Saturday, February 7
Buenos Dias from San Pedro La Laguna!
Yesterday was a very full day. After packing up and leaving Guatemala City at 10 am, driving to Panajachel, loading the 13 - 50 lb. totes and our luggage to the dock down the unique, bumpy path, was a good workout after the freshly made tortilla, bean, cheese and guacamole lunch at Chechoy. The ride across Lake Atitlan was breathtaking in its setting ringed by volcanoes. It was windy, refreshing ride. But the jewel of it all was the arrival of the team in San Pedro La Laguna. What a contrast from the 3 million plus people in Guatemala City to the small town of San Pedro
I know that many of you are intimately connected and have experienced arrival in to San Pedro La Laguna. For those who have never visited San Pedro, and for me experiencing this the first time, it was an amazing experience. As you arrive at the dock you are surrounded by men, women and children -- all waiting to greet you. The children, who are the largest part of the crowd, hug you, with beautiful smiles, as they greet you with hola. The adults, while less exuberant kids, also smile, hug and greet you. Then many of those there, help with the unloading of the boat, filling up two trucks which we then climbed into and onto to wind our way across town to the hotel.
Anyway, with our smaller group accompanying us, we carried all the totes down to the hotel and spent the rest of the afternoon with children and a few adults from the school. Susan Horn and I both met one of our sponsor children for the first time. It was a wonderful experience getting to know them. Susan’s 19 year old sponsor child was able to speak English and translate for us. Lucky’s reunion with her family was wonderful and Dan and Tamie and Lucky’s family spent time together. Mary quickly had two young ladies attached to her. For Wayne, as a first time visitor, he was also warmly welcomed by young and old alike.
We ate dinner at the school, (Pam has done an amazing job coordinating and preparing for the team). We were joined by a sponsor family, Dora, and my sponsor child, Debra, who had come home from high school in a city 2 hours from here. It was a delightful time of getting to know one another. We were so thankful Pam and Lucky were there to help with translation.
After devotions back at our rooms, we headed for bed around 10:15 or so. Today, we have breakfast at Pam’s and then learn about how to put together the stoves and hopefully get certified to assemble them. Mary will be sewing curtains for the school.
It has been an overwhelming experience already in terms of the way we have been received and provided for and and loved. We were all reflecting tonight that the attitudes of those we encounter both humble and convict us, as we often grumble about what we do or don’t have. Seeing the simple and harsh/demanding , lifestyle for many of these people and their graciousness, is very impactful. We are really thankful and blessed to be here and pray we can honor and bless these people.
Well, Susan just asked if I was writing a book. Sorry about the length of this. Bottom line we are doing well as a team and love our location by this lake. Thanks for giving us the honor to be here and serve.
In His Love,
Christi, for the whole team
Friday, February 6
Hola amigos! We’ve made it safe and sound to Guatemala. We had good flights and all found one another is the Guatemala City Airport. We only made Lucky ride the baggage carousel around a couple of times 
. Customs opened a couple of the containers, but the lists Toni had done really helped assure them we were on the up and up. It was sure good to see Pam -- she looks wonderful
We’re now gathering at Hostalios Logas to get ready for the day. We plan to head out to San Pedro at around 10:00 a.m. Believe it or not, we’re all freezing with 50 degrees inside and out. We Alaskans aren’t as tough as we think we are!
We are all anxious for the trip up to San Pedro and to see what God has in store for us. We heard about some of the plans for the upcoming week which include stove maintenance, family visits, and working on the school, plus whatever else God adds. The folks we have met so far have been so hospitable and kind.
We just finished a wonderful breakfast of eggs, beans, amazing bread and watermelon. Yum! With coffee cup and/or tea in hand, we’re just about to start morning devotions and practice our singing.
We'll update more tomorrow.
Dios te bendiga, adios!
Susan says Feliz Navidad!
In His love,
Christi for the whole team
Saturday, February 14
Buenas Tardes and Happy Valentine’s Day!
After we reported yesterday, we visited children from the school whose home had burnt down the night before in San Marcos. It was so hard to see the loss, how it affected the children and their concern for the two little ones who were injured, one critically. Please keep this family in your prayers, as they are going through so much emotionally, spiritually and have obvious physical need for healing and provisions since they lost everything but the clothes on their backs.
