Guatemala: Meet Martina, Carlos & Marta

Mar 8, 2017 | by Curtis Cottrell

One of the challenges in raising funds for missions is that it can become super-easy to get focused on the project goals and the spreadsheets and progress bar graphs and forget that behind all of those are real people! 

So we wanted to take some time to introduce you to the people whose lives you will be making a difference in as our team of eight gets on a plane on Saturday and heads to Guatemala. 

In addition to distributing 50 wheelchairs, we will be building two houses for families who need them.

HOUSE BUILD #1 -  Martina's family 

Martina (48) has been a widow for more than 7 year now. Her husband died due to alcohol poisoning. Since this time Martina is solely responsible for supporting her two children. Irma (12), is studying sixth grade. She works selling vegetables on the weekends. Juan (7), is studying second grade. Marta works cleaning houses with a monthly income of approximately $115 when she has work 4-5 times a week. She is doing everything possible to give her children what they need at home and school, and also to provide food for them every day. Currently, Martina and her children live in a house that belongs to Martina´s daughter who gave them a chance to live there until they can build their own house. The land where Bethel will build the house is an inheritance from Martina’s grandfather, and it doesn’t have electricity or drainage. Life for this family has not been easy and Martina desires that her children have a better place to live in.

HOUSE BUILD #2 - Carlos & Marta's family   

Carlos (29) is married to Marta (26). They are from Aldea Choacruz, Sololá.Their children are: Jenny Yesenia is 4 years old and Gerson who is two years old.  There is not enough for all their needs, so he also works in the fields. His income is approximately $80 a month. Marta doesn’t work and she stays at home to care of her children They were living in a house that belonged to Carlos’s father. But one month ago his father talked with them and he told them that Carlos and his family had to leave the house and to find another place to live.

Carlos and his wife built a small room made of scrap metal but the conditions are very poor. They sleep on the floor. Carlos’ dream is that his children and wife will have a better home to live and that their living conditions will improve. For this reason he came to Bethel asking for help with the construction of their house.

We want to say thank you to all of you who have prayed and who have given finances so that these families can receive homes.  In addition, because of your generosity, we'll be able to install a bathrooms for each family and buy bunkbeds for the kids!  

We'll also be partnered with a local church to distribute 20 packets of food to needy families and also distribute 90 Bibles!  

Thanks, Jericho (and friends) for living out our value of generosity again this year.  To keep up with the team's progress, follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/jerichoridge