From jdanross at verizon.net Wed Jun 13 16:05:55 2007 From: jdanross at verizon.net (Dan Ross) Date: Wed, 13 Jun 2007 18:05:55 -0500 (CDT) Subject: [Newsletter] Update... Message-ID: <22906522.8922871181775955368.JavaMail.root@vms124.mailsrvcs.net> Hello, "Mission Fiesta News" subscribers. I just wanted to update everyone on our progress here in Guatemala. We arrived safely on June 9, although 2 1/2 hours later than planned. We have made all our major purchases through vendors and at the large market and have hosted two fiestas so far. We host two more fiestas tomorrow, one on Saturday and one on Sunday for a Sunday School to complete our first week. While we were having the fiesta today (Wednesday, June 13)at the baby dorm, "Los Angellitos," at Casa Aleluya, we thought we felt a mild earth tremor, but didn't find out until later that an earthquake had hit the Pacific coast of Guatemala with a 6.8 Richter rating. However, we were in the interior part of the country and there were no injuries or damage--Praise the Lord!!! Thank you for your prayers of protection. I will attempt to update you from time to time whenever I get a chance. Please continue to keep us in your prayers. So far, everyone is healthy and happy. Blessings to all of you! Dan Ross, editor Mission Fiesta News From jdanross at verizon.net Tue Jun 19 16:51:57 2007 From: jdanross at verizon.net (Dan Ross) Date: Tue, 19 Jun 2007 18:51:57 -0500 (CDT) Subject: [Newsletter] Mission Fiesta Update Message-ID: <1599195.21542931182297117295.JavaMail.root@vms227.mailsrvcs.net> Hello, This is Dan from Mission Fiesta with another update for you. We are now in day eleven of our mission here in Guatemala. It is hard to believe that there are only nine days left! We had a GREAT day today. We arrived for the fiesta at Santa Apolonia today (for 500+ students) and they had made an archway with balloons with "Welcome" strung across it on a banner. They had also made confetti and at one point, they all threw their confetti over us and I figure it will take the rest of the time here to dig all the little pieces of confetti out of our hair! LOL Three of the classes performed a little program for us and it was very enjoyable. One class did a musical skit about four little yellow ducklings; another class performed a traditional dance; and the other class did more of a dramatic oration thanking God for the earth and all good things. The weather was beautiful and the kids had a blast. They ended up having the morning and afternoon classes both there when we arrived, so that was nice to see all of them at one time. Tomorrow are the fiestas at Agua Viva and Castillo. We will divide the team into two working units to cover both at the same time since they are in close proximity to each other. Agua Viva will include approximately 125 in their fiesta and the fiesta at Castillo will have about 200 people. It is hard to believe that there are only two more fiestas after tomorrow! (Rehoboth and Nuestro Pequenos Hermanos on Friday and Saturday) There is a possibility we might have a smaller fiesta the last week with Steve and Shyrel Osborne and their new ministry for physically challenged children. Take care and keep the prayers coming. Gary's stomach is a little nauseated (but not bad) and the rest of us are holding our own! :) Best wishes, Dan From dawgbert at dawgbyteproductions.com Thu Jun 21 08:04:02 2007 From: dawgbert at dawgbyteproductions.com (Billy DawgBert McClurg ) Date: Thu, 21 Jun 2007 10:04:02 -0500 (CDT) Subject: [Newsletter] Birthday Greetings Message-ID: <28961.69.43.12.101.1182438242.squirrel@www.dawgbyteproductions.com> I would like to send out a HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Gary Baker and Dan Ross... Dan Ross, Birthdate 6-21 Gary Baker, Birthdate 6-22 HAPPY BIRTHDAY GUYS...!!! All The Best, Billy "DawgBert" McClurg CEO - Webmaster DawgByte Productions www.dawgbyteproductions.com PO Box 1385 Portsmouth Ohio 45662 740-354-5513 ofc 740-354-7627 fax DawgByte Productions is a professional web design company delivering high quality custom web designs... everything you need to merge your company to the web. -- This electronic transmission is strictly confidential and intended solely for the addressee. If you are not the intended addressee, you must not disclose, copy or take any action in reliance of this transmission. From news at mfiesta.org Wed Jun 27 09:18:21 2007 From: news at mfiesta.org (news at mfiesta.org) Date: Wed, 27 Jun 2007 11:18:21 -0500 (CDT) Subject: [Newsletter] final trip update... Message-ID: <30706.216.230.150.12.1182961101.squirrel@www.mfiesta.org> Hello Everyone, This will be the last update from the 2007 Mission Fiesta trip to Guatemala. We have finished all of our work and today is a "rest" day to prepare for the trip home. Our final fiesta was last night in the city of San Cristobal. That project is a children's home for special-needs kids and it is run by friends that we had met many years ago while staying at Casa Aleluya. This special-needs home is called "Amor del Nino" ("Love the Child") and is run by Steve and Shyrel Osborn. They have approximately 40 children there, ranging in age from a few months old up to about ten or twelve. Several of the children have multiple sclerosis, there was one little girl who'd had to have a foot amputated and several others in wheelchairs with various ailments such as brittle bone disease, as well as other disabilities, etc. The kids were so excited...I wish you could have seen the smiles on their faces. We were told that it was a very special day for them and they had been excited all day waiting for fiesta time. While they are waiting to build their children's home, they are housed in two houses that are in close proximity. After the fiesta, Gary, Hazel, and I were able to help transport the wheelchair kids back to their "casa." They were still laughing and smiling all the way back home. Please keep Steve, Shyrel, their 13-year old son, Josh, and all the children and Guatemalan workers there in your prayers. It is a special calling to take care of these special children, many of whom were abandoned--one little boy was found in a box before he was placed at "Amor del Nino." Also, many thanks for your continued prayer support for us during our trip. We have all remained healthy overall and we are sure it is because of your petitions on our behalves. Please pray for our traveling--Gary, Hazel and I will leave Guatemala tomorrow (Thursday) between 1:00 and 1:30 in the afternoon, if all goes well. We will fly to Charlotte, NC where Hazel will proceed on to her home and Gary and I will spend the night in Charlotte. On Friday morning, Gary and I will fly back into Huntington, WV (around 9:00 am if everything is on schedule), then we will go by car back to our homes in Ohio. Thanks also for your prayers for Marina Skinner and David and Retta Ashley. They have already returned home safe and sound. They were such a HUGE help, along with Otto (our Guatemalan volunteer) and our driver, Ernesto, and we thank them from the bottom of our hearts. Prayer partners, along with our prayer partner leader, Janet Hall, please know that YOU HAVE BEEN A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF THIS TRIP! We value your prayers and know that God has used you in a mighty way. We will have other trip-related items of interest that will be included in our July newsletter. We hope you are enjoying your summer. Take care and God bless each of you! Dan Ross Editor/Team Leader mfiestanews at mfiesta.org Dan Ross Editor/Team Leader mfiestanews at mfiesta.org