by elfaro | Dec 4, 2014 | Health
Hearing for the First Time
Healing The Children is an organization that has come to Guatemala for 8 years to help deaf children by giving hearing aids for those who need it. This year three deaf students from the Special Education program at El Faro received the invitation to go to the medical trip for a free hearing test, in Puerto Barrios, Izabal. Mayra Duran, the missionary who runs the special education program at El faro, traveled with her students and their parents on November 6th to the medical trip. They went through five different stations: First, the cleaning of the ear. Second, the hearing test that was performed by a doctor who also was deaf. Third, adjusting the hearing aid. Then, education which included a short lesson on how to use the devices correctly. And finally, they saw pediatrician to see if there was any infection in their ears. Two of the three students received their hearing aids. One of the students wasn’t able to receive a hearing aid because the test showed that she was completely deaf. However we thank God for this opportunity and it was a big blessing to have this medical check for free.
Delmi is a deaf girl who lives with her grandmother two hours away from El Faro walking. Her grandmother is sick and can’t walk very well, but she made the effort to take Delmi for her hearing test. She can hear now! Delmi and her grandmother are so thankful with God because she can hear now with her left ear. Having a hearing aid will allow her to communicate better and to continue studying. Next year Delmi will start coming to El Faro to learn how to read and write. She is so excited!
The deaf ministry at El Faro has created an awareness in the villages that there is hope for families to be able to communicate with their deaf child. It has opened up so many opportunities including learning sign language and also being able to receive hearing aids through the help of amazing organizations like Healing the Children. If you would like to know how you can help or if you would like to donate to this ministry, contact Mayra Duran at mayrasofiaduran@gmail.com
by elfaro | Dec 4, 2014 | Education, GLOMOS - pastoral training
When we wrote about the GLOMOS pastors training in a previous newsletter, little did we know the grand impact it would have on the lives of the people in the program. Not only were there pastors from various towns and villages in the class, but there were also El Faro missionaries and volunteers from the USA and Mexico that received the course. Over the eight months the different classes were given by teachers who traveled to El Faro from different countries including the United States and Costa Rica. The students were able to receive a biblical, occupational, and personal education on how to be a Christian leader in their church, ministry, and families. For many, this was the first time receiving formal Bible training.
One special story comes from Livingston where Kike is from. Along with his family he attends the home church of Miguel and Laura, Guatemalan missionaries to the Garifuna people in Livingston. He is quite popular in the town because he is a singer who since being saved has made a complete and public transformation. Kike says that he was impacted by GLOMOS because he learned things he never knew. “I learned to not judge people for what they do or believe. I have to teach them the truth in love because I too was once like them. I am going to put what I learned in practice by preaching the word to those who don’t know the Lord”.
Another story comes from the village of Sarita where pastor Samuel is from. Sarita is a village 1 ½ hours away in car. His first language is Quiche and even though sometimes it was hard for him doing the homework and taking the class in Spanish, he still continued coming faithfully each month. He successfully was able to complete all the work and tests and even sang in his native tongue the day of graduation.
On October 9 GLOMOS came to beautiful finale with a graduation at El Faro. The founders of El Faro, Phil and Nikki Ephraim, along with board members of GLOMOS, Bob, Wendy, and Preston Smith, were also in attendance that day to be witnesses and an encouragement to the graduates. Many of the pastors had never had a graduation of their own because many never finished school. Dressed in their graduation togas, they were able to stand tall in front of their family and friends in attendance. George Carr, a very special teacher who had come three times to El Faro and has taught over 75 classes on 8 continents, was in attendance as well and was an encouragement to the graduates.
At one point during the ceremony the leaders and teachers washed the feet and prayed over the students. This act was demonstrated by Jesus and was duplicated as a sign of humbleness before the students and also a kind of “send off” to go and proclaim the gospel. The girls from the El Faro kitchen were also included in the ceremony and it was a moving and emotional experience for everyone present.
We are so thankful that El Faro had the opportunity to partner with Global Action and train the spiritual leaders in the villages and El Faro. We have much hope that these men and women will have the confidence, education, and motivation to take what they learned and apply it in their ministries. Please continue to pray for our first graduating class.
by elfaro | Dec 4, 2014 | Computer Class, Education
168 kids from eight villages travel to El Faro on a weekly basis for one purpose: to receive computer classes that are accredited with their village school. Samuel Aguilar is the director of this program and he feels extremely blessed by the way the computer program has grown. It started last year with the donation of 14 computers and the construction of the computer lab as part of the El Faro classroom project. The program has grown so much that the computer room is crowded with each computer being shared by two students. The students learn many of the basic programs that kids in the US learn including Windows Office and typing. The students pay $2.00 a month and for those who can’t afford it El Faro offers scholarships. This year there were 23 students with computer scholarships.
The computer class has become a place of encouragement for many of the students. Many times after class Samuel has a chance to talk with students and hear about problems at home. When you walk into his classroom he has a box for prayer requests and prays for the students on a weekly basis.
There are students that have to make a trek to even come to class. A couple of students are from a village called Sarita and make an hour bike ride to come to class. There are others like Jessica, Deodora, and who walk an hour and half to class from their home in Baltimore. Because their school is in the afternoon in our village, Samuel puts out a table for them after their computer class in the morning so they can work on homework.
Selvin is another boy who even though doesn’t walk far to come to class, has a touching story. On his first day of computer class he was already ready to give up. Through the course of the year, little by little, Selvin was able to gain confidence and by the end he became the number one student in his class.
