Hi!
Today was a simply beautiful conclusion to a fantastic week! This morning we were able to sleep in a half hour, and then loaded the Nissan and Mercedes up by 8:30 AM to head out for todays journey. It was a 45 minute drive out to Antigua, but the nice part of the trip was that we went in a completely different direction out of Guatemala City than the rest of the week, so we were priveledged to see more parts of Guatemala's scenery! You must have read how beautiful Guatemala's natural landscape is in previous blogs so this will be a repeat, but the hills, valleys, and volcanos were simply breathtaking! After winding through the hills and advancing in elevation our hungry tummys reached our destination: Las Palmas (aka The Palms) in Antigua. We entered the restaurant and were greeted by beautiful decorations, warm colors, and many exotic flowers placed all over the room. The deco here is of the half moon- half sun type. Luckily, coffee was free =], and some of us took that free offer! Others enjoyed cappucinos, tea, orange juice, and I and Ellen enjoyed the fresh papaya juice! The group ordered different dishes such as pancakes, veggie omelets, bacon omelets, or scrambled eggs with beans and fresh salsa. The cool part of the dish, to me, was that everyone received some watermelon, pineapple, a strawberry, amazingly flavorful plantanes, and bread! That restaurant definitely knows how to make a well balanced meal, with proper portions, and a great price!
After breakfast we headed over to the Central Park of Antigua. There was a very.. interesting.. fountain to say the least. While in that area we entered a cathedral and saw how the altar and all other pieces used in the services were beautifully gold-colored.
While walking over to another cathedral we passed an enclosed area where you can peek in and see really cool float pieces from their parade. But, the cool part, was that they were the stations of the cross! I think it'd be really cool if Chicago did that.............
We walked into another cathedral called La Merced. It was a beautiful yellow cathedral with white intricate detail on the outside. As we approached the cathedral, we noticed a bride and her husband climbing into a red pick-up truck; they were just married! The next wonderful piece to this scene is that as we entered the cathedral, we saw a young girl in a green ballgown. She was preparing for her quinceanera! We saw two confession booths (I don't think those specific two are used though), and many scenes of saints throughout the cathedral. For the wedding and quinceanera there was a band that sounded both spanish and tropical at the same time. There wasn't an organ playing, but rather a cello, some flutes and some xylophones! Not wanting to disturb this young girls celebration we left and got back into our vehicles to head to our next destination: Cerro de la Cruz, aka, The Hill of the Cross.
It was a windy and steep journey up to where we needed to go, but the view was spectacular. You park on a hill, and walk a very short way to the cross. You can tell that the cross is pretty old.. the stone was wearing away, but, what a great piece to have over-looking a city! Imagine Chicago with a huge cross where everyone could see it.... The view was magnificent. It was of all of Antigua. We saw where we ate breakfast, the trees of Central Park and La Merced! Not to mention all the roofs of the rest of the buildings in Antigua! It was a spectacular sight, and you all need to look at our photos to capture the beauty behind the view we experienced.
We then drove to the enclosed shopping area known as El Mercado. This enclosed area guaranteed us a good price for items, and it was big! There were three separate areas to shop at; one being centered around a beautiful fountain and flowers. Kevin and Ginny introduced us to three vendors that they are friends with. They not only gave us a discount, but they were wonderful Christians to meet and support! At this market were all sorts of items to buy: clothes, slippers, post cards, beautiful bowls and cups, scarves, blankets, belts, purses, chocolate, bookmarks, nativity scenes- everything! Not to mention, we got to practice our bartering skills! We all were able to experience a taste of tourism shopping in Guatemala. After about two hours of shopping, we decided to walk over to dinner. It was non other than the tasty.... dun, duhn, duhhn, duuuhhhhhhhhhhhnnnnn......... (drum roll please...).... McDonald's! Yes, McDonald's. But, this wasn't your ordinary McDonald's. You walked in and it seemed fairly normal. We ordered (in Spanish), then quickly (I mean, QUICKLY--like, within 25 seconds) received our food. And, you're only given one napkin and one tiny cup for ketchup, but, the next thing you did was walk around the corner to the dining room. This was the most wonderful dining room I have ever been in for a fast-food joint, and it was all outdoor. There were paded seats that resembled a couch surrounding a table, there were patio chairs neatly arranged around an open garden area with two fountains, and there was a pleasant covered area surrounded by beautiful plants. If there were any McDonald's in the States that resembled this one in Antigua, I would hang out there for fun. Not to mention that there was a complete separate section for the McCafe and McInternet! The McCafe had scrumptious looking cakes and coffees all ready to be bought. We in the States should look into this.. And, just for fun I bought a Queso Pastle.. or something like that. Regardless, instead of an apple pie, it was a cheese pie. It was delicious! Sweet cheese in a pastry might not necessarily be popular in the States, but they should temporarily bring it so that you can all try it!
We returned home safely, where we have enjoyed seeing the beautiful aftermath of a rain shower- a rainbow. For me though, this wasn't an ordinary rainbow. This was the brightest rainbow I have ever seen in my life. All of the colors were showing brightly. Maybe this is becuse of the higher altitude, but I have never seen one more phenomenal in my life. Not to mention, it was a double raindow! How wonderful God's creation and promises are!
We're about to start a movie- The Emperor's New Groove with Ruth and Ceasar, two of the Guatemalan missionaries, before we go to bed (though I'm thinking some may pull an all-nighter so that they will sleep on the plane).
Today was a wonderful day where we were able to reflect on what God has allowed us to see and experience this past week while enjoying a little more of Guatemala.
Though it has been a week, it has flown by quicker than I ever could have imagined. Though I personally am excited to have my cell phone and texting back this time tomorrow, I am also deeply saddened by the fact that I will have to say goodbye to the wonderful people I have met here in Guatemala. The proper explanation would have to be bittersweet.
But, all of us believers know that it is not "goodbye", but rather "I'll see you later, whether it be this life, or the next".
With Christs' Love,
Aleen E Carr
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Friday, August 12, 2011
Reflecting On The Week
Today was our last day presenting our crafts, skit, and songs to the people of the ministry here in Guatemala City. Instead of going out to another community to spread God's word, the children with a scholorship from the ministry program came to the house we were staying in.
This morning we made a special house visit to Ana and her husban Noel, whom have two children. One is named Kevin and the other Adrian (happy birthday Adrian). It was truly an inspiration to see them at home as one family in the spirit of God. Ana is a very special woman that stays close to our hosts' hearts, Kevin and Ginny. Reason being is because Ana has grown up with the ministry here, and is now married with two boys. It was amazing to hear not only on how well everything is going with teh 15 year old baby Kevin, but also about Noel's story. Noel is a man who worked as a bike messenger in Washington D.C. for congressmen who needed messeges relayed to other offices. He decided on staying now with his family and is trying to start a taxi company here in Guatemala, and is having a bit of a rough start. Interesting how a man like Noel with probably no legal documents can work for congressmen.
