Navigators - Guatemala Trip - Day 4

Another busy day of working, playing with kids, and growing together as a team.

Highlights of today were…

1 – Our time in Romans 4 in the morning.

2 – Our work in the basement on the rocks and digging the hole for the cistern.

3 – Playing with the kids during their breaks.

4 – Lunch conversation with the team – they are really learning a lot about God, themselves, and Guatemala.

Lucky (pronounced with a U like in Lucy), our interpreter, gave us a synopsis of San Pedro over the past 20 or so years as the town has changed from a truly Guatemalan city to a tourist attraction that has attracted the “hippie” type, druggies and “free love” personalities.  The Christian influence that once prevailed is being overshadowed by the mormons, the “church of Satan” and drugged up hippies.  Culturally they are experiencing a duplicity in that the older generation is calling the younger ones to remember their heritage and roots – even down to the way they dress, while the new generation is getting hooked on drugs, pop culture, city culture, etc.  They are going away to school (college) and bringing much of that influence back home. 

We prayed for the kids of the center that they would be grounded in the word of God and that they would be the next Godly generation in San Pedro.  We need to continue praying for them as they grow in their education, their training, and especially in their understanding of God.

The evening wrap up session was interrupted by dinner, and many were bothered by the lack of focus the group had.  Dinner was a discussion of refocusing the group on times to be focused and purpose driven, and times of flexibility and willingness to do “whatever”.  The group handled the conflict very well, and I look forward to what the fruit of this conversation will be during the remainder of the week.

Tomorrow is more of the same – It is about midnight at home, but only about 10 o’clock here.  That is late enough for me as our labor has been intensive and sleep has been moderate at best.

On a personal note, I am looking forward to vacation with the family next week – with the upcoming wedding, the graduation, Dee’s new business, and the fact that I have one more trip before May, a nice break will be good for everyone.  I do miss the family – I cannot talk with them while I am here, but I know that they are doing well.