Chattanooga Medical - Guatemala Trip - Day 7

This morning started with a bang!  Seriously - we purchase fireworks yesterday for Jeanie's 65th birthday!  We lit them outside her room at 5:30 this morning - it was a blast.

The excitement didn't end there, as we started getting ready for breakfast, Melvin (the doctor) and Elder (the nurse) came and got Del again.  "NO WAY!!  Seriously??"  Yes, a woman had come to the hospital with 2 feet dangling from her vagina.  Yes, she was giving birth to a child feet first!

The team again sprung into action and prepared for another c-section.  We were hopeful that it would not be necessary, but, under the circumstances, it looked like that might be the only option.  Del seemed confident that he could deliver the baby vaginally, so that was the first option.  Sure enough, he did it!  I watched in amazement as he pulled the child by the feet out of his mother's body.  The little girl was born on Jeanie's birthday at 6:36 this morning.

The rest of the day we drove home to Guatemala City, but it wasn't without some interesting sidelights. About 45 minutes out of Cubulco we stopped at a pottery shop.  The team was in for a cool show as we watched the man make 2 pots.  As we re-boarded the bus, Jeanie asked about the passports, and saved us a lot of frustration later because they were still at the office in Cubulco.  Julio drove out and met us, so it wasn't too bad.  It was probably only 20 minutes for him driving.  I felt bad though, as I had intended to get them this morning, but with all of the chaos, things got lost in the shuffle.

We stopped at Pollo Campero for lunch and Sarita's for ice cream.  It was a wonderful trip home. 

When we arrived back at Thelma's, we had dinner, told jokes, talked and shared stories, and played games.  It was very relaxing.

Tomorrow we are going to the beach.  I hope it is a good day - sunny, but not too hot.

Thought for the day:   I received an e-mail yesterday that really made me angry. It was a response to an e-mail I had sent to a number of people.  He responded to everyone on the list, and whether he meant to or not, basically told me off and attempted to put me in my place.  I don't know this man from Adam, and frankly, after the e-mail, have absolutely no interest in ever meeting the guy. As a matter of fact, two of the people who do know him did not help his case as they tried to smooth over the tone of his e-mail by basically telling me he is just that kind of a person.

There are two different ways I can go with this thought - I will choose the one that I need right now. 

Relationship with the person colored the way one of the other people I spoke with read his e-mail.  They had a more "forgiving" attitude, a more "understanding" sense of his actual intent, and a  broader history with him to comprehend what he was actually trying to do with his e-mail. 

It baffles me how relationship can help one overlook what seems to be so great a flaw.  But really, isn't that what relationship does for me.  I mean - look at me - flawed to the very core, and I have a relationship with a beautiful, wonderful woman who daily overlooks my broken flawed personality and chooses to love me every day.  I have children that see my mistakes and failures, yet they love me.  I have friends that, though I have let them down and failed them, they still remain my friend.

So, I guess I must ask myself, as pertaining to those with whom I have relationship, does "love cover a multitude of sins"?  Am I willing to "overlook" imperfections for the sake of the relationship?  Am I willing to offer grace and mercy to those who I know best? 

I should be - Lord, help me do it better.  Help me do it well!

Chattanooga Medical Team - THURSDAY NIGHT

At 10:00 PM, the team was getting ready for bed.  I was on the computer finishing my daily blog report, and someone walked by my window and said that a woman who had come to the hospital to deliver her baby was having problems.  I thought it would be interesting that we would begin and end the week with a cesarean, but that's exactly what happened.

As on Sunday, the team gathered quickly, and by 10:39, a baby girl was born.  When she was pulled from the womb, she was very purple.  Bridget quickly took her out of the room and put her under the warmer.  After a few minutes of working with her, the baby was turning pink as she should.

By 11:00, they were finishing with mom, and they rolled her into the recovery room. 

It was a beautiful way to end the evening and to finish the work of the team here in Cubulco.

Chattanooga Medical - Guatemala Trip - Day 6

Well today was our last day of surgeries before we head back to Guatemala City, or at least it was supposed to be.  The day began the same - breakfast, devotions, and the team went off to work.  In the mean time, I started exercising to begin my day.  However, just a few minutes into my workout - Coleman came into the room and asked, "Are you working out?"  If I had been thinking, I would have replied (in my sweaty condition as I laid on the floor), "No, I was just laying here on the floor to see if it was cool - here's your sign."  No such luck.

Anyway, he came back in because his final patient - his only one for today - was cancelled because they would not allow the student to leave the school.  So we spent the morning doing inventory and preparing to leave.  The other team did 2 surgeries today, but by noon they also were finished.

The afternoon was spent walking up the mountain to the cross, shopping in the local market, and just hanging out together.  It was a relaxing time of rest and fellowship.  I think it was well deserved.  Tomorrow we head back to Guatemala City in the morning.

Thought for the day:  We are so blessed!  As we walked about the village, we noticed houses in disrepair, and people living in them.  The team, as always, is moved with compassion by what they saw.

However, the conversation turned as we walked to note the relational strength of the area. Families were hanging out together.  People were gathering in the street to talk and spend time together.  During the day, but especially at night, the people were not in their homes watching TV, they were talking, playing, laughing, or just sitting quietly together.

We may be blessed financially, but we have much to learn about true blessing.  Maybe the next time we have the opportunity to spend with our family and friends, maybe we should follow the example of our guests and seek to spend time together.

Chattanooga Medical - Guatemala Trip - Day 5

Today was a lot like the other days - 8 surgeries (less than last year), and I had the privilege of taking pictures during 2 of them. (and I took a lot of pictures).

We finished early today, so we took a hike up the nearby mountain. About 100 yards from the top, Coleman decided he had gone far enough, so I walked back with him.  The rest of the group went to the top of the mountain and took pictures.

