JUNE 2010 UPDATE

View of land we want to buy that measures 45’ X 60’

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Ernestina, husband Mundo and daughter Claudia standing where their nylon home was swept away 

Pastor Leonel and Myra with the Thursday afternoon Discipleship Class

Elizabeth

The month of June brought the storm Agatha our way. Thank God the damage in our immediate area was minimal. The rest of Guatemala is still digging out from under. Also the volcano Pacaya erupted and has now returned to normal activity. Pacaya is hours away from the ministry.


Not long after Agatha blew through we had a flash flood in this area which washed away roads and the homes (nylon and adobe) of some of the families in this ministry. A few are still at risk.

The road leading into the ministry construction site was also heavily damaged. It is now inaccessible to normal traffic. You can still walk in but not bring in a vehicle.

Because of this damage, we are going to use the previous ministry building site to build 3-4 homes for the families who have lost their homes and those who are in the greatest need.

We are now looking for a new site to buy and build upon. We found a piece of property on a main road with easy access and great potential that measures 45’ X 60’.

The property costs $10,000.00 to purchase. Please pray for this endeavor.
 
The first house we will build in July is for Ernestina who is 49 years of age. She is the mother of four children but only the two youngest are at home. Aracely is 11 year old and is studying for the first time this year. She is in the 1st grade. Claudia is 7 years old and has not started school as yet. Ernestina’s husband works in the river when there is work. Two years ago a group from Park Valley Church in Va. helped to recover her nylon house and to install a new stove.


This month a flash flood came through our area and took everything they owned including the stove that was totally destroyed along with their nylon home. They are now living by the side of the road .


Our Church “Dios es Nuestra Paz” and the feeding program “Comedor de Paz”

Pastor Leonel continues with his ministry to the poor in word and deed. He made a video of the destruction caused by the flash flood. You can see it on Face book on Myra Smith’s page under videos.


STUDENT PROFILE
 
Elizabeth Perez will be 15 this year and is in the 9th grade. She has always been a good student. She is a quiet, well mannered, young girl. She loves the Lord! She lives with her mother, father, baby sister and four younger brothers in a one room house made of tin, cement, and slats of wood.


Her father only has a 3rd grade education and sells tomatoes for a farmer. Her mother Corina cannot read or write. They are very proud of their daughter who is the first in their family to finish elementary school. She will graduate from High School in October! Elizabeth wants to go to college and be an accountant. Please remember Elizabeth and her family in your prayers.

MYRA'S CORNER

The month of June is over.


Daniel struggled with his second semester exams but he is looking forward to doing better next semester. Please continue to pray for him. He’s now 12 going on 16!

He and I have been enjoying the World Cup from South Africa. Did I know I liked soccer?

We celebrated two special birthdays near and far. Christopher, Aimee’s son and my grandson turned 3 years old and Jordan my great grandson turned a year old in the states. We had a great lunch, piñata, gifts and games for Christopher in Guatemala and Jordan had a pool party in the states. Wish I could have been there too.

Thanks for the prayers for my mom. She is doing better. She will be 87 in August.

The storms so far have been tremendous this year and this month has brought me some personal footfalls. My two year old refrigerator died but was repaired. I had to get a new window, my roof is leaking, the walls are peeling, the sink is leaking, at times the rain water comes right up to my door, but we are blessed. We have somewhere to lay our heads and when we come home the house is still there. It’s a blessing to be kept by God while all around you so many are suffering and even dying in the storms.

Thank you for your prayers, donations and love. God bless you all.

Love, Myra

Thanks to everyone who contributes to this ministry to the poor. Your donations, prayers and love are impacting a new generation and helping to break the spirit of poverty over these families and giving them hope. God bless you all.

Please send cash donations to:

WMOTW

3415 Fallstaff RD

Baltimore, MD 21215

Make checks payable to: WMOTW

PayPal is also another way to make donations