Blessings of the Season!

This is the first time we have spent Christmas in Guatemala.  In years past, we have always travelled home for the holidays.  Early on in December, we went with Hector and Arryn to pick up their very first Christmas tree from his uncle.  They don't have spruce or fir here, only long needled pine, so that is what they got.  It was a challenge to decorate, but it turned out to be a beautiful tree and certainly transformed their home into the holiday spirit. 

Back in San Simon on the mission site, Baudilio put up a few strings of lights to add a festive flair to the place.  It was wonderful to sit in the cool of the evening with the lights on.  The weather didn't feel like a Canadian Christmas, but it had a holiday feel.   

We didn't get a tree this year, so instead, I decorated with some of the beautiful tropical flowers that abound on the property.  We even found a berry that looked kind of like holly berries, although I think it was coffee.  Anway, these wonderful flowers took the place of our missing tree. 

Christmas morning was absolutely spectacular.  The sun came up strong and hot and burned off the mist that had settled in overnight and we had coffee outside watching the tucan birds fly back and forth between the tree tops. 

Arryn and Hector came out in the afternoon on Christmas Day and then on the 26th we had our celebration.  For breakfast...waffles and warm vanilla pudding with strawberries, just like home!  Thankfully, Arryn and Hector had received a couple of waffle irons for wedding gifts, so we put them to good use.  After breakfast, Hector's mom, sister and brother-in-law arrived to share a late afternoon turkey dinner with us. 

For supper we had a fire and roasted hot dogs and marshmallows.  This was a first for his family!  The sky was clear and the moon full - absolutely beautiful! 

Then we played games and watched a Christmas movie.  It was a wonderful day.  Although we were sad our other three kids weren't here and missed spending time with our extended families, we were so blessed to have this new family to share some time with. 

2012 has been a year full of changes, challenges, but most importantly...blessings.  God is faithful!  He knows our coming and our going.  He has a plan - a good plan - for our lives if we are willing to trust Him and go where He leads. 

Our desire for 2013 is not for an absence of challenges or struggles, but rather for hearts willing to trust and obey our Heavenly Father.  That is our prayer for all of you as well. 

Thank you for your continued words of encouragement and support; we are so thankful that God has surrounded us with such amazing family and friends! 

Blessings, belated Merry Christmas and may you have a blessed New Year!

Rocky & Karren

THE CHICKEN DILEMMA

For the past several weeks, one of the projects I have been monitoring is in the community of Presbeteriana. Once a week I load up with supplies, drive half hour on pavement and another half hour on a very rough gravel road to get to this small community of 35 families. It is a relatively new community that sprung up after the civil war, not far from one of the main conflict areas. My job in this community is to work with the local pastor as he gives leadership to a project for the one room school. They are building two bathrooms with flush toilets and a septic tank and field. A team from the U.S. donated some money for the materials for this project and the community is responsible to do the work.

Along with this visit every week the pastor has his wife prepare a meal for me and who ever may be with me. It is always the same:  chicken broth served in a bowl with a couple pieces of chicken, potatoes and wiskil on a side dish, tortillas, and a glass of Coke.  It is pretty tasty, but herein lies my dilemma. How much chicken should I leave on the bones because I know immediately when I leave the table and go around the corner, the pastor’s kids, who he has been shooing away while we ate, will rush to my plate and see what I have left for them to eat . I want to be sure that I have eaten enough not to offend the pastor’s wife but also left enough behind for the kids to enjoy a bit of meat. It is usually the oldest boy in the family who gets first pickings. He is about 9 or 10. This is a hard thing for me to wrap North American head around.  

But it is the reality out here.  This family has a strong, vibrant relationship with the Lord. I asked Pastor Mateo what he preached about on Sunday and he made reference to 2 Peter 1:2-8. I in my broken Spanish and he in his (his first language is Quekchi) tried to communicate about the wonderful love of the Lord. We didn’t get very far but I know this pastor has a heart for his community and the people that live there and it is a blessing to me to be a part of their community as we work together to better their physical situation. 

