Let Us Not Grow Weary
2020 has been a year like no other! When Covid-19 struck our world, many things came to a sudden and abrupt halt. Guatemala closed, mission teams were unable to complete the trips they had planned, part of our Operations Team was required to return to the US. We feared for the medical safety of our team on the ground, we prayed for and encouraged our Guatemalan staff as they had to reimagine ministry in a country already struggling with poverty and worried as the loss of revenue for the ministry made every month a little more challenging than the month before. We faced the sadness of having to close our beloved Girls Home - Home of Hope.
BUT while the struggles of the year for HRI have been real and sustained - we have clung to God's promise in Galatians 6:9 "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up"
We have seen our preschool teachers creatively design lessons for their students! We have seen the parents of these preschoolers partnering with the teachers to help the children - even as they were wrestling through the fear and uncertainty of life in Zone 3 (the Guatemalan Dump). Covid-19 made even available items to recycle from the trash more scarce - putting them into further economic uncertainty.
We have seen our Scholars continue to value education in a country where 75% of individuals over the age of 15 are illiterate.
We have seen our staff continuing to serve the communities through opening up the preschool building and helping distribute food to the families of the area.
We have seen our Girls and Scholars celebrate Guatemala Independence Day and each other's birthdays - showing that love of country and each other can not be dampened by the struggles they face.
So many of you have prayed with and for Hope Renewed International and the communities we are privileged to serve in. Many of you have been able to continue to contribute regularly to the ministry despite job losses and personal financial uncertainty as the pandemic lingers on and on. Seventy Six of you "ran" in our first ever Virtual 4mile Race. THANK YOU. God has sustained our staff, our ministries in unique and creative ways. We continue to trust Him with ongoing challenges and ask you to join us in prayerfully watching for the reaping of His harvest - in His time.
As the end of 2020 approaches, please consider celebrating this season with an additional gift to the work and ministry of Hope Renewed International. We ask you to consider donating in the memory of a loved one or as a Christmas gift to a friend or family member in their name.
We ask that you would consider sharing your passion for HRI with your friends and family. Encourage them to consider joining us as we strive to serve, equip, and empower the people in the communities where we work so they can ultimately help themselves, thereby creating dependability instead of dependency.
Whether you are able to contribute one time or regularly, a little bit or a lot, we ask that you join us in praying for our Guatemalan brothers and sisters - and wait expectantly for the Harvest He has planned for those who do not grow weary of doing good.