New Life Children's Home Team Blog

GoodSearch

2008-03-08T13:50:00.000-08:00

Here is a very easy way to give toward the ministries of NLCH: Any time that you search or shop for something on the internet, use www.goodsearch.com. It uses Yahoo as a search engine (or for shopping, links directly to many stores- like Amazon.com and iTunes), and for each search or purchase, a donation is made to NLCH!

Please visit their website to get started. Once there, you will be able to designate "New Life Children's Home- Houston, TX" as the charity to receive the donations produced by your usage (It lists us in Houston since that is where our mission's US office is). You will also see easy ways that you can make GoodSearch your default search engine and make this simple way of giving to NLCH part of the things that you already regularly do on the computer.

Don's Cabinet Shop, v.2008

2008-03-05T10:38:00.000-08:00

Don Snow returned again for a few weeks in February and kept working to improve our guest kitchen. Last year, he built new cabinets. This year (with good help from our new intern, Anthony), he built new wall cabinets and a snack bar. Those of you who have stayed there will be very impressed when you return!

Servants/St. Paul's Chapel UMC Jan. 08

2008-01-11T07:52:00.000-08:00

Our friends from St. Paul's Chapel UMC in Red Lion, PA are here again. They are keeping a team blog on a separate page, so click here to see what they're doing this week.

Servants/St. Paul's Chapel UMC

2007-08-10T12:20:00.000-07:00

This week, we have enjoyed having Don Snow and a group from Servants/St. Paul's Chapel UMC of Red Lion, PA. Their project has been to construct the bunk beds that will go in the new boys' house. They've put in a lot of work and have finished 15 beds.

Servants has a separate blog page where they are posting pictures and stories from the week. Check it out by clicking here: http://chapelguatemala-august2007.blogspot.com/

Thursday - Antigua or Bust!

2007-07-26T20:58:00.000-07:00

Sorry there was no post yesterday, the internet was in and out and we never could get logged in long enough to load something.

We spent today in Antigua. We visited a large Catholic church and monastery ruins, a coffee plantation, had the biggest steak this side of the Rio Grande and shopped until we dropped. For some in the group that was much shorter than for others!

The kids put on a special show for us tonight at dinner with a photo slide show, singing, and dancing. They gave us gifts and then to finish it all off, all the kids circled around our group and prayed for us. Talk about a humbling experience. After that there we many hugs, a few tears, and we said our goodbyes to the kids since they will be in school tomorrow when we leave. It was sad, but exciting all at the same time. This place really has become special for all of us.

We head out for the airport tomorrow morning and should land in Atlanta sometime tomorrow evening. Please continue to pray for us as we travel and say our goodbyes. It has been an unbelievable experience and we will all tell you more about when we get back!

See you tomorrow!

P.S. Here are some m ore pictures for you guys! And yes, there are pictures of Pam Landers included!

Tuesday and the fun is still coming!

2007-07-24T13:33:00.000-07:00

We have been very busy the last couple of days. Richard and his team are painting the boys dorms to make them feel a little more comfortable until their new building is finished sometime later this year. The have painted superheros, fish, cartoons, characters, guitars, pumas, soccer logos, and much more. The boys were blown away and more excited than I have seen them since we got here - and that is saying a lot! The photos are some random shots of the work our painters have been doing. They are pretty good! Keep posting your comments! We love reading them and sharing them with the group!

Elusive Creature Spotted in Guatemala

2007-07-24T13:25:00.000-07:00

We are coming to you from Villa Nueva, Guatemala where we have spotted the ever elusive Ricardo Jacobus. We see him here in his natural setting, alone away from the herd. In this rare photo you can see he is performing one of his most notorious and primal acts - writing a letter! The recipient is unknown, but sure to be busy for hours trying to decipher the ramblings of one of nature's most infamous venters! Stay tuned for more updates from South of the Border!

Yes, we are still here!

2007-07-23T13:00:00.000-07:00

Sorry it has been a while since we updated the blog. We had no internet connection for most of yesterday, so therefore no blog. Anyway, things are going great. We are having a wonderful time with the kids and are getting a lot of stuff accomplished. We are working on painting, plumbing, electrical, organizing, cleaning teeth, doctoring sick kids, taking photos and more! We just had lunch and are getting ready to head back to work. Here are some more pictures! We'll post again soon!

Photos as Promised!

2007-07-21T09:24:00.000-07:00

Here are some shots that Diane took on our first day here. We''ll be sending more along later!

Morning - Day 1

2007-07-21T06:59:00.000-07:00

Well...we're all still here! We all had a good night's sleep and woke up this morning - too early for some of us, too late for others - but we are here and ready to work!

Breakfast this morning was baked oatmeal - a Guatemalan delicacy! We had a great time talking, laughing, and just getting to know each other better! We heard some classic Bright Star stories - most of which I will not be repeating here! We are off to work now. More updates will be coming!

And I promise, pictures are on their way!

Bright Star UMC has arrived!!

2007-07-20T13:23:00.000-07:00

We have landed and are at the Children's Home! All 19 of us made it safe and sound with absolutley no problems! Yes, I counted them....more than once....they're all here! I will update with pictures a little later, but wanted to go ahead and let everyone know that we made it!

