Counting Down from 10...

 We are leaving for our Christmas visit home in only 10 days!  We have been here for almost a year exactly, and it feels extremely odd to be leaving our home to go... home.  I'm having some very mixed feelings, excited to see family, but nervous to leave our team and friends here, even if it is only for a few weeks.  It has been such an amazing year and is heartwarming to see how sad our Guatemalan friends are about us leaving... They all keep asking about when exactly we will be back!  It's nice to feel appreciated!  

   We have a suitcase of gifts for friends at home and Guatemalan items to show to our churches.  I will even be speaking at a girls group and telling them all about "life as a missionary". I'm excited to get to share our mission and life here in Guaremala.  We have such vision for this upcoming year, and it's the greatest feeling to know that we can spend time with family in Canada with the confidence that we will be returning to our beloved Guatemala. This is our first experience of being "on furlough"...kinda cool.

   Wrapping up our ministries and language classes for the year has been busy, as well as helping out in the base kitchen while our cook is on a leave of absence for health reasons.  Every day is different, full, fun, sometimes difficult and tiring, but always a reminder of how God has brought us here, is sustaining us, and is bringing us joy and fulfillment every single day.  We LOVE Guatemala!  

   Dave's dad and brother brought down our Christmas decorations when they were here in September, so I decided that Z and I should decorate our room... And then our friend Kalissa got on board and we decorated the base, made Christmas bread and pumpkin pie, and have listened to Christmas music for days... It's beginning to look like Christmas around here!  

Z without creative Christmas tree 

Z and Kalissa setting up the tree in the living room. 

Trying to take a nice family photo for our new prayer card... Hahahaahahaha..... 

Our certificates from finishing Spanish class!!!  

Room with a View.

   This morning I was up at 5:30am.  The window in our room at the base isn't covered in the same way as the window in our old bedroom, so Z was up at the crack of dawn (actually, more accurately, he was up at the tolling of the bells at the Catholic Church telling the town to come for Mass).  We got up, found leftovers in the fridge to eat for breakfast downstairs and then started cleaning.  

 

   The DTS students just left on outreach, so of course there were sheets and towels that needed washing, which was very easy to do in the washing machine.  After the last seven months without a washing machine, I gotta admit that I am enjoying the ease of washing clothes!  As a mom, I don't have any official responsibilities around the bases but our current hospitality and housekeeping leader will be moving back to the States next year and I and another girl will be working together to pick up the slack. 

    I went to Antigua in the afternoon to meet up with a friend for coffee.  I went past a girl begging on the sidewalk, trying to nurse her little baby at the same time.  She caught my eye, but didn't even ask me for anything.  Her face was pure hopelessness.  Her baby was kind of crying, as if she wasn't getting enought to eat... Which wouldn't surprise me, since the mom looked malnourished, and I have talked to other street women who struggle to produce enough milk for their babies.  I brought something to give the mom to eat, and I wanted to stop and pray with her... Somehow to her that she wasn't completely alone in the world... But she didn't stop and let me talk with her, she just walked on.  I felt so upset. 

    .  I have prayed that God would bind my heart to the people of Guatemala.  I don't want to just live here and half heartedly serve these people, I want to truly love them.  Lately I have felt the Lord pulling on my heart, showing me that something new is beginning again... A new season of our life and ministry here.  The stage of serious language learning is done and we are free to minister as the Lord calls.  I feel the Lord preparing our hearts to minister in new way, and for me I wonder if will have something to do with mothers.  The literacy class has been amazing and will continue at the home of our Spanish teacher, but I feel like God has used that to show me that beyond teaching the mothers, my true passion for the class was the discipleship aspect of it, and the idea that through the class we are changing the entire family... And especially for the kids.  My passion will always be children, and evangelism, and I know God is going to start opening new doors for us to minister.  

    This is more than just moving to the base to save a couple bucks.  This is God preparing us for the next stage... And believe me... We are spyched!

The door to our bedroom

Z's bed and toy bins

The edge of our bed, fridge and "tower of power"... The whiteboard with our schedule... This is will very useful once the next DTS start!  

Every castle needs a throne... ( haha, get it?)

We even have a view of the volcano from our bedroom!   

