Guatemalan Journey: Festivities with the Fulps

For the second year in a row, Daryl and Wanda Fulp and their nine children have been kind enough to include me in their Christmas Day celebration. I was not the only one invited to there home today. So were Dick, Scott and Linda Hardee (friends from Kansas City who are here for three months), my friend Judy Kerschner (from New Life School in Santa Maria de Jesús), Geraldo (Daryl's assistant) and Daniel (a volunteer at Hermano Pedro). In addition, they had invited 8 of the residents of Hermano Pedro to spend the day with them.

This so shows the heart of this family. They are continually "on mission," whether it be to the Guatemalans they serve, the residents at Hermano Pedro, or their fellow missionaries. Their family is so full of love that it just overflows to all they come in contact with, and I am fortunate to be on the receiving end of this affection.

I see a number of families in which the parents are missionaries, and the kids are along for the ride. Not so with this family. From the oldest, Brittney, who is studying special education through distance learning and already teaching a special needs student in her home, all the way down to Kimmie, the youngest, they are sold out to Jesus and sold on Guatemala. It's pretty amazing to see. So it's extra special to spend a day such as Christmas with them.

We visited, ate, received gifts, and just enjoyed each other. It was wonderful to see our friends from Hermano Pedro getting to enjoy being part of a family, if only for a day. Watching the older guys, especially, confirmed the need for an opportunity for them to live in a more normal setting, such as we hope to make Casa de Esperanza.

Jeremiah with Fidel

The highpoint, though, was watching the Fulp children make such an effort to ensure their guests from Hermano Pedro enjoyed their day. The generosity and kindness of these kids is made even more special by the fact that it seems to come naturally to them. If you asked them, I don't think any of them would say they are doing anything special. That's how special the ARE.

Side story: Kimmie, who is the youngest and has Cerebral Palsy, heard me talk about our hope that Fidel will soon be living with us in Casa de Esperanza. In all seriousness, she came to me saying: "Are you sure you know what you're doing? He (Fidel) has special needs, you know."

It's impossible to describe the day we had, but maybe some pictures can give you a glimpse into the joy that filled "Hogar de Esperanza" (Home of Hope), the name of the Fulp's home, this Christmas Day.