July 9, 2008
This was our first day of prep work in Villa de San Fran scraping walls of the school for painting – they glued everything on the walls!; touring the city for evangelism and playing with children. Esther and I prepared a power point for Scott, and that was fun connecting with her more. It was an early morning and we had a surprise service around 3 at the local place where they hold church here. It was a surprise service because we were the service and didn’t know it until we got to the place. It was really funny for us, specially thinking back to the beginning of the summer where we would have no idea what to do and who to sing and what to sing and PREACH! We all started laughing and then pulled everything together really quickly. Luckily in my Bible I kept songs in Spanish written down from other services we had done in the past, so that helped A LOT! Maddai said she would preach, a few lead worship (Mehir, Catherine, Wes and I) and one person gave a testimony. After that Scott came to pick us up and we left for the seminary to eat. That night the ladies at the seminary actually made us food. It was so good! We hung out together and made lunches for the next day.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Saturday, August 16, 2008
July 4th
July 4th
We came back home today to have a BBQ at Scott and Emily’s. Julio, Alicia, Ronnie joined us as well and we asked Scott if we were getting fireworks but he said he hadn’t gotten any. It was neat cook the meal with Emily and celebrate my country’s birthday in another country. Kendra was talking about how she hadn’t celebrated the 4th of July in America in years; I decided I would be ok with that if that was my future. I haven’t missed much of the U.S. since I’ve been gone, I think God has created me to be the kind of person that is ok with being away for a long time without missing, especially if it’s doing His work. After dinner we were surprised when Julio brought out a bag of fireworks and we all got an opportunity to go a little crazy. It was fun and would have been very illegal in the U.S. (as far as the kind of fireworks that we had). We sang our national anthem and the Mexicans even got festive for us. Ronnie and Alicia said it was fun for them to be able to celebrate this fun holiday with their brothers and sisters in Christ. I agree, it was.
We came back home today to have a BBQ at Scott and Emily’s. Julio, Alicia, Ronnie joined us as well and we asked Scott if we were getting fireworks but he said he hadn’t gotten any. It was neat cook the meal with Emily and celebrate my country’s birthday in another country. Kendra was talking about how she hadn’t celebrated the 4th of July in America in years; I decided I would be ok with that if that was my future. I haven’t missed much of the U.S. since I’ve been gone, I think God has created me to be the kind of person that is ok with being away for a long time without missing, especially if it’s doing His work. After dinner we were surprised when Julio brought out a bag of fireworks and we all got an opportunity to go a little crazy. It was fun and would have been very illegal in the U.S. (as far as the kind of fireworks that we had). We sang our national anthem and the Mexicans even got festive for us. Ronnie and Alicia said it was fun for them to be able to celebrate this fun holiday with their brothers and sisters in Christ. I agree, it was.
July 2nd
July 2nd
Scott and Emily has meeting with us before we left for Lake Atilan. They were meeting with us to discuss and general review of how we thought the trip and everything was going. We talked about just where I’m at and they gave me compliments life: that I reminded them of the post-modern church, that I had this way of being able to give an insight into what each situation means as far as God and how He is working with it. That I did a really good job of including people and that I was good at bringing people up and being positive about the situation. But the thing they said was really unique and not to loose was the insight because not everyone has that. Everyone in the group had these meetings with them. My challenge was Claudia, because of how I’d said I’d had the biggest difficulity with really feeling like I wanted to include her and everyone but it was really difficult because I have a hard time understanding what she is saying and communicating altogether with her and also feeling connected with her. Scott and Emily told me that I’d be surprised how alike we actually are; so they told me to challenge myself and find alternative ways of talking with her. I didn’t tell them about my frustration with Maddai and how I felt like she is this person that I’m so jealous of because I feel like she is leading this life I wish I were leading. Instead I decided to write them letters.
Then we went to Lake Atilan and it was so wonderful and amazing and I conquered another fear and went kayaking. Lindsey and I shared a room together for 3 days, we were perfect roommates. We went kayaking or boating in the mornings and shopping in the afternoons. We had live entertainment our first night in Atilan and went to this really nice, open restaurant and there was a woman performing on the street, spinning a who-la-hoop around her neck and there were other people playing drums for her act and then inside the restaurant later people played the guitar and sang. And they were cute! It was a fun trip. When we went shopping it poured, so we were pretty limited to a market that was under cover, though it was still fun, I bought a skirt and some things for my family.
