Penn Forest Worship Center

July 11, 2008 Day 1 Guatemala Mission Trip

Today started with Dr. Meck and I meeting at the church at 5:15 AM to load up and head to Charlotte. Along the way we stopped and picked up Amanda Lemasters at Cracker Barrel in Blacksburg. She is a hoot and already feels that it will be a long week with me around. lol We headed on to the airport in Charlotte where we arrived at 9:15 and got checked in. I was surprised at how easy it was to go through all the security checks this time. Once through we met up with the rest of the Roanoke group, loaded the plane and arrived in Guatemala about 3:30 PM our time (They are two hours behind us so from now on I’ll refer to their time.).
Immigration for Guatemala was very simple. I expected them to ask lots of questions but they didn’t nor did they check anything.

Once we arrived, Rev. Luis Martinez met us and we loaded up on a bus. We put the luggage on top of the bus. There were 28 people with luggage and extra suitcases with shoes. That’s a lot of stuff to put on there. We then proceeded to have a light lunch and Rev. Martinez’s mother’s home.
From there we proceed to a seminary where we will be spending the evening. While there we unloaded the bus, had an opportunity to get to know the others in the group, and freshen up a bit. Around 6:00 we went back over to the Martinez home where we ate supper. (We are already eating too much food and it is very good) At 7:30 we headed back over to the seminary where we will go to bed early because of getting up early.
We need to be loading up the bus at 7:30 AM so we can head out.

So far this trip has seemed different than the trip to El Salvador however the scenery is about the same. In El Salvador there was about 15 of us, here when everyone arrives we will have around 60. That’s a big difference. I am looking forward to the group from Indiana coming because then I will be able to play Euchre.

On the contemplative side of things, once again as I look around I see how blessed we are as a nation and as individuals. We take too much for granted such as being able to put toilet paper down the toilet or having hot water for showers.

July 12, 2008 Day 2 Guatemala Mission Trip

7:27 AM This morning was an early morning, not because we had to but with the time change and it being chilly I woke up around four and tried to stay asleep but didn’t. I got up around 5:30 and had devotions from Amos. I’ve read Amos before but I’m taking a little more time now. I think when I come home I’m going to get the commentaries out and dig into it a bit more. It’s a book that is intriguing to me, evidently to John Wesley as well because as I was reading I found a verse that John Wesley used to identify himself.

This morning we loaded all of our stuff up on the bus. We are going to be staying at a different location tonight and then head out Sunday for where we will be staying for the week. After breakfast we are going to be heading to Antigua for a day of site seeing and some shopping.
Usually this is done during the latter part of a mission trip but since they had another group still in we had to go today. Louis has been very effective at mobilizing groups to come down this summer. I would imagine that when summer is over, after dealing with so many people, there has to be a bit of a let down or relief or a combination of the both.

4:53 PM We’re back and I think everyone is tired. It’s rough shopping. lol While we were in Antigua we went to the Jade factory.
They have some of the best Jade here in Guatemala. They just discovered a new vein with some different colors. I purchased a necklace for my Christina since she will be turning 18 soon. (I hear all girls like
Jewelry.) After the Jade factory we went to the market for some shopping. It was a great day. I purchased a blanket because it was chilly last night. I’ll be able to keep warm now.

When we returned the group from Main was here as well. There are about 60 of us all-together that will be doing a variety of things. You will hear about these later. I was able to sit down for a while and talk with Phil Troyer, a friend from Indiana that is down here with us and with Jamie. Jamie is an intern from Indiana that is down here for 6 weeks. I grilled Jamie with all sorts of questions about what she was doing and all that was involved. It was very educational.
Well, it’s time for supper. I can’t wait for tomorrow and to get started with everything.

July 13, 2008 Day 3 Guatemala Mission Trip

5:42 AM Wow, short nights and long days. I gets dark here around 6:30 PM and then starts getting light around 5:00 AM. I don’t think I went to bed until 11:00 and some people after that said I was snoring. I must have been really tired. I don’t think anyone has ever accused me of that before, hopefully that will be the last of it.

