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I have learned to trust the nudging of the Spirit in my life.  Still, when those nudges are affirmed by others who are in prayer and discernment it is the greatest thing in the world. It reminds me of how big God is, and how powerfully God will move when we are all praying.  Today was a day of much joy.  We were visited at the La Toma School by pastors Mario Chanchavac Alvaerz and Juan Pablo  Ajauel. These two pastors are leaders on the National Exectutive Committee of the Methodist Church in Guatemala. They are in the group that received and accepted my proposal to return for this 2 week period of teaching.  Doris, who is the Coordinator for the Volunteers in Mission (VIM) office of Guatemala brought them with her to view the work of the mission teams and to see the work we are doing in the school.

This was a very moving experience for me to hear Mario share the conversation and discernment his group felt when they read the proposal.  It would seem by all accounts that God was stirring them as God stirred me.  Mario and Juan both spoke of their belief that something has started that has never happened before and is only the beginning of something very big.  They prayed with me and put it all in God’s hands.  Mario expressed the deepest gratitude for my church, Franklin First United Methodist, in sending me back for this special time.  I was so humbled and so grateful. 

When we arrived at the school today the students were working hard on the concrete project so that it can get completed.  This is the way things work. 

We taught two classes while all the others worked. Our students today were 4th grade and one of them, was a repeat from the class we did last month.  It was great to be reunited with them and to see how happy they were to welcome us back.  I think Chester really did most of the teaching today.  It is good how it is evolving.

We had the most wonderful opportunity to meet with Ana, the Principal, and the teaching teams of the school.  The group is 19 in number. We had one hour and were there to offer encouragement and any leadership or team building.  We began with an exercise I often do with new groups to learn about their context and then get them thinking outside the box.

Ultimately we end with placing some priority to their dreams. This also gave us a good idea of what their thoughts are for the future of the school.   While I won’t list it all here, I think it is nice to know that the top three ideas for improving the school are:

1.  Each class having its own classroom (they currently share)

2.  A teacher on site to teach the Bible and how to use it for their lives.

3.  A kindergarden for the little ones AND (a tie on this one) a teacher for physcial education.

We wrapped up this session by giving each teacher a Life Journal and encouraging them to use this as a spiritual practice as a team. They can also use these lessons to teach the children.  We prayed with them and made plans for the remainder of the week.

The hospitality has been so wonderful. Last night we went to church (a prayer service) with Hanniah, who is a teacher at the school. The church is within 5 minutes of the hotel. And then she took us to a local sandwich place and I ate more things I did not know. It was good.  The stomach ache I had two days ago is much better today!  They think I am beginning to grow used to the food.

On the way “home” for the day we went with Doris and the pastors to visit Douglas. He is a 6 year old boy in San Antonio community who recently had eye surgery in Gautemala City. This was arranged by Norris (the man responsible for the TN Missions teams that have beenc coming here for so long) and another pastor were instrumental in raising support and making this come to pass.   We went to Douglas’ home and met his family. It was very nice to meet this young boy as we have heard of his story from many. He has been prayed for and loved by people in Tennessee.  Douglas has eye cancer and this was his second surgery with an expected second prosthesis once healed.  I understand there are hopes of a dog to assist him in the time to come. 

On a note of confession because I am always so adamant about only drinking water (no carbonated beverages for me).  The act of hosptiality here is to offer a pepsi, coke and some flavored soda. I’ve had to sip MANY since I arrived.  They are all in glass bottles. I have learned that the kids can guzzle down a pepsi in nothing flat and they have learned, I think, that if they hang around me when someone hands me a pepsi there is a good chance they’ll get to finish off the bottle. Today it was Daniel, Elvia and Edwardo that helped me out on the heavy drinking:)

One last thing.  I have finally learned how to buy Bibles in Guatemala with ease! A lesson well learned. We accepted a new delivery of 8 cases at the hotel today.  Once these are shared we will have given 326 Bibles to people who can read and write.  This includes the older students (4-6 grades), the teachers and the church leaders.  I am so thankful for the generosity of our church! Having the Bibles was critical for our work.

Everyone is very thankful for the Bibles. God is using the faithfulness of the church to put this resource in the hands of those who hunger for spiritual nourishment.  I am humbled and awed at the great provision.

We are all experiencing the love & friendship with one another that comes so generously when Christ is at the center.  To encounter it is a gift beyond words.  Jesus said it was that simple: “love each other like I love you.”  Let it be.

