{"id":1635,"date":"2020-11-21T21:34:38","date_gmt":"2020-11-22T03:34:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.pottershome.org\/?p=1635"},"modified":"2020-11-21T21:34:38","modified_gmt":"2020-11-22T03:34:38","slug":"november-ministry-update","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.pottershome.org\/?p=1635","title":{"rendered":"November Ministry Update"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/a>
Potters-Home-November-2020.pdf<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Hello from Guatemala!
<\/em>You might have heard about hurricanes, Eta and Iota, that have recently hit Central America. We\u2019re doing fine here! We\u2019re very blessed to be located where we are, and only received a lot of rain. Other parts of the country were much more affected by the two storms. About 150 people died mostly due to landslides, and hundreds of thousands of Guatemalans have had their homes damaged by the flooding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As for COVID, it\u2019s better news. Last month the government released us from the curfews that we\u2019ve been under for over 6 months. It still feels weird to be outside after 6pm after being restricted for so long. Businesses have also been opening back up, and life has slowly been returning to normal. The number of new cases has remained fairly steady since then, and it\u2019s a huge relief that things appear to be getting better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I do think that we\u2019ll look back on this year with fondness because we were able to spend time together in a way that the normal busyness of life prevents. I mean, for such a long time we weren\u2019t allowed to go outside during the weekend! But we had a great time together with the girls – cooking, talking, playing games, reading the Bible, studying and hanging out together. Our Sundays can typically be very busy, but this year we\u2019ve been able to spend hours watching sermons online, singing, sharing, reading, and praying for each other. We would realize that it was already evening, and we hadn\u2019t even had lunch yet! My prayer is that we would all grow more grateful for God\u2019s provision, His care, and His love for us. We take so many blessings and conveniences for granted, and He\u2019s so patient with us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Welcome Liseth!<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

We are delighted to have a new girl named Liseth join our family! She\u2019s grown up at the orphanage Casa Shalom and is a shy but hard-working young lady. She turned 18 this year and wanted to come live with us. She\u2019ll be in 10th grade, just like Karla & Maria, and it\u2019s nice to have a bunch of girls who are the same age as each other. And Margaret says, \u201cnow I have a new big sister!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our Girls<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The end of October brought the end of the school year, and Sandra<\/strong> has graduated from high school! We\u2019re so proud of her and have loved having her here with us the past three years. Karla<\/strong> and Maria<\/strong> start 10th grade next year which is the start of high school here, and Ana<\/strong> will be in 11th grade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They\u2019re all looking for a job during this break from school. Liseth<\/strong> already had a job at a restaurant, the rest of the girls are working there on weekends. We\u2019d appreciate your prayers for Sandra as she look for a full-time job. It\u2019s a tough job market!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Breakfast Ministry Restarted<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Our city\u2019s park has reopened, and the shoe shiners have returned, and it\u2019s great to be able to start back up weekly breakfasts to them and the poor of Chimaltenango in order to share God\u2019s love. We\u2019re also making plans to have a few Christmas parties with the different groups of people that we minister to, like we\u2019ve done previous years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

We are sad to report two deaths of people from our ministry. The first, Don Victor, was an elderly shoe shiner who was always looking out for all the younger boys. I had the privilege of leading him to the Lord a few years ago, and he asked my friend Ronald and I to baptize him last year. Since then he\u2019s been struggling with kidney problems, and even with medical attention he passed away in April. The second is a teen named Emerson who always came to our Monday night Bible studies. He he passed away in October due to complications from meningitis. Praise God for the hope of eternal life!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Construction<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019re hoping to begin construction on a new house this next year. There is space beside our house that we would like to build two smaller houses in order to have room for guys who need a place to stay. The plans and blueprints are in progress at this point, but I wanted to let you know of our hopes this coming year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ten Years!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s crazy to think that next month we celebrate 10 years since we packed up our little white car in Austin, TX and drove through Mexico<\/a> in order to start full-time ministry here in Guatemala. Time has flown by, and we\u2019re so grateful for all the support that you\u2019ve given over these years which made it possible. We\u2019re grateful to Pastor Rick and North Austin Christian Church for their support and help with the finances. We\u2019re grateful to God for calling us into this life that is harder yet fuller than we could imagine. And we\u2019re grateful to have been able to invest in the lives of so many.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thank You!<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Thank you for your continued prayers and support for us! We\u2019re grateful for God\u2019s goodness and for all of your help. We\u2019re so blessed to be able to serve the poor, lost, and needy here in Guatemala. It\u2019s a rare privilege to be able to do what we do. Thank you so much for making it possible!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are a few prayer requests:<\/p>\n\n\n\n