Wow! We are coming home already! It's crazy to think how fast these ten days have flown by. Today we went on a morning tour of Antigua and re-visited some of the sites that we saw previously in the dark. We visited the oldest Cathedral in Guatemala, which was beautiful and breathtaking. The Spanish architecture was unique and as we toured the Cathedral, many of the girls talked about how perfect it would be to hold a wedding there. Although some walls and most of the outside were broken down due to earthquakes, what was left of the building was still amazing. We all took a lot of pictures. Underneath the Cathedral were chambers where bodies were previously buried, which we toured as well. Next, we toured the convent, which was very massive and Less explained the life of a nun in early Antigua. We also walked into the storage cellar inside the convent which is a dome shape with a pillar in the very center. The acoustics inside the cellar were astounding and we all joined in worship. The sounds echoed off the walls and made our class sound like several choirs singing in harmony with each other.
Once our tour was over, we were all given about two hours of free time to shop at a marketplace with the rest of our consol money. Most spent all of their money, and bardered well. There were still some people who were tricked into paying double the price of what an item was worth, but for the most part everyone had the "knack for bardering". Everyone was amazed at how cheap everything was and how far an America dollar was worth in Guatemala. Others felt guilty for bardering because we all see how these people live inside their homes. The hot item that everyone brought back from the market were the Guatemalan ponchos. Many of the girls also purchased coffee-bean bags made from hemp material. The shopping frenzy pushed most of us back into our old consumerist attitude. After shopping, Less Peters made it clear at how quick we are to go back to our old ways, and how easy it is to forget about the changes we have made in Guatemala.
The last de-brief was very powerful. It seemed like God was making his last tug on people's hearts before we traveled back home. Many team members re-committed their lives to Christ, proclaimed him as their Lord and Savior or shared personal aspects of their lives that they needed to change. Tears flowed even heavier after the de-brief as everyone broke off into groups and prayed together. The prayer was only supposed to last about 20 minutes, but people just kept flocking to each other and praying for different things. Eventually, it got really late and Mr. Werth had to push everyone to head to bed. Hopefully, this last de-brief made a clear impression on everyone's heart that will last in Canada. We are all very nervous about heading back home. This trip has been so powerful and all of us are worried that our fires for God will burn out once we return to life in Canada. Please continue to pray for our team when we arrive back in Calgary. Changing was the easy part, making all our changes permanent will be a true test of our faith. Thank you for your support and your commitment to reading these blogs. It has been a pleasure to document our days for you all. God Bless!
Karlynn
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Antigua
Today we spent most of the day traveling (5 hour bus ride) to Antigua for some tourist activities. Once we arrived, it took a while to get everyone settled in. For supper, we all ate at "Pollo Comperos" pronouced: Poy-Yo Com-per-os. We had the choice between several fried chicken dinners and the icecream we ate afterwards was delicious. After a good meal, Less Peters took us on a night walk around town to show us some tourist attractions and explained some of the Spanish history behind Antigua. He took us to the main Cathedral in Antigua as well as the convent. The city was designed typical to other Spanish settlements and is only 11 blocks in width and length. It reminded many of Banff in Alberta the way everything was very tourist-friendly. It was a very big change from being in TacTic, where poverty is everywhere. Towards the end of our night tour, Less took us to a typical tourist shop where Mayan masks, statues and pottery were sold. He explained that most tourists buy the masks and statues because they
represent the culture of the Guatemalan people, however, all of them represent a Mayan god or idol, some evil and some good. He encouraged us not to purchase any of these idols because of their deeper meaning. At the back of the store, there was a Mayan altar and place of worship
to a wooden statue named after the Apostle Paul, which represented him before he was saved by Christ. People go to this altar daily and practise various forms of witchcraft, worship and idolatry
there because they believe that the idol has true power over their lives. Having an altar inside
a tourist shop opened our eyes as to how strong the religious connection is with the statues and masks sold in that store.
At the end of the tour, everyone was very tired, but we de-briefed before heading off to bed as usual. Less Peters and some of the other leaders warned us about transitioning back to the Canadian lifestyle. They said it was crucial for us to slowly transition back into our old lifestyle to cement the changes that have taken place in our lives in Guatemala. If we do not transition well, it was explained that all the changes that have taken place will be for nothing. All of us expressed the need to keep our personal changes permanent. This missions trip has been a life-altering experience for each one of us and it is crucial that we continue to grow in Christ and not fall back into the same ruts we were in before this missions trip. Even being in Antigua and getting used to being "rich" again gave some of us reverse culture shock. As we spend our last day in Guatemala tomorrow, we will all be focusing on how we can use the changes that have taken place here to turn our lives around.
Karlynn
represent the culture of the Guatemalan people, however, all of them represent a Mayan god or idol, some evil and some good. He encouraged us not to purchase any of these idols because of their deeper meaning. At the back of the store, there was a Mayan altar and place of worship
to a wooden statue named after the Apostle Paul, which represented him before he was saved by Christ. People go to this altar daily and practise various forms of witchcraft, worship and idolatry
there because they believe that the idol has true power over their lives. Having an altar inside
a tourist shop opened our eyes as to how strong the religious connection is with the statues and masks sold in that store.
At the end of the tour, everyone was very tired, but we de-briefed before heading off to bed as usual. Less Peters and some of the other leaders warned us about transitioning back to the Canadian lifestyle. They said it was crucial for us to slowly transition back into our old lifestyle to cement the changes that have taken place in our lives in Guatemala. If we do not transition well, it was explained that all the changes that have taken place will be for nothing. All of us expressed the need to keep our personal changes permanent. This missions trip has been a life-altering experience for each one of us and it is crucial that we continue to grow in Christ and not fall back into the same ruts we were in before this missions trip. Even being in Antigua and getting used to being "rich" again gave some of us reverse culture shock. As we spend our last day in Guatemala tomorrow, we will all be focusing on how we can use the changes that have taken place here to turn our lives around.
Karlynn
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Day 8 - March 31/09
Phil & Karlynn have the night off, so I took the opportunity to blog some of todays events from my perspective. I hope you enjoy!
Darryn
Well, we made it to Antigua safely!
During the trip, it was 37 C for a great portion. Wow, talk about hot. And we traveled in vans with no air conditioning. If we left the windows open, we got a breeze that was super hot, dusty, and, for a portion of the trip, very smokey.
For a number of students, it was difficult to say goodbye to Tactic. There have been lots of interesting & exciting events that occurred there, and it is hard to leave them behind. But, we will carry the memories with us in our hearts and the 1000's of photos that were taken.
We arrived in Antigua about 5:00 PM, and are staying at a hotel called Posada Los Bucaros. It was originally a Spanish-modeled home that has been renovated into a hotel. There are two open courtyards, with fountains, plants & comfy seats for sitting. The rooms are not overly expansive (except for one which has 3 beds in a gigantic living room-looking room) but they are fresh. The most exciting draw (especially for some of the 11B boys who stayed at the hotel in Tactic) is the hot showers! Mr. Mel finally got to wash the small of his back, which has not seen water for almost 7 days.
