We were on a mission, a mission to follow God's calling on our lives. A mission to minister into the lives of the Guatemalan people. Here we are, 23 years later, still working, still ministering, still following the call.
We celebrate as we reflect back over the years. What a blessing this ministry has been in our lives, and what an honor it has been to take part in God's amazing plan, sharing His love and His Gospel. Here's a look back on the last quarter of 2010--what an amazing year it was! What's even better is that we anticipate even more for 2011!
During 2010, Hospital Shalom became an actual hospital, operating 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It was definitely a new and different experience for everyone. We were no longer simply an outpatient clinic open five days a week from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., but we transformed into a full-blown hospital. It was very difficult when we made the decision to begin operating 24 hours in June, we did so with the knowledge that now we would begin receiving patients in very critical condition. It was also an adjustment for our staff, as everyone had to begin working in shifts. Through your faithfulness in giving and His provision, we were able to add much needed staff members that enabled us to better serve those He has called in. Praise God!
After changing over to 24-hour service, the first two patients we received (both young children) did not survive. Each child arrived in such poor condition, that only a miracle could have saved their lives. We did all that was medically possibly, and prayed without ceasing until their passings. For Doris and I, this was a very difficult time. We were there for every moment and did our very best to minister to the families of these precious children. Both of us questioned our decision to provide full-time treatment. Nevertheless, we were confident we had adequately prepared, and we knew there was no choice but to move forward. Praise God we did!
Patient Updates:
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Late one night in September, Eric, a 15-year-old patient, was brought to us by his Uncle. We were told that Eric had been playing on the beach with friends and family members, when he became entangled in a hammock and accidentally hung himself. When the adults finally reached him, he had not been breathing for at least 15-20 minutes.They were doing their best to resuscitate Eric, when someone told them about Hospital Shalom and they brought him to us. When he arrived, Eric's body was lifeless and his breathing was very shallow. Dr. Mario worked on him for a long time, just to get him where he was in a semi-stable condition. Dr. Mario then spent the night in the bed next to Eric; in the morning, the teen was still unconscious. Slowly but surely, Eric began to respond and recover. On the day he left the hospital, his motor skills were still somewhat slow, but we continue to believe that he will experience a full recovery. (See photo above.)
Not 24 hours after Eric arrived, we received another patient who lived about four hours away. When they brought in this man, he, too, was unconscious. He had been involved in a motorcycle and truck accident. He had been riding the motorcycle without a helmet, was knocked off the bike, and had suffered severe head injuries. Again, Dr. Mario spent the night next to his new patient. After about four days, the man began to regain consciousness. (See photo above.)
Also one early morning in October, we had a lady arrive at the emergency room. She was due to deliver her baby in January, but had begun labor the day before. On her way to Hospital Shalom, she had given birth in the car. Our nurse had a difficult time locating the baby, but praise God, the child was fine! He weighed in a 2 pounds, 7 ounces, and stayed with us for two weeks. (See photo above.) By then, the baby weighed almost 4 pounds and his mother was ready to take him home. God has been so faithful to us and the work at Hospital Shalom. Thank you so very much for your faithfulness to pray and support all that we are doing for the people of Guatemala.
Shalom Updates:
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In May of 2010 we were finally able to move into our new dining room, kitchen, and laundry. What an awesome blessing! With donations from LifeCorps the building and some of the equipment was provided. Pastor Dave Masters and Lester Yoder came down and helped get the electrical and plumbing working. Russ and Vicki Johnson donated the hot water and Russ also helped with the plumbing in these areas. Finally having these departments functioning was a critical step in making it possible for us to provide 24-hour, 7-day-a-week service. We now have a kitchen and laundry area to handle patient load, and it's a great place for staff and patient families to enjoy lunch.