Scott and Emily has meeting with us before we left for Lake Atilan. They were meeting with us to discuss and general review of how we thought the trip and everything was going. We talked about just where I’m at and they gave me compliments life: that I reminded them of the post-modern church, that I had this way of being able to give an insight into what each situation means as far as God and how He is working with it. That I did a really good job of including people and that I was good at bringing people up and being positive about the situation. But the thing they said was really unique and not to loose was the insight because not everyone has that. Everyone in the group had these meetings with them. My challenge was Claudia, because of how I’d said I’d had the biggest difficulity with really feeling like I wanted to include her and everyone but it was really difficult because I have a hard time understanding what she is saying and communicating altogether with her and also feeling connected with her. Scott and Emily told me that I’d be surprised how alike we actually are; so they told me to challenge myself and find alternative ways of talking with her. I didn’t tell them about my frustration with Maddai and how I felt like she is this person that I’m so jealous of because I feel like she is leading this life I wish I were leading. Instead I decided to write them letters.
Then we went to Lake Atilan and it was so wonderful and amazing and I conquered another fear and went kayaking. Lindsey and I shared a room together for 3 days, we were perfect roommates. We went kayaking or boating in the mornings and shopping in the afternoons. We had live entertainment our first night in Atilan and went to this really nice, open restaurant and there was a woman performing on the street, spinning a who-la-hoop around her neck and there were other people playing drums for her act and then inside the restaurant later people played the guitar and sang. And they were cute! It was a fun trip. When we went shopping it poured, so we were pretty limited to a market that was under cover, though it was still fun, I bought a skirt and some things for my family.
July 1st
July 1
Sunday – Rios de Agua Vida
Gotitas de Amor
Monday- Talk with Scott
Lunch at Jerson’s
Nap
De-briefing at Armstrong’s
Tuesday- Gotitas de Amor
Movie night
July 1
Today we woke up at around 7 for devo’s @ 7:30. Catherine did the devotion and it was found in Malachai 1:6-8. Then we all hung out until Carlos came to get us. Kendra stayed behind to work on something that Scott and Emily had for her in the office and the rest of us were off to Gotitas de Amor. We got there and no kids has shown up yet so some of us girls started playing girlie games we all used to play in middle school like MASH. It was hilarious and we taught the Mexicans and they loved it! Then kids began showing up- the younger kids first- for help with their homework.
Around 10:30 a.m. Carlos and Lily (his wife), Catherine and Maddai left for the market while we “held down the fort.” When they got back most of the kids were leaving for lunch and some stayed to help with preparations. As we sat down for lunch Juan, Lindsey, Wes and I started playing spades, it was really fun. While we were playing spades, Carlos came up and told us that we were playing something of the Devil and kind of chuckled. Us, North Americans, all looked at one another with udder confusion. Juan then began to tell us that playing with regular playing cards is still something controversial in Central America – then it actually made sense that Juan wanted all these pictures of all of us playing cards for his Dad to see. A little bit later I had a conversation with Scott about it and he said that people still believed that about cards because some missionary a long time ago came in and told them that and their still getting used to the idea that the cards themselves and the games to be played are not of the Devil but if you have a sour intent while playing the games. It was definitely something for me to get used to. I know Carlos was only joking (in a sense) but I think he then allowed us to be a little more mindful of who we played cards in front of, i.e. not during church, while the Pastor was preaching.
We were a bit antsy today to start our 3-day vacation. We haven’t had a full day off all summer, so our whole group was completely ready for a little bit of rest and relaxation – even Scott and Emily. I think we were being a little bit lazy at Gotitas today because we knew we were going to leave soon.
We got home tonight (home to the School of the Missions)
Sunday – Rios de Agua Vida
Gotitas de Amor
Monday- Talk with Scott
Lunch at Jerson’s
Nap
De-briefing at Armstrong’s
Tuesday- Gotitas de Amor
Movie night
July 1
Today we woke up at around 7 for devo’s @ 7:30. Catherine did the devotion and it was found in Malachai 1:6-8. Then we all hung out until Carlos came to get us. Kendra stayed behind to work on something that Scott and Emily had for her in the office and the rest of us were off to Gotitas de Amor. We got there and no kids has shown up yet so some of us girls started playing girlie games we all used to play in middle school like MASH. It was hilarious and we taught the Mexicans and they loved it! Then kids began showing up- the younger kids first- for help with their homework.
