August started with us flying back to Guatemala after such an amazing visit in the States with friends and family. We are so thankful for the time we got to spend with everyone and came home feeling very refreshed and grateful.
We jumped right back into another team when we got home, and Jay spent the week with them.
We then had a childhood friend of Jay’s getting married in Ohio, so we worked it out for him to spend a week there and get some time with friends and family. He had so much fun and came back a little refreshed, which was so good for him. We then had another team come in, and a huge shoutout to our Hope for Home team for jumping in to help with this one so Jay could go to the wedding in the States. We are so thankful for people who are willing to step in and help make things like this possible! Logan had a harder time with all of the changes. Between his trip to the States and then the team, she really didn’t get to see Jay for almost two weeks, so we had some extra hard days with her. We are so thankful he is back home now and that things are getting back to normal for her.
In between teams, Jay has also been doing a lot of vehicle work. There always seems to be something that needs fixing, and he is definitely looking forward to having some more time after this season of teams to work through some of those things and get the vehicles caught up.
This has also been a really hard month for Hope for Home as a whole. There have been a lot of difficult decisions that have needed to be made, and some things have happened that have been really discouraging. On top of that, the directors of the Adult Home were planning to go to the States for a visa renewal and fundraising trip. Unfortunately, because of some health issues, they will not be returning to Guatemala. This means that once again, the Adult Home is without directors, and it is happening at a time when everyone already seems to be stretched so thin.There is a lot that we don’t always share publicly because so much of what happens in ministry is behind the scenes, but please know there is a lot going on right now. We would really appreciate your prayers for wisdom, for the staff and leadership of Hope for Home, and for the Lord to provide the people and resources needed for each home.
Once we got home, Presley had her monthly checkup. She is pretty small, just like Logan was, so our pediatrician wasn’t initially concerned, especially knowing how Logan grew. But she wanted to be cautious and make sure we weren’t missing anything, so we did some blood work. The plan was that if everything came back normal, we would just assume Presley is growing the way Logan did and keep doing what we’re doing.
Unfortunately, some things in her blood work came back a little off, so our pediatrician sent us to the city for some more extensive testing. We are praying that these tests come back normal and that there is nothing concerning going on.
We are also preparing for our last two teams of the year! Woohoo! As much as we absolutely love having teams here, we are tired. We are really looking forward to having some time to rest as a family and create some more normal routines for a while. We have basically been go, go, go since Presley was born three and a half months ago and haven’t really had a chance to slow down and just be our family of four.
Jay and I kept going back and forth about whether we should try to get away for a few days, just the four of us. We wrestled with whether we should spend the money, if it was the best way to use the support we have been given, and if it was really something we needed to do. But ultimately, we came to the realization that we need to make some space for our family if we want to do this for the long haul.
We found an amazing Airbnb at the beach for a discounted price, and thankfully, we could cancel up until the week before and get a full refund if we decided it wasn’t the smartest decision. But God provided in such a sweet way. A friend sent us the money to cover the week, and we are so incredibly thankful. Honestly, even just knowing that we have five days away from everything, just the four of us, has given us a little more pep and energy to make it through this next month.
Ways you can pray for us:
• Wisdom for our family and the steps we take, especially as we try to balance family, ministry, and everything that comes with this season.
• Rest. We are really looking forward to some time to slow down, breathe, and just be together as a family.
• For Presley’s test results. Please pray that everything comes back normal and that there is nothing concerning going on with our sweet girl.
• Please pray for my dad, who is once again battling cancer. We are praying for his health and believing that God is in control. We serve a BIG God who does BIG healings, and we are trusting Him through all of this.
• Wisdom and provision for Hope for Home as there are so many difficult decisions being made right now. Pray especially for the Adult Home and for the staff as they navigate being without directors again.
• Financial provision. We have had some hard hits recently, especially with all of the testing Presley has needed. God has already provided in such a sweet way through a donation that helped cover some of those tests, and we are so thankful.
Our refrigerator has also been partially broken for almost two years now. It has been one of those things that just couldn’t be a priority with everything else going on, but we are really, really hoping we can get it fixed or replaced sometime soon. Please pray for wisdom about what to do and for God to provide what we need.
We always want to be wise with the money God provides through others. We know that we get to do what we do because of the generosity of so many people, and we never want to take that for granted. We want to follow God’s leading in how we spend, what we say yes to, and what we say no to.
We truly are a team, and we couldn’t do this without all of you. Your prayers, encouragement, and financial support all play a part in what God is doing here, and we are so thankful.
If you feel led to support us financially, you can do so through the donate link on our website or through PayPal. And if you ever have questions about what we do, how you can give, or other ways to support us, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We are always happy to talk and answer questions.
Paypal- kgwester@gmail.com
Jaykelsie.com
With love,
The fulps ❤️