Life these days...

Hi friends, I've gotten the hint that a few of you may be interested in an update on us Westons. I'm home sick from work today, too ill to do my job, cough cough, but not too incapacitated to write, so hopefully this will work out well!

By now most of you know that we are living in Sacramento and Gary is doing full time school. We made the move at the end of last October, after four months of house hunting in the Sacramento area. The timing aligned fairly well: our housing in Concord was no longer available, Molly was heading out on her mission trip, and Gary's fall semester was starting up at the Sacramento campus of Western Seminary.

We found a home in the Natomas area that looked like a great deal - unfortunately we were outbid in cash and had to start the search over. We ended up purchasing a 2 bed 2 bath home, also in Natomas. What with the housing market crash, combined with our saved down payment, our mortgage is less than half of what we were paying for our first home. That is definitely a blessing while Gary is in full time school! We're probably a couple of miles from the apartment that was our first newlywed home, and the house we had owned prior to the World Race. We are adjusting to the smaller living quarters and looking forward to summertime BBQs on the gorgeous back patio. I just last weekend unpacked the last box in the house - a victory in and of itself! (Our garage will be the next project to tackle...) Our Shih Tzu, Billy, has a chair set up by the front window where he loves to lay and watch the neighborhood goings-on. We are walking distance from the power line easement that runs through the neighborhood, and it's got a good paved trail that is perfect for walking the dog on good weather days. We have met several of our neighbors and are developing some good relationships. The neighborhood is incredibly diverse, which I love, and most of the residents have been here over ten years.

We have found a church in the area that we've been attending: Gateway Fellowship, pastored by Mike Phillips, which has been a good place for us to land and get involved. Gary and I have been enjoying a Sunday afternoon adult small group, led by the pastor, and Molly has been getting involved with the thriving young adult ministry. A fun fact for us is that Pastor Mike had been close to our former pastor, Darrin Sligar, during the Jacob's Well days. In that sense, Gateway feels like extended family that we are just now getting to know. Gateway is a Christian and Missionary Alliance church, with a high priority placed on supporting missions. Another Gateway distinctive is their commitment to the Spanish speaking community. English and Spanish services are held simultaneously, and once a month the two congregations merge to share a powerful time of communion and worship!

Molly continues to be a valuable part of our lives and we feel so blessed to have her in our home. She first moved in with us a year and a half ago for a summer of discipleship, and since then we have grown into a family. She had spent over a year preparing for the mission field and departed last September for missions team training in Mexico. During the training, she had to unexpectedly return home for health reasons, and though she recovered quickly was told by her organization that she would not be allowed to return on that particular trip. Since then, the program she had signed up for has been discontinued.

A career on the mission field, hopefully in Africa, continues to be Molly's passion and goal, and we are praying with her about when, where, and how that will take place. In the meantime, she is optimizing her time at home by studying at a local community college for her EMT Basic certificate. She has been extremely diligent in her studies and is at the top of her class! I am excited for her that once she does return to the mission field, she will be equipped with skills in the medical field that I'm sure will be a blessing to many.

Gary is now in the latter half of his M. Div. degree program through Western Seminary. He is currently studying church history, theology, and evangelism, and at any given moment will be found reading yet another book! With the move back to Sacramento, he's had the opportunity to jump back into a weekly men's breakfast he had participated in five years ago. The group has shifted somewhat, but the core members are going strong! Gary will also soon have the opportunity for some part-time work as the Driver's Training school he worked at in Concord is expanding into the Sacramento region. I know you are all jealous of those high school kids that get to do their training in the bright blue DriversEd.com mini-cooper!

Overall, life feels as if it's whizzing by... It's frustrating at times to still be in the middle of transition and wonder where we will be two years from now, but we are surrounded by so many blessings that I have to just remind myself to keep taking it one day at a time. One thing is for sure, we're not bored!

Destination: Uganda!