Tonight, after our Pizza Hut delight, Ginny lead a devotion lasting three hours. She asked us to share four mental pictures of our trip here so far, and reflect on how difficult it might be for us to go back to the states with such a major impact on each and every one of our lives that will last forever. Some mental pictures were very heartbreaking while others were joyful and filled with God's love.
In all after the three hour reflection on the trip and the transition back into our regular life we live back in the states, I ask myself what else can I do God? I ask myself will Guatemala keep getting worse? It was hard for me to picture how much damage we have done to God's creation until I saw the city dump in between a beautiful mountain range, and how people's tombs can be opened and the coffin thrown off the cliff because they can't pay the rent for their own grave.
The Guatemalans working here in the ministry asked me if I will ever come back. I answered honestly with "No I will most likely never return." Not because I do not have any desire to return, but because I want to travel to many lands and see what we have done with God's creation.
This week we have all grown strong and matured. We all know that our lives are forever different because we have been able to see and changed lives that were, and still are, broken by the darkness that surrounds our paths in life. Like in Psalm 119:105, it explains that God is that light that guides our paths. We have done what we set out to do, and that is spread God's word. All we can do now is pray that the people we ministered to can follow that light God blesses us with.
God Is Love,
Chayanne M.
This morning we made a special house visit to Ana and her husban Noel, whom have two children. One is named Kevin and the other Adrian (happy birthday Adrian). It was truly an inspiration to see them at home as one family in the spirit of God. Ana is a very special woman that stays close to our hosts' hearts, Kevin and Ginny. Reason being is because Ana has grown up with the ministry here, and is now married with two boys. It was amazing to hear not only on how well everything is going with teh 15 year old baby Kevin, but also about Noel's story. Noel is a man who worked as a bike messenger in Washington D.C. for congressmen who needed messeges relayed to other offices. He decided on staying now with his family and is trying to start a taxi company here in Guatemala, and is having a bit of a rough start. Interesting how a man like Noel with probably no legal documents can work for congressmen.
Tonight, after our Pizza Hut delight, Ginny lead a devotion lasting three hours. She asked us to share four mental pictures of our trip here so far, and reflect on how difficult it might be for us to go back to the states with such a major impact on each and every one of our lives that will last forever. Some mental pictures were very heartbreaking while others were joyful and filled with God's love.
In all after the three hour reflection on the trip and the transition back into our regular life we live back in the states, I ask myself what else can I do God? I ask myself will Guatemala keep getting worse? It was hard for me to picture how much damage we have done to God's creation until I saw the city dump in between a beautiful mountain range, and how people's tombs can be opened and the coffin thrown off the cliff because they can't pay the rent for their own grave.
The Guatemalans working here in the ministry asked me if I will ever come back. I answered honestly with "No I will most likely never return." Not because I do not have any desire to return, but because I want to travel to many lands and see what we have done with God's creation.
This week we have all grown strong and matured. We all know that our lives are forever different because we have been able to see and changed lives that were, and still are, broken by the darkness that surrounds our paths in life. Like in Psalm 119:105, it explains that God is that light that guides our paths. We have done what we set out to do, and that is spread God's word. All we can do now is pray that the people we ministered to can follow that light God blesses us with.
God Is Love,
Chayanne M.
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Maby's Maple Syrup
Hello friends and family in the States...
It is hard to believe it is already day 6 of our journey here. Without a doubt, God is working through each and every one of us for His glory and His purpose. To those of you who are reading the blog, thank you for supporting us and God's work here in Guatemala. Please continue to pray for the missionaries who are here with us, the families we are reaching out to, and for our continued safety on this trip.
Our morning devotion today was led by Ruth, one of the Guatemalans we have been traveling with. She asked us, "is shyness a defect or a virtue"? If shyness to proclaim the gospel stems from fear, and fear stems from a lack of trust in God, how can such a thing be a virtue? Instead, it is a plot of the devil and can prevent us from spreading the word of God, which is what we came here to do. Is preventing God's will not disobedience as well? Therefore, timidity is a form of disobedience that we need to overcome. When we are fearful, we need to ask for God's strength and courage so that His work can be accomplished. She encouraged us by reminding us of the story of King Saul and the prophet Jeremiah. At first, both were afraid when being called by God, but He did great works through them. Ruth encouraged us to put our timidity, pride, and fear aside so that He could work through us this day and the rest of the week.
We arrived in Amititlan later that day and enjoyed our last day of home visits, singing, acting, and making crafts outside of the house. It will be hard to forget the many smiling faces of children we met, the tears of those who are in need here, and the stories we have listened to this week. One group had a particularly memorable day today, one that gave me "Godbumps" just listening to. At one of the houses of their home visits there was a father and his young children. The father had fallen away from his faith, the family did not go to church, and the kids were living in a physically abusive environment. While Manuel, one of the Guatemalan's that lives with us, was reading God's word to them the father's heart softened. God opened his eyes and he realized that he needed to find a church again; he needed to change his life. The father and his children were crying together and embracing one another. It seemed to be the first time any of them had shown that kind of affection. Thanks be to God that His kingdom was expanded today.
At the end of our night, after visiting the beautiful view of Lake Amatitlan, getting through a scare in town, eating delicious stir fry, and talking again with George from Only a Child, we went upstairs to gather in fellowship and devote our time to God. Some of the people on this trip were very brave, and and gave us the honor of knowing more about their lives, their personal struggles, and their faith walk with Christ. It is amazing to see how well we have gotten to know each other and how much love and support everyone is willing to give. I thank God for the fellowship I've had with these amazing people and the opportunity to be here with them and the Guatemalans we're met so far. I pray that God continues to bless this ministry and those living and working here for this purpose.
Thank you again for your support financially and spiritually, we will see you all very soon!
2 Corinthians 1:3-7
-Andrea Carrabia
It is hard to believe it is already day 6 of our journey here. Without a doubt, God is working through each and every one of us for His glory and His purpose. To those of you who are reading the blog, thank you for supporting us and God's work here in Guatemala. Please continue to pray for the missionaries who are here with us, the families we are reaching out to, and for our continued safety on this trip.
