Since we made the full-time move back to Guatemala in February, we have been relying on help from friends and cheap rentals when needed in order to get around and do all of the things we need to do. Our houseparents have a single cab pickup truck that their family of five goes to church in. They have another vehicle that is in the shop right now so for now their truck is it for them.
Jeff and Esther raised some of their personal support to purchase a Hyundai Terracan that they were able to purchase a little over a month ago. They got one with third row seating so that we can transport the girls along with Alberto and Rocsana to church on Sundays as well as any classes or activities during the week.
Sundays have been especially difficult trying to figure out how to get everyone to church so what we have been doing is making multiple trips. It has been working but also has been a real challenge. We had some money that had been previously given towards a vehicle but not enough for a decent one. Our friends from the First Baptist Church of Ark City asked us what needs we have and so we shared with them our need for a ministry vehicle that we could use to transport the girls. They came through in a huge way and, coupled with the other money, we were finally able to purchase a Kia Sorento Diesel SUV with third row seating just this past week. The girls were so excited that they wanted to with us when we finalized the deal on the vehicle. We had a blast and the girls all rode with me when we picked it up back to San Lucas. The Kia has a sunroof that opens up and so we did that and the girls just loved sticking their heads out on occasion while we were stopped in traffic. I really enjoyed watching them enjoy a vehicle that finally has the room to help them.
Needless to say we are deeply grateful for the people that we will probably never know that helped give to this need and help to meet it. So we give thanks and express gratefulness to God for how He touched people to help and give and we are asking God to bless them as only He can.
First item of business: I am planning a trip to Guatemala in September to begin doing several things. One of the primary things that we will be doing is looking for a Guatemalan house suitable enough to become the home and headquarters of what will be Rocsana’s Hope in Guatemala. We will be staying close to and looking in and around the city of San Lucas which is between Guatemala City and the City of Antigua. We have also been making connections and contacts with missionaries, ministries, and orphanages that we will network and partner with as we carry out the ministry of Rocsana’s Hope. There is much to do on this trip and we are looking forward to getting the ball rolling in on the ground in Guatemala.
Their names are Jeff and Esther McClaran. Jeff and I have been working together developing all of the foundational work that we are doing for Rocsana’s Hope. Jeff surrendered to go to the mission field when he was 14 years old. He went on a mission trip to China as a young man and met Esther, a Chinese National. On his mission trip a relationship formed and they later became married. Jeff has felt the call on his life to be a missionary his entire adult life. They have visited several areas, one of which is the country of Thailand. They have been praying about going to the mission field and they have been looking at Thailand as an option. Now that Jeff has been assisting us and helping us get the groundwork laid for Rocsana’s Hope, he has become open to the possibility that God may be calling his wife Esther and him to join Denise and I in our mission in Guatemala. Jeff will be making the next trip to Guatemala with me to visit the country, meet the nationals, see the culture, and meet the girls. He will also be prayerfully considering the decision that they face about where to serve on the mission field. Please pray for Jeff and Esther as they prayerfully consider where God is calling them and asking them to go, whether it be to Thailand or to join Denise and I in Guatemala. We are praying for both of them that God will give them discernment and make it very clear to them what they are supposed to do we ask that you pray for them as well.
Finally, the girls. I hear from at least one or both of them almost every day. Paola will even record her voice so we can hear it here in the US and send it to us telling us how much she loves and misses us and can’t wait for us to return. I know they are counting the days until our return and we ask that you continue to pray for both of them that God will encourage their hearts and give them the strength to continue walking with God. They are both so excited about our return to Guatemala and their part in the future of the ministry. Pray for us also that God will continue to open doors, blaze the trail, and prepare the way.