Opal House

In March of 2016 I went on a medical mission to Guatemala with a Rotary friend and we stayed at Opal House for over a week. Although I was very busy providing technical backup for the fine doctors of the medical mission, I was equally impressed with the operation of the Opal House and particularly taken by what Will and Diane Boegel have created. So much so that six months later I returned to Opal House with my wife and three teenage kids.

On this second trip we stayed for over a week again and split our time between seeing the area and helping with projects around the farm, to the best of our abilities. Never have I had such a rewarding experience! Both of my daughters have committed to a return trip and are now dedicated to helping those less fortunate as a major part of their future. This experience allowed me to deliver a very important message to all of my kids, Service Before Self. I have Will and Diane to thank for allowing me to participate in their great giving adventure, and helping me to raise three wonderful well-rounded teenagers. Thank you both,

Bryan Hennessy

Since 2007 I have been an observer, watching Will and Diane abandon their challenging medical careers and comfortable lives in the USA and re-locating to the poor Mayan community of Agua Escondido on the hills above Lake Atitlan, Guatemala. They established Opal House as a charity organization, legally recognized in both Guatemala and the USA, through which they could help the local people in whatever ways God called on them to do so.

They bought a 70-acre farm with existing groves of avocado trees and coffee plants which had been largely neglected by the previous owners. They hired local workers to resurrect the farm, paying them more than the minimum wages customary in the largely coffee-growing region. It is now a working and productive farm, although the income is far short of the needs of their charity and mission work.

Besides micro-financing, rescuing single moms and sharing their clean spring water they have focused a huge amount of energy on providing nutrition and free Montessori education to local children at the recently expanded two-story well-equipped school built on farm property. This school recently obtained certification from the Guatemala government for kindergarten through 3rd grade.

Will has also generously donated his skills at free clinics for two half days a week at the hospital in San Lucas Toliman and another half-day per week at a clinic in Panajachel. He is becoming well known by clinics around Lake Atitlan and beyond in some distant communities. Every year for the last five years I have brought a surgical team to operate on all the needy patients collected by Will, mostly children with foot and lower extremity deformities, although now we have expanded into more pediatric and general orthopedics.

Through Opal House, Will and Diane change lives every day. There is also not a volunteer who has visited them whose life has not been positively impacted. Their vision is to serve our loving God by exercising charity to the needy around them, totally committing themselves to His Majesty’s Plan.

My wife and I have just returned from our second visit to Opal House. We are so amazed at the work happening there in Guatemala. They are all in. Their only administration costs include the basics to live. All other income is directed towards the farm, school and helping the community.

Their 75 acre farm does take a lot of time and effort. I have seen a huge change since we were there last in 2012. They are tending it so that it will become sustainable and eventually support all the work that is happening on the property. It is completely organic, using composted trimmings to re-nourish the previously over used land. They have concentrated on the planting and growth of coffee and the re-establishment of their avocado grove. They have also planted many other varieties of fruit in hopes of providing a more balanced diet for the children in their schooling programs. They also employ several local men who are able to sustain their families well with their hard work.
Their school is small and growing. The students are young and the school is growing grade by grade as the oldest students move into new grades. The Montessori program is effective and creates leaders among the children. They have situated their school to take advantage of the wonderful view from their property. In a small way this shows the care that they have for their students by allowing them to enjoy nature. The children also get a share of the best that Opal house has to offer.

The two of them are also in the medical field. They work all year helping the poor. This work culminates with a week or two of free orthopedic surgery for children who benefit greatly from reconstructed limbs. Even this aspect of their work in Guatemala is growing as new specialists are making themselves available to provide services outside Will and Diane's specialties.

Will and Diane have shown themselves to be quick to help those around them but also wise so not to create a dependence in those they help. They want their neighbours to rise up and live a life of worth and value.
We have also had the privilege of meeting their core support in Seattle. They are all like minded. I have also noticed that any new individuals or organisations who encounter Will and Diane are quick to support them with enthusiast. In my case, I met Will very randomly in a lunch line in San Lucas Toliman (a small town close to their home.) In our short two hour conversation we became supporters and made our first trip to visit their property one year later.

