Take heart
So many things happened in the month of May, that it is hard to choose only a few to share.
Life as a family of four is a very busy life. Our little Erin turned three months, and she has gotten sick already twice. The first time, was after she got some vaccines and the second time… We are not sure. What we do know is that it was very difficult to see her sick, and not being able to give her medication or to figure out what she was feeling. She had temperatures that kept going up and down, watery eyes, a very strong cough and the saddest of all symptoms: She didn´t have enough voice to cry. Oh! It was so heartbreaking to see our baby girl suffering. There were some days when she didn´t even want to nurse.
As we were trying to help her feel better and take care of her, I also got sick and that made it extremely hard for me to take care of her and myself. Those were two very difficult and long weeks, but thank God, both of us are doing excellent now.
We have only been parents for almost three years, but one of the things that we have more clear today is that God may seem silent sometimes, but he does care.
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble.
Ever since we started working with Vine, we have seen how God brings people to us with a need that can be filled by something in the warehouse. One day we received a phone call from a partner who had their director from the US here, and they wanted to visit Vine´s warehouse. He told us that recently they donated some exam gloves and isolation gowns to Vine and he was happy to discover that some were here in the warehouse already.
Days later, their Director for Guatemala told us that he knew some people in need of wheelchairs and one of them had spoken to us before, but she had been trying to find a way to come to the warehouse and pick up a few wheelchairs; one for her and her husband and two more for students of a computer school for people who need to work and lack formal education. We were surprised to see that they knew each other. He also brought other people in need, and his dad, a pastor/dentist who serves providing dental clinics for people who can´t afford care.
A few days before, we heard about a young man who had an accident and broke some of his teeth. We were worried because his job as a security guard does not give him sick days. We were happy to put both in contact. Days later, the young man received free dental care and thank God he is doing much better today.
One of them was a gentleman already in a wheelchair. He was there because one of his friends was unable to walk due to a stray bullet. He was very grateful for the wheelchair. Jason told him that God is the provider of these wheelchairs and that even though we don’t know why bad things happen, we know God deeply cares for us. He gave him a hug and this gentleman left Vine with tears in his eyes. Later we found out he didn´t believe in God.
I have to say that I understand how this man feels. It is horrible to deal with physical problems, with health issues and sometimes it doesn´t make sense why bad things happen.
But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
Even though we don´t understand why suffering exists, why some of us have the blessing of walking and others don’t, all we can do is to remember that God is with us, even when we can’t see his purpose.
We also heard about José, an 8 year old who was being carried by his mom to school every day. She was putting him on her back and she would walk 2.4 miles with him every day. One of his teachers contacted us and we were happy to provide him with a wheelchair. His family is extremely happy and grateful. We always tell people that the wheelchairs come from God. He touches the hearts of Vine’s donors and they give as to show the love of Christ.
It is our prayer that no matter what tribulation you are going through, you take refuge in the Lord and remember that problems are temporary but he will never forsake you.
Please keep praying for God´s wisdom and provision for our family as we work for Vine.
God bless you,
The Ryders
Step by Step
Hello everyone!
We are the Ryder Family. Jason, Lilivet, Kristen and Erin. We moved to Guatemala in December 2018 to serve with Vine International in Guatemala. Jason is a BMET and served in Guatemala 12 years ago. I (Lilivet) was born in Guatemala and have experience working for non profit organizations here.
We had the blessing of having Dennis and Cindy McCutcheon as our guides to get to know the work at Vine International.
We have been married for almost 6 years, our daughter Kristen is 2, Erin is 3 months old. 2019 has been a year of new beginnings, and we are working step by step trying to do our best job at Vine International.
We would like to continue to share some of the work we do through this blog. We hope God inspires you when you read the stories we will be posting here.
Bendiciones (Blessings),
Jason and Lilivet
April 2019
35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ Mathew 25:35-36
Guatemalan’s health is among the worst in the Western Hemisphere. High maternal and infant mortality affect primarily poor and indigenous populations in the rural areas. Public health services, limited resources, inadequate infrastructure and non-existent supplies of medicines are some of the challenges faced by Guatemalans, especially for those living in remote, rural indigenous villages.
