The Facts

As history repeats itself, this pretty little girl, sells tortillas for 10 cents.  Her brothers and sisters work in the fields 10 hours a day for maybe one or two dollars.    Like many other women and children, she is destined for a life of poverty.  She could be Mayan Indian or Latino, living in our town or the mountains of Guatemala.   She already has cavities, which will probably never be filled unless medical and dental groups come here to minister.  Her daily diet consists of black beans and tortillas. She lives in a one-room house with a corrugated roof that leaks and a dirt floor where chickens wonder in and leave their droppings.  Some houses are without water and electricity.  Sometimes the kitchen is also in the same room and the smoke fills the house causing TB, bronchitis and other ailments.  The toilet is outside and is just a hole in the ground surrounded by plastic bin liners.  They do not have the comforts of mosquito nets, so denghi and malaria can attack them.   They reach the hospitals too late and die in agony.

Throughout their short lives some will never see a doctor or a dentist – they have no funds for this luxury!   If this girl sells enough tortillas or jocotes she just might have a year or two of schooling, but she will never read a newspaper or a book.  She will probably marry a boy from her village in her early teens and bear many children, some of whom will die of treatable diseases.  Her whole life will be devoted to washing, cooking and cleaning.  Hunger, hard labor, and pain will be her constant companions.  

Yes, this is the fact of life here in Guatemala.   We are helping these people by bringing the Good News, and the joy of Jesus Christ has come into their lives, but there is still much to do to improve their way of life.   The rain enters many of the houses in every crack and opening which dampens their clothes and bedding.   We in the Western world really do not understand the words poverty or hunger.  Maybe the food we throw away as trash each week would be sufficient to sustain a family.    This is where you can come in and change the life of a child or family.   Help us to help them by sending a donation to the address below marked “Helps Fund.”   These funds go to families in need, or for purchasing food, clothes or medicines.   You can make it happen!  We thank you in advance.

Prayer

Please keep our family in your daily prayers for our health
and safety.

With much love

Jeff, Christa and Antonia

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Tatsachen

Die Geschichte wiederholt sich. Dieses Mädchen verkauft Tortillas für 10 Cents. Ihre Geschwister arbeiten 10 Stunden auf dem Feld für ein oder zwei Dollar. Wie vielen anderen Frauen und Kinder ist ihr ein Leben in Armut bestimmt. Sie mag eine Indigena sein oder Ladina, in unserer Stadt leben oder im Hinterland von Guatemala. Sie jetzt bereits Karies, die wahrscheinlich nie beseitigt wird, es sei denn ein medizinisches oder zahnmedizinisches Team kommt und dient ihr. Ihr täglicher Speiseplan besteht aus schwarzen Bohnen und Tortillas. Sie lebt in einem ein-Raum-Haus mit undichtem Wellblechdach und mit Hühnern, die ein- und ausgehen und ihr „Geschäft“ dort verrichten. Einige Häuser haben weder Strom noch Wasser. Manchmal wird in dem einen Raum auch auf offenem Feuer gekocht, und der Raum ist voller Rauch, was TB, Bronchitis und andere Krankheiten verursacht. Die Toilette ist ein Loch in der Erde mit Plastiksäcken als Sichtschutz. Ohne den Luxus von Mosquitonetzen sind Denghe und Malaria eine Gefahr. Sie kommen zu spät ins Krankenhaus und sterben kläglich.

In ihrem kurzen Leben werden einige nie einen Arzt oder Zahnarzt sehen – es fehlt das Geld für einen solchen Luxus. Wenn dieses Mädchen genug Tortillas oder Jocotes verkauft, kann es vielleicht ein oder zwei Jahre die Schule besuchen, aber sie wird nie eine Zeitung oder ein Buch lesen. Voraussichtlich wird sie im frühen Teenageralter einen Jungen aus dem Dorf heiraten und viele Kinder bekommen, von denen einige an heilbaren Erkrankungen sterben werden. Ihr Leben wird sich um Wäschewaschen, Kochen und Saubermachen drehen. Hunger, schwere Arbeit und Schmerz werden ihre ständigen Begleiter sein.

