I can hardly believe it, but it’s a new month, which means it’s already time for another update! In fact, I’m a bit late getting this one out because I’ve been traveling. So, I apologize for the delay! As always, there is so much to share, so let’s get into it!
Feeding Program
Our lunches have been pretty crazy lately! We have been seeing record numbers of people coming through our doors each day, and it has been getting harder and harder to keep up.
We all know how much gas prices have gone up this year, and Guatemala is certainly no exception. In fact, gas is even more expensive in Guatemala than it is in the States! And, as we all know, when fuel prices rise, the prices of just about everything else tend to follow. Unfortunately, this has made life even more difficult for the people of Aceituno.
On top of that, we have been experiencing a terrible drought this year. Typically, our rainy season runs from May through October, and during those six months, it often rains almost every day. This year, however, we only had a handful of rainy days during the first five months of the season. This is extremely concerning, especially considering how much of Guatemala relies on agriculture. With so little rain, crops have suffered, and the prices of produce have risen even more.
And if all of that weren’t enough, September and October are already the hardest months of the year for many families in our community. The sugarcane harvest begins in November, and so many people in Aceituno depend on the income they earn during harvest season. At this point, many families have gone nearly six months without a reliable source of income. Every year, we see a significant increase in attendance at the feeding program during September and October as families struggle to make it through those final months before harvest. But this year, with the rising cost of living and the drought, the need has been even greater than usual.
Every day that we serve lunch, we run out of table space, stools, bowls, cups, and spoons! We usually have a line of people waiting for a place to sit and something to eat while we look for those who have finished so we can quickly wash their dishes and serve the next group. It can be overwhelming and stressful at times, but more than anything, I am just so thankful that we are there and able to help during these especially difficult months.
As many of you know, we made the decision to make some changes to the feeding program once harvest season begins, shifting our focus to serving only children on a daily basis. We have had so much peace about this decision and have felt confident that it is the right direction for the ministry. But I have to admit, seeing the desperation of so many people coming through our doors lately has made that peace a little harder to hold on to. It is one thing to make a decision when you know it is the right one, and another thing entirely to follow through when you are looking into the faces of people who are struggling.
Ultimately, we still believe this is the best decision for the long-term vision of the ministry. But we also want to be sensitive to the needs of the community during this difficult time. So, while we do still plan to make this change, we are going to take things as they come and pay attention to when families begin receiving income from the harvest before making the transition.
Please pray for wisdom as we navigate this!
Construction
The dining room is DONE!!!
We are SO excited about this! It feels like we have been working on this building forever, but I know that every bit of time, effort, and money that has gone into it will be worth it once we are finally using the space!
We haven’t officially moved in yet, but we are planning to serve our first lunch in the new dining room on Wednesday! Since the rain has finally started, we are especially thankful that we will now have a space where we can continue serving meals without having to worry about everyone getting soaked!
Next on our construction list is the back perimeter wall. We will be tearing down the existing wall and rebuilding it much stronger than before. After that, we will need to bring in several dump-truck loads of dirt to fill in and level out the back portion of the property. This is going to make a HUGE difference! Not only will it help with some of the flooding issues we have experienced, but it will also give us so much more usable space for the kids to run around and play.
Another project we have been working on is building soccer goals! For a while now, we have had the vision of starting soccer teams as a way to build community, encourage teamwork, and create more opportunities for mentorship and deeper relationships with the children.
For the past couple of months, we have been going to the soccer field every Friday to play with the kids, and it has quickly become one of the highlights of the week—not just for the children, but for us too! It has been so much fun watching their excitement grow each week, and we are looking forward to building on what has already started.
The soccer goals are now finished, and our next step is to work toward purchasing some additional equipment so we can begin organizing games and, eventually, teams. We are really excited to see where this leads!
Personal Update
I (Taryn) am traveling home from the States right now! I have had the opportunity to do a bit of traveling over the past few years for different reasons, but this is actually my first time back in Ohio in five and a half years! I originally came back for my childhood best friend’s wedding, but I was able to turn it into a longer trip and spend some much-needed time with family and good friends.
On the 8th, I also got to meet up with my little brother and take a road trip to Pennsylvania to visit family there! It was such a joy to have that time together, especially considering that it had been almost four years since I had seen most of them, and more than a decade since I had seen some!
