Final Day in Guatemala

Today our team drove from Panajachel to Antigua and enjoyed a walking tour ending in the markets for shopping.  We concluded our evening with a final group dinner with entertainment from local Marimba players and a traditional dance.

Our theme for today was Taking it Home.  We are called by God to serve and that can happen where ever we are.  Our team returns home changed by what we experienced here.  We pray that our American comforts and busy lives don't keep us from seeing the needs of others in our own community.

Tomorrow we fly home!  Adios Guatemala!

New Relationships

Today, Thursday was our last work day.  Our theme for the day was to Love Another as Christ commanded us. New and old relationships were built this week.  Today our team began the day on a boat ride across the beautiful Lake Atlitlan to enjoy breakfast on the lake.  Following that we built 4 more stoves for a total of 24 stoves!  More time was spent doing crafts with children and we also had an opportunity to play Soccer with other Guatemalan children.  Several families have sponsored more children allowing yet another child attend school and have hope for a future.  The Woods family pictured below met Wendy and her family today.  Other important life long relationships are being fostered on this trip as four of our own adopted Guatemalan children have visits with their birth families.  God is so Good as he weaves as lives together to form His family.  What a blessing to be among the Mayan people and to experience relationship with them.  We concluded our night with a send off dinner at Mayan Families.  Thanks to Sharon and Dwight and their staff for hosting us again this year and making it a wonderful experience!

Tomorrow we head to Antigua, Guatemala for our final day of shopping and a special group dinner before our return home.  Thanks again to all the support and prayers of our families and friends!

¡Buenas noches!

sickness has hit

Today we were down several people due to sensitive Gringo tummies.  Don't worry families they are all on the mend with a day of rest and Cipro!  We pray no one else gets sick.

Our day's focus was being Christ for others.  We had lots of opportunities to do that.  We started off by giving out shoes and chickens to 60 families.  We then split up and some organized a clothing closet while others went to the senior feeding program.  After lunch we had more sponsored student visits and others built 5 more stoves.  It was a full day of serving others!

It was great to see the family of Crisly.  This is Scott and Tammy's sponsored student for the last 6 years.  It is her home that our construction team built on a second story to her house in February.  It was amazing to see it and more amazing how far they had to walk to carry supplies.

We have touched many lives here but the need is so great!  Please check out www.mayanfamilies.org to see how you can help.

Jayna's story

My story of hearing God's voice is very encouraging. It started in a restaurant. I looked over and saw a boy who seemed sad and hungry. he was trying to sell bracelets and nobody would take it. I leaned over to my dad and told him. He gave me 5 quetzals and I went over and got 5 bracelets from him. Later Joanne had extra food so she gave it to me to give away. I gave it to the boy and he was very grateful. I ran back to the table and wept.That is my story.      From Jayna

Hearing God's voice

Today was another great day.  We've had rain but not until our work has been done!  Today we built more stoves, handed out more shoes, supported two of Mayan Families job skill programs, a spa and a carpentry shop.  And yes, I said spa.  You will see in the pictures manicures being done.  I know tough mission work!  Actually this is a new spa where women are trained to do manicures and pedicures.  They have only just begun and needed "subjects" to work on.  So, some of our team sacrificed themselves for this task.  We also had some guys go and help in the wood working shop where they train people in order to go out and start a business for themselves.

Our theme for the day was to hear God's voice.  Many shared experiences from the day but one in particular was when one of our youngest (9 year old) heard God nudging her to help a young boy who was selling some items.   She was able to support his business and give him some food.

We're having a great trip.  We thank you for your support and prayers!

Seeing God

Yesterday was another great day!  Our theme for the day was to see God.  He was definitely with us in so many ways.  Our team split up and some installed stoves, others put shoes on 100 children's feet, and our Doctor and EMT both saw families and children to assess for health issues.  As Ken Greenwood shared in our evening devotion, God was present in each of us as we brought ourselves to the ground to touch dirty feet and love on people who live in homes of dirt floors and soot covered walls.  Here are a few pictures of our day!

We are getting ready for a day of building stoves in homes and going to a preschool to support the school and entertain the children. Bubbles seem to be universally loved by kids so we are gearing up with lots of bubble packs.

Its amazingly rewarding to put shoes on kids and even more amazing to see your child jumping in and putting shoes on other kids feet. What an awesome experience.
Pete

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Good Morning!  We are getting ready to go out.  Half the team will be building stoves today.  The rest of the team will be going to a preschool to give out shoes and do crafts with the kids.  We'll post pictures later.

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Sunday's Cultural day and zip lines

Today has been a great day.  We started out at a village in El Barranco where the children performed traditional Mayan dances.  Our team was able to join in on the monkey dance.  We gave out 150 pairs of shoes after the dance.  From there we headed to the Nature Reserve where most of the team went on the zip lines.  We will end our day at dinner with Mayan Family staff.  Today's focus for the team was to be aware of God's creation called Guatemala: beautiful volcanoes, water falls, and God's Mayan children.

We arrived!

We arrived and had a very long day of travel!  We will write tomorrow and show pictures.  Thanks for following us!