As Coleman and I arrived back at the hospital, there was a crowd surrounding the entrance.  Apparently someone was shot, and they had brought him to the hospital.  By the time we arrived, he was being loaded up in the ambulance to go to Salama, because they do not have the equipment/facilities for such a serious chest injury.

When the rest of the team returned, we went to the market for a little while before dinner, and eventually headed back for dinner.

The evening was rather relaxing.  We had some good conversation, went out for ice cream, and sat and relaxed.  While we were at the ice cream place, we had two funny occurrences.  First, a little girl had a piggy bank.  One of the team members put some coins in the bank.  She started singing "Musica, Musica" (holding the "a" out).  I would make a face and she would start laughing.  Then when I looked away, she would start again.  It was cute.  After a short time, Ester (the head nurse) showed up and I told her we were waiting for her to purchase our ice cream.  So she did. (or at least tried to).  While she was giving the team the ice cream she 'bought', I paid for it.  She insisted on paying, but I had already paid.

It was a good day.  Tomorrow is our last "full day" of surgery - although I believe they only have a few left.

Thought for the day:  When sharing in Ephesians this morning, I was talking about Ephesians 4 and the first verse I read was Ephesians 4:7.  I went on to talk about verses 11-16, but after I was done, Stephen came up to me and shared a thought from verse 7.

The verse says, "But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift."  the part he focused on was that last part.  The "measure of Christ's gift".  What is the measure of Christ's gift?  And grace was given according to that measure?

It is the gospel in one verse - a reminder we all need.  Grace was given to me as a result of Christ living a perfect life and offering His perfection for my sinfulness.  Grace was given to me completely, fully and sufficiently.  The gifts and abilities I have are given by God to be used for God and are to be offered back to God.  It is all about what He has done.

The measure of Christ's gift cannot be calculated on a human scale.  There is no measurement that can find the height, the length or the depth of his grace.  What an amazing grace!  What an amazing gift!

Chattanooga Medical - Guatemala Trip - Day 4

Today was a fairly normal day - if you consider a team of 12 medical professionals doing 13 surgeries in less than 10 hours normal!  Seriously, they had both operating rooms running throughout the day and even did a couple procedures in the waiting room.  I do not cease to be amazed at what this group does each day.

Outside the operating room, we discussed Ephesians 2 this morning and we sent them off with a charge to walk in the things that God has laid out before them today.  The thing that God laid out for me today was working on a video, doing laundry, and preparing for a celebration and a wedding.  I spent much of the day running from here to there, and working on the computer - a fairly normal day.

The evening was spent rehearsing the day, eating dinner, taking a walk, and resting together as a team.  I asked them at dinner how their day went, and overall, things were positive.  Over all, it was a very good day.

Thought for the day:  As we were in the square this evening, Stephen and I were talking about truth and error.  As we talked, we recognized that the greatest deception is being close to the truth without actually arriving at it.  In other words, believing something that is true, only modifying the truth just a little to make it actually not true.

This got me thinking about evaluating truth.  Why do I believe what I believe?  How much time am I spending defending my positions in my study?  I am not talking about preparing to win arguments, or prepping myself to be smarter than other people.  I am talking about critically thinking about the things I know to be true, and taking time to strengthen my understanding and belief.

I think Paul's encouragement to Timothy to "study" God's Word was based on this idea.  We need to understand God's Word so that we can be ready to "give an answer" to anyone who asks about the hope that lies within us.

God help me study your Word with a passion to know you more.

Chattanooga Medical - Guatemala Trip - Day 3

A tired group of medical professionals woke up this morning as a result of the events last night.  If you missed out, we had the privilege of doing a cesarean section at midnight last night.

Anyway, the day started as planned.  Breakfast, devotions, and then off to work.  By day's end, the team performed 10 surgeries in all.  It was a rather normal day for them.

I ended up spending the day working on pictures and an Animoto presentation for the family of the twins.  It turned out really well, and by 3:00 PM I was able to show the family the video and give them a copy of the pictures and the video.  It was exciting seeing their expressions as they viewed the pictures.

At the end of the day, we sat around and watched Coleman, Anna, Jeanie and Julio play soccer.  They gave us a number of good laughs as they played guys against the girls.  Some went swimming to cool off, while others just relaxed with their feet in the pool.  Eventually we had dinner and talked about glorifying God by doing what we were designed to do for His glory.

After dinner, we strolled into town and had ice cream and walked down to the town square.  It was very relaxing. Eventually we made our way back to the hospital.

Julio and Veronica met me outside and asked me some questions about Dr Rodney leaving, but it was a ruse so the rest of the team could come out with balloons and sing happy birthday.  They threw the balloons at me and then popped them on the ground.  We went inside for cake.  Over all it was a wonderful day.

Thought for the day:  I went to the bank today and exchanged some money.  There were 3 women behind the counter, but only 1 was a teller.  The whole event took about an hour, and by the time I was done, only 1/5th of the money I wanted to exchange actually was exchanged.

Anyway, as I watched the 3 women, one was cleaning, one was the teller (working) and the final one seemed to monitor the other 2.  Each had their position and their place.  Each one did what they were supposed to do.  But it seemed to me that each one knew where they ranked.

Have you ever thought about how often we "rank" people?  You belong above me, you belong below me, I am right here in the middle...  This is actually a normal and healthy way to operate, because people have positions, people have "rankings". 

However, the problem lies in the valuing of a person based on their rank.  Yes, you can honor someone of "lower status" than you.  You can esteem highly those who aren't "equal" with you in the ranking scale.  Jesus did it - He loved everyone.  He didn't reject the system, but he loved everyone within the system.  When we see people as Jesus did, we can do it well too.

Chattanooga Medical Team - SUNDAY NIGHT/MONDAY MORNING SPECIAL NEWS!!

