Great News

As we continue our month-long visit to the United States, we are continually struck by the love and generosity of the people here. We have long known that Americans are the most generous and caring people in the world. After September 11, over a billion dollars were raised to help the families affected there. After the tsunami in Indonesia, hundreds of millions of dollars were raised. After Hurricane Katrina, entire cities and states joined in the effort to help.

Americans get a bad rap in the media and in the world, but we continue to show, time and time again, that God is alive and well here. Nothing else could explain the outpouring of love.

Our fundraising efforts so far have been successful to a level that only God could provide. Our main focus on this trip has been to raise awareness about the people we work with and minister to and to raise money for surgeries and to help repair the Fickers' plane. (They have a plane they use to help bring medical supplies and the gospel to people who are essentially unreachable any other way. They sustained serious damage to their plane in a "hard landing" a few weeks ago.)

We completed the first leg of our trip yesterday, leaving Houston for Cleveland, Ohio. We are taking a few days to relax with Matt's sister, brother-in-law, and beautiful 2-year-old niece. Then we'll go to Michigan to visit Matt's parents and speak at their church. The church there has already been very generous, providing us with over the counter meds and nearly 2,000 glucose test strips (for diabetics). Our visit there will be to thank them and show them some of the places their generosity has touched.

After Christmas, we'll be headed to North Carolina for some time with Heidi's family and to meet with several doctors there who are our "online safety net". We've had several "email consults" that have been very helpful from this group of doctors there.

Then it's back to Texas for a day before heading home to Guatemala.

Please pray for Maria, our patient who is dealing with breast cancer in the midst of a pregnancy, and while breastfeeding her youngest baby.

Please also pray for Martina, the little girl the Fickers have taken in. She is mentally disabled and suffered severe burns when she seized and fell into her family's fire a few years ago. In the last few weeks, she has been losing her appetite and has been very sick. She was taken to the hospital in Quiche last night and we don't know exactly what is wrong with her.

Also, please continue to pray for all of our cleft palate patients, who are trying to gain weight this month to increase their chances for a good outcome on their surgeries in January.