THANKS !!!

Below are some of the pieces (a work in progress – please help me not leave anyone out).  (Some of the following is just “for fun” i.e. we do not as yet have a Security Team.)  The following is the “cluff” perspective — I know I didn’t see everything — text/email me more good stuff !!  I love you all Guatemala 2023 BCH Team.

Jomar  Maritza  Veronia  Jerry  Christianna  Kimberly  Michael : One of my favorite spiritual pastimes is to witness young people giving God glory / honor / praise.  I know that your families are super proud of you; I pray that my two girls (Selah Abbey) will do the same.  Seven of the younger group helped Bob with worship (huge); a great encouragement of the power of young people; the “Joshua Generation”; I am sponsoring all of them, plus Dania and Alisa (and any other young ones on the team) for the 144,000.  This awesome group of young adults helped with several areas of the mission trip including cleaning the gym, packing vitamins, medical clinic, and they took the lead in VBS !!  

David Hor : One of the two dentists on the trip and Bob’s roomate. David is possibly the most gracious person I have ever met – how refreshing !!  I apologized ahead of time for the hair that would circulating the room from my head and beard – David said in his accent, “Don’t worry – I cannot see the floor” 🙂 When we first moved into the room – he assessed the situation and made suggestions where to put our suitcases and which drawers – would best suit our heights / body mechanics to optimize our health.  Inside joke (clark/eliz/vic?) – One morning David said, “I heard you talking this morning” – Bob said, “I wasn’t talking this morning” (I think he was teasing me about tooting my horn – passing gas lying in bed).  David lives in Milpitas, a town next to San Jose – Bob was looking for an office there about 2019.  I am planning on going to his Milpitas church (I drive by that area every week).  I think this is the first Guatemala Trip that I have attended that had DENTISTS !!! Yay !!!  Thanks be to God for David and Merlin.

Clark & Elizabeth : Charming couple with a good sense of humor; motivated to study God’s Word and talk about God issues (Elizabeth started some “Bible talks”); Clark is a dietician with many years experience –> he and Jeannie added the great dimension of Education/Lifestyle Change to the clinic, which I greatly appreciated.  Clark diagnosed nausea/vomiting in a 11 month old breast feeding baby – possibly resulting from mom introducing multiple oral meals at once (I never would have got that) 

Linda & Vic : THE TEAM WARRIORS; Linda and Vic showed great courage and faith in God to come on the trip as they had just lost (three weeks) their adult son to Cerebral Aneurysm rupture.  We are SO THANKFUL they came on the trip — Praise God !!! Much prayers for their family.  Praise God for Linda’s courage to share the heartbreak and to ask for prayer.  They are a delightful couple with energy and motivation to help.  Linda has an engaging smile; Vic is one of the Docs on the team.  Their FIRST TIME TO GUATEMALA – PLEASE PRAY THEY COME BACK AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN etc etc etc. 🙂  Much prayer for their loss.  (Linda thanks again for saving me at Walmart as I was unknowingly sqirting hand lotion over me and the floor !!)

Robyn & Carol : FREQUENT FLYER ALERT !!! ; Robyn & Carol have been part of the team for many years and they are DEDICATED !!  They come down to Guatemala on a regular basis and usually stay for a while.  They love mission work – the Guatemala Project is greatly indebted to them.  They are humble / meek, very giving, caring, and they work hard.  Robyn & Carol – please keep up the good work – you are inspiring us to do the same !

Roger & Sue : HARD WORKERS.  Roger and Sue have Big Hearts !!!  They are considerate and compassionate – very often planning how they can help those around them.  Two bc examples – Sue offered bob bottle of water when he was “dying of thirst” when cleaning the meeting hall (gym).  Roger came to bob’s rescue when bc was having “tummy turmoil” and needed to hit the bathroom (roger had toilet paper – lifesaver).  Roger also is a large gentleman that God can use to maintain a “safety zone” around the group — he leads our Security Team 🙂. 

Jim & Diana : WHOOAAA   YYEEEAAAHHHH    WWOOOWWWWw — what do we say about these two ??  The first I noted Jim was at the Holiday Inn Guatemala City — Pastor Ron was giving a overview info talk in the lobby and he said something about having CAUTION with Tut Tut Taxis — Jim said something like “Don’t be silly, I love Tut Tut Taxis” – Jim was not shy about his comment in manner or volume – I said “Okay, I gotta meet this guy”.  Maddy and I ended up taking with Jim and his wife Princess Diana for a good while.  They are a great couple.  They love to fish and so do I – so we’re connected !  They are the TWO FAMOUS FISHERMAN on the Smith River in the picturesque Crescent City (sounds beautiful !!  I am there.)  Jim & Diana are “front and center”, conversive, very willing to help, with lots of entertaining accounts; well connected. They are very hospitable and have invited the team to their town and their home 🙂  We love these two.

