Team A (for Awesome): The Formation of the Fellowship and the Beginning of the Journey

We made it!

All these single ladies took off with cheerful hearts this morning - it was such a blessing! Nobody ate anything (except me, Jessica, who had ramen) until after security and check in. I was amazed, to say the least! Coffee was flowing freely, however, and that might have had more than a little to do with it :) .

The pictures I had planned to include are being difficult, so they will probably be included later. Ah, well, first time for everything!

We had a short delay in Atlanta, but still arrived relatively on time. Jorge, our driver, met us and took us to our hostel right away. The hostel is absolutely beautiful! There are so many plants and open spaces. The ceilings especially are gorgeous! The plans are almost all fake, but they add a little something extra. We love it!

After dropping most of our luggage off, we then proceeded to one of the biggest malls in Guatemala City! In case I forgot to mention it earlier, we are staying overnight in Guatemala City tonight, four nights in Sumpango, and two in Antigua.

At the mall, we ate a delicious meal with Betty, the host missionary, at a fast food restaurant called Pollo Campero. Amy says Guatemala isn't the same without a trip to Pollo Campero, and I couldn't agree more! There is one in St. Paul, for all you Minnesota folks.

After exchanging with Betty for cash and visiting the ATM, we waited a while and then headed back to the Hostel. There, the team spent almost an hour with Betty, discussing her concerns, her heart, and her vision for this trip.

Our job is to hold a VBS for the children of Precious Moments, Busca a Dios, and the orphanage. Precious Moments is a dump school in Guatemala City, and it is what we will be doing tomorrow. There are 200 kids that attend on a daily basis! We are dividing them into the groups and telling the story of Moses Parting the Red Sea. Lorelei wrote the outline for the story, and we are all excited to get started! We will spend the entire day tomorrow at Precious Moments, including doing a teacher appreciation picnic, and then head to Sumpango.

If you're confused about who everyone is, there is a previous post introducing them, so I won't recap it now.

When Betty shared with us earlier, her heart for the Lord really came through. She knows that the only way to break the cycles of poverty and abuse is through Jesus Christ. Her heart is to bring economic gain to Sumpango, but, more than that, to bring dignity and the Life-giving water of God. Our job is to work where she needs us, as well as honor and respect this culture.

Often, we Americans give and give and give, which, while helpful for a season, creates a dependency on us. That will not bring dignity to these people. Betty is tirelessly doing the task of distributing donations in a way that causes more help than hurt.

Ok, I'm rambling and have been up for 18 hours straight, so I will close with prayer requests from Stephanie, our prayer leader.

1. Recovery from our extremely long day today! Most of us have been up for 20 hours straight and need rest.
2. God's power to be conveyed to the Precious Moments  kids tomorrow!
3. Extra wells of love for us to pour out on the kids who really need it.
4. Safe travel all day tomorrow, especially to Sumpango and through the rough parts of Guatemala City on the way to PM.
5. Overall Spiritual protection - Satan loves to oppose the will of God!
6. Some nerves for certain members of the team - just that we will all relax.

James 1:27 -
"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep from being polluted by the world."

Signing off!
Jessica

TEAM ONE PRAYER REQUESTS!

James 1:27 Prayer Requests: 

8/11 thru 8/18/15

General trip requests for Amy, Lorelei, Dana, Kelly, Hannah, Rachel, Jessica, Stephanie, Amanda:

-          Safe travel

-          Good health / avoid sickness

-          Team unity / no strife

-          Experience a closeness to God

-          Have fun / enjoy time together

-          Keep ourselves unstained from the world (James 1:27)

-          Be led by the Spirit in our prayers

-          All the children we meet and spend time with experience the tender love of Christ

-          Angels to guard our way  (Ps 91:10)

-          We remember to put on the full armor of God each day (Eph 6:10-18)

-          Restful sleep

-          No theft of our belongings

-          Deeper understanding of the love of Jesus for us and for all those we encounter

-          Team blog will be useful for the glory of God

-          Treasure our devotional and worship times

-          That our visit would be used to plant seeds for the Kingdom and if God’s will that we could be used to help harvest seeds

Tuesday, 8/11:  Travel

-          Flights will be on time

-          stamina for travel

-          all bags and belongings will arrive with us

-          no issues getting through customs

Wednesday, 8/12:  Precious Moments School

-          Our visit will be encouraging to the teachers

-          The children will experience Jesus and enjoy the planned activities

Thursday, 8/13 – Sunday , 8/16:  Orphanage & Church

-          that the older children who will need to leave the orphanage soon will be placed into safe and healthy homes

-          build trust and stronger relationship with the nuns

-          VBS will be a blessing to the children

-          Home visits to be a blessing and encouragement to those we visit.

