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Local couple feeding the fatherless
BY JAMES JACENICH • STAFF WRITER
 | | Matthew and Joanna Novack are heading out on a two-year mission to help children at an orphanage in Guatemala. Joanna is the daughter of Robert and Jeanne Apgar of Mill Gap. (Recorder photo by James Jacenich) |
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MONTEREY - Matthew and Joanna Novack, both 25, departed the United States Sept. 13 to spend the next two years helping orphaned children in Llano Verde, Guatemala. They are partnering with Hope of Life Ministries, founded by Carlos Vargas and based out of Providence, R.I.
"We are coordinating self-sufficiency projects for his orphanage, Paraiso Infantil (Infant's Paradise)," said Joanna.
There are 80 boys and girls at Paraiso Infantil.
"We love Guatemala, the people and culture," said Joanna. "It's where our passions are."
"I feel I can make more of an impact on people in Guatemala than in America," said Matthew. "Different people have different callings in this world. Our calling is overseas."
Matthew has been doing mission trips since 1986. He went to Mexico for 13 straight years.
The Novacks have been to Guatemala before. "We have been there enough times, we have developed a relationship with a lot of them. We want to make a difference in their lives and community," said Matthew. "In Guatemala, kids don't have dreams and goals."
A lengthy civil war left much of the country devastated. Families were split up and many children were left orphaned and abandoned. As a result, some have been forced to live on the streets. They have fallen through the cracks in the Guatemalan social system and lack both a family to support them and training to support themselves, the Novacks explained. The couple hopes they can help the children help Guatemalan culture survive the 36 years of civil war that ended in 1996.
The children also know little of the world beyond Guatemala and are unaware of opportunities elsewhere.
"They don't have awareness of other things to do - they are farmers, cab drivers and that's it," said Joanna. "We want to help these kids make a better life for themselves."
"We are going to have a fish farm, chicken coops, possibly some pigs, and a garden," said Matthew. Some of this in the works to be set up."
The orphanage provides food, school, and a place to sleep. "They are almost in a bubble in their own world sometimes," said Matthew.
"We want to teach about Christ and the Bible, but the main thing is to teach them something (work related) that will help them the rest of their lives," said Joanna.
The children at the orphanage are between a few days old to 14 years.
"In the orphanage are a lot of families," said Matthew. "Most of the children have suffered physical abuse."
"Some were deserted," said Joanna.
"If a family feels they can't feed their children anymore, our orphanage is willing to take them in," added Matthew. "Most of the children are up for adoption, but it's hard to adopt a family of four children."
Joanna said, "Older children are hard to adopt, too."
The children go to a private school owned by Hope of Life Ministry.
"In the poorer areas, literacy is maybe 40 percent," said Matthew.
The Novacks have some support from Word of Faith Church, but mostly individuals will help pay for the mission, in addition to the Novacks spending their own savings.
"We need prayers from everybody, and some advice on farming. We will take all the advice we can get," said Matthew.
Llano Verde is a small town with around 300 people. The closest market is a 20-30 minute drive. "People live there, but there is nothing to draw people there," said Matthew.
The surrounding area is made up mostly of poor farmers, said Joanna.
The Novacks can be reached online at gmala4life@aol.com, lovevision21@yahoo.com and www.myspace.com/visionnovack. For those interested, financial support can be sent to Matthew and Joanna Novack, c/o Apgar Family, 432 Little Egypt Rd., Monterey, Va. 24465.
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