It has been a month filled with change, excitement, and so much joy—with plenty of ups and downs and everything in between. There have been days full of energy and excitement, followed by days of complete exhaustion. But through it all, one thing has remained constant: God is in the midst of it all.
Construction
We have made incredible progress on the building!
A wonderful team from Buy One Build One came to serve with us for a week, and they jumped into just about everything that needed to be done. Whether it was construction, serving the community, or encouraging our team, they gave their all without a single complaint.
For several days they worked on the roof, laying and tying rebar in preparation for the concrete pour. Even as their backs ached and sweat poured down their faces, they never lost their smiles. Their servant hearts were such an encouragement to all of us.
But they didn’t just help with construction. They served meals to the community, played games with the kids, prayed over the future of this ministry, and spoke so many words of encouragement into our lives. They truly poured into us, and we are incredibly grateful for the time we had together.
Then, at 3:15 a.m. on Monday, July 27, we left home to get an early start on pouring the concrete roof over the dining room and multipurpose room. This was no small undertaking!
Preparation began at 4:00 a.m. The concrete mixer started running at 5:45 a.m.—and it didn’t stop until 3:00 that afternoon.
- 11 men working
- 11 hours of labor
- 530 cubic feet of concrete
- 123 bags of cement
Needless to say, everyone slept very well that night!
But every bit of hard work was worth it. Seeing that roof finally completed was such an exciting milestone. Now the concrete has to cure for two weeks. We are already a week and a half into that process, and this coming Monday we’ll begin removing all of the supports underneath.
In the meantime, our construction crew and Maudilio have been serving in another way. They are up in the mountains helping renovate the kitchen of an elderly couple. The woman, who is blind, has had a faithful sponsor in the United States for some time, and that sponsor wanted to provide her with a safer, more functional kitchen.
The old kitchen was filled with years of smoke damage and was in such poor condition that it looked like it could collapse at any time.
This project has been no small task either. Because there are no roads leading to their home, every concrete block, bag of sand, load of gravel, and building supply has had to be carried up the mountain by hand along steep dirt paths. It has been exhausting work, but we know it will make a tremendous difference in this couple’s daily life.
Water Project
The changes we made during the month of July have made an incredible difference! They have completely transformed what our day-to-day life looks like. Our days are no longer as long or as physically draining as they used to be. In fact, there have even been a few days when we made it home before dark—something that almost never happened before!
That doesn’t mean the transition has been easy, though. Big changes often come with unexpected challenges as we learn new routines and establish new rhythms. We’ve definitely had our share of hiccups along the way. But we’re simply taking each obstacle as it comes, trusting God to guide us, and slowly settling into a new normal. We would greatly appreciate your prayers for wisdom as we continue making decisions about the best way to move forward.
One big blessing has been seeing a noticeable difference in the amount of trash from our water bags around the community. While there is still plenty of litter to be picked up, we now have the peace of knowing that we are no longer contributing to the problem. That has been incredibly encouraging.
We also placed an order for 100 additional water jugs, and they have already made a huge difference. Having more jugs allows us to clean, fill, and seal a much larger number at one time, which means we can make fewer, more efficient delivery trips. It has been a simple change, but one that has helped tremendously.
On top of that, a friend generously donated a three-wheeled cargo motorcycle to help with deliveries! We are still figuring out the best way to incorporate it alongside the truck, but it has already proven to be incredibly useful. It’s much easier to navigate the narrow streets of the community with a smaller vehicle, making those smaller deliveries much more efficient.
We are still praying for a few more people to join us as monthly partners in this project. Consistent monthly support helps ensure that we can faithfully pay our team, continue reducing waste in the community, and invest even more time and energy into the children and families we serve.
If God has been stirring your heart to become more involved in what He is doing here, would you prayerfully consider making that commitment? Your monthly partnership, no matter the amount, would make a lasting impact and help us continue serving this community well.