I'm excited to announce that next summer, Gary, Molly, and I will be co-leading a youth mission trip to Uganda with Adventures in Missions. The trip is part of AIM's Ambassador program, designed for students ages 14-18 who want to serve God on trips that vary in length from one to four weeks. We will be ministering in Busia, Uganda (right across the border from Kenya) from June 30, 2010 to July 30, 2010.


According to AIM's website:

Much of the ministry will be will be in partnership with Helping Hands Ministry. The team will be ministering at a school for orphans. There will be opportunities to provide friendship, bible studies, education and the gospel to the children. In addition to the children, you will have a chance to minister to young adults in the area with outreach events working alongside Ugandans who are trying to reach their peers.

The team will assist and learn how to best minister with and to the people of Uganda. There may also be opportunities for the team to work with local churches "in the bush" once a week. The opportunities to join God in what He is doing in Uganda will be many and full of variety.

When I left Africa in 2006, I felt as if I left a piece of my heart there. I have been asking God since that time if it might be in His will for me to someday return and love on orphans in His name. I am thrilled for this opportunity, and am looking forward to four weeks of discipling teenagers while serving together.

AIM is accepting applications now for students who would like to participate in this trip. If you would like to join us, we would love to have you! Click here for more information about the trip!

Molly Update

So in case you haven't heard, Molly departed for her mission trip this past Wednesday, September 23rd. She left out of San Francisco at 6 am (!) and arrived in McAllen, Texas later that day. AIM staff met participants at the airport and drove them across the border to their home for the next two months.

During the training portion of their trip, the entire Novas group will be living and working out The Gateway, AIM's mission base in Matamoros, Mexico. Molly is bunking with 26 girls in a giant room. She reports that it is beautiful and raining right now. The day after arriving, the participants began a two day period of solitude to focus on prayer and connecting with God. They were given reading and journaling assignments. Molly has found this time challenging, but valuable.

On December 1, Molly will be flying to Swaziland with her teammates Jessica, Lila, Katie, Bryan, and John. They will be working with orphans at the Nsoko care point through next May.

Here are a couple of team pics from their training camp last month:



You can follow along with Molly's journey at her blog by here: http://mollymcrae.myadventures.org/.

Also, here is an address where you can send letters while the team is in Mexico:

Molly McRae
C/O: Tag Thompson
Adventures in Missions
6000 Wellspring Trail
Gainesville, GA 30506

They will keep the letters there and as staff goes down to Mexico they will take any mail which comes in. Make sure to send a message of encouragement!

The Novas Project

Molly will be leaving in just three months now for her upcoming mission trip. That's coming up quick, considering she's been preparing for almost a year! She will be leaving September 23 to participate in a group training in Matamoros, MX (this is the same location that Gary and I had our training for the World Race). Once the training segment concludes, teams will be dispersing to various ministry locations across the world. These include:

* Swaziland (This is where Molly feels God is calling her)
* South Africa
* Uganda
* Philippines
* Nicaragua
* England
* Ireland
* Romania
* Mexico
* Peru
* Philadelphia, PA

I can't look at this list of locations without getting a tingle and wishing I were going somewhere too! If you get that same excitement about being discipled while serving God on the mission field, it's not too late... there's about two more weeks left to apply. (and you better believe if I wasn't called to support my husband to finish seminary in Sacramento, I'd be on my way to Swaziland... or Uganda... or Nicaragua, Peru, Mexico, or London!)

Even if it's not for you at this time, you can check out what Molly will be doing at the Novas link here.

Molly's New Blog!

A couple of months ago, we were thrilled to find out that Molly, the young woman that my husband and I are mentoring through shared life, was accepted to Adventures in Missions' "First Year Missionary" program in South Africa/Swaziland. She will spend nine months with a team in southern Africa experiencing intentional discipleship in ministry and missions.

As part of the preparation process, AIM sets up each participant with their own blog site and gives them specific assignments to complete before the trip begins. Once on the field, the participants use their blogs to keep friends and supporters updated with prayer requests, stories and pictures.

You can visit Molly's site here. She has already blogged about her expectations of the trip, her calling to missions, and the reality of life for orphans in Swaziland.