Sunday night, after a long day of qualifying and preparing for surgeries for the week, the team decides to take a walk.  We didn’t get far though, God had other plans.  A father of a young lady met us at the front gate and asked if we could perform a cesarean section on his wife who was experiencing complications.  The team sprung into action – we weren’t supposed to begin until tomorrow, but they were excited to bring this baby into the world.

As it turned out, she was in labor and the decision was to wait.  The baby’s vitals seemed fine, the woman was doing well, and the “bleeding” she reported was not a problem.  So the team turned in for the night while the local nurses cared for the woman.

12:05, August 26, 2013, there is a knock on our door.  It started quietly, but soon the dogs got in on the action and I finally jumped up to find out what was going on.  “We need Dr Del” was the reply I received when I opened the door.  Del Ashcraft got up and headed off and I went back to bed to try to sleep.  However, just 10 minutes later, Del reemerged in the room and said, “we are doing a C-section”.  Instantly the room was alive with action, and I went down the hall and awoke the women. 

Because of the earlier situation, the team knew where everything was and where everything needed to go.  As a result, by 12:20, our team members were in the operating area and were ready to go. 

Jonathan and Stephen took care of the spinal anesthesia, the nurses had the warming bed ready, and the supplies ready for the surgery.  Surgery began without much of a hitch.  The bevel (the cauterizing unit) was not functioning correctly, but that was remedied rather quickly.  Within moments, the uterine wall was exposed and shortly after the little girl entered the world.

This is where the real excitement began.  Dr Del, with the little girl still in his right hand and his left hand in the uterus, exclaimed, “we need to get another warmer ready!”  That’s right, this woman was having twins.

Just a minute after his sister, the young boy, much smaller than his sister, entered the world as well.  The team handled the surprise very well, and both babies were cared for well.

Why is this such a personal story?  Because today, August 26^th happens to be my 45^th birthday.  And for a present, God started my day with a woman, who, apart from the intervention of this team, might have lost a child, lost 2 children, or may have even lost her life.  God gave me the gift of reminding me how much He loved us by bringing our group here to “save” this woman.  This is just the beginning, as we have shared the truth of the gospel with the woman and her family, and our prayer is that both of these children also come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. 

Chattanooga Medical - Guatemala Trip - Day 2

Cubulco, Guatemala is a wonderful place.  It is a small city located about 60 miles north of Guatemala City.  In a short time you can walk around most of the city, but it truly is a special place. 

This morning the team woke up and got ready for a day of preparation and discovery.  We were preparing for surgeries for the rest of the week while the doctors were interviewing patients and setting up the surgery schedule for the week.  Coleman said that today is the day the work is done, the rest of the week is actually fun.  It seems as I have interacted with the team that this is an "across the board" concensus.

We ate breakfast, lunch and dinner together, and the rest of the morning and early afternoon was spent in preparation for the week.  Around 3:00 we headed down town to shop and see the village.  This area is alive with Guatemalan culture and people aren't as used to seeing gringos, so we get lots of stares as we walk around.

As we waited for dinner, some of the team rested, some went swimming, some played games, and all relaxed in preparation for a long week.  Periodically throughout the day, the team members would take candy and toys to the children who were waiting with their families in the waiting area.  The kids and the parents loved getting the candy and just sitting and talking with team members.

After dinner we had planned on taking a walk, and as we left the property, we were asked about the possibility of doing a Cesarean Section on a pregnant woman who was bleeding.  It was so cool watching the team jump into action.  We didn't have certain supplies (or couldn't fine them), and they solved the problems quickly.  They were buzzing with excitement, but not anxiously, just purposefully.  I really enjoyed watching the machine operate.  Each person did their part and the prep was quickly done.  HOWEVER, false alarm - after further review, the woman was in labor, and we were just going to wait until she was ready to deliver.  I think everyone was disappointed, but they are ready to go tomorrow.

The fun begins tomorrow...

Thought for the day:  I was talking with one of the team members today about the pitfall of arrogance.  It is amazing how quickly we can move from humility to pride, and how just as quickly we can move from pride to being humbled. 

We had an incident today when a woman walking down the street broke her shoe.  Since we had some size 7 shoes, one of the team members asked if we should give them to her.  I said it would be okay, but the shoes were probably more "attractive" to kids.  Sure enough, the lady kindly refused our gift, but it allowed for a conversation of giving and not thinking that just because they are "poor" they have no sense of pride.

Later I had a conversation with another team member about how others can easily think highly of themselves based on their accomplishments, their education, their experiences, etc, and frankly, how quickly our response to arrogance in others is a prideful response as well.

The conclusion - we are all proud people who need the reality of others in our lives.  Others who are willing to speak truth to us - tell us when we are acting arrogantly, and keep us true to the reality that apart from Jesus Christ - we are nothing.

Thank God that His Son, who had every right to behave arrogantly, chose to humble himself to the lowest degree to show us what true greatness is.  Thank You, Jesus, for setting such an example, and forgive me for the arrogance I so easily tend toward.

Chattanooga Medical - Guatemala Trip - Day 1

Early in the morning we met at the Chattanooga Airport!  5:30 to be exact.  Dee dropped me off and went back home to sleep.  The rest of the team arrived one by one, and by 6:00 everyone was there.  We checked in, went through security, and waited for the plane.   Steve found his way to the counter to see if he could get an exit row seat, and he did.  However, when we boarded the plane, Jonathan and I joined him in the mostly empty exit rows.  We all had an exit row seat AND no one sitting next to us.  Pretty good start.