Ja, das sind Lebenstatsachen hier in Guatemala. Wir helfen den Menschen, indem wir ihnen die Gute Nachricht und die Freude Jesu Christi bringen, aber darüber hinaus gibt es viel zu tun, um die Lebensqualität zu verbessern. Regen kommt durch Ritzen und Undichtigkeiten und macht die Kleidung und die Betten feucht. Wir in der westlichen Welt verstehen wirklich nicht die Worte Armut und Hunger. Was wir an Essensresten wegwerfen, könnte vielleicht eine Familie ernähren. Und hier könnt Ihr mithelfen und einen Unterschied machen. Wir haben einen „Hilfsfond“ aus dem wir individuelle Hilfe an Menschen in Not geben. Hilfe für Lebensmittel, Kleidung oder Medizin – und Ihr könnt mithelfen. Überweist Eure Spenden auf nachstehendes Konto, Vermerk: J.Mills-Hilfsfond. Wir danken Euch im Voraus.

Gebetsanliegen

Bitte betet für unsere Familie für Gesundheit und Sicherheit.
In Jesu Liebe verbunden

Jeff, Christa und Antonia Mills

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He Still Heals Today!
This month we want to share with you, and motivate you that our God is still His Throne and still in the miracles and healing business.     One evening in our church we had a healing service and the 50 people that came forward for healing were ALL healed.  Not one of them went away with their sickness or pain.  One man who had not been able to lift his arm up in the air for many years because of much pain was instantly healed.  Others with many types of ailments and sicknesses were overjoyed to also receive their healings.

(Photo: A man throws his sticks away)

A few days later a pastor-friend from the city held an evangelistic campaign in a soccer stadium.  Over two nights more than 80,000 people took part.   People threw away their crutches as they were instantly healed.   A young girl of 6 years old, born deaf and dumb began to hear and to speak!   Another girl permanently deaf in one ear began to hear.  Cancerous tumors disappeared, and one man who had to wear spectacles like binoculars was able to read without them.   We could write 100 pages about the many miracles that took place.   We give God all the glory for His love, mercy and grace. 

Three thousand people gave their lives to Christ over the two nights.  So successful was the campaign that another one will be held in the near future.    What a joy to serve a God who loves us all so much.   What an honor to serve the King of kings.  Yes, the crime might be bad here.  Someone once asked, “If you have so many Christians in Guatemala, why is there so much crime?”   Good question, and the answer is, “How much crime would there be if we didn’t have so many Christians?”  In the end, however, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.

Weekend Encounter
The last weekend of March we held a Woman’s Encounter in which 14 ladies took part.   The encounter is held at the beginning of a new believer’s walk with Christ.    Two and a half days of teaching and ministry geared towards inner healing, (Photo: Christa preparing her helpers) deliverance and the establishing of their new identity in Jesus Christ.  These people then return to the church on Sunday evening and give their testimonies.   They are powerful, and the change in these people can only be described as wonderful.  Yes, God is in the changing business- from the inside out.

Church Construction
We are nearly there!   This month the side gate and door were installed.      This leaves some inside windows and doors, lights, plus some painting and the purchase of another 150 chairs (for all the new members!)   This will take another $3,105.  If you would like to help us to complete this project, please send your donations to the address below.  Thank you in advance!

Visit
Beate, a young lady from Germany visited a couple of ministries here in Guatemala including ours.  What a joy it was to receive a visitor from Europe.  On the night we had our church service, our keyboard player did not turn up, so Beate volunteered to play, or was it me who volunteered her?  Anyway, she was a blessing, and by the grace of the Holy Spirit learnt all the Spanish worship songs immediately!  We also took Beate to see Casa de Dios, a fast-growing church in the city with 16,000 members.   Thank you Beate.

Prayers
We ask for your prayers for the following:

1. Funds to purchase a mini-bus.
2. Safety and health of our family.
3. More groups to visit us.

God bless you all
Jeff, Christa and Antonia

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