Our morning devotion today was led by Ruth, one of the Guatemalans we have been traveling with. She asked us, "is shyness a defect or a virtue"? If shyness to proclaim the gospel stems from fear, and fear stems from a lack of trust in God, how can such a thing be a virtue? Instead, it is a plot of the devil and can prevent us from spreading the word of God, which is what we came here to do. Is preventing God's will not disobedience as well? Therefore, timidity is a form of disobedience that we need to overcome. When we are fearful, we need to ask for God's strength and courage so that His work can be accomplished. She encouraged us by reminding us of the story of King Saul and the prophet Jeremiah. At first, both were afraid when being called by God, but He did great works through them. Ruth encouraged us to put our timidity, pride, and fear aside so that He could work through us this day and the rest of the week.
We arrived in Amititlan later that day and enjoyed our last day of home visits, singing, acting, and making crafts outside of the house. It will be hard to forget the many smiling faces of children we met, the tears of those who are in need here, and the stories we have listened to this week. One group had a particularly memorable day today, one that gave me "Godbumps" just listening to. At one of the houses of their home visits there was a father and his young children. The father had fallen away from his faith, the family did not go to church, and the kids were living in a physically abusive environment. While Manuel, one of the Guatemalan's that lives with us, was reading God's word to them the father's heart softened. God opened his eyes and he realized that he needed to find a church again; he needed to change his life. The father and his children were crying together and embracing one another. It seemed to be the first time any of them had shown that kind of affection. Thanks be to God that His kingdom was expanded today.
At the end of our night, after visiting the beautiful view of Lake Amatitlan, getting through a scare in town, eating delicious stir fry, and talking again with George from Only a Child, we went upstairs to gather in fellowship and devote our time to God. Some of the people on this trip were very brave, and and gave us the honor of knowing more about their lives, their personal struggles, and their faith walk with Christ. It is amazing to see how well we have gotten to know each other and how much love and support everyone is willing to give. I thank God for the fellowship I've had with these amazing people and the opportunity to be here with them and the Guatemalans we're met so far. I pray that God continues to bless this ministry and those living and working here for this purpose.
Thank you again for your support financially and spiritually, we will see you all very soon!
2 Corinthians 1:3-7
-Andrea Carrabia
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Buena Vista
Greetings from the mission house here in Guatemala!
This morning our team had an early start with a departure time of 7:00 AM sharp. So far during our time here, everything has been "ish." For example, we would have dinner at five-ish, leave in the morning after devotion at 9:30ish, etc. None of us really worry about the time, as Kevin always gets us where we need to be, and it has been a real blessing not to live by the clock. After packing into the vans with our Bibles and water bottles, we spent two hours going only downhill and seeing the beautiful campo, or countryside, of Guatemala on our way to the mission site. Kevin and Cesar pointed out the various volcanoes as we drove by, ranging from the gigantic, dormant Agua to nearby Fuego, which spewed intermittent puffs of black smoke, to the jagged-topped Pacaya that erupted and blasted off its cap a few years ago, all three of which can be seen from the roof of the mission house on a clear day. There were so many more that we didn't even know all their names.
Finally, after bouncing along over rocks, sticks, and who knows what else on a "road" through the middle of a sugar cane field, we reached our destination: Buena Vista. It truly lived up to its name, which means "good view" in Spanish. It was a nice change to be out of the city, but as the altitude dropped, the heat spiked! It was hot and sticky, even at nine in the morning. Today the lessons for the children and adults were at different times, so we all sang (accompanied by enthusiastic clapping from the Guatemalans!) and performed our skits before the leaders of the children's group split off. The future teachers visited the public school in the area to get a feel for the education system here. I, along with Kyle, Aracelis, Oscar, and Cesar, went on some home visits.
It was very different from the other experiences I've had so far. At most of our locations, whether in the city or at El Rincon, we would come in and the people would immediately start talking to us about how God has been working in their life or tell us about their difficulties so we could encourage and pray for them. Most seemed firm in their faith and it was beautiful to see their confidence in the Lord, despite their hardships and situations. In Buena Vista, we were actually sharing the news of the Gospel with them. It was probably not the first time they'd heard it, as Groundwork Guatemala visits weekly, but they all seemed to have a "yes, but no" attitude. We would ask questions after sharing a verse and they would give the answer we were looking for, but still not accompany us to the Bible study or want to learn more. We were able to give ziplocs full of vitamins to three different families after talking to them and Oscar explained that just as the vitamins strengthen our bodies and keep us healthy, the Word sustains our spirits and keeps our souls fed. No matter what darkness or hardships they might have in their lives or how hopeless and lost they might feel, there is still an everlasting hope that can pull them out of any darkness and shine light in the darkest of places. Jesus is the well-spring of our hope and the only firm foundation. We prayed with each of the families we visited and planted that seed, and now we can trust that the Holy Spirit will continue to work fervently in their hearts and minds.
At the last house, which we ended up stopping at only because the pigs and the mud were blocking the road, we picked up Manuel, a little boy visiting his aunts and grandma. He had lost the entire toenail of his second toe; it was bloody and clearly infected, which was not surprising because he was walking around barefoot. It took some cajoling, but he returned to the Groundwork site with us to be treated by the nurse, Ruth. Many others were treated as well. It is an amazing ministry to actually use the gifts God has blessed the team with to physically heal these people who are in such desperate need. As wonderful as the studies, lessons, and songs are for encouraging our Guatemalan brothers and sisters in Christ, having that example of actual, tangible help really speaks volumes. We grabbed a quick lunch before heading back up the path for the kids' lesson, although it was difficult to stomach our simple PB&Js while the wide, dark eyes of hungry children watched each bite.
The afternoon was amazing. The kids sat on a tarp in a field while we sang again (ask any of the team members when we get back and I'm sure you'd be able to hear some great Spanish praise songs!) and performed our skit in full costume. We shared our application lesson without the help of any of our Guatemalan friends. The ones that can speak Spanish spoke directly to the kids, with Chayanne to translate for those who didn't. The craft (a cross necklace made of glow-in-the-dark beads, which I think has already been explained to you all) went extremely well. Yesterday at El Rincon, everyone was trying to show the kids how to make the necklaces with only a few words. It felt like everything I ever learned melted away, just like my confidence, as I tried and failed to tell them the instructions. After an encouraging devotion last night and lots of prayer time, I was able to put all those fears aside and before I knew it, we had the necklaces made perfectly and were able to get to Oscar's surprise... FUTBOL!
