Hello Everyone,
The missions conference a week ago was a great encouragement to us. We connected with many different missionaries from around the country. The food was great, the worship was powerful and the messages were blessed. We definitely want to go again next year.
Our ministry here over the past few weeks has reached a turning point. There seems to be two opportunities that God is laying before us. Permit us to share our hearts with you. First off, as you all know we have been praying about a ministry in Jutiapa or Jalapa. We have been asked by Jonathan and his dad Mario to join them in the ministry to the Deaf there. Mario is the pastor of a large church in Jutiapa and is supporting his son in his ministry to the Deaf. But Jonathan is spread thin ministering in the surrounding areas of Jalapa, Monjas and Asuncion Mita. The desire and need for a training center is even stronger. We have been talking with people about the various legal options that we have here in Guatemala for a school and or training center. The decision to move our family away from the city is a difficult one. We would no longer have the support from the other missionaries here in the city and could no longer be a part of the home-school co-op in Antigua.
The other opportunity that God is giving us came through another missionary that we met here in Guatemala. There is a young woman named Eulalia that is 27years old, deaf and pregnant. Her parents were killed when she was 11 years old. She does not communicate at all. She knows no Spanish or sign language but they say she is a good cook. The government dropped her off at the home of a pastor in Villa Nueva. We have met with him and we both agree that she needs to be in an environment where she can learn to communicate using sign language. Is God calling us to take this girl in, teach her and help her with her baby? God has given us a little experience in that area :). She was taken to the doctor and was shown an ultrasound of her baby. We think she understands that there is a baby inside of her. In moving to Jutiapa/Jalapa she would be surrounded by many deaf people who could help her too.
Please be praying with us for the ministry here. These are wonderful opportunities but are they God's will for the Summerville family? Our first thought is "When can we start?". But there are still a lot of details that need to be worked out. Please pray that God's will would be clear to us and that He would provide for all the details.
Thank you for standing with us. We need your prayers so much.
Blessings,
Greg and Jeanette