Before we sat down for lunch the other day, the pastor and I washed our hands in the pila (an outside dish and body washing sink).  I noticed there was a toothbrush full of soap, and I asked about it.  He told me that the kids brush their teeth with soap because they don’t have toothpaste. These are tough things for me to grasp. I guess I have to look at the positives and see what is happening here, and not focus on the hardships.  In a couple more weeks the children in this community will have their first flushing toilets.  They know enough of dental care that brushing their teeth is important to them, even if they have to use regular soap.  They are able to provide food for their families and for guests as a way of saying thank you. 

Mission2Guatemala is working in many communities like Presbeteriana, and we are thankful to be working with Manny and Cindy Batres as they share love of Christ with the people around the Chisec area of Guatemala.

Rocky

Some things are just out of reach...

All day long the baby cried, not a sick cry or a need to be held cry, but a cry of hunger.  As I listened, my heart broke.  What could I do to help?  I talked to Baudilio and Eduardo, the two men who live and work here at Mission2Guatemala, and the first thing they said was, "Here, all babies cry like that."  I was shocked.  Then they explained that because the families here are poorly nourished or malnourished, the moms are not able to produce enough milk or rich enough milk to satisfy their babies.  And, so, the babies cry.   
All day long, the baby's cries followed me, and at supper, I asked Baudilio if it would be an offense to offer the mom a can of powdered baby formula to supplement the baby's nutrition.  He assured me that, no, it would not be taken as an offense. 
So, off to town I went and purchased a can of formula and a small bottle.  The cost...Q100 or about $13.  On the way back home, I started thinking about why the mom wouldn't have already bought some formula.  Surely the cries of her newborn are tearing her heart apart. 
Then I started to calculate the cost, not in our North American terms, but in the terms of one living here in poverty. 
A good daily wage here is Q50, but many make between Q30 - Q40.  That is about $5 - $6.50 per day.  A good daily wage in Canada is $15/hour for 8 hours/day.  That is about $120.  The cost of a can of formula (Q80) and a bottle (Q20) is the equivalent of 2 - 3 day's wage.  In our language, that translates into between $240 and $360 for a can of formula!  We could never afford to supplement our child in Canada at this rate, and...neither can the people here. 
It may only be $13 to me, but it is out of reach for the average family living in our area.
I know one can of formula isn't going to end their problems, but my prayer is that they will know today that God loves them; He knows their situation and moves upon His people to help.
Blessings!  

The Village of Presbiteriana

This morning is December 1st.  Hard to believe, really, as I sit outside typing this blog.  It is sunny and warm and I'm in short sleeves, capris and flip flops.  I am in the shade, and thankful I'm not in the direct sun.  I am sure the majority of you, reading this blog, are knee deep into winter, with boots, mitts and jackets.  Our worlds are very different.  Yesterday, Rocky, Arryn and I went to a village, about an hours drive from Chisec, called Presbiteriana. 

The last group that was here left money so that this village could build some bathrooms for the school.  It is a one-room school house with between 40 - 50 kids, in 5 different grades with one teacher.  They do not have any bathroom facilities for the kids or the teacher.  The pastor of the church is very excited to see the school grow and the facility improve.  He has 6 kids and values education.  The community, along with planning the bathrooms (two toilets, waterstorage and septic system) are planning for 2 additional classrooms. 

 We arrived around 10:30am and as we drove in, the pastor was happy to show us his newly covered eating area that he had prepared just that morning.  The way that a community shows its gratitude is to prepare a meal for you to share together.  So he was super happy to show us that we would have some shade to eat in. 

 Rocky went to work with some of the men of the community, setting up the stakes and marking out where everything was going to go.  He had the opportuntiy to explain to them the "3-4-5" carpenter's rule of squaring things.  Here, they often use a small metal square to try to square up a large building and then wonder why it isn't square.  It was great to see all the guys gathered around as Rocky explained this simple, but very effective, way of squaring even large structures. 

 We are planning a bit of a septic system to deal with the waste from the bathrooms.  Normally, here, if there was a water system nearby, they would pipe the waste directly to the water and dump it in.  This is one reason why the water here is so contaminated.  So, the guys got to use a cordless drill to make holes in some pipes as part of the septic system.  They were a little nervous to use the big tools at first, but after a bit, they really liked them. 