They provide a wide variety of opportunities for volunteers. They welcome workers who can do physical labor and doctors with specialised training. Most anyone can be of help to Opal house. I recommend them to all. Their love and care is infectious.

My time at the Opal House was the most incredible, inspirational, and life changing experience I have ever had. I absolutely can not wait to go back, visit, and help out on their farm or with the school.

I didn't know it was possible for two people to do so much for a community like they do at the Opal House. From keeping a clean supply of water in case the town below dries out, providing a free education to young children, and providing jobs for the locals to work on their 75 acre avocado and coffee tree farm. Will and Diane have created a wonderful atmosphere and we should all strive to make an impact like they have, it would make the world a better place.

Our main goal coming down to Guatemala was a surgical mission team. We did 35 surgeries and screened over 60 patients. The overwhelming sense of accomplishment was incredible and spending time with the children that were preparing for surgery was a whole new experience in itself. The hospital staff was incredible and I have never seen a group of people work as hard as they do. I am blessed to have had this opportunity to stay at the Opal House and i can't wait to go back next year.

I encourage everyone to help this organization, as much as anyone can!

I was introduced to this organization by a friend of mine in Seattle.

One of the things that impressed me with Will and Dine is the investment in relationships with the community to know the children and families. It seems like they are respected and well known in the town of Auga Escondida. What I like about this program is that they are growing organically and looking for where the need is.

Here is a review of their programs:

Programs:

• Medical
○ Will is a podiatrist (lower extremity) and works at clinics in San Lucas and Panajachel. He partners with other medical clinics to share recourses.
○ He preforms complex surgeries and serves the state of Solo la.
○ His clinics are Monday and Wednesday in San Lucas and Thursdays in Panajachel with Mayan Families.

• Farming
○ Will has a 75 acre farm with avocados, coffee and various fruits. He has started the reforestation process for his avocados and coffee. They are around 2-5 years old.
○ This land is up in the mountains and has been turned fully organic.
○ They have turkeys, goats and 4 worm compost bins that produce organic fertilizer.
○ They roast their coffee (small crop) with a local indigenous roster. They use the fruit of the beans to compost. Everything gets used.

• Clean water
○ On the Farm there is a natural spring that has been tested and is not contaminated.
○ They have the ability to supply the local town with clean water and do this through water cisterns that are available to the local community.

• Montessori
○ Cutting edge curriculum and Montessori based theories.
○ New school building with natural light that is conductive to teaching, learning and creativity.
○ This building also has the capacity to serve as an afterschool recourse center. There is a room set aside for this potential.
○ They are organically growing classes. They currently have three grades. Pre- k to 1st grade. They also have a few exceptions for children that that are in higher grades.
○ There are three teachers (salary for director is $400 and the other teachers is $320 a month)
○ They also feed the children a nutritious meal for snack and lunch.

• Young women mentoring on Fridays
○ 8-12 young teen women are mentored with Diana and the school director (Jacklyn)
○ Character building and skill building.
○ This week they are doing a HALO project around integrity. Example of how integrity is lost like when you take a photo and rip it up. Even if you put it back together it still wont look the same. Integrity is doing the right thing when no one is looking.

• Youth mentoring and bible study on Wednesdays:
○ Boys and girls

Youth in the greatest need Identified:

- Mayan population is the majority yet the most marginalized group in Guatemala.
- 50% of youth have malnutrition.
- More than half of families are single orphaned homes. (one parent at home.)
- The education is poor. (average marks are 60%)
- Average child goes to 3rd grade and not proficient in math and reading.
- The young women are at risk for early pregnancy's (as young as age 14.)

I would recommend this organization.

My time spent on the farm working was incredible. I was there for five weeks and I helped out on the farm completing tasks in the fields with the workers; cutting down trees, prepping holes for avocado trees, or just mowing the lawn I was able to experience unlike many. I was fortunate enough to befriend the workers on the farm and I enjoyed spending time working and playing soccer with them. It was such an amazing time and my love for photography and documenting really played out well in capturing my story in first person of my daily actions. I would hope that one day I return to this beautiful place.