Thanks for all of your prayers and support! Keep praying for us, the work down here is just getting started!

SuperHeroes to the rescue!

2007-07-16T08:02:00.000-07:00

Saturday night the team of interns put on a superhero party for the kids. They really got in to the dressing up thing, with Superman, Spiderman, Minnie Mouse, Super Emily, a princess and more!

The interns thoroughly spoiled the kids with popcorn, lemonade, brownies and ice cream.

Ready or Not, Here We(Bright Star UMC) Come!

2007-07-15T08:53:00.000-07:00

I thought I would give this blog thing a dry run before we leave the US and make sure I knew how to work it. So far, so good.

We had our Commissioning Service this morning, so I guess we are official and all. We are STILL packing bags to try and get everything we need to Guatemala. I have no doubt we can do it, it just takes some creativity and the will to try , try again! We are all extremely excited to get down to Guatemala and see what God has in store for us! We know it's going to be great! We are ready to work, eager to serve, and anxious to leave! An all around good combination!

Can't wait to see everyone!

Donnie & Crew

2007-07-11T08:50:00.000-07:00

Donnie Webb and a crew of workers are here this week to put the roof on the apartment building on the new property. We really appreciate their hard work, and also Donnie's amazing cooking!

A night of laughter and relationships

2007-07-10T09:48:00.000-07:00

The intern team put on a special dinner for the older kids on Saturday based around the theme of relationships and that God is the One who completes and person, not a boyfriend or girlfriend.

The interns set up the comedor to look like a restaurant, with candlelit tables, falling stars and tablecloths. They also served the meal of salad, garlic bread, lasagna and cheesecake. The night was interspersed with entertainment, including a crazy dating skit, the Newlywed game and a testimony.

Check out the NLCH website (www.nlch.net) for more pics.

July 4th Extravaganza

2007-07-07T10:58:00.000-07:00

We had a wonderful July 4th Extravaganza, complete with three-legged races, facepainting, hamburgers, carnival games and fireworks to finish the night. See the pictures below.

A Celebration of Independence

2007-07-04T08:33:00.001-07:00

The team of interns is planning a 4th of July party for the kids, home mothers and staff, and it's sure to be a great time.

We've made popcorn balls and cupcakes colored in American red, white and blue...or, in reality, baby shower pink and light blue...but we tried! We've got three-legged races and watermelon seed-spitting contests planned, as well as a dinner of hamburgers...quite the change from black beans, plantains and tortillas.

Stay tuned for more news, and check out the NLCH website (www.nlch.net) for more photos.

STOMP Praise Night

2007-06-30T07:45:00.000-07:00

Last night the comedor was filled with sounds of laughter, basketballs bouncing, kids smacking the tables and hearts being met by the Lord. It all happened during our STOMP Praise Night. It was a time where we tried to show the kids (through all kinds of means) that God has a rhythm for their lives and desires that they be a part of HIS rhythm.

The kids really responded well, from participating in the activities to really opening up their hearts to the Holy Spirit. At the end of the night, they wrote down/drew things that they were thankful for, and we were blown away by their sincerity.

ArtReach concludes

2007-06-25T14:01:00.001-07:00

Today was the last day for the ArtReach activities. The kids have really enjoyed the different projects that the team has presented. They've also especially enjoyed the dancing. The team has been great to do the songs over and over...and over with the kids!

Service in the squatter's village

2007-06-25T13:43:00.000-07:00

The team went to the squatter's village for a children's service on Sunday. The squatter's village is a settlement of over 400,000 people who have just taken over land on the side of a hill near the children's home. It is the largest squatter's village in Central America.

The kids showed no fear of the "gringos" and had a wonderful time singing, dancing, doing art projects, and just getting some love.

ArtReach 2007

2007-06-22T11:24:00.001-07:00

A team from Calvary Community Church in Houston is here blessing the kids with an ArtReach project. Each afternoon they have an art project for the kids that tells the story of God's love for them.

Though the first day was a little crazy, with over 200 kids, they've been troopers. We're blessed to have them here.

Conquering the Volcano

2007-06-18T07:41:00.000-07:00

While the interns are studying Spanish in Antigua, they have taken the opportunity to climb Pacaya, the active volcano that can be seen from the children's home, as well as in Antigua.

From all accounts, it was a crazy uphill battle, but one that the girls were able to conquer.

Summer invasion of interns

2007-06-12T11:08:00.000-07:00

This summer NLCH has the privilege of having 11 summer interns/summer missionaries, one of our biggest groups ever. Caleb and Christy Swaringen, Scott Humphreys, Beth Rogers, Corrine Kopp, Shelly Reeves, Bethany Constien, Emily Becker, Teryn de Haan, Liz Schaub, and Courtney Gahm will be serving at the home until the beginning of August.
They already have some great plans in store for events for the kids, including a special dress-up dinner for the older kids (including a pre-dinner hair and make-up session for the girls), a superhero theme party, movie night in the gym, a 4th of July party and more.

Stay tuned for more news and photos.

