A different perspective . . .

As we look back over the year and all that the Lord has done at Redeemer's House, I wanted to get some feedback from some of you that have visited us in Guatemala. I wanted the rest of you to hear from someone other than me about what it looks like to serve the poor. My new and dear friend Rebecca Radicchi agreed to write about her visit earlier this summer. You can read more about Rebecca and her family on her blog.

Food, education, clothing, shelter, health care.  The needs of the poor are many.  Redeemer’s House International has chosen to impact the poor by investing in some of Guatemala’s most vulnerable, at-risk families.  They seek to build relationships that transform lives through the love of Christ. 

Most of the families within their adopt-a-family program are single mothers like Lucia.  She is a tiny woman who walks the streets of Panajachel selling souvenirs.  Carrying a large cloth sack full of her wares, she finds an open spot on the street.  Laying out her bookmarks, blankets and purses, she can only hope to draw the attention of a shopper. She lives on the edge of survival, hoping each day only to feed her children. A sickness, storm or slow selling season threatens her ability to care for her kids.

Lucia selling her Guatemalan wares.

While serving alongside Redeemer’s House this past summer, we visited several families like Lucia’s.   With a small bag of rice, beans, fruit and veggies in hand, we visited as friends.  Though we walked into homes where three kids slept on a stack of cardboard boxes, where rain poured in through cracks in ceilings, where there was no electricity and no water, we honored their lives and their homes.  Though everything in us wanted to start making shopping lists and organizing building teams, we simply connected and made sure they had food for dinner.

Truly this was a trip of both the mind and the heart for me.  God had things to show me.  My heart, heavy with memories of poverty seen on other mission trips in other places, has been processing how to serve without hurting.  With Redeemer’s House, I saw this in action.  Knowing that Christ alone can redeem, we fought the urge to play savior.  Knowing that our help could create competition between families and neighbors, we met needs carefully.  Not wanting to put local businesses out of jobs by bringing suitcases of clothes, shoes and gifts, we gave only ourselves.  Not wanting to create non-sustainable dependence, we brought food for only a few meals. 

This ministry does meet some tangible needs for their families.  During our stay, food and water filters were distributed, medicine bought, a kitchen table constructed, money donated to pay for a surgery, and a single mother was moved into a better living situation.  Yet these things too were done carefully, without the intention of “fixing”.  Ultimately, our hope was that the poor of Guatemala see God as provider, as healer, as their hope.   Our desire was to serve only in ways that pointed them to Jesus.  

a peek into a Guatemalan home

Looking into the eyes of the poor, empties me.  Walking the streets in Panajachel refocused my heart, off of myself, and onto to Jesus.  I was reminded that I can’t seem to fix myself, and that I certainly am incapable of fixing the hurting with a suitcase of shoes.  Spending the week doing ministry with the Radfords was an opportunity to serve in a new way, carrying only the hope of the gospel and a willingness to pour ourselves out for one another.  It was a game changer. 

"Our relationship with the materially poor should be one in which we recognize that both of us are broken and that both of us need the blessing of reconciliation. Our perspective should be less about how we are going to fix the materially poor and more about how we can walk together, asking God to fix us both."
-from When Helping Hurts by Fikkert & Corbett

Rebecca and her new girlfriends!

Thank you, Rebecca for sharing your thoughtful insights. Can't wait to serve side by side again. 

Restoration - Part 1

At the beginning of August, we celebrated our two year anniversary of being in Guatemala. On September 15th, we will celebrate the one year anniversary of launching Redeemer’s House International. I thought it might be a good time to share a few our of restoration stories.

Katarina, Debora and Giovani

In October, we met Katarina, a single mom who struggles to feed, clothe and educate her three children. She was abandoned by her husband when she was expecting her youngest daughter, Debora. She has very little education and work skills. Sometimes she washes laundry or make fresh hot tortillas to sell. Neither of these jobs can adequately provide for her family. She barely earns more than $1 a day.

When she earns that $1, she has to put $0.66 towards her rent. That only leaves $0.44 per day to buy food and basic necessities. What does that $0.66 a day get her? It gets her an 8x8 room, without windows or ventilation, an outdoor kitchen area, a fenced yard for the kids to play, an open well and a latrine. It does not get her running water or electricity. She must buy or scavenge wood for cooking. She borrows water from neighbors or walks to the local municipal water source. It takes time and energy to acquire these basic needs.