The most obvious evaluation of people, and 501c3's for that matter, is their fruit. After visiting Opal House twice in the last 5 years, I can tell you with certainty that this organization is truly producing fruit in the world (and I'm not talking about the avocados and coffee grown on their farm).
On our most recent visit (May 2014), I brought my mother, sister, brother-in-law, wife, and two small kids and we were amazed at the progress in the last five years. Not only is it a place of peace and a refuge for many of the children and families in the area, but it's a great place to visit to see the way God is working among people who allow themselves to be "fruitful".
We will always support Opal House and return to be reminded that Opal House is built on hallowed ground by humble, loving people (Will and Diane).
Wayland Cossey

To be invited to spend time at Opal House is to be welcomed into a vision made real. From the escuelita serving local Mayan children, to the healthy fields of coffee and avocados, to the awe-inspiring chapel and finally, to the warmth and hospitality of the Will and Diane's home, our visit to Opal House was truly life-changing. It was my first encounter with people who followed God's call and, selflessly, and with great effort, are making a difference for the people in the community and those that have the opportunity to visit. We will not ever forget our visit to a Mayan home where Dr. Will checked on a patient. My four year old granddaughter will never forget riding in the tuc-tuc to pick up the children for school and my one year granddaughter will not forget the parrots' morning wakeup call "BUENO! HOLA!"

As Jacob said, "Surely the LORD is in this place, and I did not know it." But I know it now and hope to share the vision with others.

My husband and I stayed at Opal House only a couple months after their formation, and we volunteered by helping with painting, yardwork, etc. We were so encouraged and inspired by Will and Diane's faith and approach to international development work that we have continued to support them since 2009 and just last week went down for the second time, this time with our children and extended family, to volunteer more and fellowship with them. Their work for the local Guatemalan people is inspiring and so loving. They are filling crucial gaps that exist in their local community in a sustainable way. We couldn't recommend this organization more highly!

I met Will and Diane in honduras while they were staying with the organization i work with and i was compelled and amazed by their story of what brought them to create opal house. I decided during my vacation time to visit Opal house and see for myself all of the work they do for their community. Their grounds are not only stunning but they provide a home away from home for children and families of their community. Not only do they help their community medically and educationally, they share everything they have to help serve others. I am very grateful to have met them and to have seen a glimpse of the beautiful work they do in guatemala.

Opal house to me means Holy Ground. This space is truly God centered. Will and Diane are an amazing couple. Their faith and trust in The Lord is unbelievable. I have never experienced anything like Opal House in my life. The children are angelic and so full of love and kindness. Opal House will forever hold a place in my heart.

I came here to visit my 22 year old daughter Maren, who has been living and teaching at Opal House for three months. Her experience here has changed her life forever. I am forever grateful to Will & Diane for making this possible for Maren. Today I experience great love between the children and Maren as she said good bye to each of them. What is happening here at Opal House is truly God's work, and I am so very blessed to have been a part of it. Pam Talcott (Seattle, WA)

For three months I lived at Opal House. Jan.-Mar. 2014. I was a volunteer/intern at the school. I came to Opal House to improve my spanish, appreciate the culture, and help teach the children. I wanted an experience that was going to push me out of my comfort zone, and challenge me to try new things. I have never been out of the United States before, and coming to Guatemala was quite scary for me. The fear of the unknown took over. Needless to say, arriving at Opal House...my expectations were exceeded. At the beginning, I was blown away by the beauty of this place. Then, I was blown away by the beauty of the people and the culture. Opal House became like a second home to me. I was part of the Opal House family. Living at Opal house was not much different from my home in Washington. Warm water, clean houses, comfy bed, amazing food. But the people and the culture was definitely different. I quickly grew to appreciate the culture, and love the language.

I would come back to Opal House in an instant. I want to return as often as I can. There is something so very special about Opal House. Will and Diane became like second parents to me. And Jackeline was like a sister. The children impacted my heart more than anything ever has. I changed as a person, and I discovered my relationship with God. My time here in Guatemala flew by quickly, but I embraced every day. There is so much beauty in Guatemala, but especially at Opal House. God is shining his light here, and Will and Diane are following. The Montessori school is educating children ages 3-6 years old, and using the beautiful montessori method. And in the afternoons I was also part of the religious education classes, and preteen growth classes. This was the most life changing and rewarding experience of my life. I would recommend an experience like this to anyone. Especially Opal House. I never truly understood until I lived it and experienced it myself.