Here's a snippet from her bio:

I have felt for the past couple years that God might be calling me to Africa, and more specifically He has begun to break my heart for Swaziland. When I found the First Year Missionary Program, I learned that I could serve in Swaziland and be mentored into my future in missions. This program was exactly what I had been looking for. So now, I have begun the journey and look forward to what God has for me next.

Please feel free to visit Molly's blog and leave a comment of encouragement!

Timbali Crafts

When I traveled to Swaziland in November of 2006, I was blessed to stay with missionary Julie Anderson and see her ministry first-hand. She has launched a website to promote the craft co-op that she runs; anyone can now order the fabric purses that Swazi women make to support themselves. The co-op is a great group that is making a real difference in the lives of women and children in Swaziland. For more info about the country and this ministry, read below or click the link here.

(fyi, Swaziland is the country Molly will be ministering in on her nine-month mission trip)

Swaziland is a small country in Southern Africa.
Over 40% of the population is HIV positive, there
are more than 120,000 orphans, and the life
expectancy for women is the lowest in the world, at
only 33 years.

Around the country, feeding centers have been
created to help provide regular meals for the many
orphans who lack proper care. The majority of
these care points are run by women, who
themselves are also facing many hardships as the
result of the HIV/AIDS crisis.

Timbali Crafts was started in 2006 to help
generate an income for the 45+ women who work
as volunteer cooks at the eight feeding centers in
the rural area of Engculwini. Crafts sales allow the
women to earn an income for their families, and
also continue on with their volunteer work, which is
vital to their community.

Timbali Crafts also seeks to reach out to the
spiritual needs of the women, through regular
Bible studies, retreats and special events.

As Timbali Crafts continues to grow, even more
women in Swaziland will be able to become
involved in this income generating opportunity,
and further outreach to underprivileged women will
be funded.

Timbali Crafts is directed by Julie Anderson,
missionary with Adventures In Missions.

My Closure to the World Race

Friday afternoon, immediately after the general session at the NYWC in Sacramento, we headed to our separate 'break out' classes. I was thrilled to see that Seth Barnes of Adventures in Missions was in town to share about how "Your Students Can Start Changing the World... Now!".

I'd been looking forward to this session since I'd heard Seth was presenting: for the past three years, he's been a major influence in my life.

In 2005, Gary and I took our youth group to Tijuana for a week-long mission trip with AIM. As part of our preparation, we got a copy of Seth's devotional: "The Art of Listening Prayer". This was the first I'd even considered that prayer could include God speaking to me, and reading that book was nothing short of revolutionary for my spiritual life.

Towards the end of 2005, Adventures in Missions offered a new program called the World Race, and Gary and I felt called to participate in this year-long mission trip. During our team orientation, I finally got to meet Seth (the World Race was his vision and project), and was touched by his ability to listen and connect, even while responding to numerous demands.

When we began our trip, we encountered the various twists and turns that accompany any first time venture. I was eager to debrief and process the experience with Seth first-hand, especially the more difficult and confusing times. Unfortunately, we were not able to reunite throughout the course of the trip, and though we've had some contact over the internet, I've been hopeful to someday sit down with him and just talk.

Well, my chance finally came. Seth noticed me in the middle of his session (I think I threw him for a bit of a loop when he was trying to present!), and took the opportunity to come check in with me during a discussion section. We ended up hanging out talking after everyone left, and Gary and I were able to join Seth and his wife Karen for dinner.

It was great to catch up with him, get to know his wife, and compare stories about what God has done over the past couple years. We talked about the craziness that was the first year of the World Race, what things have evolved over the past couple years as the program has developed, what life is like for us now as well as for other racers.

I had always imagined that this conversation would bring a huge sensation of closure to my World Race experiences. And reflecting back on it now, I think it did and it didn't.

We've been home from the mission field for almost two years now, and probably the whole first year was a journey of forgiveness for the many interpersonal hurts and betrayals we experienced. The second year has been much easier, less of trying to forget the bad, more of remembering the good. We've started to see the fruit of dreams that were born during our time on the Race. I have come to a point of feeling settled in my soul about the whole experience.

