Well here we are at the end of 2006 and I am writing my last News letter for the year.
(Why are you all saying Hallelujah at the same time?) I have to say I am very thankful to the Lord and all of you for all
the things that have been accomplished here in Guatemala this year. I am so looking forward to 2007.
My first statement is to tell you that I have finally made up my mind to start a vegetable and water diet in January.
(Just not this January, like in 2010 for sure.) I have read studies that say that chewing burns calories. So logically
the more I eat the more calories I burn and thus I should not have to diet in 2010 after all.
Another study says that:
1. Nine out of ten American men need to diet.
2. American men don’t care about #1
3. I don’t live in America so I don’t come under the study.
4. The study also says not to go back for a second helping at meals. (That is why I load my plate with a triple
portion the first time), Hello….
They say if you do not like what you see in the mirror then do something about it. So I did… I am removing all mirrors
from my house. Now having said this…
On a serious note, one of my biggest challenges this coming year will be having the energy to accomplish the things God
has us to do. I really do need to loose weight and man it is hard for me to do. You all know how much I kid about it,
but please say a little prayer for me that I can accomplish this goal of losing some weight. Everyone has a different
struggle huh? Some drink, some gamble, some smoke…. And some over-eat. If I can stop over-eating, then I can take up
smoking gambling and drinking… (See there I go again joking when I should be serious) sorry no more joking ever again,
opps and pray for my lying about joking. That's it… serious…. No more joking.
I also would like to share with you a few things we have as our goals for 2007. Hold it before you hit the delete button,
I think you may actually like to hear this if you have been plagued by reading my news letters for the past 5 years. I
have made reference to our goals and plans in the past but I think it is necessary to actually write them out for you to
see what you have been a part of and hopefully will continue to be a part of in 2007.
Remember some are called to come down here on short term mission’s teams and help, while others are called to be prayer
warriors and keep us safe and in Gods will, so which ever category you fall into, here is what we hope to accomplish. As
you may know Riechelle and I have been here for 5 years now and we have been doing medical and dental clinics in 37 remote
villages in our area. We have earned the trust and confidence of these villages and they know we come to help. They also
know we are Christians. We have never tried to hold a revival or get them worked up to make a shallow quick decision about
accepting Christ because we have seen the results of the so called revivals and then see that seeds do fall on the soil
but most dry up without water, and the rest get devoured by the birds. You know what I'm talking about here. We need long
term practical solutions that incorporate sound Biblical teaching, and with God's guidance here is what we hope to accomplish.
We believe that to change the villages into healthy and even prosperous communities, we need to address three main issues.
1. Their health. It is very hard to bring a person to Christ when their stomach hurts and they need food and medicine. They may
say they want to accept Jesus but it usually is just to get something for free.
2. So we have been treating their health and dental problems now for 5 years. We are making short term progress but not long
term. Why, because I can give them Mebendozole worm medicine and it rids the worms for 3 – 6 months, but they walk barefooted
in the animal feces and get the worms all over again. But giving them health care has earned their trust and improved their
health and that is a good thing.
2. Their Education: They need basic biology education besides their reading writing and arithmetic. They don’t understand why
they need to wash their hands after they go to the bathroom because of germs and amoebas because they can't see them. If we
educate them so they understand then they will want to wash and be clean on their own. Not just because someone told them
they should.
3. Their Spiritual Health: Right now the villages are mostly void of religion and in some ways that is good. But some have a
Catholic Church or an Evangelical Church. Now hold on to your hats here because you may not agree with me on this one. But
everyone has a right to my opinion. (There I go again sorry). Neither is giving the people the teaching or example of true
Christianity. Both have people tag up at church as a civic activity because there is nothing else to do it the village. They
don't have HBO or even electricity so, "hey lets go to church".
Also to change an older Mayan Indigenous Indian is almost impossible. Yes a few change but most do not. We are in Guatemala
to offer people a choice of accepting Jesus Christ. Not everyone will. Sure we wish everyone would and I could write back to
you all and say hey I got 200 people to accept Christ last Sunday at our tent revival, but I'm not going to play the numbers
game. Reality is, some do and some don't. Tough talk, not popular, but true.
So how will we, little old Bryan and Riechelle Buchanan be able to do these things with 37 villages… Well we won't. So. We
have chosen 4 target villages that know us and trust us to let us come in one Saturday a month. We work very closely with
Pastor David Alvarez and his church Centro Chritiano Cultural de Guatemala. Those of you who know David and his church know
this is the most hard working, life changing, get the job done, church in Guatemala. They will send a team of four people
down from Guatemala City every Friday night when they get off work. They will drive 5 hours and get here at midnight. Then
get up at 5:00 am and we head into one of the four villages to make the only real nutritional breakfast these kids in this
village will receive. We'll give them vitamins every month.