The rest of our time was... pure joy. Almost all the boys ran out to the field and played a huge game of futbol, soccer to Americans, which I'm told was tied 2-2 when we had to leave. As a girl who has played maybe one game of soccer in my entire life, the idea of running around a huge field making a fool of myself in front of talented little Guatemalans in the sticky heat, it wasn't exactly appealing. I was rescued by an absolutely wonderful nine year old named Sheli (pronounced Shelly). A crowd of girls and younger boys were gathered around a bunch of us, running all over and tickling each other. They were relentless, full of energy, and had a huge number advantage. Every time I was able to pick myself up off the ground, I was tackled back down again by three or four giggling kids. I had to "die" at least four times just to be able to take a water break before being revived ("como Jesus!") and starting all over. I started chasing them all around, telling them that I was a dragon and breathing fire all over. They absolutely loved it and before long, I had a large team of flying, fire-breathing Guatemalan dragons to help me capture Allison and the "princesses." After what felt like only a few minutes (although it was a pretty long time), Kevin gathered the team for a picture and my two little hangers-on allowed me to leave them for a few minutes. We'd been sitting in the shade and I listened as they told me about all the things that have been happening in their village. Sheli and the other little girl were only nine and seven, respectively, and yet they had a classmate die in the past few months and were able to talk about it without even flinching. It hurt to see such young girls so used to such hardships. I held them close and we embraced until everything was loaded in the van and I absolutely had to leave. There were lots of kisses and saying "Te amo" ("I love you"). It was the most amazing thing to be able to talk to and encourage these young girls in their own language and show them the love that they wanted more than anything else.
The memory verse that we teach every day comes from John 4:12b: Yo soy la luz del mundo. El que me sigue no andara en tinieblas sino que tendra la luz de la vida; I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but have the light of life. God shines the light of His love on us through the amazing gift of His Son and here in Guatemala, we have been able to shine His light and share His love with everyone we've met. Even more so, His light and love have been shining on us from the open hearts of these beautiful people.
Buenas noches! In Him,
Jamie Helmreich
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Faith Lesson Numero Uno!
Today we went out to El Rincon (meaning the corner) which is about 30-45 minutes away. Once we got there we split up into groups of about 3 or 4 with a Guatemalan leader for home visits. Then we returned to the building where we gathered with Guatemalans from the area to do our faith lessons. This building is just an empty building sitting on this dirt road corner, hence the name, and it is available and a perfect location for Groundwork Guatemala to use for ministry.
Aracelis' home visit experience:
My group (Manuel, Aleen, Allison, and I) went to talk to a man named Pablo. Pablo lives with his wife Sandra. Another member of their family lives right next door to them. Pablo and Sandra do have children but because their sister lives right next door the children were all playing and it was unclear how many they actually had. Before we got into a big conversation about his live, he was telling us how he was "American" too because he is Central American. That was interesting to me because my group was able to see how he was trying to connect to us in some way.While we were talking to Pablo, he told us a story that when he was younger he was going to school to be a Pastor because that is what his father did. At some point while he was in school he decided to drop out and he began going down an ungodly path. He began to steal from people and he would shoot a gun outside his house because that was his way of letting people know not to come near his house. He was put in prison three times, once in Canada, and another time in Guatemala (the other place was not mentioned). The last time that he was in prison, (he was in a Prison in Guatemala for 8 months because he had a gun that was not registered to him) he started thinking to himself and he realized that he is an adult and if he has a family then why he is acting so immature. He got out of prison and decided to change his ways because he had to take care of his family. He also shared with us that now if someone drops something instead of taking it like it usually would have done, he gives it back to them. For me, that was so powerful because it is truly a blessing for someone to realize what they are doing wrong and they actually change their ways and become a better person. After hearing his story we shared with him Romans 5:3-8 and 2 Timothy 3:1-9. If you ever get a chance you should definitely read them because they were powerful verses. (I have a bunch of verses that I am bringing home to share with my family that I think could really be useful in a time when things dont necessarily go the way we plan them.)
Alex's home visit experience:
The first home I went to visit was with Oscar, Betsy, Jordan, and David. We walked down some long dirt roads and came to a home where we met a woman by the name of Auda and her daughter Aura. We stood in this room that was somewhatly outside and yet their kitchen. As we stood there ducks, chickens, and two small dogs ran around. Auda told us her story and how Aura was sick last week before. She could feel a lump in her stomach. They visited the hospital and they told them that there was nothing they could do. A miracle from God was that the lump is now gone and she is feeling well. It was amazing to hear that such a miracle had happened and to a girl right in front of our eyes. We prayed for the family and especially the mother because she was saying that she was having some problems in her life. We are not sure what they problems were because she did not want to share, it may have been with her husband, family member, or friend. The important thing is that God knows. It was reassuring to know that because of my faith I do not have to worry that I don't know here problem because it is all in the hands of our Lord and Savior and he already knew.
After we visited with Auda and Aura we walked to the home of a very elderly couple. Marta and Pualliodo. I was really glad we got to visit this family because I know that with their faith in Christ he will bless them and give them hope. Paulliodo had been let go of his job because he was not doing so well and the owner did not want to deal with nor be responsible for his death. After receiving this news the couple ended up needing to move because they were unable to find jobs. Finally this woman offered to let them build a little shack on a small plot of land behind her building as long as they kept care of the corn next to it. The happily accepted the offer and now live there in a small tin shack. Also, Marta and Pualliodo are widowed, she has one child and he has two. The couple has lived together now for eight years but are not married. I was really disheartened to hear their story because they are elderly and are only seen as a burden. No one wants to be responsible for them or have to take care of them. Pualliodo is also sick again, has been for a month, and does not have much hope to become better. I wanted to so badly for the couple to just feel more comforted and like they had support and love. So we shared God's word with them and hoped to give them a light, God's light to give them hope and guidance. They seemed very into what we had to say and they wanted better for themselves. I really appreciated them allowing us to visit with them and let us hear about their lives and for us share God in their lives. As we left they gave us hugs and I could feel their love and appreciation. It's amazing to be able to share my faith with the Guatemalan's and for me to hear theirs, especially when they have so little and such big hearts.
Our first faith lesson:
We had prepared a skit about the parting of the Red Sea and how God is our Light. We sang songs, in Spanish!, an application of the Bible story to their lives, both adults and children, and also a craft. For our first lesson I think we were all really surprised at how well it went and how excited all the Guatemalan's were. We split into two groups for the application and craft section, one with children, the other with adults. Aracelis and I were in the children's group. We sat with the children during the craft in order to help them put it together. Our craft was a necklace made of beads. Aracelis and I, especially me since I speak no Spanish, both found it rather difficult at times to explain to them how to put it together without using many words. However, even though I couldn't speak much to them I was so moved because a couple of the girls just latched on to me and kept talking even thought I barely respoded or in some mixed English/Spanish combinaiton. I think they found a lot of humor out of my lack of knowledge. I was also very comforted because I was able to really connect with them because of our love of Christ. Following the craft we just visited with the Guatemalans before we had to leave.
