Here is a video from the morning I was out at recess with the kids from La Verbena School, here at my office.
Video of Kids at Recess
Pile of Desks
This ugly pile of desks sitting in front of our central office (waiting to be taken away) is the result of what some of you may remember seeing in AMG´s monthly newsletter. ( I hope you´re reading it!!!) I remember month after month, in the section called ¨partnership opportunities¨, seeing the request for donations to purchase desks in Guatemala. Well, we have now replaced the terribly worn old desks in 8 of our schools across the country...It was kindof exciting to see this pile as I walked around our property here, after having seen that little ad each month for so long! I noticed that some that were still useable had been pulled to the side and given a nice fresh coat of paint... in pursuit of using all of our resources with the very best of stewardship!
Thank you to everyone who sent in money to provide new desks for our children here! We still have hundreds more to replace, so I look forward to seeing many more piles of old desks in the future!
Some pictures from this week.
I went out and visited with some our kids at recess the other day and Bob took some pictures. The children are so precious and are just hungry for attention... I think especially from Men, as many of these children have no fathers in their home. I was so impressed with how are teachers relate with the children, play with them and seem to really enjoy being with them...such blessings!
Being able to walk out my office door and see the fruit of this ministry is truly special.
Child Sponsorship
I am truly amazed at what we provide here at AMG for a mere $28 per month sponsorship. I think if you could experience how souls are saved, lives changed and needs provided, you too would join me in sponsoring a child...or maybe more than 1!
$28 per month provides a child from the poorest of poor neighborhoods here in Guatemala an education, daily food, clothing and love. More importantly than all these vital physical needs we share the truth of Christ and train them through God´s word.
If you are interested in sponsoring one of our kids, please visit my website www.thedennetts.org and click on ¨Child Sponsorship¨ at the top. You will be redirected to AMG´s website and given information on how to sponsor a child in Guatemala.
One day you might even be able to come visit us and your sponsored child! It is one of the great pleasures we get to experience in our work...introducing sponsors to their children...face to face!
Please consider it!
Life in Guatemala
So sorry to be so long in posting! As you can imagine we have had our hands full getting settled, fighting a terrible virus, the kids starting school and me starting at the AMG office...so much new! We have been trying to take one step at a time so as to not get too overwhelmed by it all!
We are here! After so much work and preparations we cannot believe we are actually living and working in Guatemala. The Hastings family has been such a wonderful blessing to us...they prepared our home for us, took us shopping for basics and made what could have been a very difficult transition such a pleasure. Thank you so much Bob, Robin and Family!!!! God has blessed us so much with our home here, our children´s quick adjustment to their school and my transition into work. Our house is in the suburbs of Guatemala City and only about 20 minutes from Antigua...a beautiful colonial city that will be perfect for short escapes from the city. We are surrounded by mountains and volcanoes so the landscape is so enjoyable. The children are attending the Christian Academy of Guatemala which is only 1 block from our house...another incredible blessing! They love the school and have made great friends already with both Guatemalan and other missionary kids.
We are really enjoying finally being settled somewhere. This is the first time in several years we felt like we were laying some roots and could call someplace home. I have worked 7 days now at the office and am beginning to get a feel for this complicated ministry! I am amazed at what we do here with such limited funding, small staff and so many children! The team in our office is amazing...the majority of them could be earning more in the private sector but choose to come here every day in order to serve the Lord here. I can´t wait to share the fruit of the ministry with you all as I experience it each day. Yesterday I was introduced and got to welcome 500 primary aged students to their first day of school... it was great seeing them in their new uniforms, shoes and backpacks (provided by AMG) and their incredible excitement at being back at school... I think many of them would rather be here than anywhere else! It was also nice seeing many improvements since I was last here...fresh paint in some classrooms, a new computer lab for the kids to learn computation and a fully functioning dental clinic with a dentist. (on my first visit here they were just building the clinic.)
We still have much to learn, so much to experience here and more settling to do...but we´re here! Many many thanks to all those who have helped us to get here...supporting us with your prayers, your finances and so much encouragement... you are such blessings to us.
Christmas at My Sisters
We have had a wonderful time here at my sister Bridget's in Maine! We prayed for snow and we got plenty. The kids have had a ball playing in it. Thank you Troy and Bridget for making us feel so at home! The video is a short clip of Christmas morning with all 10 kids and the four of us. What a special Christmas!
We're Done!
This has indeed been an emotional month for our family. A year of hard work, solid friendships and lots of learning has come to a close. We are so grateful that we had the opportunity to come here, to learn spanish (and alot of other things too!) and to meet people that will be serving the Lord all over the world! Mary and I each had 900 hours of class time! We want to thank everyone who helped us to be here this year... without your support and prayers this could have never happened! Glory to God! The pictures below are from this last month...our graduation and some of the kids activities as well.
Blessings Abound
Saturday night Abbie and I walked down the main drag to Mega Super, our local grocery store. We purchased a few things and I paid for them. My wallet snaps onto my belt and then flips inside my pants in order to conceal it. I apparently failed to flip it back in...leaving it hanging on my waist. We left the store and then walked down a dark street to drop Abbie off at youth group at an area ministry called the AMCA house. I then walked home and then discovered that my wallet was missing!!! I was just sick over it! I immediately retraced my steps with a flashlight...several times, with no luck. I returned home and cancelled my credit cards and then contemplated how I would handle replacing my drivers license, when I no longer live in Maine, my scuba license, various membership club cards, ect... aghghgh! I was very mad at myself and in a bit of a panic until I remembered a visiting pastor here telling us to NEVER PANIC... God's will is perfect. I thought "how ridiculous of me to panic and worry!" I then prayed that God would deliver my wallet into the hands of a christian... honestly thinking that the chances of that were quite slim and that God must have had a different plan in all this.
Well, last night we had the Diems, the Wilson's and a few neighbors over for a litte party and who called but the Director of our school. She informed me that a wonderful Christian woman had called her, from her church, after having found a wallet which contained among many things, my student i.d. card with a number to the institute. I called their cell phone and they are returning it to me tomorrow night after a bible study. God is so good! I need to learn never to panic...God is in control and has always been so good to me.
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