Three Doors Down

David has decided to help lead the upcoming Discipleship training school in February.  He will be very busy with helping/ attending the classes with the students, meeting one-one with the male students and discipling them, as well as all the other responsibilities that go along with leading an DTS.  He hopes to go on the outreach with the students, which is currently planned to be in Mexico, Belize, and Guatemala.  He wants to lead this DTS in preparation for leading the DTS at lake Attitlan next summer.  

   There are plans in the works to begin having a DTS for indigenous Guatemalans, in the home of one of the pastors on the coast of lake Attitlan.  We have been praying a great deal about how The Lord would want to use us in this project, and Dave feels that helping with a DTS here at the Antigua base first will be good preparation for the lake.  I agree.   

   Since Dave will be so busy with the DTS we have decided to move to the base to be closer to him.  There are a lot of evening activities during the DTS and we think that if we live at the base then it will be easier for me to be involved since I can put Zane to bed and just go downstairs to join in the action.  So at the end of next month we will be moving three doors down and piling up our stuff into a bedroom at the base for the next six months.  We have finished our contract at our little green house, so this decision has combat the perfect time.  

   We feel that The Lord is calling us to something bigger at the lake, and so we are moving both because we think it's a good decision based on Dave's work next year, but also in faith that God is about to move us forward and open doors for new ministry at the lake.  Moving to the base will come with challenges, such as a lack of space and diminished privacy, but we think it's good decision and will give us the time to discover if we can handle living on-base or if we need to rent our own house when we go to the lake for the summer DTS.  

   Please be praying for us as we continue to seek God for wisdom about our future/the future of YWAM at the lake, and for the transition to living at the base and working with the DTS.  

     Plus...we get to come home for Christmas!!!  So we will be seeing many of you in just a couple months!  We plan to have an Open House to give everyone a chance to come and hang out with us and hear more about our ministry.  Details to follow!   Meanwhile, I better get our house packed up to make our big three-houses-away move.   

    

Dave's dad and brother came to visit us this week!  It has been so fun to pray tourist with them and spend lots of quality time together.  

Uncle dan taught Z how to make a city with chalk.  

Dad and Dan brought us some boxes of our stuff from Canada, including playmobil!  

Z helping dad make donuts. 

It matters to the one.

You may have heard the little story about the man who was walking along the beach and came upon thousands of starfish, stranded above the waterline.  He started chucking them back into the water to save their lives.  A stranger came up to him and laughed, saying, "There are too many to throw back, you are wasting your time."   To this the man replied, "Yes, but what I'm doing matters to the one I throw back."  

   

   I can't remember where I first heard that story... Probably in Sunday school... Of course... 

    Our literacy class has grown, to the point where I am almost nervous before each class if someone will bring their six kids we didn't know about, or another student will arrive and need to start from the beginning of the course.   For a couple weeks we had two classes, the advanced students in the kitchen and the beginners in the regular class area.  Finally everyone is caught up, and we now have seven students in our main class, and depending on the day, 4-8 kids in the kids class.  Plus our teacher, Eloisa, Dave and me, and our friend Ashley who has committed to help teach as well.  So twice a week we have about 17 extra people in our house.   

     We have also expanded in terms of the Bible study, and have started having the class begin half hour earlier on Wednesdays to allow more time to study and pray together.  Attendance to this portion has been less than expected, so please pray that our student's hearts will be opened to accept the gospel.   

    One of our students brings her two little boys every class.  They have a violent home situation, and live in complete poverty.  The older of the boys is about 4 and will only respect Dave.  Dave has been amazing with him and has found the time to help him learn to sit still and listen to the story and watch the Jesus movie.  The boy is doing so much better now than in the beginning.  I am so impressed with Dave's fathering abilities.

   The younger brother just cries.  His mom gives him to one of us and he cries until the class is done.   At first we tried to just have him be part of the kids class, but realized quickly that it was too distruptive.  This poor little boy shows up every class in dirty diaper and with so much dirt on his skin I don't think he is ever bathed at home.  So after talking about it with Eloisa, to learn the culturally acceptable way to deal with the situation, we decided that I would take care of this little guy every class.  So now when he arrives, I change him into a clearn diaper and clean clothes, wash his face and arms, and then wrap him in a fuzzy blanket and rock him to sleep in the hammock.  This sweet baby cries the whole time, until I start praying God's peace over him... Then he falls asleep and sleeps till the end of class.  I just hold him and pray over his future.   I think it is the only true mothering he receives all week, and it's certainly the only time he is clean and dry.