After settling in, everybody went to Pollo Campero for dinner. Chicken & fries, or chicken salad or a chicken burger; hence the name! Then we went for a quick walking tour of Antigua. All the buildings are lit up from the outside. Antigua is one of the 3 capital cities of Guatemala. Many of the buildings are from the 1500's and were designed to make the conquering Spaniards feel at home.
We closed the evening with a devotional in which Les Peters shared stories about his experiences in Guatemala, how he accepted the Lord, and how this short-term mission has impacted students in the past. We talked as a group about "reverse culture shock". About the challenges of returning to our lives in Calgary after having seen and done the activities we participated in.
Then Les set the scene for tomorrow evening's devotion. Each member of the team is to share about a desired change that they feel the Holy Spirit calling them to make. Should be an interesting & emotional evening!
Tomorrow morning we will tour the ruins of Antigua; multiple earthquakes have destroyed many of the buildings here. Most were rebuilt, but a few have been left on display for tourists. In the afternoon, we will head to the main market in Antigua to purchase momentos & gifts of our time in Guatemala. The market will give students the opportunity to practice a time-honoured tradition here in Latin America, that of bartering for a good price. I will let you know how it goes.
Darryn
Well, we made it to Antigua safely!
During the trip, it was 37 C for a great portion. Wow, talk about hot. And we traveled in vans with no air conditioning. If we left the windows open, we got a breeze that was super hot, dusty, and, for a portion of the trip, very smokey.
For a number of students, it was difficult to say goodbye to Tactic. There have been lots of interesting & exciting events that occurred there, and it is hard to leave them behind. But, we will carry the memories with us in our hearts and the 1000's of photos that were taken.
We arrived in Antigua about 5:00 PM, and are staying at a hotel called Posada Los Bucaros. It was originally a Spanish-modeled home that has been renovated into a hotel. There are two open courtyards, with fountains, plants & comfy seats for sitting. The rooms are not overly expansive (except for one which has 3 beds in a gigantic living room-looking room) but they are fresh. The most exciting draw (especially for some of the 11B boys who stayed at the hotel in Tactic) is the hot showers! Mr. Mel finally got to wash the small of his back, which has not seen water for almost 7 days.
After settling in, everybody went to Pollo Campero for dinner. Chicken & fries, or chicken salad or a chicken burger; hence the name! Then we went for a quick walking tour of Antigua. All the buildings are lit up from the outside. Antigua is one of the 3 capital cities of Guatemala. Many of the buildings are from the 1500's and were designed to make the conquering Spaniards feel at home.
We closed the evening with a devotional in which Les Peters shared stories about his experiences in Guatemala, how he accepted the Lord, and how this short-term mission has impacted students in the past. We talked as a group about "reverse culture shock". About the challenges of returning to our lives in Calgary after having seen and done the activities we participated in.
Then Les set the scene for tomorrow evening's devotion. Each member of the team is to share about a desired change that they feel the Holy Spirit calling them to make. Should be an interesting & emotional evening!
Tomorrow morning we will tour the ruins of Antigua; multiple earthquakes have destroyed many of the buildings here. Most were rebuilt, but a few have been left on display for tourists. In the afternoon, we will head to the main market in Antigua to purchase momentos & gifts of our time in Guatemala. The market will give students the opportunity to practice a time-honoured tradition here in Latin America, that of bartering for a good price. I will let you know how it goes.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Day 7 - March 30/09
Our last day in TacTic was an awesome closing to a life-changing trip. Today we slept in an extra two hours and we visited several more sponsor children’s homes. It was still mind-blowing how much the families appreciated our prayers and our blessings that we gave to them. Every family opened up their home to our large group and shared a small piece of their lives with us. Every time we visited a new family, they always made us feel very loved and accepted.
Following the home visits, we toured a Catholic Cathedral named after the Mayan corn god, Shashim. At the site, there were altars in front of crosses where the Mayan religion and witchcraft are practiced daily. Less Peters explained that when the Spanish arrived in Guatemala, they conquered it by ‘converting’ the people to Catholicism. However, when the people were converted, they simply blended their current religious practices with those of the Catholics because the Guatemalans are polytheistic. We saw first-hand how the enemy has deceived and twisted the gospel to the Guatemalans. Inside the Cathedral, the paintings of verses in the Bible were inaccurate, and supported idolatry of Mary, and other saints. At the back of the Cathedral, there was a statue of a ‘Black Christ’ on a cross. By making Christ black in color, this helped convert the Mayans to Catholics because they believed their corn god, Shashim, to be black. The Black Christ in the church is therefore called the God of Shashim. As soon as we saw the images and the Black Christ, we all felt the darkness and deception inside the church.
After Shashim, we traveled to Coban to visit the main hospital there. We gave out many of the stuffed animals that were donated to children in the intensive care ward and the Pediatric ward. Our team was split up into groups and each group walked around their assigned section of each ward and prayed for every patient. The most touching experience for most of the team was visiting the Premature birth ward and holding two of the abandoned babies in the ward. We also had the opportunity to witness the first moments of one baby’s life that had just been released from the delivery room. All of us watched, awed as the nurse cleaned and dressed the newborn baby. This overwhelming happiness we felt as we held and took pictures of each baby was a good contrast from all the despair we have witnessed during home visits. We observed that not only do the Guatemalans experience extreme poverty daily, but they also rejoice during blessings such as a newborn baby.
After supper, we engaged in one of the most powerful de-briefing meetings our team has ever had. Less Peters challenged us to lay down the parts of our life that are getting in the way of living fully for God. As everyone knelt down on the ground before God, we prayed that God would give us strength to give up our faults and hidden sins and surrender ourselves to God’s plan. It is certain that we will all come back home with new perspectives on life and free from our previous shortcomings. Guatemala has changed us in ways we could never have imagined and nobody is ready to leave yet.
Karlynn
Hola family and friends!
Hope you are all doing fantastic!
Today started off with our third and final day of shoveling dirt! We worked relentlessly, knowing that the end was in sight. We literally cheered when Rocky told us to put away our tools forever! Many of us were sore, injured, tired, dirty, and sun burnt, but we were all ecstatic to put away the shovels, picks and wheelbarrows for the day!
After working, we went to Les’ house for the last time. The food was spectacular as always and we had the opportunity to buy hand woven goods from some local friends of the Peters. We said our last goodbyes to the home, the beautiful yard, and the great people.
Following lunch it was time to see all of the remaining sponsor children that we failed to meet earlier in the week. Once again, the smiles and gratitude of the children and their families blessed us incredibly. It was hard to understand how they could be SO content with SO little; then we realized that we were judging wealth by the wrong standards. If we were to judge wealth by God’s standards, we would be terribly poor compared to so many of the Guatemalan people. Their passion and uninterruptable worship showed us how wealthy they truly are, and how poor we are. Many of us are longing for God to give us his perspective rather than being blinded by our own desires and standards.
After meeting more of our sponsor kids, we drove a very short distance to the top of a hill, to visit a catholic church called Chi’ixim. This Catholic Church was a mixture of Catholicism, Mayan religions, and witchcraft all blended into one terribly confused religion. The paintings and sculptures within the cathedral were twisted and changed so that Mary was always higher than Jesus. At the front of the cathedral there was statue of Jesus, or at least what we thought was a statue of Jesus. Les told us that it wasn’t Jesus but rather the “Lord of Chi’xim”. Seeing such confusion and lies made many feel sorry for the ….
