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Mercedes teaching the toddlers
at the safe house a new game. |
When we first got started on this whole missionary life back in 2009, we have often struggled with where we need to be. So many opportunities come our way each day, many of which are small with no lasting impact but on the rare occasion we face big ones. For Mandy and I, coming to Guatemala was a three year process in which we fought about where our purpose was in God's plan for us and our children. Through lots of prayer and discernment, we feel that we are supposed to be here and working with these awesome yet unwanted children.
I personally struggle playing my own devil's advocate. Unquestionably, I feel that working in Guatemala is our calling but what that work entails is not always so clear. Many days I pray to be productive or to find the right combination of 'works' to 'relationship'. What provides a better eternal impact? Giving to those in need? Being with those in need? Both?
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Taking on five girls full time in our home has
presented some challenges (to say the least). |
How does someone wade through all of the problems in the world and find one that they need to "fix" when so many problems are presented? For example, the children at the safe house need decent food, shelter, water, and a spiritual education. All of which we have been providing. However, some are learning English in school and need some support, babies need to be given more attention, some kids have speech therapy appointments, others want to learn how to craft, all of them need to get exercise and time out of the house, they need spiritual mentors, etc. Realistically I know we can't be all things to all people. Mandy and I are pulled in different directions to do what is 'best' for our family. Admittedly, we have made many mistakes and have questioned ourselves in the decision making process.
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My parents with Gabe and Mercedes ready
to do some trick or treating. |
To answer the blog title, I do not always think we are doing the right thing, but we do strive to do the best at what we can. I remember a conversation with my parents a couple years back while we were getting ready to go out for Halloween. Mom and Dad made a decision when I was about nine years old to stop going out for Halloween. Talk about torture, watching your friends enjoy the evening of collecting candy while we went to the mall to avoid the costumed kids knocking at our door. However, 24 years later my parents got dressed up at my house with my kids and went out to enjoy the evening of collecting treats. During that night, I jabbed at my parents that they had denied me a right of passage as a kid and here they are celebrating the holiday with my own. To which my Dad replied quickly and confidently that they were wrong and at times parents make mistakes. Nothing more than that. For me, my Dad demonstrated a lot of grace. He was not going beat himself up but stated where his decision wasn't the best and moved on.
I am thankful for the example my parents provided for me. With the various projects that we have completed here and the people that we have interacted with, we struggle to always see the benefit we hope to create. Where we need to be gracious with ourselves, is that our hearts are always in the best interest of those we work with. Continue to pray for us and those we work with as we desire to make positive and eternal change by doing the right thing.
Good morning, how are you?
ReplyDeleteMy name is Emilio, I am a Spanish boy and I live in a town near to Madrid. I am a very interested person in knowing things so different as the culture, the way of life of the inhabitants of our planet, the fauna, the flora, and the landscapes of all the countries of the world etc. in summary, I am a person that enjoys traveling, learning and respecting people's diversity from all over the world.
I would love to travel and meet in person all the aspects above mentioned, but unfortunately as this is very expensive and my purchasing power is quite small, so I devised a way to travel with the imagination in every corner of our planet. A few years ago I started a collection of used stamps because through them, you can see pictures about fauna, flora, monuments, landscapes etc. from all the countries. As every day is more and more difficult to get stamps, some years ago I started a new collection in order to get traditional letters addressed to me in which my goal was to get at least 1 letter from each country in the world. This modest goal is feasible to reach in the most part of countries, but unfortunately, it is impossible to achieve in other various territories for several reasons, either because they are very small countries with very few population, either because they are countries at war, either because they are countries with extreme poverty or because for whatever reason the postal system is not functioning properly.
For all this, I would ask you one small favor:
Would you be so kind as to send me a letter by traditional mail from Guatemala? I understand perfectly that you think that your blog is not the appropriate place to ask this, and even, is very probably that you ignore my letter, but I would call your attention to the difficulty involved in getting a letter from that country, and also I don’t know anyone neither where to write in Guatemala in order to increase my collection. a letter for me is like a little souvenir, like if I have had visited that territory with my imagination and at same time, the arrival of the letters from a country is a sign of peace and normality and an original way to promote a country in the world. My postal address is the following one:
Emilio Fernandez Esteban
Avenida Juan de la Cierva, 44
28902 Getafe (Madrid)
Spain
If you wish, you can visit my blog www.cartasenmibuzon.blogspot.com where you can see the pictures of all the letters that I have received from whole World.
Finally, I would like to thank the attention given to this letter, and whether you can help me or not, I send my best wishes for peace, health and happiness for you, your family and all your dear beings.
Yours Sincerely
Emilio Fernandez