Community Development Team 1 - July 2011 - Team recap by Crystal Waller.

1. 2011 Mission Trip to
Guatemala Day 1 – Friday, July 1, 2011
Surgery Center
Shalom Surgery Center
Our first stop was the recently
Hope for Tomorrow
completed Pediatric Surgery
Orphanage
Center. The center was largely
Las Conchas funded by Monroe Caroll
(Nashville, TN) and Jennifer
Antiqua Nettles, lead singer of the band
Sugarland.
Maria Jose works at the surgery
center. They will soon begin
scheduling procedures.
It is beautifully decorated and is
very serene. There are murals of
Noah’s ark and animals, flowers,
fluttering bumble bees and
butterflies, inside and out.
This center is an amazing blessing.
Day 1 – Friday, 07-01-2011 Hope for Tomorrow
Orphanage, Guatemala City, Guatemala
Breann Hoheimer plays with 9 year old Carols, who has
cerebral palsy. Her younger brother, Carlos, was adopted
from Guatemala. Just prior to the trip, she found out that
her brother lived in the exact same village, Las Conchas,
that we were going to build in this week.
Carlos took to Breann almost instantly when we arrived at
the orphanage. Guatemala does not allow adoptions from
outside of Guatemala. Some of the children here are
between 9-13 years, and unlikely they will be adopted.
Unlike most orphanages, Hope for Tomorrow takes care
of the children past age 18 if they choose to continue in
school. The home is run by married couple Kenny &
Diana Sese, from Kentucky.

2. Day 2 – Saturday, 07-02-2011 Miguel Home
L to R - Selvin, ?, Gabby, Dulce and Michele – playing
on the makeshift teeter totter that the crazy gringo
girl made for them.
This home will be for Selvin (9) and his sister
Michelle (4), their mother Lucy and father Miguel.
Lucy had been doing a lot of witnessing and set
appointments with friends and acquaintances for us
to visit. She is really on fire for Jesus!
Selvin is a very loving child. He loved wearing my sun
glasses.
Day 3 – Sunday, 07-03-2011 Shalom School – Family Day
Each family took turns shopping for clothing, shoes and
toys from the items that our sponsors donated. It was fun
getting to help them and see the delight on their faces.
This little girl is trying on Ava Waller’s pink cowgirl boots.
They didn’t fit, but eventually we found a sweet little girl
who could wear them.
Day 5 – Tuesday, 07-05-2011 Dani Omar Rodriquez
Dani came to play at the Miguel house, and found Rick Swayze there.
He remembered Rick’s name and called out to him. Rick told him that
we were in Las Conchas. He said that Dani said, “Donde?!?” (Where?)
Rick told him we were at the top of the hill and he took off running,
about a quarter of a mile, all the way to the top. But we were not
there, we were still at our job site, but he found others who knew
where we were, and they brought him to us. Seeing him up on the
side of the hill, coming to see us, gave me a joy like I’ve never felt.
Me and George couldn’t help but cry out of joy to see him. We had
been looking for him every day since we arrived.
Raina is in the back ground. We’ve played together every year. She is
getting so big.

3. Day 5 – Tuesday, 07-05-2011 Dani Omar Rodriquez
Dani would hardly take his eyes off of me for fear that I might walk
away. He kept looking back at me as he inched his way to the front of
the line for his turn to bat. So I walked up close to him, and told him to
hit the ball for me so I could take his picture. And he did!
George didn’t get to spend time with Dani this day because he had to
finish up at the jobsite then went to evangelize.
Day 6 – Wednesday, 07-06-2011 Dani Omar Rodriquez
At lunch break, George couldn’t take it anymore. He had
to go find Dani. So Rudy our friend and interpreter, who
lives in Dani’s neighborhood, knew exactly where he
lived, and agreed to take us to see him.
We met his mother Eudelia, little sister Caterine, and an
older brother Christian. We had met his other brother,
Ever on his way to school as we were walking to see Dani.
His father, Victor, was at work, so we didn’t get to meet
him. They invited us into their home, a one room, dirt
floor room with a tin roof and tin walls, held up by
wooden poles. It was very neat and clean. Everyone slept
and lived in the one room. To our surprise, our hearts
melted when we saw what was in the middle of their
living area – the photos of us from 2010, and the one we
had given him the day before.
We learned that Dani’s birthday was the next day, he
would be 11. George gave him some little matchbox cars
to give him + a pair of sunglasses, just like the ones he
had let Dani wear the year before.
To our surprise (and again heart melt), in anticipation that
they would see us, Dani and Caterine had already made
pictures, and written scriptures on them, with our names,
to give to us as gifts. There are no words for this kind of
love and joy.
Before we left, we all prayed together. They invited us to
come again. I know they really mean it.