-          testimonies will be fruitful

-          our visit will be uplifting and refreshing for the Pastors and their families

Monday, 8/17:  Antigua

-          Enjoy/refreshment on our day in Antigua

-          Morning time of team debriefing

Tuesday, 8/18/15:  Travel / transition

-          safe travel for James 1:27

-          Smooth transition for rest of the team back in Minnesota

-          No issues getting through customs

Let the countdown begin...

By this time next week, Team 1 will be in Guatemala loving on kids and practicing their Spanish. Both teams would like to invite you to our prayer send off 8/9/15 at 7:15 located on Wooddale's Eden Prairie campus. This will be an informal gathering of people both going and staying to pray over the work that will be done during our time in Guatemala. As we learned from Pastor Dale's sermon last week, prayer is powerful and opens the door to see God do immeasurably more than what we can ask or imagine. God hears our prayers and the prayers of his children around the world. Our desire is for the kids and families we will be working with to know and experience the great God we serve; His strength, His power, and His grace that brings hope and healing to the brokenness of this life.

We will be posting a prayer guide in the next few days so if you can't make it to the prayer send-off or you want to support us in prayer, you will know specifically how to pray for our time. You are an important part of our team and we are thankful you are taking this journey with us.

Team 2 has been busy the last few weeks getting our crafts ready to go for the stories we will be sharing with the kids about Daniel in the Lions Den and putting on the armor of God. Our theme for VBS during the two weeks is Our God is Great. The memory verse for the kids is:

Dios es nuestro amparo y fortaleza, nuestra ayuda segura en momentos de angustia. Salmos 46:1 (NVI )

Or if you prefer English...
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in times of trouble. Psalm 46:1 (NIV)

And to round out the post, a couple more profiles from Team 2:

Name: Beth

Occupation: Laboratory attendant

Family: 1 older brother and mom and dad

How did you learn about the trip and why did you decide to go?   

I learned about trip through the Gathering, decided to go because I was looking for a life changer and to serve people

What are you most nervous about for the trip?   

being engulfed in a different culture

What are you most nervous about for the trip?   

that it will be difficult to connect with the kids

Prior to this trip, where was your favorite place to visit and why?   

My fav place to visit is my cabin because it is up in the deep north woods where everything is still in its natural state

If you could have a super power, what would it be and why?   

My super power would be to understand animals's stories and to listen to their thoughts/fears hahaha that sounds crazy but I heard it from my mentor in my internship and it kinda just stuck :)

Name:   Don

Occupation:   Retired

Family:   wife - Linnea and 3 sons, 2 daughters

How did you learn about the trip and why did you decide to go?   

I've seen the Guatemala trip at church and ask Amy T. about it.

What are you most excited about for the trip?   

I heard there was kids there. Nothing could be better Kids and serving the Lord

What are you most nervous about for the trip?   

Keeping up with the kids and serving the Lord nothing could be scarier.

What song would play on your soundtrack for this season of life and why?    

Gods gonna cut you down - Jonny Cash

If you could be friends with one fictional character, who would you choose and why?   

Popeye the sailor man - I liked being a sailor.

How can we pray for you on this trip?   

Pray for Gods will, and that I'll be able to keep up with the girls.

We are getting excited for the trip and what God is planning to do in and through us! Thank you all so much for your prayers and financial support. God is so good!

To sleep, is to dream...

Our fundraiser was a success! God demonstrated his amazing provision and we raised enough money for 10-12 families to receive bunk beds. These beds will hopefully be a place of refuge for children to sleep and dream of all God can do in and through their lives. Please continue to pray for the project as we prepare our teaching material. Pray that we would speak words of truth and grace, teaching the power of Christ to break patterns of abuse and bring hope for healing and restoration of families. Thank you so much to all who came and all who gave to the project. You are an integral part of our team and we couldn't go and serve without your support.

