Monday (part 2)...Our First Clinic!

Entering San Pablo La Laguna, our destination for our first medical clinic.

A home alongside the road we traveled on after we entered into the city.

The photos below are from the children's ministry that we had at our first clinic.  What PRECIOUS children!  They loved the coloring pages and the crayons, and they colored some beautiful pictures.  The children's ministry director from MMM, Heidy, taught Calvin and I how to make balloon turtle bracelets that were a big hit!  We shared the story of Jesus with the kids with the help of not only Heidy translating our English into Spanish, but also a sweet, smart girl who knew both Spanish and the local Mayan dialect.  She was only 12 years old, but she was an indispensable helper for us, as she translated the gospel story to a room full of children!  It was a moment I will always treasure...watching her and listening to her.  We also painted round, brown little faces and sweet, dimpled hands...played games with soccer balls and a bouncy blow up globe, made glow bracelets and tiny kid-sized Jesus storybooks, fitted small feet with flip flops, and hugged these happy faces, holding them close.

Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."  Matthew 19:14

The photo below was taken as we wrapped up the counseling stations the patients visit after they saw the doctors downstairs...many were comforted, encouraged, and equipped with the truth of God's word...some received the gift of Jesus into their hearts.  The angels applauded in heaven and we rejoiced with them!

With love --- and a big SHOUT OUT to my awesome kids...Luke and Micah...Mommy loves you like CRAZY!

Jamie

Monday's Adventure, (part 1)...Traveling to Lake Atitlan

Our team is back at the mission house and we are basking in the truth of God's love for us - all of us!  The Guatemalan people we see all day every day are just so beautiful; and our surroundings, no matter where we go, we see such beauty.  It's not the kind of beauty that is packaged and pretty...it's raw.  Real.  Colorful.  Always changing.

Even the weather here changes so rapidly.  I have noticed that about every 15 minutes I can expect a change in the slant of light...the clouds move and cover the sun, casting shadows.  Then the sun will shine out from behind the clouds and shoot out beautiful rays that take our breath away. 

Monday morning we awoke bright and early (5am!) and packed our backpacks for the adventure God was going to take us on.  We met downstairs in the mission house for a devotional.  We sang songs and prayed together, and prepared our hearts for what was ahead.  As soon as our devotional time was over, we started the laborious process of loading the vehicles with all our luggage and backpacks, food for 35 people for three days, medical supplies for 3 clinics and also crates filled with flip flops for the children and the other supplies for them.

As we traveled in 5 suburbans to Lake Atitlan on Monday morning, we drove on all kinds of roads...open, straight highways, narrow crowded city streets packed with cars, tuk tuk's, buses, trucks, bikes, motorcycles, women carrying babies on their backs in slings and huge baskets on the tops of their heads.  We passed men pushing carts uphill, men with piles of sticks tied together on their backs, loaded down with the weight.  Always changing...the scenery too.   

Then the roads began their winding trek up, up, up and then down, around, and down, down, down the lush green mountains as we approached the lake.  I can't accurately describe the intensity of this drive...but this picture may give you an idea:)

Wherever we go, we caravan.  The suburbans travel closely together and communicate by radio.  I rather enjoyed leaning out of the red suburban down these long curvy downhill roads to get this shot!  Talk about adventure!

Then...all of the sudden...the view exploded!  The lake is so breathtaking.  Photos don't even do it justice.  But I will try!

Monday, (part 2)...Our First Clinic
Coming Soon!

With love and blessing!

Jamie

Day 3, 4, & 5

We are back from Lake Atitlan!  Update coming.

Guatemala Day 2

The first full day in Guatemala was just that, a day filled with activity. To start we ate a nice breakfast of cereal, muffins, yogurt and the like. The time change had most of the team up well and finished well before we needed to be. At around 8:30 a bus arrived to ferry our team to church for worship.

The church service was being held outside on top of one of the surrounding mountains because the normal location's AC was broken. The praise and worship was a set of very contemporary songs with the worship leader switching back and forth between Spanish and English. We were given small handheld radios with earbuds that had a man translating the whole service into english being transmitted to the radios. The sermon itself was broadcasted from Antigua, Guatemala. A quite engaging message about the relevancy and infallible nature of the Bible.

After the service, we went were all taken to a late almost-lunch-but-not-quite brunch at a nearby restaurant. The view from the table was breathtaking. Being able to see three volcanoes while eating a fresh made tortilla was definitely a new experience. The brunch was set up buffet style with a station for omelets and fresh hand made tortillas. Additionally a small market place located adjacently to the restaurant allowed for some brief window shopping.

Following brunch we took a brief half hour bus ride back into the city to visit a local orphanage called Casa de Allelujah or just Casa for short. Unfortunately we only had around two hours to spend with the children but we made sure to fill them to the brim. First, Joshua, an orphan that had been at Casa since he was 3 months old and is now 24, gave us a tour of the facilities which included living quarters and a school for between 400-450 children. Once our introduction was complete, we dove right in to loving on the kids and spending time with them. The striking thing about Casa is that none of the kids were sad or dejected. A noticeable and tangible air of over abounding joy permeates the very air of Casa. All in all a very powerful experience.