The funniest part of the morning events was the fact that the same woman who checked us in, made the calls at the gate, checked our tickets before we boarded, and the next thing I knew, she was on the tarmac.  Steve said, "If I see her with a wrench, I am getting off the plane."  One other guy said it wasn't the same lady, she had been cloned.  I was rather impressed, except for the fact that I was helping Bridget take her bag on the plane, and I boarded before her - she realized her boarding pass was in her bag and ran past the gate agent (the same lady from the front counter) when she turned around and came and got her boarding document.  TSA would be extremely upset if they ever knew this happened.  Kinda made me wonder who else was on the plane who shouldn't have been??  On top of that, one guy boarded with his boarding pass from another flight.  We found this out because he sat in the wrong seat.  Anyway, maybe Chattanooga needs to re-think the multi-tasking agent??

The rest of the day went kinda smooth - we had plane trouble in Atlanta, but it only delayed us 45 minutes.  We arrived in Guatemala about 30 minutes late and flew through customs (except Coleman and William [the doctor from Memphis] who had brought a ultra sound unit and declared drugs).  No real delay, just a momentary discussion with the security officer.

Finally we boarded the bus and sat for 6+ hours.  (We stopped at McDonalds and Sarita's on the way).  It really could have been much worse!  It wasn't hot - but it was raining, so much of our luggage got wet -  not bad, but still, who likes wet luggage.

We arrived in Cubulco a little after 7:15 local time (9:15 PM Chattanooga time).  We unloaded, had dinner and did a quick orientation.

Tomorrow they will be qualifying the 52 patients they have lined up - we will see what God has in store for us this week.

Thought for the day:  I had a conversation with Dr. Bill Rodney, one of our team doctors, about medical missions.  It is obvious he has a passion for this.  He wants to see missions and medicine connected on the field where effective, strategic and successful training of doctors would include the necessary training in biblical truth as well.  Medicine held hand in hand with the "Great Healer". He spoke with passion, he shared with conviction.  He longs to see things done better.

My thought was, could you imagine if every believer lived with this same passion in what they do?  How impacting would it be if lawyers practiced law based on the principles of God's word, or politicians made policy based on the guidelines of scripture, or the pizza delivery guy did his job as if God were the one he was delivering the pizza for (and to)??  Each one of us has been given a position in life.  God has us where He does right now so that we could serve Him. 

If you cannot connect what you do with what God says in His word, maybe you need to do something else.  Or, maybe you need someone to help you see the connection.  Because, "whether therefore ye eat or drink, or whatsoever you do, do all to the glory of God!"  It truly is all about Him.

Raymond Baptist - Guatemala Trip - Day 8

This is our last full day in Guatemala, and it is scheduled to be a busy day! 

We started a little later this morning with breakfast at 7:00 and devotions at 7:30.  A little after 8 Phil and Darby joined us and we were on our way to Pacaya (a volcano).  I was a little nervous about this because the last time I was scheduled to go to Pacaya with a team, the volcano erupted the Thursday before. 

Things went well today though - we arrived at the base of the moutain, picked up our 23 year old, albino Guatemalan guide, Francisco, and headed up the mountain.  Francisco made some stops along the way and shared with us a little information about Pacaya and the surrounding area.  He has been working on this mountain for 15 years!  That's pretty impressive.

We made it most of the way up the mountain, and when we reached our point of going no further, we were able to experience some steam vents (where steam is given off) and some hot spots (where the temperatures are extreme).  We chose not to go to the summit due to the possibility of problems.  Most of the team were thrilled with that decision as the climb was rather difficult.  Some even wanted to rent horses - but everyone made it!

Following Pacaya, we headed down to Antigua.  Once the capital of all of Central America, this historical city is home to old ruins and a lot of Guatemalan culture and pride.  We spent the better part of the afternoon at the market, and then went to Tre Fretelli's for dinner.  The Wilson family joined us for shopping and dinner.  It was a wonderful time of relaxing, sharing, laughing, talking and just being together.

The evening ended with some instructions about going home and the difficulties the team will face.  They will need much prayer as they re-enter the lives they left and try to incorporate in a healthy way the things they have seen and experienced.  We are planning tomorrow to spend the morning "blessing" each other, so I also told them about this.

Before bed, many of the guys gathered around the computer to look over the pictures from the day.  We laughed at some and just enjoyed others.  Soon it was time for bed.

Tomorrow we head home - most are not ready to go - they are excited about going home, but they wish they could stay longer.  That's exactly where we want them to be.  I look forward to another trip with them in the future.

Thought for the day:  At the market today we saw thousands of items for purchase.  What never ceases to amaze me is the variety and creativity of the Guatemalans that develop these items for sale.  Carvings, instruments, sewn items, shirts, coats, blankets...  the list could go on and on.  Obviously not very wealthy people, but they are hard working and extremely creative.

The cool thought for me today was the evidence that this is of a marvelous creator.  Where does their "creativity" come from?  God.  Yes, some of them are sinners.  Yes, some of them are still far from God.  But they are still image bearers, and within that lies their ability to create, just like their creator.

I know from talking with some of them that they have come to know the Savior, and that is the greatest thought of all.  Because as followers of God, they can use their creative skills and abilities to serve God - and they do! 

Thank you God for the creation you have given us to enjoy.  Thank you for blessing some with the ability to create other things for our enjoyment as well.  Your creation, including the people You've created sing your praises whether or not they know it.  Help me to sing your praises out of a willing heart.

Raymond Baptist - Guatemala Trip - Day 7

Today was full of new experiences.  What an amazing day.

Due to the lateness of the hour, I am going to record only the highlights...

• We went to Las Vistas (The Views) Child Care Center and met the 300+ children that went to the AMG school there.  The team visited classrooms and interacted with the teachers and the children.  I had the privilege of seeing my sponsored boy, Ludsvin, and give him a few gifts.  We also were able to deliver a gift for another sponsor - Rachel had the privilege of handing that child her gifts.