While we were visiting with the Guatemalans, a young woman came up to Kevin and gave him a paper to translate. Kevin was busy trying to pack everything in the vans so he called me (Aracelis) over to speak with her. She gave me a paper that was written in Spanish and asked if I could translate it for her cousin. I have been studying Spanish for 5 years but I wasn't super confortable translating the entire thing by my self. I called Chayanne (pretty sure I didn't spell it right, but you get the idea of who I'm talking about) and Andrea and asked if they could assist me in translating it. Chayanne looked at the entire thing and noticed that it was basically dialoge between a Doctor and a patient. We asked the woman if it was something for school and she told us yes. We found out that it was her homework and we basically told her that we couldn't translate it for her because we thought it would be best if her "cousin" spent 30 minutes to try and translate it. We also told her that God would be with her in assisting her with translating it. When that happened, I was completely caught of guard and I was glad that Chayanne and Andrea were there to help me respond to the woman. I found it quite sad that she didn't want to take the time to do her homework and learn. In the states, most of us take school for granted but after this encounter, I learned that being in college is definitely a blessing because not everyone has the same opportunities that we are fortunate to have.
Looking forward to our adventures tomorrow!
God's Blessings and Love to all of our family and friends back home,
-Aracelis & Alex
Aracelis' home visit experience:
My group (Manuel, Aleen, Allison, and I) went to talk to a man named Pablo. Pablo lives with his wife Sandra. Another member of their family lives right next door to them. Pablo and Sandra do have children but because their sister lives right next door the children were all playing and it was unclear how many they actually had. Before we got into a big conversation about his live, he was telling us how he was "American" too because he is Central American. That was interesting to me because my group was able to see how he was trying to connect to us in some way.While we were talking to Pablo, he told us a story that when he was younger he was going to school to be a Pastor because that is what his father did. At some point while he was in school he decided to drop out and he began going down an ungodly path. He began to steal from people and he would shoot a gun outside his house because that was his way of letting people know not to come near his house. He was put in prison three times, once in Canada, and another time in Guatemala (the other place was not mentioned). The last time that he was in prison, (he was in a Prison in Guatemala for 8 months because he had a gun that was not registered to him) he started thinking to himself and he realized that he is an adult and if he has a family then why he is acting so immature. He got out of prison and decided to change his ways because he had to take care of his family. He also shared with us that now if someone drops something instead of taking it like it usually would have done, he gives it back to them. For me, that was so powerful because it is truly a blessing for someone to realize what they are doing wrong and they actually change their ways and become a better person. After hearing his story we shared with him Romans 5:3-8 and 2 Timothy 3:1-9. If you ever get a chance you should definitely read them because they were powerful verses. (I have a bunch of verses that I am bringing home to share with my family that I think could really be useful in a time when things dont necessarily go the way we plan them.)
Alex's home visit experience:
The first home I went to visit was with Oscar, Betsy, Jordan, and David. We walked down some long dirt roads and came to a home where we met a woman by the name of Auda and her daughter Aura. We stood in this room that was somewhatly outside and yet their kitchen. As we stood there ducks, chickens, and two small dogs ran around. Auda told us her story and how Aura was sick last week before. She could feel a lump in her stomach. They visited the hospital and they told them that there was nothing they could do. A miracle from God was that the lump is now gone and she is feeling well. It was amazing to hear that such a miracle had happened and to a girl right in front of our eyes. We prayed for the family and especially the mother because she was saying that she was having some problems in her life. We are not sure what they problems were because she did not want to share, it may have been with her husband, family member, or friend. The important thing is that God knows. It was reassuring to know that because of my faith I do not have to worry that I don't know here problem because it is all in the hands of our Lord and Savior and he already knew.
After we visited with Auda and Aura we walked to the home of a very elderly couple. Marta and Pualliodo. I was really glad we got to visit this family because I know that with their faith in Christ he will bless them and give them hope. Paulliodo had been let go of his job because he was not doing so well and the owner did not want to deal with nor be responsible for his death. After receiving this news the couple ended up needing to move because they were unable to find jobs. Finally this woman offered to let them build a little shack on a small plot of land behind her building as long as they kept care of the corn next to it. The happily accepted the offer and now live there in a small tin shack. Also, Marta and Pualliodo are widowed, she has one child and he has two. The couple has lived together now for eight years but are not married. I was really disheartened to hear their story because they are elderly and are only seen as a burden. No one wants to be responsible for them or have to take care of them. Pualliodo is also sick again, has been for a month, and does not have much hope to become better. I wanted to so badly for the couple to just feel more comforted and like they had support and love. So we shared God's word with them and hoped to give them a light, God's light to give them hope and guidance. They seemed very into what we had to say and they wanted better for themselves. I really appreciated them allowing us to visit with them and let us hear about their lives and for us share God in their lives. As we left they gave us hugs and I could feel their love and appreciation. It's amazing to be able to share my faith with the Guatemalan's and for me to hear theirs, especially when they have so little and such big hearts.
Our first faith lesson:
We had prepared a skit about the parting of the Red Sea and how God is our Light. We sang songs, in Spanish!, an application of the Bible story to their lives, both adults and children, and also a craft. For our first lesson I think we were all really surprised at how well it went and how excited all the Guatemalan's were. We split into two groups for the application and craft section, one with children, the other with adults. Aracelis and I were in the children's group. We sat with the children during the craft in order to help them put it together. Our craft was a necklace made of beads. Aracelis and I, especially me since I speak no Spanish, both found it rather difficult at times to explain to them how to put it together without using many words. However, even though I couldn't speak much to them I was so moved because a couple of the girls just latched on to me and kept talking even thought I barely respoded or in some mixed English/Spanish combinaiton. I think they found a lot of humor out of my lack of knowledge. I was also very comforted because I was able to really connect with them because of our love of Christ. Following the craft we just visited with the Guatemalans before we had to leave.
While we were visiting with the Guatemalans, a young woman came up to Kevin and gave him a paper to translate. Kevin was busy trying to pack everything in the vans so he called me (Aracelis) over to speak with her. She gave me a paper that was written in Spanish and asked if I could translate it for her cousin. I have been studying Spanish for 5 years but I wasn't super confortable translating the entire thing by my self. I called Chayanne (pretty sure I didn't spell it right, but you get the idea of who I'm talking about) and Andrea and asked if they could assist me in translating it. Chayanne looked at the entire thing and noticed that it was basically dialoge between a Doctor and a patient. We asked the woman if it was something for school and she told us yes. We found out that it was her homework and we basically told her that we couldn't translate it for her because we thought it would be best if her "cousin" spent 30 minutes to try and translate it. We also told her that God would be with her in assisting her with translating it. When that happened, I was completely caught of guard and I was glad that Chayanne and Andrea were there to help me respond to the woman. I found it quite sad that she didn't want to take the time to do her homework and learn. In the states, most of us take school for granted but after this encounter, I learned that being in college is definitely a blessing because not everyone has the same opportunities that we are fortunate to have.
