International Christian Hospice News Letter June-August 2011
June
Thanks to everyone for your encouragement as we prepared for our upcoming ministry time in Guatemala. Many of you helped us to collect reading glasses, medical supplies and children’s supplies for VBS in Central America. We were blessed by willing volunteers who are preparing to be a part of three teams that will join us in Guatemala and Honduras over the next two months. Special thanks to Dr. Steven Satterfield for glasses, cases and eye drop donations. Also we are looking forward to using the new “culturally specific” Bible story book created by Brian and Ann Keay with Truth Action Ministry.
Thanks to everyone for your encouragement as we prepared for our upcoming ministry time in Guatemala. Many of you helped us to collect reading glasses, medical supplies and children’s supplies for VBS in Central America. We were blessed by willing volunteers who are preparing to be a part of three teams that will join us in Guatemala and Honduras over the next two months. Special thanks to Dr. Steven Satterfield for glasses, cases and eye drop donations. Also we are looking forward to using the new “culturally specific” Bible story book created by Brian and Ann Keay with Truth Action Ministry.
This month God answered a prayer we have been praying for several years. State Street Baptist Church of Cayce, S.C. sent a team to Trujillo Peru in June. This was not just any mission team but a very special one. Mary Ann Dowd, an operating room nurse, contacted us this spring requesting Hospice training for herself and her mission team. Before we met Mary Ann God had given her the desire to help a mission hospital in Trujillo establish hospice under the leadership of retired missionaries Rodolph and Mae Dixon It was our delight to help prepare the team for this task by sharing ICH concepts and materials with them. Once again God opened a new door as these new friends joined ICH in pioneering work. It has been a dream of ours to offer ICH as another tool for mission teams to take as they follow God anywhere in the world. Upon returning Mary Ann excitedly shared with us that ICH was embraced with open arms by the national Peruvian believers. They are organizing this work to go out into their surrounding villages with practical knowledge that will bring comfort in Jesus Christ to people who are dying and their families. We continue to pray along with State Street Baptist Church for God’s ongoing work in Trujillo, Peru. July
The coffee lands of Guatemala welcomed us with our first team. Deanie Shelton from Lexington, S.C. and Kara Meeuwsen, who is a student at Seteca in Guatemala City, traveled to Chocola with us. Here we spent a week at a mission Hospital Santa Fe run by Dr. Sergio Castillo. It is a place that serves the poor people of this region, particularly the indigenous Mayans. Here is a sketch of ministry opportunities in which God allowed us participate.
· Vision screening clinic for reading glasses and consult with 40 people
· VBS for 100 children in the local village
· Bible/Gospel presentations in grades 4,5 and 6 in the highland indigenous school of 85 children
· Hospice training seminar for Presbyterian Quiche (key-chay) Pastor Association
Private counseling sessions with a grieving father and a 20 year old girl anticipating surgery for a brain tumor
· Hospice home visits in village homes
On Sunday evening we were invited to worship with Quiche believers in a highland village. We couldn’t refuse their request to participate in the service by the ladies singing and Ron sharing a message from the Word. Near the end of the service the Pastor was summoned away because a dear 95 year old sister in the church had died in her home. It is their custom that the body is kept at home for 24 hours then taken to the church in a wooden box and buried after the funeral service. During the 24 hour wake friends and family keep vigil over the body at the bedside with the family. It was a privilege that we were invited to go to Anna’s home along with most of the church members after the service. We all trekked through the village and over the footpath to offer our support to Anna’s family. The small dirt floor home was crowded with sympathetic folks. It
· Hospice home visits in village homes
On Sunday evening we were invited to worship with Quiche believers in a highland village. We couldn’t refuse their request to participate in the service by the ladies singing and Ron sharing a message from the Word. Near the end of the service the Pastor was summoned away because a dear 95 year old sister in the church had died in her home. It is their custom that the body is kept at home for 24 hours then taken to the church in a wooden box and buried after the funeral service. During the 24 hour wake friends and family keep vigil over the body at the bedside with the family. It was a privilege that we were invited to go to Anna’s home along with most of the church members after the service. We all trekked through the village and over the footpath to offer our support to Anna’s family. The small dirt floor home was crowded with sympathetic folks. It
was hot and humid due to the regular afternoon jungle rain and the cooking fire. We were ushered in to a place of honor to sit on a low, rough, wood bench and the Pastor offered a prayer. On the other side of the room the family parted and we saw a small form lying under a brightly colored blanket on a narrow bed. As is the custom everyone prayed aloud with the Pastor, the women in a high wailing tone. By that time we, along with everyone in the room, had noticed that Anna’s blanket was moving and a small, boney hand was emerging. Susan joined her daughters at her bedside to hold her trembling, cool hand. Her daughter explained that she did not respond to them today and they thought she had died. They were expecting this since Anna had been sleeping almost constantly and only taking sips of liquid from the corner of a small cloth for 7 days. She opened her eyes only briefly as her daughter offered the cloth dipped in water to gently moistened Anna’s mouth. She slowly relaxed and drifted into a peaceful sleep again. With the help of a translator Susan was able to make suggestions and explain what the family could expect as Anna moved closer to death. It was obvious that they were giving her constant, tender care. Everyone could feel the comfort of God’s Spirit surrounding us as we put our arms around the tearful family and said a short prayer before we left.Addendum: Anna went to be with the Lord three days following our visit. We ask that you pray for those who will always miss her.