• From there we went to Verbana and the team delivered candy to all of the students in the school.  Class by class they went and gave students and teachers candy and thanked them for an amazing week.

•  After lunch, we went to recess with the kids and took a group photo with a bunch of the kids.  We were wanting to take pictures with all of them, but they were all over the place playing games.  After the picture we played games with the children until it was time to go back to class.

• When the kids went to class, the team loaded up in the van to go to see the city dump.  Over 11,000 people are said to work in the dump, and we were able to view it from the back side of the national cemetery.  It was a sobering sight as we watched thousands of people dig through garbage to find something of value.  As we prepared to leave, we took some time to pray for the people - we prayed that God's light would shine into the darkness, and that many would come to know Him as their Savior.

•  After the dump we headed back to Verbana only to be swamped by a major rain storm.  It shut down the possibility of working on the building outside, but we only had an hour to do it anyway because...

• At 4:00 we had a "futsal"  tournament where we played soccer on the basketball court - 4 on 4!  We had 4 teams and when all was said and done, we handed out trophies for first, second, third and forth place.  The reality is that no one really cared who won, but each team played hard and played well.  It was a blast.

• By 6:30 we were home and preparing for the Wilson's to join us for dinner at 7:30.  We had a wonderful meal and then said goodbye to the Wilsons.  Darby Scott (another AMG team leader) stayed and played "never have I ever..." with the team.  We were up until 10:00 playing!  It was a great team building/"get to know you" type experience.

• Following our game, Darby left and the team gathered for a quick challenge to continue on with a focus for ministry even though our work at Verbana was done.  Then I gave them all the letter they wrote to God a number of months ago.  I pray that as they interact with what they had written that God would use it to confirm some things in their hearts and minds.

Now it is time for bed, and I am ready to go to bed.

Thought for the day:    I had the opportunity to call my wife this afternoon, and she was sad and alone.  This happens occasionally when life slows down when I am gone and she has extra time on her hands.  We had a great talk, but it isn't like being there.

The thought I had was, without her and her support, I could not do what I do.  God has given me a wonderful helper who has been faithful to me and has been a huge encouragement to me.  I have been truly blessed with such a vital partner in ministry.  Interestingly enough, I awoke this morning thinking about how much joy she brings to my life.  I am so blessed.

I pray that as my remaining unmarried children move forward in life, that they too would be patient enough to find the partner that will help them be successful in doing what God has designed them to do.  As I talk with others that are unmarried, it is my prayer for them as well. 

Father, thank you for giving me a helper who cares for me so well and encourages me in my service for you.  Thank you for not giving me what I thought I wanted, but what I needed.  Thank you for knowing that what I needed would eventually be exactly what I want!  You are an amazing Father - and Dee is an amazing wife!  Thank you.

Raymond Baptist - Guatemala Trip - Day 6

Only 2 days left at Verbana, and the team is taking every opportunity to serve.  Much of the day was similar to other days, but we had a number of new experiences today.

• For lunch we purchased pizza and ate with the maintenance guys.  It was a lot of fun as we laughed together, ate together, and just got to know each other better.  The ladies who have not been working with the maintenance guys most of the week really enjoyed the opportunity to interact with them.

• The team had the opportunity to work with the gym teacher again today, but for most of the morning.  We took turns - 3 people at a time - playing with the children and helping Ramses with the gym class.

•  We had the unique opportunity of working with the English class.  Our team became the "teachers" as they had to grade the children on converting the Spanish phrases into English. 

 Much of the work is getting near completion, which is wonderful.  But we still have much to do tomorrow.

One thing that has really impressed me about this group is that every person on the team is taking time to interact with others as they pass them or see them around campus.  From the smallest of students to the teachers and workers, I have yet to see any of the team members not say hello, good morning, or something of the sort.  They are valuing the people around them, and in light of our study this morning in James 2, I know God is honored because they are not showing favoritism or partiality - they are doing their best to love each person as God has loved them.

The day ended a little earlier since we did not play soccer this afternoon.  We headed back to Thelma's and were home a little after 5.  The evening went much like other evenings with dinner, highlights and a slide show reviewing the days events.

By 9 most people had completed their devotions and were in bed or heading that way - you can tell they are tired, but they are loving what they are doing.

Tomorrow we have the distinct privilege of going to Las Vistas (where my sponsored child is) and we will be doing some home visits.  This will be eye opening for them, so they need much prayer as we see the reality of poverty in Guatemala.

Thought for the day:  On the ride home, Mark asked Phil what the average income was for Guatemalans, and as Phil shared with us, the reality of the poverty in Guatemala became real.  Yes, there are Guatemalans that make a lot of money, but the majority live at $2000 or less per year.  From $100 - 150/ month, most Guatemalans feed, clothe, and house their families. 

This is humbling when I think about the fact that most Americans have discretionary income well above $100/month, and if we don't, we have a phone bill, cable bill, internet bill, etc. that well exceeds this amount.

While other people in the world are working to earn food, clothing and a decent place to sleep, most of us (Americans) spend 2, 3, 4 times the amounts necessary each month on things that have no real significance whatsoever.

God has truly blessed America financially, but (as God warned His people) we need to make sure that our "blessing" is not a hindrance to our worship of God or our love for fellow man.  We can put our heads in the sand and think that our "neighbor" is the guy next to us, or another American Citizen, but Jesus reminds us that everyone is our neighbor, and that our blessings are not to be squandered on the things that we value, but rather they are to be held open handed for God to use as He wishes.

God, forgive us for our selfishness that we don't even recognize as such because our culture tells us it is normal.  Forgive us for allowing the blessings that you have given us to become the gods of our lives.  Forgive us for missing the point of sharing what you have given us with those in need.  And, Lord, help us have Your eyes as we look at our possessions and the world around us.