This day began early when Adolfo and his family picked us up for the ride to Champerico (about 1.5 hours away) for worship.  It is customary for the churches to go to this area for special worship and baptisms. Adolfo’s daughter, Jaqueline, was baptized today. She is 15 and a beautiful young lady.  So we jumped in a van already packed with 14 people, including Adolfo’s pastor, Juan Pablo Ajanel.  

The baptismal service took place in the middle of three pools at this center. It’s acutally a sizeable recreation center with beautiful tiled picnic area, stages, pools and even a few animals for viewing. It is called Espranza – or The Hope. It is often on Sundays that it serves as gathering place for many churches. 

Pastor Juan has served in this church for about 35 years. He also serves as the President of the National Methodist Church, which in our terms would be equal to a Bishop.  He was very kind and invited me to say a message of greeting to the church. It was very humbling to speak on behalf of Franklin First United Methodist Church. Chester was a champion, as usual and translated since my Spanish is still greatly lacking. 

After the service a long picnic ensured during which we were offered much hospitality and great food.  The whole experience is on Guatemala time. This is a celebration day for an important visible and public decision Jacqueline has made in her journey with Christ. Eight people from the church were baptized today.  There is much to celebrate and nothing to rush.  It is an unforgettable day for this family – and I am thankful to be included.  Patience is not always my greatest virtue and today God reminded me that families and memories are built by taking time to honor and celebrate life together.  Even if it’s hot!

 

Around 3pm we made our way a few minutes down the road to the beach. It is an old port that only serves for recreation now.  So all I can say about this is that these moments were a huge gift for me. My soul needed to see and feel and walk by the ocean. I needed to feel the breeze and take in the beauty. I needed to hear the crashing waves of the Pacific coast and remember how big the world is. I needed to sink my feet into the sand and be thankful for life.  God is so faithful and just takes care of me. 

It’s the end of day and I’ve stopped sweating.  Today was a day for making more memories and learning about a culture that has our fingerprints very lightly laced in places we can’t really know or imagine.  But more so, the people here have left their fingerprints on our souls.  There will come a day when all nations, ages and races will be worshipping together with nothing to keep us apart.  Today I was close enough to smell the incense of such worship.

Saturday was terribly ordinary and good.  Without an agenda and much needed rest, I slept in and then went for a run.  I missed my long run that I normally share with friends.  But it was great to get in a few miles, survive the heat and then let the day unfold.   We risked a little motor taxi and buzzed up and down to the grocery and picking up dinner.  The conversation and learning are a blessing. Just being in the culture is a great help to me.  Jesus preached the kingdom is near, even at hand. Paul preached the living out of faith as believers.  We bring hope and the love we were asked to share (John 15:12).   When you have received such as the love of Christ you have much to share.

This morning we are out early to go with Adolfo and his family for his daughter’s baptism. It will be special day. There is some travel and Adolfo is picking us up soon. I am mindful this morning of the gathering in my church at home.  I will miss the worshipping congregation and am especially thinking of our youth who are bringing the message through word and song. Listen well and listen deep to these young voices.  God is stirring the generations and what they have to say will show us much of what is to come.

Much Joy and Gratefulness this morning.

We have received much hospitality here. Although we keep a small cooler for our food each day, we are not eating most of our sandwiches.  After teaching a class at the school we walked a few steps through the jungle to Celeste’s home where her daughter, Allison, was having a cinco (5) birthday party.  The teachers and the students were all there – it was great to be a part of this celebration!  We gave out more pictures as we keep running into kids and teachers. It is fun. 

 

For our gift we presented Allison with a small coin purse that Chester brought and 5 hersheys kisses tucked inside that I had on hand.  A little Guatemala, a little American chocolate.  They gave me a swing or two at the piñata!  We left the party with birthday cake, goodie bags and smiles. Yesterday we left Daniel & Elvia’s house with a box full of bananas.  They will ripe next week so I think we will eat bananas every day. We have a lot!

 

 

The concrete project at the school is making progress with Felix, his sons and a few locals working each day.  There are 8 sections to pour so maybe a lot will be finished before we leave.

During the birthday party we received another invitation for Monday night to go to church with Hanniah and her husband. I am very thankful for this.  They attend an Evangelical church and this, along with the Catholic church, are the primary religious influences in the community.  I want to “see” what this is like here.   I have learned over time that there are many expressions of faith that we think we know and understand but when we experience those in the context of sharing it with people we know,  it is different that our perceptions.  All that said, I am happy she invited us!~

 

Today there is time to reflect on what we have seen so far and prepare for the week ahead.  Prayers for insight and exactly the words of hope and truth to share are welcomed. I know, however, that is also as much what people experience (including me!) in all of this that will change  lives for God’s glory. Let it be.

