First Things First

As you know, we raised $63,400 during our fundraisers in Colorado in October.  So far, we have raised $16,500 with our Power of Prayer Journal fundraiser!  That brings our total to $79,900!  We have been working with the builder and architect and have broken the construction into two phases.  The next phase will be the clinic, the team house and a temporary middle school room that we won’t outgrow for two years.  We’ll also build an apartment style home above for our family to finally move to El Rosario.

We hope to build the final phase in the next two years.  We’ll be adding a 2nd level to the current academy where we’ll have our permanent middle school.  We can then turn the temporary middle school into our library and computer center!

We are still looking for ministry partners to build.  The cost to build the next phase is $144,932 minus the $79,900 raised leaves $65,000.  If you would like to help us build the next phase, CLICK HERE.  Do you have questions?  We can Skype with you or you can email us any time.

Our Favorite Instagram Posts

We do our best to keep everyone updated with what we’re doing.  That being said, we hope to do a better job in 2017.  We post 4-5 times a week on Instagram.  You can find us at Ordinary_Missionaries.

It was at the end of a long day as we walked to visit a young family who I’d heard was
struggling. Camila was at home with five little ones. Her youngest was a tiny two month old.

“What’s her name?”

“Sofía.”

As we talked I learned that Camila’s husband has a part time job at a local factory. He leaves the house at 4:30am and gets home at 9:30 at night. Her husband probably earns $10-$12 a day.

Sofía cries while Camila talks. “I’m not producing milk so Sofía cries a lot.”

“What are you feeding her?”

“Water with sugar.”

I waited. And what else, I wondered? But that was it. For her short two months on this earth Sofía has been drinking sugar water. MY HEART BROKE.

As she’s telling me this, her 2 year old daughter is drinking water out of a blue barrel. Guatemala’s water is contaminated. Most of it contains fecal matter.

“Do you boil your water?” I knew the answer but I asked anyway.

She nodded that she didn’t with a quizzical look, as if to ask, “Why would I?”

“Camila,” I paused, trying to gather my words. “The water your little girl is drinking isn’t safe. It’s making your kids sick. Do they get a lot of stomachaches and diarrhea?”

“Yes.” She was quiet with wide eyes.

“The water you’re putting in your babies bottle is contaminated. It looks clean but it’s not. Sofía needs nutrients that water can’t give her.”

By now you could see it in her face. Her shock and fear had caught up to mine.

“Camila, I have to go. But I’ll be back tomorrow. I’ll bring a water filter and formula for your baby. I’m so glad God wanted us to meet today.”

I prayed for her husband and that he would find steady work he could be proud of. I prayed for this young, struggling family, that He would guide them and guard them. I prayed for Sofía, that she would get the nourishment she desperately needs.

Camila cried as she said goodbye. “I can’t pay you back. I pray that God goes before you and after you. I pray that He keeps your roads safe.”

The next morning I delivered a weeks worth of formula and a 10 year water filter.

“If you can’t feed a hundred people, then feed just one.” ~Mother Teresa

What we’re doing now / What we’re excited about

WOW!  So much going on.  We took the 3rd and 4th graders to the beach 2 weeks ago.  Of the 24 boys who went, just 4 had ever seen the ocean before.  I WISH YOU COULD HAVE BEEN THERE!!!  HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN THE OCEAN?  You take them there!

What’s coming up?

Vonda, Cecilia and Adalis have been preparing for our middle school in January!!!  They completed orientation of CAB School last week and will be working on the computer platform that we’ll be using later this week!  One word – UNBELIEVABLE!  I literally can’t believe it.  First day of classes is January 30th!  We were originally planning to start the year with six boys but I JUST COULDN’T LEAVE EMERSON BEHIND.  He’s the only boy who needs to be sponsored.  If you’re interested in changing a boys life forever, please send me a message.  It’s $85 a month.  I would be honored to send you all the details.

Bible study and prayer will begin at 7:30am every day and the boys will have general studies until 1pm.  After lunch the boys will end their day with 20 minutes of English.  They’ll be coming to the academy 3 days a week for the next 2 months until school starts to catch them up and to reinforce their math, reading and writing skills.

Personal Life  by Vonda Sisneros

Ordinary Missionaries was born two years ago, almost to the day.  It was originally created to communicate with YOU.  We wanted to let you peek into our lives as we seek Jesus ,as we serve and as we choose love, every day.

When a family of 5 does this, they see something AMAZING. They see Jesus. They see Him move and love in sweet ways. They see miracles! The Ordinary Missionaries page was built to share this and encourage others to do the same, along side us, or right where they are. It was created for YOU!

It was a quiet birth…no one really knew it was happening. However, now… it’s crazy how it’s grown!

Ordinary Missionaries has a webpage and an Instagram page.  They own land in Guatemala with a small building that loves on 76 boys every week.  They employ numerous single moms, a couple of God fearing men and a college student. They have missionaries stateside who meet for bible studies, who coordinate short term teams, design web pages, mail product, and coordinate supporters to come along side those in Guatemala. Ordinary Missionaries includes Ordinary Nurses who meet stateside, send supplies that fill the tummies of the malnourished little ones, and then coordinate trips visit El Rosario and carry the endless medical load. The list goes on… and.. on… and on.

Ordinary Missionaries (YOU) live here in Guatemala and in Texas, California, Washington, Arizona, Kentucky, North Carolina, Alaska, Colorado, Australia, and Ireland… Just to name a few.

It was once just the 5 of us… It’s grown. We’ve become a body of believers. A group of people here and there who are living out The Great Commission. You are part of a team that is changing lives. Making things happen. You know who you are.

We (all of us) love Jesus, we love each other, and we love the tiny village of El Rosario!

We (the five of us) love YOU!  We are humbled to partner with you.  Thank you.

George and Vonda