The Smallest Member of the El Faro Team

Anita Vasquez is an amazing young girl. She came to El Faro at only nine months old when her parents, David and Zita, became directors in 2005. At eight years-old she is a person all of us at El Faro learn from. It isn’t easy for a young girl to live so far from Guatemala City, but Anita has adjusted herself and she will definitely make her mark in the World through what she is learning at El Faro.

Q. What do you do at El Faro on a weekly basis?

A. Every morning I go to homeschool with teacher Karlita. I am in second grade and right now I am learning about multiplication and all the volcanoes that are in Guatemala. On Tuesdays and Thursdays I go to soccer practice with my friends with our coach Gavin. I also attend Bible Club every Sunday in the village of Santa Maria. In the afternoons I stay home and play with my two little brothers and my dog Jack.

Q. Do you like living at El Faro?

A. Yes. I like to swim in the Ocean and also be with my best friend Delmi who lives right up the road.

Q. What does El Faro do?

A. El Faro helps people that don’t feel good by bringing medicine and also by putting stitches to people who get hurt. El Faro also goes to schools to paint with teams that come from the USA. El Faro helps many people in villages that are very far.

Q. What do you want to be when you grow up?

A.  I want to be a Veterinarian. I like being at El Faro because there are lots of animals for me to learn from.

Cornerstone Church

Scott our is a dear friend of El Faro who recently came down with his third trip with Cornerstone Church in Illinois. Here is a recap of their time here in El Faro. 

Recently I had the pleasure of leading my third team to El Faro for a week long experience.   The team consisted of 4 folks who were related…Aunt and Uncle with their niece and her daughter (funny…the two didn’t know that the other were going…what a coincidence!).   The trip, as in past years, was fantastic and life changing all at once for me and also for the team.  

 

On this trip, we focused on several areas of critical need for the indigenous peoples around El Faro.   Helping to build and install  water filtration systems and train two villages on water health safety issues could literally save lives and of course there is always a huge need for dental and medical support in these villages.   Additionally as always, we took advantage of the opportunity to interact with the children and share the love of Jesus with them.

 

El Faro is truly an amazing place in my heart where the love and peace of Christ is evident on a daily basis.   The hospitality of the staff and support personnel coupled with the beautiful scenery and people of Guatemala help to make this an experience that anyone visiting holds in their hearts.  With this said, the most powerful aspect of the experience each year for me is the opportunity to see God at work and to experience a time where I have aligned in purpose with Him.   The ‘coincidences’ are astounding!

Inspiring Kids in Simple and Effective Ways

My name is Mayra Durán and I have been helping at El Faro with the children’s ministry for the last three years. I just finished my degree in psychology at the University and this year I started helping at the local village school as a counselor.

It came to my attention that there was important information that the kids and youth needed that they were  not receiving from home or school. I knew that I needed to use my skills to give informative talks to these kids in elementary and middle school level. These talks included equality between boys and girls, techniques for studying, getting to know their body changes, motor skills, health, and others. In each talk I made time for the students to give questions about anything topic we were discussing . It was interesting to hear the doubts and questions that many of the youth had.

After doing these activities in the school I’ve realized that there is a lack of information from home, lack of resources for their study, lack of values at school such as responsibility, and above all, lack of love and interest from their parents. Lots of young people look for answers and love in wrong people or places. That’s why it is so important that the parents become the teachers and friends of their children so they can take the time to listen to their problems, doubts, feelings, etc.

I believe that what I am doing is something God tell us all to do in our daily lives: inspire and show the love of Jesus by using our skills and gifts.

Amazing Feet

The Amazing Feet Program is a beautiful dream of a woman who has been a collaborator of El Faro for years. Mrs. Janice Ephraim began coming to El Faro in 2005 and has come back every year since sharing her time, talent, and love. We are so proud of the work she is doing with her Amazing Feet Project and we would like to share with you what it is all about.

The biggest inspiration for the Amazing Feet Program begins in 2004 when my son Scott was in a car accident with my nieces in Guatemala. El Faro was in the process of being built and Scott was there helping in the construction. I was shocked by the way the Guatemalan people, perfect strangers, jumped into action to take care of Scott and my nieces by getting them out of the car and making sure they were taken care of. Even more so, the hospital care that they received was first class. It was all truly amazing! Pardon the pun! I knew I had to do something to give back to these beautiful people who watched over my son and nieces.

The next year I came on a mission trip with Maranatha Chapel. I was hooked right away! I fell in love with everything about Guatemala: the food, the people, the culture, EVERYTHING!

The first donation of shoes was probably my own shoes on that very missions trip. A women came through triage during our medical clinic with no shoes. Her tiny feet were so small in my big size 8 shoes. She said “they felt like boats!” We shoved tissue in the toes and said she will get used to wearing them. Little did I know at the time, my niece’s future husband, Peter, captured that moment on film.

I still felt like I needed to do more. I brought home a big box of dirty shoes and cleaned them up. After all the washing and care, they looked brand new! My husband, Steve, made the statement, “that was an Amazing Feat!” Thus the name!