Around 10:30 a.m. Carlos and Lily (his wife), Catherine and Maddai left for the market while we “held down the fort.” When they got back most of the kids were leaving for lunch and some stayed to help with preparations. As we sat down for lunch Juan, Lindsey, Wes and I started playing spades, it was really fun. While we were playing spades, Carlos came up and told us that we were playing something of the Devil and kind of chuckled. Us, North Americans, all looked at one another with udder confusion. Juan then began to tell us that playing with regular playing cards is still something controversial in Central America – then it actually made sense that Juan wanted all these pictures of all of us playing cards for his Dad to see. A little bit later I had a conversation with Scott about it and he said that people still believed that about cards because some missionary a long time ago came in and told them that and their still getting used to the idea that the cards themselves and the games to be played are not of the Devil but if you have a sour intent while playing the games. It was definitely something for me to get used to. I know Carlos was only joking (in a sense) but I think he then allowed us to be a little more mindful of who we played cards in front of, i.e. not during church, while the Pastor was preaching.
We were a bit antsy today to start our 3-day vacation. We haven’t had a full day off all summer, so our whole group was completely ready for a little bit of rest and relaxation – even Scott and Emily. I think we were being a little bit lazy at Gotitas today because we knew we were going to leave soon.
We got home tonight (home to the School of the Missions)
June 27th
June 27th
We decided to have the VBS@ 2:30 PM. We had kids come up to the school in the morning to play games. Some of them actually remembered us from the first time we came. For me, especially this little girl named Lillian – she has something special about her – I just know it. We had lunch at the layman’s hut, made by his wife and other family, that was kind of the overseer of the village church there. All of our meals came from there; they were all so gracious.
After lunch we went back to the school to set up and get dressed. Then some of the us went out into the community to invite kids. It was a blast, Leslie, Lindsey, and I were chased (literally chased) by geese and we almost touched the border of Belize - all in one day, what an adventure! It was an interesting afternoon…
Leslie became Cometa for the week, along with Wes and I as clowns, Catherine and Lindsey were puppeteers, Esther as the announcer and Mehir with Josue for sound. The first day- the only afternoon without rain – we had 105 kids come! We played games after and got to converse with many before dinner at 5:30. Then at 6:30 we showed the Jesus film. It was the first time for anything like that (not only in our trip, but in my life!) and it was powerful. We had over 400 people! Afterward I sat with Lillian and prayed and prayed for all the people there and that God would be working in their hearts. It was hard to communicate with people because of my lack of Spanish so I just prayed that the hearts of the people would be softened and that God would be alive in the place. It was hard that night that all the little kids that I was sitting next to were laughing when Jesus was being crucified, that was hard for me to sit there and endure that. I was so moved by the film, even though it was in Spanish, every time I was impacted.
We were all pretty exhausted after that and went to bed. Our beds consisted of concrete floors in the school. It was interesting having no running water, but I think it brought us closer as a group.
We had a night in Jovente where we were worshipping in the rain and singing songs to the Lord and the power went out and it was still raining and we were singing underneath a little lean-to at the school in the dark. It was so amazing to see God alive in the lightening and thunder and everywhere around us. It was beautiful. We were singing past everything else that existed, past worldly things, past the Devil and just to our God, it was wonderful.
One day while in Jovente the kids group didn’t have anything to do for the afternoon so Lindsey went with Claudia to, Wes with Juan, Mehir and Josue with church folk, and Catherine and Esther with Kendra all joined evangelism teams. Maddai organized and put everyone in groups, except for me, which was intentional because Scott said we would do something else – which was fine with me because I wasn’t ready in my amount of Spanish I knew for evangelism, or so I thought.
That afternoon Scott and I got the opportunity to do something different. Though before we started our afternoon task we got a wonderful opportunity to talk with man used to be really involved in the church in Jovente but then moved to another town and he fell away from Christ because of a lack of involvement in a church. So Scott, Wes, Juan, the DS, Augusto (the pastor), and myself got the chance to pray for this man who was recommitting to Christ in his life and was willing to go to extreme lengths for Christ. It was such an wonderful experience being able to pray for this man as he accepted Christ back into his life.
After that, Scott and I picked up trash in the area where we were going to show the Jesus film and the surrounding areas. It was nice to do something different and Scott and I got a good opportunity to talk. I think that Scott and I are getting to be better friends, which is really nice – specially to have an American perspective on the culture that he is now fully emersed in his daily life. I didn’t think I would get that opportunity. Scott and I picked up everything from empty chip bags to old diapers, it was a really funny afternoon. We also unintentionally got some of the community involved. Some of the ladies and children from the family that helped cook our meals first started laughing at us picking up their trash and then started volunteerily helping. I hope they can keep their streets clean – though that might just be wishful thinking. After a bit we started talking to one of the ladies that was helping and she started teaching us Catchee, which is one of the 32 indigenous Mayan languages in Guatemala. We learned the song, If You’re Happy and You Know it, it was a really fun and funny afternoon. It rained a lot and I saw Scott and Jerson both slip down the same hill and fall on their butts and then Catherine fall up a different hill, it was so funny.
