by elfaro | Dec 15, 2013 | Sin Categoría
Galatians 6:10-Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.
This verse in the beginning of the book of Galatians has been heavy on my heart these past few days. After reading it several times, what is called to my attention is that the apostle at the time of writing this did not use the words ‘time’, ‘resources’, ‘strength’ or ‘desire,’ which commonly are the reasons that make us desist from doing good or collaborate with others.
The word He uses is the word opportunity, which speaks of a unique circumstance in a specific time to do something. Similarly, the Christmas season reminds us how God in His unique way at a specific time sent his only Son into the world so that the world might be saved through him.
I encourage you to benefit from this excellent opportunity to bless others. There is no better time to bless those who serve Him with their time, resources, strengths and desires so that others know to celebrate Jesus.
As an organization we are blessed by people who help us with their prayers and offerings. Thank you for the opportunity they give us to do good to others.
David Vasquez
Director of El Faro
To make a Christmas Donation, please click HERE
by elfaro | Dec 10, 2013 | Sin Categoría
The first time Cornerstone came to El Faro three years ago it was somewhat of an accident. They had a whole trip planned to go to the other side of the country when suddenly a hurricane hit Guatemala City and a volcano began to erupt. Their trip was canceled, but theee desire to go still remained. Through a series of events that can only be explained as ‘miraculous’, the team got hooked up with our teams Director, Keith Brutout, and Cornerstone came down to serve at El Faro.
Three years later and our friendship and partnership with Cornerstone Church is going strong. Within just a week in Guatemala this small team of nine did and saw a little bit of everything. The first day we went to Livingston to help Miguel and Laura Gonzalez with their ministry. We asked them to find someone in their community that we could help out. Tita is a single mother and a neighbor of Miguel and Laura. She had never had her house painted before. Tita does not attend church at the Gonzalez house, but her daughter Jaydi and young son Robinho do and Miguel and Laura are giving Jaydi a scholarship for school. Once the team started to paint, Tita, Jaydi, and Robinho, began to paint also. It was truly amazing to see Tita’s face fill with joy and pride as she added color to her home. Many of her friends who were walking by stopped to ask her what was going on and also to say how lucky she was.
In the afternoon the team did house visits to pray for people in the community. At each place the team was able to visit with the different families, understand a little about the culture, and pray for the specific needs.
Cornerstone also had an entire day in Barrios. It was a rainy day and they started first at the elderly home. The residents from the home were thrilled to have guests visiting them and one woman cried with excitement. The team presented a drama that they had prepared about Queen Esther and afterwards had the people from the home dress up and take pictures to print out. After that the team traveled to the garbage dump to again present the drama and help a church with their feeding program.The day ended at the orphanage where the kids loved the drama and also had pictures taken all dressed up…complete with fake mustaches!
The day ended at the orphanage where the kids loved the drama and also had pictures taken all dressed up…complete with fake mustaches!
Something we admire about this team is the ability to step out of their comfort zones. It isn’t easy to come to El Faro where there is a different culture, language, and type of poverty. However, each team member let God work through them and touched the young and old alike. Thank you for your service and we can’t wait to have you back!
To see more photos click HERE
by elfaro | Dec 10, 2013 | Bitácora, Blog, Sin Categoría
The kids in the villages keep busy by going to school in the mornings and taking part in many of our programs at El Faro in the afternoons. Once school lets out for the year in October, many of the kids have little to do to occupy their time. El Faro had noticed this problem last year and responded by creating a Vacaction Summer School. This year we had our second school and again it was a huge success. Children came three times a week from 8am-11am and kept busy with games, a snack, an art project, and mental games to keep their minds active and challenged.
This year was different from last because instead of everyone working on one art project at the same time, they had stations where each day they would pick a different craft to do. The projects included learning how to braid hair and make a headband, making silly putty to take home, decorating rock turtles and creating a storybook about them, water painting, and kite building. The last week of vacation school they also made paper mache piggy banks. On the last day of Vacaction School all the kids had a chance to go to the soccer field and fly their kites that they had made.
Each day we had a total of 50 kids from three villages. The majority are kids that we work with on a weekly basis whether it is through Physical Education, Tutoring, Special Education, or Soccer. We have a strong bond with all of these kids and we care about their physical and mental development. This vacation school is a perfect opportunity for us to continue our relationship with them and also to challenge them creatively through the art projects and mentally through our different “mental games”. We know that these kids are becoming the change in their communities and we feel honored to be a part of it.
