Last week, on a return trip from Indianapolis, Indiana, I traveled the long way home and visited the farm where I grew up near Madison. About once a year now, a quiet yearning pulls me back to that special place.

Physically, the farm retains only a hint of what I recall from childhood. The trees, the outbuildings, the clapboard farm house on the hill, all have been removed, to make way for more cropland. Of the features and terrain I loved, only the barn, which is near collapse, and the single, tall Eastern Pine tree remain.

The most significant transformation has occurred, however, not in the farm’s physical surroundings, but rather in my perspective. As I recall, the hills were higher, the barn larger, the lane longer, the creek wider. Yet, my desire to return there is not connected to the farm’s physical features, but rather to the wonder of a childhood filled with unconditional love.

I arrived at the farm as a two-year-old foster child placed by the welfare department. Thankfully, the couple, who asked for a little girl, took my brother and me into their home and cherished us both in their hearts. Even today, this blessing astounds me. And so, the farm remains holy ground – the place I go to thank God for all the possibilities He gave me through that one enormous blessing.

In Guatemala, children of a different world are also being blessed, enormously, through Christ’s ministry at Mission Guatemala’s site in San Andrés Semetabaj. Most recently, a new pre-school opened, and as I write this article, arrangements are being made to ship generously donated dental equipment from Indiana to San Andrés, so they can receive much needed dental care.

Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not forbid them, for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” The work at San Andrés assures these children are experiencing Christ’s love, and as adults, may return “home” with thankful hearts. What better way for us to build His Kingdom?

When Tom Heaton left Indiana for Guatemala in late 2008, he shared images of his new work through a slide show. Watching and listening, I recognized the words to the song, “Testify to Love.”  I began to nod my head.

The words of the soundtrack seemed fitting for the unassuming and energetic pastor we had known at the Nashville United Methodist Church a few years earlier:

“…I’ll be a witness in the silences when words are not enough. With every breath I take I will give thanks to God above.  For as long as I shall live,  I will testify to love.”

In Nashville, we knew Tom as a loving father to two animated boys.  We also knew him as a man with a heart for discipleship.

As our pastor, Tom encouraged us to reach out with our resources to help the lonely and the lost. He inspired us to start a sock and underwear mission which thrives today, supplying items to schools and agencies. Support of our food pantries increased. Tom constantly reminded us of needy people in our community.

I am deeply moved by the path Tom has walked.  Through his living and through his work in Guatemala, Tom has used his gifts to testify to the love of God. I pray that Tom may be encouraged and feel support through our prayers, our communication, and our gifts.

I celebrate the opening of the Mission Guatemala Clinic!

With joy,
Brenda Roush

In October, John Forester, Missions Chair, and I visited Tom to explore the possibilities of our church forming a relationship with Mission Guatemala. John and I were so impressed by the experience that we are making plans to partner with Mission Guatemala for many years to come. In fact, we are rushing to put together a team to send to Guatemala this spring.

In the midst of this picturesque location, beautiful people, and great weather, is a tremendous need and opportunity for us to partner with Tom and the people of San Andreas. The site for the medical clinic seems ideal and Tom is working hard to prepare it to become a vital support to the health and well-being of the community.

I can’t say enough about how impressed John and I were about the vision and direction of this mission. Thanks Tom for allowing us to be a part of such a God-honoring ministry!

In Christ,

Gary

Hello!   My husband Dwight and I run an organization in Guatemala called Mayan Families.

We are very excited to hear about the plans for a clinic in San Andrés.  There is a great need for a clinic to serve the community and the surrounding communities.  Many people here in Guatemala die every day from diseases that are totally preventable if they could have access to a doctor and medicine.  We see the tragedies that occur every day here because of the lack of medical help.  Mayan Families will be able to help keep the clinic very busy.

Mayan Families is also considering taking over the operation of an orphanage in San Andrés.  If we do, this will also necessitate the need for opening a boys’ home for older boys who will be aging out of the orphanage.  We hope to be able to partner with Mission Guatemala to help with the many needs that will come with the opening of this home.  The clinic location offers all kinds of possibilities for a vocational training center for these young men.

