Hurry up and wait

Yesterday, we enjoyed a magnificent day of shopping, exploring the ruins, and enjoying the beautiful hotel in Antigua while we reflected on all we had experienced the past week. It was an excellent day of rest and restoration. 

The group decided not to risk getting stuck in Guatemala due to protests closing the roads around the airport, and boarded a shuttle from our hotel in Antigua at 4am.  We arrived around 5am and learned that the desk only checks in one flight at a time. Apprently there was a flight to LAX that was scheduled to take off before us. Unfortunately, we didn't learn this until we had waited in line for about an hour and one our bags almost went to California. 

We took our luggage up to the food court and made a lovely mattress to rotate taking naps while we waited 3 more hours to check in for our flight. We also had a chance to eat breakfast, grab coffee or tea, and play our new favorite game, Things in a Box. After another hour in line we were ready to enter the terminal, for only a few more hours of waiting. 

During all that waiting I had the opportunity to catch up with everyone and get their favorite memory of the week and/or photo. 

Amy's favorite memory was how engaged people were during the Building Healthy Family classes, retaining information from class to class, as well as the pride and accomplishment on the faces of the families when the classes concluded. 

 

Gail said, "One of my favorite experiences was the night the families took home the bunk beds.  There was literally rejoicing in the streets as families picked up their beds and carried them home.  No trucks, just willing hearts and hands - big and little.  One woman carried 2 mattresses on her head!"

Kelby's favorite memory was when the pastor's washed our feet and what a humbling and beautiful experience that was for her. She came with the purpose to serve and felt that they instead served her. She also loved the worship!

Beth loved the carnival and hanging out with all the kids. She especially loved how the kids at the orphanage got spiffed up and put gel in their hair to go with us to McDonald's. 

Don's favorite memory was spending time with all the kids, especially Fernando and Henry. 

Sarah's favorite experience was completing home visits with the pastors, reading scripture, sharing stories, and giving encouragement. She enjoyed seeing how the pastors truly care for their congregation and the community. Sarah also loved how open and loving all the kids were. 

Abby loved how the kids sang praise and worship songs at VBS and the orphanage when there was a leader, but also just randomly breaking into song with the call: "I love Jesus!" She also loved how they soaked up the memory verse and asked to say it again and again. 

It is difficult for me to choose just one favorite memory. I loved the hugs and kisses, the sweet smiles and open arms, and the weight of a child falling asleep on my lap after a long day of fun activity. One of the greatest things I'll take away from this week is how God took my weakness: physical, emotional, and spiritual, to demonstrate His strength increasing my faith and trust in Him. 

I have been so blessed by this team and learned something from each person. My prayer is that as we re-enter "normal life" or the next 51 weeks, we will continue to seek Christ. May our lives be forever changed by our time and experiences with the beautiful people of Guatemala and the God we serve together as brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ. 

What it means to serve...

I feel like I cheated on our last day of ministry. The morning was spent at the orphanage, completing home visits, and helping with a small project at the ministry home. At the orphanage, their is also a school for the local community. Half of the group took the teachers to lunch and talk about recognizing signs of abuse in the kids that they teach. While the other half of us managed the organized chaos that was the student body. In my classroom, it was more chaos than organized. Organizing games and activities proved to be difficult with the language barrier. The half an hour we planned to stay turned into an hour and a half, and while I was sad to say good bye to the kids at the orphanage, I was ready to hand over my second grade class to more capable hands. 

Again, half the group went on home visits while the other half helped wash sheets for a group that had stayed at the ministry house. During the home visits we  spent time with a family dealing with cancer. The mother of two boys has ceased medical treatment for her cancer. Her mother is taking care of her. She was not feeling up for visitors so we spoke and prayed with her mother and her her two children. This visit broke me as the family endures this suffering without Christ for comfort, without hope for what comes after physical death in this world. They will stay in my heart and in my prayers long after we leave Guatemala. 

Our last day of ministry concluded with lunch with all the pastors and missionaries we worked with throughout our stay. It was fun and festive with steak for the meal and mango ice cream cones with chocolate drizzle for dessert.   Then the pastors shared with us how important the work we did was. They saw fruit already as there were more men in church the week we came then there ever had been before. They saw men interacting and playing with their children, outwardly expressing love. They thanked us for giving them more work to disciple and minister to those who had accepted Christ as their savior that week. 

And then they washed our feet. As they washed our feet they prayed and sang over us. It was uncomfortable and humbling for me to have a 73 year man kneel at my feet, washing the dirt and sweat away. They kept repeating how grateful they were that we would sacrifice our time and resources to come visit them, leaving the comfort of our homes and families to be with them and serve their congregation. But honestly, I felt as if I should be the one thanking them as I have taken away more then I've given. I guess love is like that, the more you give the more you receive in return. So maybe I didn't cheat on the last day of ministry, but instead surrendered to the beautiful design God has for us to love and serve one another. 

We arrived safely in Antigua and are looking forward to a day of rest and exploring the city. The hotel is gorgeous with more gardens, fountains and flowers. Flat Cathy enjoyed hanging out with our neighbor. 