Florida State University Wesley Foundation

2007-05-14T16:33:00.000-07:00

Last week we had a group of students from Florida Stat University's Wesley Foundation here for a few days. They had already been working at another site in another part of Guatemala for an entire week doing construction projects and VBS, so they came to us already a bit worn out. We were impressed and thankful, though, that they still came ready to work and be with our kids.

They had a variety of projects that they worked on here, including among other things building screens for the windows of the boys' house, varnishing playground equipment and some pieces of furniture. They faced some challenges in their time in the country- like sickness and things just not going exactly like you planned, but they were determined to keep good attitudes and be here to serve the ministries they worked with.

We really enjoyed having the FSU Wesley group here and are already looking forward to a return visit.

Donnie Webb and Crew

2007-04-23T13:55:00.000-07:00

Last week Donnie Webb was here working on plumbing in the new buildings along with Gerald Bonner, Melvin Macha and his neice, Audra. They spend a lot of time working on the plumbing in the first and second floors of the new employee apartment building (scheduled to have a roof on it in mid-May), and also did some work in the new boys' house.

Asbury Team Pictures

2007-03-25T21:34:00.000-07:00

Asbury Spring Break Cont'd

2007-03-23T15:51:00.000-07:00

When we started preparing for this Guatemala trip, it was a task in itself trying to find people even interested. I didn’t think the trip was going to happen. However, God gave me a peace about it and began His work. We originally wanted 15, but cut the number to 10 because we felt we wouldn’t get 15 before Christmas break. When we left for break, we only had 7 or 8 people. So during my time at home, I just prayed hard that God would send the people He wanted to come.
When I returned from Christmas break, I began again to spread the word about the trip. There was still a small bit of doubt in my heart, but God continued to reassure me. Then God started bringing people in. After the break, we actually had more than 10 people, so I began to pray that I wouldn’t have to turn anyone down who felt called to come. God did His work again, and truly called each person to committee. We even had one girl who felt God calling her to stay in the states, which showed God’s will and allowed a final piece of our team to put in place.
We ended up with 10 of the greatest people. Each person has brought something unique to the group, and they have been so willing to do whatever is asked of them. I have loved watching each of them interacting with the kids and doing the work of the Lord. It is going to be so hard to leave tomorrow, but I know God will continue to work His work here at the Children’s home and in each of my team member’s lives.

We have done several projects around the home, such as varnishing the girls’ playground equipment, building picnic tables and shelves, sanding, painting, and of course playing with the kids. We have had ups and downs (such as sickness and an injury), but God has always kept us strong. I can speak for my whole team – even though we have had hard times, we are truly going to miss this place and the kids!

Thank you to New Life Children’s Home for giving us this opportunity!
~Ashton Bacon and the Asbury Team

Asbury Spring 07: Rolling With The Punches

2007-03-19T20:39:00.000-07:00

It is Monday night and things are going well. It has been amazing to have the opportunity to serve aongside the staff here at NLCH. The kids have been an absolute blessing all day every day. The team has been willing to do whatever they have been asked and that makes it easy to lead. The team is made up of five guys: Joe, Allen, John, Tim, and Michael.....as well as 4 girls Ashton, Bethany, Lori (who finally got her passport and arrived a day late), and Stephanie. I have personally also been quite happy about the time I have been able to spend with my good friends Daniel and Kara Harris. We decided we would share a few pictures and give a short update on the happenings here, we will continue to post as the week progresses.
Paul Niswander

Finished Playhouse

2007-03-16T20:28:00.000-07:00

Cory, Derek, and Chandra have finished this new playhouse for the new side of the property. The kids are already enjoying it! Cory has figured out how to make friends in Guatemala- give them candy and fireworks.

LakeRidge UMC

2007-03-14T16:26:00.000-07:00

Our first spring break team is this group of five from LakeRidge UMC in Lubbock, TX. Three of the team members are building equipment for a new playground on the new property. The other two are psychologists, so they have been spending some time with our kids doing some evaluations.

We'll be sure and post some more pictures of the playground progress later in the week.

Highland Baptist Church

2007-03-06T16:34:00.000-08:00

The praise band from Highland Baptist Church of Waco, TX came to lead worship at the annual Intermissions conference in Antigua for Guatemala's missionary community. We were at the conference Friday through Sunday, and the folks from HBC came a day early and stayed an extra day to be able to spend some time with our kids here at NLCH.

Their work in leading us in worship at the conference was a tremendous blessing to all of us. The music was wonderful, and it's a very welcome change for us to be able to worship in English.

When they arrived at the home on Thursday, they played some games and generally were willing to make fools of themselves with the kids (see video below). On Sunday night they led all of us in worship here at NLCH, even doing a great job leading some songs in Spanish for the kids.

We enjoyed their visit greatly, and their presence and talents were gifts to all of us at the conference.

As for this video- Jesus told us to make disciples of all nations, but he didn't specify how. Here's one option...

Don's Cabinet Shop

2007-02-28T19:06:00.000-08:00

Don Snow came down for three weeks in February and took on the enourmous job of building new cabinets for the guest kitchen. The above picture is the (almost) finished product, just lacking paint on the doors and tile on the counters. Below are a few pictures of progress along the way.