3:30 PM – Were heading to the lake today where we will be building four houses, doing a VBS and giving out lots of pairs of shoes. It’s a four
- five hour trip to go 70 miles. They are expanding the road to four lanes but until it’s finished it’s like going four-wheel driving.
While on the road, I had the opportunity to meet Tony. Tony is the Youth Pastor at the church we attended this morning, Iglesia Evangelica
Wesleyana Adonai. It’s a church that started as a Bible Study 12 years
ago and now is running 600 people. One of the things that they do with children is have a Bible Memorization contest where children have to memorize word for word a portion of scripture. Last year they did John chapters 1-4 and this year they are doing 5-9. The top 4 winners received a new or refurbished computer that was donated. WOW! That’s commitment to the Word. Anyway back to the topic, Tony was telling me that Guatemala has 12 million people and that 1/3 of them live in Guatemala City. He also shared that you could take two and a half countries of Guatemala and put them in the state of Texas.

After going to church today and now heading to the lake where we will be ministering, I finally feel like I’m on a mission trip. I think everyone should go on a mission trip.

July 14, 2008 Day 4 Guatemala Mission Trip

6:45 AM Last night I was tire and for whatever reason my laptop stopped working. My prayer is that if it’s shot that they can salvage the pictures on my hard drive. Everything else I believe I have backed up. I’m still pray that God will cause it to work later.

This morning I’m having my devotions on top of the roof of the hotel we are staying in, The Hotel Nahual Maya. We are in the village of San Pedro, which is by Lake Atitlan. The lake is very calm with very few boats on it unlike Smith Mountain Lake. As I look around poverty is all around me. In the midst of it the children are happy and the majority of
the people are friendly. In the midst of the poverty they are not dirty
people. I see them out sweeping and doing laundry, however, I still see areas where trash is spread around. It strikes me that these people stay up late and get up very early.

I finished my reading the book of Amos today and I have been listening to a sermon by Duncan Campbell. He has been preaching about sin in the camp and Hell. His preaching reminds me of the book Driven by Eternity. It’s a very challenging message. My prayer today is that God will help me to keep my attention, mind and actions focused on Him today. I want to be available for him to use me in the moments that He gives me this day.

7:59 PM What a long but productive day! With our group of 31 we started building 4 different homes. We made good progress today on ours.
I’ve been taking pictures. It’s a new experience. In addition to building the house we are playing with the children. The other group from Indiana is building three homes and the group from Indiana is working on a Medical Clinic. That’s a total of seven homes all together. That’s incredible. God is amazing my computer is now working. PTL!

9:30 PM We just finished with devotions where Pastor Ken Dupin spoke about serving God in the moment again. It’s a great series. I also found out what we will be doing the rest of the week. Tomorrow we will be leaving at 7:00 AM to head to breakfast and then to get working on the houses. After lunch we are going to come back here to work with Happy Feet ministry. On Wednesday we will work on houses in the morning and then do a VBS. On Thursday we will finish and dedicate the houses and then do a Soccer Camp. On Friday we will pack up, head across the lake and go to Guatemala City where hopefully we will go to the Children’s Hospital. I can’t believe I’m talking about going home already because Saturday we will head back. These trips always go way too fast.

July 15, 2008 Day 5 Guatemala Mission Trip

6:09 AM It’s so peaceful here in the morning. Once again I’m doing my daily quiet time on the roof. It’s a great place to be alone as well as to see the sites. Across the street there are ladies that are already putting their items out to try and sell to us. I don’t think they are getting much business from us. They look so relaxed and unstressed.
They are hear every morning and evening.

This morning I finished listening to the sermon by Duncan Campbell. He preached for about an hour and thirty-five minutes. He is very challenging. (I think I’ll go preach a message that long and see what
happens.) In my devotions, I’m reading in the book of James. James is
a great book dealing with so much.

Lord once again help me to keep my heart, my mind, and my actions focused on you. May I be used in the moment by You and may You be glorified in my life. Thank you for Your major blessings, Your abundant mercy and Your overwhelming GRACE.

Lord, be with my children today. Protect and speak to Jared, Christina and Chad. I pray that they will fix their eyes on you and NEVER turn away. Use our team today and protect us. Thank you Jesus for being such an awesome God and for the beauty of Your creation.

July 16, 2008 Day 6 Guatemala Mission Trip

5:50 AM Thank you Lord for another BEAUTIFUL day!