     Please pray for the mother of these two boys, and the Jesus would teach her how to love and care for her children, and for protection in the abusive home life they endure.   

      In all of this, I continue to be thankful to God for providing financially for this class, and for Ashley taking my place teaching so I can love on this little boy... I wish I could rescue him from his sadness permanent, along with every other suffering child in this country.  I wish I could start adopting today and have 15 kids to raise as my own.  But for now I'll start by rocking this beautiful baby to sleep twice a week.   

     It matters to the one.   

The life of my three year old MK.

    My little boy will be 4 years old in less than six months.  He has lived on the mission field for almost his whole life, first as a Missionary Kid (MK) on Quadra island where daddy was the cook, and now here in Guatemala where daddy is still the cooks, but does lots of other ministries as well.  Sometimes I wonder what it will be like for my little guy when he looks back at his life... 

Z and friends watching the movie during the kids club (while their moms are learning to read). 

Riding his bike to the base from our house.  

Eating a pancake breakfast with daddy and our friend Oscar.  

Z and dad watering the garden in the backyard.  Z loves to help care for the yard. 

Z and mommy at the beach.  Z is a little scared of the big waves, but he loves to dig holes and make castles.  He likes to swim in pools better than in the ocean, and he can swim all by himself (wearing water wings).  

Z helps daddy pick vegetables from our garden to eat with lunch.  

Z loves fruits and veggies.  This is a picture of a week's worth of produce from the market.  ( value: $7, approx.).  

 Z likes to babysit our friend's puppy, Kia.  

 Z and Oscar 

    Z has started forming sentences in Spanish.  We don't know any children who speak English, so he is learning Spanish by playing with other kids.  We have to stay on top of our Spanish slang though as his friends have taught him some bad words, and we have to know these words so we can teach him not to say them. Hahaha!  

     We don't have a washing machine or a bath tub, so we use a big purple tub to soak laundry or to give Z his baths.   He likes to help squish clothes into the bucket when I am having a big laundry day, and sometimes gets into the bucket with the clothes to stomp the dirt out of the laundry with his feet!   Z is a great helper.   

   There aren't a lot of playgrounds where we live, so sometimes when I want to bring Z somewhere fun we go into Antigua and go to McDonalds so he can play in the play place.  They have great coffee, so I can sit and enjoy a drink while he plays.  It's a nice treat for both of us.  Z also loves riding his bike, playing in the sand pile in the backyard, reading books, and watching movies.   

      Ahhhhhh, the life of an MK. 

The little Christian school, take 2

We have started up the school again and have received another three students.  One of the ladies has two younger sisters who will be enroling this week, bringing us up to five students.   I had hoped for six, so we are pretty close.   These ladies have more kids than our last students, so the kids clip is a hopping place!  Four boys, plus Zane, all with very energetic temperaments... But thankfully they will do anything for a sticker, so peace is kept with a steady diet of Lightening McQueen stickers.  The ladies are learning very quickly, and we have been able to go trough the material quite quickly.   Two of the ladies are older ( they are the moms of the kids), and they are so excited to have the chance to learn for the first time.  The other girl is 16 and she has been given special permission to attend our school from her boss, as part of her job training!  

   We have a new girl on staff at the base, named Ashley, and she has been helping at the class with us.  She and I take turns teaching the Bible study, and being in the kids class.  With so many kids, Dave needs help with the kids class, so it's great to have another person dedicated teaching the class with us.   It's been a lot of fun with this group so far, and we are excited to see what God has in store for each woman in our class!... And for all these little boys!  

I got to practice my drawing this morning, making up the letter practice sheets for the class.  

Attendance apples!   They each put a sticker on their apple when they come to class. 

Zane and his buddies. 

Zane practicing his letters in the same way our students do it.  They make "snakes" with crepe paper and then glue it over the shape of the letter to development the necessary dexterity in their fingers to be able to start writing.  

We are just a little excited to become a homeschooling family!  

Both the boys in school.  We still have Spanish classes once in a while, although we are mostly done.  