Mr. Werth is forcing me to go to bed. I will write more tomorrow.
Phil
Following the home visits, we toured a Catholic Cathedral named after the Mayan corn god, Shashim. At the site, there were altars in front of crosses where the Mayan religion and witchcraft are practiced daily. Less Peters explained that when the Spanish arrived in Guatemala, they conquered it by ‘converting’ the people to Catholicism. However, when the people were converted, they simply blended their current religious practices with those of the Catholics because the Guatemalans are polytheistic. We saw first-hand how the enemy has deceived and twisted the gospel to the Guatemalans. Inside the Cathedral, the paintings of verses in the Bible were inaccurate, and supported idolatry of Mary, and other saints. At the back of the Cathedral, there was a statue of a ‘Black Christ’ on a cross. By making Christ black in color, this helped convert the Mayans to Catholics because they believed their corn god, Shashim, to be black. The Black Christ in the church is therefore called the God of Shashim. As soon as we saw the images and the Black Christ, we all felt the darkness and deception inside the church.
After Shashim, we traveled to Coban to visit the main hospital there. We gave out many of the stuffed animals that were donated to children in the intensive care ward and the Pediatric ward. Our team was split up into groups and each group walked around their assigned section of each ward and prayed for every patient. The most touching experience for most of the team was visiting the Premature birth ward and holding two of the abandoned babies in the ward. We also had the opportunity to witness the first moments of one baby’s life that had just been released from the delivery room. All of us watched, awed as the nurse cleaned and dressed the newborn baby. This overwhelming happiness we felt as we held and took pictures of each baby was a good contrast from all the despair we have witnessed during home visits. We observed that not only do the Guatemalans experience extreme poverty daily, but they also rejoice during blessings such as a newborn baby.
After supper, we engaged in one of the most powerful de-briefing meetings our team has ever had. Less Peters challenged us to lay down the parts of our life that are getting in the way of living fully for God. As everyone knelt down on the ground before God, we prayed that God would give us strength to give up our faults and hidden sins and surrender ourselves to God’s plan. It is certain that we will all come back home with new perspectives on life and free from our previous shortcomings. Guatemala has changed us in ways we could never have imagined and nobody is ready to leave yet.
Karlynn
Hola family and friends!
Hope you are all doing fantastic!
Today started off with our third and final day of shoveling dirt! We worked relentlessly, knowing that the end was in sight. We literally cheered when Rocky told us to put away our tools forever! Many of us were sore, injured, tired, dirty, and sun burnt, but we were all ecstatic to put away the shovels, picks and wheelbarrows for the day!
After working, we went to Les’ house for the last time. The food was spectacular as always and we had the opportunity to buy hand woven goods from some local friends of the Peters. We said our last goodbyes to the home, the beautiful yard, and the great people.
Following lunch it was time to see all of the remaining sponsor children that we failed to meet earlier in the week. Once again, the smiles and gratitude of the children and their families blessed us incredibly. It was hard to understand how they could be SO content with SO little; then we realized that we were judging wealth by the wrong standards. If we were to judge wealth by God’s standards, we would be terribly poor compared to so many of the Guatemalan people. Their passion and uninterruptable worship showed us how wealthy they truly are, and how poor we are. Many of us are longing for God to give us his perspective rather than being blinded by our own desires and standards.
After meeting more of our sponsor kids, we drove a very short distance to the top of a hill, to visit a catholic church called Chi’ixim. This Catholic Church was a mixture of Catholicism, Mayan religions, and witchcraft all blended into one terribly confused religion. The paintings and sculptures within the cathedral were twisted and changed so that Mary was always higher than Jesus. At the front of the cathedral there was statue of Jesus, or at least what we thought was a statue of Jesus. Les told us that it wasn’t Jesus but rather the “Lord of Chi’xim”. Seeing such confusion and lies made many feel sorry for the ….
Mr. Werth is forcing me to go to bed. I will write more tomorrow.
Phil
Day 6 - March 29/09
This morning the boys woke up bright and early to empty out a container of school supplies donated by a Cochrane school. The girls were supposed to go with them, but circumstances allowed all of us to sleep in instead. After the boys got back, everyone had some free time to visit the “Tienda” for snacks and pop-in-a-bag. The Tiendas make money when they recycle their glass pop bottles, therefore, when we bought glass bottles of Coke or Pepsi, they pour the pop into a plastic bag and give you a straw to drink it with.
After we got our sugar fix, our group engaged in a cultural activity. To get a taste of what it is like for a missionary trying to buy groceries in Guatemala, our leaders composed a Spanish grocery list for us to get at the local market. We experienced troubles with not only communicating what we wanted, but also getting everything on the list in an hour-and-a-half. My group ended up coming in third in the competition. The group who were able to move the fastest and make quick decisions ended up winning. It was very evident that speaking at least one official language in a foreign country can be key if you want to get your groceries!
Next, we went to an indoor soccer field to play soccer against some Guatemalans. The rest of the night was a blast as the Canadians tried their hardest to score against Guatemalans. In the end, nobody really knew who won, but the fun we had was better than a win. As well, after eating dinner at the soccer field, we lighted some firecrackers in front of the soccer field. Each one of us got our own firecracker to light. Some of us accidentally threw the firecracker too late and burnt our hands a little.
Today was a very full day and we got back fairly late. Tomorrow will be our last day in TacTic and none of us are ready to leave yet. Hopefully tomorrow will be another amazing day.
Karlynn
Hey!
The boys’ day started bright and early with the arrival of a crate carrying tons of desks, tables, computers, and lights from Canmore. It was packed so tightly that there was no more room for anything, and I mean anything, to fit in. Les told us that if we unloaded the crate in less than 2 hours, he wouldn’t get charged extra for an overnight cost. The girls had the opportunity to sleep in a little more than the boys, but we all eventually met up to experience the street markets of Tactic!
Rocky and Karen developed a scavenger hunt for us so that we could experience the culture and insanity of the street markets. We had to find several unknown objects and complete some outrageous tasks in order to finish the race successfully. It was a lot of fun and the team who gathered the most correct items for the least amount of money won the hunt.
Lunch at Les’s followed the market activity, and after that, we drove up an extremely steep mountain in order to reach the coffee plantation. At the plantation, we saw how the coffee beans were grown, kept, roasted, and manufactured to make the best tasting coffee possible.
Church started at 4 o’clock and it lasted until 6:30. Within that time frame, we had the opportunity to worship God and listen to Les and Rita speak. We also had the opportunity to sing two of our own songs and share some testimonies to the Guatemalan people. It was very encouraging to see people tear down the walls of fear and just go and share about God has been doing in their lives.
After the testimonies, Les spoke an incredibly passionate and challenging message with the whole church. It had to do with not being content with “ok” but rather striving for greatness and full surrender to God. He offered for anyone to come up and receive prayer. The front of the stage was packed with people both from Bearspaw and Guatemala, all united in need of prayer. God spoke through children’s undying acts of worship, the words of songs, and the touch of a caring friend and brought so many of us to tears. It was an amazing experience that we will never forget.
