I spent a wonderful weekend in Houston with Hannah and Matt. It was great to get to know Matt a little bit more and to help Hannah with wedding plans. They will have a very simple wedding celebration in Houston at the end of August. Matt works as the worship leader at a large Methodist church in the Woodlands (an afluent area close to Houston). The church is enormous and beautiful, and it is there where Hannah and Matt will be married.


I came home Monday afternoon and got ready for clinic the next day in Chiminisijuan. It has been raining quite a bit and there was a new mudslide covering the road to the clinic so we walked through the mud to get there. Each week as the men share the Word with those who are waiting, we sit and (while we listen) we try to assess those with the most need. Sometimes it is a child who is having difficulty breathing, sometimes it is a little one with the sunken eyes of dehydration. Tuesday it was a very thin mom leaning against a tree with her obviously malnourished baby. She waited quietly in the line with those receiving food and milk and when it was her turn she stated only that she had very little milk to give her baby. When I asked her what she and her 5 other children had eaten that day, she told me they had had only herbs that they had gathered. I know from the experience of questioning many women that if they did not eat tortillas, then there was no other food in the house. Many times people will say that they had only salt to put on their tortilla and I will know that they are in distress but this family did not even have a little bit of corn to make tortillas with. So we loaded her up with food and vitamins and talked to her about the Lord. She is a Christian but her husband is an alcoholic who remains drunk for weeks at a time. She was so quiet and defeated...my heart broke for her.


There were several others asking for food as well that day. It is always difficult to make the transition from US culture to the culture here. The contrast from life in the Woodlands to life in Chiminisijuan is...overwhelming. Most of the time I find that I prefer the simplicity of the lives here that are not complicated with things and the striving that comes from that lifestyle. However, when people are hungry...the injustice saddens me. I am not saying that in any sort of judgment. When I look at our home and the accumulation of stuff, I am ashamed and convicted. Jesus said to the rich young ruler, "You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven." (Luke 18:22) Well...got to go - I have some things to sell.

I did not write last week. It was a challenging and frustrating week....one which we lovingly call "a Guatemala hug" week. We spent 3 days (plus the two from the week before) in the City, with both of the girls, waiting on paperwork for their passports. Grace and especially Abi are not very patient waiters and it was more than a little challenging to keep them occupied all those long hours. But it was worth it Friday evening at 5:15 (the office closed at 5) with two Guatemalan passports for both of the girls. Now...on to the next challenge...visas for two.

At the same time while we were waiting, David, Juan and Joseph traveled to the coast to buy our first load of corn in bulk. They transported pounds of corn plus pounds of sheet metal for a project in the Home in the tractor trailer that was recently brought down. It took them 20 hours to return home - with a short nap on top of the corn. Here is a picture of the boys putting the finishing touches on the grain bin just before the corn arrived.

And from out of somewhere...I really have no idea where...a profecy spoken over us probably 8 years ago found it's way to my desk today. I had forgotten all about it but it was given to us while we were still working in the orphanage by Angie, a long time friend who we have not seen for many years. She wrote, "Give to Me the rice and the grain in which I have placed in your path and watch the grain bins double. You are not caught by your imaginations but by your beliefs. That is what will strengthen you in the rough times...." The amazing thing is that that is exactly what we have...two grain bins stacked on top of one another. And we have felt, in the the last few months that we were caught in our imaginations...to think that we would be able to afford to continue this project. Our beliefs though, say that it is the right thing to feed the poor and the widows. And so we press on....

I leave in the morning for a three day trip to help Hannah with wedding preparations. With the wedding only a few weeks away, we have lots to do. And it will be so much fun!!

I am sure that most of you have heard by now about tropical storm Agatha which poured down 10-15 inches of rain over about a 36 hours period of time this weekend. Once again, the country is in a state of crisis as over 152 people have died and many thousands are homeless. Mudslides have closed countless roads and many bridges have been destroyed. Here in our area, two families lost their homes but fortunately no one died. I was a little concerned about those up in Chiminisijuan who live in very poor housing on the side of mountains. When we went this morning we found the road completely closed with two large mudslides (so we walked) but life was as it always is there.

