Returning to Guatemala

    I have been waiting to get some wedding pictures up here, but we have been rediculously busy around here... and I have yet to get the photos from my friend who took them.  I promise though, that they are beautiful, and I will post a bunch when I get a chance... hopefully within the next five days because we are going back to GUATEMALA ON FRIDAY!!!!  (also, the Catching Fire comes out in theatres that day, but I`ll restrain myself from rambling on about that)
   
     For those of you who don`t know, Dave and I met because of a missions trip to Guatemala in 2007(we met four months prior, in 2006).  We loved the country, and planned to return as missionaries after we got married.  

Dave and I, October 2008

    That was us:  married for only eight months, we had sold most of our belongings and were leaving to Guatemala "forever".  We only lasted about a month.  We had gone without a team, training, or a solid foundation of life as a couple.  I was 19. 

    The crazy thing is that Guatemala never left my heart.  We talk about it like it was yesterday, although Dave reminded me today that it`s been over five years.  I can hardly believe it!  How has time gone so quickly?!  Now we have an (almost) three year old, and we are coming up on our sixth wedding anniversary.  I am so ready to return to the country that has such a hold on my life. 

    Now some of you who recognized the Brazillian flag in a former post might say, "Wait, I though you were going to Brazil for outreach???"  And you are right... we were supposed to go to Guatemala for outreach... but about two weeks ago we were having some problems with our visas... and I said, "I`m not sure I have peace about going to Brazil."  Dave didn`t really feel anything either way, travel is fun for him, so Brazil sounded like a adventure... but as time went on we both realized that we needed to figure out what God wanted us to go. 

     We spent a long time in prayer, and God gave us pictures and words which very clearly led us both to Guatemala.  At first we were quite devided, but the more we prayed the more peace we both felt, and the more vision the Lord gave us for what He has for us in Guatemala.  We felt a powerful draw in our hearts, and the sense that we were not just going for a two month outreach, but that our ministry there was further reaching than that.  We had to laugh, because once again we were talking about moving to Guatemala "forever".

    Once we decided to go to Guatemala for our outreach, then there was a big change in the entire team.  Within only a few days it was decided that our big team was going to split into two teams, with 15 of us going to Guatemala, and about 25 people going to Brazil.  It was a huge time of transition, but we now are part of a team that is psyched about going to Gauty too!!!  We have a passion for children and doing ministry to families, and I am so excited to see what God has for all of us!

    So we are back in that same place we were in 2008, with just a couple of backpacks (same backpacks!), and a dream to minister to the children of Guatemala for the rest of our lives.  This time though, we have a wonderful son, a team of good friends to help us get started, and leaders who believe in our vision and are growing and encouraging us in our faith.

    Third time`s the charm, right?