We do need to rally the troops for one more prayer battle before we return to the U.S.  Because of implications that the president is involved in a bribery scandal, the people of Guatemala are calling for his resignation. It is taking the form of protests, planned and unplanned. Please pray that the protests planned for tomorrow do not shut down roads and transportation, blocking our way to the airport. We have really enjoyed our time but it will be good to go home as planned. Thank you so much for all your prayer support warriors! Have a great day! 

When we are weak, He is strong

Yesterday was nothing short of a miracle. Five out of the eight of us were experiencing digestive distress (I'll spare you the details), three of whom were sharing at the church services. During our morning devotional time we read 2 Corinthians 12:9 about how God's grace is sufficient. His strength is made perfect in our weakness. God showed up with His strength in a big way. After a night of interrupted sleep, unpredictable stomachs, and the loss of pep in our step, everyone who planned to share was able. God confirmed to each of us, the purpose in what we had shared. 

God had prompted me to share a "sermon" when Amy first mentioned the idea. He was specific that it should be about the fruit of the spirit found in Galatians and remaining in Christ as the vine to produce that fruit found in John 15. I balked a little, thinking who am I to give a sermon? I'll just let someone else do it. But when God wants you to do something, he doesn't quit at the first sign of rejection. So he kept on me until I finally mentioned to Amy that I may be able to prepare something if no one else wanted to. When we arrived in Guatemala, I secretly hoped she had forgotten I volunteered, but when she asked if I still wanted to give a message, God whispered yes so yes is what came out of my mouth. He helped me prepare what he wanted me to say, and I felt like my message went well. After the first church service, pastor Manuel shared that he wasn't sure if we were planning to give a message so he had also prepared something, just in case. It was the same passage in Galatians. 

One of the coolest experiences yesterday was being prayed over. The church heard of our illness and wanted to pray for us. When Guatemalans pray, they really pray. It was a beautiful chorus of voices lifting up praise and thanksgiving and petitions all at once. They laid hands on us and though we couldn't understand everything they said, the presence of the Holy Spirit in the room was palpable and there were few dry eyes among our team members. 

After the church services were complete, we headed back to Betty's house and she told us her story. She told us about her life before God, God's pursuit of her, and her life since surrendering her life to Jesus. She had a difficult childhood that God redeemed and used to prepare her to care for orphans and children who have been abandoned. She heard the testimony of a short term missionary that was similar to her own story and planted a seed that God blossomed in to a life dedicated to serving him. Now she works with short term teams and is able to encourage them (us) that even if we don't see the fruit of what we share, God will use it for His good purpose. And God has prompted her to adopt a little boy named Miguel, which has stretched her faith and increased her joy. Her story is a true reflection of how God takes what is broken and makes it into something beautiful. The name of her ministry is Breaking Cycles: breaking the cycles of poverty, breaking the cycles of abuse, breaking the cycles of alcoholism, and relying on the power of God to redeem what has been broken. It has been such a privilege to serve with her this week. 

Today is our last day of ministry. We are a little battle weary but desire to finish strong. Please be praying for continued restoration of health for the team, that the seeds we planted this week with grow and bear fruit, and for the pastors and missionaries were have been working with here. Whenever God's people mobilize, there is opposition and we have experienced that opposition. Thank you prayer warriors, for moving and fighting with us for the hearts and souls of the people in Sumpango. Victory is His!!

I realized yesterday that I neglected our "Where's Flat Cathy?" segment. Here is a collage to make up for it. Have a great day!

Passport to the World

Saturday was spent all day with the kids from the orphanage. We couldn't have ordered a more perfect day. We played some large group games like ships across the ocean, red light green light, and capture the flag. I am definitely sore this morning after all that running! In the morning we also told the story of Lazerus and how Jesus raised him from the dead.  I think Lazerus enjoyed breaking free of his toilet paper grave clothes. We ended the morning coloring armor of God sheets. The kids were so proud of their creations!

After a quick lunch we returned for our carnival called passport to the world. We gave a quick geography lesson about the different continents that make up the world, pointing out each one on a globe. Real Cathy, not flat Cathy, designed beautiful passports for the kids. Each child took a passport photo and attached it to the pretend passports. 

They were then required to visit each continent and participate in the assigned activity for that continent. North America was fishing, South America was a soccer kicking activity, Australia were kangaroo jumps, Antarctica was the penguin waddle/3-legged race, Africa was animal walks, Asia was face painting, and Europe was a photo booth. After they completed each activity, they got a stamp in their passport. Once their passport was full, they received a blowup globe. 

The carnival ended and our chicken bus arrived to bring the entire group to McDonalds for dinner. 

The kids, and a few adults, enjoyed the playhouse while we waited for all 50 orders to arrive. 

The kids were so excited and so thankful. Before leaving, we received hugs and thank you's (many practicing their English skills) from each of the kids. It was my favorite part of the day. But like all days, this one had to end and we loaded back onto the chicken bus and said good-bye to our new friends. 

Today we will be spending our time at the two churches, sharing faith stories (Beth, Abby, Gail, and Sarah, and giving the message (me! Gulp!) Prayers for today are much needed as many of our digestive systems are out of whack and Amy has developed a full blown sinus infection. Pray for recovered health, peace as we prepare our stories, and strength to finish strong. Continue to pray for those we will be working with and have worked with over the last few days. May they know they are loved and find hope in Jesus Christ. 

