Help care for the Miculax family from Guatemala

The 11th and 12th grade ministry from North Coast Church recently went on a mission trip to the city of Patzicia in Guatemala. While there we met a family that we would love to bless and support. This is the Miculax family. In January 2023, Sylvia’s husband was killed by a car while walking, leaving behind her 9 year old son Kevin, 4 year old daughter Nohemi, and 2 week old Alex. Now moving forward Sylvia needs to find a way to support herself and 3 kids, while grieving, and nursing a newborn. Sylvia and her husband had plans of starting a tortilla cart as no one in their village sells them. For $640 she would have everything she needs to start that business. Additionally, Kevin had also been hit by a car 9 months earlier. He needed surgery to place a rod in his leg. When we met Kevin, you would never know his life was filled with tragedies. He was kind, fun and playful. But the doctors had told him that he would need to come back to have another surgery to remove the rod as if it stayed in too long, it would become cancerous. Our team listened to Sylvia explain her story. We grieved and prayed with her but also felt a call to do more. After doing the math, it would take $385 a month for all of the families monthly expenses, including the medical care needed for Kevin. The hope is that we can support and provide for this family while they grieve and adjust to their loss and new life in this next year, without the added financial stress. Eventually being able to allow Sylvia to run a successful tortilla business. This would also allow Kevin to stay in school rather than having to work, and allow Sylvia to nurse and care for Alex who is now 4 months old.

Through all of this, the hope of Jesus is what has sustained this family. He is close to the broken-hearted. But Jesus calls on the church to care for those in need, and it is our hope to be able to say yes to that call for this family. Thank you for your support!

Here’s what a couple students had to say after meeting Sylvia and her family.

“This family had the most surreal story. Though they might have seemed to be completely joyful and full of contentment on the outside, they expressed to us how they were in a season of mourning and grieving which was very heart wrenching. Their story really impacted me because I felt for the three little kids as they will go through life without a dad who they might not even remember and for the mom who lost her life partner. I felt called to help this family get back on their feet and help them begin living the life God has planned for them.” - Maleia Pato

“I had no idea what to expect or what the story would be going into this family’s home but either way they welcomed us to make ourselves at home. This family means so much to me because of how much they had going on with their life and they still are able to find joy in their lives. The little boy Kevin had such an infectious smile you would have no idea what he was going through. This family knows God is the only one who can fully provide for them and they have stayed loyal to him.” - Maya Choy