Yesterday we worked all day building our houses. It was a long day where we made a lot of progress. We started early by leaving at 7:00 to eat breakfast and then over to the work sites by 8:15. When we finished at the end of the day the house was about finished with only the roof to put up. The house should be finished today, however we won’t be helping.

While building the house I was able to learn things I had never learned before. I learned how to put mortar between bricks, cut bricks with a machete, hue bricks out with a machete and the list goes on. For mortar they used bags of cement but unlike in America where we go out and buy a bag of sand, they dug it out of a hillside. I was able to help with that. We filled bags that weighed around 120 pounds and then carried them about a quarter of a mile to the work site. Once we had them there it was then sifted to get any pebbles out.

The people work very hard and are very nice. The family we are building a house for is a young couple. They have a little girl around 18 months named Anna. She is very cute. The dad’s name is Eliseo and I have yet to learn the mother’s name. Tomorrow morning we will put any finishing touches up on the house and then we will be dedicating it.

I’ve met some great people while I have been here. I met Antonio who is our bus driver. He brought his two little children with him yesterday.
The other guy that rides on the bus is Juan. He’s a great guy. He’s supposed to bring a picture of his family to me in the morning. Quan is the brother-in-law to Eliseo. He’s only 16 but a very hard worker and
very skilled. Pastor Lucas is the pastor at the San Jan Wesleyan
Church. He’s been in the ministry for 8 years. Yesterday George was
helping with the construction. He is a Bible School student. And the list goes on All of these people are so appreciative of what we are doing and VERY grateful.

Today after breakfast we are going into the local school to conduct a VBS. Instead of having school where they are learning reading, writing and arithmetic, we will be teaching them the Bible. It’s really kind of amazing to me. In America we fight to keep Christians out of the school and in Guatemala they are inviting us to come in.

Well, time for devotions. I’ve been listening to the Revival Hymn this morning. Oh that God would send a Revival and Lord, let it begin with me!

July 17, 2008 Day 7 Guatemala Mission Trip

6:45 AM Another beautiful day! This morning is the first time that the sky has been cloud free. It’s gorgeous here! What’s so amazing is that we came down here to serve others and yet we are the ones who have been served. The Impacto staff has prepared meals for us and then cleaned up after us. The bus drivers have driven everywhere and been and put the luggage on top of the bus. They help us on and off the bus and have been great. At the hotel they make the beds, give us fresh towels and clean up after us. We drop our laundry off and when it’s picked up it’s all folded and ready to go and it only cost about $.75 cents a pound. Everywhere I turn people are serving us. I know for part of it we are paying but it still challenges me at the humility in which they do it. It’s nice to have others serve us but the blessings come in serving others. Lord help me to be a servant and have a servants heart. Thank you for Your example while You were here on earth. Help me and others to follow Your example!

What an exciting day was yesterday! We conducted the VBS at the school.
I learned to make balloon hats, swords and flowers. At the school I
also did puppets while the CD was playing children’s songs in Spanish.
The children didn’t want us to leave and the Principal invited us to come back.

After lunch we did Happy Feet. I didn’t know what to expect but it was an amazing experience. It was so great to watch the teens washing the feet of children and adults. I’m glad that I was able to participate in it as well. The washing of the feet didn’t take place with a basin of water and a towel but rather with wipes. Many of the feet were very dirty. Several children came without any shoes at all and several others
came with worn out shoes and shoes that were too small. Some of their
feet had sores on them or knots where their toes had been crunched up in small shoes for too long. Thankfully, Dr. Meck was running a medical clinic where we were able to send children and adults who had needs.

1:30 PM Today we had a baptism and around 10 people from the states were baptized. We did the baptism at a more remote part of the lake on some property that Impacto has acquired and is trying to turn in to a retreat center as well as a place for some mission teams to be able to
stay. After the baptism we headed to breakfast and then to our work
site. When we arrived they had put the roof on and were preparing the floor for concrete. We formed a line and brought out buckets of dirt till the floor was level and then we did the same and sent in buckets of concrete. When we finished we headed to lunch and our team-collected money to give to the family, to the Maestro, and for painting of the
floor. They Maestro (the local expert in charge of building the house)
was paid about $12.00 a day and earned every bit of it. (By the way, gas is close to $10.00 a gallon here.)