One of the many things that I love about the Guatemalan people is their acceptance of circumstances beyond their control. I have heard almost no one complain about delayed schedules or lack of supplies because of impassable roads. I will never forget one occasion up in Chiminisijuan when is was so cold and raining. The people walked to clinic in the rain and many were soaked to the bone, the children shivering with the cold, some without shoes or coats. I was whining about how cold I was to one man who told me very kindly, "but my sister, the rain is a blessing of God." I felt thoroughly rebuked! But I have remembered it. Life is so hard here and yet it is taken with gratitude. There is no insurance company to call to fix the leaky roof or replace the crops that have washed away. There are not even washing machines to wash all the muddy clothes. And yet life continues...without complaint.

We are celebrating here in Canilla, the completion of Abi's adoption! Last Friday we were finally given her birth certificate with her official name - Abigail Esperanza Ficker Ficker. In keeping with the Latin culture custom of taking both the father's and mother's last name, she is Abi Ficker Ficker...as if one Ficker were not enough! Now we start the next process of getting visa's and passports for both of the girls so that they can travel with us. We hope to be able to take a few weeks after Hannah's wedding to be at "home." It has been over 5 years since we have had time as a family, in the US.

Duane broke down last week and made a larger table for our dining room. It is one of my most challenging tasks each day to figure out how many will be at our table for lunch. Today it will be 18. Our good friends Oralia and Sebastian together with newly arrived missionaries, Vicki and Norm will be with us today from the orphanage in San Andres. When I think back on my "other life" in the US, I remember how stressed out I became if I had to cook for more than my family. Now I love hosting guests and sharing our table with friends. How God has changed me! Here in this culture, it is an honor to have visitors - announced or unannounced. So 18 may grow to 25... but relationship is so important here, so much more important than work accomplished.

Clinics have been really busy with lots of sick children. In Chiminisijuan especially we have had so many kids with pneumonia. They are so sick and need to be in the hospital but almost none will go. It is times like these, when we feel so inadequate with what we have to offer, that we learn to lean into God; when we begin to understand that all of our most valiant efforts amount to nothing if God doesn't show up; that only God can heal. So we do all that we can physically and then we pray, trusting ultimately in the power of God. "And He has said to me, "my grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness" Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me." 2 Corinthians 12:9. May His grace be sufficient for you today!

I have known Manuela for many years and I have never seen her smile. She has 11 children and a husband who is an alcoholic. She takes good care of her children - they are always clean and well groomed. But more than that, she fights for them to the point that, honestly, she has always irritated me. When she comes, her list of complaints and requests is seemingly unending. She asks for food and corn and medical help...and still she never smiles. About a month ago, I asked her how her heart was, if she was sad. And she began to cry and tell me about her husband who is drunk almost all of the time, how he beats her and throws the little children (the older ones run away as soon as he comes in). She told me how he threatens to kill her and to eat her flesh, how he gets on his knees and prays that God will kill her. We talked with her for a long time about the Lord, about how He sees the injustice of her life, how He knows and understands the pain in her heart. We told her to pray for this man who torments her - not to pray that the Lord would strike him dead, but to pray that the Lord would bless him and set him free from the alcoholism that is destroying both he and his family.

The next week she was back and we prayed with her again. She came again the following week, this time asking for prayer. This week she came again, now asking for us to pray with her for salvation...and I actually saw her smile for the first time. I don't know when the Lord will change her circumstances. But I know that He has changed her heart. I know that she has hope now in a place where there was none - hope in a God who loves her enough to lay down His life for her. Pray for her when you think of her - and pray for her husband. Pray that his eyes will be opened to see that which his heart is longing for.

