Guatemala
hello friends!
Guatemala is always a wonderful place to return to, it's becoming more and more familiar each time I visit.
So far the team has spent a day at Hannah's Hope, hanging out with the kids, doing art projects, making balloon animals, and feeding babies. Sunday we traveled to Panajachel and brought a bunch of school supplies and white boards to a nearby community that we do outreach to. This community had lost everything in mudslides and only had a make-shift tin shake school room. We hung out and played games with the kids and attempted to sing some Spanish songs. :) Today the girls went zip-lining, which was a great team bonding experience. This afternoon we ministered to the kids at Mama Carmen's orphanage.
This trip for me has been yet another set of learning experiences and challenges. I definitely feel more comfortable in my office in Portland planning and equipping teams to serve cross-culturally. But acting as a group leader for a group of women I had never met before this time, that is hard! God is stretching me though, and I am learning so much to help develop the Embrace Missions program for AGCI. I am eager to see how God continues to grow and bless this ministry.
Please pray for our team as we continue to learn more about each other, the people of Guatemala, and the God we serve. Most of the women have never been to a poor country and all of this is new to them. I think Ashley and I have loaded them with enough "stuff" to ponder and process for a long time. I shared with the ladies on the first night the important lesson that God taught me while in Nepal....about how the poor will always be with us. Sometimes the burden of wanting to help so many can be heavy and overwhelming your first time on a mission trip. Please pray that the women have soft, teachable hearts, but also that they remember to "sit at Jesus' feet" to learn from him and minister to Him first!
I'll try to post some pics tomorrow. Hope you all enjoyed the long holiday weekend!
Erica
Guatemala is always a wonderful place to return to, it's becoming more and more familiar each time I visit.
So far the team has spent a day at Hannah's Hope, hanging out with the kids, doing art projects, making balloon animals, and feeding babies. Sunday we traveled to Panajachel and brought a bunch of school supplies and white boards to a nearby community that we do outreach to. This community had lost everything in mudslides and only had a make-shift tin shake school room. We hung out and played games with the kids and attempted to sing some Spanish songs. :) Today the girls went zip-lining, which was a great team bonding experience. This afternoon we ministered to the kids at Mama Carmen's orphanage.
This trip for me has been yet another set of learning experiences and challenges. I definitely feel more comfortable in my office in Portland planning and equipping teams to serve cross-culturally. But acting as a group leader for a group of women I had never met before this time, that is hard! God is stretching me though, and I am learning so much to help develop the Embrace Missions program for AGCI. I am eager to see how God continues to grow and bless this ministry.
Please pray for our team as we continue to learn more about each other, the people of Guatemala, and the God we serve. Most of the women have never been to a poor country and all of this is new to them. I think Ashley and I have loaded them with enough "stuff" to ponder and process for a long time. I shared with the ladies on the first night the important lesson that God taught me while in Nepal....about how the poor will always be with us. Sometimes the burden of wanting to help so many can be heavy and overwhelming your first time on a mission trip. Please pray that the women have soft, teachable hearts, but also that they remember to "sit at Jesus' feet" to learn from him and minister to Him first!
I'll try to post some pics tomorrow. Hope you all enjoyed the long holiday weekend!
Erica
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