Wow, it’s hard to believe it’s already been a month! In our last update, we mentioned needing some rest and sleep—and we managed to get about a week of that—but then things took a turn and got busy again!
A bump in the road…
Two and a half weeks ago, while driving home from Aceituno, our ministry van broke down. This van has been such a reliable part of our team for the last couple of years, so this was the first major issue we’ve had in a long time. And it was a big one! Praise God, we got it back just yesterday, but it cost around $1,300 to repair. We were able to cover the expense, but it did take a significant portion of our ministry fund. We’re now praying that those funds will be replenished soon so we can continue using them for the building project or to provide more food for the people of Aceituno. Not having the van these past few weeks made everything more difficult and complicated, so we are truly thankful to have it back!
Medical Clinic
The medical clinic on March 7th was a great success! A total of 110 people received medical care and were prayed over. It was an incredible day, and God used this opportunity to open doors for building relationships with many of our neighbors around the property. We are deeply grateful to Willow Street Mennonite Church for coming to Aceituno and offering these vital services to the community. Their support has made a lasting impact!
But don’t think we’ve just been waiting around for the water jugs. Since progress was on hold, Maudilio ordered the materials for the perimeter wall. Every day (except Sunday) for the past two weeks, he and his brother have been hard at work building that wall. We are so excited to see the progress! This has been no small feat—they’ve been working tirelessly and putting in some serious effort to make this happen. Since funds are limited, we’re trying to save money by doing as much of the work as we can ourselves, but praise God, the wall should be finished by the end of today!
With the wall nearly complete and the water jugs in hand, we’ll be refocusing on the water project to get it up and running. Once that’s in place, we’ll turn our attention back to the property. The list of tasks is long—fixing the roof on the existing building, power washing everything, priming and painting the walls, installing windows and doors, fixing the bathroom, and putting in a small donated playground, just to name a few. There’s so much work to be done, but we’re thrilled to see everything coming together!
Ministry Update
Do you remember last month when I mentioned that we were hoping the water jugs would arrive within two weeks? And do you remember when I said things in Guatemala don’t always move quickly? Well, I was right. It actually took a month for them to arrive, but they’re finally here! We also have the personalized bags ready for when we can start bagging and distributing the water that way. We are so excited to see this project get off the ground soon!
We also have an important prayer request related to the building project. As I’ve mentioned, funding hasn’t come in as we had hoped, and it’s been a bit discouraging. But we trust that God has a plan. Some of our faithful supporters from Westcliffe, Colorado, have stepped up to help, and on April 15th, they’ll be hosting an auction to raise funds for the building project! We’re incredibly humbled and grateful for their support. Would you join us in praying for the auction? Pray that it raises the funds we need to continue bringing this center to life. And if you’re in the area, please consider attending the auction to support this cause! We’re also praying for all the incredible people who are organizing this event—they’ve been working tirelessly to help us in so many ways, and we are deeply grateful for them.
Personal Update
This past week was a bit different for me (Taryn) than most. While Maudilio was busy cutting down trees and building a wall, I spent the entire week focused on translating. On Saturday, I was asked to translate a message for a women’s event at my church. Then, on Sunday, I translated the sermon at church. From Monday to Thursday, I had the privilege of translating for a medical team that held clinics in three different towns in the area. By Thursday evening, I could barely speak! Translating is truly exhausting—it requires a lot of mental energy, especially with so many long days in a row. But it’s such a blessing to volunteer my time to serve others, and I get to meet so many wonderful people along the way.
In less than a month, we’ll be celebrating three years of marriage! With how busy life has been lately, we haven’t had much time to spend together, so we’re hoping to get away for a couple of days to relax, reconnect, and refresh. Please pray that we can make this happen—looking at our schedule, I’m not sure how it will work, but we know how important it is, and we’re determined to make it happen. We’re also trying to prioritize regular date nights and intentional time together. We know that the enemy’s greatest weapon is division, and we don’t want to give him any ground. We want to be proactive in nurturing our relationship rather than waiting for problems to arise before addressing them.
We are also excited to share that we’ve recently taken on the role of youth group leaders at our church. This has been a significant step for both of us, bringing its challenges, but also a lot of encouragement as we witness what God is doing within the group. Last night, we had the joy of hosting a youth bonfire at our home, and it was such a wonderful time of fellowship and fun!
As always, thank you so much for your continued support and prayers. We are incredibly grateful for each of you and how you partner with us in this journey. As we move forward with all the exciting (and challenging!) projects, we know we couldn’t do it without your encouragement. Please keep us in your prayers, especially as we focus on the building project, the water initiative, and our marriage. We truly appreciate all the love and support you’ve shown us.