Thank you prayer warriors! Have a great day!

Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep

Day 2 of ministry was a whirlwind of activity and ended almost as quickly as it began. We started the day out with a lovely breakfast at the hotel to ensure sufficient fuel for our activities. 

Flat Cathy sure enjoyed her fruta!

Our story for the day is found in Ephesians 6 where Paul describes the armor of God. Beth was our host and Abby was our storyteller. Together they taught actions that represented each piece of armor and had volunteers demonstrate for the entire group. They told the story for VBS at the church and at the orphanage. 

Our craft to go along with the story was the shield of faith. The kids decorated the shields with stickers, markers, and the memory verse for the week. 

It was fun to see how much they enjoyed the craft. Once the shields were complete, there were many pretend battles fought with the shield serving as a constant protection. Miguel, Betty's son, took his shield everywhere he went for the day. 

During the evening, Kelby taught the adults about the importance of diet and exercise. She interviewed Gail to teach about diabetes, a common problem in Guatenala that often goes untreated and uncontrolled. The church understood that we would be separating the kids and the adults as we had the night before, so Don, Abby, and I quickly formulated a game plan to teach the kids about making healthy snack choices. 

At the end of the night, families received a certificate of completion for the series of classes. The beds were delivered earlier than anticipated to the church so many families were also able to take home their beds. 

The pride on each of their faces and the parade of beds leaving the church was so rewarding. The kids were excited to sleep in their very own beds for the first time and the parents were excited to provide that opportunity for them. It truly felt like these families were given a fresh start and new outlook on life. Thank you to everyone who contributed to the project. It was a huge success!

Today we will spend the day at the orphanage, teaching about Lazerus and how Jesus raised Him from the dead. Then, we will give a quick geography lesson before our carnival called Passport to the World. We are so excited about what the day will bring!

Please be praying for continued strength and endurance, peace and protection for the team and for Guatemala. The news of embezzlement and corruption broke yesterday regarding the President and Vice President of Guatemala. The pair are allegedly part of a group that gave tax breaks for companies for a bribe, essentially stealing tax money from the Guatemalan people. The Vice President was arrested yesterday and the president is still under investigation so there are protests and demonstrations calling for him to resign. Pray that the demonstrations stay peaceful and that the government is cleansed from the corruption that plagues it as they enter election season this September. 

Thank you so much to all our prayer warriors! We could not do this trip without you!

"Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's  schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore, put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand." ~ Ephesians 6:11-13

Have a great day!

The light of the world...

Our first day of ministry felt like 3 days rolled into one as we completed Vbs/home visits, tour and storytime at the orphanage, and teaching in the evening at the church. Mister Don told the story of Daniel in the lion's den complete with sound effects and kids playing each of the characters at the church for VBS as well as at the orphanage. We also played games, sang songs, did a craft, and served as jungle gyms for kids of all shapes and sizes. 

Gail, Sarah, and Amy went on home visits while the rest of the team completed VBS. they had the opportunity to connect with 2 families and agreed that the time they spent in the homes was a highlight of the day. 

The evening was spent teaching at the church. We divided the parents and children for a special message to each group. Beth and I took the kids and told the story of Maria, a girl who had 2 fathers with one face, a father who was kind and loving and a dark father who hurt Maria. We reminded the children that their bodies belonged to them and belonged to God. If someone touched them in a way they did not like, they could say stop and then tell someone they trusted at church if they did not stop. We used the hula hoop as a fun game and then as a visual to teach the kids about boundaries and the space that belonged to them. 

Amy taught the adults about the how their children are a gift from God and they must take care of them. She used the analogy of taking care of a plant to tell a story that was interactive and relatable for a group that does a lot of farming. She then raised awareness about the incidence of abuse within Guatemala. When she finished our host Betty and the pastor of the church, Marvin spoke of the hope in Christ and the opportunity of a fresh start for each of these families. Marvin invited the men to the front of the church and prayed over them as leaders of their households. Everyone there agreed it was one of the most powerful things they experienced during the day.  Though no one from our group understood the words that were spoken, the presence of the Holy Spirit was palpable. God is moving in an incredible way! We are so blessed He has allowed us to be a small part of it. 

"You are the light of the world.  A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on a stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."  ~Matthew 5:14-16

 Pray for strength and endurance, health and protection for us as a team. Pray for Abby and Kelby as they are up today for teaching segments. Pray that our eyes see, our ears hear, and our hands and feet are obedient to The Holy Spirit throughout the day. Until tomorrow!

Let the adventure begin

We have settled into our home away from home for the next few days and it is beautiful. The sweet smell of tropical flowers greeted us as we stepped off the van at the hotel in Sumpango. They have a beautiful garden, bird sanctuary, and pool visible outside our window. The melody of birds, Spanish and mariachi music served well as a wake-up call this morning, preparing my heart for the day ahead. 

Last night, we had the opportunity to meet with the pastors we will be serving with while we are here in Sumpango. They each shared their heart and the vision God has given them for the churches in Sumpango. A prayer request they have is for God to call up people within the area to create a board that handles practical requests, complaints, and makes financial decisions so they can focus on preaching, teaching, and taking care of their church family. 