Some parts of our ICH ministry is so sacred we scarcely believe the privilege we are given. We will never forget another experience we had this week.
We heard that 86 year old Pastor Calel was homebound and declining with kidney failure. Pastor Eligio told us the amazing story of Pastor Calel in his early days. He was the first Quiche believer to come to this region with the Gospel 40 years earlier. The people were devout to their Mayan superstitions and beliefs. They attempted to run him off by throwing rocks at him. They did everything to make him go back to where he came from. But slowly, after many months, one and then two people began to listen to his Gospel message. Calel’s family settled in the village and a small home church meeting 
began. One by one people began to open their hearts to his message of God’s love and place their faith in His Son, Jesus. Pastor Eligio, as well as many of the younger Pastors, came to faith in Christ through Calel’s ministry and today they lead 16 churches in the Quiche regional association. We were honored to visit with this great pioneer of the Gospel. His wife and four adult children greeted us and Pastor Calel was resting on a plastic outdoor chaise in his living room. He was suffering with swelling from his toes to his waistline and the diuretics he had received from the clinic were 
no longer effective. Pastor Calel seemed to be tiring so we asked him one final question: would he like to share a message with us from the Bible? The transformation was remarkable! He rose to sit on the side of his chair and his face lit up in animation. Kara, our translator, knelt by his side to be sure that she, nor we, would miss anything he would say. He began weaving the beautiful story of God’s love and plan of redemption starting in the Garden of Eden. He told of God’s new beginning for mankind after the flood then of God’s message through the prophets that a redeemer would come to the world. His eyes glistened while he preached on about Jesus our Savior and then the early church and apostles who laid the foundation of our faith today. The hushed crowd in the room grew as others from the community and church joined us to hear Pastor Calel’s powerful message that encompassed the entire Bible. He finally turned to Kara, still kneeling at his side. He gently placed both of his rough, brown hands on her head. As she bowed her head he leaned over and kissed the top of her head as a sign of blessing and gratitude. We were awed that God allowed us to hear what was probably Pastor Calel’s final sermon. As we were leaving he held Deanie’s hand and together they sang “I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy, down in my heart”. 
It was a beautiful duet of praise and testimony in Quiche and English!Addendum: On Sunday, August 21, 2011, Pastor Calel went to be with the Lord. His friends told us that he talked to the family earlier that day instructing them not to be sad when he died because he was going to be with His Savior that day!
August…..
We owe a huge thank you to our next team, Don and Sue Smith, Linda Lovern and Linda Gill from Lexington, S.C. Eva Aguilar, a seminary student at Seteca served as our translator this week. It was a beautiful trip from Guatemala City up to Quetzaltenango (Xela or shala to the Mayans) between the steaming volcanoes at 8,000 ft. Don’t worry, it is a normal and good thing if they are venting and releasing steam. We spent a jam packed week presenting 6 ICH training seminars in 5 days. Here is a list of the opportunities we had.
· Traveling to a Highland Mam (Mayan dialect group) village and teaching a group of 30 CHE or Community Health Educators/Evangelists. They work scattered throughout the highlands for a Christian organization.