Looking forward to our adventures tomorrow!
God's Blessings and Love to all of our family and friends back home,
-Aracelis & Alex
Monday, August 8, 2011
Diving in
Hola blog viewers! Today was our first day out in Guatemala City doing what we came here to do: sharing God's word. We started off the day by meeting some of the Guatemalans who do work here at Groundwork Guatemala: Oscar, Odi, Ceasar, Sandra, and Ruth. We will be working with them the rest of the week, doing home visits, and teaching VBS. First, we visited a ministry called "Only a Child" which was started by a man named George from Boston. After reading a story about a Guatemalan street boy who had been tortured and killed by a gang, George felt the calling to go to Guatemala City and help. Today this ministry helps boys who want to get off the streets of Guatemala City and get out of gang activity. They provide these boys with the opportunity of going to school, as well as shelter and training in carpentry. This provides these young men with valuable job skills, as well as an activity to keep them ocupied and off the streets. We met a couple of the guys involved in this minsitry today. Daniel was one of the boys taken in by this ministry. He has been with "Only a Child" for many years and is currently in his seventh year of college, studying to become a lawyer. A couple others we met were also studying at a college level. One young man is about to graduate from high school and will be taking an internship position next month with a business in Guatemala City. It was an awesome experience to see a ministry that has been making such a huge difference in the lives of many young men in Guatemala City. It is moving and encouraging to see how these young men could turn their lives around after living on the streets and being involved in gangs, to attending a university and holding a steady career.
Our next stop for the day was the Guatemala City Cemetery which is on the top of a hill overlooking a huge, steep valley which is the city dump. Much of the cemetery looked like what we would call a mausoleum. There were rows of tall concrete structures with vaults to but bodies in. A family of a decesed person would rent a vault for their loved one, and a tombstone would be paved over the front of the vault. When the family could no longer afford to rent the vault, the cemetary would break open the vault and simply toss the remains over the cliff into the city dump. From the edge of the cliff, we could see the dump below, filled not only with garbage, but also with the hundreds of poor Guatemalans who live, and make their living in the dump. They crowd around a dump truck as it gets ready to unload, so that they can be among the first to pick through the trash, looking for anything that is recycleable, or may be of any value. These people (including children) are not employed by the dump, but are there because it is the only way they can make a living to provide for their families. As you can imagine, the conditions are very hazardous and unhealthy, especially given the fact that toilet paper cannot be flushed in Guatemala. Used toilet paper must be thrown in the trash, so much of what these people were sorting through was used toilet paper. Also, the dump trucks and bulldozers do not look out for people in the way, so the people in the dump have to look out and move out of the way if a truck is coming in their direction. The ground in the dump is very unstable, and we were told of one incident where the ground caved in and several people, and a dump truck were sucked into the ground and were never found. Also, with this being the rainy season, the cliffside is very unstable. A couple weeks ago, there was a mudslide into the dump that took part of the cemetary with it. From where were standing, we could see a couple tombs precariously perched on the edge of the cliff, ready to fall into the dump with the next heavy rainfall. From this spot, it was unbelieveable to look down and see these hundreds of people who looked like ants, scurrying around and collecting materials and carrying it on their backs through the dump, and imagine living in those conditions every day because it is the only way to provide for your family.
After our experience at the cemetary, we had to pick the fleas and other small bugs off each other before getting in the van. Oscar and Ruth drove us downtown so we could see the capitol building and the presidential palace. These buildings were enormous and elegant. It is so startling to see the difference between how the common citizen lives here, and how government officials live. Kevin told us today that most Guatemalans assume that any elected president will be corrupt. The government, and most companies in Guatemala are corrupt, including their national bank.
Be had a short break for lunch back at the house, where we got the opportunity to talk more with the Guatemalan team that works with the ministry. At 1:30 we split into two groups headed back out into the city to do house visits. My group first went to visit a family who lived at the bottom of the steep hillside beneath the bridge in town. The hill side is covered with small concrete structures with tin roofs, often one room where a family of 5 or more will live together. We parked the van at the top of the hill and walked down the steep pathway to the bottom where this family lived. The house was a small one room cinderblock structure, where all seven of the family lived. Although there was barely enough room Manuel, who is with Groundwork Guatemala, shared a few Bible passages with the family, and talked with the father, Marcos, about being a good father and provider for his family. He gave him advice to stay in Christ and keep Him as his foundation. We then prayed with the family before leaving. This first visit was a little uncomfortable for some of us, because we were nearvous about what would happen, or what we would say, as well as the issue of the language barrier. Even though we have several translators, it was still difficult to get past that issue at first. After we left the house, it was raining, and we had to run back up the side of the valley to get to the van.
During the second house visit, we all opened up a little more, and were much more comfortable. At the second house we visited with a twelve year old girl named Jasmine who was in the sixth grade. She was alone at the house because her parents were still both at work, and her granmother was not there. We all introduced ourselves to her, and she told us about school and what she was interested in. She likes math, and wants to work in Medical Forensics when she finishes school. She asked us what we were studying in school. After that she asked us to pray for her because she had a test in school coming up. She told us that she gets discouraged in school and asked us to share a Bible verse that heped us or gave us comfort when we were discouraged, and she asked us to give her advice about school. I shared Hebrews 12:1-2 with Jasmine. "Therefore since we are surrounded by such a great could of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders, and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perserverence the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes of Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." I told her that this verse encourages me to press on, even when I think I may fail, and gives me the confidence that Christ is my strength in all things. We all shared different verses with her and prayed with her. I really believe that God spoke to Jasmine through all of us today. I think that we were able to give her some encouragement to press on to achieve her goal, and to do it all for the Glory of God. It was an amazing experience, and really broke down some of the fears and barriers that some of us had.
Sometimes the best way to do something is just to jump right in. Today we jumped in, and we are ready to see what God has in store for us for the rest of the week. Tomorrow, we are traveling about an hour away from Guatemala City to teach VBS for the first time this week. We praticed our skits and songs tonight, and went over our materials, and we are ready to serve God's people. We thank everyone following our blog, including family and friends for your prayers. Please continue to keep us in your prayers this week, that we may touch the lives of the people here, and that our hearts may be opened to be touched by the people we serve here.
