A los Verapazes

Within a few minutes, Darren and I will head out for las Verapazes with Carlos and Miguel from Viña Studios. It’s our first major trip during our stay, and we’re looking forward to it.

We will be visiting the Ramirez family in San Cristobal, friends from my first trip to Guatemala in 2002. Beth and Boris have been busily translating the New Testament to the Pokomchi language since the 1980s. Along the way, their family grew abundantly to 11 children, which includes an adopted daughter from the village there.

Prior to arriving there, we will accompany Carlos and Miguel to San Miguel where they will be recording the New Testment in the Rabinal Achí language.

Once we get to San Cristobal, I’m hoping to see the Hope for the Pokomchi ministry as well, directed by Bill and Linda Brierly. They do community development work in the name of Christ.

Last evening, I got to thinking that it would be a good idea to visit Isidro and his wife in Guatemala City and see how little Juanito is doing. So, God willing, I think I’ll try to make a stop there and catch up to the Viña crew later.

Boy remains hospitalized in Guatemala City

Isidro’s son Juanito remains in serious condition today at a government hospital’s intensive care unit in Guatemala City.

He was transferred there late June 19 after an emotional day for his parents and family. Doctors have been trying various medications, and Juanito, 2, has been connected to several life-support machines in the meantime.

I spoke with Isidro briefly yesterday as he traveled on a noisy bus. Apparently, they have received housing somewhere closer to the hospital, after having to travel nearly 45 minutes to a brother’s house each day earlier this week.

Isidro said doctors may begin taking away some life-support machines in hopes Juanito’s body will respond and be able to sustain his life on its own. He said they may be there in Guatemala City for a couple more weeks.

Viña worker's son remains serious

SOLOLÁ — Juanito remained in serious condition at the hospital when Chepe and I left there this afternoon.

It was an emotionally exhausting day for Juanito’s parents, Isidro and Isabel, who remained there with him. His condition worsened overnight as he began to pass bloody urine and stool.

At one point, we were told 2-year-old Juanito had died. Later we learned that was not true.

During one-at-a-time visiting hours, Isidro’s father, a brother, a sister-in-law and another relative came to visit them, along with my friend Chepe and I. Juanito was lying on a little table, when I went in, and three medical staff hovered over him. His mother sat crying behind them. Isidro stood to the right of them where he could see.

A young pediatrician of about 30 years directed two other health staff — both men. One was seated, periodically squeezing an air pump to provide oxygen through a tube in Juanito’s mouth. On the other side of a table, two bags hung from a rack — one was an IV for fluids, another was a blood transfusion.

A machine with four squiggly lines showed his vital signs, beeping regularly. At one point, I heard a high-pitched steady squeal, which made me wonder whether Juanito’s heart had stopped. The boy’s mother may have wondered about the noise as well because she got up with an anxious look on her face and walked around the table for a better look.

The doctor gave an order, and the third health care worker walked behind us to unplug something on the other side of the room. The noise stopped. It wasn’t what I thought.
Juanito lay under a lamp, blinking periodically, moving his arms. I thought his color looked good.

Before I left, I heard the doctor ask the boy’s parents, “Are you sure you don’t want to send him to Guatemala City?”

Earlier, they had apparently been told Juanito would probably die today, and they made the painful decision not to send him to a better equipped hospital only to have him die in an ambulance en route. The doctor’s advice seemed to go back and forth today, saying they should send Juanito to the capital, then saying, maybe not because he could die on the way.

Boy's condition 'grave', may need transfer

SOLOLÁ — An urgent phone call interrupted our morning prayers today at Viña Studios.

The wife of Isidro, one of Viña’s audio Scripture recording technicians, called from the hospital to say doctors were sending their boy, Juanito, to a hospital in Guatemala. Isidro left in a hurry.

A Viña co-worker who visited the family yesterday at the hospital said Juanito is in serious condition. He is urinating blood and passing blood in his stool. His kidneys appear to be malfunctioning, and his little body has swollen up considerably.

Later this morning, we learned the hospital transfer may not happen. The doctor is leaving it up to Isidro. On the one hand, that may be good, but Isidro doesn't know what to do. He's not an expert in medical questions.

The doctor has had trouble finding a vein to test Juanito's blood or to give him a transfusion.

If Juanito were to die on the way to Guatemala City or in the hospital there, it could be even more complicated and painful for the family than if it were to happen here. We really don't know, though, just how serious his case is. The guys here are quite concerned, and several of us are going to visit the hospital within moments.

Juanito has suffered health problems all of his two brief years of life, and he has been in the hospital for the past three days. He still does not sit up or walk, and he cannot hear or see well.

Please pray for Juanito and for the family. Isidro’s wife sounded quite distressed over the phone from what I could hear.

Isidro and Carlos, Viña’s recording director, are scheduled to begin a new audio Scripture recording project on Monday in San Miguel Chicaj among the Rabinál Achí Mayans.

Here is a photo I took of the family two weeks ago during an excursion across the lake. Juanito appears to be whispering a secret in his father’s ear.

Return to Viña Studios, Sololá

Sololá — It’s been a busy week of grabbing video clips and photos from last week’s conference, selecting raw materials for a video I hope to finish next week here at Viña Studios.

It will report on last week’s conference and explain Viña’s fledgling efforts to train up others in producing multimedia tools for evangelism and discipleship.

Darren and I have been in Sololá for nearly a week now. It’s great to be back and see old friends from my time here last year.

Darren has been diving into the guts of Viña’s computer systems, assessing their overall health, writing up a maintenance schedule that includes his recommendations. He’s been doing a great job practicing his Spanish and getting along well with the guys here.