In a little bit were going to dedicate the homes. Each home will get a suitcase filled with house warming gifts, shoes, groceries and more.
Unlike in the States, these people do NOT expect it and are very appreciative as well as hard working. Too often in the states I see people looking for a hand out, expecting a hand out but doing nothing for it because they think they deserve it. I appreciated the humility of our family that we worked with.

After the home dedications we are to go to a school this afternoon and do a soccer camp, however our motto is Simper-Gumby always flexible. Lol

10:39 PM Wow, what an emotional day! It was an incredibly humbling experience as we dedicated the homes. As I gazed at the faces of the families who were receiving the homes, each of them were deeply moved some to tears and others just so extremely thankful. We prayed over the homes and dedicated them to the Lord. I found out this afternoon that the homes were not given freely to the people, they had to pay for much of the material, we provided the labor and only paid for a small portion.

At the school today the Principal brought the four Pastor’s that were with our group up on stage and thanked us for what we were doing. He asked us not to forget them and shared how many of the children did not have adequate clothing nor did they eat healthy meals. When they come to school without proper nutrition it makes it hard for them to learn.
Later he spoke with me individually and then asked for my e-mail address.
While there, the children had a program for us and then we played with them. It was sad to leave.

July 18, 2008 Day 8 Guatemala Mission Trip

5:40 AM It’s another exquisite day! Last night we had devotions at the church and then communion. I was very humbled to be asked to participate in serving it.

Today we pack up to leave. It’s a sad day, however I’m ready to go back and organize a team where I will be more prepared with what to expect. I know that no matter how prepared you think you are, there will always be things that come up but you continue to strive for that. I hope to see us gather a team of 8 ¡V 14 people to come next summer for a trip. If we have at least 14 we could build two houses ourselves.

When we leave today, instead of driving around the lake through the mountains, we are taking a boat ride across the lake. It’s time to have Devo’s and get packed up. I’m looking forward to coming home and seeing everyone and spending time with Chad.

2:15 PM We just left Panajachel after spending a couple of hours shopping. It’s ok but I like San Jan better. I think I’d get attached to any area I go. I still want to go El Salvador again. I also want to take a Spanish class. It gets frustrating to not understand what they are saying. The children are the easier to talk to because they don’t ask a lot of questions, they just answer what you ask.

Anyway I purchased a Bible cover for my Spanish/English Bible. I also
purchased a small machete for Chad along with a flute. I’ve been
writing this as we are driving and the roads are very bumpy. It will be hard to read when I type it out. Lol. When we get back I’ll be leading the devotions for the team. I’m ready.
They have lots of agriculture around here. It appears that they plant everywhere possible. The steep hills are covered with various crops. I heard that they hold onto a rope as they work. Where we built the houses there were coffee plants all around us. Well, enough for now. Tomorrow we head home.

July 19, 2008 Day 9 Guatemala Mission Trip

5:41 AM This mornings Devo’s are listening to John Wesley’s sermons on denying self. Very Challenging!

Today we go home. I have mixed emotions. I have enjoyed it here. I’m learning more and more that I can live on much less than what I live on.
This is my tenth missions trip and each time I’m more and more challenged and each time I see how content people can be with little. It is my observation that the more we have, the more we want. Lord, help me to be content in whatever circumstances and help me to always keep my eyes on you!

Yesterday after we arrived back in Guatemala City we stopped at Kharis House. It’s like a Ronald McDonald house for those who are struggling with cancer. This stop was one of the first times that I saw some of the teens moved beyond themselves. It was a very challenging experience.

I can’t believe that this trip has come to an end already. It’s gone by so fast and has been such a great trip. The team has been great and worked together well. A lot has been accomplished ¡ 7 homes built, 1 medical clinic built, 900 shoes given away, 3 schools visited and we hosted one medical clinic. That’s a lot for one week!

We will be eating breakfast at 8:30 AM and then packing the bus to head to the airport. As we are heading out another large group will be coming in. They have about 8-10 week straight of groups coming in for mission trips. I/we need to pray for them (Impacto Ministries)!

Well, so much for this journal of this trip. Lord willing tonight I will pick up Chad and then go home to sleep in my own bed.