Today was a great day of the unexpected.   The strike has increased in intensity. Apparently protestors blocked some roads yesterday which prevented people from getting to work.  The pressure to participate in the strike (for teachers) increased with the tension of the day.  For us, this ultimately meant the teachers at the school were the true bare bones of strong volunteer work. We spent the first half of the day with a class that we were teaching for the first time.  We began with the dust from which God created us and spent most of the time talking about being “salt of the earth”. 

When language seems to be a barrier there is so much more to see.  If I knew spanish Chester wouldn’t be here. And if Chester wasn’t here these boys would be missing the teaching that comes by what you “see” and experience.  For the girls in the class they “see” and “experience” a female pastor. For the boys, they “see” and “experience” a man of their own culture serving as a translator.  I dare say the two of us are  an unusual encounter!  It was as awkward and as wonderful as any teaching of 12-year-old students!

We received an invitation to Daniel and Elivia’s home for lunch today.  They were so kind and gracious.  The tablecloth came out, the food was great and just being in their home was a great blessing. Daniel convinced us to return to the river where we saw several kids and met some new ones. 

While many were swimming I met Maria on the rocks as she washed her clothes.  We did a lot of communicating for two different languages and made into fast friends.  She is 13.  The community is small and everyone knows everyone. If you walk around with a bit of time to offer, you can run into a lot of people. We stopped by Marvin’s house and gave out lot of pictures today. It was nice.

This afternoon a gigantic rain came down for a very long time. It poured!  We were at Felix’s church, thankfully.  We were supposed to meet with his church leaders at 5pm but the rain delayed everyone’s arrival and they didn’t get there until 6:16pm. Our taxi came at 6:30pm and we all agreed to meet on Monday. We were able to have a bit of discussion even in the short time.  Subject? Their insight on spiritual needs within the church and community.  Much growth in the faith and even their confidence in being Methodist is a major need.

Tomorrow the strike will continue with everyone returning on Monday.  One of the teachers asked us to come teach a special class of students she will gather together in spite of “no school”.  We will teach them tomorrow – it is a great invitation.  And then many of the students are attending a birthday gathering for one of the teacher’s daughters who is turning 5. We got invited – the answer is “yes!” and this will be a great way to share in their lives tomorrow.

Maybe it is important to remember that ministry is all about meeting people wherever they are and being in relationship.  I know there is a generation of youth being raised up for something greater than we can imagine.  The path they have to walk will need enormous focus. They must be inspired to move beyond what they know or can even imagine.  But they will do it! And the adults who live and breathe around them will need to teach and love and show the way.  In every country. In every church. In every community. It will take all of us.

My posts are late. This is the first moment to get on the internet!

We’ve had an incredible day.  It was so late when we got in and settled last night…after 10pm. Adolfo stayed over since it was so late and helped us arrange for daily transportation to La Toma. It is about 20 minutes from where we stay.  The process of purchasing the Bibles in Guatemala City took a few hours and then traffic was crazy. Nothing new here!  The drive from the city to Mazatenango takes a few hours with bad traffic.

Today we arrived at the school to find several teachers on strike at the school. This turned out to be good news because three classes are going with teachers who are volunteering their time and students who are eager to be in school.  We spent our time talking to Ana, the principal and learning a lot about the family life of the students.  We got a good focus for our teaching. We will concentrate on these three classes this week and the remaining classes next week. 

It could not be a better situation: we will have targeted and repeated time with the 4^th – 6^th grade classes. This is exactly the group we need to connect with. All in all we have about 370 students to teach this trip.

We met with Felix (pastor of the nearby church) and have sessions set up with his church leaders for Thursday evening and a group of district pastors for next week.  I will offer a message of encouragement and teach all of them about the Life Journal for a daily practice of reading and inspiration from the Scriptures.  It will help them with sermon preparation and nourish their spirits along the way.  We have 40 Life Journals to give so it works out perfectly. We will do this same teaching with all of the teachers in the La Toma school.  Our hope is that this will create some unity in the community as people connect through the daily readings. The beauty of this practice is the openness it allows for each person to find wisdom to apply to their own life. When done in community, the learning can be shared so that it builds up the spiritual life of the people.