Following a very emotional and spiritually altering church service, we scuttled off to the soccer facility to play against the local Guatemalans! The battle was fierce, but the Guatemalans definitely came up on top in the end. It was great to spend time and learn more about many of our new friends in Guatemala.
Buenos Noches!
Phil
After we got our sugar fix, our group engaged in a cultural activity. To get a taste of what it is like for a missionary trying to buy groceries in Guatemala, our leaders composed a Spanish grocery list for us to get at the local market. We experienced troubles with not only communicating what we wanted, but also getting everything on the list in an hour-and-a-half. My group ended up coming in third in the competition. The group who were able to move the fastest and make quick decisions ended up winning. It was very evident that speaking at least one official language in a foreign country can be key if you want to get your groceries!
Next, we went to an indoor soccer field to play soccer against some Guatemalans. The rest of the night was a blast as the Canadians tried their hardest to score against Guatemalans. In the end, nobody really knew who won, but the fun we had was better than a win. As well, after eating dinner at the soccer field, we lighted some firecrackers in front of the soccer field. Each one of us got our own firecracker to light. Some of us accidentally threw the firecracker too late and burnt our hands a little.
Today was a very full day and we got back fairly late. Tomorrow will be our last day in TacTic and none of us are ready to leave yet. Hopefully tomorrow will be another amazing day.
Karlynn
Hey!
The boys’ day started bright and early with the arrival of a crate carrying tons of desks, tables, computers, and lights from Canmore. It was packed so tightly that there was no more room for anything, and I mean anything, to fit in. Les told us that if we unloaded the crate in less than 2 hours, he wouldn’t get charged extra for an overnight cost. The girls had the opportunity to sleep in a little more than the boys, but we all eventually met up to experience the street markets of Tactic!
Rocky and Karen developed a scavenger hunt for us so that we could experience the culture and insanity of the street markets. We had to find several unknown objects and complete some outrageous tasks in order to finish the race successfully. It was a lot of fun and the team who gathered the most correct items for the least amount of money won the hunt.
Lunch at Les’s followed the market activity, and after that, we drove up an extremely steep mountain in order to reach the coffee plantation. At the plantation, we saw how the coffee beans were grown, kept, roasted, and manufactured to make the best tasting coffee possible.
Church started at 4 o’clock and it lasted until 6:30. Within that time frame, we had the opportunity to worship God and listen to Les and Rita speak. We also had the opportunity to sing two of our own songs and share some testimonies to the Guatemalan people. It was very encouraging to see people tear down the walls of fear and just go and share about God has been doing in their lives.
After the testimonies, Les spoke an incredibly passionate and challenging message with the whole church. It had to do with not being content with “ok” but rather striving for greatness and full surrender to God. He offered for anyone to come up and receive prayer. The front of the stage was packed with people both from Bearspaw and Guatemala, all united in need of prayer. God spoke through children’s undying acts of worship, the words of songs, and the touch of a caring friend and brought so many of us to tears. It was an amazing experience that we will never forget.
Following a very emotional and spiritually altering church service, we scuttled off to the soccer facility to play against the local Guatemalans! The battle was fierce, but the Guatemalans definitely came up on top in the end. It was great to spend time and learn more about many of our new friends in Guatemala.
Buenos Noches!
Phil
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Day 5 - March 28/09
Today was an amazing and relaxing day. First, we got an extra hour of sleep before taking off to visit some sponsor children. We walked to all of the children’s homes and each sponsor gave their gifts to the families.
I was supposed to continue blogging about what happened today, but right before I was about to write the rest… we started singing on the top of the roof of our complex and God just started moving like crazy, so I had to stop and go with the flow. We sang for about an hour all the songs that we knew and God began to speak to people in new ways and people began to cry out to God. My hands were shaking as I put my hand around a friend because I could feel the true power of God. We started talking about how we are so distracted in Calgary by all our stuff that it took a trip to Guatemala for us to realize how real and alive God is. The Guatemalan people have shown us that “…the meek will inherit the Earth.” We have seen first hand that when you have nothing, you have gained the entire world. In Calgary, we have everything we could ever ask for, but in reality, we have absolutely nothing. Finally, we prayed that we would bring our new perspective back home with us and change our school. It should not take a trip away from home for anyone to realize how real God is, and when we go back, we want to be able to strip away everything on a daily basis and connect with God. We now know that God lives everywhere and whenever “…two or more gather in His name, there He shall be also.” Today was an amazing day, and I know the other blogs will fill you in on the specific details of the day. A moment where God has vividly touched us is more important than the most detailed description of our daily activities. God is alive, and He is everywhere!
Karlynn
Hola!
Today was a very touching and challenging day emotionally for many of us on the team. We had the opportunity to sleep in this morning and it was greatly appreciated!
Both teams were split into smaller sub-teams based on the location of their sponsor children. One group went to San Antonio (high in the mountains) and Chicoy, while the other group visited sponsor children in Mocohan and Tactic. The opportunity to witness poverty and pain first hand, was overwhelming. Pieces of boards, metal and sticks were piled on top of each other and held together by mud. Many of the homes were no bigger than the equivalent of one of our standard rooms in our homes in Calgary.
The eyes of each of the sponsor children and their families lit up with joy and love at the sight of us “GRINGOS” walking up to them. As each sponsor child received his or her gift from their sponsor, smiles filled their faces and gratitude covered their hearts. It was obvious to us that these children and families had never been shown such love and commitment in their lives before. On the contrary, the love and welcoming spirit that they showed us was incredible, as many of them gave us hugs and smiles without even knowing our names or our stories. Our lives were touched greatly by their acceptance and openness to our prayers and songs. Meeting our sponsor kids added a whole new dimension to sponsorship. Seeing the impact that our dollars and prayers have directly on the future and well-being of the people, was incredible, and it inspired many of us to pray daily for our children’s everyday needs both spiritually and physically.
After a lengthy stay at many of our sponsor children’s homes, we headed out to the hospital in Coban. This was the hardest emotional experience for a majority of our team. The sight of children and newborn babies lying in a hospital bed with no nurses or doctors treating them brought many of us to tears. We had the opportunity to hear the stories of the children and their conditions from their parents, and then pray for them and give them stuffed animals. Many parents were brought to tears at the thought that people cared enough that we would pray for their children’s health and well-being. Two mothers were brought to the Lord courtesy of Israel and his undying passion to minister to the lost and brokenhearted. Over 80% of the children who he prayed with in the hospital had pneumonia. As many of you know, pneumonia can be easily cured with penicillin within days. Unfortunately, the hospitals in Guatemala have very little penicillin, and they are in HUGE need of it to cure those with this terrible disease. It broke our hearts to hear that a disease, which can be easily cured in Canada with the right prescription, can’t be cured in Guatemala because they simply don’t have the materials or the finances. Many of us have decided to start a program in order to raise money so that penicillin can be given to those who DESPERATELY need it.
Following the hospital we had dinner at Pollo Campero and headed back to the hacienda for a de-brief period with our team.