 As always, as soon as we drive into a community the kids come running.  We had about 40 kids just hanging around watching us.  I knew this would happen, so I came prepared.  There were some containers of bubbles and candies left over from Arryn's wedding, so I brought those out with us, along with some colouring sheets, crayons and other activities.  As there really was nowhere clean to sit, all the kids hopped into the back of the truck and it became our little classroom. 

 When we first came to Guatemala, Les Peters shared with us that a good way to measure the poverty of a community is to look at their feet.  As you can see from the photo below, not one of these kids had shoes.  This was not because they had kicked them off somewhere; it was because they didn't have them.  Maybe they were saving their shoes for good occassions only so that would last, or perhaps (and more likely) they simply don't have any. 

 They loved the attention and the activity and Arryn and I were blessed to just hang out with this bunch of kids and get to know them a little.  I am so thankful that Rocky and I had the chance to study Spanish this year.  It makes interactions like this so much more meaningful. 

So, next week, we'll head back out to this village to check on their progress and outline the next phase for them.  It will be good to see what they have accomplished in a week and to see the kids again. 
Blessings!

Being Thankful!

This morning, it is raining.  As I got up, I was thinking, "this is going to be a slow day," because the rain seems to slow everything down.  Then, as I hopped into the shower, I started to think about how different my morning is in comparison to the majority of those who live around us here in San Simon (that is the name of the village we live in outside of Chisec). 

I wake up in a warm, dry bed, walk over to the indoor bathroom and get into a warm shower.  When I get out, I have a dry towel to use and dry clothes to put on.  Although my kitchen is outside, I have a covered cement walkway over to the kitchen, where there is electricity and the coffee is warm and ready.  I take some milk out of the refridgerator for my breakfast, and sit down at a table out of the rain to eat my breakfast and have my morning coffee. 
This is not a normal morning routine, here in San Simon.  I am in a very small minority here who can share this type of morning experience.  In fact, I am pretty spoiled. 
Most here wake up in a one room house with wood walls, a thatched roof and a dirt floor.  Depending on how strong the rain was throughout the night, their floor could be muddy inside their home in the morning.  If they have a bed, it is most likely a wodden pallet with a woven matt and, hopefully, a blanket or sheet.  First, they'd untuck the mosquito netting that protects them from unwanted bugs while they sleep. They would dress quickly, back into the clothes from yesterday and slip on their shoes. They would need to get a fire going - a challenging job when all is wet - in order to begin to prepare breakfast.  If the kitchen is inside the house, the room would quickly fill with smoke, as the wet wood is forced to flame.  A breakfast feast would be warmed up beans and tortillas from yesterday and a bit of mosh (runny porridge) with sugar and cinnamon.  Breakfast would be quickly consumed so they could begin their day.
No, my life is not normal; it is very abnormal and privileged.  The very fact that I have a camera to take a photo and a laptop with internet access to write this blog, places me in the top minority group in San Simon.
And the truth is, San Simon represents the lifestyle of the majority of people in the world. 
This morning I was reminded of the importance of giving thanks for even the simple things in life.  I am so blessed! 
What are you thankful for today?  Tell someone about it and thank the Lord for it!   

Settling into our new routine!

On Monday we said goodbye to the last of our wedding guests, packed up all our belongings that were still in Coban and left for Chisec.  Before the wedding, we had been going out to Chisec for the week and then spending weekends in Coban doing wedding stuff.  Now, Chisec is our full-time home.  It feels great to be finally settling in. 

A new challenge for us is the poor internet connection.  As I type this, I am sitting outside at a table set up specifically because it is as close to a direct line to the cell tower as we can get here so it is the best possible connection on this property.  Myles, Rocky's brother, was here for the wedding and he kept saying how slow our connection was in Coban (we thought it was pretty fast!).  Man, he would go crazy here.  As I loaded up Blogger, I clicked "open" and then left to go use the washroom.  By the time I returned, the home page was opened.  This is going to take a little getting used to!  I have to say, although, if I am going to wait for the internet connection, I cannot think of a more beautiful place to wait.  The crickets and frogs are going crazy as the sun dips behind the mountains surrounding us.  The sihlouette of the palm trees are backlit by a wonderfully turquoise and orange sunset!  Man, it just doesn't get better than that! 

