Encourage in Hope Ministries

Dear friends and family,

Hello! It's been a long time since I posted a blog, as I switched over to primarily sending more personal updates via email newsletters, but today I wanted to announce the new name for the ministry work that I do here in Guatemala. Just to give a short recap, through the organization (Perception Funding) that manages all of the donations I receive, I have a designated name for the ministry I do. Previously, that name was “New Life Therapy," and it was a name given to me when I began working with New Life School in the beginning of 2020. I finished my time at that school in the summer of 2021, but the name "New Life Therapy" remained the name as a placeholder until I selected a new name. Over the last year I began to more intentionally consider a name change, and over the last few months the Lord brought clarity into what that new name should be. Thank you to all of you for your prayers and suggestions as I worked on selecting the best name to capture the heart behind the work that I do here. Without further ado, here it is:

Encourage in Hope Ministries

As I prayed about a name to accurately grasp the heart of what I do here in Guatemala, two words kept being highlighted: encouragement and hope. This is the foundation of what I do here—to encourage and instill hope in those that I encounter.

A few months back, I shared one of my favorite verses which says, "Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing" 1 Thessalonians 5:11. This is the heart of the Lord for his church, for us to encourage, edify, and speak life over one another, just as he does with us.

One of the parts that I have loved most in my role as an occupational therapist is being present for patients and families during difficult, emotional, and overwhelming moments. I distinctly remember working in the intensive care units at the hospital and seeing how evident it was that patients and their families needed reassurance and support while trying to manage the chaos of the hospital setting, a revolving door of health care professionals coming and going, the influx of medical information, diagnoses, and treatment plans, and the uncertainty of what the future holds. Here in Guatemala, the setting is different but the need for support and reassurance remains the same. Often, I am the first person who takes the time to explain a medical diagnosis, the cause, the prognosis, and the long-term expectations, while at the same time shining light into the value and worth of individuals with disabilities in a culture that still has a strong stigma against them. There is so much value in showing up for people, being present, offering a smile or a hug, spending the extra time to lend a listening ear, praying for them, and helping them know they are seen and heard and aren't going through their situation alone. The Lord says, "I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5, Deuteronomy 31: 6, 8). Showing up for others and providing encouragement reflects the Lord's promise; he is present.

It is a joy to be able to be a source of support for those I work with here, and the ways in which I find myself providing encouragement are numerous. Here are several examples:
- providing information about diagnoses to increase medical knowledge and understanding
- explaining the prognosis of a diagnosis and next steps
- seeking out resources and providing contacts for families
- praying with patients and families and sharing biblical wisdom over their situation
- listening to families as they share about the hardships, stigmas, and challenges they have faced
- celebrating the little victories
- being available in emergencies
- helping parents brainstorm best options for their children
- affirming families in their efforts and reassuring them that their work is valuable
- advocating for the inclusion of those in the special needs community
- supporting teachers in the classroom setting with students who face learning challenges
- speaking about the value and worth of every individual despite their condition or diagnosis
- being generous with time and making others feel that they are a priority
- speaking truthfully, even when hard news is difficult to share
- correcting gently
- carrying out promises made
- advocating so that physicians would have a greater understanding and value of individuals with disabilities
- providing transportation to and from appointments
- making referrals and supporting other organizations in the same line of work
- demonstrating consistency and reliability in therapy appointments

I have so many opportunities to encourage my patients and their families, and at the root of it all, my goal is to encourage based on the hope that we find in Jesus Christ, based on his Word, which is truth and life. Hope shows what we ultimately long for and allows us to remain faithful that what we are eagerly awaiting is ahead of us. My desire is that my patients and their families would not just hope for easier days ahead, but that their hope would be rooted in the faithfulness of the Lord and in his promise of salvation if we believe and trust in him.

“Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” Romans 5: 3-5

Psalm 62: 5-8
“Let all that I am wait quietly before God,
for my hope is in him.
He alone is my rock and my salvation,
my fortress where I will not be shaken.
My victory and honor come from God alone.
He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me.
O my people, trust in him at all times.
Pour out your heart to him,
for God is our refuge.”

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” Romans 15:13

My desire is that through every relationship built through serving here in Guatemala, more people would encounter Jesus and be led to the truth of the gospel, that they would be drawn close to the heart of the Father and walk along a path that leads to eternal life.

And so, the name Encourage in Hope Ministries was born. Even as ministry shifts and the ways that I serve here change over the years, the heart of the mission will remain the same—to encourage and instill hope in those I encounter.

Now, if you go to my donation page, you will see the updated name https://app.givetransform.org/EncourageInHopeMinistries. For those of you who send donations via check, you will now write “Encourage in Hope Ministries” in the memo line instead of the previous name, “New Life Therapy.”

Thank you to each and every one of you for your ongoing love, encouragement, and support! I am so grateful to be able to continue to share my journey serving here in Guatemala with all of you.

Much love,
Lindsey