I am so thankful for these opportunities to reconnect with people I love and have missed so much. But, if I’m being completely transparent, this trip has also been really hard. Unfortunately, Maudilio still has not been able to get a visa to visit the United States. This has been an incredibly long, difficult, and discouraging process for us. And it is especially hard during trips like this, when I am surrounded by people and places that mean so much to me, but I can’t share any of it with my husband. It makes it harder to fully enjoy being here because I’m not with my person. My best friend. The one I want to experience all of these things with.
And right now, there is no end in sight to the waiting. Please continue to pray for us in this. We don’t talk about it very often, but the visa situation has become a constant weight on our shoulders. It is always there, somewhere in the back of our minds, and we have no idea what the future holds for us in this regard. At the same time, we can see how God is stretching us, teaching us, and growing us through this season of waiting. That doesn’t make it easy, but we are trying to trust Him through it.
And now, I want to share something a little more vulnerable. I am tired of talking about visas. I am tired of explaining our situation over and over again. And I know that probably sounds a little harsh, especially because I know that most people who ask are doing so out of genuine curiosity and concern. But the truth is, unless you have personally walked through the U.S. immigration process with someone you love, it is incredibly difficult to understand just how exhausting and painful it can be.
Every time someone asks why my husband isn’t here with me, I find myself taking a deep breath and preparing to explain the whole situation all over again. And don’t get me wrong, I want people to understand. I want people to know that this isn’t a choice we have made. That we aren’t simply choosing to travel separately. That even being married to a United States citizen does not make it easy to get permission to enter the country. I want people to understand how complicated, frustrating, and emotionally draining this process can be.
But the reality is, it’s a painful subject for me. It hurts. And sometimes, having to explain it feels like reopening a wound that hasn’t had the chance to heal. Because the truth is, I want my husband here with me. I want to show him the places where I grew up. I want him to meet the people who have been such an important part of my life. I want him to sit around the table with my family, laugh with my friends, and experience this part of my world that I have never been able to share with him. I want to make these memories with him, not just tell him about them afterward. And it hurts that we can’t do that.
It also hurts to think about the future and the very real possibility that our future children may not be able to obtain U.S. citizenship. There are so many questions and uncertainties surrounding our future that we simply don’t have answers to. These are things that most people never have to think twice about, but for us, they are very real concerns that we carry every day. And I think that is what makes it so difficult to explain. Unless you have lived through something like this, it is hard to fully understand the emotional weight of it all.
I don’t share any of this to make anyone feel bad for asking questions. I know people care, and I truly appreciate that. I just wanted to give you a little glimpse into something that has been weighing heavily on my heart. So, while this trip has been full of beautiful moments and sweet reunions, it has also been bittersweet. Please keep us in your prayers. We need them more than you know.
Difficult Situations
Unfortunately, while I have been away, we have also faced some really discouraging situations back in Guatemala. In the two weeks since I left, we have been robbed…twice. The first time, someone broke into our tool shed and stole around $500 worth of tools. Then, not long after that, cash was stolen from the water project—money that was supposed to go toward paying our team.
It has been incredibly discouraging. And beyond the financial loss, it has been really hurtful. It is hard to pour so much of your time, energy, and heart into serving a community, only to experience things like this. It is especially painful when it leaves you feeling betrayed by the very people you have worked so hard to help. We know that these situations are part of the reality of the work we do, but that doesn’t mean they are easy.
And this has been especially difficult for Maudilio, who has had to face all of this while I am away. I know how heavy the responsibilities of the ministry can feel even when we are both there, so I can only imagine how discouraging it has been for him to navigate these situations without me by his side. Please be praying for him specifically—for strength, wisdom, encouragement, and peace as he continues carrying so much of the responsibility back home.
There has been so much going on lately, but I feel like I say that every single month. Sometimes I wonder if things will ever slow down, but instead, it seems like life just keeps getting busier and moving faster. Before I know it, I’ll be sitting down to write the October update!
Through all of the exciting progress, the answered prayers, the difficult decisions, and the discouraging situations, we are reminded over and over again just how much we need God’s strength and guidance in everything we do. This work isn’t easy. There are days when it is exhausting, overwhelming, and honestly, just plain discouraging. But there are also so many beautiful moments that remind us why we are here and why we continue doing what we do.
We are so thankful for each and every one of you who continues to walk alongside us, pray for us, encourage us, and support this ministry. We truly couldn’t do this without you. Please continue keeping us in your prayers. We need all the prayer, encouragement, and support we can get!
Thank you for being part of this journey with us!