She often leaves the children unattended while she works. Their lack of proper supervision leads to some behavioral and educational problems. The lack of hygiene and adequate nutrition causes frequent illnesses, yet they have limited access to medical care or treatment. There are so many things going awry, how do we get started? Where does one begin to help or make a difference?

We begin with caution, discernment, prayer and conversation. We ask about their greatest felt needs. I don’t want to assume that what I see as the greatest needs are the same as what she sees. I don’t want to reinforce the perception of being the all-knowing gringa with power and money, here to rescue her from poverty or from herself. Where is the dignity in that? Sometimes, this is so hard for me. But I have learned I don’t always know what’s best for Katarina and her kids.

For example, when we first visited Katarina’s house, I was plagued by thoughts of her children falling in the open well and drowning. I was determined to do something about making a safer environment for the kids. It was obvious that Katarina was more concerned about other things - like not starving. After we got to know her better, we offered to build a well-cover (Add link here) for her. She was happy to let us do that, but EVERY single time we visited her, the well cover was wide open - which sort of defeats the purpose of building it to keep the kids out. 

I wanted to make a safer environment for Katarina’s kids. Yet my answer to the problem eventually became a literal burden. Katarina decided to move to a different house. That well cover was her property and she wanted to keep it. So, she busted it apart and physically carried it across town to her new house. A short time later, she moved back to her original house. She again carried the boards across town. Of course, now it is useless for anything except firewood and the well remains open. My “solution” to the “problem” didn’t work out like I expected.

Sometimes we want to DO something, we want to take action. I am discovering that what I really need to DO is BE PRESENT - present with Katarina and present with the Lord. I need to listen, wait on the Lord and only sometimes is there an action.

Working with the poor is not easy. I have to remember I am not here to end poverty, although there are times we can alleviate some of the burdens of poverty. I am here to love people because Christ loves them. Sometimes we take a step forward, and then it seems like we take two backwards. The good news is that every step - whether forward or backward - is a learning opportunity. We are learning how to work with the poor, how to be friends with the poor, how to shine the light of Jesus into a dark and hopeless world.

Still growing us ...

A few days ago I wrote about some of the amazing things God has done over the past year. Well what about the future? Remember when I said God can do crazy, amazing, incredible things ... and He’s not done doing them at Redeemer’s House? 

God continues to grow and expand our circle of influence. In January, we have the privilege of welcoming Todd and Maureen Erickson and their children, Katey, Clay and Emily to the staff of RHI. 

Katey, Emily, Todd, Clay, and Maureen (and Nina)

For the last two years the Erickson’s have been working in a village outside of Antigua. Their ministry has included a VBS style after school program, tutoring program for students, food deliveries to impoverished families, and intentional disciple making. We are thrilled to have them join us as we serve the least and the last in Guatemala.

They will continue to serve in the Antigua area, thus beginning a new service location for Redeemer’s House. We are humbled by God’s grace and mercy. He continues to lead, we continue to be a conduit through which He makes himself known to the nations.

Welcome Erickson family! Hold on, it’s a wild ride!

Rear View Mirror

If someone had told me 5 or 6 years ago that my husband would leave corporate America for full-time ministry, I would have said - “That’s crazy!” If someone had suggested 3 years ago that we would sell our home and all our junk to become missionaries in Guatemala, I would have thought they were insane. If someone foretold us 2 years ago, “Hey your first gig won’t work out as expected, so you are gonna start a new ministry.” I would have laughed, knowing that is the craziest thing God could do in our lives. If you had told us last year, that God would grow that ministry as He has done in this first year, I would not have believed you. I would have said - it’s not possible. I think the Lord enjoys crushing my expectations and exceeding what seems possible.

Here is an review of our first year with Redeemer’s House International.

Sept. 2011

• Returned from US on the 15th and launched a new ministry. 
• New school year begins - Parker in 6th grade, Anna Kate in 4th
• Application for 501(c)3 Non Profit Organization submitted
• Begin work on website - www.redeemershouse.org

Oct 2011

• Met Katarina - single mom of three beautiful children
• Visit from Peterson family
• Tropical storm damage - We saw the undeniable strength and power of water as it destroyed homes.
• Launch Adopt-a-family program to assist with nutritional needs, home improvement needs, educational needs and whatever else comes down the pipe.