Several people from both teams started to sing worship music and pray together on the roof outside the hacienda. It was a great bonding experience with both our team and God.
We are very excited to experience church tomorrow and take on the Guatemalans in an intense game of soccer!
Have a great night!
Phil
I was supposed to continue blogging about what happened today, but right before I was about to write the rest… we started singing on the top of the roof of our complex and God just started moving like crazy, so I had to stop and go with the flow. We sang for about an hour all the songs that we knew and God began to speak to people in new ways and people began to cry out to God. My hands were shaking as I put my hand around a friend because I could feel the true power of God. We started talking about how we are so distracted in Calgary by all our stuff that it took a trip to Guatemala for us to realize how real and alive God is. The Guatemalan people have shown us that “…the meek will inherit the Earth.” We have seen first hand that when you have nothing, you have gained the entire world. In Calgary, we have everything we could ever ask for, but in reality, we have absolutely nothing. Finally, we prayed that we would bring our new perspective back home with us and change our school. It should not take a trip away from home for anyone to realize how real God is, and when we go back, we want to be able to strip away everything on a daily basis and connect with God. We now know that God lives everywhere and whenever “…two or more gather in His name, there He shall be also.” Today was an amazing day, and I know the other blogs will fill you in on the specific details of the day. A moment where God has vividly touched us is more important than the most detailed description of our daily activities. God is alive, and He is everywhere!
Karlynn
Hola!
Today was a very touching and challenging day emotionally for many of us on the team. We had the opportunity to sleep in this morning and it was greatly appreciated!
Both teams were split into smaller sub-teams based on the location of their sponsor children. One group went to San Antonio (high in the mountains) and Chicoy, while the other group visited sponsor children in Mocohan and Tactic. The opportunity to witness poverty and pain first hand, was overwhelming. Pieces of boards, metal and sticks were piled on top of each other and held together by mud. Many of the homes were no bigger than the equivalent of one of our standard rooms in our homes in Calgary.
The eyes of each of the sponsor children and their families lit up with joy and love at the sight of us “GRINGOS” walking up to them. As each sponsor child received his or her gift from their sponsor, smiles filled their faces and gratitude covered their hearts. It was obvious to us that these children and families had never been shown such love and commitment in their lives before. On the contrary, the love and welcoming spirit that they showed us was incredible, as many of them gave us hugs and smiles without even knowing our names or our stories. Our lives were touched greatly by their acceptance and openness to our prayers and songs. Meeting our sponsor kids added a whole new dimension to sponsorship. Seeing the impact that our dollars and prayers have directly on the future and well-being of the people, was incredible, and it inspired many of us to pray daily for our children’s everyday needs both spiritually and physically.
After a lengthy stay at many of our sponsor children’s homes, we headed out to the hospital in Coban. This was the hardest emotional experience for a majority of our team. The sight of children and newborn babies lying in a hospital bed with no nurses or doctors treating them brought many of us to tears. We had the opportunity to hear the stories of the children and their conditions from their parents, and then pray for them and give them stuffed animals. Many parents were brought to tears at the thought that people cared enough that we would pray for their children’s health and well-being. Two mothers were brought to the Lord courtesy of Israel and his undying passion to minister to the lost and brokenhearted. Over 80% of the children who he prayed with in the hospital had pneumonia. As many of you know, pneumonia can be easily cured with penicillin within days. Unfortunately, the hospitals in Guatemala have very little penicillin, and they are in HUGE need of it to cure those with this terrible disease. It broke our hearts to hear that a disease, which can be easily cured in Canada with the right prescription, can’t be cured in Guatemala because they simply don’t have the materials or the finances. Many of us have decided to start a program in order to raise money so that penicillin can be given to those who DESPERATELY need it.
Following the hospital we had dinner at Pollo Campero and headed back to the hacienda for a de-brief period with our team.
Several people from both teams started to sing worship music and pray together on the roof outside the hacienda. It was a great bonding experience with both our team and God.
We are very excited to experience church tomorrow and take on the Guatemalans in an intense game of soccer!
Have a great night!
Phil
Day 4 - March 27/09
We lost our internet access for 24 hours, so we were not able to post a few days worth of blogs. But, here they are now!
I hope you have been enjoying the stories.
Darryn
Hola me familia y amigos!
Today started with a quick breakfast at the hacienda. We then headed to the Chicoy school for morning devotions where the principal Hector Bebe shared his testimony and his gifts of worship. After an emotion filled devotion, we were off to the sinkhole.
After a short, but steep climb, we reached the entrance to the sinkhole. We looked down into the gaping cave to see two men lighting candles and fires in sacrifice to the mayan spirits of the underworld. Les told us that many Guatemalan people come daily to the sinkhole in order to “please” the spirits and gain their own personal power. Les prayed with us and we could literally feel God lift our fears and worries off our backs. As we walked carefully down the slippery path to the bottom of the cave, we could feel God’s presence and his peace calming us and lifting us above the darkness both physically and spiritually.
Once we reached the bottom of the sinkhole, Les said a few words and then left it up to us to lead worship songs. It was incredible to witness different people of our group, starting worship songs that had significance in their lives, or that God had put on their hearts in this situation. Many songs fit perfectly with the dark setting that we were in: “Light of the world you stepped down into darkness; opened my eyes let me see,” and “Draw me close to you, never let me go,” were two of many fitting songs that we sang.
It was so easy to see the problems that the Guatemalans in the sinkhole had, because they were practicing them in front of us all. In a way, it is SO much easier to minister to someone who you already know what their consuming issues are, rather than ministering to someone who hides their problems behind superficial masks and disguises. In Calgary, people don’t always “practice” their hindrances from God in public because lots of the time, the problems are emotional and embarrassing. In Guatemala, the majority of their problems are clearly visible for us to see. Poverty, hunger, abuse, and witchcraft are just some of the obvious issues that we can see visually, and then act accordingly in order to help with their problems. As a class, as a team, we have decided that we will be Jesus’ light; not only to the people of Guatemala, but also to the people of Calgary. Even if we can’t see visually what they are struggling with, we will share God’s love with them and trust in God because he knows everyone’s heart and everyone’s mind.
The sinkhole was a truly amazing experience spiritually for everyone one of us, and we are excited to see how it affects us in our future here in Guatemala, as well as our future back home.
Immediately following the sinkhole, we headed off to what many of us consider our favorite place; Mocohan Christian School. We sang Spanish worship songs, and performed puppet skits, as well as games and crafts for the children. Everything was normal until we brought out the stickers and balloon animals. I have never seen kids so aggressive and intense about getting these things before. Countless numbers of hands were reaching and grasping to get higher above everyone else’s hands in order to get a sticker or balloon animal. The kids, like a pack of wolves, swarmed us and cornered us against walls so that we had nowhere to go. Many of us tried to hold the desired objects high above our heads. This idea worked for Luke. For the rest of us who weren’t 8 foot giants, well, lets just say, we ended up on the bottom of pile.
After the children’s ministry, we went to the developing school at Chijacorral to move soil again. This period of time was less than yesterday’s, but it still involved very tiresome work. After 2 and a half hours, we finished our task and went for dinner at the Peter’s home.
