reading
here
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But for those of you who pray for us and want a brief update on what is going on, I can give you that.
As far as the mission goes, we have resumed communication and negotiation with the steel structure company. They will be the ones to come in and erect the bases, columns, and roof of the main building of the children's home. I was hoping that by the end of June we would have 50% of what we need. The total cost for completion is $43,000 (assuming there will be no surprises) and they should be in and out in 60 days. Well, by the end of June we had $18,000 saved up and we need at least $20k. So we are about $2000 short from signing the contract and beginning. Don't ask me where the other 50% will come from. We are just believing by faith that the Lord will provide. He hasn't given us reason to doubt Him yet, He just likes to make us wait.
The CNA stopped by to do an inspection of our children's home and were surprised to find that we don't have a children's home. That's how far along we are with the government paperwork. So everybody is ready and waiting, especially the children who are being crammed into the overcrowded and underfunded homes far away from here.
Also our mission is in the process of legally "pursuing" the lawyer who took nearly $4000 from us last year when we bought the land. This is a very stressful and difficult process because we all know how reliable the justice system here in Guatemala is. We could just walk away from the lawyer, but that money belongs to the Lord and was intended to be used to bless the children here. We still, to this day, although we have spent a year and a half constructing and living on the property, have no legal document that says we own the land or even purchased it. The good thing is that the seller has not tried to pull anything sketchy and that the community loves us an supports us and everyone knows who we are and that this land belongs to our ministry.
We dont know how much this legal battle will cost us, but being right in the middle of starting construction again and also about to have a baby, we are really trusting the Lord to provide. It is a very delicate situation.
So construction of the 6400sq ft building and taking a very dishonest lawyer to court, and what else? Well we are trying to sell (or rent) Geoffrey's Alex City house. The previous renters moved out, which means to keep it afloat Geoffrey is having to work at minimum 20 hours a week on his computer job, and we got our hopes up about two weeks ago when we almost had a seemingly sure deal to sell the house with a woman, which would have given us enough money to pay the other 50% of the children's home, but she backed out and ended up purchasing another home. Let down for us. Oh well. So we are working hard and praying the Lord will send us a buyer or a leaser that will really help us out financially and allow us to further our work down here.
And of course, there is Mary Charis (btw that is a double name and we will call her by both and it is not pronounced "chair-is" rather "care-is" (it is the greek word for grace)), our baby who is scheduled to arrive Aug 17ish unless she continues to be stubborn and not turn around. Then she will literally be "scheduled" to arrive between Aug 1-7. So a baby almost here. I have been washing the hundred million pieces of pink clothing, towels, and blankets (which are rather cute and a nice change to Geoffrey's big dirty clothes) she has received and finding new and creative ways to store these things in our 24x28 one room home, and preparing for her arrival. Thankfully I am over the throwing up every hour days and have moved on to dealing with parasites and colds and other infections. She is a little low on her weight, but other than that she seems to be perfectly healthy. My stomach does not seem to be growing anymore, but she is and I can tell because I know she doesn't have very much room to move around in there. If I lay on my side, I can feel her head and whatever other body parts are on that side. She moves a lot, but it is never painful. It is a very strange feeling. I will be glad when I can just hold her and put her to sleep in her own little bed. We can't wait to meet her, although we have no idea how to be parents or what to do with her. I suppose we will learn as we go.
So, prayer requests? Funds for construction, legal battle, sell Geo's home, and have a healthy baby in whatever way (normal or cesarian), whatever day the Lord knows is best. I don't have a personal preference anymore, I just know that God knows best and He will allow the best thing to happen.
That's all :) Love you guys!
Jenna
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