In peace I will lie down and sleep,
for you alone, Lord,
make me dwell in safety.
Psalm 4:8 (NIV)

Here are a couple more dreamers who will be traveling to Guatemala during week 2 of the trip:

Name: Abby

Occupation: Preschool teacher at Fraser School in Richfield, MN. It is an inclusive child-care center which means I work with children who have special needs and typical developing children. 

Family: My dad, Larry, is the best dad ever and is an engineer! My mom, Nancy,  is the best mom ever and works at a senior living place  in the dining area. My sister's name is Sarah and she is two years younger than I am. Last but not least, I have an Australian Cattle dog named Callie who I love very  much and is so sweet!  Also, I live with my roommate who is also my best friend in the entire world, Kelsey!

How did you hear about this trip and why did you decide to go? 

I heard about this trip because I attend Wooddale Church. I went on this same trip last year and I absolutely fell in love with the Guatemalan people and children.  Thus,  I felt compelled to come back and continue this spiritual journey  that God has placed in my heart.  Children are important to me because  I  believe children bring out the joy in everyone they meet. 

What are you most excited about for this trip? 

I am most excited about feeling so much more connected to God and to see all of the children's smiling faces!

What are you most nervous about for this trip? 

I am most nervous about the van rides. They can be pretty bumpy and last year my stomach was not having it!

If you could be friends with one fictional character who would it be and why? 

I would be friends with Harry Potter! I would love to hear his perspective on his harrowing life and visit all of the wonderful places in the books such as Honeydukes {the sweet shop), Hogwarts, the Burrow (where Ron's family lives), and the Weasley's Joke Shoppe! 

If you could change your occupation, what would you change it too and why? 

I would be a children's mental health therapist because I love children and mental health is so important for everyone! 

Prayer Requests: Please pray for our whole team, the Guatemalan children and people, and that all of our hearts our opened to God's amazing grace now and forever! 

Name:  Gail

Occupation:  Library Assistant

Family:  Children:  Josh and Danielle (both 27) and Nicole (24)

How did you learn about the trip and why did you decide to go?  I looked through the list of Wooddale’s  short term missionary trips because I felt God was leading me to expand my horizons and do something that I hadn’t done before.  I was attracted to this trip because I love kids and enjoy working with them so it seemed a natural fit.  After I met Amy who was leading the trip, I pretty much knew I was going because she is so sweet, encouraging and funny.  The first information meeting sealed the deal.

What are you most excited about for the trip?   I am most excited about how God is going to use the trip to help me grow as a Christian.  I am not sure what areas He intends to  smooth out in my life, but I have no doubt He will be working on my many flaws!  I am excited about what our ministry partners in Guatemala will teach us about their way of life and how God works in their lives.  Also, this is my first trip outside the US, other than Canada, so I am excited about  the new cross cultural experience.

What are you most nervous about for the trip?  I feel the training and planning we have done so far has helped to reduce my anxiety considerably.  I guess maybe the language barriers are a bit of a concern. 

  

What song would play on your soundtrack for this season of life and why? 

 Be Thou My Vision  because:

                    1.      I will turn 63 in July.  As I have gotten older, I have realized that getting older is a series of letting go of the things of life that used to seem so important to me.  I find that if I keep God as the vision and purpose of my life, that transition becomes sweet as God gains importance to me and transitory things become less important.

                    2.      I love the line that says, “Thou my best thought by day or by night, waking or sleeping thy presence my light . . .” 

                    3.      I love the melody.

             

If you could have a super power, what would it be and why?

 I would have the power to eat unlimited calories without gaining weight!

How can we pray for you on this trip? 

 For good health and stamina, for confidence and peace as the trip is rather a stretch for me.  And to learn well whatever lessons God has for me.

All that is left to say in response to what He has done and what He is going to do...

Praise God from Whom all blessings flow;

Praise Him all creatures here below;

Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

Amen.

Just Can't Get Enough

We are just days away from Cafe Casita, the fundraising event for our bunk bed project. If you are free Sunday afternoon or evening, you should stop by and check it out. Details can be found in the previous blog post.

