January 2024….blessings

Students are getting ready to start a new year, Manuel’s house is nearing completion. 

From food hampers to delivering hot soup….Blessings those in need.

And that is a WRAP for 2023

We were blessed to provide 1367 food hampers (42,380lbs), 845 cases of FV Gleaners soup (1,014,000 servings), 600 pieces of clothing, 500 handmade wooden cars, 250 knitted hats and 160 Christmas gift bags. We also built a roof for a third story, a house for a family of 3, a workshop and a roof for a single story home.

 We had three Christmas Fiestas for kids which were fun. In one of them some of the children dressed up as Mary, Joseph, shepherds and angels. The Christmas story was read as they acted out the story. There were crafts and cookies. 

We have 23 organizations that give out the FV Gleaners soup in different locations all over Guatemala.

We also, if we have the finances, to help out with medical and dental needs.

Thank you to those of you who financially and prayerfully support us.

HAPPY 2024!

September Blessings

I arrived back in Guatemala the last week in September. It was hot, muggy and great to be back. I was welcomed with lots of hugs.

We delivered food hampers, finished a roof on a house, saw lots of FV Gleaners soup go out to the hungry, we handed out 1100lbs of veggies and built a work shop for Julio who lost his in a fire.

Blessings of August

August saw Wendy and her parents move into their new house. A place with a roof, windows, great view, a bathroom, 3 bedrooms and new furnishings. This house took us awhile to finish but overcoming the obstacles made the completion just that must better. Wendy’s mom collects garbage that she figures she can sell when she cleans and sorts it.

Our students have finished their Third semester exams and we have several that will be graduating in October. Our university students will write their finals in November.

We again handed out food hampers. With the election over we can now resume giving out food.

We will have a new president in January, 2024. It will be the first democratic government since 1954.

95 cases of FV Gleaners soup was picked up and delivered to various villages. With the high amount of vitamins and protein in the soup it is great for the kids who have nothing to eat in their homes. Organizations make it in various villages and then deliver it to schools or families.

Our month ended with Amilcar and William working on a room for a house for a family of 4.

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Life’s most presistent and urgent question is:

”What are you doing for others? “

Martin Luther King Jr.

Summer Blessings

A June, a month of Presidential elections, Congress and mayors all being voted in. Although the presidential election will resume on August 20th, who knows who will be the next President.

We again were giving out food hampers, handed out 1800 lbs of veggies, served soup on a soccer field, a school of 400 kids came to the soup kitchen to try out the soup. Most of them enjoyed the soup, some had 2-3 bowls. Soup is not something that Guatemalan moms make. Cases of soup were again picked up by different organizations. Wendy’s house is almost done, with a few (?) delays, they should be moving in the end of July.

I spoke at One Way Community teen lunch, 40 teens, about “Who do you Follow?” Great discussion, soup for lunch and then a prayer of thanksgiving and a prayer to follow Jesus. I asked Lucio if he would be my “Jesus” and pick his 12 disciples. He has worked with these boys for 3 years and knew them well. It was great to see him concentrate on who would be a good Peter, Matthew, John, etc.

Before I left for Canada I had 18 of our sponsored students in for breakfast. It was great to have them all together. We played a game “Who am I?” which got them to answer questions about themselves to another student.

A Little Bit of This and That

April was a busy month of construction, food hampers and delivering knitted hats. Yes, knitted hats. We were given 100+ knitted hats for kids by the Women’s Group from the Willingdon Church in Vancouver. The moms were excited to see their kids wearing the various colours. We also gave out Canadian flags which are always very welcome. In one of the villages the Director of the project was wearing a Toronto Blue Jays t-shirt, which he had be given by a team from Winnipeg.

Cases of soup have been going out as well.

It is rainy season which means it should rain every day. Generally it will rain late in the afternoon and then with the heat of the day it feels like 150% humidity! You come back from a project and need a shower!

We are working on a house for Wendy and her family. Their “house” was a mess….mom is very excited to soon move in and have a roof that does not link, a dry floor, windows and a bathroom with a shower.

In May we were given 950lbs of fresh veggies. It reminded me of going to FV Gleaners in Abbotsford and seeing all the veggies that no one wanted. We gave half of them to an orphanage and the rest we handed out in a village, San Luis Nuevo. Women and kids came with their baskets and left with a bounty of carrots, peas and beans. We also had a pancake breakfast for the police, Federales and our fire department. The police were also given new clothing for their children and a food hamper. The tuktuk drivers were also blessed to be given a food hamper. They were a fun bunch as many had no idea we were doing this and were very surprised that it was FREE.

We always take along a basket of Grandpa Hank’s cars for the kids. Many of these children never celebrate their birthdays or Christmas, so just getting a little wooden car is a highlight.

Let’s MARCH….

Families from Jocotenango to Nebaj were given food hampers in March.

The last of our soup was given out and the container arrived in tact!

17 faithful friends helped unload 975 containers of FV Gleaners soup.

As the last truck unloaded, two trucks pulled in and took 55 cases were taken out.

Wendy’s families house now has walls and should be finished in a month.

They are excited to have a house that will protect them from the rain and wind.

We are so very thankful to those who monthly support us. Also those who God leads

to give a donation.

FEBRUARY….A short but productive month

We again fed 300 families with our food hampers. 100 children received school supplies. School is in full session with inclass sessions. We finished a project, finishing off the inside of a school and then starting a new project. A house for a family of three.

Closing off 2022…Blessings Overflowing

What a year of blessing we have had.

This past year we were able to provide 2,286 food hampers (24,297 lbs). We also had 1,092 cases of FV Gleaners soup picked up or we delivered it (1,310,400 servings). We built four homes and replaced one roof (1082 feet). We have 38 sponsored students. There are 180+ English students. The nurses at Dr. Esteban’s received a gift of new runners. They were wearing holey Crocs…not the best for dealing with medicine and syringes.

What a joy it is to bless people. I am not sure who is more blessed, those we
give the food to,construct houses for or help students make their dreams come true, or us.

Busy Blessing Others…

Since the end of September we have fed 500 families, and the numbers just keep climbbing.

We have finished a house for a family of 7. A team from Canada came to help out for 10 days.

We enjoyed a couple of days along the Pacific ocean and then got back to work, packing and delivering food hampers, carrying 400 concrete block, and a whole lot of cement bags. We also went to the Genesis Project, a school we built in memory of my husband and listened to an English project. The team served 300 bowls of FVGleaners soup in Paramos, then we handed out 120 food hampers.

In November we did a pre-Christmas party with 40 children from San Juan del Obispo. Each of the children received crayons, pencil crayons, markers and a new pair of runners. Included in the bag was a Canadian stuffie.

We also had two graduations, one in Jocotenango and one in Chimixiya. We are so proud of the students.

Over 100 cases of FVGleaners soup has been distributed by various organizations.

We now have 180 people in English classes. They are so eager to learn.