Merlin & Jeanie : Merlin is one of the two dentists on this mission trip.  He and David are the first two dentists I have ever worked with in the mission field.  Merlin and David are the meekest pair of practitioners I have ever known.  A true pleasure.  Jeanie and Merlin are full of grace; professional; compassionate; graceful (is Jeanie’s middle name Grace?).

Michael & Alisa : Michael and Alisa are my “go to couple”.  I can often be a little bit of a “loner” – often find myself hanging out with myself.  Michael and Alisa were pleasantly persistent at being nice to me which was very comforting / encouraging.  Michael and I took a couple of walks around Guatemala City will waiting for the bus to load us up for transport to Colis.  I observed the friendliness of Michael / Alisa to others on the trip as well.  Michael & Alisa are a great couple quietly connecting with those around them (more quiet than Jim :-))  Michael & Alisa are apt to offer help and support when needed.  They provide a nice balance to those that may be louder and more expressive in the group. 

Eugene & Christiana : I LOVE THE MANDACHI FAMILY.  It’s probably been ten years since I visited with Eugene and his family — i have very fond memories.  The Mandachi family is fun, witty, hardworking, empathetic, and always willing to help.  But most of all they love the Lord and it shows.  Thay are a beautiful family inside and out.  Christiana appears to be carrying on this family legacy.  We praise God for this family.

Dania (& Thania Castanaza, present in Spirit) : Dania is a captivating young woman.  What a privilege and a joy to witness our young ones mature to adulthood.  I know Dania’s mother Thania pretty well, and I know how proud she is of Dania, and I see why.  I was very fortunate to have worked with Dania in the medical clinic —  where she was my translator but so much more.  Dania literally kept me focused, encouraged, and on task.  It will be exciting to continue to watch her progress at she seeks God’s leading in her life.  Thania was one of the founders of the Guatemala Mission Project, and is at the “heart” of the Castanaza family core that has been most instrumental in Broken Chains for Humanity.  I look forward to our continued efforts together to give God praise & honor & glory through this amazing endeavor of service.

Sylvia : BIG SMILE. Warm personality.  Energy.  A good cook.  Sylvia is multi-talented and her magnetic personality is contagious.

Ericka : Ericka was one of those amazing surprises in my life that I believe God used (and continues to use) to save me.  I believe we met before 2017, but we became friends on the 2017 Guatemala Trip and during that trip became romantically involved as well.  Ericka doesn’t speak Engish and Bob doesn’t speak Spanish, so communicating is “fun”.  We are both continuing to seek God’s leading in our realtionship as I am situated with kids in the San Francisco area and she is situated with kids in the Jalapa area.  Only God knows what the future holds for “us”.  Even so, we have had some very special and very memorable times together, and I will forever be in her debt.  One example is our day together in Antigua at the end of the 2017 Mission Trip.  Five of us (Ericka & her 5/6 yr olds, Bob, chaperone) spent the full day sight seeing through the beautiful streets and buildings of Antigua — most of the day Ericka / Bob holding hands, enjoying one another’s company.  This was especially meaningful to Bob because he had recently gone through a divorce and was really missing his two teenage daughters.  It was really good to see Ericka again this year 2023 and spend time with her.  We keep in touch primarily through FACEBOOK MESSENGER.

Maddy : I have known Maddy and her husband Ernie for a long time (more than twenty years).  They are both good friends on mine and good friends of my family — especially my mother Georgia (passed in 2018). Ernie has been a close Spiritual mentor to me, and sort of a “father figure” at times.  Maddy is a great cook — I have eaten at thier home multiple times.  Lots of love for Maddy and Ernie.  Also, Maddy is a prayer WARRIOR (Ernie can tell you); her prayers were a highlight of the 2006 mission trip.

Blanca Castanaza : Blanca is a wonderful, caring, very helpful person.  She seems to kind of bubble over with enthusiasm and encouragement.  Bilingual.

Dr. Hansen and wife (present in Spirit) : Dr. Keith Hanson & Esther have established themselves as a “force” in the mission field through the leading and direction of God.  We are so privileged to have them as an integral part of the BCH Guatemala Project.  I am intrigued by the depth / diversity of the Brewster group and I look forward to getting to know them better in the near future.  I am praying about plans to visit Brewster, and have included a Bulletin from the Brewster SDA Church (Feb 18) below.  PRAYERS for Dr. Hanson’s upcoming back surgery.

