vol. 6 - issue 2              June 2018
Window Into Our World
beyersNGuate
 
Tragedy strikes..........

Sadly the window into our world darkened on Sunday, June 3.  By now all have heard of the eruption of Volcano "Fuego" which sent pyroclastic flows to cover and demolish unsuspecting families, churches and communities.  What had been a novel "side show" for us now has become the source of a devastating natural disaster.....and all within 10-20 miles of where we live. We've heard reports of whole families gone!  Whole congregations gone!  At least one whole community gone!This map is for your reference to see our proximity to the destruction.  We live in San Antonio Aguas Calientes. (fyi - Kathlyn lives off the map to the top left and Alyssa off the map to the top right,) The picture in the header was taken by Kathlyn as she and Noé traveled along the highway CA14 along the base of the volcano going from our house to get to his week's assignment toward the coast.  They were turned away by police saying that lava was crossing the road!  This was the first that we realized that this was bigger than just a heavy ash storm!  Later that night when I had time to consider the gravity of the situation and how close they had come to be traveling that road at that time my heart almost ached with relief and gratitude yet a sense of why were we spared great loss when so many weren't?

At this point the official death toll stands at just over 100 but still there are many missing that many never be recovered.  We have heard of families that have lost 15-20 members.  Other families escaped and are now in shelters or with extended family.  All have lost all earthly possessions.  It is hard!!  This is the most severe eruption in possibly 100 years!

Organization for the relief effort has been lacking but is starting to take shape.  This situation won't be fixed ever or quickly but will be a reality for a very long time. One thing that has been refreshing is to realize that there is a large community of people here ready to serve!  The hard thing is to know how best to do that.  Daryl Fulp and others from Hope for Home have taken several trips into hard to reach areas to take supplies.  Kristin has visited a  refuge for survivors a couple of times.  Our church, Calvary Chapel Antigua, is serving as a collection and distribution center for supplies and is seeking God's guidance on how to walk alongside several families to aid them in restoration and rebuilding of lives and homes.  Homes/families are being sought willing to take in orphaned children.
  
Please pray for us as we seek how to be involved while maintaining the work that we already needed to be about.  In all we want to be messengers of the hope found in Christ alone!
 
keeping you up-to-date
has been hard over the past few months.  Life has just been busy and the activities so full that sometimes words or the time to express them haven't come.
  Maybe this photo update will shed a little light:
on February 3 we gave away a daughter and gained a son! This US/Guatemalan allegiance was witnessed by many friends and family from Guatemala, Ohio, Missouri and Colombia and officiated by pastors from Nicaragua and Guatemala. And with the photographer from Peru it was truly an international celebration! 
Kathlyn and Noé make their home in Chichicastenango where he is on staff with Health Talents International.  Every other week they travel to the HTi clinic in the coastal town of Montellano.  He will begin his last year of university in the next month meaning yet another destination every weekend.
March we gave away another daughter and gained another son!  Joining in the preparation and celebration of Alyssa's union with Luis were Jacob, Regan and Everhett as well as family and friends from Kentucky, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, Canada, Colombia and of course, Guatemala!,  Another international event!!  And again we were amazed at the time, effort, expense that many expended to make this celebration so special!!  