In Him
-Kyle Salesky
Monday 8/8/11
Our next stop for the day was the Guatemala City Cemetery which is on the top of a hill overlooking a huge, steep valley which is the city dump. Much of the cemetery looked like what we would call a mausoleum. There were rows of tall concrete structures with vaults to but bodies in. A family of a decesed person would rent a vault for their loved one, and a tombstone would be paved over the front of the vault. When the family could no longer afford to rent the vault, the cemetary would break open the vault and simply toss the remains over the cliff into the city dump. From the edge of the cliff, we could see the dump below, filled not only with garbage, but also with the hundreds of poor Guatemalans who live, and make their living in the dump. They crowd around a dump truck as it gets ready to unload, so that they can be among the first to pick through the trash, looking for anything that is recycleable, or may be of any value. These people (including children) are not employed by the dump, but are there because it is the only way they can make a living to provide for their families. As you can imagine, the conditions are very hazardous and unhealthy, especially given the fact that toilet paper cannot be flushed in Guatemala. Used toilet paper must be thrown in the trash, so much of what these people were sorting through was used toilet paper. Also, the dump trucks and bulldozers do not look out for people in the way, so the people in the dump have to look out and move out of the way if a truck is coming in their direction. The ground in the dump is very unstable, and we were told of one incident where the ground caved in and several people, and a dump truck were sucked into the ground and were never found. Also, with this being the rainy season, the cliffside is very unstable. A couple weeks ago, there was a mudslide into the dump that took part of the cemetary with it. From where were standing, we could see a couple tombs precariously perched on the edge of the cliff, ready to fall into the dump with the next heavy rainfall. From this spot, it was unbelieveable to look down and see these hundreds of people who looked like ants, scurrying around and collecting materials and carrying it on their backs through the dump, and imagine living in those conditions every day because it is the only way to provide for your family.
After our experience at the cemetary, we had to pick the fleas and other small bugs off each other before getting in the van. Oscar and Ruth drove us downtown so we could see the capitol building and the presidential palace. These buildings were enormous and elegant. It is so startling to see the difference between how the common citizen lives here, and how government officials live. Kevin told us today that most Guatemalans assume that any elected president will be corrupt. The government, and most companies in Guatemala are corrupt, including their national bank.
Be had a short break for lunch back at the house, where we got the opportunity to talk more with the Guatemalan team that works with the ministry. At 1:30 we split into two groups headed back out into the city to do house visits. My group first went to visit a family who lived at the bottom of the steep hillside beneath the bridge in town. The hill side is covered with small concrete structures with tin roofs, often one room where a family of 5 or more will live together. We parked the van at the top of the hill and walked down the steep pathway to the bottom where this family lived. The house was a small one room cinderblock structure, where all seven of the family lived. Although there was barely enough room Manuel, who is with Groundwork Guatemala, shared a few Bible passages with the family, and talked with the father, Marcos, about being a good father and provider for his family. He gave him advice to stay in Christ and keep Him as his foundation. We then prayed with the family before leaving. This first visit was a little uncomfortable for some of us, because we were nearvous about what would happen, or what we would say, as well as the issue of the language barrier. Even though we have several translators, it was still difficult to get past that issue at first. After we left the house, it was raining, and we had to run back up the side of the valley to get to the van.
During the second house visit, we all opened up a little more, and were much more comfortable. At the second house we visited with a twelve year old girl named Jasmine who was in the sixth grade. She was alone at the house because her parents were still both at work, and her granmother was not there. We all introduced ourselves to her, and she told us about school and what she was interested in. She likes math, and wants to work in Medical Forensics when she finishes school. She asked us what we were studying in school. After that she asked us to pray for her because she had a test in school coming up. She told us that she gets discouraged in school and asked us to share a Bible verse that heped us or gave us comfort when we were discouraged, and she asked us to give her advice about school. I shared Hebrews 12:1-2 with Jasmine. "Therefore since we are surrounded by such a great could of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders, and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perserverence the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes of Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." I told her that this verse encourages me to press on, even when I think I may fail, and gives me the confidence that Christ is my strength in all things. We all shared different verses with her and prayed with her. I really believe that God spoke to Jasmine through all of us today. I think that we were able to give her some encouragement to press on to achieve her goal, and to do it all for the Glory of God. It was an amazing experience, and really broke down some of the fears and barriers that some of us had.
Sometimes the best way to do something is just to jump right in. Today we jumped in, and we are ready to see what God has in store for us for the rest of the week. Tomorrow, we are traveling about an hour away from Guatemala City to teach VBS for the first time this week. We praticed our skits and songs tonight, and went over our materials, and we are ready to serve God's people. We thank everyone following our blog, including family and friends for your prayers. Please continue to keep us in your prayers this week, that we may touch the lives of the people here, and that our hearts may be opened to be touched by the people we serve here.
In Him
-Kyle Salesky
Monday 8/8/11
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Our first full day!
Here we are at the end of our first full day in Guatemala. It has been a pretty low-key day after we returned from church this morning. We went to Sendro de la Cruz, a church only a short distance from the Groundwork Guatemala House. The name means "the path or way of the cross." This is Manuel's church (Manuel and his family live here at the ministry house and work with Kevin and Ginny Holmes, the Americans who oversee this ministry.) Ginny explained to us that they want this organization to be a ministry where Guatemalans are helping Guatemalans.
Worshipping at this church was a really beautiful experience. The idea of the universal Body of Christ is something with which we are familiar, but to actually experience this world-wide community of Christ-followers is a whole other story. It is truly humbling and inspiring to worship the very same God with people who live in a culture so very different from our own. We also were able to take communion with them, as one body, one people who worship the same Lord. While it may seem like there are so many differences between them and us, we were able to experience our common belief in Christ. And really, that is the most important thing we could ever have in common.
These people worshipped with their whole hearts. They sang with such sincerity and heartfelt praise. While I, and many others, didn't understand many of the words being sung, it was evident these people were praising their Savior with all they had. Liturgical dance was another aspect of the service through which they praised God. Watching the young girls dance to the music with such energy and joy was so very beautiful.
It was a blessing to be so warmly welcomed by these people. We were greeted with many smiles, hugs, and kisses from the people of the congregation. They received us with open arms.
This afternoon, we spent our time here at the ministry house. Ginny introduced us to the week ahead, explaining a little about what we will experience. We learned that we will be visiting a ministry tomorrow morning called "Only a Child." This ministry works with street boys who live near the city dump. We will also have the opportunity to do some house visits tomorrow afternoon. This will give us an opportunity to share God's word with families on a more intimate, one-on-one level. I am excited for this chance to share Jesus' love with people in this way. At the same time, I am somewhat apprehensive about knowing what to say. But as Ginny reminded us this afternoon, God will speak through us and will lead us to share what these people need to hear.
We also continued our planning for the faith lessons we will teach on Tuesday through Friday. We will be teaching groups of adults and children throughout these few days, so we spent some time figuring out how to best apply the story to their lives. Please pray that God would guide us as we continue to plan and prepare for the teaching we will do later this week!
