Time keeps on ticking and we keep on learning...

It's been 6 months since we arrived in Canillá, Guatemala. A lot has happened; each day the hospital construction advances, we have met many new people, our sons are growing - Isaac had his 1st birthday, which he celebrated with his cousins and grandparents (complete with a special visit from 'Babu' from England).

In reality we realise more and more, that God brought us to this place to teach us to live and trust in Him. God is teaching us to have more love, to be more humble, to have more joy ... and  patience, in every experience.

When you leave your comfort zone, you are more vulnerable and able to ask yourself who you really are, who is your neighbour, who really is God? Because we stop tryng to programme God into our lives and allow Him to be the one that programmes our lives, in order that His will be done and His kingdom would advance.

We are thankful because God helps us to overcome our pride each day. Everyday we are more convinced that this work is not about us. Not even our best intentions, nor the best hospital in the area, or the best professionals. This work is all about Jesus, our God, because He is the only who can change people's lives. He changes us from the inside. Only He can change our hearts, Jesus is the only one who can change chaos, the darkness and the lack of hope, light and salvation.

As well as the work in the clinics, we now lead a time of worship for the local youth. Our desire is for God to move in their lives and change this generation. Also two Fridays a month we have a lunch for the workers from the hospital construction, to talk about who Jesus is and how to be a true follower of God.

Besides traditional (physical) medicine, there's a great need for 'soul' medicine in this place, and this is our challenge. Please keep praying for our family and for the whole team here in Canillá, that God's kingdom would be extended here.

Matthew 6:25 "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?" 

Matt. 6:33 "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." (NIV).

Hugs, Luis, Naomi, Isaac and Joshua.

 A fun moment during Babu's visit!

 Birthday boy attacking the piñata with his abuelo :)

 Joshy still loves the tractors!

 The day we weren't prepared for a rainy walk home from clinic! So we DIY'd some waterproofs!

 Luis talking to the primary school kids at an event last month (and loving it!).

 Even supermarkets become 'fun places' when you don´t have one nearby

 Look how big he is! And curls, too :)

 The front wall of the hospital is complete!

A beautiful sunset seen from the back of our house.

Last week we had a team down from Lifegate Church, Omaha, Nebraska, who helped run a 72 hour prayer event.  This is a photo of the Adonai-Lifegate team with the final worship set.  It was a really special time, focussing in on prayer for the people of this valley and especially the youth. 

This is about Him...

We’ve now been in Canillá for a month, and little by little, the way we live is changing.  We’ve left behind the things that were so normal for us - such as going for a coffee, walking around a shopping centre, or maybe even going to the cinema and eating popcorn.  Our children have settled into our new house, are getting to know their new friends and also love seeing the ‘chompipes’ (turkeys), the cows, pigs, as well as playing in the dirt and bouncing on the trampoline every day.

We´ve started to see a lot of patients at the clinics.  Each day we are surprised by what we see: whether they’re physical needs, problems associated with poverty, such as children with malnutrition; disintegrated families caused by the men leaving to seek work in other places; alcoholism, etc. …

We are meeting wonderful people, with huge hearts, who come to serve local Guatemalans with so much love… we are learning so much from the other people/missionaries on our team. I could mention so many more things, but this is about Him.  Its about Him love for us, His love for the weakest, His interest in those who have nothing, for those who have no hope, for those whom the rest of the world have never heard of - yet He knows each and every one by their name, because He has the power to do all this and so much more.  We serve Him and we love Him.  This is about HIM and His name is Jesus.

A week ago, a 2 year old boy came to our clinic in Chiminisijuan in a critical state, he was with his brother and sister who were also ill, but we centered our attention immediately on him.  After examining him, we realised that he had pneumonia and was in a bad way.  We spoke to his mother and explained that her son needed to go to hospital and it was then that we began to get anxious, as the mother was unable to take him to hospital - firstly because the the father wasn’t with them, and secondly because she couldn’t afford the transport (as their village is a very long way from the hospital). 

It was a heartbreaking moment, because in somewhere like Spain or England it is so easy for an ill child to be admitted into hospital and receive the best treatment, but in that very moment, we couldn’t do any more for the patient, as he needed IV antibiotics and oxygen (he was finding it very hard to breathe).  We did what we could in the clinic and as this is all about Him, we decided to ask God to do a miracle in this little boy´s life.  We prayed and pleaded for a miracle to take place, and the mother went home with her little boy, still very poorly.  

Today we went back to the clinic in Chiminisijuan and the whole family returned and we saw the boy (Juan Alejandro), but this time he was unrecognisable - he came running in, he´d made a complete recovery.  Its such a privilege to see how God carries out miracles and how He takes care of the smallest and most in-need.

In these past days, our perspective of medicine is being transformed.  As we see so many people, that intelectual medicine, is changing to a heart-felt medicine, because that way, we are able to show love to the people we are serving here.  

We want to tell you that God is a good God, who gave His son Jesus to love us and fill us with His love and also that God is powerful and still performs miracles today.  That is why in Matthew 11:28 He says: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest”… Because all this is about Him.  Its about Jesus.

 Luis with Juan Alejandro and his family.

 View of the mountains in Quiché, taken from the plane.

 Patients at Chiminisijuan clinic, listening to Pastor Armando.

A kid in our house(!)

Lately we´ve been...

Settling into our new home, which is lovely, by the way!

 Making a campfire to cook homemade chips on - these two 12 year old girls made the fire, peeled and fried the potatoes in next to no time! Joshy was in awe!

Going for a lot of walks down this long, hot and dusty road, and taking in the beautiful views of the valley...

   

Inaugurating the Adonai Hospital construction and dedicating it to God - such a special and memorable day. 

Getting to see up close how the hospital building is coming along.  Right now the concrete is being poured for the second phase of stem walls  (and I am learning new building vocab - in English, never mind Spanish - every day!!).

Enjoying Joshy's first ride in a tuc-tuc. He loved every second!

 Getting involved in clinics and learning lots.  Here patients wait for consultation at the clinic in Chiminisijuan, a village in the mountains, about a 45 minute drive from Canillá. 

 Enjoying the many smiles of this little one :)