This team comes from a long legacy of pastors. Manual felt called to lead this church at the age of 68. He and his wife Dorita recently celebrated their 50 wedding anniversary. As he shared their story, the love in his eyes was clear and we didn't have to wait for interpretation as he frequently begged a kiss from his ever obliging wife. They have dedicated their lives and marriage to serving and glorifying God, producing children that all became pastors or married pastors. Marvin, their son-in-law pastors the other church in Sumpango. The legacy of faith and dedication to God is so inspiring and I am looking forward to the work we will be doing together. 

Betty was our gracious hostess for the night and for the entire week. She is an incredible woman who wears many hats including teacher, student, and mother to her adorable adopted son Miguel. Her heart and passion for helping people breaks the cycles of poverty and despair through the power of Jesus Christ is incredible. We have much to learn from her and excited for the week ahead. 

This is the view from her home. 

As we go today to complete VBS, home visits, teaching at the orphanage and teaching at the church, we ask for your prayers of protection, wisdom, and obedient hearts to speak the words of truth the Holy Spirit gives us to teach. 

Side note: a fun game you can play throughout the week is where is Cathy? Though she couldn't join us in person, she is with us in Spirit and flat form. Her picture can be found in many of the pictures we will post.  Can you find them all?

Adios todos! Hasta luego!

Team 2 is off!

We made it safely through security and now sit at the gate waiting to board and begin our adventure to Guatemala! Unfortunately, our teammate Cathy won't be joining us all the way to Guatemala, but she came to see us off and graciously gave sleepy Abby a ride to the airport when she missed the shuttle. And we were able to get a team pic and not just with "Flat Cathy" the picture we will carry on all our adventures so that she will always be with us. We are so excited for what God in store for us this week!

Here is our prayer guide for the week from our lead prayer warrior Sarah!

Hello Prayer warriors! Here is an outline of prayer requests during our trip. We also pray the Holy Spirit leads our prayers in the moment, as God knows what is needed best!

8/19/15 This is the day we meet at Wooddale at 2:30am to head out! 

We ask our Lord for safe travels and opportunities to share His love with people we meet! May we all wake and arrive on time!

8/20/15 In the morning we meet with the kids at the vocation bible school where we present our Daniel in the Lions Den storey, craft and game. In the afternoon we will be at the orphanage presenting the armor of God storey, craft and game. In the evening we will speak with families that are connectedwith the church on abuse, sexual abuse and family relationships.

We ask our Lord for strength, patience, and His love to pour out of us on to all the Guatemalan people. We ask for Gods special touch on Don as he leads the Daniel storey and Abby as she leads this Armor of God storey. We ask our Lord for courage and wisdom when we speak with the families about abuse and healthy boundaries. May we see through Gods graceful eyes.

8/21/15 This day is similar to the last except we will be swapping the two stories we present. In the evening we will be speaking with the families from the church on diabetes and nutrition. 

We ask for Gods hands on all we do. We pray for renewed energy. May our hearts be opened in a new way, seeing through our Lords eyes! We ask for God to help lead Kelby as she presents on nutrition! 

8/22/15 This is our BIG day at the orphanage! We will have an all day passport to the world festival. This day is full of games and prizes!

We ask our Lord for energy and His love to flow through us onto the kids. May this day be filled with joy, love and excitement!

8/23/15 In the morning we have church service and two of us will give our faith stories on what God has done in our lives! In the afternoon we will attend a special church service and see all the kids show what they learned in bible school that week. In the evening we have church service and two more of us will tell our faith stories.

We ask for courage while we tell our faith stories. May what God has done in our lives bring glory to His Name and open hearts of the people that hear. May His words be upon our tongue!

8/24/15 In the morning we present a bible story at the school accompanied by a craft, song and game! In the evening we take the teachers from the school out to lunch. Time for the teachers to have a break!

We ask our Lord for His words and love to flow out of us while we work with the kids! May they see Jesus in us! We also pray for the time we spend with the teachers. May they find rest and rejuvenation during this time. May joy and fun shine during this time.

8/25/15 This is our last day. This is our free time day in Antigue. Our team will also have a last dinner with our ministry partners.

We pray that in all we do we glorify God. May our time be fruitful. May we grow in faith! May we know our Lord in a deeper way! May all the time we spent with the Guatemalans bring them closer to our Lord. May the teachings we presented help them. May all of us grow in our faith and love of God and each other!

8/26/15 We will be flying back on this day.

We pray for safe travels!

Rallying the troops!

Guatemala WooddaleChurch

Public

7 mins ago

It is time to rally the troops! Team 1 heads home today after a long fought battle in Guatemala and team 2 is facing attack before we even leave US soil. You, our prayer warriors, are essential for the work that is ahead this week. 

First prayer request: there is one team member we haven't introduced yet and you will find her profile below. She has been experiencing what doctors think is a reaction to the vaccines on top of an infection in her foot that likely started as a bug bite. They have put her on medication to fight the infection and she will learn later today if she will be able to join us for the week. The medication has side effects and they want to make sure those side effects are minimized before they give her clearance to travel where medical care is sporadic. Please pray for healing and protection over her today. 

