Hijas del Rey is 5 years old!~~A Story only God could write

It seems absolutely incredible to think that we began our women's home, Hijas del Rey (Daughters of the King), five years ago this month.  As we reflect back, this is a story only God could have written, and we are privileged to be a part of this story and the lives of the women who live with us.

In 2019 Pat Duff was living in a house near Antigua which was located in a small compound with three other homes.  The missionaries who were living across the driveway from her were moving back to the US, at the same time that one of her students from Santa Maria would be aging out of the program at New Life School.  We were concerned about what would become of Griselda when she no longer had the school to look after her.  This seemed the perfect time and perfect location to start a home for women.

It was already October when we became aware the house would be available.  School was closing for the year and Gris would soon be on her own most of the time.  She was turning 18 the end of December, and would be able to come into our program, with the approval of her family, of course.  Could we pull off beginning a whole new home in such a short time?  We hadn't budgeted for this huge expense, but if God was opening the door, He had the resources already available.  We stepped out in faith. and God was faithful.

We received a sizable donation from a friend who lived in the United Kingdom.  The daughter of the lady who was then the housekeeper at Casa de Esperanza came to us and said that God told her she was to serve with us for a year as a volunteer.  She was willing to live in the home with the women 5 days a week.  The house was semi-furnished so equipping the home would not be a major expense.  

Pat could literally look out her kitchen window and see what would be going on at the home, and help out as needed.  The pieces came together inspite of our lack of preparation.  God had this!

Griselda's family was hesitant, but since they had known Pat for years, they agreed to try it out.  Another young women from Santa Maria, Petronila, who had graduated from the school also wanted to try community living.  Both of these women had families who cared about them, but the ability of each family to provide for their daughter was limited.  (Pictured at left is Griselda in kindergarten!)

So on January 20, 2019 Julie and Petronila moved into the house.  

Griselda joined them a few days later.  Hijas del Rey home had begun.

In March,  we were approached by another ministry, asking if Debra, a deaf young woman, could come to live with us, at least for a short period of time. She was divorced and had a young son, but was severely depressed.  Her family was greatly worried about her, and did not know how to help her.

Debra's transition to living with two obviously disabled women was a difficult one.  She had spent her whole life living with her family and/or ex-husband.  She did not consider her deafness a disability.  She also denied that she played any part in the events leading up to her depression, and refused to cooperate with any therapy. Eventually she resented living with Petris and Gris.  She would communicate to me in sign that she was "not like them." She even went so far as to lie to her family about how we treated her.

We learned a lot from this experience.  We discovered that we needed not only to evaluate whether or not the person was well suited for our house, but if our home and the other residents would be honored and respected by the individual.  I wish I could say we can reach everyone who comes to us, but that's just not the case. It became clear after a few weeks that our home was not a good fit for Debra, and she returned to her family.

A short time later, Pat was visiting friends who had been missionaries at a children's home in Guatemala.  Would we have room for a lady who had grown up in the home, and was still living there with little children?

We went to visit Chepa, and she and Griselda became fast friends.  When we talked about her coming to visit, she responded with an emphatic, "No!"  "I'm going home to live with Griselda forever!" And so it was.  In April, 2019 Chepa became our third resident of Hijas del Rey.  

About this time villages were gearing up for the presidential election.  On her visits to her family, Petronila had gotten involved with a new political party made up of mostly young people from Mayan areas.  She was strongly committed to seeing change in Guatemala, and decided to live at home once again so she could be involved in campaining.  While it was disappointing to say good-bye to her, we realized one of our goals for the home had been met.  She had not only discovered a purpose, but had found her voice to say where and how she wanted to live.  She found a way to belong and contribute to her community.  We are happy for the life she has made for herself, though we miss her still.

Shortly after Petris moved home, we received an email asking us to accept a young woman who was developmentally delayed and living in a children's home in Jalapa.  The director of this home, another missionary, had lovingly cared for Caty but knew it was time for her to live with other adults.  After a number of failed attempts at placing Caty with families, we were their last resort. We were the only home they could find for adult women with disabilities in all of Guatemala. Could she live with us?

It was decided that Caty would come for a visit with a caregiver from the children's home.  She intially was very shy and had little contact with the other ladies.  Over the course of the week she responded to their consistent, patient attempts to befriend her.  She began to participate in activities, and even learned simple household chores.  At the end of the week, Caty moved in permanently.  Once again there were three ladies in the home.

The proximity to Pat's house gave the ladies a lot of opportunity to hang out with her.  Coming over to watch movies was a favorite.  Expecting more women to come in the future, it became clear that our current two-story house was not approrpriate.  It had been a good place to start, but we needed our rooms to be all on one floor.  

A house was located in a village about 30 minutes outside of Antigua.  In November, 2019 we moved our three ladies and Juli to live in Santa Lucia.  This was home to Hijas del Rey during the lock-down with Covid.  

Since this home had a large yard, it proved to be a special blessing when the women could not leave home for months at a time. Once again God met our needs before we knew what they were!

After our move to Santa Lucia, we received and email from a man asking if we would consider caring for his sister-in-law who was blind and developmentally delayed.  His wife, who had been caring for Francies, was dying of cancer.  He felt Francies deserved more opportunities than what he was able to give her.  So, now we were four.  With another woman, the extra room was appreciated.

We we happy in Santa Lucia and intended to settle there permanently.  Then God shook our world. 

I received a call in January, 2021 from some missionaries with whom I was aquainted.  Shawn and Brad Johnson were selling a mission house with five bedrooms in the town next to where our men lived.  They had been trying to sell it for quite a while without success.  Then, one day in prayer, God told them to "ask Pat."

Now God had not told Pat anything about this.  Pat was comfortable with things as they were.  Why change?  They asked if she would at least come to look at the home, and she agreed.

To say she fell in love with it was an understatement.  Everywhere she looked she saw possibilities for our ministry.  

We were, however, reluctant to once again begin the process of buying property in Guatemala.  Shawn and Brad had a plan.  How about if we would rent it for one year at a minimal price, to see how it worked for us?  After talking with the US Board, we decided to take a chance.

The house worked out well, and was much closer to San Pedro, where the men and Pat lived.  It gave more breathing space, and the kitchen was a much better design which allowed our women to help with food preparation.  There was space for a washing machine, and an incredible terrace with a 360 degree view of the mountains surrounding us.  

After much prayer, we decided to begin fund-raising to see if we could come up with a down payement on the home. Brad and Shawn were selling it to us at an incredible price, but we had no money.  God did, though, and through many friends of Reason to Hope, by the end of 2021 we had enough for a sizeable downpayment.

Papers were signed January, 2022, giving us two years to pay off the balance.  We would make monthly payments at a very low interest rate, and continue to fund raise.  And we have.

Once again our number increased when Araceli came to live with us.  We were contacted by friends who operated a center for those with additional needs at Lake Atitlan.  One of their young women was living in deplorable conditions with an aunt. She was verbally and possibly physically abused by her cousins.  Could she come to live with us?

While not in our plans, it was in God's that we would grow once again.  The size of our current home and Araceli's ability to walk made it possible for her to join us.  In August, 2022, the family at Hijas del Rey became complete (at least for now!).

It is incredible to me, but within the next month, we will be paying off the loan on the forever home of Hijas del Rey.  

We consistently receive calls and emails asking us to take in more adults who need the care only we provide.  With 8 men and 5 women I feel we are full.  But who knows what God has in store for us in the years to come!  I imagine he will continue to surprise us!