So, back to the wedding.  We now have a married daughter!  I wish I could say it all "went off without a hitch" but that wouldn't quite be true.  Friday morning, when I went to the flower stall in the market to pick up the flowers we ordered they told me they didn't know anything about our order.  Thank goodness this is Guatemala and there are flowers everywhere.  In about 30 minutes I was able to find all that we needed and more.  There were numerous little glitches like this, but in the end, it was a beautiful ceremony and reception and I think everyone had a good time, including the bride and groom!   

We had 15 guests come from Canada for the event and it was a little like hosting a team in our house.  I cooked the majority of the meals in our little house, and although we didn't have a lot of space, we did get to spend lots of quality time together.  We took them around a bit and showed them some of this beautiful country.

Marshal was able to come, so he took the majority of the photos.  I haven't had the chance to see them all, yet, but the ones I have seen are really beautiful.  Arryn made a radiant bride and Hector, a handsome groom! 

It was fun to watch the two of them during the ceremony, because whenever it was in English, she was translating for him so that he would understand all that was happening. 

The two of them are now living in our little house, as they wanted to stay in Coban until the end of December.  They both got work in the Christian school in Chisec.  Hector is going to be the principal of a K-12 school and Arryn is going to teach English.  We are so excited that they will be close by (about 15 minutes away) and that they were able to both find such good work.  God is so good! 

And, as for us, Chisec is now home and we are settling into our new routines.  Rocky is busy with lots of construction projects here, one of which is building us a little studio apartment.  For now we are living in one of the rooms used to house teams.  We need to be out of there by January, as that is when the team season begins. 

I am spending time in town with Cindy, meeting principals, teachers, and families that we are going to working with.  Today, as we drove through the streets of Chisec, I was once again struck by the intense need in this community.  It is pretty rare to see a block house, most are simply made of rough cut lumber with thatch or tin roofs and dirt floors.  There is no indoor plumbing and access to water is a problem.  What a challenge!

We are so blessed to be here and to be able to be the hands and feet of Christ to these amazing people.  What an honour...what a privilege! 

We stopped by one home and picked up a young man who is just entering grade 8.  Cindy was able to find a sponsor in the US who is willing to pay for him to attend the Christian School in Chisec!  He was so excited.  As we waited on the school property, I listened to Cindy explain to Herman, "I want you to remember that you are a very special young man and that God has a plan and purpose for your life.  Your job is to seek the Lord and study hard.  He will direct you.  You don't need to feel as though you are less that some of the other students who may have more money than you.  Remember, you are all equal in the eyes of the Lord."  How awesome is that!

Thank you for all of your prayers, love and support!  We are so thankful for each one of you and know that we are part of a bigger body of believers reaching out to build the Kingdom, one life at a time!  Muchas gracias y Dios le bendiga! 

A Typical Morning

Rocky and I are really just in the orientation stage of our work with Mission2Guatemala in the northern highlands of Guatemala.  We are so blessed to be a part of this work. 
The town of Chisec was completely obliterated during the civil war.  It was literally burned to the ground.  They were right in the middle of the conflict between the army and the guerilla soldiers, and although many were innocent, they were wiped out.  The town you see now, is relatively new - about 15 years old.  The streets are all well laid out and wide enough for two lanes of vehicles, but there is little in the way of infrastructure and services.  Water is an issue here, and in the town, there is only water every other day.  Most villages do not have water systems and simply haul water from the nearest available stream.  The needs are overwhelming. 
Everyday people are at our gate, coming to make petitions for help.