So now, in God's timing, we were finally able to sit down and just talk, without any expectations on my end of having to say anything to, or hear anything in particular from Seth. We could just meet each other where we were at and appreciate God's goodness throughout some wild times. And that's a pretty good way to wrap it all up.


Gary and I leaving on the World Race in 2006

Portrait of a Disciple

Discipleship is a huge passion of mine - I believe it's what our role in the Christian life is all about. About a year ago (to the day!), I posted this while imagining what modern discipleship could look like. I think y'all are due for an update.

I'll start with an excerpt from my post: "Late-night ramblings of a would-be disciple-maker"

Imagine…

if we chose to share a home with a disciple, intentionally sharing all aspects of our life with them? It would be costly… maybe we couldn't spend so much time at work, pouring into a career. Less time to spend on self-fulfilling hobbies. We’d have to develop our own faith, make it worthy of sharing. Maybe get a little flexible with the definitions of “mine” and “yours”.

What if...

over dinner, we dreamed together of what could happen in our church, our community? What if we shared our God-given passions and encouraged one another to follow them shamelessly? What if, over breakfast, we prayed and devoted ourselves to living out His call?

...The question is, are there people out there that would be interested in being the disciplee in such an intense relationship? If I (or anybody) actually offered this up, would there be any takers? I do believe there would be. Not everyone, sure, but a few. And those are the ones I want to pour into.

One year later, I'm proud to say that I took my own challenge. And every day I marvel at how God has blessed our family because of our openness.

Molly graduated from high school last June, and moved into our home immediately following our Guatemala mission trip in July (she was one of the partcipants). So, how's it been going?

Molly and I meet regularly to read God's word and pray together. No, we're not perfect at this, but we've seen great blessings come out of these times. And that's not it!

We sing praise songs together. We laugh (a lot). We challenge one another. We help her with her math homework (ok, that one's all Gary!). We discuss ministry, church, what Christian community could be. We make up silly songs. We dream about Africa, about caring for orphans in Swaziland. In essence, we're living shared life. "Doing life together", as I've heard some say.

Would this work for everyone? I think it depends. What makes it so successful here, I think, is Molly's desire to grow and to contribute. She is pursuing her relationship with God wholeheartedly, which is a beautiful thing to see in anyone.

God has placed in her a heart for missions, and has given her the incredible opportunity to serve as a First Year Missionary in Swaziland. She'll be leaving next September to serve a nine-month internship.

She will be a light in a dark place, ministering to the poor, caring for AIDS orphans, truly caring for the least of these. I am honored to be her prayer/accountability partner, supporting her from back home while she's on the field. I know that God will work through her in a mighty way, and I am humbled to be a part of it.


"The Fam-Bam"

Miracle in Guatemala

Read this amazing post from the blog of Brian Alonzo, a current World Racer . His squad happened to work in San Pablo, Guatemala (the same community that we worked in last July on our mission trip), and they spent some time with our very own Pastor Antonio. Here's his story about what happens when we let go of our pride and listen to God:

We all leaned in with sincere faith and waited at the feet of this woman. Our eyes fixed on escaping our own thoughts, pleading with God to help her. What happened next was a first for me. What happened next, about half of my blog subscribers will write off as something unreal. I promise to never lead my readers, friends or family astray with my own agenda and will give my truest account. I will rewind in the story a few minutes...

Pastor Antonio led our team through the streets of San Pablo, Guatemala to visit homes of people who needed prayer. We walked through a wooden entryway into the back yard of a one-room house. We were greeted by a man and quickly escorted inside. I would love to be able to say I was intent on listening to God as we entered the house, but I was not. I was distracted by an incoming text message from another contact that needed an urgent reply. As we sat around the room a woman in her late fifties began talking to us. The only one able to understand was our translator Emma. I finished sending my text around the same time the woman stopped talking. That's when Emma began explaining to the group what this woman had been talking about.