Your gift has enabled Vine to distribute fortified rice-soy protein meal packages to our partners. At the beginning of April, we started the distribution of the AVA project. AVA stands for Antibiotics, Vitamins, (prenatal vitamin care) and Albendazole (deworming medication).
This month, in addition to delivering the AVA supplies, we were able to provide two “PET”- carts (see image below) to one of our partners, a special needs orphanage. This picture is of an 8 year old resident that suffered years of abuse before moving to the orphanage. The abuse left her with the inability to maintain balance, requiring a helmet to protect her brain from the frequent falls. She is absolutely thrilled to be able to move by herself now. The joy of having some mobile independence is obvious on her face. The children served by this ministry are using these “PET”- carts. They call them their “motorcycles”.
You can see that there is a great need in Guatemala. Jason and I are able to serve a need that starts with donors like you who want to be a blessing to Guatemalans. It is a beautiful expression of Christ’s love for people who need it and we are grateful to be serving the Lord here.
The King will reply, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” Matthew 25:40
some of the ministries we serve….
We have four containers come in rapid succession. Three were shipped before Christmas and the BURROcracy held them up but finally they have been released while the fourth one came through fairly standard fashion.
Nice to have strong friends
We are tired! But happy!
The last container had 1155 boxes of rice weighing about 35 pounds a piece floor loaded. We assembled a group of men, friends of ours and off loaded by ‘bucket line’ onto pallets. Here is a photo of that crew.
We have purchased a new phone and I haven’t figure
d it all out yet so here is the ‘accidental selfie.’ Didn’t want to waste it!
Here is a photo with the team from Hospitalito Espiritu Santo (Holy Spirit Hospital in English). They come a few times in the year. Vine International (https://www.vineinternational.org/) helped start an onsite clinic some years ago. I have preached there before. They do so much with a little. They collect bones from local butcher shops, scrape them and boil them in order to add “meat” to their soups.
Hospital Espiritu Santo, taking photo of the photographer – me! This group does a lot with so little.
It is a group I have spoken about before. There are about 100 men in various stages of recovery from drugs and alcohol. They are divided in to about 12 teams. Every hour one of those teams is praying and Vine International is daily mentioned in their prayers. Humbling.
Jason Ryder opening his first container in Guatemala
Jason and Lilivet Ryder have been busy. Jason has been learning the ministry and they have manage to deliver their brand new little girl, very rapidly in the middle of the night (no traffic) Lilivet timed it so that she delivered as Jason was parking the car! Welcome to Guatemala Erin Joy Ryder.
In one of the container was a few boxes of sunglasses. A blessing for this subtropic region. Sun is often an issue. So we would photograph the crews in glasses that we have served recently. Below you see the ‘gangs’ from ASELSI (https://www.aselsi.org/ Translates to Equipping the Saints in English) They teach local pastors and have a very successful clinic, a huge ministry to pregnant women, mothers and children, and the finest physical therapy program I have seen in the developing world.
The group on the right is the Fickers, well a small portion of the Ficker clan. They started years ago serving in an orphanage. They then started Adonai International Ministries (https://www.adonaiinternationalministries.org/) They have built a free standing hospital and with DOCS For Hope (https://www.docsforhope.org/) are moving towards 24 hour service in an underserved area of Guatemala. They have a very active program, sharing Jesus with each clinic, every day. It is a blessing to serve the LORD in Guatemala with brothers and sisters such as these. Check them out, links provided.
the “Pirates” from ASELSI.
AIM Adonai International Ministries – Hospital Adonai in Canilla
It comes in by container and goes out in multiple trucks, vans, cars. I have even loaded a wheelchair on a motorcycle before. I asked that guy to check in when he got to his grandmother’s house. If you have seen the way motorcycles cut between cars here, you would understand why I thought he might not make it. We have served clinics and hospitals in rural Guatemala from the border of Mexico, the central hi to the northern border with Belize and to the south near the border of Honduras. And that was just the last four days.
Thank you for your support.
In Christ,
Dennis and Cindy McCutcheon
End of the Pipeline 