To see more photos click HERE
by elfaro | Jul 3, 2013 | Bitácora, Blog, Sin Categoría
Jessica Roberts is a volunteer who arrived to El Faro on June 19th. A native of Oklahoma, she studies at Missouri State University where in December she will graduate in Exercise and Movement Science. She is a joy and blessing to be around and even in her short time here at El Faro she has done so much. We thank God for her life and what plans He has for the rest of her time at El Faro.
Today marks my first two weeks here at El Faro and what an incredible two weeks it has been. I arrived in Guatemala not really knowing what to expect but as soon as I met the El Faro staff I felt completely at home. I wasn’t sure how much I could contribute since I know very little spanish but by God’s grace he has given me opportunities to use my talents for His glory.
Right now with the help of a translator I am coaching four soccer teams, teaching PE classes, and leading a fitness class for the women of El Faro. I absolutely love the kids here and working with them has been a joy. Everyday no matter how exhausting it may be I feel so blessed to be here and little by little my spanish is getting better haha Day by day I see God at work in this place and day by day he proves His faithfulness. I can not wait to see what more God will do these next four weeks I am here. It’s going to be awesome! 🙂
by elfaro | Apr 5, 2013 | Sin Categoría
To understand why my husband and I came to El Faro you’d first have to have a brief knowledge of our background. My husband, Osmar was born and raised in the Peruvian Amazon in the city of Iquitos. Like most Iquitanians, my husband was raised very poor and to this day he is still the only person in his family who has made it out of destitution. Even though my husband by the local standards is living a wealthy lifestyle, he hasn’t forgotten where he came from. Three years ago the desire in his heart to help others blossomed into a small gathering of kids in his mother’s humble bamboo and grass roofed home in the stricken community. It’s very simple, he went to love on them and they came. He started sharing the bible, teaching them to pray, played games and gave food and drink. Today our ministry, The Sunshine Kids Club, now has 160 members all children from 6 months of age to 16 years old.
What are 2 people to do with 160 kids?… that’s where El Faro comes in. Osmar and I heard about El Faro some time ago and that they were searching for people to come and work with the children of Punta de Palma and surrounding communities. At the time we didn’t feel God had told us to leave our ministry and our kids in Peru, but now our 13 yr olds are now 16 yr olds and so our ministry and the programs it offers also need to adapt to capture our older kids attention. So this year God made it possible for us to come on a “training expedition” if you will, to broaden our minds and our vision for our children home in Peru, and indeed we have truly been encouraged beyond measure. Upon arrival before stepping foot off the boat, El Faro is beautiful to behold. Not only externally is it a paradise on earth with its brightly colored tucans and palm trees but the family connection with the staff and teams is by far its greatest attribute. You will not go unappreciated, feel useless despite your talents or lack thereof, you simply feel at home among family and dear friends.
From my very first church service here I received an answer to one of my greatest cries. You see, we have been praying over this piece of real estate since ’09 for our kids ministry. This building is huge and as it has been sitting abandoned for some 20 years needs lots of repairs, but none the less it would be perfect. But to be honest a project of this magnitude is intimidating to undertake. And for the last 4 years I haven’t truly believed that God would give, or do something that big through me. And the more time went on the more I believed it was too late for our dreams, for this vision of ministry… BUT here God gave me a word. “IT’S NOT TOO LATE! AND IT’S NOT TOO BIG FOR ME!” Since this word we have new desires, plans, and visions seeping out from within. We can mirror the tutoring program, soccer academy and kids camp here at El Faro. We want to have a dance and drama club. We want to have a princess ball so girls know how their Daddy in heaven treasures them and self-defense classes for the men that don’t. We want to do all this and more. What a renewing of hope. And this word will stay with me until He has completed His good work through me! He will provide ALL we need, all we have to do is believe and obey. For me El Faro has inspired me to allow myself to be inspired more greatly by God.
Thank you David Vasquez and El Faro staff for housing and feeding us, for investing your time and prayers in us and for sharing the many many laughs. And thank you All For Him and Hearts In Motion for your love and our transportation.
Blessings
Nicole & Osmar
To see more of their amazing ministry in Peru, Sunshine Kids Club, go to their facebook HERE
by elfaro | Nov 6, 2012 | Sin Categoría
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.
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