Having been through the poverty simulation at Matter More before, I volunteered to lead groups through, acting as a tour guide during Cafe Casita. This morning I reviewed the key talking points and listened to actual stories of people from each country represented in the simulation. With tears in my eyes and an ache in my chest, I was struck with the overwhelming brokenness of our temporary home. How can I, how can we possibly make a difference in the face of such adversity? God, in His mercy, reminded me that it is not up to me or our team to change the world. Jesus has already done that. We are simply called to tell His story, our stories, and proclaim the hope of life found in relationship with Jesus Christ. The love He extends to us can overflow into the lives of the broken and hurting, restoring life and hope beyond providing for physical needs or "fixing" the tangible problems of poverty. His love has changed the world and is changing the world for those who hear of it. May we never grow weary of doing good and proclaiming the power of His love to transform lives around the world and in our own communities.

Now I'd like to introduce our fearless leader who will be accompanying both teams and has an incredible heart for the people of Guatemala.

Name:  Amy

Occupation: Occupational Therapist

Family: Mom, Dad, Brother, sis-in-law and the 2 awesomest nieces in the entire world.

How did you learn about the trip and why did you decide to go?....well. That is a long story. Do you have space for the whole thing?  The short part? God put this thing in my heart several years ago, and has been sending me ever since.  I love returning to see the kids in the orphanage, our partners in

the church, the growing church....

What are you most excited about for the trip?  I am excited to see how this bunkbed project will take shape.  Excited to continue building relationships that have been growing over the years. I am excited to see both team 1 and team 2 in action and seeing not only how God is using us in Guatemala--but how God might use Guatemala  in our own lives after we return.

What are you most nervous about for the trip?  As a leader there are always

things I can be nervous about.  But God has shown time and time again His

goodness and mercy in leading us through things that cause us concern.

Prior to this trip, where was your favorite place to visit and why?

Duluth + Lake Superior.  Absolutely beautiful...and more often breathtaking.

If you could have a super power, what would it be and why?  

I would love tospeak Spanish. Did you know that is the language of Heaven?  One day, I willspeak it....but until then, I will continue to think of it as a super power while I fumble along asking for things like butter when what I really want is a blanket....

Looking forward to seeing some of you on Sunday!

But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly in my weakness, so Christ's power may rest on me.

 ~2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV

Introductions Continue...Team 2

Now that you are acquainted with Team 1, we'll shift gears and introduce a couple more members of team 2:

Name: Kelby Mezzenga

Occupation: Executive Assistant at Worrell Design

Family: 2 sisters & 1 brother 

How did you learn about the trip and why did you decide to go? After hearing the pastor talk about missions, I looked into Wooddale's missions and saw the Guatemala one and it stuck out too me and after the first intro meeting, God really confirmed this trip for me!

What are you most excited about for the trip? To share my love for Jesus with others & show the kids how much they are loved!

What are you most nervous about for the trip? That I won't want to come home :) [don't worry mom]

       

Prior to this trip, where was your favorite place to visit and why?

My grandparents house! I know its not exotic or a beach, but every time I'm there, I feel happy and loved. I leave all my stress and worry at the door! Im am so thankful for them!

       

If you had to change your occupation, what would you choose and why? I would love to be a camp counselor or a fitness instructor. Haha its hard to pick between these too! Maybe I could do a fitness camp...   

How can we pray for you on this trip? Safety & Energy :)

Name: Sarah Gangelhoff

Occupation: Registered Nurse and I love it!

Family: Dad Charlie and step mom Theresa

Sister Gina and brother-in-law Leo, nephew Leo and niece Aryanna

Brother Tom and sister-in-law Becky, nephew Barrett

Brother Brandon

How did you learn about the trip and why did you decide to go?

I learned about the trip through Wooddale church. My heart has been drawn to this mission field for three years! I praise God that this year, Lord willing, I will be able to go! 

What are you most excited about for the trip?

To work for our Lord! I cant wait to show His love. I am looking forward to fellowship with all the people in Guatemala and my team. I am looking forward to growing in my faith and have my opened to a new people group! I am so excited to see what God is going to do!

What are you most nervous about for the trip?

Getting sick or too exhausted. I have a chronic illness that at times can cause me to be quite ill and have low energy. I am also on a medication that lowers my immune system so I am more susceptible to illnesses.

If you could be friends with one fictional character, who would you choose and why?

Hadassah from the Mark of the Lion trilogy by Francine Rivers! She has an amazing unbreakable faith and a heart of gold!!

If you could have a super power, what would it be and why?

To be in two places at once! I guess I have too many people I want to see and too many things I want to do!

How can we pray for you on this trip?

Please pray for my health. Please also pray I hear the Holy Spirits prompting and am not too scared to do what He asks. May my faith be bigger than my fear!

