Thursday, 10/18/2007:  We are here!   Hola!   We made it and everybody is happy and well.  We almost got diverted to El Salvador because of the weather, but it lifted.  We saw a bit of lightning from the plane, too.  All our luggage arrived (the first time in awhile), and the Guatemala airport is looking nice.  It's been under construction for a couple years now.  We are the the Hotel Los Lagos for the night in the City, and will head out tomorrow morning at 9:30.  (We are 3 hours ahead of you.)  It's late and time for bed.  Thank you all for praying for us.  Leo ________________________________________________________________________

Friday, 10/19/2007:  Hello, It's a nice day here--a little cloudy, but warm.  After a good night's sleep we are ready to head out to San Pedro.  It might take a few hours extra due to the heavy road construction.  I might not be able to email tonight.  I should definitely be able to send one by Sunday evening.  Saturday if there is time.  Things get busy here, and the internet cafe is not always open/functional.  Everybody is in good spirits and we are eager to see what God is going to do this week.   Leo ________________________________________________________________________

Saturday, 10/20/2007:  Well, we made it.  It was a long bus ride and a chilly boat ride in the rain, but we pulled into San Pedro last night around 5.  Everyone is still doing very well.  No one is sick--yet :).  Today we are wrapping Christmas gifts for the kids in the Christian school.  Later we will deliver some of the gifts to the families.  It´s always a highlight to visit the people in their homes. Last night I shared with them a bit of my testimony, and ended with a challenge to lose themselves this week--the kind of losing yourself Jesus talked about.  He said if you find your life you will lose it, and if you lose your life for his sake, you will find it.  So I challenged them to lose themselves in Him, so that they can have true life abundantly.  I asked them what they want most, because it´s what you want most that defines who you are.  I asked them if they really wanted God most, above all other things.  It´s something I´ve been wrestling with myself.  I desire God, but not always is He my greatest desire.  That needs to change in me, and it needs to change in them.  Some of the girls took the challenge to heart, and put it into action.  After our team meeting, the junior girls (Elizabeth and Kristina), practicing what they call "Juniority" since there are no senior girls on the team, called the other girls together for a girls only devotional.  They started in Colosstians 3, dabbled in Philippians 2, and spent 3 hours talking and discussing deep things of God and the Christian life.  They were so excited to tell me about it in the morning.  Wow!  I wish my words had that much of an effect on myself!  I was so encouraged to hear how exstatic they were to be in God´s Word.  They truly are a blessing.  Thanks again for letting your kids be part of this team.  Speaking of which, the girls were also talking about the body of Christ, and how each person on this team has a specific role.  What a privilege it is to be here with them. Well, that´s going to have to be it for now.  I will probably be able to write again tomorrow, but if I can´t, I won´t be able to until Friday.   Please do not worry :). Thanks, Leo p.s. I´ll work on getting some pictures sent to you.  ________________________________________________________________________

Sunday, 10/21/2007:  Good morning, all.  Everything is still wonderful here.  Yesterday we got a lot done for the school here, wrapping Christmas presents and cutting out decorations for the kids.  We had a chance to take a little walk through the town in the afternoon, led by Fabiola and Julissa.  They brought us up the hill for an excellent view of the city. Last night we had another good team time.  Mrs. Gobroski shared her testimony and all were encouraged by what God has done in her life, saving her out of the Jehovah´s Witness religion.  After that, we sang some songs and then had a time of sharing.  Alex made the comment how amazing it is that apart from all our American "needs" of comfort and convenience, we are still happy, if not happier.  Don´t get me wrong, we are quite comfortable, but it´s not home.  Julia, Elizabeth, and Kristina shared more about what the girls were so excited about the night before.  They realized the words in "Jesus, Savior of My Soul" weren´t quite right.  They changed a line to read Jesus, YOU will never let ME go.  I told them I often reverse the pronouns to improve songs, too.  Also, Lara pointed out that when songs say to God, "You are worthy of our worship," as if we were these wonderful beings who bless God with OUR worship, they tend to make us out to be more important than we are.  Instead they said it should be "WE aren´t worthy to worship you."  Let´s just say I was happy.  They are thinking God-centered thoughts more deeply than just accepting what the songs say at face value.  Instead they are analyzing to determine if it is biblical, and not just "pretty."  Some of our modern day song writers need to have some theology lessons from these girls :).  Pray for the men, that they will step up, too.  They are doing well in their own way.  Sometimes it´s a little harder for them to turn their conversation to personal and spiritual.  They were happy for the girls, and last night I heard the guys saying they were going to have a late night Bible study of their own.  I´m curious to hear how that went.  The team is bonding deeply and there are no divisions.  It´s great to be part of such a group of people.  This will probably be the last email for a few days.  There is no internet in Panyebar, however, there are plenty of cell phones (go figure).  If we need to we can call out.  If you don´t here from us, that means everything is swell.  There is little to no danger up in Panyebar.  It is very safe, and I have not felt the least bit threatened the other times I´ve been there.  The people love having us there, and welcome us profusely.  Besides that God is sovereignly directing every detail of every footstep of every person on the team, so we are safe--absolutely, according to God´s perfect will.   Leo ________________________________________________________________________

