it reverts to a slower speed.  This slower speed does not allow me to upload pictures or videos; nor does it allow me to study Spanish at Duolingo.  Now, I haven't yet decided if I'm happy enough with Duolingo to give it an endorsement or not, but the fact of the matter is that although I've picked up a lot of my fluency in the street, there are a few finer points that because of my years of formal education I'm probably not going to pick up in the street.  That's why I've shifted to try a program.  So, yesterday I bought my new month of internet service, but instead of picking out the Q145 plan, I picked the Q199 plan.  It allows for 3 times the amount of upload/download and it's 4G instead of 3G.  It's not a need, but it's something that I can use for the ministry that actually affects me.  I spent the gift for me on me, but it will benefit them as well hopefully.

Thanks. :)  You know who you are.