All three of my blogs this month feature different aspects of Life of Promise Ministries, a mission work in Guatemala that my friends Tom and Arlene Richmond began ten years ago. LOP focuses on ministering to women and children in the mountains of Zacapa, who live in stark poverty and extremely unsafe conditions.

You will learn how LOP is making a difference and you will see the generosity and love for Jesus that permeates all that Tom and Arlene do. You will see God’s hand, unmistakably, in the steps that have led them from a comfortable home in Pennsylvania to building a mission house in a tiny Guatemalan village, becoming adept at another language, and persevering through many adverse circumstances to share the Gospel.

In this first blog, Arlene tells the story of three women and their families who have benefited from the ministry of LOP. Please read through to the end to learn about a special-fund raising event now being held for LOP. Follow the link to learn more about how you can participate.

Jesika’s story

Jesika is one of the most talented, dependable, and grateful seamstresses in our church sewing class.  Her focus and determination are inspiring.  Week after week I’ve watched her at the sewing machine with her youngest daughter on her lap.  Now that is multi-tasking!!  She has such a sweet spirit, and it’s a blessing to see her learn that the Lord has patience with all of us, even when our faith waivers. 

Jesika and her three young daughters live in the village of Conevisa next to the city garbage dump.  Twenty years ago, the mayor of Zacapa had the dump covered up with dirt, moved it to an adjacent area, and gave parcels of land to transient families. 

Jesika and her husband Obdulio settled in Conevisa after being driven off their property in the mountains by druglords who stole it.  She attended our church in the past and served faithfully.  

But suddenly her husband forbade her from going to church with the girls.  Jesika was heartbroken, but she felt she had no choice but to obey him. He was away a lot, and when he came home he would abuse her and her daughters.  She lived in constant fear of Obdulio.  When we began making items in sewing class to sell in the States, she was sure that he would take all the money she made.

We prayed with her many times as she cried about her fears and her desire to earn money for her girls’ education.  We advised her to step out in faith and believe that God would guard the money she made for appropriate use. 

Jesika pressed on through her uncertainties, and she’s happy to report that her husband has allowed her to use the money she makes for her children’s needs.  He has also stopped abusing her and the children.  She is so thankful to the Lord for these blessings, and to the mission for giving her this opportunity to earn a living.  It’s so wonderful for us to see her confidence grow as we study the Word in our weekly group. 

We’re praying that the next chapter in their lives will involve Obdulio giving his life to Jesus, and their family walking with the Lord together!

Norilda’s Story 

Some people we meet in the villages just grab our hearts in a special way on the first encounter.  It’s often those who have a certain peace, stability, and center within themselves.  They have a countenance that does not show neediness, in spite of the desperate situations they face in daily life.  They may not know Jesus, but the Lord has prepared their hearts for Him.  

One day, Tom and I decided to walk through the village of Puente Blanco to find out the people’s most urgent needs.  This is a settlement bordered by the antiquated eastern Guatemalan railroad tracks, and the Zacapa river.  Some call it “La Linea” for the railroad line.  Makeshift huts line a narrow dirt trail that can only be traversed on foot, by bicycle, or by motorcyle.  

That’s when I met Norilda.  A mother who sat in the doorway of her home made of plastic sheeting and tree limbs.  She was nursing her baby boy.  I waved to her, and she gave me a friendly wave and greeting.  I discerned right away that she was different.  She wasn’t one of the mothers who come running to the road when missionaries arrive,  looking to see what donations we’ve brought that day.  

She invited me inside her fence—which was made of chicken wire and thin metal strips with a rusty gate that could easily be breeched.  We exchanged small talk, and I asked the ages of her children.  She had three living children, and a son who died at age seven due to parasites in the river water.  The river is the only source of water for families in Puente Blanco—for everything from bathing and washing clothes to drinking.  The town of Chiquimula 15 miles away, dumps industrial waste into the water.  In addition, all sewage from the city of Zacapa flows into the river.   At one time, the village had a working well, but the pipe systems became filled with mud, and the pump burned out.  