Also, on an unrelated note, Zane is officially potty trained... We threw a guys only ( except mommy) Poop Party. Hahahahahahahaha.... All the DTS guys came over and we had pancakes and made Zane feel like a very important and accomplished!  He loved it!   He's a big boy now!   

Please pray for us as we are planning to start up a more intense Bible study for our graduated students and other community ladies, and are currently deciding when to have it.  I have a tendency to get stressed if I take too much on, so we are taking our time in planning and prepping for this next venture, but we are excited to have another opportunity to share the gospel in a more in-depth way.  We already have one of our graduated students signed up to attend once it's started.... 

God is working so powerfully and we are thrilled to be a part of this work here in Guatemala.  Please continue to pray for our family, that the Spirit would come upon us in greater measure that more people would hear about Christ and be impacted by His love.   We live for Him, and what an abundant life it is!!!   

The Other Brother.

   Sometimes I find myself swinging back and forth between feelings of earth-shaking joy and crushing discouragement.  There are moments when the distance between me and my loved ones at home, including my nephew who I have yet to meet, make me wonder if this is all worth it... But then I take a step back and see how God has brought us here, and everything He is doing in and through us here... And suddenly my doubts fade away and all I can feel is... Anointed. Called out.  Incredibly Loved.  

   You probably know the story of the Prodigal Son.  The prodigal returns from squandering the father's money and the father rejoices over him with a big party.  His brother is all mad because he thinks it's unfair that his father is lavishing his love on the prodigal while he, the faithful and forgotten brother, has been there working all that time.  What the father says is so profound, and has changed the way I view my relationship with God.  The father says, "my son, you are always with me and everything I have is yours."  (Luke 15:31).  I think I have always thought I was the prodigal, thinking I have to beg God to take me back after whatever my latest sin was... But God has been calling me out of that mindset.  

    I am the older brother in the story, finally realizing what I truly have available to me.  God is calling me out to a greater life with Him than I have ever had before.  A life without fear, or doubt, or the feeling that I have somehow been forgotten by God.  He is always with me, and everything He has is mine.  Let that radical statement really hit you and you will be wrecked for regular life.   

   The same power that raised Christ from the dead lives in me.   

   Boom.  All excused shattered.   The only times I am discouraged are the moments I forget who I am in Christ and the power He has given me to live victoriously. I am a beloved child of Almighty God and I have the Holy Spirit living in me.  And if He could bring Christ back from the dead, I'm pretty sure He can handle anything I throw at Him.   

   During our week as translators with Recycled Lives we saw multiple people recieve physical healing, including a little girl be delivered from dengue fever.  Dave preached his first sermon and we taught about the Jesus to a group of  about 50 kids every day. Back at home we graduated our first class out of our literacy school and they all are reading the Bible for themselves and their children.  God is working in people's lives, and the joy of getting to be a part of it is AMAZING!   

    Today a woman came to my door to ask about enroling her daughter in our next school. It starts next Wednesday.  She asked if her daughter needed to bring any supplies and I told her that no, everything is provided and free.  She was so thankful and excited that her daughter would finally have the chance to learn to read... And I was so excited because I know that our class is more than just a literacy class... Before every class we have a Bible study and after we have coffee time where we have a chance to minister personally to each student.  This girl is about to hear about the God who loves her and wants to fill her with unspeakable joy!  There is nothing more exciting than that!   

    We are not orphans in this world.  We have a Father who loves us and wants to give us abundant life if we will only be brave enough to step out in faith and follow Him.  So off we go...

    "Do not be afraid little flock, for it pleases your Father to give you the kingdom.  Sell your possessions and give to the poor.  Provide for yourselves purses that will not wear out, a treasure in Heaven that will not be exhausted, where no theif comes near and no moth destroys.  For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."  -Luke 12:32-34.  

    

     

    

I love my life

Last year at this time I was cooking at Woodsman camp. I was having the time of my life, and I wrote a journal entry one night where I wrote my wondering about what I would've doing a year from then. Well, here I am... One year later... And I am in awe of what God is doing in our life. Thankful...hardly even begins to describe how I feel about the life God has given me.