4. Day 6 – Wednesday, 07-06-2011 Rodriquez Family
L to R – Eudelia, Caterine, Christian, Dani, Me, George
Eudelia has twinkling, kind, almond shaped eyes. All of the children
take after her. So precious! She kept a very watchful eye of
protection on her Children. I could tell that she loved them deeply.
Day 6 – Wednesday, 07-06-2011 Jessica’s House
On Saturday, Lucy had taken us to visit her friend Jessica. She lived on the block behind Dani. Jessica was very sick.
She had delivered a baby girl 6 mo. prior, but did not deliver everything. Her abdomen was severely swollen with
infection. She had already been in the hospital 22 days, and had 2 ablations surgeries to no avail. She had no
financial resources, or means to get medical help. She was hopeless. We witnessed to her and her boyfriend. I could
see in her eyes that she was in despair when we left.
For days, I couldn’t stop thinking about her. The Holy Spirit keep reminding me of scripture in Luke 8 about the
women who bled for 12 years. As Jesus was walking through a crowd of people, she reached out and touched the
hem of Jesus’ clothes and was healed by faith. Jesus stopped and said, “Who touched me? . . . I know someone
touched me because I felt power leave my body”!!!. Finally, I understood that message was meant for Jessica.
So George, Rudy and I returned to visit again. This time, I asked her to get her bible. She and Rudy read in Spanish,
while I read aloud. I told her that God wanted her to hear that message. I asked her if she believed that Jesus had
that kind of power. She did. I told her, that Jesus, is her Jesus. And together, we called on him and prayed in the
spirit. Through tears, and wonder we prayed and prayed. The Holy Spirit was in that place and doing a mighty work.
It was an amazing experience of God’s presence.

5. Day 7 – Thursday, 07-07-2011 Antiqua
Rest Day – YAY. We went to Antiqua for the day. Had fun
at the coffee plantation (best coffee in the WORLD) and
swung through the trees like monkeys on the zip line.
Then we went into the city. This year, George and I took a
walking tour to see some of the ancient architecture. It
was so cool!
In 2010, there was an old man, perhaps an angel, about 80+
years, sitting here reading an English Bible. He asked
George to help him read and conjugate Proverbs 15:24,
“The path of life leads upward for the wise to keep him
from going down to the grave”. The man told George that
the scripture was mui importante.
This year, the morning before we left for Antiqua, George
gave a devotional, and told this story of how God spoke
through that old man to him. In 2010, the day before he
met the old man, George accepted Christ as his savior.
Indeed the scripture was very important. It was a message
he will never forget.

6. Day 8 – Friday, 07-08-2011 My Peeps
Dani and Jessica.
Jessica had been my shadow all week. She’s 9 or 10.
I’ve played with her every year, and she
remembered me. We bonded this year.
On Sunday, she was at Shalom Church. She came
and sat in my lap through service. Toward the end,
she had gotten up and left. Then when service was
over, she came and placed a tiny note in to my
hand, gave me a serious look, then left. I couldn’t
read the note because it was in Spanish. But I was
desperate to know what it said. So as soon as I
could, I asked an interpreter to help me read it. It
said, “We have no home. We have no lot. Please call
me tonight” + her phone #. She knew we were
there to build houses for other people, and reached
out to us for help. My heart burst. I couldn’t call her
as I had no way to do so at that time. I went and
talked to George, Bob and Rick and explained the
note. We determined to go find out the situation.
On Wendesday, we had stopped by her house and
talked with her father, Carlos. He is 61 years old. His
Jessica had made a plaster ornament at wife, Jessica’s mother, worked part time at a textile
school the day George and I were working factory. And she had a brother about her age. They
at the school. On our last day, she gave it to lived in a borrowed home. A cinderblock, one room,
me as a gift, with the sweetest little face. structure with dirt floor. We could make no
She was very upset and cried because I had promises to build for them, but let them know of
to go. But I told her that more “gringo’s” the micro-financing program that Shalom was
working on in hopes that they could purchase their
were coming the next day, and that there
home using the program.
would be people to play with her and make
new friends. That seemed to cheer her up. Jessica sat quietly in the background, watched and
listened to what we were discussing. She seemed to
understand and hugged us good-bye. But I could tell
she had hoped for more.