Norilda told me of her deceased son Byrom, and his fantastic personality.  He was a happy and caring child, and would visit all the widows of the village each Saturday.    We cried together when she showed me a photo taken by missionaries who brought a VBS to the village.  It was the only photo she had of her beloved son.  Her husband was murdered by a narcotics gang as they ran through the village robbing homes to meet the demands of a local druglord.  Norilda’s four-year-old daughter was now sick with the same symptoms, and she was fearful of losing her.  Tom and I bought parasite medication, electrolytes, food, and water—returning to her that same afternoon.  It was a blessing to pray with Norilda, administer the treatments, and have dinner with her family.                                                                                       

Norilda was overjoyed about little Sylvia’s recovery, while experiencing heartbreak at the same time for the loss of Byrom and her husband, Carlos.  We presented the Gospel to her, and she accepted Jesus as her Savior.  She now relies on the Lord for comfort and strength.  A few months after we met, Norilda asked if she could help us identify the families who are in greatest need of water filters—especially those with young children.  She wanted to honor the lives of Byrom and Carlos by working with us to reduce the number of deaths from unsanitary water.  She has worked alongside our ministry for the past three years.  This sweet single mother is one of my biggest inspirations, and an example of how the Lord gives us purpose in life after great loss, if we lean on Him for strength.  

Julia’s story

I met Julia on my very first mission trip to Guatemala in 2006.  We were working in the remote mountain villages above Zacapa, where indigenous Mayan people live in extreme poverty.  She came to a mobile medical clinic that our missionary friends were offering in the village of Pinalito.  I didn’t know much Spanish at the time, but I understood her heartache and saw the pain in her eyes as she told my friend, Sarah, how her husband abused her.  

Julia stood hunched over, cradling her baby, and crying as she showed us the wounds he inflicted on her the night before.  Apparently this had gone on for quite some time,  and that was evident from the way Sarah encouraged her to take her baby and leave him.  As most women living in poverty in third world countries, she was terrified at the thought of leaving him.  He might come after her, and she really had no place to go.  We treated her wounds, gave her food, prayed for her, and sent her on her way.  Sadly, there is no system in place to report abuse in the impoverished areas because the people live so far up the mountain, and the police don’t have the resources to address this rampant problem.  

Four years later, we were building our mission house in the town of Zacapa.  One day I saw Julia walking along the road with two young children and a baby in her arms.  I had seen her in the mountains several times over the years, so I easily recognized her.  I was so happy to see her, because women seldom leave the mountain villages to come into town.  I was hoping and praying that her situation had improved.  

Julia told me that she and her husband and three children had fled the mountains because he was wanted for repeated robberies.  They had settled in an area where the homeless set up makeshift dwellings.  Antonio was still abusing her physically.  With their family growing, I feared that he was also abusing the children.  Julia refused to say.  Over the next several years, we helped Julia and her kids when they needed food, medications, and clothing.  We also gave them materials to make their home more secure and keep water out during rainy season.  We would have built them a home, but we didn’t have the funding.  

Tom and I prayed many times about reporting Antonio to the police.  But we knew that would mean the PGN (child protective services) would take the children away from both parents, and put them in a government orphanage where the kids are mistreated.  This was a moral dilemma for sure.  At times, Julia would disappear and then show up months later.  She told me she was visiting her mother in the mountains.  I would always pray with her, offer help, and speak to her about the Lord.  Although she’d listen intently and tell me she had faith, she continued to participate in the Mayan witchcraft she grew up with.  

Julia now has five children, and she attends church in her village when her husband is away.  But the mountain witchcraft still has a hold on her.  I used to find her constant requests for help exhausting.  I was annoyed when she’d receive help and not say thank you.  But God has given me a genuine love for her, and I now find her a blessing.  Missionaries grieve when we minister to families over a number of years and they don’t come to true faith in Jesus Christ.  It’s heartbreaking to know they don’t allow themselves to have peace and the promise of eternal life in heaven.  But we do believe that God will be faithful to answer our prayers for Julia.  We’ve known her for 15 years and we pray for her salvation continually. 

It’s all about God’s timing, His sovereignty, and His unconditional love.  Our role is to continue to obey the calling God has placed on our lives, and keep on loving the precious people of Guatemala.  

A Fun Run Fundraiser to benefit Life of Promise Ministries began on August 21! To learn more about it and how you, your family, or even your church and church groups can participate, click on the link here.