God's Hand

Hello Everyone from Guatemala,

I have some really great things to share with you, and just testify as to God's Faithful Hand on our work here in Guatemala. First, I have been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize and as you know I will kill to get it… OK just kidding, but I am in a good mood today because we just finished our last clinic with a team for the year, then I have the month of Dec off to just finish our dorm construction and get the busses maintained and have some fun with the family. Our son Lance is flying here to spend a week with us before he ships out to Iraq (please keep him and our troops in your prayers), and then get some rest.

Right now I can't walk without crutches and I don't know why? My ankle feels like it has been crushed and is getting worse instead of better. I am going to a private hospital later today and get an x-ray and see what the heck is going on.

We have had so many incredible things happen this year from the Lord it is truly hard to know where to begin. You all know about the medical dental bus and how we got it, right?


This is what the dream started as...	Then remember the Air Force flying it in…

We have seen literally thousands of patients with the medical teams using this bus as a mobile clinic. But having a mobile medical clinic was only a part of my dream. I really wanted to be able to do dental work in villages with good dental equipment in a mobile dental clinic also. Last week that dream came true, as I got the generator running and turned on the AC and electrical lines. We now have an air compressor for our dental equipment and even suction. We have a working sink in the back for cleaning and sterilizing instruments. We actually did a combination medical/dental clinic. After I got everything set up and the medical clinic going I went inside and saw my dream was now a reality. In the back of the bus is a private exam station for the OB/GYN Doctor to finally see female patients with privacy and dignity. I went out side and put my head on the side of the bus and just thanked God for His wonderful help to us and these people.

Here two dentist are filling teeth with state of the art dental equipment, all donated by dentists, hospitals and civic organizations who have a desire to help those who have no one to help them.

The dorm has turned out beautiful. We still have to pinch ourselves at night as we lay down to sleep knowing we have bathrooms and windows and a beautiful kitchen. Again why would God care enough to give us these things? I don’t know but I'm sure going to Thank Him for His grace and love. Man if I got what I deserved I'd be burning right now, (Please stop agreeing with me so quickly) but He sees us through His eyes and not ours.

As far as the well is concerned, we still have not hit water yet, though we are down 20 meters (60 ft). That means we are lowering a guy in a bucket on a rope down 60 ft. into a hot black hole in the ground. The 6 bottom cement tubes are sliding down but the top 14 are not they are hung up. So we built a wooden ramp with the wood we had to buy to transport the bus on the airplane. Then I drove our bus right up on that ramp to try and push the tubes down into the ground. OK, the bus is up on the cement tubes but it still won't go down. So I have all the guys get in the bus and we start jumping up and down like a bunch of Zulu's from Mozambique jumping up and down in the bus. But it just will not go down. So I am going to go get the Fire Truck from my Fire Dept and force water down the sides and see if I can loosen the dirt and let the tubes slide down. Please stop laughing! I am in a 3rd world country here and we don't have equipment or Home Depot so I am just doing what I have to do OK?

There is another great thing that happened. Remember I said we need to pray for a shuttle bus to pick up the teams from the airport for the long 6 hour drive back and forth from Guatemala City? Well, some friends of ours, Phil and Niki from Chicago, got us a beautiful shuttle bus and had it driven down here. I don't want to steal there blessing, but between them and you we were able to get the bus bought, shipped, duty paid and all maintenance and legal work done for it to be here and used already by two teams. We have named her "The Max" named after a wonderful man who helped make this and many other projects a reality for people to be served and the Lord glorified. Thank You Max!


Is she a beauty or what? I still cannot believe it!	Getting her all cleaned up for the next team.

At our last several clinics we realized that it is time for evangelism in these villages and especially to the children. I have been feeling this for some time now but just when we thought we would do a pastor training program things just seemed to keep blocking that path. Then the Lord gave me this idea. And I stole some if it from David Alvarez. (So much for my Noble Peace Prize huh?) David has been feeding over a hundred kids from the slums now for about 3 years. These kids have come from dirty single family alcoholic drug invested homes where they grow up to become gang members at 8 and 9 years old. Recently several of the kids have turned 14 and 15 years old and said, "We are too old to be coming here with these little kids and eating breakfast." So David said, "Well then, why don't you become the leaders and help the little ones." They loved being in charge and they are now becoming the future program leaders. I said "That's it!" That is how we can bring Christ to these people in a real long term life changing way.

The children can be trained in the Word and when they grow up and become teenagers in the Lord they are the future pastors that have life training and a deep commitment to help their own people. They live in their own village and know the language and culture better than any American missionary ever could. So we are now going to start bringing Guatemalan teams on certain dates that the village can count on to do children's Bible study and ministry. (This is not my gift, believe me, you have to be called and anointed to work with these kids). But I really admire those who do shape the lives of young people, that is the real mission work.

So to say we are excited about this is an understatement. We have been tilling the soil now for 5 years here and they are now open to hear what we have to tell them. Now we start planting. When medical teams come they will continue to build relationships and cultivate the soil, but as in planting fields of pineapples it takes years to get a mature fruit. But hey that is why we live here full time and not Las Vegas right?

Foot Note: I went to the hospital and got an X-Ray of my ankle and found out it was not broken. The doctor there was a surgeon and he said he thought it was just a bad sprain and I needed to rest and massage it. So last night I was hobbling out of my Emergency Room (I had a guy that needed 54 sutures from a broken beer bottle to the face.) As I turned out the lights and shut the door, there stood a slender strong looking young man. He was obviously not Guatemalan and looked like an athlete from Greece. (I thought I was looking in a mirror). I looked up at him and said, "Can I help you?" I was expecting him to say he was sick or injured and needed help. Instead he said, in a very direct and gentle voice, "My name is Gary and I am from Australia and I am a message therapist". I have come to see if I could help you. The hair on the back of my neck stood up and I could hardly speak. He helped me upstairs and washed my feet and then worked and messaged my feet and ankles till the pain was so intense I could not take anymore. He wrapped my leg in a bandage and I fell asleep. When I woke up this morning, I felt like I had slept more deeply than I have in years. I felt totally rested and then I realize the pain in my ankle was gone!

Is it possible that…. No…. He didn't have wings…… Just a coincidence? Sorry but I don’t think so. At least one of you guys out there was praying for me last night weren't you?

God Bless,
In His Service,

Bryan and Riechelle and our Chocolate Children

PS: I'm praying for one last thing but I'm not going to tell you what it is:

Oh! How did this picture get in here? Wink, wink, just kidding again…

Junglemedic Missions
Rio Dulce, Izabal
Guatemala Central America

E-Mail: Bryan@JungleMedicMissions.org
Web Site: http://www.junglemedicmissions.org/

This page was last updated 11/24/06