Today was an amazing spiritual experience, and we are excited for another packed day tomorrow! (without physical labour)
Adios!
Phil
Today was a very full day and all of us were thoroughly tired at the end. We started off at early devotions at the nearby school, which was an emotional and uplifting experience. The children sang even louder than the previous day, and our hearts were touched by the amazing connection all the children were sharing with God. They really showed us what it means to truly open your heart to God and lay down your life before Him. A 50-person hug line followed the devotional, where each child hugged each member of the team, like they never wanted to let go. We were all deeply moved by how much each child was willing to embrace complete strangers.
After having a quick breakfast, we raced off to Purulha, for more children’s ministry and work. Today, we worked for a full three hours on digging more space for the school’s expansions and our children’s ministry was more powerful than we ever expected. Our work was tiring, but once the children arrived at the school, everything seemed to flow together; God had planned the entire afternoon perfectly. Our ministry involved more dramas, different crafts, worship, and more hand painting, however at the end of our program, one of our leaders, Karen, held an altar call on our stage for the children. Our eyes widened and mouths gaped open as over fifteen children walked up to the front and asked Jesus into their hearts for the first time! Our team gathered around them and embraced the young, happy faces. Karen led them all in a prayer and we prayed for them afterward. The entire experience opened our eyes to the true power of the Holy Spirit. We were proud to know that God had used our dramas, puppets, crafts and worship to benefit his kingdom.
Following children’s ministry, we went to a Guatemalan home, weavers who are members of Impact Ministries, to cook supper with them. We were taught by the mother of the house how to roll tortillas and create the “Guatemalan-style” perogy. We rolled corn tortilla batter into palm-size, round pieces and placed some cheese in the middle and folded them over so they resembled pieces of ravioli. Once deep-fried with hot sauce on top, they were absolutely irresistible. Along with the meal, they family made us a rice drink made with milk, vanilla bean, rice and cinnamon sticks, which was very delicious as well. We played some bonding games that helped us loosen up as a group and we are slowly becoming more and more connected to each other.
After our full day everyone got in bed early and we thankfully get a later start to the day tomorrow! Almost halfway through our mission’s trip, everyone is agreeing that this experience will be life changing, to say the least.
Karlynn
I hope you have been enjoying the stories.
Darryn
Hola me familia y amigos!
Today started with a quick breakfast at the hacienda. We then headed to the Chicoy school for morning devotions where the principal Hector Bebe shared his testimony and his gifts of worship. After an emotion filled devotion, we were off to the sinkhole.
After a short, but steep climb, we reached the entrance to the sinkhole. We looked down into the gaping cave to see two men lighting candles and fires in sacrifice to the mayan spirits of the underworld. Les told us that many Guatemalan people come daily to the sinkhole in order to “please” the spirits and gain their own personal power. Les prayed with us and we could literally feel God lift our fears and worries off our backs. As we walked carefully down the slippery path to the bottom of the cave, we could feel God’s presence and his peace calming us and lifting us above the darkness both physically and spiritually.
Once we reached the bottom of the sinkhole, Les said a few words and then left it up to us to lead worship songs. It was incredible to witness different people of our group, starting worship songs that had significance in their lives, or that God had put on their hearts in this situation. Many songs fit perfectly with the dark setting that we were in: “Light of the world you stepped down into darkness; opened my eyes let me see,” and “Draw me close to you, never let me go,” were two of many fitting songs that we sang.
It was so easy to see the problems that the Guatemalans in the sinkhole had, because they were practicing them in front of us all. In a way, it is SO much easier to minister to someone who you already know what their consuming issues are, rather than ministering to someone who hides their problems behind superficial masks and disguises. In Calgary, people don’t always “practice” their hindrances from God in public because lots of the time, the problems are emotional and embarrassing. In Guatemala, the majority of their problems are clearly visible for us to see. Poverty, hunger, abuse, and witchcraft are just some of the obvious issues that we can see visually, and then act accordingly in order to help with their problems. As a class, as a team, we have decided that we will be Jesus’ light; not only to the people of Guatemala, but also to the people of Calgary. Even if we can’t see visually what they are struggling with, we will share God’s love with them and trust in God because he knows everyone’s heart and everyone’s mind.
The sinkhole was a truly amazing experience spiritually for everyone one of us, and we are excited to see how it affects us in our future here in Guatemala, as well as our future back home.
Immediately following the sinkhole, we headed off to what many of us consider our favorite place; Mocohan Christian School. We sang Spanish worship songs, and performed puppet skits, as well as games and crafts for the children. Everything was normal until we brought out the stickers and balloon animals. I have never seen kids so aggressive and intense about getting these things before. Countless numbers of hands were reaching and grasping to get higher above everyone else’s hands in order to get a sticker or balloon animal. The kids, like a pack of wolves, swarmed us and cornered us against walls so that we had nowhere to go. Many of us tried to hold the desired objects high above our heads. This idea worked for Luke. For the rest of us who weren’t 8 foot giants, well, lets just say, we ended up on the bottom of pile.
After the children’s ministry, we went to the developing school at Chijacorral to move soil again. This period of time was less than yesterday’s, but it still involved very tiresome work. After 2 and a half hours, we finished our task and went for dinner at the Peter’s home.
Today was an amazing spiritual experience, and we are excited for another packed day tomorrow! (without physical labour)
Adios!
Phil
Today was a very full day and all of us were thoroughly tired at the end. We started off at early devotions at the nearby school, which was an emotional and uplifting experience. The children sang even louder than the previous day, and our hearts were touched by the amazing connection all the children were sharing with God. They really showed us what it means to truly open your heart to God and lay down your life before Him. A 50-person hug line followed the devotional, where each child hugged each member of the team, like they never wanted to let go. We were all deeply moved by how much each child was willing to embrace complete strangers.
After having a quick breakfast, we raced off to Purulha, for more children’s ministry and work. Today, we worked for a full three hours on digging more space for the school’s expansions and our children’s ministry was more powerful than we ever expected. Our work was tiring, but once the children arrived at the school, everything seemed to flow together; God had planned the entire afternoon perfectly. Our ministry involved more dramas, different crafts, worship, and more hand painting, however at the end of our program, one of our leaders, Karen, held an altar call on our stage for the children. Our eyes widened and mouths gaped open as over fifteen children walked up to the front and asked Jesus into their hearts for the first time! Our team gathered around them and embraced the young, happy faces. Karen led them all in a prayer and we prayed for them afterward. The entire experience opened our eyes to the true power of the Holy Spirit. We were proud to know that God had used our dramas, puppets, crafts and worship to benefit his kingdom.
Following children’s ministry, we went to a Guatemalan home, weavers who are members of Impact Ministries, to cook supper with them. We were taught by the mother of the house how to roll tortillas and create the “Guatemalan-style” perogy. We rolled corn tortilla batter into palm-size, round pieces and placed some cheese in the middle and folded them over so they resembled pieces of ravioli. Once deep-fried with hot sauce on top, they were absolutely irresistible. Along with the meal, they family made us a rice drink made with milk, vanilla bean, rice and cinnamon sticks, which was very delicious as well. We played some bonding games that helped us loosen up as a group and we are slowly becoming more and more connected to each other.