Stay tuned to learn more about our team!

SAVE THE DATE!

July 26, 2015 4:30-8:30

Our teams are hosting a free Guatemalan coffeehouse event at Matter More (formerly Hope for the City).

7005 Oxford St

St. Louis Park, MN

This is a fundraiser for the special project we will be working on with the local church in Guatemala on building healthy families. There will be live music, chair massages (for purchase in 10-minute increments), free coffee and treats, and Guatemalan gifts for sale. Matter More also has a poverty simulation on site that will be available to show the different faces of poverty around the world.

If you want more information, here is a link to the event blog: http://casitacafe.blogspot.com/2015/07/its-coming-soon-can-you-smell-coffee.html

Hope to see you all there!

Allow us to introduce ourselves . . . Team One!

HELLO AND WELCOME TO THE WONDERFUL FOLLOWERS OF THIS BLOG!!!

MY NAME IS JESSICA AND I WILL BE YOUR TEAM ONE HOST!!

We are heading out on August 11^th and returning late on August 18^th. We are throwing VBS events for Busca de Dios, which means Seek God, a church plant in Sumpango, an orphanage, and a school called Precious Moments in Guatemala City’s largest dump.

Each of the women on Team 1 has written a short blip about how they feel for the trip. Please pray as you see fit for each of them! We are all looking forward to what God will do!

First up, we have Lorelei, our team’s mother figure and someone I really admire J!

My name is Lorelei and this will be my 4th trip to Guatemala. The people in Sumpango have become very dear to me so I'm looking forward to being back with them. And I'm super excited to have my niece, Rachel, go on this trip with me!

Batting second will be the aforementioned and amazing. . . . Rachel!

I’m Rachel, and after hearing all of my aunt’s (who is also on this trip) stories about Guatemala, I felt like God was telling me it was my turn to go with.  I’m so excited to go, as this is my first time out of the country, and I can’t wait to see what God has in store for everyone involved in this trip.

And then there’s me . . .

I'm Jess, the team blogger and youngest member (you will be hearing from me a lot) :) . It is my first time going on a Mission Trip to anywhere, so I'm off to see the world! Pray that God uses our team in amazing ways and that He heals and blesses everyone involved!

Coming 4^th, we have Stephanie, the leader of the Department of Face Painting and External Affairs (i.e. prayer), pictured below with the adorable daughter of her friend!

Hi, I'm Stephanie. I'm going on this trip because of the opportunity for me to grow spiritually, closer in my walk with God, and share the gifts that God has given me.  I really hope we can make a difference in the lives of those we meet and interact with.

Our Head of Debriefing and expert on adapting to foreign cultures, Hannah!

I'm Hannah, in charge of team debriefing. I have been on several overseas missions experiences but never to Central America so I am very excited to absorb a new culture! Please pray for deep connections with Guatemalans in spite of the language barrier! 

Hannah’s Secretary of State and team devos leader, Kelly!

Hola! Me llamo Kelly :) This will be my second missions trip to Guatemala and I can't wait to go back! I'm excited to continue to build relationships with our Guatemalan ministry partners and to share the love of Christ with those we'll be interacting with throughout the week! 

Our jack-of-all trades and my roommate, Dana!

Hi! My name is Dana Schomberg. Two of my favorite things in life are learning and teaching. I am very excited to learn about the culture in Guatemala, and learn the ways that I can help spread the gospel to these beautiful children while also sprinkling some of my passion in: healthy life style choices. I am also excited to teach the community what it feels like to love one another like Jesus did.

The angel who has organized EVERYTHING about the VBS, Amanda!

Hi there! I'm Amanda, and this will be my first missions trip. I am looking forward to growing with this team of ladies and everyone we get to meet in Guatemala! I'm so excited to see the Body of Christ working together in other parts of this vast world! Please pray for us and follow us on this exciting journey! :)

And last, but certainly not least, the President of this entire expedition . . . . AMY!

I am so excited to be a part of teams 1 and 2 and to see how God not only uses each person in Guatemala, but uses Guatemala in each of their lives after we return home. As we have spent the last few weeks discovering, the week in Guatemala is actually just the starting point!    Why am I going? Frankly…..because I have fallen in love.  With Guatemala, and Guatemalans, but I am just as passionate about "gringos" that go to serve in Guatemala.