I became involved with Opal House in it's first two years of existence with fundraising help. Then in 2009, I joined the board and now serve as Treasurer. I greatly stepped up my commitment to this transparent and very lean charitable Mission when I donated my large truck filled with machines for the farm and drove to Opal House from Seattle in May 2009. None of the board members nor DR Will and Diane Boegel receive salaries for this special children's mission with a super low overhead.
I have since spent nearly two months a year volunteering at Opal House each year, spearheading development of a large farm and also cooking and serving the many podiatric and orthopedic surgeons who spend an intense week every February reconstructing the bones of impoverished children in this country without a Children's hospital. Dr Will, Diane and all of the surgical volunteers make a real difference in the lives of countless children every year, both with medical and surgical care, but also with their religious and educational Montessori schools.
I am privileged to serve this Christian Mission serving the poor of Guatemala.

I have just returned from my third surgical mission to Opal House in San Lucas Toliman, Guatemala.
Once again we were able to perform safe, state of the art and life changing orthopedic surgery in what must be the smallest hospital in one of the smallest cities in Guatemala.
Opal House Administrators Will and Diane Boegel find time in their never ending days to also function as surgeon and surgery technician. They find Guatemala's broken children, born disabled or injured
and offer them life changing surgery. I don't think one can put a value on helping a young person out of a wheelchair to where he can communicate eye to eye, or straightening the club foot of a teenage girl where she might begin to imagine herself as being like the other girls in the village. Yet in my thirty years of medical practice the work of Opal House is the most meaningful of my career.

Dan Baldini, Seattle

I have just returned from a week at Opal House. What Will and Diane are doing for the children of their region (and by extension the families and community) is truly amazing. Their vision is to educate this community through the children to improve their health, their nutrition, their education and their infrastructure. My contribution was medical - but their full time work is so much more than that. This beautiful place is bringing so much to this community -- it is truly inspirational.

We stayed at Opal House for three nights and we appreciated Will and Diane's efforts to make our family's time there relaxing and enjoyable: they went out of their way to connect our children with some of the children that they serve. We were inspired by their story and their desire to serve the people of Guatemala.

Meeting Will and Diane and visiting Opal House has been a delight. We live two hours from them in Xela, and we met a couple of years ago, and were so impressed by their journey of faith, leaving everything in the States for a dream of mutual transformation in Guatemala. Many dreams like that are forgotten or ignored, or fear of the risk involved prevents people from stepping into them. Thankfully this dream came true, because Will and Diane never wavered in their faith, and their desire to bless the poor and create new possibilities for children who have few options in life. Opal House derives its name from how the opal forms from defects, signifying that the most beautiful things can spring forth from pain and suffering and limitations. Will and Diane have experienced that first hand, which gives them the moral authority and believability to engender such transformation amongst those they serve. Opal House is a beacon of hope, and the spirituality of unity that Will and Diane live out in a country that is divided in every possible way, allows them, even in their weakness as foreigners, to be incredible instruments of peace.

Last year I was able to spend a week with Will and Diane at Opal House. It was an amazing time of encouragement. I felt like a part of the family and a part of their vision. It was so refreshing to be around two people who feel so passionately about what they are doing and about following the call that the Lord has placed on their life. I helped out with a variety of projects--planting/re-foresting, helping with the after school program, cooking, serving breakfast to the children that come before school, cleaning, organizing, gardening.
During my stay, It was evident that to me that the Lord is using them to bring His light to Guatemala.

I have known Wil and Diane ever since they first stepped foot in Guatemala. In fact, I was their "guide" in their first few days in the country so many years ago. I have lived and served as a leadership developer and Non-profit Director with my family in Guatemala City for the past 10 years. Wil and Diane came to explore what was happening in Guatemala and eventually received a call to stay and live here.

