Next trip, possible new staff members, laying the foundation, the girls can\’t wait, and God opening doors that no one can shut.
While you may not be seeing too much on FB or other social media, we have been extremely active in preparing and laying the foundation for our return to Guatemala and for the opening of Rocsana’s Hope. I want to share with you a few things that God has been doing behind the scenes. While in the United States we have been working hard behind the scenes to lay a solid foundation that can be built upon for years to come so that once we begin the work on site in Guatemala the ministry will be able to grow and have room for growth. There is much work that is being done behind the scenes to get everything ready. It is a necessary step in the process of opening a ministry that we believe is going to help hundreds of girls in Guatemala and Central America.
First item of business: I am planning a trip to Guatemala in September to begin doing several things. One of the primary things that we will be doing is looking for a Guatemalan house suitable enough to become the home and headquarters of what will be Rocsana’s Hope in Guatemala. We will be staying close to and looking in and around the city of San Lucas which is between Guatemala City and the City of Antigua. We have also been making connections and contacts with missionaries, ministries, and orphanages that we will network and partner with as we carry out the ministry of Rocsana’s Hope. There is much to do on this trip and we are looking forward to getting the ball rolling in on the ground in Guatemala.
There is something else we are extremely excited about. Denise and I have very dear friends that go back to our days at Youth for Christ many years ago. Their names are Jeff and Esther McClaran. Jeff and I have been working together developing all of the foundational work that we are doing for Rocsana’s Hope. Jeff surrendered to go to the mission field when he was 14 years old. He went on a mission trip to China as a young man and met Esther, a Chinese National. On his mission trip a relationship formed and they later became married. Jeff has felt the call on his life to be a missionary his entire adult life. They have visited several areas, one of which is the country of Thailand. They have been praying about going to the mission field and they have been looking at Thailand as an option. Now that Jeff has been assisting us and helping us get the groundwork laid for Rocsana’s Hope, he has become open to the possibility that God may be calling his wife Esther and him to join Denise and I in our mission in Guatemala. Jeff will be making the next trip to Guatemala with me to visit the country, meet the nationals, see the culture, and meet the girls. He will also be prayerfully considering the decision that they face about where to serve on the mission field. Please pray for Jeff and Esther as they prayerfully consider where God is calling them and asking them to go, whether it be to Thailand or to join Denise and I in Guatemala. We are praying for both of them that God will give them discernment and make it very clear to them what they are supposed to do we ask that you pray for them as well.
This last weekend we visited the town of Ozark, Missouri and were given the opportunity to present our ministry in a home meeting on Saturday night, then in a combined Sunday school class that featured 60 to 80 people on Sunday morning at First Baptist Church of Ozark. It was a very fruitful trip and one that we are so grateful for our dear friends Mark and Joy Specht who set up the home meeting and to a new friend of the ministry name Lacey who coordinated the Sunday morning event at the church. We are so grateful to you all for the work that you did behind the scenes in helping us and giving us the opportunity to share the ministry of Rocsana’s Hope. A huge shout out also to Todd and Jenell Wagner for allowing us the privilege of staying in their beautiful home during our time there.
The weekend of August 12th we will be in Arkansas City, Kansas to present the work at the First Baptist Church of Arkansas City. We have dear friends of the ministry that go to the church and have worked to give us an opportunity to present our work to the pastor and the church\’s board of directors. We will be sharing the vision of Rocsana’s Hope with them. The church is interested in getting involved in possibly helping us and also bringing groups down for mission trips and visits in the future. We are very excited about this opportunity and look forward to sharing with the leadership of the church in Arkansas City, Kansas.
Finally, the girls. I hear from at least one or both of them almost every day. Paola will even record her voice so we can hear it here in the US and send it to us telling us how much she loves and misses us and can’t wait for us to return. I know they are counting the days until our return and we ask that you continue to pray for both of them that God will encourage their hearts and give them the strength to continue walking with God. They are both so excited about our return to Guatemala and their part in the future of the ministry. Pray for us also that God will continue to open doors, blaze the trail, and prepare the way.