Raymond Baptist - Guatemala Trip - Day 5

As expected, today was much like yesterday.  From beginning to end, the schedule and events of yesterday mirrored today's activities.  We ate breakfast around 6:30, had devotions after that, and then headed to Verbana.  We arrived shortly after 8:30 as traffic was very light this morning.

The team got right to work.  Painting, installing the drop ceiling, and working on the concrete/block building were our 3 staple projects, but we added a few more projects to today's repertoire. For instance, the guys were given the job of removing nails from all of the boards used as forms for the concrete - we are talking about a lot of boards, but they did it with joy, and did a great job.  We also added some digging, leveling of the dirt, and preparing an area for concrete.  The girls did a lot of this - and they did a great job as well.

We had the opportunity to help with the gym class, and of course we ended up playing soccer with the kids.  Mark, Matt, Colton and I stood in the goal and told the kids that we were going to all be goalies - to which they promptly told us that we were only allowed to have one.  We argued with them a little, and they were hilarious!

Later in the afternoon, a few of the teen guys and I were asked to play soccer against a group of Guatemalan teens.  Our kids were so excited when we came out on top 5-2.  The score really doesn't matter, as relationships are the real issue, but it was nice for our guys to at least win one game.

We capped off the day at Verbana by playing 2 different forms of soccer with the maintenance guys.  First was a 5 on 5 game on the basketball court (it also has soccer goals - go figure).  We did that for about 1/2 hour, then we moved it to the full soccer field, and played Guatemalan's against the US team.  No surprise there - we lost.  However, if you ask Colton how we did, he will cheerfully tell you that he scored the final and winning goal.  What he will fail to mention is that he was our goalie, and the goal he dropped the ball into was our own!  We had a wonderful time of exercise and competition.  We took group pictures and headed for home. (Although right before we boarded the van, Mark took a ride on one of the guys' motorcycles.  He didn't get far, the engine kept stalling.  Matt said it was because the bike didn't like Gringos!)

At Thelma's we cleaned up, ate dinner and shared our highlights of the day.  Then we moved to the couches and watched the 500+ pictures from today.  These guys know how to laugh together - laughing at themselves and each other.  It really was a great day!

Tomorrow?  More of the same!  They are loving what they are doing, and I know the kids, the teachers and the workers are being blessed by them.  It really has been a great week so far.

Thought for the day:  It has been neat watching the team relate to the workers - especially the maintenance crew.   They started the week as strangers, but by today, they are friends. These guys are more than just co-workers to the team, they are people with families, personalities, strengths, abilities...  They are people much like we are.

The thought - what is it that brings people together so quickly when they know so little about each other to begin with?  Is it just the fact that they are working together?  I don't think so.  I believe that both sides recognize the work of the other group is part of their own work.  Without the maintenance guys, we couldn't do any of the things we are doing, and without us coming to work alongside them, they would take longer and they would miss out on the hilarious activity of the group.

That, by itself, is still not enough though.  I think the final piece of the puzzle is that what both groups are doing is for an eternal purpose.  Yeah, we are building buildings, painting walls, installing ceilings...  But we are sharing life with people that we will spend eternity with.  And all of that is because of Jesus Christ - to God be the glory!

Thank you, Father, for allowing us to taste a bit of heaven as we minister with parts of the body that we would never get to apart from a trip like this.  Thank you for giving us oneness and purpose because of Jesus.

Raymond Baptist - Guatemala Trip - Day 4

What an amazing day!!  From beginning to end, today has been wonderful.

I awoke this morning about 4:30 local time (6:30 at home) so I called my wife to see how she was doing - always a great start to the day.  After our conversation, I was able to get ready and prepare for the day.  Breakfast was at 6:30 and our devotions in James (1:3-18) immediately followed.  I love hearing the teens wrestle with God's word.

By 8:45 we were back at Verbana with an excited group ready to get to work.  From painting to working on installing a drop ceiling to the concrete crew, everyone jumped right in and got to work.  Things were going smoothly until the kids broke for recess - then all chaos broke loose.  Seriously, the team did what I have asked so many other teams to do - and they did it well.  "What is that?" You ask - they played with the kids and not a single camera came out.  They just loved on the kids, hugged the kids, rolled around on the grass with the kids, whatever helped them connect with the kids.  It was awesome to watch, AND, since no one else was taking pictures, I had the freedom to walk around and document the event.  I took dozens of pictures, and what was really cool was because no one else was taking pictures, the kids weren't looking for cameras, and they weren't posing for pictures.  I got lots of candid shots of team members and kids interacting.  It was fun to be a part of.

Eventually the children went back to class and the team went back to work.  We added 3 more tasks to our responsibilities today, moving the wood from the tree that was cut down, helping to move and set up their computer server (Mark and Zack), and moving the 3 truck loads of tile debris that was removed from the facility.  Moving the debris was awesome, because after we filled the truck, we were able to ride with the maintenance guys over to the cemetery where we unloaded the truck in a landfill (that was actually a sloping ravine about 100 yards long) at the back of the cemetery.  We had a great time rolling the tiles down the hill to see how far they would roll, and who's went the farthest.  It was a fun highlight.

However, much more fun was to be had as the afternoon was capped off with a soccer game with the maintenance guys.  The 12 of us and 10 of them played together from about 4 to 5:30.  Had someone (me) not kicked the soccer ball over the wall, the game probably would have continued. (I must say, I really wasn't disappointed with kicking the ball over - it was time to stop :-) )  Seriously, we had a wonderful time of relating with them on a casual level.  We ran into each other, we kicked the ball at each other, we scored on each other - it was a blast.

By 6:30, we were back at Thelma's, and the team was tired.  We showered and got ready for dinner.  We ate around 7:30, then we watched the pictures from the day and talked about what we had seen and learned today.  It was a wonderful day!