Amazing Feet is now collecting walkers, crutches, surgical shoes, and socks. The donations and bargains that have been coming in are a true blessing!

Recently The Cedar Vallet Soccer Association donated a storage room for Amazing Feet… Rent free! They have taken interest and want to donated soccer shoes and uniforms. The room is in my old church, 1st Baptist in Cedar Falls, Iowa. I always loved that church, nearly 100 years old, so it’s great to have it back in my life again!

I tell people, it took me nearly 50 years to find a passion, and now that I have found it, I’m going to chase it like it’s the last train out of the station!

Muchas Gracias to Phil, Nikki, and the Mision El Faro staff for all they do for the Guatemalan people…. You are an inspiration!

The El Faro Tutoring Program

The turotring program began in the month of March with 15 students from the public school of Punta de Palma. The students were selected by their teachers because of their low academic level they had in school. The students were from grades first to third.

The initial idea of the program was to help these students for an hour each afternoon after school ended. We were to complete homework that was assigned that day in school. At the beginning it was evident that the students who were coming to my program did not have the capacity to read or write. Because of this very evident realization, the main focus of the tutoring class changed to teaching these 15 students how to read and write.

The students are divided into four levels:

Beginners– Here there are only two students from first grade and for them it is much harder to understand reading and writing. For this reason I have decided to only have these two students in this class so I can give them my full undivided attention to them, which is a must!

Intermediate 1-In this class I have five students: two from first grade, one from second, and two from third.  These students learn very slowly, but the results are very evident.

Intermediate 2-In this class there are seven students: one from first grade, four from second, and two from third. These students have a high learning level (looking at the parameter of these 15 students) and are capable of reading and writing with just a few errors.

Advanced-Here I only have just one student who can read and write much better than the others. With her we work on completing assignments, gain a better understanding of reading, and improve her writing. In the future we will begin orthography lessons.

One hour a day from Monday to Thursday the students come to class, which is located here at the El Faro facilities. They have fifteen minutes before class to have free time in the library and choose a book that they are interested in to bring to class and read if possible. The goal of this is to create in them a reading discipline. We also create games to develop their motor skills and mental ability. Each day we review the ABC’s with a technique called ‘Tucker’. This technique allows them to sounds out each letter while doing hand signs at the same time in order for them to memorize the letters. The class continues  with what they just have learned with a review of a letter. This is done with worksheets, games, etc. We always begin the class each week with a prayer said by one of the students who wants to pray. This is important for the kids to recognize the love of God and to have a heart of gratitude to Him who has given them life, health, and a place to live.

For me it is a very special experience to be able to be apart of not only the academic formation of the students, but also the spiritual. Each day the students pray for different things, but the phrase that they never cease to say is, “God, help us to learn how to read and write”. It is a great motivation and blessing to plant in them the achievement of this desire that they have.

I have seen a great improvement in these kids, not only in their homework and in class, but also in the development of each one. When the program began the kids did not speak because of shyness, but now they are kids who smile all the time, participate in class, and speak without stopping! Their teachers at the public school also have seen a great improvement, also no only academically, but also socially. It is a privilege to be a apart of this important development in the life of these kids.

Nelita Saravia a volunteer missionary who has been at El Faro since January. She is 19 years old and from Antigua, Guatemala. She studies Clinical Pychology at the University.

The Heart of a Volunteer

Katie Faughnan was a volunteer at El Faro for two weeks this summer. She was a blessing to everyone here at El Faro through her gentle spirit and heart for Guatemala. During her stay she not only helped with a missions team from the states, but she also served as a mentor to ten girls from the local villages in a soccer camp. Here is a blog entry after her first week at El Faro.

 

When one is in the early stages of life he often possesses a vision, has his actions planned, his opinions and views set regarding how life is going to play out. He is ready to embark with certainty upon his self-devised adventure. But yet, as I have observed in my own life repeatedly, God always seems to have a way of taking one by surprise, completely catching one off guard with plans to use him for matters never before anticipated. Once these plans are realized, one knows that he has been perfectly created, possesses the exact mentality and skill set for this specific mission. Deep passion suddenly rivals any amount of vast difficulty, and one is on his way to playing his role in the fulfillment of the will of God in the world.

Although I am still on the journey of figuring it all out, my life fits this description to a pin. The influences in my life have specifically, purposefully, tailored me into the individual that I have grown into. I am neither an emotional girl, nor even much of a talker for that matter. But, I love listening to people’s stories, thinking about them, learning from them. I believe in the strength of written words. I believe that through their complete disregard for boarders of all kind, they have the capability to share thoughts and influence lives throughout humanity. And for this reason, I find myself writing this post to you from Guatemala. I, with every fiber of my being, believe that it is with the upmost necessity that the story of El Faro is told.

I am a concrete believer in spiritual gifts. I believe that everyone possesses one; every single person on this earth has something to offer. The gifts vary remarkably in essence, but can all be utilized to work to spread the light of the Lord in His world.