After our full day everyone got in bed early and we thankfully get a later start to the day tomorrow! Almost halfway through our mission’s trip, everyone is agreeing that this experience will be life changing, to say the least.
Karlynn
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Day 3 - March 26/09
The name of the game in Guatemala is to be flexible! The team activities have been switched from the original itinerary. 11A is now following 11B's published itinerary & 11B is now following 11A's itinerary. The reason for this switch is that 11B has many times more sponsor children & needed to follow an itinerary that would allow students to be freed up for home visits.
Darryn
This morning we had a quick breakfast and raced off to devotions at a nearby school. The worship we witnessed there touched all of our hearts and brought some to tears. The children had their hands all raised as high as they could reach and were shouting praises to God at the top of their lungs. It was miraculous feeling the power of God moving through the small room we were in with them. They only had one worship leader and a microphone, but the power of the Spirit that manifested there left us in awe.
After devotions we traveled to Purulha, a nearby village to work on an ongoing school project and to minister to the children there. Before starting work, we ventured down the famous “Sink Hole” for a morning of prayer and worship with the team. The worship and testimonies shared down there opened our eyes and humbled our hearts. Emotions ran high throughout the one hour prayer and worship time, and we were all changed when we came back out.
To ease the high emotions and heavy hearts, we went the rest of the way to Purulha and began our work on the school project there. After an hour in the hot sun with pickaxes and shovels, everyone was ready for lunch. We had managed to move a fair amount of dirt into a nearby pit to make space for the school’s expansion. The lunch was one of the best we have ever had. Everyone had several generous helpings!
The most fun, and surprisingly powerful part of the day was about to begin when we started our children’s ministry work. The entire team seemed to immediately bond with the children and we enjoyed an afternoon filled with crafts, drama, worship and games with over 100 children from the village. Everyone opened us with open arms and the children clung to us all afternoon. Each member of the team was affected and touched in several different ways as they played with the children. We look forward to tomorrow when we have another chance to bond with the same group of children, as we will be returning to the village to continue the work we started today.
Finally, after a full day, we attended a communion service at the nearby church to witness a powerful sermon and some more amazing worship. The dinner that was served afterwards was delicious as usual and after that we were all ready for a good night’s rest. Unfortunately, I was unable to get to bed early as I was busy writing the day’s activities all down! Tomorrow is promising to be another stretching, and powerful day in Guatemala and we all look forward to the work God will do in our hearts and the work we can do in the hearts of others!
Karlynn
Hey!
Today was our very first full day of ministry in Tactic!
Our morning started with a bang as we joined in on a worship service at the Chamche Christian school. The kids absolutely blew us away. The passion with which they worshiped was incredible, and the volume that they used to worship was insane. We stood in awe of them giving everything to God. They didn’t care who was watching, they didn’t care if they sang the wrong part at the wrong time; all they cared about was that they were worshiping God. It was incredible.
After worship we had a hugging line with all 211 children at the school. It was so amazing to get down on our knees and hug these kids, and we could see in their eyes that they were having the time of their lives. Karen (one of the Impact ministry members) told us that these kids appreciate it so much because its not something that they experience often at all.
We had breakfast at the hacienda and then headed to Mocohan school to do children’s ministry. We did skits, songs, crafts, puppetry, and games with the kids. Some of our team who had sponsor children got to meet their sponsor children and there reactions were amazing! The children’s eyes widened with their smiles as they met their sponsors and received gifts from them. It was so surreal to see how much of an impact sponsorship and prayer truly have on these kids’ lives.
After the joy of children’s ministry, it was time to get the gloves on and get to work! We could either use a pick axe, shovel or wheel barrel in order to move dirt from one end of the developing school’s yard to the other. After 4 hours of work in the blazing sun, we finished our first task and headed to our hotel to get showered before dinner and church tonight.
Phil
Darryn
This morning we had a quick breakfast and raced off to devotions at a nearby school. The worship we witnessed there touched all of our hearts and brought some to tears. The children had their hands all raised as high as they could reach and were shouting praises to God at the top of their lungs. It was miraculous feeling the power of God moving through the small room we were in with them. They only had one worship leader and a microphone, but the power of the Spirit that manifested there left us in awe.
After devotions we traveled to Purulha, a nearby village to work on an ongoing school project and to minister to the children there. Before starting work, we ventured down the famous “Sink Hole” for a morning of prayer and worship with the team. The worship and testimonies shared down there opened our eyes and humbled our hearts. Emotions ran high throughout the one hour prayer and worship time, and we were all changed when we came back out.
To ease the high emotions and heavy hearts, we went the rest of the way to Purulha and began our work on the school project there. After an hour in the hot sun with pickaxes and shovels, everyone was ready for lunch. We had managed to move a fair amount of dirt into a nearby pit to make space for the school’s expansion. The lunch was one of the best we have ever had. Everyone had several generous helpings!
The most fun, and surprisingly powerful part of the day was about to begin when we started our children’s ministry work. The entire team seemed to immediately bond with the children and we enjoyed an afternoon filled with crafts, drama, worship and games with over 100 children from the village. Everyone opened us with open arms and the children clung to us all afternoon. Each member of the team was affected and touched in several different ways as they played with the children. We look forward to tomorrow when we have another chance to bond with the same group of children, as we will be returning to the village to continue the work we started today.
Finally, after a full day, we attended a communion service at the nearby church to witness a powerful sermon and some more amazing worship. The dinner that was served afterwards was delicious as usual and after that we were all ready for a good night’s rest. Unfortunately, I was unable to get to bed early as I was busy writing the day’s activities all down! Tomorrow is promising to be another stretching, and powerful day in Guatemala and we all look forward to the work God will do in our hearts and the work we can do in the hearts of others!
Karlynn
Hey!
Today was our very first full day of ministry in Tactic!
Our morning started with a bang as we joined in on a worship service at the Chamche Christian school. The kids absolutely blew us away. The passion with which they worshiped was incredible, and the volume that they used to worship was insane. We stood in awe of them giving everything to God. They didn’t care who was watching, they didn’t care if they sang the wrong part at the wrong time; all they cared about was that they were worshiping God. It was incredible.
After worship we had a hugging line with all 211 children at the school. It was so amazing to get down on our knees and hug these kids, and we could see in their eyes that they were having the time of their lives. Karen (one of the Impact ministry members) told us that these kids appreciate it so much because its not something that they experience often at all.
We had breakfast at the hacienda and then headed to Mocohan school to do children’s ministry. We did skits, songs, crafts, puppetry, and games with the kids. Some of our team who had sponsor children got to meet their sponsor children and there reactions were amazing! The children’s eyes widened with their smiles as they met their sponsors and received gifts from them. It was so surreal to see how much of an impact sponsorship and prayer truly have on these kids’ lives.
After the joy of children’s ministry, it was time to get the gloves on and get to work! We could either use a pick axe, shovel or wheel barrel in order to move dirt from one end of the developing school’s yard to the other. After 4 hours of work in the blazing sun, we finished our first task and headed to our hotel to get showered before dinner and church tonight.
Phil
Day 2 - March 25/09
Welcome to Tactic!