Alyssa and Luis live in Santo Tomas Milpas Altas, about 45 minutes away from us.  Luis is transitioning into a new role with Students International and Alyssa is enjoying the role of homemaker and participating in Luis' ministry as well as continuing her studies in medical transcription.
April An added blessing of having guests here for a wedding was that some stayed around and we were able to have a celebration of Resurrection Day with extended family - a rare treat for us!!  We also were able to share with them the customs and culture of Holy Week in Guatemala!  Pictured with us above are Anita's Dad and step-mother, Kaye, as well as Anita's sister Beth, her husband Ricardo and children Juliana and Jonathan.
Also in April we were blessed to celebrate the wedding of our friend Gerardo to his bride Mirta!  They now live in the neighboring village of Santiago Zamora and we are excited to see what God has in store for them!
May  Marks 5 years of living in Guatemala.  On May 27, 2013 6 Beyers flew out of Kentucky and landed in Guatemala..  Truly if we had known how very hard the transition would be we might have done differently.  Aren't we glad that God doesn't give us all the information yet just asks us to follow?  In hindsight the blessings we have received as a result of this move have far outweighed the trials!!I  Not only have our lives been changed, and now our family expanded to include native born Guatemalans, but the generations to come will hear the stories of God's faithfulness and leading, His provision, His sufficiency......................and will have an expanded worldview encompassing at least 2 cultures.  These are things we couldn't have planned for or even known to ask for! But God............to Him be the glory!!  
Somehow this photo symbolizes the passage of time and the blending of our worlds….our dear Everhett playing with the handmade truck crafted specially for him by one of our carpenter friends in Guatemala.
June   As the volcano was erupting Dale was returning from the city with a team (pictured here with several Hope for Home staff) that had traveled from Ohio.  Already having a delay that meant an overnight in Mexico City this team took everything in stride.  The trip from the city was treacherous at best with visibility greatly reduced and hindered further by smearing mud and ash on the windshield.  Very little in their planned schedule went according to plan.  Instead of holding and playing with children they joyfully grabbed shovels and brooms and assisted in the great ash clean up at Hope for Home facilities.  Truly we don't know how we would have accomplished it all without their assistance!!  
Dale
continues to work in the behind-the-scenes operations of Hope for Home, maintaining, fixing, trouble shooting, preparing, purchasing, inventorying, etc.  On afternoons that La Escuelita meets he has become the route guard, traveling along the road on his bicycle as several families are leery of the safety for their children walking into the woods to get to the school.  He is leading a Bible study at church on Wednesday nights and has accepted a leadership role at Calvary Chapel Antigua.
Anita
is very thankful for a lull in Ministry Teams with Hope for Home in the first part of this year which gave time to focus on family, wedding preparation and visitors.  She also has dedicated 3 days each week to assisting with the ministry of La Escuelita with Kristin.  Since weddings she has been making preparations for teams by studying and composing a workbook for team members. 

Kristin
stays very busy with the organization of La Escuelita and in teaching Bible classes there.  She also invests time into designing and facilitating production of product for her leather bag business.  She has begun meeting with 2 friends for Bible study once a week which has been a true blessing for her.  And of course she is part of "hosting" when teams are here.
We are so very thankful for your support and interest in us, your prayers for us, your calls and notes to us!  As you think of us will you pray for the following:
*  That we will have wisdom in how to be involved with ministering to victims of the volcano eruption.
*  For safety as Kathlyn and Noé travel every weekend
*  For wisdom as Luis learns his new responsibilites at SI
*  For Noe as he adds his last year of studies to an already very full schedule
*  For strength, encouragement and wisdom as Kristin leads and teaches children in La Escuelita
*  For discernment always of God's direction and leading and strength to trust and follow

We praise God for safety for our family, opportunity to live and serve in Guatemala, and for the added members of our family!!  He has given far more than we could have thought, asked or even imagined!  Dale is currently in Missouri attending a reunion of all of his siblings and Dad and step-mother as well as many nieces and nephews.  For several days prior he was thoroughly enjoying time with Jacob, Regan and Everhett!  We are so thankful for this opportunity for him and for God's care over Kristin and I in his absence!

In Ecclesiastes we read of seasons…….a time to laugh and a time to cry, a time to mourn and a time to dance…  In our family this has been a season of great rejoicing yet in our land a time of mourning.  It is our prayer that we will go out in the joy of the Lord which is our strength into this dark world.  May His light shine in us and in you and to those whom we all come in contact!  In all things and in all seasons we need Him and we trust Him!

By His grace and for His glory,
Dale, Anita and Kristin Beyer
Copyright © 2018,BeyersNGuate, All rights reserved.

Contact Information:
 Dale - dale@hopeforhome.org -(502) 4571-2463
Anita - anita@hopeforhome.org - (502) 4906-8595
serving in Guatemala with
Hope for Home Ministries
http://hopeforhome.com / http://hopeforhome.blogspot.com

Alyssa - alyssa.jaguar2027@yahoo.com- (502) 5035-9722
Kristin - reyebak09@gmail.com - (502) 4083-9253

Kathlyn - kbeyer@athentikos.com - (502) 4095-5515
serving with
Athentikos http://athentikos.com






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