Country Cousins

Meet the "Country Cousins"! We are a team of CAM missionaries here in Guatemala mainly located in the Lake Atitlan/Quetzaltenango/Huehuetenango areas. Last week we met together as a team for the first time and had a great time! Even though we are 2 and 3 hours from each other, we are the closest CAM missionaries to each other. We are also the only group of CAM missionaries not living around Guatemala City. So we have each others' backs.

L-R standing: Steve and Elise Sywulka (team leader), Danny and Daphne Foote, holding Naomi with Isaac, Chloe Ann and Titus kneeling in front (Santiago, across the Lake), Niel and Diana Thomas (LBN), Brandon Scott holding Deacon with wife, Jenny, and Madeline in front (Quetzaltenango), and Johnny and Maria Coker (Centennial Camp). Not shown are Dave and Helen Ekstrom (Huehuetenango) who were in the capital for Dave's back surgery. Pray for these folks because they are our "family" here and we need each other.

James 5 :16

Jornada Medica

As you read this, I will be working with a group out of Texas for the next three days. My primary function, along with two other nurses, is to run a medical clinic in each of three villages around the Lake: San Pablo (Monday), San Juan (Tuesday) and San Marcos (Wednesday). Other people in the group will be involved with local churches and teaching children. Pray for our time working, that in all we do, Christ's light will shine through us and it all be to God's glory! I will post pictures at the end of the week.

Happy 4th Anniversay to Us!

Today is our 4th anniversary of our arrival in Guatemala. It has been an eventful 4 years with many more to come, God willing. Continue to pray with us for the Guatemalan people. We have seen many changes in the country since we first began coming on mission trips. But, as is seen all over the world, people still need the Lord. That's why we came...that's why we are still here.


Matthew 28:19, 20

Check it out!

Last Thursday, we had a visit from members of Healing Waters International - Greg, Juan and Mario. We had a great time visiting and they checked out our water filtration system, then Johnny took them to Panajachel and Pamazebal to see those systems. Greg has a blog in which he posted of their visit with us. You can see it at www.blogadegregorio.blogspot.com (see the March 19th posting) and visit Healing Waters International's site at www.healingwatersintl.org to learn more about their work here, in Mexico and in the Dominican Republic! Thanks, guys, for a great morning!

"Mr. Shu"

Jerry Shumake, aka "Mr. Shu", has been a family friend since I was in Junior High. (We won't discuss how many years that has been!) He and his wife have "adopted" us and Centennial Camp and we had the pleasure of visiting with him while we were in Decatur. We missed seeing Terry, his wife, but you may can catch her if you visit them at their business, Shumake's Furniture!

Saturday morning

At about 8:30 this morning, a group of 17 from San Lucas Toliman, a village around the lake from us, arrived to work here at the Camp. The above picture may not look like much, but 6 or 7 truckloads of dirt were moved from across the highway to fill in behind the new wall by one group. They also moved the small trees that had originally been planted on the left of the wall to the right. Another group dug a 25 foot trench and a 7 foot deep hole, which will all be part of the septic system for the bathrooms. All in all, a good morning's work. I know that Johnny is pooped!

Gracias hermanos!

The Starbucks team!

L to R: Olivia, Brittany and Joy

Three of "My Girls" in Decatur, Alabama!

March return

Whew! Everybody has probably thought I had fallen off the face of the earth! The last 4 1/2 months have been both a blessing and a curse (you try living out of a suitcase for that long!). For those of you that don't know, within the week of returning to Guatemala in January, I was back on a plane to Alabama. My mother had had a reaction to a new medication in that it interferred with her blood thinner. She began bleeding internally and had lost several pints before it was diagnosed. Thankfully, a bullnosed cardiology nurse bullied her into the hospital and saved her life. I want to publicly thank her and friends of my mom who got Mother to the hospital and picked me up at the airport and delivered me there also. And all of you that knew what was going on and prayed for my travel, Johnny's forced batchlerhood and our subsequent "second honeymoon" at the Bass Pro Shop! After several weeks recuperation, Mother is doing well.

We had a great month visiting churches, seeing all our doctors (we're healthy for another year) and attending the missions conference at First Bible Church in Decatur, Alabama. Then we spent a week in Big Sandy, Texas, in training before returning. It was amazing what had been accomplished in the four months I had been gone! The bathrooms are almost finished, just lacking the wall tile and toilets. A road has been cut to the cabins at the top of the mountain (everyone that had to tote brick, sand, gravel and water up the mountain will be happy to see this!) and Johnny's truck makes it up there fine! Check below to see pictures of some of the changes!

Not all of the road is this flat, Johnny did have to use 4WD for one steep part, but this sure beats climbling 500 ft. straight up! Especially if you are carrying a load!

The bathrooms and the tienda at the end of the building. Teams for the summer of 2009 will be working on the second floor of this building, making an office and salon or meeting room.









I forgot to mention the wall built to enclose one of the parking areas. When finished, it will be capped with brick to dress it up.

To God be the Glory!!