Nov 2011

• Met Casimero & Maria - who lost their home in the storm.
• Burgers visit - Built a well cover for the protection of Katarina’s kids. 
• We adopted the world’s CUTEST dog into our family - Ali 
• Conversations begin with Rick & Emily Everswick about an extended summer visit to Guate.

Ridiculous, I know - but soooo cute!

Dec 2011

• RHI receives approval for 501(c)3 from IRS.
• North Metro Church hosts the Hope Market and raises over $6000 for RHI - used the funds to build a house for single mom, Rosa
• Mimi visits for Christmas - lots of sight-seeing and fun excursions.

Tradition - baking Christmas cookies with Mimi.

Jan 2012

• Rich & Cheryl Buhre arrive for four months - tons of fun serving and building ministry together.
• Began the process for creating a Guatemalan Non-profit Association, called Casa Del Redentor.
• Talked with 3 young adults who want to serve for one year with RHI - Lexie, Michael & Karri.
• Bought school supplies for needy families headed back to school. 
• Conversation with Everswicks evolves into long term co-laborers instead of a summer visit.

Feb 2012

• RHI’s first intern Eliza arrives for three months of service.
• We launch an After School Tutoring program to help kids with reading, math, English and Bible.
• Construction on Rosa’s house begins
• Took Casimero’s daughter, Maribel to an Orthopedic clinic in San Lucas Toliman.
• Lee helped build a front porch at Casimero & Maria’s house.

Working on Casimero & Maria's house

March 2012

• RHI’s first short-term team - ECHO - who helped with construction at Rosa’s. 
• Visits from many friends including - Maggard’s, Gibson’s, Pearson’s, Kicklighter’s.

April 2012

• Brown Family Team - such fun to share and serve together. 
• Residency process is finalized, we are now residents of Guatemala.
• Xocomil - we took the kids to an amazing Guatemalan water park to celebrate their birthdays.
• Met Sebastiana - a grandmother helping to support and raise two adult children and two grandchildren.
• Took Maria Celestina to an eye clinic in Chamancaj, Guatemala

Our favorite lazy river!

May 2012

• Angel’s parents arrive with a team from the Crossing Church in Tampa, FL.
• Friends from Antigua bring family and friends (13) to support Todd running the Panajachel Half Marathon in the rain.
• Grandfather/Grandson team help build a new latrine for Casimero’s family.

Todd running on a lonely stretch of mountain road.

June 2012

• Intern Cat Marlow arrives for one month - such a huge help with teams and school programs.
• NMC brings a rockin team who helped host an amazing science camp
• Accidental Intern Kristina moves in for 6 weeks and wrecks our life - (actually she was a divinely appointed blessing to our summer)
• Rob Greene arrives to talk Lee’s ears off - I mean brainstorm through Vision, Strategy and Goals, blah, blah blah and other really helpful stuff.
• Casa Del Redentor receives approval as a Guatemalan Association.
• Met Nicolasa and Dominga - two single moms trying desperately to keep shelter over head and food on the table.

Amazing day at the lake.

July 2012

• Cruser Family - Father and two daughters arrive to serve and bless the families of Pana. Bonnie Leigh stays an extra week to serve and visit clinics.
• Lee & I celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary.
• We take all the interns kayaking on Lake Atitlan. (BL, Kristina, Bethany & Katie)
• Melder Family Team - Parents and 3 daughters came to serve and teach 4 days of Art Camp. What fun, messy times we had!

Paper Mache art projects - fearfully and wonderfully made.

August 2012

• Radfords are headed to the States for much needed rest, relaxation and Chickfila.

See you guys soon!!

So as I look in the rear view mirror I see - 2 non profits created, 4 long-term missionaries joining, 3 mid-term missionaries joining, 5 interns discipled, 130+ days of guests/teams hosted, 55 visitors from US, served 9 Guatemala families (50+ people), taught 40+ kids in after school program - and ONE amazing God who can do crazy, insane, impossible things with any old passenger in the car.

Guess what? He’s not done yet - He’s doing more incredible and unbelievable works.