When first arrived to Guatemala with our DTS team last December, we met a couple named Shawn and Brad who were down here leading a house-building team with a ministry that they started called Recycled Lives. Shawn and I connected, since of course, we both share an obscure "unisex" name (let's be real, it's a boy name) you are destined to be friends. 

Anyway, Shawn and I have kept in touch through Facebook, and a couple months ago she asked me if Dave and I would be interested in helping translate for the team they were bringing down this month. These guys have an amazing heart for Jesus and for the people of Guatemala, so we were thrilled to be part of their work.

On Monday we spent our first day with them, helping with their monthly food distribution in a small village near Esquintla (they have a Guatemalan couple that they work with who keep the food distribution program running when they aren't here to do it.). We shared a message from the Bible and then doled out bags of food to each family. Zane was right in there with us, putting a bag of oats into every woman's bag as they went past him. After everyone had their food Dave and all the kids ran off to play soccer while I talked with some of the ladies. We then were off to visit a few homes and pray for the sick. In one home we prayed for a woman to be healed from her post-operation pain and a huge headache she had... And after reading a portion of scripture to her family and praying, her pain was gone! Praise The Lord! 

The day capped off with a swim in the river with a bunch of the kids and a very late lunch/dinner at Pollo Campero. I went to sleep that night feeling like the luckiest person in the world... But that was just Monday! 

Their team had heard about our literacy school and asked how they could help. We wanted to give our students each a children's Bible as a graduation gift (last class is next Friday), and I had been praying that God would provide the finances for us to purchase the Bibles. Books are very expensive here, but I knew that Gd would provide... So when they asked how they could help I told them about our need for three children's Bibles. Shawn stared at me for a second... 

"We gave out children's Bibles last time we were here... We had three leftover and we didn't know who to give them to!" Hahaha....God is so awesome! 

So...We gave the Bibles to our students on Wednesday during class so that they could practice reading from them as homework... The gift was met with tears, they were all so excited and thankful to receive a Bible that they could enjoy with their children. They can all read now, but the easy to read format will help them practice and understand the gospel for themselves. We prayed over each student and Bible, and I cried. The gospel is going into these houses for the first time in a format that these students can understand and share with their families. It was the best class yet!

Thursday was not a day with the Recycled Lives team, but I was invited to go and pray for a sick woman who is the mother of one of the girls in kids club. A few of us went over and prayed for her. She was also having head pain and abdominal pain, just like the woman on Monday, so I knew God had already built up my faith to pray aggressively for this miracle... We prayed for her and all the pain left her body! I walked back to the base, almost stunned at having seen so many miracles in one week... And was met by my friend who complained of having a bad headache... I almost laughed... "Ain't nobody got time for that." I prayed and the Spirit took her pain away instantly. Yeah, Holy Spirit!!! 

Then yesterday Zane and I went with the RL team to help translate as they visited some of the families who live in the homes they have built over the past 5 years. It was amazing! Shawn and her team have such a heart for these people and I was blown away by the welcome we received in each house... Talk about an open door for ministry! I got the chance to pray for people, and Zane made all kinds of new friends. 

Shawn invited us to stay for dinner with them and swim in the pool at the hotel where their team is staying, which was so much fun. David was there by then too, and we enjoyed fellowshipping with their team. One of the girls walked in with a bag of toiletries, a big container of peanut butter and some canned chicken! But as I was still looking through the amazing bag of goodies she had just handed me, Shawn came up with a giant bag of pancake mix, and a big bag of sugar! I was so excited... And then they gave us another big bag... FULL of Spanish children's books and 14 copies of Crazy Love (by Francis Chan) which we can use to lead a Bible study with our graduated students. There were 42 kids books, which one of their team members had spent almost six months slowly collecting off eBay. 

I burst into tears.

 I had been wanted to do a Bible study, but didn't know where I would come up with real study materials... And I had been praying that God would provide more books for Zane. I grew up in a family that read all the time, and I had lamented to God how deprived my son was to not have nice books to read... Well God started planning to get me some books for my son even before I had decided to stay in Guatemala... That's just how good He is. 

Next week we will be in the little village all week with the team to help translate and run the kids program. I am beyond psyched! God is so awesome! 