We also attended a special dinner at the school with the families that we installed stoves for. It was a moving experience as they expressed their thanks and gave gifts to us. We were overwhelmed by their generosity and graciousness, especially as these folks have so little. Pastor Emilio and Esther as well as some of the staff and teachers from thee school were there as well. It was a very touching and moving experience.
Today we said our goodbyes in San Pedro. I don’t think there was a dry eye in our group as we got on the boat. These are such special people and they touched each of our hearts. It was really hard to leave. We will really miss them.
We visited Panajachel and did some shopping We then traveled to San Cristobal by bus to visit the girls group home/orphanage. It was a good visit with the girls, their pets and the staff. We really enjoyed our time there. We even had Pizza Hut pizza -- who would have thought there would be Pizza Hut in Guatemala..
We are now in Guatemala City and getting ready to go out for dinner. We are all processing all that we’ve seen and experienced while in Guatemala. I think the final devotions with the group will be a good time to share and hear what God showed each one of us.
Tomorrow afternoon we fly out. Please pray that in the short connection time that we are able to make it through immigration and customs and make out flight . Also, please keep Dan in your prayers, he is still feeling pretty poorly.
This is the last report from the team. Please keep all of us in your prayers as we transition back to the USA. There is a lot to think and pray about.
Thank you for sharing in this mission trip with us by prayer and support. It has meant so much to us.
Dios te bendiga,
Christi for the team
Friday, February 13
Buenas Tardes from San Pedro,
Well, our time here is coming to a close. This morning we were honored and touched by a wonderful program put on by the children at the school. To see these little ones sing, worship and share and to received hugs from so many of them, was one of the highlights of the trip. These children shine so brightly and show how important the impact of what Colegio Bethel, Proyecto Fe and many others like Pam, Pastor Emilio and Esther and their ministry have had on these little lives who love the Lord and radiate His joy.
This afternoon we have lunch with more of the teachers of the school and this evening the school is putting on a dinner for us. We then have some odd jobs to do, including repairing a stove from a prior trip, and then packing up. It is with heavy hearts we prepare to leave tomorrow morning and start the journey to Guatemala City. We will stop in Panajacel and the group home in San Cristobal on our way to Guatemala City.
Thank you for your prayers for the team Many are starting to feel better. It is great to have Susan up and around today -- we missed her sense of humor which livens up the team, especially when everyone is tired.
In His love,
Christi for the team
Thursday, February 12
Hola Amigos!
We've now installed all six stoves. It feels so wonderful to have had such a positive impact on these families lives. They are so happy and thankful. We pray that they clearly understand that we did this out of love for them and out of our love of the Lord.
Yesterday was a challenging day. There were some difficulties with the installation of one of the stoves, the team being tired, health problems and other issues. It really felt like we were under spiritual attack on all levels. Please continue to pray for protection for us. The group has really pulled together and is supporting one another in all this.
Most of the team is sick. Susan has stayed back all day today and is pretty sick. The rest of us have managed to continue to work and right now most of them are resting after the hard labor of this morning.
Please pray that those that are ill will recover soon and that the one or two of the team that aren't sick (or are just starting with a runny nose and scratchy throat) will not go into the serious stomach flu and upper respiratory infection the others are experiencing.
We have enjoyed each day having lunch with the teachers and administration from the school. These people and their hearts are amazing. Each evening we are continuing to have dinner with the family of a sponsored child. This has been a blessing as well. This afternoon we will have the opportunity to deliver gifts that others have sent to sponsored children. We are looking forward to this. We have enjoyed each opportunity we've had to interact with these families.
What an experience this trip has been so far. I want to remember never to grumble about circumstances in my life after I have seen how these people live and maintain cheerful attitudes and kindness to others despite circumstances that are quite harsh and poor.
Tomorrow is our last day in San Pedro. I know the whole team will be sad to leave. The way these people have touched our hearts is something words can't describe.
We don't know how to tell you how much we have appreciated your support and prayers as we have been here. We know they are what has kept us going despite bumps in the road. I am sorry we haven't been able to respond to emails, as we have very little internet access -- which is only to send these emails.
Well, I better get going, as its time to get ready to deliver gifts to sponsor families.
Dios te bendiga (and with much love),
Christi for the team
Wednesday, February 11
Hola again!