 
Yesterday three different groups of people came to present their needs to the ministry for consideration. 
Group #1:  A pastor and one of the eleders from a church in Chisec came to ask for help in purchasing the tin roofing material for their church building.  It had taken them two years to build the church and they were very pleased to share with us that they had not borrowed any money to get it done.  Now all they needed was the lamina (tin roofing material) to put on the roof and they'd be done. 
Group #2:  4 workers from the Center of Health in Chisec came to share a report with Cindy of how they used the gifts of baby clothes and blankets they had received from Mission2Guatemala.  As they shared with us the stories of how the pregnant ladies in the villages surrounding Chisec received the prenatal classes, you could see the gratitude on their faces. 
Then, one of the ladies share how they had lost one mom just this past weekend.  She gave birth at home and shortly after delivering, she bled out.  She left behind a newborn little girl and a 3 year old as well as her husband.  Because of the lack of work in this area, most men work far from home, so the grandma will have to assume the responsibility of caring for the children.  This family is desperately poor and cannot afford to buy the formula that the baby needs to survive.  The Health workers expressed how frustrating it was that the government gave them no money to help a family like this. 
They also shared with us the frustration of working in the area of malnutrition.  Again, they are supposed to run this program, but are not given any funds to do it!  So, they go from business to business, asking for donations so they can distribute food to the children who are malnurished.  50% of the children in this area suffer from malnutrition, so the need is huge.  The frustrating part of the work is when they return to the homes where they have given food, and they often discover the condition of the child has not improved and the food is being given to the chickens.  The moms say, "My child doesn't like the food you gave us and they won't eat it."  When the workers try to tell them that they cannot give the child a choice or they will die, the moms respons, "well if they die, they die. I guess that is God's will." 
Group #3:  Four people from a church came to ask for help with a cement floor for their church.  Again, they were able to do the majority of the construction on their own, but now needed some help with the last part.  When the young man, who was leading the group, finished  talking about the church, he asked if he could present another need.  Cindy responded, "of course."  Then he told us how his dad, the former pastor of the church, had been killed four in one of the villages where he worked.  The past four years had been tough for the family and now the youngest child was wanting to attend Senior High School (quite an accomplishment here), but they couldn't afford to send him.  In Senior High, the kids take a career and most of these schools are private, so you have to pay tuition.  He wanted to know if the ministry ever gave out scholarships or helped kids with school. 
Three different groups of people, all with needs, all in one morning.  We listened to their presentations, asked a few questions and then prayed.  Then, after they left, Manny, Cindy, Rocky and I discussed if we could help each group and if yes, how that would work. 
This is a typical morning at Mission2Guatemala.
We so appreciate your prayers as we learn and transition into this new ministry.  It is our heart to be a blessing to Manny & Cindy and to be able to help the local people in a way that affects eternity! 
Blessings!   
   

Half a Century Old...Oh Man!

Tomorrow, I turn 50...half a century!  For those of you who have already passed this threshold, perhaps you, too, pondered what you accomplished with your first half a century.  Cindy and I are working through a Bible study on Ecclesiastes - maybe that has added to my pondering!  However, as I sit here and think about the past 50 years, my prayer is that the next 10 will be more productive, in terms of the Kingdom, than my first 50! 
Don't get me wrong, I have been blessed and I am in no way saying I have not enjoyed and appreciated all that the Lord has enabled me to experience over the past 50 years.  My husband loves me; he is my best friend.  My parents are the best parents I could have asked for and, praise the Lord, are still alive and well and an important part of my life.  My children are a blessing to me and I am proud of the adults they have become.  My sister and her family are amazing and my extended family on Rocky's side have added richness to my life.  I enjoyed a wonderful career as a teacher and principal and count it an honour to have worked with and for some pretty amazing people.  God has surrounded me with people who know and love Him and this has been simply incredible. 
But, as strange as it sounds, I feel like my first 50 years have just been a training ground for what is happening now. 
Today, as I ate lunch with a pastor in a small village, I really felt like this is what God made me for.  It has taken me a long time to get here, but perhaps I wouldn't have been ready anytime sooner.  I am so incredibly humbled and blessed to serve the Lord and His purposes in Guatemala.  Thank you, God, for taking your time with me and preparing me for the calling you placed on my life and allowing me to be Your hands and feet at this time in my life.  As I embark on this next stage in life, I am excited to to see how the Lord will work in me and through me!   

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

 Yesterday when I blogged, our connection was too weak to add photos.  So, tonight we are back in Coban for night and have a strong enough signal that I can show you a few photos of our first couple of days in Chisec. 
On Thursday, Cindy and I visited two of the three schools where we are going to begin our sponsorship/support program.  This school is in the area of Chisec called Nazareth.  The pink building is a block building with 3 classrooms and an office.  Across the street are the two outhouses and an additional 3 classrooms in the red wooden building.  These 6 classrooms house about 230 - 240 students which is about 40 students per class. 