Name: Cathy 

Occupation: Director, Operations, Merkle Inc.
Family: Mom and Dad, Brother Mark, niece Gracie, my brother’s Girlfriend Mary Anne and her two kiddos, Seneca and Isaiah, and of course Reggie!
How did you learn about the trip and why did you decide to go?
- I have wanted to go a Missions Trip for a really long time, and in the past year I heard of a trip to Guatemala that was focused around kids. My plan was to attend the next Information Session at Wooddale when the opportunity came up. One night this past Winter, I was at Rojo with some friends prior to the Chris Tomlin concert, and was talking about how much I wanted to go on ‘this’ Missions trip. Come to find out that Amy Trottier who was also at dinner was the leader of the exact same Guatemala Missions trip that I was talking about! I had perma-grin that whole night hearing so many great things about the trip…And that settled it. I was 100% in!!!

What are you most excited about for the trip?

- I am so very excited to spend time, play, teach and allow the little children of Guatemala warm my heart with joy! Many of these children are in need of love, and yet while they have very little, the pictures I have seen show these children with huge smiles on their faces. I can’t wait to meet them!!! I am really looking forward to spend a week with the awesome team of folks I have met that I get the privilege to travel and experience Guatemala with, while focusing on the simple joys of a smile and letting these children teach me more than I could ever teach them!

What are you most nervous about for the trip?

- I’m not nervous

Option questions (pick 2 of these questions to answer):
What song would play on your soundtrack for this season of life and why?
Prior to this trip, where was your favorite place to visit and why?

- Hawaii…Specifically Maui…My Brother lives there. I love to visit the non-touristy spots that are off the beaten path. Paia is a great little town, and Mana Foods in Paia is the best store on the Island. There is one touristy place I LOVE, which is the Saltwater Inifinity Pool at the Marriott in Wailea…I am an Ocean girl, but THAT pool is amazing! Okay, maybe two touristy spots…I love the ABC Stores as well! 


If you had to change your occupation, what would you choose and why?

- I would own a Doggie Day Care and Spa Hotel. Most folks who know me know how much I love animals, especially dogs, and especially especially my little Reggie! I was lucky to grow up in the country with dogs, cats and horses! My mom always said I should be a vet because I loved our animals so much, even the little toads I’d chase, catch and keep… But I could not stand to hear or be around animals in pain. A Doggie Day Care and Spa Hotel would allow me to be around cute animals all day, but in a much more enjoyable atmosphere. I’d have a Doggie Pool, a Doggie Jungle Gym, Obedience classes, tons of space for the dogs to run around, and really nice sleeping areas for the pups who need to spend extended time away from their family! I’d also be able to take in a handful of dogs that were not getting the opportunity to be adopted as quickly as they should be. I’d care for them and search for their perfect ‘forever homes’! Talk about doing something that you love!!!


If you could be friends with one fictional character, who would you choose and why?
If you could have a super power, what would it be and why?

How can we pray for you on this trip?

- Please pray for our whole team, their safety, and the safety of their loved ones who stayed behind. Prayers to trust in God’s word and direction, and to allow His grace to shine through each of us!

Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore, put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand you're ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. ~Ephesians 6:11-13

Please join me in prayer for Cathy today! A full prayer guide for the week will follow in the next post. Thank you for joining us on this journey!

Looking Ahead: Getting the Ring to Mordor!

I don't have time to do a play by play of everyone during the trip, so for now I will outline the plan for our last two full days and prayer requests!

Today:
We go to two church services at the separate locations of Busca a Dios, once in the morning and once in the afternoon. At both services, two members of the team will be sharing their faith stories, or testimonies. Dana and Hannah will be sharing in the morning, and Rachel and Jessica in the afternoon.

After the morning service, we head to Betty's for lunch and some rest time in between services. Today is slower, which we all need! After the afternoon service we have supper with the pastors before driving to Antigua.

I'm Antigua, we sleep at a nice hotel and spend the day debriefing (aka SHOPPING!) tomorrow.

It may not seem like much, but we are all physically exhausted and a lot of us are not feeling well. At least three have gotten head colds coupled with diarrhea, and had to stay home from daily activities. Lorelei got a severe migraine yesterday and has been in bed for the last 24 hours.

Lorelei said yesterday, and she's right, "This reeks of spiritual attack to me." The gospel is going out all the time, with the home visits and VBS stories and sharing our testimonies, and it feels like every piece of ground is hard won. Satan has had such a strong hold over the area for such a long time that he is fighting ruthlessly for hearts and minds. We have been working with reduced numbers since Friday, which is spreading all of us very thin and leaving exhaustion in its wake. Now we can't leave anyone at the hotel to rest and recuperate - we are checking out this morning.

We need your prayers. We need people to go into battle for us. Today is going to be a battle, physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. The testimonies being shared have some heavy content and much-needed truth that comes with them.

Pray for the kids we said goodbye to at the orphanage yesterday - the truths we told them will stick in their minds. Pray that God's Word continues to permeate the area. Pray for strength for Pastors Manuel and Marvin this morning. Pray for clarity of mind for all the team members, especially those sharing today. Pray for a restful and relaxing day in Antigua tomorrow, a safe and easy flight home, and healing to come to the team. Mostly, though, pray for God's covering of protection for the area today.

