We have a new team here from Peterborough, Ontario. Yesterday, we took them out to our Purulha school to share in the morning devotional and spend some time just hanging out with the kids.
As always, it was such a joy to worship along with the students in our schools. I am happy to say, that I can now, when I know the song, worship the Lord fully in either Spanish or English. That is progress! My heart was filled to overflowing yesterday morning as together: the team, the school and me, we all cried out to the Lord and worshipped Him the way He is worthy to be worshipped.
One of my favourite songs they sing here is "Yo te Busco."It goes like this, "I search for you with fire in my heart; I seach for you; receive my worship; I long for you; I need you; I love you; more than I am." In the midst of 150 children singing at the top of their lungs that they long for the Lord, I simply melted. It is so good!
Afterwards, the team received a ton of hugs from the kids and we had a chance to just play and hang out. There is a special group of girls in Primero who own a little bit of my heart and we usually play a simple tag/chasing game where we tickle the one who is caught. But today, I was feeling the lingering affects of the pnemonia and wasn't really able to run much, so I was sitting in the shade.
A young lady from Quinto came and sat beside me. Her name is Leslie. She is an amazing girl. She is mute- not able to speak or hear. She came to our school about 4 years ago. Her mom had tried to put her into other schools, but no one would accept her because of her disabilty. In Guatemala, there is no provision made for children who have special needs. Usually, they don't receive any education at all and remain illiterate. Leslie's mom refused to give up, although, and had the courage to approach the principal of the Purulha school, Hector David. He had compassion for this little girl. He had no idea how they would go about meeting her needs, but he knew they had to try.
Well, I want you to know, that the Lord is so faithful. As I was sitting there yesterday morning with Leslie at my side, many other girls from her class came by and communicated with her in sign language. Leslie turned to me and signed out (as translated by one of the giggling girls) that these are my friends, and she proceeded to introduce me to each one by name. The smile on Leslie's face was confirmation that she was happy and content. What a miracle! She is also very bright and is an example in her class of dilligence and hard work.
She proceeded to teach me the alphabet in sign and we "visited" for the next hour. She shared with me that she is so happy to be a part of the school and to worship the Lord. I asked her if she could hear any of the worship, and she said "yes, in my heart!" How cool is that!
The Lord speaks to her in a manner in which she can receive and her life is a testimony of His goodness, love and provision.
I don't know what the future holds for Leslie, but I know for sure, she is confident in who she is in the Lord.
Saturday, September 24, 2011
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Not for the faint of heart!
Well, our trip to Honduras was wonderful and uneventful until we decided to go home! We left town around 9am because we wanted to be home mid-afternoon. It was only a 5 hour drive, so we thought 9 sounded like a good time to leave. We decided to take the outside road around the center of town because in town the roads were a maze of narrow one ways. As we turned down the road marked as leading to the main highway, it appeared that a bridge had washed out. No problem for Central Americans, although! We watched a small truck approaching, carefully navigating the stream bed, and followed the path he took! Yikes! 
We made it to the highway and a short 10 minutes later we were at the border between Honduras and Guatemala. There we learned that the Guatemalan teachers, many of whom have not been paid in 3 - 4 months, had formed a blockade at the border crossing and were not going to let any traffic through until 1.
Okay. This is not the first blockade we've experienced here, so, we decided to turn around and go back to Copan and hang out for a few hours and try again at 1. When we returned at 1, nothing had changed. I went up to the teachers to try and find out some details. This is how it went - I asked, "who was in charge?" and they said, "no one." I asked, "when they were going to take down the blockade?" and they said, "they didn't know." I asked, "who would know?" and they said, "they didn't know, maybe the government." Oh boy!
We learned after from one of the border patrolmen that they were expecting things to open up around 4pm, and so our afternoon of waiting in the screaming heat began. Hope and Karey played crib and Rocky and I tried to nap - a tough accomplishment when you are sweating hot. Around 3:30 we noticed a bunch of rapid movement amongst those right at the border and then the immigration office opened up and suddenly, the blockade was down and we were moving! Yippee! We had quite a bit of traffic to work through, but it sure could have been worse. A short 6 1/2 hours after our planned departure, we were off!