It turns out she has been having issues with her right leg. For some time now she has been having severe shooting pains that have made it difficult to walk short distances. Over time the pain has increased in intensity. The group immediately gathered around her and began praying. Three minutes into prayer I lost contact with the present. Wide-awake with my eyes closed I began having a dream. Within seconds I was in another place. Surrounded by darkness I could see this lady sitting in her bed. She was talking with two individuals, who at first glance looked very American. They were warning her of a darkness coming after her. I turned my head and behind me was a dark figure with yellow eyes coming toward the bed. In a blink of an eye I was awake. Back on the floor kneeling at the foot of this woman, my teammates still engaged in prayer. It appeared as if time had not moved forward. Then the struggle began.

What did I just see? Did I just fall asleep? Did I really see this or did I just imagine it?

Then it happened. Within my own thoughts emerged a thought not my own.

"Ask her if she has been having dreams."

My first reaction to this foreign request was doubt. I made this whole thing up. This must be my own thought. Then I began feeling very uncomfortable at the thought of asking this woman is she had been having dreams.

The request began intensifying.

"ASK HER IF SHE HAS BEEN HAVING DREAMS."

My next reaction was based solely out of pride. What if I look stupid? If I'm just making this up and ask this woman about her dreams, how would that make me look? Then another thought emerged separate and foreign from my own, "So what if you look stupid. If that's all you have to lose then it's probably something you should lose anyway. Ask her if she's been having dreams." At this point I was a flood of mixed pride, doubt, fear, and confusion. The only clear thing I could grab hold of was the voice not my own. The steady request for something outside of myself. In a moment of self-absorption I was still hearing the voice of God. So I did what any other pride driven, doubt casting, fear feeling person would do when God speaks... I listened.

I quickly stopped the prayers of my team and look straight ahead to our translator.

"Can you ask her if she has been having dreams?"

Emma gave me a funny look and then began asking this woman my silly little question. The woman responded in Spanish for what seemed to be ten minutes. All of us were waiting to hear the translation. My pride, doubt, and fear had purchased front row tickets to my matinee of humiliation and the curtain was about to draw. The lady finished and then it started. Emma began translating and in moments I was in tears.

The answer to the question was, "Yes, I had a dream a few months ago, right before my leg started to hurt."

Emma then began describing the dream.

"In her dream she was visited by two Americans. They spoke with her at great length and warned her of someone who was coming to hurt her."

I was amazed!!! After she finished translating I noticed that the only difference between her dream and the vision I saw was the dark figure with yellow eyes. I told the group and Emma what I saw and immediately began piecing things together. This leg injury had more to do with a spiritual attack than just a physical ailment. At that instance we began praying again. This time all focused on praying against the darkness that was causing this pain. During this prayer a sudden peace began filling the room. I looked up and saw a smile on the woman's face. Everything was changing right before our eyes. We ended our prayers and stood in a room overtaken by joy. The pain in her leg was gone, but more important the smile on her face had returned.

I walked away from the house that afternoon humbled and confident all in the same moment. God took me to a place so completely out side of my comfort zone. I was so focused on my own outcome, I was unaware of God's little concern for my ego's well being and even less aware of his constant concern for this woman's life.

Sometimes God opens doors, other times He provides them...

This past spring, as we were preparing to take our team of high schoolers to Guatemala, we were faced with rapidly rising prices for flights, to the extent that we feared busting our budget. We sat our team down at the next meeting and prayed together that God would provide flights that we could afford. Two days later, we found an amazing deal that not only kept us within budget, but saved us hundreds of dollars. Praise God!

Fast forward to the trip... when we arrived in Guatemala, one of the first things we did was to sit down with Pastor Antonio and ask him about the needs of the church and community. He shared with us that the new church had been able to construct a building to meet and worship in, and had even acquired sound equipment and musical instruments.

Unfortunately, however, they had not raised enough to put the final touch on the building - a secure door. Without the door, there was a huge open space that gaped across the front. Antonio confided in us that one of the young men in the church, Mateo, would sleep in the church building every night to ward off would-be thieves. We were amazed that this remarkable young man would leave the comfort of his home and family to protect the church's property.

