Sunday, August 28, 2011

GUATEMALA 2011: (22) Nunca Cansado...forever.


Are
you ready
to make a

difference?


Have you ever wondered if what you do really matters?



What if
I told you
that you can?


We have a chance to make 
a forever difference.

Look what has been done so far... completely by the donations, time, and personal labor by individuals.  A labor of love to the least of these... from desolation, provision is built by block, mortar, and willing hearts.



This is the Team House on the grounds of Catalyst Resources International in San Cristobal, Guatemala. The main house you saw in the video is Mimi's House, a home that houses the Greene Family, missionaries from the U.S., and 6 Guatemalan girls whose families have agreed to allow them to live with the Greenes. While there the girls receive an education, and later a launching pad to change not only their own lives, but lift up their communities and break a cycle of poverty.

The Team House serves as a base for groups who come to serve in Guatemala, whether that is with Catalyst, or through an independent agent. The Team House provides them with a safe and comfortable place to stay, and also provides an income for Catalyst that can help support the mission of the girls at Mimi's House.

Mimi's House, view from Team House
Catalyst works with the volunteer labor of men and women who travel to make a difference. In addition to the volunteers, Catalyst also employes Guatemalans. This provides the men with steady income as they work to improve their own communities. 

At Catalyst, there is talk of "circles of influence." As you can see, this organization isn't only about the girls. It is a beautiful thing to see the ever growing number of lives that are changed as they continue to expand. The life course of hundreds have already been changed... and the organization is barely off the ground.

Here is what I want you to see...


... the Team  House is unfinished.

I was just here the second week of August. The climate is breath-taking. Each day is cooled by rain that falls in the afternoon. Most days this rain is torrential, falling in sheets and waves. The team house is planned to house a second level that will allow them to expand, adding additional girls and expanding the circle of influence. 


Catalyst is forwarding this mission. Even since our departure, they have been able to add additional block to begin raising walls. This was made possible by donations from my friends and other people who have seen and experienced the incredible life-change happening from this place. 


But the pace is not fast enough. Each time it rains, the water beats down on this unfinished structure, and searches for ways to seep into the walls and down through the rebar. Precious resources are being used to shore up the breaches and repair the damage.


Meet Edgar & Ramero. These two men are my heroes. I have great respect for their compassion, their commitment, and their incredible ability to get the near impossible done in the face of insurmountable odds. 

We once asked Edgar if he ever gets tired. His response, "nunca cansado" is now the rallying cry of our work team when the day seems too much.

"Never tired."

These two men are the heart of the construction that happens. They are the hands, feet, and mind of the homes that are build, the reconstruction needed when the Mimi's House structure was purchased, and the raising up of The Team House. They are forever adaptable, and endlessly patient.

They are fully supported by Catalyst. If you ever get to meet them, you will be humbled and forever changed by their story. You will weep when you see how much their families mean to them, and the amount of deep affection that they bleed to their wives and children.

Meet the family. The Greenes. Fontaine told me of coming to Guatemala on a one week mission trip and having his heart broken. 

After several years of preparation and soul-searching, he and his family arrived on a dark, rainy night at the airport in Guatemala City... 


...with 12 suitcases, a passion, and a dream. Their willingness to lay it all on the line for true belief astounds me.



Meet the girls of Mimi's house. They came from the most severe poverty and desolation. It is impossible for me to describe the conditions. Understanding comes only with experience. 

Now they are sisters, and they know love. Their futures are nearly boundless. This is what love can do.

This is the difference that you can make. If you are searching for meaning... if you ever wonder WHY you are here, or if ANYTHING REALLY MATTERS...

I can tell you with tears in my eyes that they answer for me is a simple yes.

After seeing what I have seen, there is no other possible answer than to take action. I can tell you honestly that after coming home, we began to change how we lived our own life. Our priorities have shifted. This is a worthy, life-long goal.

And here is where you can come in. If you have made it this far into this long document... it is because your heart is being tugged. Allow this to consume your thoughts, and ask yourself, "how much meaning do you want in life?"


Completed Homes!
The Team House is $8,000 away from being completed. The money will purchase the supplies, employ men and feed families. The work will expand the number of girls whose lives can be changed. This investment will pay dividends for generations. Can you see the power of this work?


$40.00 will purchase 100 blocks. Can you imagine what $100 can do? 

Our team is returning on October 29th this year. It is our heart's cry to return with as much money as possible to contribute towards the completion of the Team House. We already have a commitment of $1,000. We can do much more!


A widow and her children
coming home!
  You can give directly to me with a check or cash. I     can get you a receipt for your records and personally   provide you with pictures and stories of the results of your donations. I can even accompany you to Guatemala and you can see the lives you change.





Here is another way to give:



Click on this link and you will be able to donate any amount you chose online. It is secure and it is as easy as ordering a pizza. In the description please type, "Team House Project" and 100% of your donation will go directly to purchasing materials. NO overhead or operational costs will be deducted.


Make a FOREVER DIFFERENCE in your own life. 

Please give today.




1 comment:

  1. Update: through the efforts of this page, along with the contributions of both individuals and other groups, the goal was exceeded and the project was completed. Donations that continue to come in are being applied to other CRI projects such as expansion into an adjoining property and a 15 passenger van. The cry continues, "Never tired!"

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