Last evening, he surprised us by asking to learn how to make tortillas. The little Kaqchikel woman who was hard at work patting them out seemed happy to oblige her student, patiently showing him the correct way.

Viña conference unites, prods AV producers

PANAJACHEL, Guatemala — Over the past week, men and women from around Guatemala, the Philippines, Mexico, Honduras, Peru and Brazil have received training in how to serve their communities through audio-visual ministry.

Some are just beginning, others have years of experience in video, radio and ethnic music.

Their stories, understanding and heart for teaching God’s word and helping people grow as disciples of Jesus Christ amazed me.

Pedro from Mexico has been working on a Bible translation into the Nahuatl (Aztec) language, teaching pastors to value God’s word in their own language. He was invited to share before 300 pastors, and many later invited him to share at their churches.

This is vital work because some still believe Jesus used the Reina-Valera Spanish Bible 2000 years ago, not realizing it is a translation. Pedro is recording the Nahuatl translation as soon as they finish another book — important work because few read their language.

Vidal in Tektitán produces a daily radio program for his community of 3,000 people, only about 15 of whom are evangelical believers.

One man from Peru told me of a Qechua girl who started a creative biblical radio program “Hummingbird” for children. This man learned that many Qechua people — children, parents and grandparents — were listening to her show every day. One day, some parents sent a message:

“Can you please tell this girl to start her radio program earlier in the morning? We can’t get our children to put the animals out to pasture until the 'Hummingbird' finishes.”

Viña Studios in Sololá organized the three back-to-back conferences. Its leaders recognized they can never finish the work of producing and dubbing Bible story videos, films and music for Guatemala’s 51 languages and dialects without help. They hope to help raise up, train and equip others in the different language areas here and in Latin America.

It was a privilege to interview some of these incredible men and women who are working in remote areas, often isolated from others and without the support and encouragement of a team. Viña hopes to use the interviews in future reports on its work to motivate and challenge others.

Many participants said they felt blessed and encouraged to attend the conferences and realize others are working in the same ministry, dealing with similar problems, trying to serve their churches and bless their communities.

(Click here to read the report from Viña's prayer blog and to learn some prayer requests.)

Turbulence in air and on ground

PANAJACHEL, Guatemala — We experienced a bit of turbulence in the air and on the ground, but our arrival in Guatemala has gone well, thanks be to God.

After an enjoyable evening with my brothers in Christ, Grant and Marcus, who dropped me off at the airport, I met up with Darren, my teammate for this trip at the airport, whose parents and brother dropped him off.

Landing in Guatemala we met delays when a brother from the Philippines attending Viña's conference lost a piece of luggage. While he and another brother, Colin Edwards, executive director of Vernacular Video Ministry International, waited inside the airport, Darren and I waited outside, as a throng of Guatemalans waited anxiously for loved ones.

After about an hour, we were good to go — finally loading luggage into the shuttle that by this time had made at least three extra loops around the airport to avoid paying a parking fee. Then my phone rang. “How do you feel about me throwing you another twist?” asked my friend, Rick McArthur, chairman of Viña Studios board of directors. “OK,” I said, somewhat hesitantly.

“There are three girls there at the airport who have been there since yesterday,” he continued. “Their ride never appeared, and we don’t know if it will.”

Moments later, I located a very relieved Guatemalan airport official who was more than happy to guide me to the lost sisters from Minnesota. Turns out Rick’s son Jeff got a Facebook chat message from a girl who visited Guatemala two years ago, asking whether he lived near the airport and could help some girls in need.

The girls looked exhausted, resting their heads on a table in the airport food court. Soon, they were smiling and relieved to be embarking on their journey again. Fortunately, our shuttle was headed the same direction and it wasn’t any trouble to add them to the mix. It was fun to bump into a friend at the airport as well, who I wouldn’t have seen unless Rick had called about the damsels in distress.

Viña’s international audio/video conference here in Pana has been going well. I think folks are being challenged and learning during the sessions. Please pray for these brothers and sisters to effectively use audio video media to communicate the Gospel and Bible truth effectively and clearly, reaching the hearts of their audience for God’s glory.

A return to Mayalandia

Within 24 hours, I’ll be back in Guatemala for a time. Right now, I’m still trying to determine what’s become of my little digital camera. I haven’t seen it for a couple of months, but I didn’t worry about it. I just figured it would turn up. Now, I’m beginning to think maybe it won’t.

The search hasn’t been entirely futile. I discovered my favorite ratty old wool sweater, which I thought my mother had tossed in the trash. Hallelujah!

Viña Studios has invited me down to help out with its first international conference. They’ll have nearly 70 people there for 10 days. I’ll be helping by doing video interviews of the conference attendees. I’m hoping to work with some of the guys at Viña, and sharing the project together. It should be challenging but fun.

It will be great to be back there. I've been reading good reports of how the Kaqchikel believers are receiving and responding to Viña's finger-puppet Bible story videos. (Click here for prayer blog and reports.)

A family friend, Darren, is joining me — a last-minute but very welcome addition to the trip. We fly out tonight at a quarter to midnight. Not a moment too soon, as far as I’m concerned. My hayfever has reached its fever pitch — a 98-mph fastball hitting me square on the nose — these past couple days. On Sunday we could see clouds of pollen drifting over the grass fields here in the Willamette Valley. This always happens around June, resulting in some of the highest pollen counts in the nation. Ah, it's raining now. There's grace in that rain.

Now, where's that camera?