We leave today to pick up a team in the capital. For the next 4 1/2 weeks, we will be working 7 days a week for about 15 hours a day without a break! Please pray for our health and strength as we serve these next three teams.
A team is usually here for between 10 - 12 days. We pick them up in the capital (a 4-5 hour drive away), and bring them to Tactic the following day. Most of our days are divided into four different activities. We begin around 7:15am by attending one of our school's morning devotionals, which begin at 7:30am. Following that, the team heads out to whatever work project Rocky has going. Right now, most of the work is still focussed at Chijacorral, so the order of the morning is digging and moving dirt! Then, following lunch, we head out to do children's ministry. We have done children's ministry in all of our Vida school's already this year, so now we are going out to small churches and blessing them by providing a three day DVBS program. It is a great experience, both for the teams and the kids who come. On the afternoons we don't do DVBS, we are doing pastoral visits, home visits or hospital visitation. Then we are back to the guest housing for supper.
Rocky and I are responsible for purchasing breakfast food and guest house essentials, maintaining purified water at the guest house, and picking up lunch and supper from the Peter's home. Somehow, we have to work these extra activities in around the other events of the day. That usually means, while the team is showering after working or enjoying a 1/2 hour off to relax, we are busy running around town!
Two evenings we do cultural activities. The first is a night where we eat Churascos - BBQ Guatemalan style, blow off firecrackers, and then play soccer. The second evening, the team gets to experience making a traditional meal themselves. We take them to a mill and have corn ground into mush and they make their own Doblados and drink Arroz con Leche.
All other evenings, we do a "debrief." That consists of spending time in praise and worship, then talking about our day's experiences and the things the Lord is trying to teach us. This is a very rewarding time for us and for the teams. As we hear them share, one after the other, what was meaningful to them, what touched their heart, how they saw the Lord move, we are encouraged in our faith and in our role here. Their sharing also encourages their team. By the end of the trip, they are comfortable sharing their hearts and being vulnerable and open with each other. We always end the evening with a time of prayer and response to the Lord.
Then, Rocky and I go to our house, take care of whatever needs taking care of - laundry, etc - go to bed and wake up the next morning to do it all again!
On the third to last day, we travel to Antigua (6 hours away) for our last two nights. We spend time touring the old capital of Guatemala and learning some of its history. The team does the tourist thing and goes shopping - a highlight! During the evenings, we prepare teams for returning to their homes and discuss what challenges they may face. We also ask them to articulate what they believe the Lord is asking of them once they return home. Our last night is precious as we hold one another up in prayer and bless one another. Then, the following morning, we drop them off at the airport and wait for the next group to arrive that evening.
Our work here is amazing and we are truly blessed to serve the Lord in this capacity. It is, although physically taxing, and so we ask for your prayers.
Thank you for your ongoing encouragement and support,
Bless you,
Karren
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