Its update time from Guatemala. Slave driver Pam let us out early tonight . Its only 10:00 pm and most of us are already in our rooms for the night and just don’t know what to do with ourselves when we have a few minutes of free time. Actually, Pam is treating us well and is juggling well all our activities, meals and her school tasks, plus cooking for us. She is really a huge blessing.
Today the team headed off in different directions. Mary is repairing curtains using awning materials for the fourth floor of Colegio Bethel. She is making progress, but she says it is a challenging project.
2 teams went out today to install our first pair of stoves. Dan and Tamie put in one stove and Wayne and I put in another. It was a “10” to see the smiles and appreciation of the families during and after the stove installation. It was quite an expedition to pick up and load stove parts for two stoves and 8 people plus a driver into a pickup, unload at one home, go to the next, unload again for the 2nd stove and then carry all the parts in via a dirt pathway to the homes. We are building “mucho” muscles. Watch out Arnold! The amazing thing is that with all the heavy lifting (one of the pieces of the stove is 160 pounds), none of us is sore. That’s a huge blessing that God has given us which allows us to keep on going like little energizer bunnies.
Susan learned to make tortillas with “the tortilla lady” today. After making them, (its not as easy as it looks to make tortillas), Susan brought tortillas to each family since they didn’t have the ability to cook while we had disrupted their home (and cooking area) to build the stove. The families were surprised and appreciative of this.
This evening we had dinner in the home of the Chavajay family -- Susan and I each sponsor one of their daughters. It is really fun to have dinner with jokes back and forth in both languages and getting to laugh at the punch line twice -- once in each language.
Now, for eighth team member -- “Bad Susan“. Poor Wayne! He is outnumbered in a team of women, with only one other man. He is holding up well with all the teasing from Susan about how much women can carry, the right fashions for San Pedro and the best natural cure for each ailment someone suffers. Wayne is starting to dish it out back and is promising revenge. These two keep everyone else laughing, even when are all dog tired at the end of a long day.
On a more serious note, both Lucky and Dan have been ill. Please keep them in your prayers. Lucky did not go out with the team today and we are hoping she recovers quickly. Dan still went out on the stove job, and I am sure that was doubly hard with the bad respiratory infection and cough he has. We are praying that God brings swift healing. We sure missed having Lucky with us today for all the activities.
Tomorrow will be a challenging day for the stove teams. Both homes are very challenging for different reasons. One has a long narrow access path that won’t fit the stove pieces unless we turn them somehow, which will be difficult with their weight. The ground is really torn up, which will make it easy to misstep. The second home is very poorest and has serious problems blocking installation of the stove that the lady so badly wants and worked so hard for. Please keep us and these ladies in your prayers.’
We are so appreciative of your prayers and support., we sense His presence enabling us to do what is needed for each situation.
Well, its almost 11:30 now, so I better sign off and I’ll get this sent to you in the morning when we get connected to the internet on the way out to Pam’s.
Adios and Buenos Noches from Guatemala.
In His love,
Christi for the team
Tuesday, February 10
Greetings from San Pedro La Laguna,
It was been a very busy past few days. On Sunday we split into teams and went to visit local homes within the church who had asked us to visit and to pray with them. This was a very special time. It saddened our hearts to hear of several of the homes with concerns about breathing and health problems and of grandmothers raising small children and asking that God would give them strength and health to do this by themselves. One woman was doing this by getting up very early to wash laundry in the lake. Our hearts went out to them, especially as they do not complain but just ask for strength. The people we have met work very hard. We can’t help but believe the smoke from the cooking fires inside their homes and burning fields has a big factor in the breathing problems they experience, young and old alike
I was also able to visit the family of one of my sponsor children. They were so gracious, kind and hospitable. It was a humbling experience.
Sunday we attended Pastor Emilio’s church. They have such a gift for music and love of worship, from the littlest ones to the oldest. Even though we could not understand the words of the songs or sermon, it was still a wonderful experience. Also, when we sang for the, in English, Spanish and Tzutijillo, we even held a tune!
Yesterday, after joining the children at school for singing/worship, we were tested with the folks who are receiving the stoves on whether we had learned enough to satisfy Kelps, the organization who offers the stoves, that we might install and they might receive them. We all passed with flying colors!