Day 3: The Fellowship had an interesting Thursday!

Sorry for the really late post! Life is crazy over here and finding time to write is like trying to wax a Chihuahua - not easy.

So Wednesday was a pretty exciting day for us in Sumpango! Mornings at the hotel are fun, but we miss American breakfast food and being able to sing in the shower.
Breakfast at the hotel was fun. The music the hotel plays is a random mix of songs, and we heard "Playing with the Queen of Hearts" and "Wake me up before you go go." Fun times! Amy laughed and sang along.

We headed to the church right away, and split into our respective groups. Hannah, Kelly, and Amy went on home visits, and Rachel, Lorelei, Amanda, Jessica, and Stephanie ran VBS.

Dana had an awesome opportunity to use her chiropractic skills! Betty had let people know that Dana was going to be at the church during the morning on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Ten to twelve people showed up and Dana got to do adjustments on them. Everyone carries heavy loads around in head baskets here - that's the culture, and as a result, there are TONS of back issues. One woman came in whose arm had been completely numb, on and off, for a year and a half! Dana is planning to work on people every day this week, including that woman, in hopes of lessening a lot of pain. God is really using her skills!

The two hours at the church doing VBS were really fun! Despite the language barriers, kids will be kids :) . We love working with them! Bérnabé is an excellent translator! He is one of the pastor's sons who loves working with children. Rachel and I both gained new limbs! Mine's name is Samuel, and he's two. He's adorable! Rachel has two, and we couldn't get either of their names, but it was super cool. Stephanie is great crowd control, and we need that!

One little girl has been coming to the VBS events all summer, and she is scared of white people, so she immediately started crying, and it didn't seem like she would calm down. Once Rachel started to talk to her, she stopped crying, latched on to her and wouldn't let go! It was really amazing!
Lorelei did an excellent retelling of Moses Parting the Red Sea! The kids' attention span sort of held, but that's ok! They heard God's word, which does not go out void. Lorelei is getting a little sick of telling the story. Only one more time at the orphanage Friday and then she's finished! Pray that she will survive telling it again :P

Hannah and Kelly and Amy went on a home visit to a family where the son had a testicular hernia, and the Dad is somewhat of an alcoholic. Christina was the name of the woman who they mainly talked to, and God is so good! Pastor Marvin shared the gospel with her, and she accepted Christ! They prayed for her son, and Pastor Marvin asked if she wanted to accept Christ. Her heart was ready, and she prayed with them! THAT'S THE REASON WE CAME! To share with people and bring the gospel! How awesome is that!

After we left the church, we all went on a home visit to a house at the edge of town. The husband was not present, as per usual in Guatemala. The woman had four children, all of whom were running underfoot. She could only have been in her mid-30's, but she looked far older. At first guess I thought she was about sixty! Any explained later that because life is so hard here, many of the women look a lot older than they are.
Pastor Marvin shared some verses with her (I think from Romans), and really encouraged her to come to church, and he shared the gospel with her. She was not very outwardly responsive, but we trust that the Lord will work in her heart! Dora, our translator, then asked if there was anything we could pray for, and then her heart seemed to open up. She has a one-year-old baby, and he was just covered in a rash. She said it wasn't an allergy, but Dr. Dana and Amy, chiropractor and occupational therapist, respectively, both thought that's what it was. We then prayed for her. In closing, we sang "Tu Eres Todo Poderoso," or "You are Very Powerful." Stephanie, who had almost no knowledge of Spanish before the trip, was the only one who had practiced the song and knew it well. She even harmonized! The rest of us were put to shame. After saying goodbye, we left. The pastors will return, but the Lord will be the one to change her heart!

On the way back to Betty's house for lunch, Jorge drove really close to the edge of a cliff to scare Amanda, but she was not amused! Amanda and Jorge are comic relief for the team when we drive :P :) .

Lunch at Betty's was a pleasant affair. We had Guatemalan hot dogs, with tortillas instead of bread, rice with the meal, and Guacamole, beans, and a tasty red sauce. It was awesome!
During the meal there was an earthquake! It was a first for many of us, because the earthquakes in Minnesota are too small to be felt. We later learned that it was a 5.5 on the Richter scale! Betty said it was stronger than usual. Oh, the adventures!

After lunch we walked about half a mile to the orphanage. The orphanage has a long Catholic name, so everyone just calls it the orphanage. All of the children here are HIV positive, which is acause for prayer but not concern - unless they lick an open wound we have, we will be fine! Many teams go through here with no negative reports. The kids were in school when we arrived, so we took a tour. The orphanage is beautiful! It's a walled compound. The buildings are made of multicolored stones held together by white cement.
The first building we visited was the infirmary, where some of the nuns were caring for the small or sick or disabled. We met a lot of the nurses and chatted with them for a bit. There is one baby here who is about nine months old, and he lives in the infirmary. So does Gregorio, a 13-year-old with both HIV and cerebral palsy, and Josue, a little boy who recently had surgery. He is having many complications, and he is retaining a ton of fluid, causing his cheeks to have swollen to a huge size. Please pray for all these kids!