"He heals the brokenhearted and binds their wounds." Psalm 147:3

Our friend Arlen joined us this last week to help in the clinics. We have known Arlen for many years and he always brings us encouragement and perspective. Times of worship are sweet and refreshing. He also comes to work so we planned a trip out to San Pedro when we learned that he was coming. Thursday, it was too cloudy to fly out early in the morning. So we waited until about 11 to cancel and reschedule for another day. 30 Minutes later they called from San Pedro to say that many people had arrived from the Coban area – a 4-5 hour walk. They asked us to just come and see those folks who had walked so far. So of course, we got into the plane and went out. We thought we would be able to finish quickly but more and more people trickled in and we (just three of us) saw over 120 people. It was incredibly hot and humid and we were completely exhausted when we returned home…just 5 minutes before the rains started here in Canilla.

Sunday’s clinic was very busy with many sick children. We have been seeing lots of children with pneumonia recently and they are so sick and often need to be in the hospital. Most of the time, they will not go so we pray and give what little help we can. As we ended the day, little Pedro came in. He is 15 months old and weighs just 7 pounds. I have never seen a baby so malnourished. He has, I think, Down’s Syndrome and cannot sit or roll over. He mom was gentle and quiet but did not seem overly concerned…just with the fact that his belly was so big. Pray for him when you can.

Monday we had the honor of joining with our friend Victor (who has the Drug and Alcohol Rehab center in Quiche) in a celebration of gratitude to God for the purchase of property where the new center will be built. We have known Victor for many years and a little over a year ago he began a ministry that God placed on his heart. He takes men literally off of the street, men who have no homes, men whom no one else cares about and takes them into the Center, helps them physically through detoxification and then gives them a Home. He shares the Gospel with them and becomes their “family.” We have watched God supply all that he needs to care for these men in miraculous ways and have helped in small ways as we can. And we have seen men’s lives changed. We are honored to be a very small part of what God is doing in these men’s lives.

And finally, on a personal note, our daughter Hannah announced this week her engagement to Matt Brouwer! She and Matt have been friends for several years and dating for several months now. Matt is a very talented musician and has a heart after God’s. We are pleased to know that he will be an official member of our family!

" Whenever you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior..." Isaiah 43:2,3.



We are so grateful to the LORD our God, who kept and protected David. Duane and I have agreed that seeing David lying unconscious, with his motorcycle on top of him, was probably one of the worst moments in all of our years as parents. And traveling to the City in the dark, trying to keep David from slipping back into unconsciousness, holding him as he vomited over and over again (a "danger"sign after a head injury) was one of the most frightening moments of my life. I knew that the emergency room staff was very concerned as well. But once again, God was faithful and so very good to us! David is completely back to normal.

Friday Duane and I were invited to attend a retreat with a group of pastors from Esquintla. Pastor Phil came, working with fellow missionaries, Don and Barb Castelbaum, and spoke to a group of about 50 about being a father to the church. It was excellent and really good to get to know Don and Barb. We flew back in to Canilla early Saturday morning for a very busy day of clinic. Duane flew back into the City with a woman who we think was having a heart attack. We spent many hours ministering physically and spiritually to a woman from one of the villages. She lost her husband 8 months ago when he took "veneno" (rat poisoning) and killed himself. It is fairly common here...for men here to commit suicide in this way. He left her with 4 young children and no way to feed them. She weighed about 70 pounds and unless God intervenes, those children will lose their mother as well. Please pray that she not only recovers physically but accepts the salvation that Jesus offers as well.

Sunday we were greeted by the one hundred people who had come for clinic the week before (when we were in the hospital with David). They all had their numbers and then those who came for a normal day of clinic as well. So we saw probably close to 150 people. I was thankful for the help of Jason (a visiting nurse practitioner) and Sally. She and her husband have come to live and work alongside of us for an indefinite period of time. They have been a huge blessing to us! And of course, I am so thankful to have Katie back. I realized during her time off after the birth of Anna, how much I have learned to depend on her. And I have learned as well the truth in the scripture that says that God will not send us more than we can endure. We were able to see all of those people and we hope that no one left without feeling better...whether from the medicine that they received or the prayers spoken over them.

We will fly out to San Pedro on Thursday for a day of clinic. It is so hot here, I cannot imagine how hot it will be there but weather permiting, we will go. One of the local volcanos has erupted a large cloud of dust and may make it impossible to fly for a while. Please pray, once again, that eyes will be opened to see the love of Jesus.