12Stone Guatemala Blog

Tuesday, July 3rd .. Halfway Today the team woke up today at 6 am to another beautiful sunrise. That was the start to another amazing day of weather. We have been blessed with sunshine each day so far, even though the forecast called for rain the entire time we were here. We headed off to breakfast after finally getting Andrew and Cory out of bed (yes they forgot to wake up) and had the chance to sit with the other missionaries that are here from Memphis. We all really enjoyed trading stories and getting to know one another. Lorraine got to talk to some other Elvis fans , while Cory and Erica K got to hear about the 3 trips that a 13 year old from the other team has already made to Guatemala. We also found out that we would be able to go see the Promised Land, which is the location where the other team have built houses and are currently building a place for Pastors to meet and hold conferences. After breakfast we headed back to the High school to continue working with the teens that we had begun to build relationships with. We started the day with a skit ( Contagious) and then broke for Football, fellowship and we even offered and English class taught by Lorraine and Andrew. Cory immediately was able to connect with 6 of the students and they got in a circle on the lawn to share the Gospel. Wayne then joined in and one of the youths prayed to receive Christ. The girls also got into a circle with some of the teens and we talked about dancing, school, family and church, which led to a conversation about Jesus and Erica M was able to teach the girls about the Gospel and lead us all in a prayer. After getting a chance to spend time with the students outside we split off into three classrooms and performed the Good Samaritan skit we had been practicing. We then opened the floor for discussion after we shared our own interpretations of what the moral of the story meant to each of us. That lead to a more in depth discussion of the Gospel in class, and prayer over those who wanted to start a relationship with Christ. We then said our goodbyes and headed to lunch for another delicious meal before splitting again to go to Happy Tummies and the elementary school. It was another great day at Happy Tummies where Jason was King and Austin played Daniel, the Bible hero who survived a den of lions by being obedient to God. The kids had a great time playing the lions and really interacted with the story. They had a blast with Shirley's bubble shooter, and all the girls got their nails painted and bows in their hair by Faith. They had a great time with crafts as they learned from Dawn how to draw geometric designs and Faith showed them how to make multicolored fans out of construction paper. We were amazed by how good their manners were and really enjoyed serving them their lunch and watching them devour their meals with joy and gratitude. Freddie gave them vitamins and made sure they brushed their teeth and that they thanked God for their blessings. They were so full of love and so happy to have us there. Their beautiful eager faces are the only thing that comes close to the same level of beauty that we are experiencing in this breathtaking place. At the elementary school the team played basketball, kickball, soccer and did more crafts. Matt and Cory also played Simon Says with a group of boys. It took a while for them to catch on but soon couldn't get enough of the game. Wayne and Andrew once again gathered with a group of older boys to share the story of Jesus and pray over them. They had a blessed time and witnessed God using them as His mouthpiece. Meanwhile, the other team members spent time coloring, drawing, and making crafts with the students who weren't playing sports. Erica M. got bombarded for stickers while E-Mac and Mischelle drew about 30 rainbows. Sutton had girls asking her to help with stencils, and Shannon did a great job trying to provide the kids with whatever they needed out of our supplies. Upstairs in the school, Erica K. read Noah's Ark in Spanish to the students to go along with the theme of the crafts. Through all the chaos, all the team members felt gratitude for being able to serve the school, and we were so touched when the students asked if we were going to come back the next day. We cannot wait to see them tomorrow. After we met up with the rest of the team, we left the school to rest and eat dinner. While we were waiting for the food to be prepared, part of the group played some games together, and others just sat and talked to the neighborhood children. Dinner was an amazing meal of stewed chicken, pickled spring vegetables, pasta salad, and bread. We seriously cannot get over how well we are being fed here, and it is truly a blessing. Meal times are one of the best times of the day for our team in particular because we are able to have fellowship and get to know one another. It isn't a coincidence that so many of us can relate to one another about how Jesus saved us from dark pasts, and this time of sharing only strengthens us to go out into the mission field. When we got back to the hotel after dinner, we had our debriefing, and each shared a word that has described the trip so far. There was laughter, tears, and chocolate! We then practiced our skits for tomorrow and spent the rest of the evening relaxing as a family. Tomorrow will bring another amazing day for us because we know that God always provides. All glory and honor to our Father.