Once we got onto the part of the highway that takes us to Tactic, the rain started. It was already getting dark and there was an unusual amount of traffic on the road (we learned later that a big transport truck had been in an accident down the other highway and blocked traffic for 8hours). As the rain continued to pour down, the roads became a little sketchy. Along the highway to Tactic they have trouble with massive mudslides and areas of the road simply sinking away. There are probably about 10 sections where it is becoming fairly dangerous to drive. The photo below is just one example of how the highway simply washes away. These sections are not marked really well and traffic is expected to simply figure out how to keep moving. I am thankful that we drive this road fairly often and know where the "watch" areas are.
So, if you can picture this: It is dark and the rain is pouring down. Cars and trucks have been waiting for many hours to get moving and now that they are, the traffic is so dense it is only creeping along. Cars are pulling out to pass even when they cannot actually see ahead, hoping to get by the big trucks. The low areas of the road are filled with water and it is a challenge to maintain your speed and control as you literally part the red sea as you drive through! Driving in this country is not for the faint of heart!
Nor is serving the Lord.
I finished reading Radical and I am more convinced than ever that serving the Lord, really serving Him and surrendering our lives to Him, is not for the faint of heart. When we look at the world with our physical eyes we see so many obstacles. We see rivers to cross where there are no bridges, borders to cross where there is opposition, and paths to follow where the ground has given away. It is exactly for these reasons that our walk with the Lord is called a faith journey. It takes faith to continue moving forward when you do not know exactly where you are going or what you will encounter when you get there. If, although, we are really going to impact this world with the Gospel for the glory of the the Lord, then we are going to have to start living our lives differently...wait...let me rephrase that...I am going to have to start living my life differently. That means I need to brave and courageous, not because of anything that I bring to the table, but because of everything my God brings!
David, when facing Goliath, knew it was not his small stone that was going to win the battle, but it was the Lord Almighty.
In the same way, it is not you and me that are going to win souls for the Lord; it is us, like David, being willing to surrender to the Lord, no matter the situation or cost, so that His glory can be made known through us that will draw others into the Kingdom.
Definitely not for the faint of heart!
Bless you,
Karren
Sunday, September 18, 2011
God's Church Meets Around the World Today!
This morning, we went for a tour of the mountains around Copan on horseback. I have to admit I was a little nervous - so was Karey - but it turned out to be a nice way to spend the morning. We met our guide on the other side of town and mounted up for our adventure. As we rode into the hills, I began to visit with our guide. I am so thankful that I have now acquired enough Spanish to visit a little - I know it isn't good Spanish, but I can understand and make myself understood, and as such can get to know those we spend time with.
Through our conversation, I learned that he was an evangelical believer and we talked a little about the needs in Honduras and Guatemala - it seems the two countries are not only close in location, but also in economic, political and social needs.
After about an hour of riding, we arrived at our destination,, La Pintura - a small village in the mountains. Last night I had been saying that it would be nice to find and attend a local church, but really hadn't thought about it in the morning until I heard the singing! It was coming from a small community church - maybe 20 people in a house smaller than my bedroom. Thank you, Lord! First, to provide us with a Christian guide and then to lead us right to the door of a church! Wow!
We were able to join in their worship service for a little while and share a word of encouragement with them before continuing on our tour. What a
blessing! The Lord is always watching over us and giving us opportunities to gather with brothers and sisters if we just open our eyes and ears and take notice. This morning was no exception! On our ride down the mountain, our guide invited us to his church's evening service, and I am excited to share a time of praise and worship with our Hondurian brothers and sisters in the Lord!
"I'm so glad I'm a part of the family of God!" That is the song I thought of as I rode my pretty Mariposa back into Copan. I am never alone. Not only does the Lord promise never to leave us or forsake us, but He also surrounds us with others who share our faith to encourage us and for us to encourage.
I think that is pretty cool!
Blessings,
Karren
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Honduras or bust!