We decided to have the VBS@ 2:30 PM. We had kids come up to the school in the morning to play games. Some of them actually remembered us from the first time we came. For me, especially this little girl named Lillian – she has something special about her – I just know it. We had lunch at the layman’s hut, made by his wife and other family, that was kind of the overseer of the village church there. All of our meals came from there; they were all so gracious.
After lunch we went back to the school to set up and get dressed. Then some of the us went out into the community to invite kids. It was a blast, Leslie, Lindsey, and I were chased (literally chased) by geese and we almost touched the border of Belize - all in one day, what an adventure! It was an interesting afternoon…
Leslie became Cometa for the week, along with Wes and I as clowns, Catherine and Lindsey were puppeteers, Esther as the announcer and Mehir with Josue for sound. The first day- the only afternoon without rain – we had 105 kids come! We played games after and got to converse with many before dinner at 5:30. Then at 6:30 we showed the Jesus film. It was the first time for anything like that (not only in our trip, but in my life!) and it was powerful. We had over 400 people! Afterward I sat with Lillian and prayed and prayed for all the people there and that God would be working in their hearts. It was hard to communicate with people because of my lack of Spanish so I just prayed that the hearts of the people would be softened and that God would be alive in the place. It was hard that night that all the little kids that I was sitting next to were laughing when Jesus was being crucified, that was hard for me to sit there and endure that. I was so moved by the film, even though it was in Spanish, every time I was impacted.
We were all pretty exhausted after that and went to bed. Our beds consisted of concrete floors in the school. It was interesting having no running water, but I think it brought us closer as a group.
We had a night in Jovente where we were worshipping in the rain and singing songs to the Lord and the power went out and it was still raining and we were singing underneath a little lean-to at the school in the dark. It was so amazing to see God alive in the lightening and thunder and everywhere around us. It was beautiful. We were singing past everything else that existed, past worldly things, past the Devil and just to our God, it was wonderful.
One day while in Jovente the kids group didn’t have anything to do for the afternoon so Lindsey went with Claudia to, Wes with Juan, Mehir and Josue with church folk, and Catherine and Esther with Kendra all joined evangelism teams. Maddai organized and put everyone in groups, except for me, which was intentional because Scott said we would do something else – which was fine with me because I wasn’t ready in my amount of Spanish I knew for evangelism, or so I thought.
That afternoon Scott and I got the opportunity to do something different. Though before we started our afternoon task we got a wonderful opportunity to talk with man used to be really involved in the church in Jovente but then moved to another town and he fell away from Christ because of a lack of involvement in a church. So Scott, Wes, Juan, the DS, Augusto (the pastor), and myself got the chance to pray for this man who was recommitting to Christ in his life and was willing to go to extreme lengths for Christ. It was such an wonderful experience being able to pray for this man as he accepted Christ back into his life.
After that, Scott and I picked up trash in the area where we were going to show the Jesus film and the surrounding areas. It was nice to do something different and Scott and I got a good opportunity to talk. I think that Scott and I are getting to be better friends, which is really nice – specially to have an American perspective on the culture that he is now fully emersed in his daily life. I didn’t think I would get that opportunity. Scott and I picked up everything from empty chip bags to old diapers, it was a really funny afternoon. We also unintentionally got some of the community involved. Some of the ladies and children from the family that helped cook our meals first started laughing at us picking up their trash and then started volunteerily helping. I hope they can keep their streets clean – though that might just be wishful thinking. After a bit we started talking to one of the ladies that was helping and she started teaching us Catchee, which is one of the 32 indigenous Mayan languages in Guatemala. We learned the song, If You’re Happy and You Know it, it was a really fun and funny afternoon. It rained a lot and I saw Scott and Jerson both slip down the same hill and fall on their butts and then Catherine fall up a different hill, it was so funny.
June 26th
June 26th
Wow! These past few days have been some of my favorite times. We got to Jovente finally around 9 or 9:30 AM on Tuesday. We were served breakfast in Chakte at the Pastor’s house before we actually arrived.