Bob Cluff : I am very blessed to be a part of the BCH Project, and I am SO THANKFUL to have been on this 2023 Gutemala Mission Team.  I met and got to know so many awesome people.  Keep up the daily Bible / Prayer / Stay Safe.  PLEASE – lets do this again –> I’ll plan better next time so I can stay for the whole trip :-).  May God RICHLY BLESS YOU ALL !!! !!!! 

Omar & Barbara : Omar & Barbara are from Brewster WA (alright, I have to go to Brewster – see this place where so many amazing peope come from).  A delightful, bilingual couple .. AND Omar is from New York (same as me).  Omar and Barbara both love the Lord and they are good up front; a God-centered team praising Him in English and Spanish — HALLELUJAH !!!  They brought four young people with them > Maritza, Veronia, Jerry and Jomar — Jomar is their son.  The whole group is a great blessing !!!  Jerry and Jomar had a basketball and even though I did not get to play ball with them it was fun talking about it.

Kimberly : Kimberly is an amazing young lady from the Los Angeles area.  I believe she attends the same church as Dr. Danny and Blanca.  She seems to take a very positive approach to life, and spreads that perspective to those around her.  She goes with the flow and is very willing to help when asked.  Kimberly was the translator for Dr. Victor.  She takes a lot of pictures and taught us to do the “air drop” :-).  She helped organize the group to do the VBS (Vacation Bible School).  Thank you Kimberly.

Pastor Ron & Marilyn : COMMANDER IN CHIEF and FIRST LADY. Pastor Ron and Marilyn by the grace of God and others like Thania, Bob, and Danny, got the Guatemala Mission Project on its feet in 2005-06 (i’d like to hear a review on how it all started).  Since the beginning God has used Pastor Ron and Marilyn to put a net out and gather willing participants from Redding, Auburn, Los Angeles, Brewster, Milpitas, Crescent City, and elsewhere.  Combining humility, dedication, and commitment to doing God’s Will — P Ron / Mari have moved foward for seventeen years !!  We are immensely blessed by God through BCH — our perspective of life on earth changes as we work with the poor people in Guatemala and see how happy they are!  P Ron has a humorous side that keeps us all smiling 🙂  

Mona : Mona the miracle worker.  Mona is prepared.  On the bus ride to Colis Mona offered us all some trailmix to eat — she had the nuts and chocolate/peanut butter, but also a more spicy alternative option.  And she carries wipes.  The miracle is the second day at breakfast she’s got a couple of wash cloths asking if anybody needs one?  That’s the one thing I forgot !!  THANK YOU MONA !!  Praise the Lord.  Mona is very helpful, always on the move, and always a kind word to say.  Also from Crescent City.  (Also, much thanks for the “surprise trail mix” for my trip to Florida Pain Conference – munched on it all day :-)).

Dr. Danny & Claudia : SURGEON GENERAL.  Dr. Danny and his beautiful wife Claudia are last but certainly not least.  Dr. Danny Castanaza is the Medical Director for the Medical Team and Claudia is a registered nurse (they met in a hospital — Claudia was a patient, Dr. Danny the Hospitalist doctor).  The Castanaza family’s roots are in the Jalapa region of Guatemala.  Danny has a BIG FAMILY — around eighteen siblings !!  We have many fond memories of visting Dr. Danny’s church in the LA area, eating at thier home, and having fellowiship with several members of the Castanaza family.  The Castanaza family is truly a wonderful family — very blessed.  We are blessed to be connected to them through BCH.  Praise God from whom all blessings flow.    

Patty & Billie : Patty and husband Billie are our “Guatemala transplants”.  A very committed / dedicated couple, they are residents in Colis – Mataquescuintla Guatemala for multiple years now (how many years ?).  They are leading the Colis SDA Church and other projects in this region.  We are greatly indebted to them for staying in Guatemala and it is very likely that others (like myself) may follow their example in the future.  We are very thankful for God’s leading in their lives and in the Guatemala Project.  They are originally from Kentucky.  Do they have children ??  (I need to schedule an interview with them on the next trip and maybe lookat a family photo album :-))

[IMPORTANT HELPERS also include: Caleb Castanaza, Claudia’s sister – Shenny, Kitchen assistants, Hotel personnel, Building team (Santos); 

WHO DID I LEAVE OUT ???