Well, we arrived in Honduras without incident! For the first time in our travelling experience in Central America, we didn't get lost! Amazing! We drove into Ruinas Copan around 3 in the afternoon only to discover that all the hotels in town were booked because of the Independence Day holidays. It never occured to me that Honduras, along with Guatemala and all the other Central American countries, all received their independence at the same time. I was a little discouraged, but as always, the Lord provided. We met a guide who said, "I know of a hotel that has space." Now that can be a scary thing in this neck of the woods, but this time, it was a blessing. We landed up in a b
eautiful hotel with a swimming pool! It is called Buena Vista - beautiful view - and it lives up to its name.
eautiful hotel with a swimming pool! It is called Buena Vista - beautiful view - and it lives up to its name. The purpose of our trip is to get our tourist visas renewed, and because the price to do it in Guatemala has gone up so much, we decided to actually travel out of the country to get the renewal rather than just pay for it. I am so glad we did.
Today we went to the Mayan ruins just out of town. Wow! What an extensive community and interesting culture. We spent a few hours just 
walking around, up and over, and through these pretty incredible structures built back in the 8th century before Christ! Talk about history!
walking around, up and over, and through these pretty incredible structures built back in the 8th century before Christ! Talk about history! Tomorrow we are hoping to go horseback riding...okay, Hope is hoping to go horseback riding and the rest of us are hoping to survive the experience! Aparently there are some natural hotsprings and waterfalls about a 1 hour ride into the mountains. I am sure it will be memorable...both for my backside and for the experience!
Blessings,
Karren
Monday, September 12, 2011
Oots-a-wash!
"Oots-a-wash!"
This is the greeting I receive from the young man who helps at Les and Rita's property. It is early in the morning, and I have just walked the 7 minutes down the gravel road, through the soggy cow pasture, along the highway, and past the armed guard to their home, where I pick up a vehicle for the day.
My response is "Oots!" This is a simple exchage in the indigenous language of Achi-Rabinal. He is saying, "Good morning. How are you?" And, my reply is, "Very well."
This young man and his wife, both of whom are under 20 years old, live at the back of Les and Rita's property, right next to the chicken coop. Their "house" is built from cut off slabs of logs. It is about 12'x12' and has a dirt floor. There is a covered area outside that doubles as a kitchen and bath/laundry area. Although I don't know their story and how they came to settle here, I do know they are real people, created by God with a purpose in this life.
Yesterday he asked me, in Spanish, if he could learn the morning greetings in English. I said sure, and so, now, for the next few days when we meet, we will greet one another in English.
It is a joy to work with the Guatemalan people. Even though my greatest challenge is the languages, I can work alongside my brothers and sisters, knowing we have the same purpose in mind. It is the Kingdom of God and its advancement into the unreached corners of the world. There are villages not too far from Tactic where the people still have not heard the Gospel. Part of the vision of Impact Ministries is to train up people from this community who will go and take the Truth to these places. In two of the outlying communities where we have schools, cell groups have sprung up. We are proceeding this week with building meeting rooms, because the classrooms where they meet are now too small to accomodate all who attend. The harvest is ripe here!
Impact Ministries is also moving ahead with plans on the property at Chisac. The guesthouse construction started on September 1st and we are considering plans for the church and Bible School as well as shops for woodworking, mechanics and metal work. The desire of the ministry is not only to teach the Bible, but also to give people a chance to develop skills that would enable them to sustain their families and communities. Thank you, Canadians, for your generosity in supplying funds and equipment for thes endeavours.
We covet your prayers as we continue to labour in the Kingdom for His glory and we are confident in Him to supply the wisdom and strength we need to carry on. Our lives belong to Him and we are finding new ways to trust the Lord as we grow in Him. May God bless you as you do your part in the Kingdom, knowing that our eternal reward is far greater than anything we can receive on this earth. Let's not be consumed with what we can have here on this earth, but rather focus on His eternal puposes. We really are seeking for another country (Hebrews 11: 14-16). So, "Since then you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God" (Colossians 3: 1-3).
Rocky
This is the greeting I receive from the young man who helps at Les and Rita's property. It is early in the morning, and I have just walked the 7 minutes down the gravel road, through the soggy cow pasture, along the highway, and past the armed guard to their home, where I pick up a vehicle for the day.
