January 31, 2009

After a great day exploring the city of Antigua on Friday, the team spent the weekend ministering in San Andres Itzapa - a very poor community of around 22,000 people, near Chimaltenango.

When they arrived on Saturday, 50+ people were already there, lined up and waiting to see the doctor.  Dr. HuYoung & the nurses got set-up right away and started seeing patients.  Laurie King, a medical missionary in Chimaltenango, and her daughter came to join in as well. With their help, the team was able to see more than 70 people that first day.

Meanwhile, the Outreach team grabbed the parachute they had brought and immediately got all those waiting involved in playing some parachute games. Even the moms joined in the fun! Afterwards, with the street blocked off so cars wouldn’t come through, the group listened intently as the flannelgraph was used to teach about how Jesus had calmed the storm.  Then, the gospel was shared as they each made their own gospel bracelet.

On Sunday, our team had the privilege of attending a small church in Chimaltenango in the morning. Afterwards, they were able to visit the playground that was built by Kids Around the World in March 2006. What a joy it was to see several children playing there when the van pulled up! One of the fathers that was there with his kids said that everyday after school and on Sundays, if the sun is not too hot, there are always a swarm of kids playing there.

That afternoon the team again held a clinic in San Andres Itzapa. Because there were not enough translators available that day, a couple of the young people who were helping out with the clinic were asked to explain the meaning of each colored bead in the gospel bracelets, which they did very willingly (and well). Later the team learned that these young people themselves were not believers and had an opportunity to share more with them. Please keep Nelson and his sister in prayer as they contemplate the truth of the gospel they have heard and decide what they will do.

On Monday, the team headed back to the States – sad to leave the dear people they had been working with all week, but content and rejoicing in all of the ways they saw God working along the way.

Thank you for your prayers. Please continue to pray for the children of Guatemala.

Melanie Derr
Outreach Coordinator
Kids Around The World


January 30, 2009

God is good – all the time!

For their last day of ministry in Guatemala City, our team went to a pre-school for 125 children ages 2-6 years old. It did not take long for these kids to steal hearts!

The medical team went to work carefully examining each child, after gentling calming their fears.

Each class in the school had a turn with the Outreach team as well, where they were taught a lesson from the Bible, sang songs, and heard the gospel as they made bracelets with colored beads representing each facet of the gospel story. Just as the Shepherd called all of his friends together to celebrate when he found his lost sheep, we are sure there was a celebration in heaven as at least twenty more children prayed at accept Christ as their Savior!

Please pray for the workmen who stood outside the classroom window painting the ironworks. As the class went on, the team noticed that the men had stopped working and were completely engrossed in the Bible lesson and listened intently to the explanation of the gospel as it was given to the children. Of course, they each received a bracelet as well!

Friday morning, Dr HuYoung, a Pediatric Cardiologist, is met with a group of pediatricians and the Secretary of Health to share a presentation on Pediatric Advanced Life Support. Thankfully, they see and understand the life-saving difference this can make and arrangements are being made for them to receive the full training needed to start this in Guatemala. Praise the Lord!

The team is moving on to Antigua Friday afternoon to enjoy some freetime (aka – shopping), before holding clinics in the rural areas around Chimaltenango on Saturday and Sunday.

Once again, your prayers and support are much appreciated and even more importantly – greatly needed!  Thank you

God Bless,
Melanie Derr
Kids Around the World


January, 29. 2008 Update

Our team left Rockford and arrived in Guatemala City on Monday afternoon. They quickly got settled in and got ready to go to work the next day.

This week, the team has the opportunity to minister at 3 schools that were started by a foundation formed by the former First Lady of Guatemala, Patricia Arzu’.  Her desire was to provide a quality education, as well as food and medical attention for the neediest children in the city.  On Tuesday, the team went to a boys’ school and the medical team was able to exam around 70 children. One little boy was asked “Why do you look so sad today?” His heartbreaking answer? “Because my mama died and now I live with my grandmother. She cannot give me anything to eat. If I did not come to this school where they feed us, I would not have any food.”

The outreach team shared the gospel by having the children make a “gospel bracelet.”  It was a striking moment when they were explaining the meaning of the different colored beads. The black bead stands for sin. When these 8 year old boys were asked to give examples of sin in our lives, their answers came back “murder,” “rape,” “theft,” “beating someone up,” and “dealing drugs.”  A vivid picture of the kind of environment in which these kids live.

Many of these children live in an area of the city known as “The Dump.”  This area is notorious for being a very poor and dangerous place to live.  The team had the opportunity to visit a daycare center there which services over 400 infants and toddlers so that their mothers can work to get food for their families. This center was started after our former President George H.W. Bush came for a visit and was moved to do something to help these people with this need.

Today, the team headed to another school. This time, it was all girls. The nurses shared afterward how these young ladies just seemed to soak in and appreciate any attention the team was able to give them.  The Outreach team shared with the students how God changed the heart of a man named Zaccheus in the Bible and explained that He is able to do the same thing in our lives when we put our faith in Him to cleanse us from our sin.  By far, the greatest blessing of the day was witnessing to approximately 35 of these beautiful girls praying as they put their faith in Christ and His salvation!

Praise the Lord with us and please continue to pray for us as we continue to minister to the precious kids in Guatemala!

God Bless,
Melanie Derr
Kids Around the World

Guatemala Medical KIDS Clinic and Outreach January 2009