These next few photos are of the Mission2Guatemala mission site.  This first one is of the guest housing complex where we will be living until our temporary studio apartment is completed.  That should be around Christmas.  We will be looking at three stages to our housing before we get settled into a more permanent house. 

This is the entrance gate to the mission site.  The piece of property is about 50 acres and is loaded with tropical vegetation.  It is hot and humid in Chisec and so you simply have to stick a cut flower in the ground and it will sprout roots and grow.  It is a very lush place. 

This is a view of the walkway to our room.  There is a patio off the end and this morning I had my cup of coffee outside and watched/listened to the toucans in the trees.  They looked just like the Froot Loops bird!  I couldn't believe it!

 

Across the property is Manny and Cindy's home.  Our apartment is currently being built onto the far right of this building and after we no longer need it, it will be used to house Guatemalan workers. 

This is picture gives you an idea of how big the kitchen/dinning room and guesthouse complex is.  They can comfortably house 30 in the 9 rooms.                                                                                                               

 These flowers are just one example of the hundreds of different tropical flowers on the property.  What a joy it will be to live in such a colourful place!

I met this young man today in a village outside or Chisec, where Mission2Guatemala helped build a classroom and a small medical clinic for the travelling health nurse to use.  He wanted his photo taken, but wouldn't smile...until after he saw the photo (I love digital cameras!).  Then he was my friend.  Prayerfully he is just the first of many! 
Blessings,
Karren

Day One On The Job!

Today was our first day "on the job" in Chisec!  We arrived here last night and settled into our room and first thing this morning, started getting oriented.  We are working with Manny and Cindy Batres of Mission2Guatemala and we are super excited to begin this new phase in the work the Lord has called us to. 
Rocky and Manny walked the property and discussed the various construction jobs that need to be addressed.  They went to the shop - a fully equipped shop, much to Rocky's delight - and tinkered away on some electrical work. 
Cindy and I headed into Chisec to visit two of the three schools that she has identified as being in real need of help.  We visited with the principals and discussed how we can come along aside and help them to help their kids.  I am so excited about this work.  I love the fact that here we will have the opportunity to work with teams, as we have seen how the Lord uses teams to bless the people and how He works in the lives of those on teams.  It is such a privilege to work with groups.  But...I am also really thrilled to have the opportunity to work more with the local people, developing relationships and allowing the Holy Spirit to guide us. 
We also had the opportunity to visit one family, who will be benefiting from sponsorship.  As we walked into the yard, we saw 2 little boys running around naked (it is very warm in Chisec).  There are 12 people living in this dirt floor home.  Their beds consisted of wooden planks without any mattress, sheets, pillows, or blankets.  Just planks of wood.  As we visited with the family, we asked who in the home wanted to study this coming year (the school year is from January to October).  A little girl of 6 smiled at us and said that she wanted to start school.  It was so exciting to meet this family and share with them that we were going to help them get shoes, a uniform and the supplies they need so that they can attend school. 
It is our goal this year to work with 25 of the most needy children from the three schools.  We know the need is much greater than this, but, it is a start.
We are so blessed to be a part of this work!  

A Little of This and a Little of That...

Rocky and I were sitting down to nice hot bowl of borcht and thought...we should post some of the random pictures we've taken over the past couple of weeks.  So...here it is...a little of this and a little of that!  I have teased Rocky now for 2 years that one day I want to buy a scooter.  It would be so nice to just jump on a scooter and go to the market.  I would have a big basket on mine to hold all my goodies!  The other day, Hector and Arryn were using his sister's scooter so I decided to try it out! 

I cannot say I am a natural, because that would not be completely truthful.  In fact if pictures had sound, you'd hear me making some interesting noises!  But...and this is the important part...I did get the hang of it, even if it took a bit.  And, I still want a scooter.  There is never anywhere to park here, but if I had a scooter, I could just zip in anywhere and park right where I needed to be.  Maybe one day!   