Next we toured the other buildings and met many of the nuns. At the kitchen, Amy started a conversation about how carrots looked like legs that turned VERY interesting. I think we need to look at Ephesians 4:29 again! I will never look at carrots the same, that's for sure!

Dana did some more chiropractic work on the nuns, who were all very thankful! Working with around 45 kids every day has to be exhausting!

The kids were still in school, so Amanda and I helped in the kitchen. We made some banana popsicles, which Americans probably wouldn't like but the kids love!
When the children finally emerged, we played with them for about 45 minutes before leaving. Since there wasn't any structured activity today, most of us got tired and the energy kind of stagnated. Nevertheless, we said an enthusiastic goodbye and walked home.

We were supposed to do a home visit on the way back to Betty's, but the woman we wanted to talk to was unavailable. We will probably try later this week!

Dinner was a quick affair, according to Guatemalan time - only about an hour. It was a chicken dish with onions and some type of green bean. It was probably the favorite of the trip so far! I for sure want the recipe :). Betty shared a lot about Guatemalan culture and some of the sex slavery that still happens. We heard some stories about how parents still sell their daughters to abusive men, and the women can't do anything about it. Women, even of the man leaves, cannot marry another, because the man could come back at anytime. A man can have several women, and that is completely acceptable, but women can only belong to one man. It is not uncommon for an older man to bring a gift/offering to the parents in exchange for the teenage daughter. If the parents accept, it is understood that the man can take their daughter.

After supper it was back to Busca a Dios for our first of four nightly teachings. Lorelei did this talk as well - long day for her!
The Lord totally took this one. She was emotionally exhausted and very tired, but His words flowed through her! She was awake, alert, clear, and decisive with her word choice. She began with talking about God creating the world, and how he loves us so much more than animals, which then moved into the Lord's protection. She used umbrellas to illustrate the different protections God has for us - Jesus Christ, The Church, and our Parents. It was engaging, fun, and had enough variety to keep everyone engaged for over an hour. Awesome!

Being back at the hotel was fun. Debrief was a hoot - Amy did some great one-liners, and the general hilarity that ensued was great. It's late, the internet lobby is closed, and we have a big day tomorrow, so signing off!

Memorable Quotes:

Dana: "Stop slobbering on my fanny pack!"

(Jorge drives really close to the edge of the cliff)
Amanda: "I'm not laughing!"

Dorita: "Amy, what information do you need to bring me?"
Amy: "Ummm . . ."
(Ten minutes later)
Amy: "Ummmmmm . . .
OH!!!!! The hotel phone number!"
In other words, a really long senior moment. It was great! And she won't tell me her age - she had me convinced she was in her mid-30's!

Me: "Kelly, can you pass the guacamole?"
Kelly: "Huh?"
Me: "Pass the guacamole!"
Kelly: "Oh! I thought you said bless the guacamole!"
Betty: "We should make it with holy water! Then it would be holy guacamole!"

Prayer Requests will come tomorrow morning!

Much Love!
Jessica.

Day 2: The Fellowship is on the move!

And the tale continues!

Apologies for the late blog! Unbeknownst to me, the hotel's Wi-Fi lobby closes at 9:00 pm. How's that for a surprise?

Day 2 began with Lorelei and Rachel outlining our devotions for the rest of the trip. We are studying Ephesians 6! How come every time I type Ephesians my phone suggests I replace it with Jesus? Lol. Anyways, the devo went well and we prepared to leave for Precious Moments.

Note: We want to keep our little chef here from the Hostel. She is the most adorable little Guatemalan grandmother!

Driving in the city is terrifying, to say the least. Things we take for granted in the US are completely ignored. Stop signs are actually a signal to double your speed, and lane markings are merely suggestions. Actually, the dotted lines are motorcycle lanes! So we have 12-lane highways here. And as long as you don't hit another car, anything is legal. Wonderful examples abound for this newly licensed driver!

The Hostel we stayed at was in a middle-class neighborhood, so as we drove to Precious Moments, the scenery evolved. Precious Moments is located about a block from a wall where all the streets end, and over said wall is an ENORMOUS dump. We didn't actually view the dump, but looking at the distance to the next hill over the top of the wall, we got the feeling that it was pretty big.

We arrived to tour the school, and immediately out of the car, Amanda steps in a large, old, and stinky dog turd. Wonderful.

The top of the entrance says "Yo soy Jehovah tu Dios" or "I am the Lord your God." As soon as we walked in the door, we were greeted by a line of kids wanting hugs! They were so sweet, and we were overwhelmed by their love. Kelly wants to keep all 155 of them!

It was snack time, so it was complete chaos - kids running around everywhere. We took a short tour; short because it really isn't big. There is an average of five inches between desks in classrooms. How blessed are we in America? The oldest kids use a hallway because there aren't enough rainproof rooms to hold class in. The school itself is half the size of the Hostel we stayed in. Every inch is used. I could easily fit three Precious Moments schools into my 1300 square foot house. And 150 kids go to school here!

As part of the tour we met Martita, the founder of the school and force of nature all rolled into one. More on her later!

At the end of the tour we danced with the five year old class to "I'm in the Lord's Army," in Spanish obviously. Totally made my day! And their actions are all adorable.