After the orphanage we headed home and were able to relax and be at rest until dinner. The climate of Guatemala has been nice and mild. Chilly nights and days with highs in the low 70s. Glorious for lovers of cold weather.

For dinner we had another very traditional Guatemalan meal of Domino's pizza. An odd injection of home to our trip. As far as pizza goes it was all quite standard affair. A team debrief of the day followed dinner and concluded the day.

Tomorrow we will be leaving on an extended clinic trip till Wednesday and will be unable to update till then. Our plan so far is to leave the house at 7 a.m. with a 4-5 hour drive ahead of us. Once we arrive we will set up for a half day clinic and then do two full clinics on Tuesday and Wednesday. Wednesday night we'll make the drive back and return to our beloved compound.

Again please keep praying for the people of Guatemala, for team unity, for the teams that have come before us and the teams that are coming after us, and for spiritual warfare. We are already impacting and being impacted and your prayers and support make it all possible. From each of us, thank you.

In Christ,
Calvin

Guatemala Day One

Guatemala Day One

Well, we made it down here all in one piece after a relatively trouble free day of travel. Our team's day began by meeting at Hartford International Airport at 7:00 a.m., checking our luggage as a team, and printing our boarding passes. After some group photos and goodbyes to family we moved on through security. Happily, no one was detained or singled out for any extra patting down, and we were able to move quickly on to breakfast. For breakfast we had free reign of the food courts. The main force of the group split itself between Goldberg's and Caribou Coffee, both quite satisfying. After being able to take a leisurely breakfast we queued at our gate at 8:48 a.m. and were boarding by 8:53 a.m. Our flight was originally set for a 9:45 a.m. departure and at 10:40 a.m. we were finally taxying down the runway. Once in the air, the flight was a pain-free and quick ride down to Guatemala City. Being able to see the country on our way in was breathtaking.

View from the plane coming into Guatemala

After landing, we exited the plane and regrouped at the restrooms before going through immigration and customs together. Again, thankfully we were able to pass through customs without much scrutiny. 

Past the security and into the parking deck we loaded three SUVs with our luggage and headed off through Guatemala City on our way to the mission house. The drive through the city was something else-- truly an experience to be felt rather than described. For our first meal on Guatemalan soil we were treated to the delicacy of a small local restaurant called MacDonald's. Quite groovy.

Our afternoon was spent by splitting into two teams. One team of four was dispatched to a local wholesale grocery store similar to Sam's or Costco to purchase food for the week. The other eleven team members spent their time unloading and sorting through all the team supplies and organizing it for the coming week. Thankfully, no crucial items were left behind or detained on the way down.

Before dinner, Hermann, the ministry leader and founder, spoke to us and prepared us for the coming week. He gave a brief message on 2 Timothy 1:9 about our identity and purpose with God. He answered any questions we had and laid out the rough plan for our first full day.

Dinner was prepared for us by two wonderful local women, Brenda and Lesdi (I'm sure I butchered that spelling). They graciously prepared stuffed chicken breasts, a baked eggplant dish, rice with corn, a salad, and Hibiscus tea. All of it was superb.

To close, please be keeping our team in your prayers this week. Please be praying for the people of Guatemala, that they might be open and receptive to what God is doing in their lives. Please pray for our team, that we may have energy and stay united throughout the week. Please also be praying for the teams that have gone before us and the teams that will come after us. Also, be praying for our protection and strength for the spiritual warfare that will be and is happening around us.

In Christ,
Calvin

Here we go!

We are boarding now.

It's Almost Time to Go!

4 more days and we will be in Guatemala!!!

A lot of things have happened since the last blog entry.

We have had two team building meetings and conducted all the training.  We have purchased and packed up the supplies.  We still have some supplies arriving.  The team has solidified at 15 members.

God has moved in many lives around us.  During our team building meeting where we handed out lunches downtown, we saw people put their faith and trust into Jesus Christ for their salvation.  That was awesome to see!  One V.I.P. that we had been praying for also made the decision too during this time.  Donations and prayers are coming in from people that we didn't expect.  God even sent some to us unsolicited.  Supplies are being donated to fulfill the mission.  Our bible sponsorship program was very fruitful and enjoyed by the sponsors.  We were able to buy bibles in country this year which was beneficial on many fronts.  We are able to take over 300 pairs of flip flops to kids without shoes.  The blessings go on and on!  It's amazing to witness it all. 

This past week, we will finished a team bonding and strengthening activity.  Team t-shirts are distributed. People are starting to pack their personal belongings for the trip.  The excitement is building.  We are getting closer and closer to reaching our financial goal for the project as well.

The team is excited!  We can't thank our supporters enough for sponsoring this project.  Thanks to all of you.  We pray for each of you at our team meetings.  Thank you for blessing us and allowing for us to be a blessing to the 300-400 Guatemalans who will receive medical care next week.

Thanks for reading and God bless you!