Once we got to Jovente we all met together, had prayer and got started. A blessing was that as we were pulling into Jovente we saw that our work and witness project was already done. Some of our group along with people (men) from the village were going to build a fence around the clinic, but the people took the initiative and built it by themselves! It was kind of disappointing not to be part of building the fence, since I was on the work and witness team. I was hoping I could be a part of something without having to constantly speak Spanish. I knew work and witness would be something that I didn’t need to communicate all the time but I didn’t get my chance on this trip. Though I am glad that the people in the community were able to take the iniative and do it themselves, it must have been a good way for the community to bond.
Since the work-and-witness team was no more Mehir and I took part in the group for the kids; Jerson went with the evangelism group; and Scott who was a quasi member of the Work-and-Witness team, went where he was needed. So my new group-for the kids-got started right away.
We didn’t have Remi right away but instead played futbol in this giant field that some kids showed us, and it was muddy and so fun. There was one point that there were 59 kids playing futbol with us and the numbers just continued to grow. I wasn’t feeling very well so I decided to sit down and catch up in my journal and a bunch of little girls that noticed that I was sitting down swarmed me and started asking me all kinds of questions; Juan said it looked they were going to eat me. After several minutes, Catherine who said she was going to the bathroom came around the corner riding a horse. Needless to say this afternoon I conquered my fears and rode a horse. It was a pretty hilarious and random afternoon.
Wow! These past few days have been some of my favorite times. We got to Jovente finally around 9 or 9:30 AM on Tuesday. We were served breakfast in Chakte at the Pastor’s house before we actually arrived.
Once we got to Jovente we all met together, had prayer and got started. A blessing was that as we were pulling into Jovente we saw that our work and witness project was already done. Some of our group along with people (men) from the village were going to build a fence around the clinic, but the people took the initiative and built it by themselves! It was kind of disappointing not to be part of building the fence, since I was on the work and witness team. I was hoping I could be a part of something without having to constantly speak Spanish. I knew work and witness would be something that I didn’t need to communicate all the time but I didn’t get my chance on this trip. Though I am glad that the people in the community were able to take the iniative and do it themselves, it must have been a good way for the community to bond.
Since the work-and-witness team was no more Mehir and I took part in the group for the kids; Jerson went with the evangelism group; and Scott who was a quasi member of the Work-and-Witness team, went where he was needed. So my new group-for the kids-got started right away.
We didn’t have Remi right away but instead played futbol in this giant field that some kids showed us, and it was muddy and so fun. There was one point that there were 59 kids playing futbol with us and the numbers just continued to grow. I wasn’t feeling very well so I decided to sit down and catch up in my journal and a bunch of little girls that noticed that I was sitting down swarmed me and started asking me all kinds of questions; Juan said it looked they were going to eat me. After several minutes, Catherine who said she was going to the bathroom came around the corner riding a horse. Needless to say this afternoon I conquered my fears and rode a horse. It was a pretty hilarious and random afternoon.
June 25th
June 25th
We traveled most of the day and then stayed in PB at Jennie’s house (her son is Benjamin, he’s a missionary in Jordan). Scott is really good friends with her other son. Most of the people (Esther, Maddai, Kendra, Kalleta, Wes, Mehir, Jerson, Scott, and Juan) stayed in the air-conditioned (which is rare) rooms and the rest of us (Leslie, Lindsey, Catherine and I) stayed on the giant porch in either a hammock or a lie down lawn chair.
Scott’s friend took us to get ice cream down the street and we watched an American movie there as we waited for the rain to die down. Then we just went back and talked to Scott for a little bit and then went to sleep. Sleeping outside was an experience, I got a little wet, but it was lovely to experience Gods creation like that. And feel really emersed in it- just listening to the rain.
We traveled most of the day and then stayed in PB at Jennie’s house (her son is Benjamin, he’s a missionary in Jordan). Scott is really good friends with her other son. Most of the people (Esther, Maddai, Kendra, Kalleta, Wes, Mehir, Jerson, Scott, and Juan) stayed in the air-conditioned (which is rare) rooms and the rest of us (Leslie, Lindsey, Catherine and I) stayed on the giant porch in either a hammock or a lie down lawn chair.
Scott’s friend took us to get ice cream down the street and we watched an American movie there as we waited for the rain to die down. Then we just went back and talked to Scott for a little bit and then went to sleep. Sleeping outside was an experience, I got a little wet, but it was lovely to experience Gods creation like that. And feel really emersed in it- just listening to the rain.
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