END-OF-2017 UPDATE

As 2017 ends...


Los Laureles Clinic
Nurse Lilian and her staff continue to provide free medical care in Jesus’ name. Here are the patient numbers for the five weeks from October 30 – December 2:


MONDAY:        25 - 40 - 21 -26 - 40 = 152 patients
TUESDAY:        19 - 39 - 38 - 19 - 37 = 152 patients
WEDNESDAY: 11 - 20 - 13 - 42 - 34 = 120 patients
THURSDAY:     17 - 12 - 16 - 19 - 28 = 92 patients
FRIDAY:            26 - 30 - 32 - 29 - 27 = 144 patients
SATURDAY:     10 - 12 - 11 - 17 - 11 = 61 patients
TOTAL: 578 patients (115 patients/week)
(In 2017, over 6000 patient visits were recorded at the Los Laureles clinic.)


Los Pinos Clinic

Work continues on the new clinic in Los Pinos. The flooring is being completed at present, and work should begin on the next stages soon. Construction should be completed well before the scheduled dedication of the clinic in early May.


Matthew 9:36 Project

Once again, over fifty children were able to get out of the city dump and into the school system through this wonderful ministry. The new school year begins in January, and scholarships for the children will be needed to continue their education.


Operation Amalia

Twelve babies living in the dump are receiving diapers every week through this new ministry. The mothers are bringing the infants to the Los Laureles clinic for a bath and exam, and then enough diapers, wipes, etc. are given to last a week.


Women’s Sewing Ministry

Using sewing machines and fabric  donated by Four Friends International, the women of Los Laureles produce purses and other articles to sell at the local market. Half the proceeds are divided among the seamstresses. The other half is used to purchase more fabric and thread.

TWELVE PRAYERS OF CHRISTMAS
Last year, we provided a list of prayer requests for the twelve days leading up to Christmas Day. Here’s a list for 2017. Would you take a moment each day to pray for these specific needs?

December 14: Pray for the Los Laureles clinic, specifically for the staff as they minister every week. Pray for the nurses (Lilian and Rosaura) and office workers (Paula, Korina, Eunice, and Patricia).

December 15: Pray for the children at the dump, that sufficient funds will be available to the Matthew 9:36 Project to send them to school in 2018. Pray for Paul Murphy as he coordinates this ministry.

December 16: Pray for the new clinic at Los Pinos, that construction will continue to be on schedule and preparations for its dedication in May will go smoothly.

December 17: Pray for the babies at the dump who are receiving diaper care and supplies each week through Operation Amalia. Pray that the mothers will know the love of Christ through this ministry. Pray for Leeah and Jackson Harcrow as they oversee this ministry.

December 18: Pray for Paul Murphy and a group of volunteers from Winfield First Baptist who are in Jalapa this week to celebrate the Christmas season with the church there and to minister to the people. Pray that the gifts provided will point the recipients to the greatest gift of all: Jesus Christ.

December 19: Pray for Juan, the teenage son of Patricia (the lady who cleans the clinic), as he travels to Guatemala City twice weekly for dialysis. Pray that a donor kidney will become available soon for a renal transplant.

December 20: Pray for Gustavo, our principal contact in Guatemala, as he helps manage the various ministries of Four Friends International. Pray for his wife and two sons who must manage without him many weeks of the year as he ministers throughout the country.

December 21: Pray for the Advisory Board of Four Friends International, that its seven members will oversee the work of this ministry with God-given wisdom and Christ-centered love.

December 22: Pray for the church in downtown Jalapa and its three mission churches (Los Laureles, Los Pinos, and El Terero) as it ministers, despite its own poverty, to the less fortunate. Pray for church growth both numerically and spiritually.

December 23: Pray for Paula, one of our clinic workers at Los Laureles, as she applies to nursing school. Pray that she may be able to fulfill her goal of being a nurse at the new Los Pinos clinic.

December 24: Pray for the sewing ministry at Los Laureles, that the women’s efforts will provide joy, fellowship, and much-needed income. Pray that God will continue to weave their lives into His will.

December 25: As you celebrate the birth of Jesus today, take a minute and pray that the people of Jalapa will know without a doubt that God is indeed with them. Pray that the Child in the manger would also be the Lord of their hearts. Thank God for giving us a bond with the Guatemalans that transcends language, culture, and distance.

NEXT MONTH… a preview of 2018. Some exciting opportunities are on the horizon!