A few highlights of "All I know, I have learned in the last 40 years."

1. Here We Are –
40 Years Later
THE GOOD, THE BAD
AND THE UGLY
40 Crazy Years – Quakertown, to Kitchener, Ontario, to Ft Lauderdale,
to Lancaster, to Guatemala, to Denver….
And we‟ve still got another 25 years to go!

2. The Spring House
…
Is this still the
best place to
take yearbook  All that I know,
photos, wedding . . . . I learned in the last 40 Years
pictures… or
what?

3. Dad, what WAS it like back then, in the
“old days”?
(Yes, dear, we had electricity!)
(And no, we didn’t have dinosaurs.)
Let’s take a quick glance at 1971
Barney, the and onward . . .
dinosaur didn’t
arrive until 1992. Time flies…. Barney seems like so
Here he is at the
long ago – but that dinosaur was born
CD parking lot. 21 years after you graduated!
;-)

4. CD Guys’ Car of Choice - Camaro
1971 Camaro - $ 2,795
(but now worth $46,000!)
2011 Camaro $39,000

5. Well, I also learned that prices
can change over 40 years
1971 2011
Eggs $ 0.53 $ 1.29
Gas $ 0.36 $ 3.60
House $ 28,300 $ 284,750
Salary $ 9,028 $ 51,740
Gold $ 41 $ 1,750
Population 207,000 312,540
DJIA 950 12,100

6. I learned things don’t always
last, including people.
• Ronald Reagan Died 2004 George R Brunk 2002
• John Denver, my Aunt Lavina and Grandma Martin
• Berlin Wall 1989
• Popular then: Tony Orlando & Dawn, Jackson Five
• John Lennon. Jesus People
Note: Started: Heritage Singers, Maranatha Singers

7. And, I learned that things do
change over 4 decades.
“rapper”
“wrapper” Lil‟ Wayne,
gum, 1971 2011
Remember
Fruit Stripe?
Computers:
$4,000,000 in
1971 = $400
iPhone in 2011

8. I also learned that
War isn’t the Answer :-(
Wars – 1971 and onward
Vietnam War Afghan War
Bosnia Sudan
Gulf War Kosovo
War on Drugs Somalia
War in Iraq War on Poverty
1971 Edwin Starr top radio song –
“War! What is it good for? (absolutely nothin’)
My birthday February 8, 1953 was draft pick . . . 347 !

9. And, I learned time flies even if
we “think” we are younger
Justin Bieber?
Uh,
His MOTHER wasn’t
even born until 1976 !!
Trivia: (Biebers lived near us in Stratford, Ontario)

10. I also learned that some
people are confused

11. • God has a Great Plan for You
I learned • Give praise and encouragement
• Forgive. Often
things we • Say “I’m sorry” – quickly
need to tell
our children A guarantee, isn’t
and our • Hurt people, hurt people
• Stay in touch with friends
grand-
children, • Life isn’t “fair”.
and . . . All things do work out for good*
remember • Sponsor someone else’s child to
ourselves. go on a mission trip.
My contractor went bankrupt – God readjusted me

12. • Be extra-generou$
Share and Read bedtime stories
teach what • Say “You’re right” more often.
• Smile at strangers, clerks
you’ve • Hug more (One-Minute Rule*)
learned over
This December, give $500 to someone
those 40 who needs it.
years.
Deliver gifts & food to poor
That’s the families; take your children along
• Say “I love you” more often
best legacy Fly First-Class once in awhile
you can • Encourage others often
create. • Get a puppy
* hug your spouse, child, friend for one solid minute!

13. Guatemala? We:
- Sold a company - 1997
What was
- So comfortable in Lancaster
God thinking?
Can’t He find Never had gone on a mission trip.
someone else, Only spoke English
someone who
is actually Didn’t “like” poor people, Spanish
qualified? food, or living without heat, cell
phones or Internet……
Moved in
April 1998 Please, please, don’t take me to the
mission field, I prayed.

14. 13 Million
people in
Guatemala,
50% under the
age of 17
80% live in
poverty
58% non-literate
It’s a beautiful country . . . But
High infant & corruption, horrible “health care”,
maternal death prejudice; extreme poverty
rate

15. Did God Actually Call our
Family to Guatemala?
Anita is an RN.
(Yes, I know. I “married up” ! )
70 indigenous patients
walk an hour & line up at
our mountain clinic by 8
in the morning. ------

16. We learned  God wants the glory, so He builds
to trust testimonies
God.  At first we felt unsafe and scared
Seriously.  God protected us 100%
(Kidnapped and left to die?)
No faith in
Police and military everywhere
police were common sight when we
arrived.

17. But He can use
anyone He
calls.
• Began by delivering food, clothing, medicine
• Started a mobile clinic – in a school bus
• Built nice permanent clinic in 2001; 10 workers
• Hundreds of lives saved. Thousands improved.
• God provided funds, people and protection.

18. .
- Corn stalk shacks; up to 9 children
- Dirt floors are cold and damp
- Poverty. A family on $2 a day

19. I learned the meaning of:
“What good is it to say, „Bless you, go and
be well-fed‟, yet do nothing”. James 2:16
- Blind lady, alcoholic husband, 5th Child. No food.
- Baby died inside the Mom? Rush to hospital odd
hours. We might be the only “Jesus” these people
ever see.
Pray for the
poor? Sure.
But also feed
and help them.
Right: Built house for family, provide
food; husband run over by bus, invalid.

20. Do we know Moms… what would you do,
what it’s really? What could you do?
really like?
.
- No food at all for your children
- Violently beat for taking your sick child
to our clinic (not leave house without permission)
- Kicked & beat for giving birth to a girl?
- Watch your child die of malnutrition?
We provide ministry and help at the clinic.
( I learned that a mother’s
life is very hard )

21. Children must work
to help the family.
Girls attend school
less than boys.
Most children only
go to 3rd grade, then
help in the fields or
help care for even
younger children
- These 3-year olds help out
I I learned that a
child’s life can be - Sell fruit all day
hard, too. - 13 cents each sale

22. I learned that
we don’t - Curses they live under
- Must stay in bed with baby or be
KNOW cursed with no more children
- Don’t leave village without a priest’s
WHAT blessing (even if child is dying)
- Don’t wash if sick (can cause deaths)
IT’S
- Witch doctors (take money for nothing)
REALLY
Have you ever held a dead baby?
LIKE (It clarifies life’s meaning)
(And, it happened to us; despite the many babies we
helped to save, we couldn‟t save our own.)

23. So that’s about it. All I really know,
I learned in those last 40 years.
You can do more than you imagined.
It’s never too late to start.
Do more for others than you feel like doing.
God will always keep His promises. (And He has made so many)
Share more of your money than you feel like sharing/giving.
Tough times don’t last… God’s plans & people do.
He is a Master at Restoration.
Thank you very much for letting me/us share.
JGG@supernet.com www.handsofhope.org
Gregory and Anita Giagnocavo