· Traveling in another direction to teach Highland Quiche (key-chay) CHE workers. 45 people gathered and welcomed our team into a village home for the day.
· Teaching a morning and evening session to students at Hands that Help and Harvest Bible Seminary in Xela.
· Traveling to a coastal Quiche village to teach more CHE workers and Pastors.
· Eye clinics for reading glasses in all 3 locations.
· Traveling back toward the capital to give training, support and
encouragement to staff at a newly established facility for elderly, “My Sweet Refuge”.
We were thrilled with the results of this week that 166 people from 54 different churches have received Christian Hospice training. Many of these people are Pastors, church leaders, medical workers and students. They represent three Mayan dialect groups: Quiche, Mam and Quetchekal.
You can imagine that we spent much time on the road to cover this much territory. We are here to testify that we know that God is
answering the prayers of all of you who are lifting us up for safety in travel. It is the rainy season and flooding is common. As we were returning to Xela from the coast we drove through a particularly huge storm. The driving rain soon overwhelmed the shallow, roadside ditches and flowed across the road. For fear of getting stuck behind smaller vehicles that were stalling we eased into a flooded river crossing. We were following a 4x4 truck with enough clearance so felt that if he could make it so could our Ford Escape. We could hear the sound of waves against the sides and undercarriage of the car as Ron excellerated. He didn’t dare stop now, we were committed. A 
few tense moments later we began to emerge onto higher ground. Everyone breathed a collective sigh and lifted praise to God!
We’d like to share one final story of how God honors ICH ministry with unique opportunities. We are often given the privilege of walking with those who are often forgotten.
“I can’t believe he is really gone! He said he was going to work, just like he always does on Saturday.” The shock and disbelief of Anna’s fresh grief broke our hearts. Her 17 year old son had left home that morning as usual. His friends returned in the evening with news that he had gone to the beach with them that day, instead of work, and drowned and his body could not be found. How do you comfort a mother? How can we understand the life she tried to make for her two sons? When they were young she came to the Capital from a Quiche village. Her plan was to give them an education and a better life. Somehow she found herself, her sister and brother-in-law living together and trying to provide for the two boys. Their home, of 15 years, is a 10x12 house made of tin in the city dump.
Her older son returned to their 
indigenous village and married but the younger son stayed with his mom in the city where he has grown up. “He was a good boy, made good grades in high school and had a job. He trusted in Jesus and we went to church all the time.” Jesus is the Way Baptist Church is only a few blocks away from over 300 families who make up a village inside the dump. Pastor Saul told us that many of these families, including Anna’s, attend his church and receive medical care by his wife who is a doctor. He also provides pure drinking water through a filtration system installed in the church 
by a mission team. We were honored to see Pastor Saul’s ministry firsthand when we 
visited Anna at her home in the dump. After listening to her story and praying for her we set up an appointment for the next evening with one of our Lexington Team members. Linda Gill is a nurse and licensed psychological counselor who specializes in life losses. It is just like our heavenly Father to bring Linda to Guatemala to be able to minister to His dear, grieving child Anna. It was not too difficult for Him to bridge the language barrier with translators from English to Spanish as we counseled with her. We also believe He directed our path to intersect with Pastor Saul. We praise God for this example of national believers who are giving their lives in service to their own people. Pastor Saul is offering education and 2 meals a day to children from the dump village for $4.00 a month per child. 
Everything he is doing involves reaching out in Jesus’ name. We look forward to the future opportunity of ICH training for his church members in the area of hospice and grief care.
Addendum: Two weeks later, in a phone call to follow up with Anna, we learned that the church took Anna and her family to the shore for a memorial service for her son. She is still grieving and will always miss her son but we heard that she is “doing a little better.” Please remember her in your prayers.
As always we thank you for following our news of how God is using ICH to minister to people around the world. We look forward to
continuing our August report from Central America in another entry.
God bless you and yours!
Serving in His Grace,
We owe a huge thank you to our next team, Don and Sue Smith, Linda Lovern and Linda Gill from Lexington, S.C. Eva Aguilar, a seminary student at Seteca served as our translator this week. It was a beautiful trip from Guatemala City up to Quetzaltenango (Xela or shala to the Mayans) between the steaming volcanoes at 8,000 ft. Don’t worry, it is a normal and good thing if they are venting and releasing steam. We spent a jam packed week presenting 6 ICH training seminars in 5 days. Here is a list of the opportunities we had.