We have visited Opal House on numerous occasions on personal visits as a family as well with short-term missions teams and have sent interns to work for much longer periods of time with Wil and Diane as well. The work they are doing there is a tremendous act of selfless and sacrificial love. They serve with the gifts the Lord has given to them and display incredible hospitality to all fortunate enough to come across their path.

My family and I "lived" the story of Opal House here in Guatemala and watched the miracle unfold page by page in front of our very eyes. It is awe inspiring what has occurred and we are thrilled to have the blessing to be associated both informally and formally with the work being carried out there.

In our trips to Opal House throughout the years, we have had personal encounters with dozens and dozens of residents in the surrounding community who testify to the incredible blessing that WIl and Diane and their work is to the Aguas Escondidas and San Lucas Tolimon communities. We have referred many people in need of surgical and medical procedures to Wil and all have received amazing care and have been blessed beyond measure for the chance to have had the opportunity to be cared for in such a loving, holistic manner.

I cannot say enough good things about the ministry at the Opal House and for the character, passion and service of WIl and Diane to the people that they have been called to serve here in Guatemala and who have, in turn, served them in countless ways.

Sincerely,

Joel Van Dyke, D.Min.
Executive Director
Center for Transforming Mission Guatemala
Guatemala City, Central America

I prepared myself for what I thought would be a long and difficult week during my first visit to Opal House. However, it proved to be just the opposite. I was amazed at how fast my week went by in my simple service of others. I enjoyed the experience of the Guatemalan people. It was clear that they appreciate all the efforts of Will & Diane whether it's provided through medical care, educational programs, nutritional meals or gainful employment. Opal House has become a source of hope for the local Guatemalan community. The experience of Opal House has changed me; Iife's purpose is to love and serve others. Opal House provides the door in which you can fulfill that need.

To those of you who were NOT solicited to write reviews of Opal House, please disregard the following.
For those of you who may have been solicited to write reviews, there is a reason you have been asked to do so. A legal case is ongoing, and William Boegel remains in contempt of court on six counts. He has been sentenced to thirty days in jail. Bail has been set in the amount of twenty thousand dollars. He is a fugitive of the law of the State of California and the United States. He is currently up for thirty more counts of contempt in the Superior Court of California. This information is true, correct and verifiable.
Yes, what he is doing at Opal House is commendable. No one can deny this. He is, however, making Opal House HIS OWN refuge. In his own words, he is "under the radar" and in hiding. The current arrearage amounts to over $150,000. People hide out and skip the country for far less than that, and William Boegel hides behind a very cleverly masterminded façade indeed.
If you wrote the review of your own volition, bravo to you! If you have been asked or coerced, you are part of his diabolical plan. No one knows this situation the way the courts and I do. For further information, contact the Superior Court of California. Thank you. opalhousebehindthefacade.com
Patricia Fletcher

I have known Dr. Will and Diane Boegel for many years, but only recently had the opportunity to visit their mission site in Guatemala. I was only able to stay for two days at the end of a business trip to the area, but it was a great opportunity to see the fruits of their labor with my own eyes. I visited the hospital where Will volunteers regularly and saw the operating room that was fitted with modern equipment and supplies through the Boegels' efforts. Will and Diane sponsor medical missions on a regular basis that bring highly trained surgeons to Guatemala to treat children with severe injuries and birth defects. I was able to tour the chapel and schoolhouse that they have constructed on the property over the last five years and use to educate local children. And, I walked the property to see the improvements in organic farming that have been implemented to improve their avocado and coffee crops. The proceeds from the farming activities are all churned back into the mission programs and building projects.

Will and Diane live a simple, yet busy life of service to the local people. They have extremely low overhead and their actions have a real and lasting impact on the children in the area. I am glad to have donated to Opal House in the past and will continue to make donations in the future.