We asked Antonio how much it would cost to construct and install a door for the church building. To our astonishment, the figure was the precise amount that we had saved on our cheap flights! We knew that God had provided, not for our indulgence, but for His glory. And we promised to Antonio that we would put a door on his church.

During our time in Guatemala, Antonio was able to order the door, but alas, it was not ready in time for us to see it installed. Antonio promised to send us a picture as soon as possible. And... here it is!

Before:




After:


Isn't it beautiful? I especially love the little faces peering out from the windows!

Faces I Will Never Forget

I have fallen in love with these people... especially the children! Here are a few of the faces I can never forget...




Pedro, father-in-law to Pastor Antonio






Lucia and her sister




Domingo


Pastors Angel, Gary, and Antonio

A Worthy Challenge

The following is an excerpt from a post by my friend 'Brother Eugene', a full-time missionary to China. It's definitely worth a read and some thought. His perspectives as a missionary to unreached peoples are worthwhile. Even if you don't read the whole thing, skim to #3 and consider the Hudson Taylor quote.

What isn't being done for the lost by Christians in the West

That is the question I want to try and answer in the next few paragraphs. My goal is to encourage you to examine yourself to see if there is not something more that love for God and your fellow man would constrain you to do in regards to reaching the lost around the world.

1. We are not becoming "all things to all men, that [we] may by all means save some". There are innumerable opportunities throughout the world, from London to Lhasa, for Christians to work and live and share the Gospel. There are opportunities for almost every kind of entreprenuer imaginable, and for every profession under heaven. But we rarely take advantage of these opportunities.

Here in Asia's Highlands, for instance, there are hundreds of completely unreached towns and cities where it would be easy for a foreigner to come in and start up some kind of business. But it just isn't happening. The opportunity is UNDENIABLY there, but the takers are so few. Out of the millions of Christians in places like America, you would think that at least a few thousand could heed the call to go to these completely unevangelized places... especially with so many opportunities available!

2. We are not willing to leave our lives of comfort and relative safety behind to help fulfill the Great Commission. Many are willing to take short-term vacations, but few are willing to decidedly take up lifetime residence in a strange country that speaks a strange language...and making that place your real home for life, in order to share the Gospel with the people there. This was the norm in ages past, when the modern missionary movement began.

The vast majority of missionaries today, even long-term workers, do not become like the people they are seeking to reach. Most of the time, we are simply not willing to give up our 'identity' as an American/Canadian/Peruvian or other nationality, in order to truly become Chinese/Malaysian/Pakistani, etc... and be able to share the Gospel in the most effective way possible. We sacrifice effectiveness and fluency in understanding the language and culture, for the comfort and security of keeping our own national identity and speech.

3. We are not willing to look at the spiritual state of the unreached people groups of the world, and make our life decisions based upon the obvious need and the clear call to "Go and Preach". All too often, we seek to justify ourselves and claim to not have been "called" to missions. But it was Hudson Taylor who said that we should rather ask God if he is calling us to stay at home. What would be the problem if we all (or even 50% of us) decided to be missionaries? Would God not provide for our needs and open doors as never before?

I am not speaking primarily of the traditional missionary model where you have to raise so much money before you can go and all you do is sit around and talk to your neighbors about Jesus. I am speaking primarily of missions following in the footsteps of the Apostle Paul. We need people who are willing to work hard and start companies, and share the Gospel everywhere that they go. If unbelievers can build companies and create successful businesses around the world, and all for personal gain, how much more should we Christians be able to do that with our hearts focused on giving glory to God and seeking and saving the lost wherever we go?

Guatemala Mission Trip Video

G-Dub put together this video for our presentation in church last Sunday. It includes both still pictures and video clips from our time in Guatemala, and features music by "The Amoeba Singers". Hopefully the video gives a sense of the flavor of the place and the ministry we did. Enjoy!