7. Day 8 – Friday, 07-08-2011 Carmen House
Idea Carmen – Celebrating her new home and
holding up a picture of our team. A single mother
of 3 daughters, she did not know until a week
before our arrival that she would be getting a
home. Her current home is in the background.
We had fun working on her house on Day 4. It
was really off the beaten path, but in a new area
for evangelism opportunity.
She was full of life and very spunky, and quite the
jokester. Whenever we wanted to take a picture
she would yell, “Whisky” and make everyone
laugh. Turns out, that was also her dog’s name.
Day 8 – Friday, 07-08-2011 Picnic Day
Vilma – such a sweet, beautiful girl. She is sponsored by a man named
Russ, who attends Brentwood Baptist. She captured his hear in 2009,
now he sponsors her education and helps to support her. I’ve seen her
every year as well. She is very quiet, and gentle.
The 2 boys are making the whistle noise with their hands. Every time
they saw me we would play a game on how to make different noises.
None of them could figure out how I made the waterdrop sound, but
they all tried very hard. I’m pretty sure they’ll have it down pat when I
see them next time.
Day 8 – Friday, 07-08-2011 Picnic Day
Delma, Charlie’s daughter. We built their house in 2010. Her little
sister is Gabriella (Gabby). I got to hang out with Delma and Angela
(who wouldn’t let me take her picture), every day. They are both
about 13 years old, and sweet, but mischievous. It was all good
though. We were like the entourage of the group.

8. Day 8 – Friday, 07-08-2011 Picnic Day
L to R – Eudelia, Caterine, George, Ever, Dani, Me.
The Rodriquez family came to say good-bye. They had been hanging
out near the back of the bus while I was working, handing out 900 hot
dogs out the back door. Finally, George and I were able to steel away
some time to visit with them. They presented us with a letter, written
in Spanish, and a wrapped gift. (Again, with the melting). I couldn’t
understand the whole letter, but could make out enough to know
what it said, especially the very last words, come back and see us
pronto! Their gift was 3, porcelain dinner plates. Probably their finest.
It’s not the material gifts that got me, it was the pure love and
sweetness of it. It took my breath away completely. I was a mess!
Day 8 – Friday, 07-08-2011 Picnic Day
So, by the grace of God, Tyler was with us this day. I took Marcos to
Marcos Liste & Sammy Smithson where Tyler was and showed Tyler the infection. Marcos couldn’t tell us
much about his wound except that it hurt. His mother was near, and
Marcos is a miracle. We met Marcos on Saturday, came over to see what we were saying to Marcos. Tyler was able to
when we first arrived in Las Conchas. Marcos was speak with her and found out that Marcos had a tooth pulled which
running around in a snow ski jumper, in hot July. caused the infection. There is not a doctor in Las Conchas, the nearest is
He probably thought he was wearing a super cool 1 hr away.
spacesuit or something. It got my attention. He
was flitting and fluttering about as we were Tyler was able to direct the anxious pseudo medics of our group and told
unloading the bus. He was very curious to see them not to touch the wound because it was extreme and they could
what was being unloaded at the back of the bus. I cause more harm to him. We told Kevin about the situation, and he went
was back there helping and watching him to speak with Marcos’ mother to ask her to take him to the doctor and
because he was just so cute. So I started playing Manos de Amor (Hands of Love) clinic, assoc. with Shalom, and we would
with him, and zipping and unzipping his ski pay for it.
jumper. I kind of bent over to play with him when
I saw something under his chin along his jawline. I On Monday, we found out that she did take him to the doctor, who could
asked him to show me, so he lifted his chin. It was not exact the full treatment necessary until the infection subsided. So
a horrifically infected scab, that I knew needed Marcos was on very strong antibiotics, and would have to return to the
medical attention. It just so happened, that during doctor. Which Shalom would cover.
our tour of the surgery center on Friday, we met
Tyler, Spanish speaking, Vanderbilt medical Later Kevin told us that had Marcos not gone to the doctor, the infection
student. Tyler and I started talking and I told him would have entered his blood stream and killed him.
that I was doing a preliminary medical survey in
None of this was just a coincidence. God was there every step of the way.
Las Conchas for team 2. He was intrigued and
Praise God!
asked if he could go with us to Las Conchas.
Look at that precious kid!