Friday, 10/26/2007:  Hello, we made it back safely, so you can all relax.  More than that, we had an amazing time, as always.  The kids did a great job working hard with concrete, playing hard with Guatemalan kids, loving hard on the kids and each other, and all this with no complaining, even though the mud was abundant and the Guate-bug hit.  Only 3 got the Guate-bug.  That is a record for Panyebar.  They are doing fine--no worries.  Quite a few came down with a cold and cough, but they are all toughing it out. I am sure they are looking forward to being home in your care, although we take pretty good care of them ourselves.  Our evening devotions continued to be so encouraging.  We read through Colossians and discussed the text, as well as other things that came up.  They had some good observations, great questions, and excellent times of sharing.  God really used that time in each of us.  We have quite the team this year, and God worked mightily.  During the morning we worked on concrete to finish the basketball court.  Concrete mixers were never so appreciated--that is, we did not have one.  We were the cement mixers and let me tell you, it is hard work.  The team rallied around the challenge and rose to the occasion, switching off, helping each other out, encouraging each other--you would have been proud.  Today we poured the stairs to the 3rd floor of the school building.  Guess how they get concrete to the 3rd floor...  Yes, that is right.  We carried it up.  The fun never ends :). For VBS in the afternoons we had an average of 250 kids.  Yesterday we had 331!  Crammed into a church building because of the rain, we sang songs, did crafts, shared Bible stories, played, took lots of pictures, did some dramas and clowns, and all in all had a wonderful time.  Chester was the highlight of the trip for many.  He is a kid from Panyebar who spent a lot of time with the team, as he would help serve us our food and hang out with us afterward. He did the same last year and we all fell in love with him.  He is 12, and his dad died when he was 6 months old.  He has a huge heart and we love spending time with him.  Pray for his salvation.  He does not understand why God would allow such a thing and still retains some bitterness, although most of the kids do not know that. It came out more last year.  Tonight we have a special dinner at the school in San Pedro.  Tomorrow morning we leave for morning in Panajachel, then the long drive to the City to spend the evening at a home for abandoned/abused girls.  There is a good chance this will be the last email I can send.  Remember to allow your kids some space when they get back.  They will be tired, and they will probably have a hard time adjusting back to the way things used to be.  Hopefully, as is the case with most, things will never be the way they used to be--in the best way possible.  Ask them lots of questions, and please make them expand upon the statement, "It was a lot of fun."  They did have fun, but it was so much more than that.  It´s so hard to explain all that God did through them and in them, and it often comes out a little shallow.  Trust me, even I have a hard time explaining how good it is.  Look at their pictures, ask them questions, let them sleep, pray for them, love them, and all will be well.  Thank you for trusting God in allowing this team to be what it is.  Muchas Gracias, Leo ________________________________________________________________________

Sunday, 10/28/2007:   Hello,  We are back in Guatemala City at the hotel.  We are very tired, though quite happy.  We will see you at the airport at 11:45pm if all goes according to plan and we don't miss our connection in Houston.  Thanks again, Leo