Rural Villages:
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In October 2010 we were blessed to host a combined team from Millwood, Inc., and PartsSource. Millwood has been involved in Hospital Shalom since its beginning in 1996, and PartsSource has provided much needed medical equipment during the past year. This team was very different from most of the teams we host. Usually, we only host a construction team, a medical team or a ministry team, but this team was made up of 23 members encompassing ministry, medical, and construction. With the help of Dick and Mary Jo Crandall, and both teams working together extremely well, we were able to tackle everything that was needed and a lot was accomplished!
The construction team installed the tile floor inside the chapel and worked on the outside of the building, boxing in overhangs and painting. The end result was incredible! We now have a beautiful tile floor in the chapel, the building is painted, and the overhangs are all boxed in. What an awesome accomplishment in just one week!
The medical team conducted three village outreaches. Clinics were held in the villages of Juleque, El Mango, and El Limon. The team provided triage, dental and meds, and Dr. Mario (from Hospital Shalom) was onsite. The team was well-prepared with trained nurses, a fantastic dentist, and more than a sufficient amount of meds so no one would be left out.
They were able to treat with confidence everyone who came to see the doctor or the dentist. As you can see by the pictures, a lack of patients was not a problem! Those who worked on construction at the hospital site took turns helping with these rural clinics. Jorge and Nancy Salazar and Reverend Frank Hyatt attended the clinics to assist with ministry. We are believing God that much good seed was planted in the hearts of those who came out to receive.
Millwood / PartsSource Group:
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The village of El Limon is a very typical village--it is very backward. Most of the women do not speak Spanish, but one of the Mayan languages. The men speak Spanish, and are very dominant over the women. Most of the time, the wife does nothing without her husband being present. Rarely do women leave the village. If a child gets sick and needs to be taken to a hospital, it is usually the father who arranges for treatment. The mother remains at home to care for her other children. It is also very common for the older children to care for their younger siblings.
We promoted the outreach through the mayor and the school in the village. With the mayor's approval, it is usually possible for the women to receive their husbands' approval to attend an outreach extended to the village.
Tim and Jorge are staring to make trips into this village so the people will become more familiar with us and our work in the Peten. For those who live such a secluded life, a car or large vehicle would be intimidating, so the trips are made on horseback.
Our goal in 2011 is to bring the Gospel to the people of El Limon. We continue to believe God for laborers who will assist in this endeavor. A few years ago we did a couple of outreaches in the village, but the reception was not as favorable; however, this time the outreach went very well and, shortly thereafter, villagers brought a young man who was having seizures to Hospital Shalom. We feel this recent outreach to El Limon has definitely made a difference and we will now be able to begin regular visits to the village. Building relationships means everything to them, and that's where we intend to focus--on relationships.
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As always, playing with the children seems to be a highlight for everyone. The teams brought balloons and sock puppets, and, of course, there always has to be a game of soccer. Everyone worked together to make this a wonderful time for everyone!! Hospital Shalom has been very blessed to have patients from these villages come to the hospital for further evaluation, or treatment as a result of the clinics held in these villages.
Thank You!
Thank you for supporting us both with your prayers and financially. We are so excited to see what God has in store for 2011, and we can't wait to share it with you! If you would like to be a part of a group or simply come down and visit us to see the ministry first hand, please feel free to contact us. Be sure to follow us on our bolg. We are striving to be good stewards of God's money and are cutting back on printing and mailing costs.The blog is a great way to see our weekly updates and one of the first to know what's going on in the Peten Jungle of Guatemala.
We love you all and appreciate each one of you!
Blessings!
Tim & Doris Spurrier
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New Covenant World Missions
P.O. Box 35968 | Canton, OH 44735
Email: Info@NewCovenantWorldMissions.org
Phone: [330] 704-6990
The Latest News from Guatemala:
Celebrating 23 Years!
February 2011
Our trip down to Guatemala in 1988 seems like so long ago. Our family of four, all of us sitting in the front of a 1972 Ford pick-up truck, with everything we owned sitting in the back. We were on the journey of our lives. None of us spoke Spanish. Doris and the kids had never been out of the States before, yet we found ourselves on a six-day adventure across the United States, across Mexico (without air conditioning) and finally into Guatemala.
Our lives would never be the same!