We also ask for your prayers for God to work through us tomorrow and that we would be free from any fears or uncertainties that may hold us back. May He use us for His purposes!! Thank you for all your love and prayers!!
In Christ,
Ellen
Worshipping at this church was a really beautiful experience. The idea of the universal Body of Christ is something with which we are familiar, but to actually experience this world-wide community of Christ-followers is a whole other story. It is truly humbling and inspiring to worship the very same God with people who live in a culture so very different from our own. We also were able to take communion with them, as one body, one people who worship the same Lord. While it may seem like there are so many differences between them and us, we were able to experience our common belief in Christ. And really, that is the most important thing we could ever have in common.
These people worshipped with their whole hearts. They sang with such sincerity and heartfelt praise. While I, and many others, didn't understand many of the words being sung, it was evident these people were praising their Savior with all they had. Liturgical dance was another aspect of the service through which they praised God. Watching the young girls dance to the music with such energy and joy was so very beautiful.
It was a blessing to be so warmly welcomed by these people. We were greeted with many smiles, hugs, and kisses from the people of the congregation. They received us with open arms.
This afternoon, we spent our time here at the ministry house. Ginny introduced us to the week ahead, explaining a little about what we will experience. We learned that we will be visiting a ministry tomorrow morning called "Only a Child." This ministry works with street boys who live near the city dump. We will also have the opportunity to do some house visits tomorrow afternoon. This will give us an opportunity to share God's word with families on a more intimate, one-on-one level. I am excited for this chance to share Jesus' love with people in this way. At the same time, I am somewhat apprehensive about knowing what to say. But as Ginny reminded us this afternoon, God will speak through us and will lead us to share what these people need to hear.
We also continued our planning for the faith lessons we will teach on Tuesday through Friday. We will be teaching groups of adults and children throughout these few days, so we spent some time figuring out how to best apply the story to their lives. Please pray that God would guide us as we continue to plan and prepare for the teaching we will do later this week!
We also ask for your prayers for God to work through us tomorrow and that we would be free from any fears or uncertainties that may hold us back. May He use us for His purposes!! Thank you for all your love and prayers!!
In Christ,
Ellen
Saturday, August 6, 2011
We are HERE!
Bienvenidos a GUATEMALA. Our journey is just now beginning. At 1:50 today we all left beautiful Chicago headed Guatemala bound. Thankfully all of our flights were on time and pleasant to say the least. No crying babies, horrible turbulence and we even had time to bond as a team. As we left Miami for Guatemala a storm was brewing, but thankfully our path was clear! The view from the air looking down at the lights of the city upon arrival was breathtaking, not to mention the blue, orange and yellow sunset, mixed with dark clouds. Just gazing out at the sky and God's creation set an amazing tone and expectation for the week ahead.
Customs and immigration can always be a nerve-racking moment, but God was right there with us. Everyone got there visas easily and we didn't even have to get our bags scanned through the x-rays upon entrance. Not to mention the beautiful and modern airport. Clean and easy to get through. All of our bags even showed up! What a blessing! The Groundwork Guatemala staff was awaiting us outside along with some amazingly cool weather. A breeze was blowing and the city was alive. The house we are staying at is only about 10 minutes, maybe 20 from the airport in a relatively urban area. A mall is a few blocks away and we can even see the "golden arches" from the beautiful roof top. The roof is going to be a great place to build our teams bond and spend some quality time with God. 4 volcanoes surround us and we are all anxious to see them tomorrow in the day light. As for the rest of tonight, we have downtime. Resting from the long day of travel and just bonding as a team looks like our current priorities. Tomorrow morning we are off to church and will spend the afternoon planning and preparing for the week. We want to thank all of you for your prayers and ask you to continue to keep our journey in your prayers. Pray for the people's hearts we will come into contact with. Thanks again!
Blessings~
Laura
Just a quick note.. Each night someone different from the team will be blogging to give a different insight and point of view. ENJOY
Customs and immigration can always be a nerve-racking moment, but God was right there with us. Everyone got there visas easily and we didn't even have to get our bags scanned through the x-rays upon entrance. Not to mention the beautiful and modern airport. Clean and easy to get through. All of our bags even showed up! What a blessing! The Groundwork Guatemala staff was awaiting us outside along with some amazingly cool weather. A breeze was blowing and the city was alive. The house we are staying at is only about 10 minutes, maybe 20 from the airport in a relatively urban area. A mall is a few blocks away and we can even see the "golden arches" from the beautiful roof top. The roof is going to be a great place to build our teams bond and spend some quality time with God. 4 volcanoes surround us and we are all anxious to see them tomorrow in the day light. As for the rest of tonight, we have downtime. Resting from the long day of travel and just bonding as a team looks like our current priorities. Tomorrow morning we are off to church and will spend the afternoon planning and preparing for the week. We want to thank all of you for your prayers and ask you to continue to keep our journey in your prayers. Pray for the people's hearts we will come into contact with. Thanks again!
Blessings~
Laura
Just a quick note.. Each night someone different from the team will be blogging to give a different insight and point of view. ENJOY
We are HERE!
Bienvenidos a GUATEMALA 1:50 today we all left beautiful Chicago Guatemala Miami Guatemala
Customs and immigration can always be a nerve-racking moment, but God was right there with us. Everyone got there visas easily and we didn't even have to get our bags scanned through the x-rays upon entrance. Not to mention the beautiful and modern airport. Clean and easy to get through. All of our bags even showed up! What a blessing! The Groundwork Guatemala staff was awaiting us outside along with some amazingly cool weather. A breeze was blowing and the city was alive. The house we are staying at is only about 10 minutes, maybe 20 from the airport in a relatively urban area. A mall is a few blocks away and we can even see the "golden arches" from the beautiful roof top. The roof is going to be a great place to build our teams bond and spend some quality time with God. 4 volcanoes surround us and we are all anxious to see them tomorrow in the day light. As for the rest of tonight, we have downtime. Resting from the long day of travel and just bonding as a team looks like our current priorities. Tomorrow morning we are off to church and will spend the afternoon planning and preparing for the week. We want to thank all of you for your prayers and ask you to continue to keep our journey in your prayers. Pray for the people's hearts we will come into contact with. Thanks again!
Blessings~
Laura
Just a quick note.. Each night someone different from the team will be blogging to give a different insight and point of view. ENJOY
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Groundwork Guatemala
On August 6-14, 2011, students from Concordia University Chicago will be traveling to Guatemala City, Guatemala, Central America, for a week of mission work alongside Groundwork Guatemala. Here is the link of the organization for more details. http://www.groundworkguatemala.org/view/intro. We would like to thank everyone who has supported our trip thus far! Stay tunned for updates. We will be updating this daily while we are in Guatemala and possibly before! Please keep us in your prayers!
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