We are very enthused about this project and can attest first hand to the great need.  It will make a difference in the lives of these poor Mayan people.

We consider it a real blessing to be a part of Pastor Tom’s life and we have felt privileged to support the good works of Salud y Paz.  When the opportunity arose to visit Tom in Guatemala, we were excited about the chance to see this mission site in action. 

Most of all, however, we will take with us the awareness of God’s hand at work at Salud y Paz.  Hopefully, the families that use the school and the clinic will be blessed by the work we have done there.  We know, however, that it cannot compare with the blessings we received by serving them.

Some months ago, my friend, Tom Heaton, sent me a small supply of cloth wristbands which had been made in Guatemala. Tom and his son, Manuel, are serving as missionaries, caring for the people of Guatemala through a health clinic that provides medical assistance, nutrition and care. And me . . . I have been wearing one of these “prayer bracelets” on my wrist since I received it.

Every time I think about the bracelet, or feel it, I offer up a prayer for Tom and the work. And I’ve found myself whispering prayers in some unique places: in the grandstand at a high school football game, in the car, or while lifting a cup of coffee to my lips.

We don’t have to say flowery or lengthy prayers to remember God’s work and we certainly don’t have to set aside days or weeks in order to remember others. Rather, our prayers can be whispers and sighs.

I’m also remembering Tom and Manuel and their work through my writing, as I have been giving royalties from my books and CDs to their work. Everyone has something to give. Our creativity, time, and effort can have an impact on others . . . even those who live in another hemisphere.

So, do what you do best. Give as best you can. Pray. Hope. That’s something to write about.

It must have been something I ate… the last thing I wanted to do was “rock on the dock with the crock,” entertaining dozens of children at our VBS: “Crocodile Dock.”  Instead, I wanted to insulate myself from the world and isolate myself from everyone, but duty called, so off I went.  It turned out to be one of those “I’m glad I did it” moments in my life.

The 90+ children hanging around on the dock were so excited to sing songs of praise, share in the stories of our faith, and challenge one another to raise money for missionaries like Tom Heaton in Guatemala.  The kids ended up collecting over $500.00 for Salud Y Paz from their own nickels, pennies, dimes and quarters—that’s a lot of change.  But the real change was the one taking place in me, in the lives of those kids, and we hope—in the lives of those touched by the ministries of Salud Y Paz.
Dr. Phil Plunk, Director of Salud Y Paz once quoted a line from a song saying, “if we could only forget our problems as easily as we forget our blessings…” well, that day I forgot my problems because of the rich blessings of our children.  I was filled with the joy of God’s salvation and the blessings of sacrificial fellowship because of our kids.  I’m glad I choose to connect.

John Ortberg, in an astute observation about Jesus’ parable of the rich fool (Luke 12:13), writes that the rich man was alone with his wealth.  When the rich man had a bumper crop and needed to make a decision about what to do with it, he had a discussion with himself, asking, “What shall I do?”  The rich man had no one to talk to: “He thought to himself…” Jesus pictured the man utterly alone: “What shall I do?  I have no place to store my crops… this is what I will do.  I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones and there I will store all my grain and my goods.  And I’ll say to myself….” It was all about “me, myself, and I,” if you will.

It’s interesting. This parable is Jesus’ response to the request of “someone in the crowd” asking Him to settle a dispute between himself and his brother regarding an inheritance.  I used to think this parable was about focusing on people as opposed to possessions; on God, not the world–you know,–store up your treasures in heaven…  But now I think it’s more about sharing our possessions with people.  Jesus asked, “Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?” (vs. 20)  His question is about WHO will share in the blessings with the rich man.  It’s not a question of WHERE his blessings come from.

The greatest blessing that came from the “Dock” was sharing in the blessings of our children sharing their blessings, unrestrained, for children they’ve never met.  And to think, I nearly missed it because of some undigested bit of beef, a blot of mustard, a crumb of cheese, a fragment of underdone potato… bah humbug.