Today we arrived in Tactic after a very windy bus ride that baked all of us from the inside out. The intense heart surprised us all, but luckily, we got a wonderful lunch half-way through the ride: Mexican fried chicken, sweet potato French fries, and fruit popsicles, for dessert.
After we arrived in Tactic with our bags, everyone got settled into their rooms. Some discovered the joys of the “Guatemalan” showerhead, complete with a breaker box inside the shower. Along with the electrical set-up, the short, cold, stream of water proved to be just bearable. The boys who were staying in the hotel tried to convince the rest of the team that it was “nice”, but all of us, who were staying in the hacienda, considered ourselves fortunate. After a hot shower, we went to a church nearby and had a delicious supper. We came back from supper with full stomachs and tired eyes. Everyone settled into their beds around 11:30 in preparation for the first full day of work the following day. Unfortunately, we were only able to sleep until the birds woke up at 4:00 a.m. and chirped like foghorns. In Guatemala, once the birds are up, everyone gets up!
Karlynn
Today we arrived in Tactic after a very windy bus ride that baked all of us from the inside out. The intense heart surprised us all, but luckily, we got a wonderful lunch half-way through the ride: Mexican fried chicken, sweet potato French fries, and fruit popsicles, for dessert.
After we arrived in Tactic with our bags, everyone got settled into their rooms. Some discovered the joys of the “Guatemalan” showerhead, complete with a breaker box inside the shower. Along with the electrical set-up, the short, cold, stream of water proved to be just bearable. The boys who were staying in the hotel tried to convince the rest of the team that it was “nice”, but all of us, who were staying in the hacienda, considered ourselves fortunate. After a hot shower, we went to a church nearby and had a delicious supper. We came back from supper with full stomachs and tired eyes. Everyone settled into their beds around 11:30 in preparation for the first full day of work the following day. Unfortunately, we were only able to sleep until the birds woke up at 4:00 a.m. and chirped like foghorns. In Guatemala, once the birds are up, everyone gets up!
Karlynn
Today we went on a brief tour of Guatemala before we departed for Tactic. We visited a catholic cathedral and the Federal building and learned a myriad of interesting facts about Guatemalan culture, and its most popular religion. It was hard to see the people relying so heavily on the idols in the church rather than relying on God himself. Les told us about how Guatemalan Catholicism is very different than pure Catholicism, because the Guatemalan’s mix many Mayan beliefs with catholic beliefs. The Mayans believed strongly in a “black” God, so in the Catholic Cathedral, there was a statue of a “black” Jesus that people touched in order to gain strength from it.
After our short tour around Guatemala City, it was time to get in the vans and travel to Tactic. Unfortunately, the weather was outrageously hot and the 4 hour drive through the winding mountain roads became a dehydrating expedition that never seemed to end. The weather reached a high of 38 degrees Celsius during our journey to Tactic.
As the journey prolonged, the temperature began to drop and the scenery started to become greener. In between several lush, green mountains, was the small village of Tactic. Sadly, the village itself is not as beautiful as its surroundings. Countless amounts of hungry, hurting people, and old, rundown houses passed by us as we drove to our hotels. Many of us were shocked at the difference in culture and lifestyle.
We had a delicious dinner at one of the schools close by, and following that, we heard testimonies from three of the men working at Impact Ministries. These testimonies were hard to hear, because of the pain that they had to go through in their lives, but they inspired us to show God’s love and make a difference in the lives of the Guatemalan people, as well as our own lives.
Good night!
Phil
Day 1 - March 24/09
Two students, Karlynn Peltier & Phil Morrow, will be posting daily blogs. They have been working at "stockpiling" their thoughts in the absence of internet access, and they will now be posted for your "viewing" pleasure over the course of the next few days. Postings will change, so check back daily!
Darryn
Hola!
We have arrived in Guatemala City and are excited to get some sleep for a packed day tomorrow!
Customs went very slowly in Calgary and as a result, many of us had to rush to the gate in order to board our flight to Houston on time. We made it onto the plane in time and we were amazed by the amount of people who asked about our fleet of red-shirted teenagers.
God has already placed several people in our paths that we could minister to. As we were about to board the flight from Houston to Guatemala City, there was a man named Elam who was very intrigued by our team. He overflowed with questions and poured them out for many of our team to answer. He asked about prayer, worship, missions, and the bible. With every question that came, we worked together to answer him by using life experiences and stories. We prayed with him and asked God to reveal himself to Elam as he continued on his journey through life. We don’t know if he has accepted Christ, but we do know that there is a seed planted in his heart. Many of us have decided to pray for him and that he would see God in a very real way. We would love it if you also kept Elam in your prayers.
It has only been one day, and we have barely reached our destination, but God has already worked through us and in us in a very powerful way. There is no doubt that he will continue to reveal himself to us as well as many others in the 9 days come.
We are excited to see what he has in store for us tomorrow!
Thank-you for your support and prayers,
Phil
Darryn
Hola!
We have arrived in Guatemala City and are excited to get some sleep for a packed day tomorrow!
Customs went very slowly in Calgary and as a result, many of us had to rush to the gate in order to board our flight to Houston on time. We made it onto the plane in time and we were amazed by the amount of people who asked about our fleet of red-shirted teenagers.
God has already placed several people in our paths that we could minister to. As we were about to board the flight from Houston to Guatemala City, there was a man named Elam who was very intrigued by our team. He overflowed with questions and poured them out for many of our team to answer. He asked about prayer, worship, missions, and the bible. With every question that came, we worked together to answer him by using life experiences and stories. We prayed with him and asked God to reveal himself to Elam as he continued on his journey through life. We don’t know if he has accepted Christ, but we do know that there is a seed planted in his heart. Many of us have decided to pray for him and that he would see God in a very real way. We would love it if you also kept Elam in your prayers.
It has only been one day, and we have barely reached our destination, but God has already worked through us and in us in a very powerful way. There is no doubt that he will continue to reveal himself to us as well as many others in the 9 days come.
We are excited to see what he has in store for us tomorrow!
Thank-you for your support and prayers,
Phil
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Pre-Trip #3
Check-out the 10 day forecast for the weather in Tactic, Guatemala! The team will need to make sure to wear hats & lots of sunscreen!
http://www.foreca.com/Guatemala/Tactic?tenday
http://www.foreca.com/Guatemala/Tactic?tenday
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Pre-Trip Preparations #2
Pre-Trip Preparations #1
The Gr. 11 students of BCS have been very busy preparing for their "Mission to Guatemala" trip! Throughout February & March, following a grueling day at school, students have gathered together to develop various components of children's ministry to share the Gospel to the children of TacTic, Guatemala.
Some students have been developing a new ministry of puppetry.
Other students have been practicing dramas.
Still others have been practicing songs, both in English & in Spanish!
As well, students have developed craft activities, skill with balloon animal making & leading games.
We pray that the children of Guatemala will enjoy our visit with them!
Some students have been developing a new ministry of puppetry.
Other students have been practicing dramas.
Still others have been practicing songs, both in English & in Spanish!
As well, students have developed craft activities, skill with balloon animal making & leading games.
We pray that the children of Guatemala will enjoy our visit with them!
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