My response is "Oots!" This is a simple exchage in the indigenous language of Achi-Rabinal. He is saying, "Good morning. How are you?" And, my reply is, "Very well."
This young man and his wife, both of whom are under 20 years old, live at the back of Les and Rita's property, right next to the chicken coop. Their "house" is built from cut off slabs of logs. It is about 12'x12' and has a dirt floor. There is a covered area outside that doubles as a kitchen and bath/laundry area. Although I don't know their story and how they came to settle here, I do know they are real people, created by God with a purpose in this life.
Yesterday he asked me, in Spanish, if he could learn the morning greetings in English. I said sure, and so, now, for the next few days when we meet, we will greet one another in English.
It is a joy to work with the Guatemalan people. Even though my greatest challenge is the languages, I can work alongside my brothers and sisters, knowing we have the same purpose in mind. It is the Kingdom of God and its advancement into the unreached corners of the world. There are villages not too far from Tactic where the people still have not heard the Gospel. Part of the vision of Impact Ministries is to train up people from this community who will go and take the Truth to these places. In two of the outlying communities where we have schools, cell groups have sprung up. We are proceeding this week with building meeting rooms, because the classrooms where they meet are now too small to accomodate all who attend. The harvest is ripe here!
Impact Ministries is also moving ahead with plans on the property at Chisac. The guesthouse construction started on September 1st and we are considering plans for the church and Bible School as well as shops for woodworking, mechanics and metal work. The desire of the ministry is not only to teach the Bible, but also to give people a chance to develop skills that would enable them to sustain their families and communities. Thank you, Canadians, for your generosity in supplying funds and equipment for thes endeavours.
We covet your prayers as we continue to labour in the Kingdom for His glory and we are confident in Him to supply the wisdom and strength we need to carry on. Our lives belong to Him and we are finding new ways to trust the Lord as we grow in Him. May God bless you as you do your part in the Kingdom, knowing that our eternal reward is far greater than anything we can receive on this earth. Let's not be consumed with what we can have here on this earth, but rather focus on His eternal puposes. We really are seeking for another country (Hebrews 11: 14-16). So, "Since then you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God" (Colossians 3: 1-3).
Rocky
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Continuing the Journey
Last week I started reading Radical by David Platt. The first chapter really spoke deeply to me, not because it was filled with new ideas, but because the challenge presented was to live, really live, the way we were intended to live.
Next month I will be 49 years old - quickly approaching the half century mark! Sadly, I think I am only now beginning to understand what it really means to live as I was intended, by my creator, to live. I, like the majority of other North American Christians, bought into the materialism of my culture and thought I could have it all - suff and Jesus. I am learning that the more I let go of my "stuff" the more fully I am able to really love the Lord and His people.
It's funny, really. I have read the scripture many times where Jesus says to the rich man that if he wants to be a disciple he must go and sell all that he has and give it to the poor and then he can come back and follow Jesus. In light of the book Radical and what we are reading there, Rocky and I were talking about this passage yesterday. How would the average Canadian Christian respond if they were faced with this decision? How would I respond? Sell everything and follow Christ or hang on to your stuff. It should be an easy question, right? Sell it all and follow the Lord...but the reality is, it is not that simple. That day, when the rich man met Jesus on the road, he walked away sad because he was not prepared to give it all up in order to follow the Lord.
I have begun a journey of discovery - a journey of challenging myself to answer this very question. Would I give up everything to follow Christ?
David Platt's premise is that we were all created to make much of the glory of God to the nations. He reminds the reader that God has a global purpose - from the beginning to today, and that this purpose is not for a chosen few, but for us all.
So many of the things that I am reading make me stop and think, really think, and draw me to the Word. I love it!
For example, he asks, "How would you summarize the message of Christianity?" The average response is something like, "God loves me enough to send His Son, Jesus, to die for me." This is, although, incomplete, and creates in us an egotistic response - Christianity is about me! A more accurate and biblical summary is, "God loves me so that I might make Him - His ways, His salvation, His glory, and His greatness - known among all nations." He didn't save me for me - He saved me for Him. This places the focus back where it should be...on Him, not us.
