Easton Baptist Church - Guatemala Trip - Day 6

The final day of ministry at Las Vistas today, and we began the day looking at Philippians 2:1-11, where we are challenged to have the same mind as Jesus Christ – the mind of a servant.

After breakfast we headed to CAG (the Christian School here) to go to their chapel for Spiritual Emphasis Week. They were doing a study on the book of Jonah.  We were thrilled to hear that one of the students had accepted Christ yesterday.  Praise the Lord.

Eventually we made our way to the Childcare center, and we played soccer with the older kids.  They beat us pretty badly, but all in all we had a wonderful time of fellowship with them.  Some of the team stayed inside and played with the younger kids.  They had a good time too.

We fed the children lunch as we have done every day and then ate lunch as well.  Then the fun began…

We called all of the represented sponsored children to the office and shared gifts with them, showed them pictures, talked with them, encouraged them to do well in school, reminded them that we loved them and that Jesus loved them.  We hugged them and eventually sent them back to their classrooms – this is always a great time for the team, and today was no exception.

Then we collected the baskets for the teachers and handed them out as well.  The teachers were very appreciative of the gifts.  We included team shirts in the gifts, and eventually took a group photo of our team and all of the staff that were present.  It was a very blessed time of thanking them for their work.

The teachers surprised us with a reciprocal gift that they also had for us.  We received a certificate and a coffee mug with candy.  What a blessing it was to encourage them and be encouraged by them.

Eventually we had to leave, and that is always the hardest part.  Team members were crying and sad, but it really was a great day.

The evening events included our second 2-18 session of the day on the ride home (we did one this morning on the way), dinner and the 20-somethings went to a young adult Bible study.  The rest of us stayed home talking, playing games, and just fellowshipping.

Tomorrow is a trip to an active volcano (Pacaya) and then Antigua – it’ll be a great day.

Well, it’s time for bed, so my thought for the day is – don’t stay up too late or eventually you will be tired.  I haven’t gone to sleep before 11:30 local time, and don’t sleep past 4:30 local time.  It’ll catch up to me eventually, but for now, everything is great.

Hasta Mañana!

Easton Baptist Church - Guatemala Trip - Day 5

Since today was much like other days this week let me hit some highlights…

•  We started the day in Philippians 1:27-30.  We talked about suffering and walking worthy of the gospel. 
•  We went to Las Vistas and did some more painting – almost finishing another side of the outside of the facility. 
•  We went on house visits – visiting 2 of the sponsored children’s homes. 
•  We fed the kids lunch and spent time playing with them. 
•  More of the team members met their sponsored children. 
•  Some of the team members are contemplating sponsoring children – we hope to start some  tomorrow. 
•  I was able to meet my sister and brother-in-law’s sponsored child, Kimberly. 
•  We played soccer with the older children. 
• The combined team (guys and girls) won 2-1 
• The girls team won 3-0 
• The guys team lost 1-0

• We did 3 more 2-18’s today, so we have only 5 people left. 
•  The teens (and Michelle) went to a teen Bible study at Phil Wilson’s home. 
•  The adults stayed back and shared about the things they saw and did today. 
•  We prepared “blessing” bags for the teachers and bracelets for the kids to hand out tomorrow. 
•  We went to bed a little earlier tonight as many are getting tired!!  (I am not in bed yet – obviously).

Tomorrow will be a very emotional day as we finish painting and give gifts to sponsored kids and teachers.  We will be giving candy and bracelets to all of the children. Eventually we will be saying goodbye to all of the kids, and that is always an emotional time.  I pray that God gives the team a good night’s rest so they will have the energy to do all they need to do tomorrow.

Thought for the day:  In my personal devotions I was reading in Judges this morning. I am just getting started in the book.  In the second chapter, the writer records the fact that the people followed God all the days of Joshua and his leadership.  But verse 10 says, “All that generation also were gathered to their fathers; and there arose another generation after them who did not know the Lord, nor yet the work which He had done for Israel.”  What a sad commentary on the parents and leadership that followed God and obeyed his commands, that they did not pass on to the next generation the works of God and more importantly their knowledge of God.  Instead, they left a generation who “did not know the Lord”.

Yet I fear that we are seeing the fruit of such a situation in our country as well, and I pray that God would raise up a generation of people who know Him and want to know Him more.  However, I know that this only comes as the current generation begins to move back toward God and His Word.  We must study His word that we would know Him – not that we might know rules or regulations, not that we might be good “theologians” who understand the book, not that we would use the commands of the book to control others, but that we would seek to know God more.

It is exciting to see – as we are here in Guatemala – that the work that AMG is doing is accomplishing just that – teaching the next generation to know God and to seek to know Him more.  We are telling kids the good news of Jesus Christ and encouraging them to study the scriptures that they would know God.  As they get it, I pray that the country of Guatemala would be captured for Jesus Christ, and I pray that our country would turn back to God as well.

God help us to read your word that we might know you.  Help us to listen to your Spirit when He talks with us.  Speak to us through your Spirit.  Speak to us through your Word.  Help us to know you more – this is the desire of my heart.

Easton Baptist Church - Guatemala Trip - Day 4

Philippians 1:12-26 was the devotional portion for today, and we discussed the idea of looking toward the eternal while living as Jesus Christ in this world.  Our time was wonderful as team members opened up and shared some difficulties they experience in attempting to live out their walk with God when people around them don’t respond.  Others shared testimonies of ways they have seen the benefits of walking with God.  It was wonderful.

