After the first Six Months

Z and Eloisa playing Scrabble

     I was wedged in between a mariachi band, a woman selling stewed chicken with tortillas, and two kids reaching over me to touch Z`s blond hair.  My clothes were drenched in sweat, and although I really needed to use the bathroom already, I kept drinking water to fend off the stifling heat.  The beautiful country-side wizzed past us outside the windows, as the large bus pulled into the on-coming lane to pass a pick-up truck full of people heading for work.  I was ridiculously uncomfortable, and yet blissfully happy to be home in our beloved country of Guatemala.  I had missed my home, even when I was only twenty minutes over the border. 

Z hanging out in his tent (the box from our new fridge)

YWAM staff Potluck held in our living room

      It`s been over a week since we returned from Mexico.  We have a new stamp in our passports, and we can stay in Guatemala for another six months (although we have to pay for an extension at the three month mark, but that`s a lot easier than busing to Mexico again!).  We lived through the long bus-rides to and from Mexico, and discovered Z is far better at traveling than I am and does far less complaining.  Dave, of course, thought the whole thing was a wonderful adventure, and would do it again tomorrow. 
 
      While in Mexico, we enjoyed a few days at a beautiful hotel in a very hot area, and spent a lot of time by the pool and in our air-conditioned room.  It was a nice break, and while we were there we also became an Aunt and Uncle for the first time as my little sister gave birth to her first child!  A little boy, and the first cousin for Z!  (Congrats again to Shannon and Caleb!)

     We came home from Mexico to our beautiful kitchen, which now has a stove and fridge thanks to the generosity of our financial supporters.  It is seriously SO nice to be able to make supper with ease, and to be able to know that our milk wont go bad in our new fridge.  Dave has already made cookies a couple times in our new oven!  

Playing Dutch Blitz with our Canadian friends (and Susy)

    Because of our new kitchen being finally being functional, we decided to start having potlucks at our house for our base staff.  Our base doesn`t have very many social events to bring everyone together, and as you may know- I love hosting team-togetherness events!  We had our first potluck last Thursday evening, and hope to start having them every week.  The first one went very well, and we all enjoyed an evening of food, conversation, and for those who stayed later... Dutch Blitz marathon.  (There are two Canadian volunteers here right now, and they are a riot to play Dutch Blitz with!  They go home on Tuesday, and I am going to miss them so much!  I haven`t laughed this hard in a long time!  What a bunch o`hosers, eh?). 

    We have started having literacy class twice a week, and our first class of four students (we had five, but one boy had to drop out because of family crisis) is well on their way to graduating.  They have all learned all the letter sounds, and will be moving on to sounding out words next week.  Eloisa, our talented teacher, thinks that this class will be able to graduate by the end of June.  We are planning to have a family dinner for all the students when they graduate, and gift each student with a Bible/children's Bible and other supplies so they can continue practicing and learning about the Bible.  I am so proud of each of the students who are working so hard, they come to class so excited to show me their homework.  Eloisa has me teach the Bible lesson before each class, which is great Spanish practice for me, as well as is so encouraging to see the women listening to the Word with such enthusiasm.  These students are open to the gospel, and this class is a wide open door to share with them. 

     This morning Dave will be off to Puerto Abajo,the village where he volunteers every Monday.  Some friends of ours run a lunch/evangelism ministry there once a week, and Dave goes to hang out with the kids.  The kids are starved for attention there, especially from a male role-model like Dave, so it's an amazing opportunity to share the gospel with the kids.  Dave always reads them Bible stories, and has been giving some Story of Jesus booklets to the kids who can read.  We have requests to bring our literacy school to Puerto Abajo, and are praying and waiting on the Lord to see how we could mobilize our school to reach more families. 

     Mondays are a quiet day for Z and I while Dave is gone.  With rainy season in full-swing, it is too wet to even play in the yard some days.  Today is an especially wet Monday, so I think we'll be making some hot chocolate, and playing with our new play dough all morning (the greatest purchase we made in Mexico, and will probably be the toy that get Z through rainy season!).

     Thank you to those people who write to us, encourage us, and remind us that although we are far away, we have not been forgotten.  A big thank you as well to those who pray and donate financially to our ministry, we appreciate your support and partnership in what the Lord is doing through us here in Guatemala.  We are so thankful to be able to live here!

(also, sorry about the picture quality, I couldn't get the pictures off our camera, so these were just taken on a camera phone.  figured something was better than nothing.  thanks for reading my blog!) 



Note:  If you are interested in partnering finacially with us, please go to www.ywamcanada.org/donations.html for information on how to donate within Canada and recieve tax-recepts.  (David and Shawn King, YWAM Antigua.)  In the States donations can be sent through YWAM Chico, at ywamchico.com.