Feeding Program
This area of the ministry has been running very smoothly, so there honestly isn’t a lot to update—and that’s a wonderful thing!
We continue to have a full house every day we serve meals. It is such a joy to see every seat filled, even if it means we’re constantly washing more bowls and spoons to keep up. We wouldn’t have it any other way. The more, the merrier!
We’ve also been blessed to welcome several teams over the past month. Their visits are always a highlight—not only for the children, but for us as well. They bring so much joy, energy, and excitement wherever they go. Throughout the month we’ve enjoyed Bible skits, worship through singing and dancing, crafts, coloring activities, and so many opportunities to laugh and spend time together.
It has been a full and exciting month, and we are so grateful to each team that took the time to serve alongside us. Thank you for blessing both our ministry and the community of Aceituno!
Recently, a few people encouraged me to be more specific when sharing the needs of our ministry. So, here I am taking their advice.
One of our greatest current needs is monthly support for our feeding program.
A large portion of the support we receive for this ministry comes through one-time gifts, and we are incredibly grateful for every single one of them. Those gifts have allowed us to continue serving faithfully and have made an incredible impact.
However, because they are one-time gifts, they don’t provide the consistent income needed to confidently plan for the months ahead. God has always provided exactly what we’ve needed, and we have never gone without. But having more committed monthly partners would bring stability to the program and allow us to move forward each month knowing the needs of the feeding program are covered.
The way that we would like to do this, is by inviting you to sponsor a month of food for a child. For just $20 a month, you can provide a child with three nutritious meals each week. It’s a simple way to make a tangible difference in a child’s life while helping us ensure that no child who comes through our doors goes hungry.
Would you prayerfully consider sponsoring a child? Your monthly commitment would not only provide food but also help create a place where children experience love, community, and the hope of Christ.
Personal Update
Truthfully, life hasn’t changed much on the personal front, so there isn’t a whole lot to update. In many ways, our lives revolve around ministry. Most of what we do—and even what we don’t do—is shaped by the ministry.
Typically, that is fine, but recently we have been feeling the need for a little break. Ministry is a joy, but it’s also important to step away occasionally to rest, be refreshed, and return with renewed energy.
Right around the time we started feeling that need, God surprised us in a really sweet way. One of my best friends reached out to say she was planning a visit in mid-August! Not long after that, one of Maudilio’s best friends contacted him to say he would also be coming during the same time. None of this was planned, but we couldn’t be more excited! Our hope is to take a short two- or three-day trip somewhere here in Guatemala while they’re here—just enough time to step out of our normal routine, enjoy meaningful time with our friends, and be refreshed before jumping back into ministry. We are really looking forward to this time together and are praying that it will be both encouraging and renewing.
This isn’t anything new, but I realized I haven’t shared much about it. We have the privilege of serving at our church, and it has become such a meaningful part of our lives. We truly love our church family and the community that God has placed us in.
Together, we serve as youth leaders, translators, and greeters. It’s such a joy to be involved in different areas and to use the gifts God has given us to serve others.
I’ll be honest—there are some weekends when I feel exhausted, and the thought of serving sounds more draining than refreshing. But almost every single time, the exact opposite happens. Instead of leaving more tired, I leave feeling encouraged, refreshed, and filled up. God has a way of meeting us when we choose to serve, even when we don’t feel like we have anything left to give.
We continue to be blown away by the support God has surrounded us with. New connections are being made, relationships are growing, and more and more people are coming alongside this ministry—whether through prayer, encouragement, financial support, or simply believing in what God is doing here.
At times, it honestly feels overwhelming in the very best way. We are incredibly grateful for every person who has chosen to walk alongside us, and even more grateful to God for His continued faithfulness and provision.
As we look back on everything that has happened this month and ahead to everything still to come, we are reminded again and again that we are not doing this alone. God continues to provide, guide, encourage, and place the right people around us at just the right time. We are so thankful, and we can’t wait to see what He does next!