Tomorrow is scheduled to be more of the same - only God knows if that is the case - but I know the team is going to sleep well tonight, and we will see what God has in store for us tomorrow.

Thought for the day:  This afternoon, I spent some time talking with one of our AMG workers who is an amazing woman.  She has a real heart for what she is doing, and is very passionate about the work that God has called her to.  It is always wonderful to hear her share her enthusiasm.  But today her energy was not as bright as it usually is, and God gave me the opportunity to spend time talking with her and encouraging her.

Without going into any detail about our conversation, I was challenged to make sure that the people that I am responsible for know how important they are to me.  I need to make sure that I am listening to the things they are sharing with me, and I need to make sure they know how vital they are to my success.  From my wife and children, to the people I work with, to the team members I am responsible for, all of them need to know that they are listened to, loved, and are important.

Even the strongest, most dedicated, most self motivated people need to know that what they are doing is impacting others around them.  I think this is why God values thankfulness so much.  It is when we are thankful for what He has done, and for what others do, that we express to them how much they mean to us.

God help me share with others the value that you see in them, and the value that they have in my life.

Raymond Baptist - Guatemala Trip - Day 3

Today is the first day of ministry, and the team is ready to go.  We began the day with breakfast at 6:30, and devotions immediately following.  Shortly after 7:30 we were on our way to Verbana - the main campus of AMG Guatemala, a school of nearly 900 students. The tasks before us were painting a room and a hallway, and helping the maintenance guys on the second floor of the new building (for AMG's "At Risk No More" ministry).

We arrived at the campus about 8:45 and took a brief tour of the facilities.  Phil educated the team about the background of the ministry of AMG here in Guatemala, he showed them the medical, dental, educational and office facilities.  He introduced them to the maintenance crew, and finished the tour with an overview of the ravine behind the school.  Thousands of people live in the ravine behind the school, and the students in the school come from these homes.  The poverty and hopelessness they come from is balanced by the truth of God's word shared with them at the school.  The team really enjoyed seeing the facilities, and it was obvious that they were impacted by the vision of the conditions that these children come from.

It was time to work, and work they did.  The guys got to work mixing concrete, moving block, passing buckets of concrete to the second floor, and it was hard work.  The ladies started working on the painting by prepping the walls for the paint, pulling nails, cleaning walls, etc.  They were ready to go and they got a lot done very quickly.

About 10:30, the guys were pulled off physical labor and were asked to help with the physical education class.  Their first job... standing in the middle of the field with their legs spread wide so the kids could run through their legs.  It was hilarious watching the guys try to keep from getting hit by the kids as they ran, crawled, and jumped through the guys legs. The pictures of this even are hilarious.  Eventually we ended up playing soccer against the 30+ kids out there.  It was fun to be a part of.  I know the team enjoyed it.

Soon we were back to work, and eventually it was lunch time.  We took our lunch break to eat, drink and talk about the morning.  I love listening to the individuals reflect on what they are seeing and how they are moved by the workers, the children and the teachers.

After lunch, the maintenance guys were still on break, so the guys ended up playing a variety of games against the kids - soccer, keep away, football, etc.  The kids love playing with the team.  One class came to the gym area and challenged the team to a basketball game.  Six of us against 10 of them.  It was like a David vs Goliath game as the 3+ foot high kids ran around the much larger team members.  The whole team participated, and it was fun.  The team doesn't realize the impact they are having on the kids as they love them by talking with them, playing with them, laughing with them...  Only God knows what the long term effects of their involvement will be.

Eventually we finished working on the second floor (although there is much to do tomorrow) and the ladies finished the first coat of paint on both the room and the hallway they were assigned to.  It was a great day of working, playing and interacting with the kids.  I anticipate even more interaction with the kids as the week progresses.

We returned to Thelma's around 5:30 (after a brief stop at Pop's - the ice cream shop).  Some of the kids went swimming in the cold pool, while others rested and prepared for dinner.  I put all of the pictures on the computer and began a slide show.  We all sat around and laughed and talked about the pictures.  We had our evening re-cap and rehearsed the things we have seen and done today. I loved listening to the things they were sharing. It has been a great day.

Tomorrow is more of the same - we are going to need to get some rest for another hard day of work.

Thought for the day:  As we were driving home, we passed a man who was obviously addicted to glue fumes as he was walking around with a tube of glue held up to his nose.  He was dirty, had filthy clothes, and his hair was a mess.  He was stumbling into traffic and seemed rather aimless as he was walking around.  Phil informed us that many of the people who begin "sniffing" this and other things usually begin because the effects keep them from being hungry.

I was thinking, "I have never been that hungry."  Seriously, I have never been so hungry I would do anything to relieve my hunger.  Which leads me to two different trains of thought.

1 - Thankfulness.  I am so thankful for the fact that I have never been hungry.
2 - Compassion. I know my loving Father loves these people as well, but for some reason (and some might have to do with their own choices) He has allowed them to be hungry and needy.  They are needy physically, but even more, they are needy spiritually.  I pray that God continues to use us and the ministry of AMG to meet the physical needs of these people, but especially their need to know Jesus Christ.

God help us be aware of the people around us that have physical needs, and help us be moved with compassion to meet those needs.  But even more importantly, God help us to be aware of the spiritual needs of the people around us and be compelled to share the truth of Jesus with them.

Raymond Baptist - Guatemala Trip - Day 2

Sunday morning, August 4, and we are up and ready to go.  We had breakfast around 8:00, and followed that with devotions.  We did a quick overview of the book of James and laid the ground work for the rest of the week.  Just a small book (5 chapters) that can be read in under 15 minutes, but the theology it contains is life changing, and that is our prayer and our aim for this week.