My daughter and I had the privilege to visit Bill and Diane last summer for a week. We were both very excited about the trip as we had never been to Central America nor to a Mission of this type. The countryside is beautiful and when we arrived at Opal House I was amazed at how organized everything was. During the course of the week that we were there we experienced first hand the daily schedule of the school, the teachings, the lessons that Diane and the teacher had prepared and most importantly the genuine care and concern that Bill and Diane have for the children and their families. Their mission to provide a well balanced meal, hot water for showers and schooling was their daily priority. Not to mention incorporating God's message in their daily rituals. In addition, the grounds were well kept and it was obvious that there was a large effort to give back to the land and to use the natural resources.
It takes a strong person to carry out this mission and I believe that Diane and Bill have the backbone and fortitude to deliver not just their message but God's as well. Keep up the good work.

I have had the privilege of three volunteer trips to Guatemala to actively participate in the development of Opal House into a place of refuge and learning for woman and children. Both Will and Diane are most gracious and hospitable hosts to both guests from the United States and the Mayan women and children that they serve. They have rededicated their lives to create a fully sustainable farm with a chapel and a school all to serve the native people in a rural area of a Guatemala. They have fully integrated Opal House into the local community and work collectively with the local Catholic Church in San Lucas.

My personal experience through the first two trips was life changing as we worked hard during the early stages to improve existing buildings and create a habitable and hospitable environment for the bigger vision of Opal House to unfold. On the third trip I brought my entire family and the experience and hospitality were of the highest quality. My girls both know Spanish and actively participated in the Sunday children's programs.

I have known Dr. Will Boegel for over 20 years and Diane for the last 7 years and both have exemplary character and commitment to service.

My wife and I had the honor of volunteering at the Opal House for several months in 2010. The founders, Will and Diane, have a genuine passion for educating and empowering the impoverished families living around them in the indigenous highlands of Guatemala. They take a multifaceted approach to help lift people out of poverty. Rather than simply providing handouts in a paternalistic manner, the Opal House attempts to humbly walk along side the people and learn what they truly need for long term mobilization. Whether they are providing food for locals through the organic farm and animal husbandry program, educating children in their school, or providing free medical care, the Opal House is tackling the tough issue of poverty from the ground floor.

We met Will and Diane several years ago and were interested in seeing what they were doing in Guatemala. My husband and I went down to visit and see firsthand what all they were doing in Guatemala. We were impressed by their love of the people and their desire to reach the local communities with tangible demonstrations of love. They are doing school for local children and feeding them lunch, while they are there for the 1/2 day. They weekly had rotating children groups spend the night and give them beds, showers and dinner and breakfast also. Jobs are few, but they are able to provide work for local men to build and plant and harvest at a higher than local wage. They also had an abandoned mother and 2 children living on the property helping her to learn skills that could provide income for her family. I went twice with Dr. Boegel to help at a local clinic where he offers his medical skills several times/week. We observed the genuine love the people have for this couple. We were challenged ourselves in how they are giving themselves away to love and serve the poor in Guatemala.

My parents have known Dr. Will for many years. He is a generous, caring and thoughtful man who has dedicated his life to helping others. In February 2014, I have the great honor of traveling to Opal House with a team of healthcare professionals to participate in pediatric surgeries in Guatemala City. Dr. Will and his wife Diane have generously opened the doors to Opal House where volunteers may stay during our week long mission trip. I look forward to finally visiting Opal House and seeing all of the wonderful blessings he and Diane are providing for so many at the orphanage. Thank you.

I've known Dr. Boegel for many years and have followed the progress since he and his wife started Opal House. Last April I decided to visit and see for myself. Many charities sound good, but was this one really working? The answer is YES! If you are looking for a charity with extremely low overhead (the Boegels receive no salaries) that directly and measurably improves deserving people's lives, look no further. As a former Peace Corps volunteer, I am familiar with the pros of cons of our good intentions in the developing world. I think the Boegel's are doing everything right. They are providing the most important things we need to do to end poverty: education, jobs, medical care, and clean water.

(Note: Several of the negative comments on this site are from Dr. Boegel's ex-wife, and should be viewed in that light...)

On November 4, 2011, William Boegel, co-founder of Opal House, was sentenced to 30 (thirty) days in jail, bail was set at $20,000, and a warrant was issued for his arrest by the judge of the Superior Court of California. This information is true, correct and verifiable with the Superior Court of California.