May-July 2021
Hello dear friends!
Once again time has slipped by as life has been moving along very quickly for us. There is so much to share about our lives and ministry work during these last three months.
This summer season has been our very busiest as it tends to be the time that teams come most.
We received 2 teams from Gateway Church in Dallas and a team from Church of the Harvest in Olathe, Kansas, as well as several individual workers. We’ve also spent many hours preparing for new teams coming, as well as our other support work in the carpentry shop and Spanish school. Oh, and we’re still raising 4 kids!
Life has been full. As always there have been ups and downs, challenges and triumphs. Here we’ll share some visuals and give you all a glimpse. It’s so hard to pare down to just the highlights, but we hope this will give you a sense of what we’ve been up to.
May
We made a trip in May to the U.S. for visa appointments, and were able to go to Ben’s brother Jon’s wedding! He and his beautiful bride Chalsea were radiant.
This is Dr. Enver. He is the base clinic doctor and has such a humble spirit of servanthood. He is usually the primary doctor on outreaches, and he works at a state hospital as well. Pray for him and the rest of the clinic staff, especially in this season of extra stress.
Dr. Adriana, our dentist, joins in on village trips when she’s able. Her service is invaluable since dental care can be hard to find and difficult to afford.
May brought the rain, and with it much needed relief from the heat. But one downside is that it can be difficult to get our clothes to dry! Sometimes we spread them out on the floor like this and turn our ceiling fans on.
Before each village outreach the teams (clinic, dental, prayer, outreach, etc.) come together to pray for each patient and person we come in contact with. It’s always a beautiful moment of quiet before the day’s activities really start. Here the team gathers before an outreach at Puerto Angel, about 2 hours down the coast from the base.
This was the clinic setup in Puerto Angel. Sheets hung from a canopy afford little privacy, but patients are happy to be seen.
In May we also celebrated the graduation of the trade school students. Projects were put on display and celebrated! These are some of Ben’s students. They completed the cabinet.
The Sewing School displayed their projects as well. These skills will help our Bible school grads make a living as they work in their communities.
All the Carpentry School graduates with Ben and Steve and Laraine Roberts, the Trade School directors.
June
We were so happy to be invited to witness Carol’s baptism. Dad and Laura baptized her in a pond on the base, deliberately dug deep to accommodate baptisms.
The Gateway student team put together and distributed 60 food packs during their time with us. These moments are so precious for both the giver and receiver.
Gateway also sent a family team, just a few days after the student team left! They also prepared and distributed food packs in the villages they went to. Prayer is an amazing opportunity to bless people and share God’s love.
Sometimes finding our way to where we are going can be interesting. This map was actually quite well drawn and we still lost our way!
Here Duane and Sue Kershner, the founders of Roca Blanca, give a little orientation and history of the ministry to our first team in June. Students came from Gateway Church in Dallas.
They also did a kids’ program during several village outreaches! They were so engaged and really present for the kids.
The family team also spent an afternoon digging out trenches for the new septic system right here at the base children’s home. Previously the water had run off into a nearby field, which bred mosquitoes and disease. Now the gray water will irrigate the new garden, which will be put in soon!
Jay, a Gateway member, carrying a food pack up the hill to deliver.
(left) Transportation in general can be tricky around here. On occasion there are road blockades like the one that caused this backup. In this case the town people were protesting against a government hospital that would not receive a young man for treatment. This lasted a day before the hospital accepted him. Road blockades are one of the only ways that people can make their voice heard.
July
The Clark kids’ school year ended in July, and some traditional dances were performed at the graduation ceremony. Cooper worked hard to learn this one! (click on button above to go to youtube video)
Wesley taking a swing at his piñata. Hannah saw how close he was to hitting his friend!
On the way up to Ixtayutla with the Church of the Harvest team, the crew encountered a car that had gone off the mountain road. There was a family in the car when it happened, and a child had been thrown from the car.
Our doctors were able to give immediate care to the family, evaluating them and taking them to the nearest hospital.
Wesley turned 9 in July. This cake was made by our clinic administrator.
Toward the end of July, we got a two-day notice that we finally had an appointment at the proper consulate. We jumped on a plane and after a 3.5 hour appointment, we left with these!! Entry passes for our residency visas. We are SO thrilled – it’s been a long time coming! There is still some in-country processing to do, but the hard part is behind us. Hallelujah!
All of the base vehicles stopped to see how we could help. It was good timing to bring doctors to the scene.
Once the clinic was set up in Ixtayutla, things proceeded as normal. Here Pastor Royce of Church of the Harvest leads the children’s activities.
Check out this video Ben took of the Ixtayutla outreach. It really gives a good sense of the work that happens during these village outreaches! (click on button above to go to youtube video)
Thank you so much for being invested in our lives and work. We are so thankful to know that when these updates reach your device, many of you are praying. Here are some points for prayer:
- The pandemic is making a comeback in our area. Cases are increasing daily and many times they are happening with the most vulnerable. Please pray for a stemming of the tide, and for those affected to receive the best care possible.
- Pray for us as we move forward under this new wave of cases – for wisdom on how to host teams that come to help.
- Pray for Cooper, Sage, Wes and Norah as they prepare for a new school year to start.
Again, many thanks! God bless you. In love,
Ben and Hannah
Thanks for nice pics and documentation. We miss you all and look forward to our next time together.
Yes! It was great to see you over the phone last week.
Thank you for sending another well written update! Your photos and captions capture what’s been happening in your lives and how God has been working these past 3 months. Exciting to read about the teams and the ministry work they’ve done. Congrats on the first carpentry school graduates! Rejoicing with you on getting your residency visas! Hallelujah! Our God is able. You remain in our prayers. We love you, the Hackenmuellers
Thank you Maura! We love you too. Love to your fellas.
This was awesomely ser and hear.. we miss you and are praying
Thanks so much Kathy. <3
I had tears when I saw the visa picture.
My heart breaks that the pandemic is preying on the most vulnerable.
I love, miss you, and pray for you when I think about you!
Blessings dear friends!
Tell the kids I said, “HI!!!!!”
They say hi back!! Thank you for praying and holding us in your heart. We’d love to have you come see us when the time is right. Love you!
It is so great to hear from you and see all of your smiling faces! Praise God for all that He does!
Amen. He’s so worthy! Miss you guys.
Always good to hear what is going on and I love the pictures.
Thanks Ann!
Wow! What a saga! Thanks for telling us so well we were all able to identify with you — and pray for ALL of you who are doing the work of the Lord.
Thank you so much Rich!
PRAISE THE LORD! This is a wonderful update. God is so good. May the Lord continue to bless your ministry and protect you through the difficult times.
Praying for you,
Ken and Sharon
Thank you friends! Right now is a challenging season so we appreciate your prayers.
Hello again!! I was so excited to see that you had a group come from Olathe, Kansas. I lived in a town close to that town when I was 7 to 9 years old. That is where I prayed to receive the Lord when I was 8!! We actually stayed in Olathe a few years ago when we went to visit the people that I knew in my “home town.”
Blessings on your ministry!
Sharon
So cool!! Thanks for sharing!