Hi Everyone!
I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I know it’s been a rough year for so many on so many different fronts. As for me and my family, we have so many things to be grateful for. Yet others are not so fortunate.
Hurricanes in Central America…
On this Giving Tuesday, I want to make you aware of some of the needs of our friends in Guatemala and Honduras. As you may know, they have had Eta and Iota, two major hurricanes, come barreling one right after the other through that region of the world.
Across Guatemala, hundreds of bridges like this one have been washed out. The same is true in Honduras and Nicaragua.
This is a river near Zacapa, Guatemala. Its bridge was washed away with the raging waters.
Cesar is being inundated with requests for help dealing with blown-off roofs and damage to the homes and locations where several of our churches and groups meet.
Already, Cross Creek Baptist Mission of Oak Grove, Missouri, has stepped up to send $1000 to Cesar to use for disaster relief efforts. Perhaps you might like to join them in helping.
While you could give online and make a note on your gift that it is for disaster relief, it would probably get to us faster if you mail a check directly to us at:
Daybreak International
11628 Oakmont St.
Overland Park, KS 66210
This young boy is telling of his house and community near Campuro, Guatemala, being flooded and washed away by the rising waters. In an interview after fleeing for safety, he talked about how he doesn’t blame God for his plight.
Beyond the concerns for our friends dealing with the hurricanes, there are still Covid-19 problems.
Safety Concerns for Cesar…
Two weeks ago, Manuel and Alba Campos, two friends of ours in Amberes, Guatemala, died of Covid-19. Alba had some health issues and died first. But incredibly, the private hospital where she died didn’t tell the family that she had Covid-19. They even signed the certificate that she didn’t have it, giving the family the permission they needed to do the traditional burial practices.
So they had the wake where the whole family and many friends sat around with the body for a whole night. Friends and family ate together and supported one another in close proximity. Then they buried her the next day. Soon her husband Manuel, several family members, and even some friends got sick. Several got tested and, sure enough, it was the dreaded Covid-19 virus. Within a week, Manuel died and other family members and friends also got sick. One of the adult children who flew in from the United States caught the virus and will be stuck in Guatemala to recuperate before being able to go back.
In this picture taken last year on November 1, 2019, a team from LifeQuest Church of Belton Missouri experience the cultural flavor of the Day of the Dead celebration. That day, Manuel Campos (second from the left) wanted me to take a picture of him with the team in front of his family cemetery plot near Nueva Santa Rosa, Guatemala. Little did I know that this would be the last picture I have of Manuel.
Thankfully, though invited, Cesar and Elba Gonzalez did not attend the wake or burial activities and are not affected. Cesar had expressed his condolences by phone, but anticipated that attending that kind of gathering would not be wise.
10:02 PRAYER
Please pray for Cesar and our friends in Central America. Besides the pandemic concerns and hurricane disasters, they have had major political unrest with accusations of the president of Guatemala stealing from funds for Covid-19 relief and disaster relief. Cesar is preparing to go to the jungle soon to help some of our friends hardest hit by mudslides and flooding. He has already sent some money to friends in Honduras whose roof blew off.
ENGAGE
On this Giving Tuesday, whatever amount you give would be a blessing. Please give as God directs you.
INVEST
Thank you for your continued faithfulness to this ministry. I am truly grateful for you!
CLICK HERE FOR THE EASY WAY TO INVEST.
Love y’all!
Steve