Isn't that one of the challenges facing us today? Take ourselves off the throne and put God back where He rightly belongs.
This book reminds me of a session I participated in with Tony Campolo, "Red Letter Christians." Some Bibles have the words which Jesus spoke in red, to indicate these where His words. Campolo spoke that day of a group of young Bible school students who decided to live out the red letters of the Gospels literally, and how that radically changed their lives. In fact, their parents were not so happy about it, because they stopped living in a culturally acceptable fashion and lived without concern for themselves. Pretty radical!
My Bible doesn't have Jesus' words in red letters, but I just recently re-read the Gospels and I have to say, the challenge to change the way I live is pretty clear. I hope I am not too old to learn a new way of thinking and living. I am appreciating the challenges David Platt presents in Radical and I would encourage you to pick up a copy if you haven't already read it.
I want my life to line up scripture. I want my life to make a difference for the Kingdom...in my family... in my community... in my world. It is not one over the other, but it is all at the same time. I want my life to make much of the glory of God.
Thank you, Lord, for teaching me, for being patient with me! I want to learn.
Blessings,
Karren
Next month I will be 49 years old - quickly approaching the half century mark! Sadly, I think I am only now beginning to understand what it really means to live as I was intended, by my creator, to live. I, like the majority of other North American Christians, bought into the materialism of my culture and thought I could have it all - suff and Jesus. I am learning that the more I let go of my "stuff" the more fully I am able to really love the Lord and His people.
It's funny, really. I have read the scripture many times where Jesus says to the rich man that if he wants to be a disciple he must go and sell all that he has and give it to the poor and then he can come back and follow Jesus. In light of the book Radical and what we are reading there, Rocky and I were talking about this passage yesterday. How would the average Canadian Christian respond if they were faced with this decision? How would I respond? Sell everything and follow Christ or hang on to your stuff. It should be an easy question, right? Sell it all and follow the Lord...but the reality is, it is not that simple. That day, when the rich man met Jesus on the road, he walked away sad because he was not prepared to give it all up in order to follow the Lord.
I have begun a journey of discovery - a journey of challenging myself to answer this very question. Would I give up everything to follow Christ?
David Platt's premise is that we were all created to make much of the glory of God to the nations. He reminds the reader that God has a global purpose - from the beginning to today, and that this purpose is not for a chosen few, but for us all.
So many of the things that I am reading make me stop and think, really think, and draw me to the Word. I love it!
For example, he asks, "How would you summarize the message of Christianity?" The average response is something like, "God loves me enough to send His Son, Jesus, to die for me." This is, although, incomplete, and creates in us an egotistic response - Christianity is about me! A more accurate and biblical summary is, "God loves me so that I might make Him - His ways, His salvation, His glory, and His greatness - known among all nations." He didn't save me for me - He saved me for Him. This places the focus back where it should be...on Him, not us.
Isn't that one of the challenges facing us today? Take ourselves off the throne and put God back where He rightly belongs.
This book reminds me of a session I participated in with Tony Campolo, "Red Letter Christians." Some Bibles have the words which Jesus spoke in red, to indicate these where His words. Campolo spoke that day of a group of young Bible school students who decided to live out the red letters of the Gospels literally, and how that radically changed their lives. In fact, their parents were not so happy about it, because they stopped living in a culturally acceptable fashion and lived without concern for themselves. Pretty radical!
My Bible doesn't have Jesus' words in red letters, but I just recently re-read the Gospels and I have to say, the challenge to change the way I live is pretty clear. I hope I am not too old to learn a new way of thinking and living. I am appreciating the challenges David Platt presents in Radical and I would encourage you to pick up a copy if you haven't already read it.
I want my life to line up scripture. I want my life to make a difference for the Kingdom...in my family... in my community... in my world. It is not one over the other, but it is all at the same time. I want my life to make much of the glory of God.
Thank you, Lord, for teaching me, for being patient with me! I want to learn.