We'll start off doing games and fun activities like a vacation Bible school program. But then it will develop into teaching,
Health Education with Biology, and scripture memorization along with Children's Bible studies. We will target children 6 to
14 years old. It doesn't matter if or where they go to church they are welcome if they make a commitment to come to the program
one Saturday a month faithfully. They will be rewarded for memorizing scripture with items such as sandals and water filters
for their homes.
As they mature and get older and begin to understand more, we will teach leadership and even classes on agriculture and
aquaculture, so they can raise their own food and even begin to sell it for income. This is not overnight project and will
take 7 to 10 years. But when they turn 15 years old after being in the program, our prayer is that they will be the future
village pastors and leaders that will cause the villages to be healthy, prosperous and spiritually mature in the Word.
So how can you sitting in Cincinnati or Charlotte or Portland help these kids have changed lives in Guatemala Central America?
First and foremost PRAY. This is what changes things.
Second, you can help us by forming a team and coming down to help us do medical or dental clinics and while you're here take
a day to be involved in the Feeding/Children's Education Day in one of the villages.
Third, here we go… You're saying I knew there was a catch, he's gonna ask for a helicopter. No, but we need a 4 x 4 pick up
truck for the Feeding Children's Program to carry the equipment, team, food, supplies and vitamins up into the mountains.
(There, I said it and it didn't hurt as much as I thought it would.) Folks this pick up is not for Junglemedic Missions, it is
for the CCG church team in Guatemala City. I’m the one that needs the helicopter… (Just kidding, just kidding!)
If you can fry an egg or make oatmeal or pass out vitamins, man we sure can use you. If you can fill teeth or help deliver
babies, man we sure can use you. In summary, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to look around and see things are getting
bad around the world. What can you do with the talents and skills and love God has given you to help someone else in 2007.
When it is all said and done, what is your purpose for being on this earth? The happiest most satisfied and fulfilled people
I know are those who live a life of service to others.
"I'd rather run a rescue shop within a foot of hell, Than live with the sound of a chapel bell." ~ C.T. Studd
I would like to take just a moment and thank a few of the key people who have done so much for our work here in Guatemala. I cannot ever thank each person but here are a few.
Thanks David Harrison and Geoff Schultz for the Web site, Great Job!
Also Thanks to Phil and Niki Ephraim for the Shuttle bus and help with our dorm kitchen appliances.
Also Thanks so much to Olga Crupper and Lawrence Cordell who without their help in getting the medical bus ready and the Air Force to fly it here would not be a reality and helping hundreds of people each month.
Central Church of God for your financial help in building our dorm, Thank You!
Faith Fellowship church in the mountains of North Carolina, these folks give and give and then find something else to give to missionaries, good folks, (I'm hoping most of you boys will be out on parole by the next missions trip) wink.
The Degroot and Conard families, no way to say thank you enough to you guys for all you have done and given.
Dr. Kevin Lawing and Dr Greg Blackstone for setting up and getting all of my dental equipment and supplies so we can do dental work in the bus.
The Gordon Family for our 4 x 4 Pick Up Truck that get us where no man (OK white man) has gone before.
To Drs Bill and Julie Schnurr for always being there to help me when I don’t have a clue as to what is wrong with some weird tropical illness and have the back up of two great docs willing to help, anytime.
I also want to thank David and Fabiola Alvarez. Two of the most incredible people I have ever met. God put you in our lives in Guatemala to be able to do His will. Without your help and friendship we would be lost….It is an honor to work along side you.
Also Thank You Riechelle my wife… You know how much I tease you about being a blessed woman…. It is I who is blessed beyond words by your being my wife. You are tireless and the most dedicated mother and wife I could have ever married. It may sound corny, but you truly are the wind beneath my wings. No one but God knows how much you do and what you have had to endure on the mission field, when I hear you weep at night because we live so far from our sons and grandchild my heart aches for you, but when I look at our kids I know they are the fruit of your labor and love and joy comes in the morning. I thank you and Love you.
And lastly but most importantly I thank you Lord. You have done so much in our lives and ministry and work here in Guatemala that I cannot do anything but fall on my knees before you… I have no adequate words….. I pray you will be pleased with us Father.
We pray that God Blesses you and yours in the Upcoming New Year.
God Bless,
In His Service,
Bryan & Riechelle and Beto, Gaby and Debora
Luke 9:6 - So they set out and went from village to village, preaching the gospel and healing people everywhere.
Junglemedic Missions
Rio Dulce, Izabal
Guatemala Central America
E-Mail: Bryan@JungleMedicMissions.org
Web Site: http://www.junglemedicmissions.org/
This page was last updated 01/01/07
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