· Traveling to a Highland Mam (Mayan dialect group) village and teaching a group of 30 CHE or Community Health Educators/Evangelists. They work scattered throughout the highlands for a Christian organization.
· Traveling in another direction to teach Highland Quiche (key-chay) CHE workers. 45 people gathered and welcomed our team into a village home for the day.
· Teaching a morning and evening session to students at Hands that Help and Harvest Bible Seminary in Xela.
· Traveling to a coastal Quiche village to teach more CHE workers and Pastors.
· Eye clinics for reading glasses in all 3 locations.
· Traveling back toward the capital to give training, support and
encouragement to staff at a newly established facility for elderly, “My Sweet Refuge”.We were thrilled with the results of this week that 166 people from 54 different churches have received Christian Hospice training. Many of these people are Pastors, church leaders, medical workers and students. They represent three Mayan dialect groups: Quiche, Mam and Quetchekal.
You can imagine that we spent much time on the road to cover this much territory. We are here to testify that we know that God is
answering the prayers of all of you who are lifting us up for safety in travel. It is the rainy season and flooding is common. As we were returning to Xela from the coast we drove through a particularly huge storm. The driving rain soon overwhelmed the shallow, roadside ditches and flowed across the road. For fear of getting stuck behind smaller vehicles that were stalling we eased into a flooded river crossing. We were following a 4x4 truck with enough clearance so felt that if he could make it so could our Ford Escape. We could hear the sound of waves against the sides and undercarriage of the car as Ron excellerated. He didn’t dare stop now, we were committed. A 
few tense moments later we began to emerge onto higher ground. Everyone breathed a collective sigh and lifted praise to God!We’d like to share one final story of how God honors ICH ministry with unique opportunities. We are often given the privilege of walking with those who are often forgotten.
“I can’t believe he is really gone! He said he was going to work, just like he always does on Saturday.” The shock and disbelief of Anna’s fresh grief broke our hearts. Her 17 year old son had left home that morning as usual. His friends returned in the evening with news that he had gone to the beach with them that day, instead of work, and drowned and his body could not be found. How do you comfort a mother? How can we understand the life she tried to make for her two sons? When they were young she came to the Capital from a Quiche village. Her plan was to give them an education and a better life. Somehow she found herself, her sister and brother-in-law living together and trying to provide for the two boys. Their home, of 15 years, is a 10x12 house made of tin in the city dump.
Her older son returned to their 
indigenous village and married but the younger son stayed with his mom in the city where he has grown up. “He was a good boy, made good grades in high school and had a job. He trusted in Jesus and we went to church all the time.” Jesus is the Way Baptist Church is only a few blocks away from over 300 families who make up a village inside the dump. Pastor Saul told us that many of these families, including Anna’s, attend his church and receive medical care by his wife who is a doctor. He also provides pure drinking water through a filtration system installed in the church 
by a mission team. We were honored to see Pastor Saul’s ministry firsthand when we 
visited Anna at her home in the dump. After listening to her story and praying for her we set up an appointment for the next evening with one of our Lexington Team members. Linda Gill is a nurse and licensed psychological counselor who specializes in life losses. It is just like our heavenly Father to bring Linda to Guatemala to be able to minister to His dear, grieving child Anna. It was not too difficult for Him to bridge the language barrier with translators from English to Spanish as we counseled with her. We also believe He directed our path to intersect with Pastor Saul. We praise God for this example of national believers who are giving their lives in service to their own people. Pastor Saul is offering education and 2 meals a day to children from the dump village for $4.00 a month per child. 
Everything he is doing involves reaching out in Jesus’ name. We look forward to the future opportunity of ICH training for his church members in the area of hospice and grief care.Addendum: Two weeks later, in a phone call to follow up with Anna, we learned that the church took Anna and her family to the shore for a memorial service for her son. She is still grieving and will always miss her son but we heard that she is “doing a little better.” Please remember her in your prayers.
As always we thank you for following our news of how God is using ICH to minister to people around the world. We look forward to
continuing our August report from Central America in another entry.God bless you and yours!
Serving in His Grace,
Ron and Susan