"Forget the former things, do not dwell on the past. See I am doing a new thing. Now it springs up, do you not perceive it? I am making a way on the desert, and streams in the wasteland." -Isaiah 43:18-19

P.S. Funniest moment of the week was at the house where we prayed for the first sick lady. I was very focused on the lady, until Shawn tapped me on the shoulder and gestured to Zane. The grandma of the household had set him on top of a table so the whole family could see him, and had given him a bag of chips to eat. As he ate she stood right beside him, fanning his face with a towel so he'd be more comfortable. Hahahahahahahaha... 

Gifts from Home

Thank you to everyone who prays for us, emails us, supports us financially, and for those special two packages that have made it through the mail to us over the past month. It started with a package from a friend who I have not seen in nine years.  She had loaded up a bunch of aromatherapy oils, a cross-stitch kit (I love those!), and a puzzle for Z!  It was so kind and was like a giant hug!  Then just yesterday a team arrived with a package from my mom... With a cookbook from home, packages of tea, and two little Lightning McQeen!  Such an encouragement and reminder that we are loved!  

   

  Thank you to everyone who prays for us, we can feel the power of your prayers in our everyday life. We still love living here in Guatemala, and are enjoying the ministries that we are part of. We will be graduating our first class of literacy students within the next month.  So exciting!  

  Thank you for praying, writing to us, encouraging us, and helping us to continue in the calling that God has placed on our life. We can't do it without you.  Thank you!  

From Tiny Seeds Come Giant Trees

Some of the team over for Potluck night!  (Look, we have a couch!) 

Eloisa teaching Dave to make Pepian (National dish of Guatemala)

The Lord has provided so that we finally have a fully-furnished kitchen!

Z and Damaris hanging out during literacy class

Two of our lovely students in class

Forming and reading words for the first time!!! 

 The past few weeks we've been hosting a potluck night at our house for the base staff.  We hoped it would catch on as a weekly tradition, and so far it has, with everyone squishing into our place every Thursday for a fun evening of food, conversation, and usually a card game and coffee to wrap up the evening  (our sweet Susy sure loves card games).  With three volunteers here now from Texas, our house is full of even more people and laughter.  We have a great team, and our goal is to help build community through regular social time.  It's been a lot of fun! 

   This past Thursday Dave decided that instead of having regular Spanish lessons, he wanted Eloisa to teach him to make Pepian.  It is the national dish of Guatemala, and is a tomato-based, chicken (often times) soup.  It is served with rice, tortillas, and of course the typical plate of salt, limes, and chiles.  Eloisa was trained as a professional cook before she became a Spanish teacher, and so the two chefs had a wonderful afternoon preparing what appeared, in my opinion, to be the most complicated dish ever created by humans. 
   
 Everyone loved the Pepian, and Eloisa and Dave made such a huge pot that we are still eating it, four days later. 

     As you may notice from the pictures, we have accumulated a lot of new furniture!  God has provided the money, gifts from others, and creativity for new storage solutions, that now our house is fully furnished!  Praise God!  We have almost lived her for 4 months now, and it feels amazing to finally be able to just relax at home... on my couch!!!  Thank you God!

     Literacy classes are still the highlight of my week.  The ladies have begun to form words using the letter/vowel sounds they have learned, and they take turns reading their words in front of the class.  We all cheer and clap after each student reads, and it is the most victorious feeling to watch these women reading for the first time.
 
    Before each class we take time to share from the Bible with all the students, and we have memorized a Bible verse (Phillipians 4:13), which we recite together.  Anytime someone gets frustrated in class we all stop and recite the verse together.  Watching these women persevere is helping me persevere in language school as well.  It is just so excited to think about the Bible going into these homes for the first time, and these students being able to read it for themselves!

    We hope to see this class graduate within a month.  We will be doing another intake of students after that, and already have interest from quite a few people.  The YWAM base has started a Bible study for women, and the literacy class is being promoted there, as well as our students are attending that study and learning even more about God and the Bible. 

     Living away from family here in Guatemala sometimes I feel lonely or scared... but God keeps whispering in my ear that I only have to trust Him.  I only have to keep walking every day, putting my whole faith in Him that He is able to finish everything that He starts.  And He keeps telling me that I should not despise small beginnings. 

    Our little family... little house... little school... but it will not always be this way.  This is our little beginning, and God will create something magnificent out of it.  Please continue to pray for our students, our team, and for us.