We visited Elvia and Daniel’s home. They weren’t home today but we found Elvia and spent a bit of time with her and later met her mom on the road for a long and good conversation. They are doing well. There is no water in the home so washing dishes, clothes and the daily needs of life take a long time and are just tough.   Engineers Without Borders is working on a possible water project for the area in the future so maybe this will change.

I am very thankful. Chester has been a great partner and we are both excited about the days ahead.  Keep us in prayer and most especially that we will connect with the students tomorrow in a way that will lead them into more encounters with the grace of God.  Our meeting with Felix’s church leaders in the evening so we are in for another long day.  Pray for our energy and focus.  I am full of joy!

I am scheduled to return to Guatemala tomorrow. It will be the 5th of April – exactly one month since I arrived back home in Tennessee.  What has happened over the past 30 days has been an unfolding of miracles and God’s grace.  It has involved people from many places. People I know and love. Strangers I have never met. People taking care of tax deadlines and committee meetings.  People who are in warehouses with Bibles and people who are being “nudged” into prayer.  I woke up this morning literally feeling the strength of the prayers of the church.  It is humbling and it is encouraging.

We are in the middle of the season of Lent. I don’t take this lightly.  The return from the most recent mission was March 5th and  on March 9th we gathered in the sanctuary for Ash Wednesday services.  Along with many others in the church we set a focus for our personal journeys as we remember the the path Christ walked on his way to the cross and to resurrection. I set mine too.  The words that came to me as I was at the altar were surprising to me and even a bit curious: “all things and everything”.    I am learning each day what those words meant.  My scheduled return is the beginning of Holy Week.  I will reunited with the church at Maundy Thursday services.  Let it be.

The weekend in Chichicastatenango was a wonderful break and rich with the culture of Guatemala.   If I were to describe it all in two words it would be: Diversity and generosity.  There are two ancient churches there and a street market, thus our focus. 

When we woke up on Sunday morning the entire air was filled with incense. The rituals began early. Jesus is carried in a small glass case surrounded by large colorful feathers. Three priest led the procession and stop at each church to offer incense and prayers to the North, South, East and West.

I met Sam on the church steps as I was just soaking it all in. She is from France and traveling South and Central America for 12 months. We talked for a long time and shared perceptions of Guatemala, the world we’re living in now and what we think about the future to come.   The pictures possibly speak more poignantly than words can capture.

 

We visited a mission in ChiChi called Ruth and Naomi that ministers to women who are widowed or otherwise left behind. They help them get on their feet and find life again.  It is amazing how far-reaching the Methodist Church and its “cross and flame” truly is.  They prepared a wonderful meal for us and we purchased some of their home-made items to support the mission.

Adolfo’s wife, Heidi and his three daughters joined us for the weekend and this was a great reunion for the “original” team and especially for B.J. who has spent a great deal of time in their home here in Guatemala.

 

There is a verse in Revelation 5 and 7 that points to a vision where all nations, tribes, races and languages are at the throne of Christ praising God. When I sit in the middle of diversity and see the generous expressions of culture and worship that are present in our world I know that God is giving us a portion of this right now, wherever we are.  And I pray we will have our eyes open to see the beauty. All is very well.

Today as we were leaving the work site, Edgar was walking beside me and he said, Iglesia!” and pointed to me.  Chester interprets: “church” .  Si…we are the church.   The dirt here does not overshadow the richness of the culture in color, joy and offering. The “offering” is allowing us to be here walking through the dirt yards, peeping into their lives for only a few days and somehow trying to make sense of the wide world we live in. 

The Guatemalan people are a happy people. They are proud. Their opportunities are not the same as ours, but in many cases the work ethic, sense of family and community is humbling in the site of our ease to access most anything we may desire.

We did “the story” (lost sheep) again today and one of the classes was all cleaned up and ready for what the teacher said was like being “ready for the return of Christ”. They looked great – sang their hearts out and giggled with delight when the Good Shepherd found his lost sheep.  And then they expressed themselves with art and beauty and gratitude. 

 

Each night we meet new people.  Each night Chester teaches more in the conversations around our table. This morning the cards from the Kabam Kids at church arrived on our doorsteps and it touched everyone so much.  It is so good to be connected to the church family while away. Your prayers and comments are wonderful.  

Tomorrow is the weekend and we are ready for the break.  We will travel to a Chichicastenango which is 2-3 hours from here and spend the night. The “attraction” there, as I understand it, is the market, which will be packed full of local merchants selling their food and wares.  It will be nice to see the landscape and to encounter more people. 

 Everyone is doing very well and the work is going very well.  Internet access is sporadic but we are thankful for it when it works! Blessings and Joy!