Philippians 2:14

What a blessed week! Our first team from Oak Park and Westwood Baptist churches just left and our next team arrives soon. This week we served in the village of Santa Louisa. Our projects were to concrete the floors in the new bathromms for the village. When completed, these will be the first bathrooms with plumbing in the village. We also began the foundation of the Pastor’s house. Pastor Carlos will be moving to the village when his house is complete, to be with the people God has called him to make disciples of. In the afternoons, we also ministered to the children of the village. We had the opportunity to share the Gospel with them, share Bible stories with them, make crafts, sing praise to the Lord, and just build relationships with them for the purpose of showing Christ’s love. We prayed that our actions would be fragrant offerings to the Lord. However, we know we did not make sacrifice. It is our delight to share Christ with the nations. He is our hope and He must be shared.

This week God taught me mucho. He taught me that every good thing I do is the Christ in me. One day I was sick in the village. I can’t remember feeling that sick many other times in my life. And one of the village ladies who attends the church made a tea for me and loved on me, welcoming me into her shack. Later when I had recovered, I thanked her for taking care of me. She simply answered it’s the Christ in me. I was so humbled. She didn’t say your welcome, or I was glad to do it, but “It’s the Christ in me.” Wow. Every good thing I do is the Christ in me.

God also very vividly showed me how He is greater than any barrier. I struggle with the lanugauge barrier when I am overseas. I want so badly to communicate. And the first day that I met Telmar, one of the village ladies, she told me I needed to learn Spanish so I could talk to her. Haha. Well, feeling intimidated I continued to try to communicate with her all week. But I didn’t go home and learn a lot of Spanish. I didn’t have time. I just tried to love her. I played with her special needs sons. I shared my favorite Bible verse with her. I asked her all the questions I knew in Spanish. I prayed that the Holy Spirit would love through me. And on the last day as I hugged Telmar goodbye, both of us in tears, she told me 1. That my Spanish had improved and 2. That I would forever be her sister in Christ. Praise God that He is not hindered by any cultural barrier! He is God of all!

God is sovereign over the weather and over our health and whether we are on time or not. God makes all things new. God answers prayers according to His will. Nothing compares to knowing Christ and making Him known. I pray that everything I do will be a reflection of HIM.

our make-shift potty 

Glori a Dios! 

We've been to the Pacific Ocean (there's black sand from the volcanic ash), we've been to the laundry mat, we celebrated Independence Day with Guatemalan friends, we delivered food at a village school in San Antonio, we zip-lined down a mountain...in the rain, we've seen volcanoes, we got to be part of the first peg to outline a Pastor's house who is moving from the city to a village to make disciples, we've loved on kids, we've put up a sign with scripture on it in front of the church for all to see, we've gotten to know precious God-fearing women, and we've picked flowers with sweet children who want to learn english. But most of all, we've loved. Christ has loved through us. And we've been loved back by those who love Him and been hated by those who don't know Him.

The past two weeks in Guatemala have been life-changing. I don't think I could ever be the same. I don't think I can forget the poverty I've seen or the belief in false gods that I've heard. I don't think I can walk through life without putting all of my hope in trust in the Lord, believing that He is sovereign over my every move. I don't think I can pray without thinking of the believers I met in Santa Louisa who fall to their knees every time they pray. I don't think I can forget how God has taught me that there are no shortcuts with Him..growing in Christ is a process. I don't think I can forget how when we draw near to Jesus and seek to follow Him, Satan is all the more present. I am so thankful to be in Guatemala this summer. I know I am right where the Lord wants me.

Please pray for us as our first team of students gets in on Saturday. We've spent this week preparing for them and cannot wait for them to get here. Pray safe travel for them, safety and health while they are here, for any obstacles that may keep them from serving the Lord with all their hearts, and for Christ's Name to be glorified in Guatemala. May God's will be done.

More Pictures

Soccer! 

with Pastor Pablo  

New bathroom system 

Clean water filter! 

Drinking her clean water! 

Antigua

Guatemalan cooking lessons

Glory to God 

yes, this is real 

Everything in Guatemala is going well! We have been visiting the different villages that we will be taking teams to when they arrive. Within the week, I’ve seen a village where the gospel has not been accepted (Bajucilito, that I mentioned in the previous post) where both the physical and spiritual poverty is overwhelming. The work to be done almost seems too much. Then I’ve also been to a village, Santa Louisa, where the gospel is thriving and a church has been planted. There are families of believers who form a strong community in the village. Their school is functioning well, they are building new homes with floors and walls, finding ways to self sustain, and are so filled with the joy of Christ. It was beautiful to me to see the difference that Christ makes in His childrens lives. This is not to say that all Christians become better off physically when they live in Christ, but Christ transforms us and when believers come together, great things happen. The progress in Santa Louisa also gives hope to what can happen in Bajucilito! Jesus is Hope. He is Life. He is Truth. And I am so humbled to be a part of His work in Guatemala. Please pray for the hearts of the people in Bajucilito to be softened and the faithfulness of the people in Santa Louisa to continue to grow.

This week we’ve also been able to experience Guatemalan culture with authentic foods and the Pacific Ocean. Enjoy the photos :)

Glori a Dios

We made it!!

Hola! Guatemala is wonderful. We arrived on Friday around lunch time. The local women at the church, Guerreros de Dios (Warriors of God), had cooked a wonderful, authentic meal for us. We've gotten to know everyone and are settled in to the apartment where we will be staying for the next 2 weeks. One of the pastors, Charlie, is our next door neighbor. Later that afternoon the church courtyard and part of Pastor Pablo’s apartment flooded from a heavy rain, so we 'bucketed' water for a few hours before going to bed early from a long day :) 

Yesterday we spent the day in Bajucilito, a nearby village. As my first experience in a rural village like this, my heart was broken. Sweetly broken. We were greeted by precious people and welcomed into their homes. A sweet mother, Maria, taught us how to make homemade corn tortillas and a teenager, Hilmar, showed us his family’s coffee plantation. We went into a particular kitchen where a young mother was taking care of her sick little boy. She shared with us how her son has been sick, her mother is sick, and her sister had just had a miscarriage. I have been praying for the Holy Spirit to show me where He is at work, and as this young woman shared, I felt tears well up in my eyes and my heart start beating faster. I knew this wasn’t a coincidence. So before we left their kitchen, we prayed over them. We prayed for physical, spiritual, and emotional healing. They don't know Jesus, but they appreciated our prayers, and we will continue to pray for their salvation. We spent the rest of our time in Bajucilito playing games with the kids and just hugging on them and laughing with them. It was beautiful to see the love of Christ completely tear down language barriers. As we drove back down the mountain, I felt the fulfillment that comes from obeying the Word of the Lord. 2 Corinthians 5:14-15 comes to mind.

All in all, it’s been a blessed trip so far. I am confident that it is a divine appointment by the Lord that I am here this summer. Please continue to pray for us and for God’s will over our time in Guatemala. Pray for the church and the villages we are serving and for the gospel to go forth. Thank you for your prayers and encouragement.

Enjoy the photos!