Blessings,
Karren
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Conflicting Emotions
This morning I am feeling both excited and a little nervous. I just started reading Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream, by David Platt. I first learned about this book on Facebook. I was reading the posts of two of my friends from Canada and got really excited about what they were saying about this book. I asked if it would be possible for them to send me a copy with one of the teams coming down here, and last week, my copy arrived with the Kamloops E Free team! (Thank you Anna and Greg!)
Last night, I read Chapter One, "Someone Worth Losing Everything For" and my conflicting emotions are a result of what I read.
The author's position is that the church of North America - the US in particular, but I believe Canada is really no different - has manipulated the gospel to fit our cultural preferences. Wow! That is a pretty courageous statement for a pastor of a mega church to make. I was deeply impressed that as he writes, he is not saying what others should do, or even what he has already done, he is walking through his own journey, thinking and reflecting, and inviting the reader to join him. I like that!
The following is a small exerpt from Chapter One:
Do we really believe he is worth abandoning everything for? Do you and I really believe that Jesus is so good, so satisfying, and so rewarding that we will leave all we have and all we own and all we are in order to find our fullness in him? Do you and I believe him enough to obey him and to follow him wherever he leads, even when the crowds in our culture - and maybe in our churches - turn the other way? ...We have in many areas blindly and unknowingly embraced values and ideas that are common in our culture but are antithetical to the gospel he taught (page 18, 19).
In our work here, we spend time with the groups talking about the Guatemalan culture and pointing out to them how those living here are immersed in a culture of polytheism and they don't even really see it. The rituals they perform are so much a part of their lives, they don't even really think about them or what they mean. We ask groups to reflect on how they have embraced their own culture - not polytheism, but rather antitheism - and allowed culture to define their norm. What have they, as North Americans, embraced to the extent it has become a part of their thinking and their lives without really even examining it in light of scripture?
I am excited to keep reading Radical; and, yes, I am a little nervous, too. I don't think this is going to be an easy read. Not because the language is difficult, but the concepts hit very close to home and have already begun to stir my heart. Last night as I was reading, I felt a sense of conviction that prayerfully, if I am willing, will lead to change in my life.
I am not sure what the Lord is going to ask of me as I take this journey, but I want to be ready to say, "Yes!"
Blessings,
Karren
Last night, I read Chapter One, "Someone Worth Losing Everything For" and my conflicting emotions are a result of what I read.
The author's position is that the church of North America - the US in particular, but I believe Canada is really no different - has manipulated the gospel to fit our cultural preferences. Wow! That is a pretty courageous statement for a pastor of a mega church to make. I was deeply impressed that as he writes, he is not saying what others should do, or even what he has already done, he is walking through his own journey, thinking and reflecting, and inviting the reader to join him. I like that!
The following is a small exerpt from Chapter One:
Do we really believe he is worth abandoning everything for? Do you and I really believe that Jesus is so good, so satisfying, and so rewarding that we will leave all we have and all we own and all we are in order to find our fullness in him? Do you and I believe him enough to obey him and to follow him wherever he leads, even when the crowds in our culture - and maybe in our churches - turn the other way? ...We have in many areas blindly and unknowingly embraced values and ideas that are common in our culture but are antithetical to the gospel he taught (page 18, 19).
In our work here, we spend time with the groups talking about the Guatemalan culture and pointing out to them how those living here are immersed in a culture of polytheism and they don't even really see it. The rituals they perform are so much a part of their lives, they don't even really think about them or what they mean. We ask groups to reflect on how they have embraced their own culture - not polytheism, but rather antitheism - and allowed culture to define their norm. What have they, as North Americans, embraced to the extent it has become a part of their thinking and their lives without really even examining it in light of scripture?
I am excited to keep reading Radical; and, yes, I am a little nervous, too. I don't think this is going to be an easy read. Not because the language is difficult, but the concepts hit very close to home and have already begun to stir my heart. Last night as I was reading, I felt a sense of conviction that prayerfully, if I am willing, will lead to change in my life.
I am not sure what the Lord is going to ask of me as I take this journey, but I want to be ready to say, "Yes!"
Blessings,
Karren
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