We headed to the Fraternidad shortly after 9.  It is always neat to watch as we pull into the monstrosity of a church and see the responses of the team.  The church has a 12,000 seat auditorium, that was about 3/5ths full by 10:00  (the service began at 9:30).  The group was given headphones for translation, so that helped them to understand what was going on.  Over all, the experience was good for the team - seeing such a large number of believers, watching many come forward after the service, witnessing many making professions of faith...  It was a great experience.

After church we headed back to Thelma's only to find that we had been locked out.  We made our way inside, but Thelma was not there.  Eventually she showed up (she was getting food for our lunch), and we had lunch.

We drove out to Camp Caanan (an AMG camp facility located about 45 minutes from here), and we met with Jose Luis (the camp director).  He shared with us about the origin of the camp.  He told us his testimony (with tears in his eyes and a shakiness in his voice).  He gave us a tour of the camp, and showed us the ministry he has been involved with for over 30 years.  At the end of the tour, we took a brief hike over the mountain that is part of the 40 acres that the camp owns, and we viewed the valley beyond the camp.  It was beautiful, and awe inspiring.  We took some time to pray together as a group for Jose, the camp, the children and the ministry of AMG.  It was a wonderful time on the mountain.

We followed that with a game of soccer.  Originally we broke into teams (Jose and his son were playing too), and we all played together.  Eventually we played young people against the "old people".  Of course, we won - but really it wasn't about the score as much as it was about the team building.  We had a great time.

We drove back to Thelma's and had dinner - followed by the movie "Reparando" - a movie about ministry here in Guatemala that gives history and a hope for the future of Guatemala.  The team enjoyed the movie, but I think they are all tired.  So after the movie (at 9:00 at night) they all headed to their rooms to do devotions and head to bed.

Tomorrow we are going to Verbana to begin our physical work on the wall and the drop ceiling, and the relational work with the children at the school (nearly 900 students).  We are praying for a balance of finishing the tasks assigned and building long term relationships with the children and workers.

Thought for the day: During the service today, as the people sang some familiar songs in Spanish, an unusual thought occurred to me. It was especially funny since later in the day I was joking with Jose Luis about whether God speaks Spanish or Greek (AMG is a Greek ministry, so many there say that God speaks Greek).

The thought was - maybe when we are all in heaven our "first" language will still be our language when we get to heaven.  Imagine "Amazing Grace" being sung in all of the languages of the world at the same time.  English, Spanish, Greek, Hebrew, French, Chinese... Each people group praising God in their own tongue, but all praising Him at the same time - singing the same song.  Wouldn't that be amazing?  Yeah, it might sound chaotic to us, but to the ears of our God, it would be marvelous.

One tongue in heaven?? Maybe.  But really it doesn't have to be...  Just a thought.

Raymond Baptist - Guatemala trip - Day 1

The day for me actually began last evening when I drove from Chattanooga to Atlanta.  About an hour into the drive the car started wobbling and sounded terrible.  I stopped and found out that the front right tire was separating, so I had to get it replace.  Thank God that there was a Pep Boys close at hand, and that it was still open.

Around 2:15 in the morning the team left the church and headed for Boston's International Airport.  Apparently they had some interesting situations as they almost lost James because he had some liquids taken out of his carry on bag, and he wanted to put them in his checked bag.  He left the group, and they couldn't find him.  It all worked out okay, and James made it to the plane.

At 8:50 they pulled into D11 where I was patiently awaiting.  The first guy off the plane was walking toward me and I asked him, "did you just come from Boston?"  He said, "no".  I was a little worried until the guy right behind him said that they had come from Boston.  Not sure what that was all about, but eventually the team came off the plane. 

First impressions - there are a lot of guys, and they are going to be an energetic bunch.  My work this week is going to be keeping them busy, keeping them on task, and keeping them out of trouble.  Seriously, they are a lot of fun, and they obviously enjoy having fun together.  I think the kids are going to love their energy and their fun natures.  With only 3 ladies on the team, I am hoping I can keep them sane. :-)

We left the airport and met up with Phil (who almost missed being there because the information he had said we wouldn't arrive until 10:15 PM - an apparent blunder on my part.  Everything worked out okay though - praise the Lord.  I am so glad that He is the one really in control of this trip.

The skies looked like rain, so we headed to Thelma's to unload the luggage that was on the roof rack before the rain fell.  Thank God that we were able to unload and head out to lunch before things started to get wet.  We had lunch at Pollo Campero (a local KFC style eatery), and then headed back to Thelma's.

The afternoon was just a time of relaxing, playing games, sleeping, and getting ready for the week.  We had dinner at 6 (beef stew) and then met with the Wilsons for orientation.  The team asked some great questions, and I think they are ready to for a great week.

Tomorrow we will be going to church and then out to Camp Caanan (AMG's camp that all of the 6th grade and up students get to attend for a week every year).  We will be playing soccer and learning about the camping ministry of AMG here in Guatemala.

Thought for today:  There were probably 5 or 6 groups on the plane with us - so out of the 150 or so possible people on the plane, most were coming to minister to the people of Guatemala.  From Medical teams to people working at orphanages, from church planters to teams like ours working with children, they were Christian groups working together for a common goal of sharing Christ.  Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian... the titles aren't really that important.  Yeah, we do differ, but what is most critical is that Christ is preached and people are brought to Him.

That is my prayer for these groups this week - ours included - that we would keep the most important things at the center of our ministry.  We will be building a wall, putting up a drop ceiling and painting.  We will be playing soccer, basketball, football, and more.  But what is most important is that Christ is presented clearly, and that His gospel is preeminent.

I might not agree with the theology of all of the other groups - but again that is not critical.  Paul reminds us (Phil 1:15-18) that no matter what the motivation of those seeking to share Christ, either way He is being presented.  We need to pray that God would make them effective in sharing Christ as they go their various ways as well.

This is our prayer.