The afternoon was very difficult. We visited the homes of the six families who are to receive stoves. I have never seen poverty and living conditions like this. It broke my heart, and was difficult for Wayne and even Lucky, as none of us had seen this before. Yet, the folks living in these places are not whining or sad, they are happy and content. it’s a lot to think and pray about.
In the evening we had dinner in the home of one of Mary’s sponsor children. Her husband had left for the United States two years ago to try and pay off their debt. We could see it was very difficult for the 5 children and the wife. Yet the children and wife were so grateful to have us in their home. I wish I could put better words to the experience, they are so patient, enduring and uncomplaining about real hardships. It makes you ponder how much we whine and complain in much lesser circumstances.
In our devotion time last night we were able to process and pray about what we had experienced.
Today, we are off to install our first stoves in 2 homes. Susan will be making tortillas to bring to the home, since they won’t be able to cook because of our working their to install the stoves. Please keep us in your prayers, there are difficulties installing stoves in some of these homes which must be solved or they will not qualify for the stove they desire so strongly and have worked so hard to earn.
This afternoon we will visit homes where stoves were previously installed and maintain them.
Well, I better get moving, we need to head off in a few minutes for the day’s activities. Please pray that God will give us strength for the tasks ahead and hearts that shine His love into every circumstance.
In His love,
Christi for the team
Sunday, February 8
Buenas Dias! it’s a lovely calm day in San Pedro and can see the sun shining off the lake and many birds of different varieties singing away this morning.
Yesterday was quite a day. After breakfast at Pam’s (which was thoughtfully and wonderfully done), we had team devotions and then turned to the task of the day, getting training and ready for testing on the Oneill stoves. We spent the morning in teams learning how to put the together. Its an ingenious system, even though with the heavy parts and sand and pumice used extensively to hold parts in place, we were pretty hot and dirty when the time came to test the 6 families from the village who want to have these stoves. At present these families are cooking indoors using 3 stones with a metal plate which is over the open fire in their homes. The ladies and one gentleman were gracious and worked very hard to get right. It touched me to a see 7 month pregnant Ruth Magdelena lifting the heavy pieces while in their traditional costumes.
Please pray that both their team and our will pass the testing of the folks who certify us to install (and them to receive) these stoves. We are tested on Monday and want to honor both our respective teachers. When we cleaned up the work area afterwards, we gathered for the stove recipients to process what they had been through and their readiness for testing. The stories of how much the appreciated the stoves, that we had come down to help them and even how those who had been told by others they wouldn’t be able to pass the test, were glowing when they succeeded. Many of us -- both the team members and the Mayans, were so touched that tears were flowing freely. Their grateful hears and faith in God when there are so many challenges in their lives is precious.
We spent the evening meal together with a few sponsor families. Pam has surprised me twice now, by bringing my sponsor children home from their schools some hours away. Words cannot express how precious it was to meet them, talk with them through a translator and to get to hug on them for a good long while. That in this culture Debbie is in school to train to become a doctor and Priscilla is studying music, is even more remarkable.
Susan was able to get reaquainted with 4 year old namesake, Susannah, and Emanuel (her sponsor child and their mother. The smiles were huge and the kids hated to be separated from her. The impact of the gifts she brought for them, simple things, a backpack, hair clips, school binders, a ball, amazed them.
Tamie and Dan were able to spend time with Lucky’s family and I could see what an encouragement they were to the family. God has knit these two families in a special way.
Wayne and Mary entered into conversation with our guest families, sharing a testimony and stories. Pam continues to amaze me that she coordinates our schedules, cooks our food, is involved in the daily activities of running Colegio Bethel and spends time with us, touched by the stories as she translates for us as much as we are.
Devotions have been a special time going over our day, sharing testimonies and also prayer requests for one another and spending time in the word. I am glad they are both in the morning and evening.
Each of our team member continue to thank God for allowing us to be here. I wish I could put to words how emotionally and spiritually it impacts you here. I expect the home visits scheduled for this afternoon, will really challenge us in a new way.
Thank you so much for sharing and for praying. It is what helps us to go on with long, strenuous days and when “over the top” with the new experiences and what is required of us. God certainly is faithful to provide, and your prayers are part of how He does it.
With love,
Christi for the team