Samuel is in the middle of doing his vacation computer classes. School has ended for the year and this gives the kids who have never taken a computer class to learn the basics and for those who have already been in the class but are behind a chance to catch up and have more one-on-one time.
Construction will start soon to expand the classroom to be able to fit more computers. The oil company Perenco will donate 10 more computers and the construction supplies to meet this huge need that we have. We are excited to see what the expansion of the class including more students who through this class will be able to continue with their studies.
by elfaro | Dec 4, 2014 | Food Program, Life Development
One group of people in the villages who are often overlooked are the elderly. The majority live separate from their families and therefore have to cook, clean, and take care of themselves without any help. However great their physical need, what most of them crave the most is to have someone to talk with. Montserrat Gonzalez recognized this need and began the elderly food program in 2013. After researching and visiting the villages, she found elderly men and women who were in great need of someone lending a hand in helping them with food, health, and love. This year, our newest missionaries to join the El Faro team, Tommy and Katie Matthews, assumed responsibility in July and the program has continued to grow strong. Katie is a nurse and when Montserrat asked her if she was interested in taking over the program she quickly accepted. She has always had a heart for the elderly and a desire to serve them in whatever way possible and felt God was leading her to serve these people in the communities surrounding El Faro.
Once a month they visit they deliver the food and pray for the seven families
that live in three different communities. The 
participants of the Elderly Food Program are widows and elderly couples, many of whom help care for their grandchildren and are unable to work due to physical illness or age. They partner with two of the girls from the kitchen, Sucely and Sarita, who donate corn, beans, and rice from their store in the village. In addition, different families here at El Faro also help give food towards the ministry. With each visit they provide pasta, tomato sauce, chicken soup, chicken bullion, soap for washing clothes/bathing, bleach, matches, toilet paper, cereal, milk, Incaparina (a vitamin-enriched drink), sugar, oatmeal, oil, rice, beans, corn, maseca (torilla flour), and occasionally candy. Sometimes families have special needs such as clothing, fire wood, or bedding, and they try to fulfill these requests as best they can. Additionally, they provide vitamins and basic over-the-counter medications such as Tylenol and cough drops that have been left over from past medical trips and are hard for our families to find and purchase.
One of our families, Lalo and Luisa, have been married for over twenty years. Two years ago Lalo suffered from an unexpected illness that left him weak and unable to work or fulfill the tasks of daily living, such as gathering firewood and fishing. His wife, Luisa, and other family members and friends took over these responsibilities, however, Lalo lost much of the independence he once had. Having seen the difficulty he has with walking, we decided to ask friends and family to donate towards purchasing Lalo a walker. During our visit in October we gave Lalo the walker and his reaction was priceless, smiles from ear to ear and truly grateful for the gift he had received. A few days later, Tommy returned to Lalo’s house to build him a covered ramp making it easier to get in and out of his bedroom and kitchen.
Through their experience with Lalo and many of the other families, they are reminded of how basic our needs as humans are: food, shelter, and most importantly, love. Their hope for this ministry is that people would know they are loved. “Despite age, abilities, or marital status the Creator of the Universe desires a deep, intimate relationship with them. their hope is they would feel valued and listened to. Our hope is that they would glorify Jesus for the ways He provides for them and their love for Him would overflow.”
The need to reach out and help these families in the community is real and the more they are out in the community they realize there are more families, especially single parent households, who could use this type of support and encouragement. To provide food and other basic items to each family costs $30 per month. In 2015 we hope to expand our program and provide twelve or more families with food, fellowship, and prayer. We are excited to see the way God is going to impact lives using this ministry, all we have to do is be available and ready to serve Him.
If you are interested in partnering with this ministry and provide a monthly provision of food to an elderly family in need, please contact Tommy and Katie at: tkmatthews721@yahoo.com or mission website
by elfaro | Jul 23, 2014 | Education
Paola Colom is a young artist in Guatemala City who decided to donate her time and talent at El Faro during her two-week break from University. Paola has a heart to teach disadvantaged children the art of painting and had taught in Guatemala City with other friends from school. When she knew she had an upcoming break, she knew she wanted to work with the children in the villages around El Faro. Zita Vasquez, one of the coordinators of the art program, traveled to the school to find the most promising art students through a “painting exam”. Through many donations from El Faro supporters, all of the supplies was able to be purchased and thirty kids were enrolled in the class.
On the first day the students arrived very shy without talking much and with insecurities. However, as time progressed, Paola got to know each one and they began to open up artistically. “In the beginning the students were not convinced that they qualified to be there, but after three days they began to realize that they did have talent. Each student was able to reflect pieces of their personality in each art work they created”, Paola says.
Paola first taught about primary and secondary colors. She only brought paint in 
red, yellow, blue, and white and the idea was for the kids to learn how to mix colors to be able to create their own paint pallet. Other classes included using different textures of paper and pencil exercises. Towards the end of the two weeks the students were ready for their final project where they got to choose between three sceneries for the older kids and animals for the younger ones to paint. They diligently worked on their pieces and on the final day their class was converted into an “art gallery” where friends and family members came to see the art work on display and write down positive commentary. Paola says, “I was surprised at how well the students painted on their final piece because this was the first time they had ever used acrylic paints.”
“This experience was much more than I expected. Each kid arrived on time and some even walked an hour to get to classes. This experience was one that I would like to continue to live.”
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