This assertion has been demonstrated to me more than ever throughout this past month spent in Guatemala.  I have had the distinct honor to observe several groups come into the country equipped with pre-planned, detailed goals and ways to reach them.  I’ve witnessed people of all ages, places, cultures, ethnicities and genders. I’ve seen storytellers, athletes, intellectuals, medics, builders, jokesters, artists, quiet ones, non-Spanish speakers, designers, and teachers all employing their strengths to work toward one common goal…spreading the word of Jesus Christ, and thus working to provide a better life and opportunity to those who have never been shown.

Anyone can glorify the Lord, anytime, anywhere. I believe that in any profession, this can be done depending on the talents and gifts possessed. Use your platform, your capabilities, your life, to share the good news-even if it is just through a smile.

Everyday at Mision El Faro, I see this. Through Megan, Luis Pedro, Sammy, Karlita, David, Nelita, Maira, Nelson, and everyone else part of this fantastic mission.  I have never been so moved, so inspired by a group of people. They are doing more than a great job, and I know that the mission will everyday reach new heights. I advise people to use El Faro as an example for their own lives. Use what you have been given to glorify God in the world.

This week, 100+ girls from the poorest zones in Guatemala city will be coming to El Faro for a five day Christian soccer camp. For many, this is the first opportunity they have had to be exposed to Christ. I have prayed for energy, wisdom, and strength needed to mentor these girls this week. I have complete faith that the staff of El Faro will effectively use this time to make a lasting change in the lives of these girls!

Much love,

Katie Faughnan

Basketball Team Invades El Faro

The girls basketball team from Evangel University, located in Springfield, Missouri, traveled down to El Faro this past week. This was the second ministry trip that the sports department of Evangel had taken with us and like last year, it was an amazing time.

The day that they arrived they jumped into their busy schedule. Montse had announced to her English and gym classes that we were going to have a basketball clinic and 40 kids showed up at the court. 

After the clinics they moved onto their English “mini city”. This was open to all of the El Faro English classes as well as the middle school. The Evangel team had put together boards representing different store including candy store, dentist, school supplies, drinks, etc. Each student had to go around to the different stores to learn the english words and receive signatures. Later that week they were to return to change their signed sheets in for money to spend at the stores.

The team also had the chance to serve in the villages with two community projects. In the village of Las Pavas they painted the basketball court as well as had the doctor serve in the medical clinic. In the village of Las Pavas they painted a school and had another basketball clinic. 

El Faro had contacted the sports department of Puerto Barrios to find teams for the Evangel basketball team to play against. Two nights of the week we traveled to Puerto Barrios to play against the state team of Izabal at the basketball stadium. They drew in a large crowd of 150 at each game and had a great time playing and getting to know the other team. The Izabal team came to El Faro one night to spend the night and get to know the Evangel team. 

What a blessing it is to bring two cultures together and bond over something like basketball. God is able to use our gifts and skills in ways sometimes we never thought imaginable. 

Holy Week 2012

The week of Easter, or Holy Week as it is called here in Guatemala, is one of our busiest weeks of the year at El Faro. We are completely booked a good six months before and so we are always completely full. This area of Guatemala is a good location to come on vacation because of the white-sand beaches, tropical surroundings, hot weather, and the big beautiful ocean. Families come from all over the country to come and spend time together and we always have a great time meeting new people and playing games. In addition, a Nazarene church from Guatemala City comes with 125 people to have a family retreat.

Our week began on Palm Sunday when Meagan and Luis Pedro decorated the chapel with palm leaves and created a intimate atmosphere where we worshipped, read from the Bible, and took of Holy Communion together. It was a beautiful time and it set the atmosphere for the week as we reflected on what Christ did for us on the cross.

Katie Barnes, a Youth for Christ leader from Indiana, visited El Faro with the Family Bible Church and left us a booklet of group games. During Holy Week we played a couple of the new games with all the families that were here and had a great time getting to know one another and laughing until our stomach hurts.

As is tradition, we painted Easter eggs with the children at El Faro that we hid on Easter Sunday. Because we live in such a humid area, most of the Easter eggs began to sweat which left many of our hands stained and quite colorful.

By the time that Sunday afternoon came, there was no one left at El Faro except for the staff. We joined together for a Easter Dinner complete with ham, potatoes, salad, and Karlita’s famous jello. It was a beautiful time together to reflect not only the week that we had with new friends and serving lots of people from the Nazarene Church, but also to reflect on the true meaning of Easter and what it means to our ministry.

All of us at El Faro are very different. We come from different families, places, and even countries, but the one thing that we all have in common is Jesus in our hearts. We hope all of our friends had a wonderful Easter.

Family Bible Church 2012

We are so delighted to welcome back our dear friends from Family Bible Church in Indiana. This is their fourth consecutive year at El Faro and we are so happy to see people that have are returning as well as those who are here for the first time. Last year they brought a team with the youngest member that we have ever had…this year they beat their own record and we are delighted to have a five year old here, Blake, serving with his family.

This is our first team to bring over to Punta Manabique and were are blessed to have made a good first impression. We went the first day with two dentists, an eye doctor, and a women’s doctor. In addition, we set up our famous photo studio, played soccer with the kids, colored, painted nails, and make wordless book bracelets.