The children participating in Panyebar Happy Tummies are very sweet and very poor. All of them need hugs, guidance, and positive attention. They need warmer clothing, socks, and some need to see a doctor. We are very excited that a medical team will be coming soon and they will be able to have a medical clinic for the children.
One little girl has lost sight in one eye and we want to get her to the doctor to see if anything can be done to save the other eye. She comes from a family that is one of the poorest of poor. There are five living children; two have died. The mom is only 39 years old but looks like she is in her 60's because she is so malnourished. One of her babies died because her body was too weak to produce enough milk to feed and nourish the baby. We have sent Incaparina for her to mix and drink, vitamins and also taken food to the house. She could not walk and her speech was just mumblings when we first met her but now she is strong enough to walk and talk again. She made it to the dedication service! She does not ask for anything for herself, only that we help her children. The father works whenever he can find a job but usually it is just a few odd jobs now and then. We actually took in a second child from this family even though she is not old enough to go to school. She and her sister both have hair so full of lice you can see the eggs. One of our goals is to get some of the lice treatment and clean their hair and all the kids in the family, too.
The first day a little boy wanted more tortillas but he was afraid to leave his bowl of soup. He was fearful of someone taking the soup away from him. We got more tortillas for him and did not scold him because this was his honest reaction. More than likely, this was a learned fear and it will take time for him to trust that he really can have as much to eat as he wants each day.
When the children were given a new pair of tennis shoes the first day, the joy on their faces was remarkable. A little boy started jumping up and down, up and down with pure glee on his face. Another child remarked that now he would be to able run fast as the wind. The children were given the shoes because if they do not wear tennis shoes for P.E. in school, they get points taken off their grade. Many families cannot afford tennis shoes. The children have enough going against them without having points taken off for not having the "right" pair of shoes. Each child had to try on their shoes to make sure the shoes fit. Most of the children took off their new shoes, put them back in the box to take home because they did not want to get the shoes dirty! The teacher told them that on the day they had P.E., they had to wear those shoes to school and to Happy Tummies. We do this because some family member might try to take the new shoes and sell them in order to buy food. At the meeting with parents, we announced that the children would be getting tennis shoes and that the family was not to sell or take them away from the children. Life is hard and many people will do whatever they can for survival.
Many of the children need sweaters, hoodies, long-sleeved shirts/blouses, socks, and knit hats. The weather in Panyebar can be too cold for sleeveless shirts and sandals. If you are coming on a team think about going to a second-hand store and getting some of these items to bring but please don't bring clothes with bad stains or holes in them. We want the children to have their own dignity. They are used to wearing hand-me-downs so used clothing is not an issue. Many of them probably have never had any clothes that are brand new. Their homes are not very warm so having warmer clothing would be great.
How do we deal with seeing children and families that live in such awful condition? Dirty. Cold. Sick. Hungry. God has called us. He gives us the hope and grace to be able to reach out to these, His children, our brothers and sisters. We have hope that teaching them of His love will bring them to His feet and to eternal life. Then, the hope they will have in Him will help them to endure whatever they face. They will know that they are not alone, that their Heavenly Father loves them and will provide for their needs.
Pass It On
was a song written by Kurt Kaiser in 1969 that became very popular in the States. Youth groups sang it on many occasions...in church, around campfires, etc. The words come to mind many times as we see the faces of the hungry, cold, sick, and hopeless here in Guatemala. A spark is all it takes and that is what Impacto tries to do ... provide that spark to help lead the hungry and hurting to find God's love and hope.
Pass It On
It only takes a spark
To get a fire going,
And soon all those around
Can warm up in its glowing;
That's how it is with God's Love,
Once you've experienced it,
You spread His love to everyone
You want to pass it on.
What a wondrous time is spring,
When all the trees are budding
The birds begin to sing,
The flowers start their blooming;
That's how it is with God's love,
Once you've experienced it.
You want to sing, it's fresh like spring,
You want to pass it on.
I wish for you my friend
This happiness that I've found;
You can depend on Him
It matters not where you're bound,
I'll shout it from the mountaintop (Praise God!)
I want the world to know
The Lord of love has come to me
I want to pass it on.
I'll shout it from the mountaintop (Praise God!)
I want the world to know
The Lord of love has come to me
I want to pass it on.
You can join Impacto in making the spark to light up lives. Come minister with us on a short-term team or make a donation to help with feeding and ministering to the Happy Tummies children. For online donations, click here
and follow the instructions on the first page. For donations by check, make your check payable to Impacto, write Happy Tummies on the memo line and mail it to Impacto Ministry, 9690 Shepherds Creek Place, La Plata, MD 20464