We then marched around the corner of the street to the larger room where VBS would be. After ten minutes of prep time, three classes with an average age of six strolled in, greeting us with exuberance and hugs. They melted our hearts! They were extremely squirrely, so it took LOTS of energy to herd them.

Amanda and Rachel taught them Great Big God with actions, and they took to it reasonably well for five-year-olds! Lorelei then took the floor and did a knockout retelling of the story of Moses parting the Red Sea. Their attention span didn't last very long, but they heard God's truth, which does not go out void!

Craft time went well. I sat in a circle with fourteen five-year-olds, and they didn't fight over markers, which was a huge relief, because my Spanish wouldn't have been up to the task! Yeah, they tried to tell me the toilet was plugged, but I didn't realize it until later when I investigated. Brush up your Spanish, folks! It will come in handy. Also, the kids were fascinated by Dana and I's blonde hair!

The next two groups did really well. Both paid close attention and were reasonably quiet! And they listened when we said that trash goes in the trash cand Always good. There were always stubborn kids, but hey, they're preteens. We were all like that back then! Betty was our translator for the last group, and she is an excellent storyteller! We all loved just watching her do her thing.

After many hugs goodbye, we drove back to the hostel with the teachers. There, we feasted on hamburgers and some pretty amazing French fries. Hannah sat by Martita, who is just a character! Martita taught her a lot of Spanish vocab, and also made some tongue-in-cheek jokes, such as telling Hannah that her face was the definition of pretty! All in good fun, of course.

Lorelei shared some insights about brokenness and healing through Christ with the teachers. Amy took the floor next and did a short talk on recognizing sexual abuse and how to deal with it in Guatemalan culture. Included on the paper was the phone number for a sexual abuse ministry, which was extremely important to Martita.

She shared with us why this was so important. There was a boy at Precious Moments who was being abused at home, and he drew pictures of it at school. In the US, that would be enough evidence to cause a major stir, right?
The police in Guatemala, however, are in league with the city gangs, so almost every time, if someone calls the police, they will find themselves shot and killed. With the little boy, his abuser was his father, who had far more legal rights than the school. It finally got to the point where something had to be done, so Martita called the abuser and said, "If you don't stop, I am going to call the police."
The father pulled the little boy from school and nobody has heard from them since.

The number of the sexual abuse ministry is essential, because the ministry has more legal tools to alert the authorities in the correct way. Also, the person who originally called the ministry cannot be traced, which is huge.

Martita shared, "We are covered by blood, we are now family because we are bound by the blood of Jesus Christ." After she finished, we laid hands on the teachers and prayed for them. We gave the teachers some sidewalk chalk and markers for the school, and some individual gifts as well.

Martita closed by telling us just how important the prayers of other believers are. She said that we don't realize just how powerful and encouraging it is when we, in the United States, pray for the school. Some of the teachers followed with emphatic, heartfelt thank-yous! After many hugs and a goodbye even longer than in Minnesota, we saw them off!

Note: The coffee here is amazing. We are offered it after every meal, along with natural sugar and powdered creamer. Yeah, Baby!

After a quick pack-up, we drove to Sumpango. The countryside is spectacular! The mountains are like what we read about in fairytales! One is an active volcano that we will see smoking in the morning! After taking in the view, we meet Pastor Manuel and his wife Dorita, and his daughter Naomi and her husband Marvin. Both are warm and welcoming, and their heart for the Lord really shines!

We are greeted by Miguel, Betty's son, at her house. The view of the mountains is perfect from here! Carla, our cook in Sumpango, made a traditional Guatemalan chicken dish called Pepían, which is culturally reserved for special occasions. It was excellent! And of course, coffee after every meal. I could get used to this!

The pastors both shared how they came to Sumpango. It is amazing to all of us how faithful they are in following the Lord's will! Betty then shared about what living in Sumpango is like.

We then commuted the ten minutes to the hotel, debriefed, and set up shop for the night. The hotel is beautiful! More later. It's now quiet, Jess is tired, and it's time for breakfast.

Memorable Quotes:

Betty: "Duct tape is the answer for everything, after coffee!"

(As we were driving in the city) Amanda (who always sits in the passenger seat) to Jorge: "Como se dice 'fast' en español?"
Jorge: "Rapido!"
(Jorge speeds through a stop sign)
Amanda (surprised and shaken, but laughing): "Oh! No Alto?"

(Later, driving to the hotel) Amanda: "I feel like I'm the copilot here!"

Later, during debriefing.
Amy: "Last time I was at the orphanage, there was a two week old baby!"
Dana: "So wait, where do babies come from?"
Hilarity ensues.

Prayer Requests:
1. Sleep and rest for all members of the team. We are tired. Coffee helps!
2. Effectiveness during home visits today!
3. Precious Moments! I can't emphasize enough how important our prayers are to them.
4. All of the teachings yet to be written for VBS - that God will show us what to emphasize.
5. Dana doing chiropractic work today - it will go well and the people will be blessed.
6. Strength for Betty and the Pastors. We are the latest in a long line of teams this summer, and we (teams one and two)are the last ones.
7.The Precious Moments teachers - strength and discernment is using the materials we gave them.

That's all for now, folks! More soon I hope!
Jessica