Progress on Every Front: March Update

Construction

We’re so encouraged by the progress being made on the dining room construction! We were able to pour the concrete for one side of the foundation, and work is already underway to tear down the existing wall so they can dig and prepare the foundation on the other side. We’re especially grateful for the timing of the concrete pour. Soon after we finished, we had a heavy downpour of rain. If it hadn’t been for the help of a team that was here that day—allowing us to work quickly—the ditch would have filled with mud and delayed everything significantly.

It’s been such a blessing to see this project moving along much faster than the bathroom construction, and we’re so thankful. Maudilio has been very intentional about keeping things moving so we can complete it as soon as possible.

Once this room is finished, it will truly transform how we operate. After seven years of setting up and taking down tables every time we serve food, we’ll finally have a permanent space with tables and stools ready at all times. We can’t wait to see this become a reality!

On that note, we also have a team joining us for a day this week, and they’re hoping to build new tables for us. The ones we currently use have nearly seven years of wear and tear and are definitely showing it. We’re so excited to replace them with sturdy, new tables!

Feeding Program

Things in this area have been going very smoothly lately. We’ve walked through some challenges, but it really feels like we’ve come out on the other side of them. We’ve continued to have a great turnout for meals, which has been such an encouragement.

At the same time, we’ve been looking for more ways to invest in the kids beyond just serving food. In the afternoons, we’ve started adding activities like basic English classes, game days at the soccer field, and, as always, Bible stories with coloring pages. Recently, a visiting team led two afternoons of crafts, and the kids absolutely loved it!

As I mentioned in the last update, we have some changes on the horizon. This month, we’ve had the opportunity to talk with some of our biggest supporters and encouragers, and we now have a clearer sense of the direction these changes may take. Their feedback and support have been incredibly helpful.

We’re not quite ready to make any official announcements yet, but we would really appreciate your prayers as we continue to make decisions and begin sharing them with the community. We do expect there may be some pushback, but we’re praying that people will be understanding and able to see the heart and long-term benefits behind these changes.

Water Project

After many months of this area bringing a lot of stress, we are incredibly grateful for how smoothly things have been running lately. Our team is working well together, and we’re continuing to grow and learn alongside one another. Of course, there is always room to improve, and we’re praying that we will keep growing in all the right ways. It’s also been such a joy to see this area of ministry provide job opportunities for several individuals.

That said, we have had to make a small adjustment to our pricing. Due to rising fuel costs, we’ve needed to slightly increase the price of our water bags. We chose not to raise the price of the water jugs because we want to continue encouraging people to purchase those instead. One of the main reasons for this is the issue of pollution. The local culture often involves throwing trash on the ground, and we want to do what we can to help discourage that. By keeping the jugs significantly more affordable—still less than half the price of other vendors—we hope to promote a more sustainable option.

At this point, our water bags are priced similarly to other vendors, while our jugs remain much more accessible. For now, we feel at peace with this decision and will continue to evaluate as needed.

Personal

Since getting back from the Dominican Republic, things have been pretty nonstop—but in a good way! I (Taryn) feel like I’m in a much healthier place emotionally after the break than I have been in a long time. I’m working on building a better rhythm of work and rest, which has been really refreshing. Maudilio, on the other hand, has had a harder time finding that balance with everything currently on his plate. The biggest project right now is that today he and a friend traveled to Quiché, Guatemala—about four hours from our home—to begin drilling a well for a ministry there. They’ll be working long days to try to complete it as quickly as possible, but there are many unknowns when it comes to drilling a well.

This is something we’ve been working toward for a long time. We know firsthand what it’s like as a ministry to not have water available, and that has really shaped our heart behind this. God has graciously provided the drilling rig for us, and we want to see it used to bless others as well. This well is the first of what we hope will be many, as we come alongside other ministries to meet this very real and practical need.

While Maudilio is away, his brother Daniel and I are holding things down in Aceituno. We would really appreciate your prayers as we adjust and shift responsibilities during this time. Please pray especially for Maudilio and Wilson as they work—there are many challenges that can arise during a project like this. We’re asking for protection, wisdom, and smooth progress as they drill this well.

A fun and exciting highlight to share—Maudilio and I were invited to Doña Chepita’s 77th birthday party! If you’ve visited us in Aceituno, there’s a good chance you’ve met her. She is deeply passionate about Jesus and loves telling everyone about Him. She’s always ready to pray for others and can often be heard singing worship songs at the feeding program. She truly radiates joy and the love of Christ, and we feel so blessed to have her in our lives.

An Answered Prayer

A huge praise is that last month I shared about the need to raise funds to pay Delmy for her work, and the response was almost immediate! Because of your generosity, we’ve been able to pay her, and we are incredibly grateful. Thank you so much!