ICH News     Fall 2012      also        Preview of ministry plans 2013

Thank you for your ongoing interest in International Christian Hospice work around the world.  God is blessing and multiplying the seeds we are honored to plant in His name!

Guatemala Ministry

As happens so often, God’s plan for us differs from what we have on the agenda.  Because of a regional outbreak of Dengue Fever we were unable to go to Hospital Cristiana Santa Fe and work with Dr. Sergio.  There were over 1,000 cases reported, some deaths, and Dr. Sergio and Veronica his wife also contracted dengue.  God was faithful and answered many of our prayers and they now have regained their health and have returned to their home and “jungle hospitalito” to serve their people.  We are looking forward to ministry opportunities with them in 2013 and will be listing ICH trips later in this post.  If you are interested we have a short write up about Dr. Sergio that we can send to you to describe the ongoing projects that you or your church group could plug into.  Please let us know of any interest, it is very worthwhile!

We’d like to mention a ministry that we just became acquainted with called Potter’s House.  Edgar and Gladys Guitz, native Guatemalans, have been working for 25 years in Guatemala City with people who live in and work in the city dump.  WWW.pottershouse.org.gt will give you more information about this unique outreach.   ICH is looking forward in this coming year of partnering with these folks.  The work they are doing is a testimony to God’s life transforming power!

Rich and Barbara Banis, who are also ICH missionaries, flew into Guatemala to join us for 2 very busy weeks of ministry.  We enjoyed a time of fellowship with Dennis and Cindy McCutcheon who run the Vine International warehouse in the City.  They receive containers shipped from Tennessee with medical equipment and supplies donated for over 120 mission and medical clinics all over Guatemala.  The current project we assisted with was assembling wheelchairs to be ready for use.  Go to The End of the Pipeline to read their news and how their very vital work is growing. 

Last year we began working with Sonia Rivera who has opened 7 homes for the aging, Mi Dulce Refugio, throughout Guatemala (www.asocdulcerefugio.org).  I quote her in saying “Our Heavenly Father has permitted us this beautiful job of serving elders who are in need.”   We and the Banis’s have now partnered with 5 of these facilities.  It is a very full day’s drive from Guatemala City to the Peten (far northeast region) of Guatemala.  We stayed in guest housing of El Calvario, Calvary International, www.gotonations.org , in San Benito.  From there we ministered to 3 different facilities, housing about 200 elderly people.  We were so blessed to provide encouragement and end-of-life hospice training for 50 workers and staff who are committed first to our Lord then to providing a sweet refuge for these  needy and homeless folks.  One extra ministry we enjoy that really gets us in touch with the people is the eye screening for reading glasses.  The smiles are worth a thousand words!  We can’t tell you how grateful the workers were to hear our session on “Compassion Fatigue” and to know that we came from so far to encourage them in their usually thankless work.  The monetary compensation they receive is very small, if anything, but each of them are committed to the dear elders which they affectionately call “grandparents”. 

If you have ever imaged the perfect setting for an orphanage we think we found it.  While in the Peten we drove to Rio Dulce.  This river flows out of Guatemala, borders the south of Belise then empties into the Caribbean.  What a lovely, tropical place for Rays of Hope Orphanage.  Mike and Karen Rhea, who serve with Calvary Chapel, have a ranch style home, and 9 very special children.  They range in age from 5 to 16 and are unfortunately, for different reasons, unadoptable.  The home is on 10 acres which they farm raising horses, sheep and chickens.   Besides this working ranch Mike and Karen have extended ministry in a medical clinic, aid to the disabled and organizing the Calvary Chapel Church on their property with the home for children.   We were able to offer an eye screening clinic for the local community there at the church/ranch.  It was a great opportunity to join with the Rheas in serving in their mission field.  Karen told us their plans to open a home for unwed mothers. Please pray with them for more missionary staff to help with the growing work.  www.rayodeesperanza.org to learn more about them. 

    Returning to Honduras

We take so many things for granted in our lives, for example dental care.  The Lord impressed upon us that ICH has another opportunity to bless our friends Dennis and Maria and their children by arranging dental care for them while we were in Honduras.  We picked them up one afternoon and took them to Dr. Claudia Zalaya who has a dental practice in La Ceiba.  In fact she has given us, and many other missionaries, excellent dental care with her very up-to-date equipment over the past 5 years.  Franklin (13 years old), Edgar (11 years old) and Rosa (9 years old) had never been to a dentist but we were amazed at their excitement and pleasure to sit in the dental chair for their exams and cleaning.  Yes, unfortunately, many cavities were discovered, but Dr. Claudia scheduled each of them for more appointments for the required fillings and ongoing dental care education.  She emailed us later that she allowed Edgar to assist her as she did Franklin’s fillings.  We never know how something so simple can change a life!  She also told us in her email that her husband and family have joined in ministering to this very needy family by providing clothing and other basic things they need.  A special thank you to Dr. Claudia for her compassion and her offer to cover half of the expenses for the dental care herself.

Back in the U.S.

Fall is the time when we have the blessing of returning to our sending church, Biltmore Baptist, in Asheville, N.C., for “Compel 2012” Missions Emphasis.   What an encouragement to spend time with people who are praying for and supporting us as we continue ICH around the world.  Thank you Pastor Kelvin Moseley and all who lead BBC to reach out into the world with the Gospel!  We look forward to the upcoming opportunities to work with teams in Guatemala in 2013.

Thank you also to Bob Slaney for the invitation to “Christ for the World” Mission Conference November  2012 in Smithfield, N.C.  We look forward to participating by sharing about our Christian Hospice work with indigenous people in Central America. It will be great also to visit with family who live in Smithfield, Susan’s cousins Jane and Paul Embler, as well as Chris and Rachel Embler serving in Youth Ministry on Top Sail Island.  We hope to hear more about how God is leading Chris and Rachel since their 2 year walk of faith from North Carolina to Peru. 

2013 Mission Opportunities  (Please pray with us as we plan this coming year’s work!)

Ministry trip to Guadalajara and Cabo, Mexico to work with Pastor Carlos and Sandy Rios.  We will be partnering with 2 young churches and also teaching in a Bible Institute.

Ministry trips to Central America with focus on the indigenous people in Guatemala, Hospital Santa Fe and My Sweet Refuge Homes for the aging.

What are you praying about doing on mission in 2013?  Please consider working with International Christian Hospice as we go beyond the borders of the U.S.  Feel free to call us or email about any interest you may have in these areas of ministry.