Reflections

The past month has been a whirlwind... hospital visits, our church's children's day camp, an unplanned trip down south for a funeral, then two weeks out of the country on a mission trip. I haven't really had time to think, much less process what I'm thinking! Nonetheless, this time has been so significant to me that I do want to try and sift through it.

The main theme of the past month has been, God is in control. And, just as importantly, the power of prayer. Through the ups and the downs, God has been there, helping us through by His strength.

It's strange, how as a missions team we've encountered one trial after another. Every time, God has given a way through. Whether it be airport hang-ups, illness, paralysis, or just God giving us something different than we expected, we were able to face and overcome all of our tests. Though it's been tiring to continually encounter one obstacle after another, I believe that our faith has been strengthened by seeing God answer prayer after prayer.

I had planned to spend the few weeks before the trip really preparing - studying Spanish, teaching dramas, preparing children's programs. That was all scrapped when we were called to be at the sides of our loved ones. And you know what, it's probably better that way. Instead of relying on our own pre-conceived notion of what we were going to do, we had to continually seek God and be open to His leading.

Consequently, the ministry we ended up doing was much different than what we'd initially expected. God led us to ministries of encouragement and strengthening of the church, while simultaneously giving us a crash course in spiritual warfare.

I can't imagine having gone on this trip with a different team - each person had a special and significant role in the team and in ministry. It was clear to see God working in and through each of us, and it was a joy to feel like we were a part of something so much bigger than ourselves.

It's been a dream come true to see God fulfill what's been on my heart for over two years - to equip youth to minister as well as see God working around the world. In the midst of so many answered prayers, I am now seeing even more seeds being planted for the future. I can't wait to see how these experiences will fit into the larger picture of our lives.

Home, Sweet, Home!

Just a quick note to let everyone know that after a four hour van ride, a five hour flight, a nine hour layover, a one hour flight, and a one hour drive, the team has arrived safely back at home!

Please continue to pray for the team over the next few days as we transition back to life in America, and begin sharing our experiences with family and friends. May God receive all the glory!

Now, With Pictures!!

With a little spare time this morning, I journeyed down the hill into the gringo part of San Pedro, and came across an internet cafe I used to frequent on days off when Katherine and I were here in 2006. It features inferior hardware, but a much faster connection to the internet, not to mention a full coffee bar. So, I spent the last 40 minutes or so uploading photos for all of last week's posts, and sipping a very nice cappucino. Not a bad way to spend a morning, if you ask me.

Anyway, we hope you enjoy the photos!

And pray for Bryan, as he is currently preparing a message to preach in church tonight. His theme is, "What does it mean to take up our cross?," with applications from the Sermon on the Mount. Should be a challenging sermon, to say the least.

Oh, and Molly did great the other night. In fact, Pastor Antonio has already used her story to teach and encourage others at a youth conference he attended yesterday. Molly not only encouraged the church, but gave the Pastor another arrow in his ministry quiver.

God is good.

Another Afternoon at Domingo’s

By Karina and Rachelle

Yesterday, everyone was really excited to be able to visit Domingo again. Since we knew there were a lot of kids in the area where he lives, we decided to create a little program to entertain the kids and teach them about Jesus.

When we arrived in the little courtyard outside of their house we saw Domingo sitting up in his wheelchair with his uncle by his side. It was so amazing to see him outside because the last two visits he was lying in his bed, facing the wall, and you couldn’t really see him face to face. We gave his family some fruit and milk and handed him some presents. He was so shy when we first got there, but he was still really happy when we gave him some presents that would keep him entertained. Also, Jean got to show him how to use the stretch band Ariel brought to strengthen his arms and it was so cool to see his uncle help out.

After a while of visiting we asked the neighbor girl, Lucia, if she still had the children’s Bible we had given her on our last visit and she ran to go get it. Katherine asked her to pick her favorite story and read it aloud to us. The story she picked was about Adam and Eve and their fall from the Garden of Eden, and it ended up being perfect for what we had planned next.

First, we brought out some bubbles to help the kids get over their shyness. All of their faces lit up as we blew bubbles and played with them.