After breakfast, we headed off to Las Vistas for another day of painting and playing with children.  We started the morning by finishing the yellow portion of the painting and applying the second coat on most of the surfaces.  While some were painting, others were playing with the children and reminding them that Jesus loves them.  Throughout the day, we spent time playing games, playing soccer, visiting the kids in the classroom, and just loving on the children.

Just like yesterday, we fed the children lunch before we ate.  This is always a wonderful time because it is a one-on-one experience as the team members dish the food out for the children.  Many say “thank you”, and that is so encouraging and convicting to us because they were receiving 2 hot dogs, a little pasta and a stem of broccoli.  Often times we are not thankful for the food that we have, but to hear these kids give thanks for the little they receive is wonderful.

After lunch, we got back to work, and by 3:00 the front of the building was mostly done – we have some touch up work tomorrow.  We were able to play soccer with the older kids, and they were thrilled with that.  It has been a wonderful day.

During the ride home (and the ride to Las Vistas) we did a 2-18 exercise where a team member shares about themselves in 2 minutes and the team quizzes them with a variety of questions for 18 minutes.  Today we were able to have 4 people share about themselves, so with 6 down, we have 8 left to go.

The evening was filled with dinner, “hi-lo” conversation (sharing highs and lows of the day), an evening wrap up where we revisit the day, and some prep conversation for the rest of the week.  Phil and Abbey Wilson came over, and they hung out with the team a little (and provided some much desired Guatemalan Quetzals in exchange for American Dollars).  It was a wonderful evening.

Tomorrow is going to be a difficult day as we have more painting to do, the logo design and painting for the front of the building, 2 soccer games, and most importantly, home visits.  These typically are very difficult for team members, so we need a lot of prayer.

Well, it is rather late, so that’s enough for today.  More to come tomorrow!!

Easton Baptist Church - Guatemala Trip - Day 3

Our first day of serving the children, and the team is excited about getting to work.  The plan for today is devotions (Philippians 1:3-11) and then going to Verbana for to learn about AMG Guatemala, and then heading to Las Vistas to paint the facility and love on the children.

Our visit to Verbana was wonderful.  We heard from Brian, Chad and Carla about the ministry of AMG Guatemala and the “At Risk No More” program.  We learned about the partnerships that AMG has with Young Life, International Justice League, Habitat for Humanity, just to name a few.  We were challenged to take part in the ministry by praying for them, giving as possible, and sharing the mission and vision of AMG Guatemala with others.  We were saddened by the stories of the children that face difficult circumstances every day, but we were encouraged by the growth of the outreach that AMG is having in the lives of these kids. 

We toured the facility, and saw a bunch of kids (who stopped us to hug and play with them).  We were able to see the medical center and dental center.  We saw classrooms and the large meeting room.  We saw the kitchen and the counseling rooms.  It really is an amazing place to visit.  God is doing great things here at Verbana and throughout Guatemala.

From there we left for Las Vistas.  When we arrived, you could sense the anticipation of many of the team members as they sponsor children in this facility.  We were given our orders to paint before lunch, and we got right to work.  Then, after about an hour of painting, we were on lunch duty (we served the children lunch).  I think the team really enjoyed watching the children’s faces light up as they fed them rice and beans.  We will probably feed them lunch each day – I know the team will enjoy that.

After we ate our lunch, we got back to work.  They did an excellent job painting the outside walls of the facility.  They are painting them yellow and blue – like the other centers in Guatemala (and like the inside walls of Las Vistas).  We started on the yellow today, and they did an excellent job getting most of it done with a first coat.

Eventually the kids came out for recess, and painting time was over.  We played with the kids. The team made up games, played choo-choo, chased the kids, played tag…  whatever they could to interact with the children.  Some played with a bunch of kids while others just focused on one or two.  It was great to watch the team loving on the kids.  The kids were non-stop action, but the team played right along with them.  Rick ended up on the ground piled on by 10 or so kids.  Bobby was picking multiple kids up at a time.  Some of the girls were teaching the kids games.  Some of the group was just sitting and talking with the kids.  It was a lot of fun.

The day ended with dinner and our usual wrap up time, followed by some singing, making of “wordless book” bracelets, and looking through today’s pictures.  We had fun laughing and sharing, crying and talking, singing and praising our wonderful Lord.  All in all, it was a great day.

Thought  for the day:  We were talking tonight about the fact that Brian and Chad shared that they were only “scratching the surface” of the need here in Guatemala.  It is a humbling thought, but even though they minister to and with over 9,000 people here in Guatemala, their impact is still seemingly small.  They are excited about the growth that God is giving them, and they are working to deepen and widen the impact they are having here, but they need to take it one step and a time, and follow God’s lead.

Yet Brian also mentioned that AMG Guatemala is actually in place because the church (the body of Christ in Guatemala) is not doing the job (and frankly, the church in the States isn’t either).

Imagine what it would be like if the church in the States sought to have a deeper, fuller, more meaningful impact on their world.  Imagine what it would look like for us to take “risky” steps to reach the poor, the needy, the widow, the orphan, the homeless, the weak…  How would the church look different than it does today?  What organizations would no longer have a place in our society if we, the church, reached out to “those” people?

What are we afraid of?  Why don’t we risk more for the sake of the Gospel?  What kinds of “crosses” are we bearing for the cause of Christ?  Or is all of that just “early church” speech because they don’t have “freedom of religion” like we have in the US?

God help me to be willing to give and go, to love and serve, to sacrifice and follow, so that others might come to know the Good News!  Help me be willing to give all for the One who gave all for me.