IT'S BEGUN!

This week is the beginning of what we've prepared for during the last few months...the start of our team season. As I probably mentioned before there will be 16 teams coming this year ready to work, enjoy Guatemala, and to bless the children in the homes with their warm arms to wrap around them and some attempts with the Spanish language that always brings laughs from the kids. They're used to that though with us around! The home that we were at this week was overwhelmed at the quality of the work, painting 5 rooms inside and concreting about a 1000sq ft. area for the kids to play, ride bikes on and eventually to play basketball on, as they get older. As I look at our staff functioning, it couldn't be more perfect, as we all work together providing the experience of a lifetime for many that come. I told Sheryl last night that her efforts in getting the activities together for the kids is unprecedented and a real blessing. Things go well when planning is done!

We did have a perfect week of weather, with sunshine every day and temperatures in the 70's. I read this morning that the Northeast US tonight may reach record lows of -30F...don't even want to remember those times. Not too many years ago I would have been spending most of the nights during the cold weather hanging over heat pumps statisfying customers with heating problems. Looking back on that time, I must say that I enjoyed it ....maybe I was crazy, but being a blessing to people is what makes me tick! Even the 15 years of fixing cameras in my earlier years was enjoyable, seeing people thrilled that they would have their camera repaired for the occasion...usually that night! Guess my life is just full of helping people in need.

My parents are coming to GT to visit!! They are in their upper 80's! We will try our best to take care of them and enjoy their time here. They will be traveling with my younger sister and her husband, helping them to navigate through the airports. Leaving out of Washington on Thursday...hoping that the snow wil not be too deep although it doesn't sound good.

Not enough room here for team pictures of the work week so visit our fb page and the ORI fb.

Thanks for your prayers, need them!

Sad Situations

I'll begin todays blog by sharing of two situations that have taken place in orphanages that ORI deliveres food and additional donations to. The first picture is of an adorable little boy that was left abandoned on a church pew and is now placed in an orphanage with caring people to provide a new life...second opportunity

to life. It's hard to imagine that this can take place in our human society, but it does happen even more often than we would think possible. If only there could be a  good program for these children to be adopted by families that want them, to provide for them and to give them an opportunity to be the person that God desires them to be. The second is of an entire family of brothers and sisters that were picked up by the authorities and brought into an orphanage after they were found completely left on their own. The oldest one being 12 years old, taking care of the rest of her siblings...7 of them. Hard to imagine in this situation also that parents of the children allow this to happen. I know both these homes, and the children will be wonderfully cared for, but it again puts additional stress on the homes financially, when they're filled with children and the authorities give additional children to the homes, but no funding to help in these situations. The care givers and directors need our prayers and all the help we can give them as they care for these little ones.



Our week has been a little different around here with both of us fighting colds that we've had since we came back from Florida. Mine just bothered me slightly, but Sheryl had a nasty cough and two weeks later is just now getting over it. Hoping and praying that it will be gone before the first team gets here on Monday. Should be a good week with Jay Hurst, a regular with teams to GT. We'll be working at a home out towards Antigua pouring a concrete pad for basketball and a play area. If the weather is like today we'll be blessed. The last few days we've had cold wind again and it really comes through the windows making everything cold. The other night as I laid in bed I could see the curtains blowing around...with the windows closed. We keep thinking that "today" will be the end of the cold days and that the warmth that we love so much will return. We all look forward to the team season with anticipation of sharing our work and experiences with lots of new friends. The postings on facebook and blogs get filled with cute pictures of the children and the tired looks of team members from their determination to get the job done. That even makes us tired .... they get to go back to their regular schedules but we go through the same thing when the next team comes. Our team schedule is full and will be a busy time for all our staff. Keep us in your prayers for safety throughout our team schedule.

I'll try to keep the news coming but if I'm late on posting...be forgiving!

Love you all, Jim and Sheryl

Back to Work!

We returned from Jacksonville after one week with grandchildren and our family. Had a wonderful time celebrating Jesus' birthday and family time together. The only, not so good thing, is that we both came back with colds. Mine, not more than a pest, but Sheryl has battled an ugly chest cough for most of the week with releif finally coming yesterday and more today. We shouldn't blame it on Florida's cold weather, so I'll just say the draft blowing from the A/C unit on the plane didn't help. We're seeing better temperatures and lots of sunshine now in GT. The daytime temperatures are reaching 75degs. which we whole heartedly welcome. In a joking way I sent an email notice to a friend today saying, 75 deg., sunshine at max! Forecast for the next 8 months, SAME!
This morning as I was reading the news I was attracted to an article that stated, 2000 children in Guatemala died of starvation from January thru October of this past year. Astounding! 52% of the children under the age of 5 suffer from malnutrition. Orphan Resources is helping to feed 4000 children each day of the year. What a blessing it is to be able to do this. A person can only imagine  the possible sittuation of those children if our deliveries were not possible. Thankyou, again and again for your support.