The second thing we had planned was to share with them the story of the Wordless Book Bracelets. Rachelle felt led to share the salvation story of the bracelets. She used her own bracelet to share the story as Katherine translated, and at the end we gave each of the children their own bracelet. Even the adults wanted one! When Katherine and Rachelle reviewed with the kids about what each bead stands for, we were able to use Lucia’s story about Adam and Eve to explain how sin came into the world.

We ended with some Spanish children’s songs and gave each of the kids a little bottle of bubbles. Pastor Antonio also asked us to pray blessings for each of the kids, and we also prayed specifically for Domingo and his family as well. Pastor Antonio also used the opportunity to preach to the adults that had gathered there.

Being there yesterday was an amazing experience. It allowed us to share the love of Jesus Christ with a bunch of young kids and their parents.

Pray for Molly

She´s preaching tonight!

I lost my voice due to nasty cold, so Molly is stepping up to the plate to share what God taught her through her ordeal in the hospital. Her theme is God´s incredible faithfulness. Pray that God speaks through her in a powerful way, and that we´re able to invite Domingo´s family to attend.

Thanks, and love to you all.

Sorry we don´t have pics for you. Our local internet provider is having some difficulties with their satellite DSL. You´ll have to use your imaginations!

Adventures in Children´s Ministry

By Ariel

Every Sunday morning, Pastor Antonio’s church holds a children’s service similar to our Sunday school. This past Sunday, it was our job to lead it. We weren’t exactly sure how much time we had, how many kids would be there, or even how much we were expected to do. So we planned a tentative program that included songs, a bible story read in Spanish, a skit, a memory verse and games. We weren’t sure how much we could do or how much we couldn’t do, so we just had to put it in God’s hand and trust him to work through us despite our lack of knowledge.

On the truck drive up, we went over our program once more and we were all feeling unsure about what might happen. As we were driving up to the church, we could see already at least 30 or so kids, ages ranging from 3 to 12, sitting patiently in somewhat of a circle waiting for us. We got there and prayed quickly and brought out balloons to play with as we waited for even more kids to arrive. Which they did. Soon we had about 60 kids waiting for us to begin. I have to say, I was feeling pretty overwhelmed and had to remind myself that God was with us and in control.

We sang songs like “Jesus Loves Me” and “I Have a Friend Who Loves Me” in Spanish, and the kids sang along with us. Then I read the story of Jonah out of our children’s Spanish Bible and about halfway through, one of the members of the church began translating what I said in Tsutujil. After the story, we had to take a moment to write out the memory verse in Spanish and have someone translate it into Tsutujil. That took a while, but to my great joy, the kids were being amazingly patient. Finally, we were able to recite the memory verse with them in Spanish and Tsutujil. Then we did a mini skit of the story of Zaccheus the tax collector. After, we played games like charades, Simon Says, and Hot Potato until we ran out of ideas. After about 2 hours, we were done with our program.

I’m not exactly sure how much the kids got out of our time with them but I trust that God will work in their lives. All the kids were incredibly patient and loving, and they will forever have a special place in my heart. I will continue to pray for them even after I leave Guatemala and I hope that they will continue on the path of God.

Jesus Loves the Little Children

By Karina

It is such a different experience to have church four times a week! And it’s also a lot of fun.

My favorite times are singing up on stage (something I’ve never done before) and getting to play with the kids after church. It’s so much fun to look over at all the kids in their colorful little chairs and know that you will get at least one playful little smile from them during the service. You don’t even need to know the same language because just showing them you care with a big smile on your face means the world to them. They love it when you tickle them, chase them, hug them, spin them around, make funny faces and say funny things to them.

This week I have definitely found a little kid that I would absolutely love to pack in my suitcase and take home with me. His name is Miko. He looks about two or three years old and he only reaches up to your knee. The first time I met him, he came up to me and all he wanted to do was give me high fives. He loves to slap anything with his hands and has the sweetest smile ever!

The kids here are so sweet and loving and I never want to forget about them.