Chepi is our gardner.  Here in Guatemala if your name is Joshua (Josue) they call you Chepi.  I don't know why, but it is what happens.  Chepi has worked as a gardener in our neighbourhood for his entire life and he is a sweet man.  He speaks no Spanish, only Queqchi, but we seem to be able to communicate.  Here he is helping us cut open a coconut because we don't have a machete.  Rocky tried using my kitchen knife, but at my insistance, he went and asked Chepi for help. 

This is Wendoly and Daryana.  Wendoly was my Spanish teacher and this weekend she had her baby.  She is a woman of faith and it was such a huge blessing to have her as a teacher.  Today when we visited her, she shared how God had His hand upon her through the challenging time before Daryana came into this world.  Here they call it "giving light" when a woman gives birth.  I think it is a beautiful expression. Just like we come out of darkness and into the light when we accept the Lord, the miracle of birth is a natural giving of light.   

It is avocado season again!  Oh man do I love this time of year.  On almost every street corner you can find someone with a basket full of avocados.  Right now the big ones are 3 for Q5 which is about 60 cents.  Rocky is picking a couple off of a tree in our yard.  Our landlords said the taquacines and squirrels were going to get them, and they needed someone of his "stature" to help pick them before the critters got them all.  I can already taste the guacamole coming on...!

About a 5 minute walk from our house is one of the many produce markets in Coban.  It is just ladden with fruit and vegetables!  Today I wanted to make some borcht, so we were hunting for bay leaf, potatoes, carrots, onions and cabbage.  No problem.  The bay leaf was Q1 for a bag full, cabbage Q3, carrots Q3, a pound of onions Q3, 5 pounds of potatoes for Q6, for a grand total of Q16 or just over $2!  And, everything was picked within the last two days. 

We are in the middle of winter here and the temperature at night has started to cool off, but during the day, if the sun comes out, it is hot! But, we also have rain every day.  These ladies at the market are prepared for both the blazing sun (which was this afternoon) and the rain (which was this morning). 

Not only is it avocado season, it is also the flower season.  It seems like every type of flower imaginable is now available in the market.  These Calla Lillies (sp?) are an excellent example.  I simply stopped to admire them and the girl selling them wanted me to buy them.  She started at Q5 for three flowers.  Then it was Q5 for six.  Then it was Q5 for a dozen...I had not said a word.  She bundled two dozen Lillies along with some greenery and I paid her Q12 - under $2.  She was thrilled and I was, too! 

This week we are beginning our transition into Mission2Guatemala in Chisec.  We really appreciate your prayers as we step out into what the Lord has prepared for us.  Blessings!  Rocky & Karren 

A Little Close For Comfort!

It has become a normal part of our lives to hear gun fire.  Usually it is a bit of a distance away, and although we often comment, "Did you hear that?" we are rarely bothered by it.  But over the past week, we have heard more than normal and it has been right in our neighbourhood. 
Just a few minutes ago, as we were finishing lunch, we heard some yelling and then numerous shots right outside our house.  Rocky looked outside to see the police chasing some robbers down the lane.  Praise the Lord, they caught them.  Our neighbours have been "arming up" to show a sign of force to those thinking our area is a good spot to target.  And because of the recent increased activity, the police are watching our lane. 

We are so thankful that God has placed BIG ANGELS (Rocky's words) around our home.  We have a cement wall out front, but only a small wire fence out back along a walking path.  We know that if someone would want to do us harm, they could.  We also know, although, that God has us here for a purpose and that we can trust Him with our lives.  This floods us with peace...and with confidence.  We are His!  

Coffee with God! Que rico!

Sunday morning coffee with God...I love it!  I love getting up early on Sunday, having my shower and then settling in with a good cup of Guatemalan coffee and the Word.  It is often at these times when I hear the Lord clearly and feel truly ministered to. 
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers, is a devotional book that I was first introduced to about 15 years ago.  There was a series of CDs by the same name that all focussed on worshipping the Lord with our lives.  Everynow and then, I change up my morning Bible study by adding a devotional book.  About a week ago, I re-added Oswald to my mornings.  Good choice! 
Sometimes when I read the Word, I don't fully understand the purpose behind what is being said.  That is when I really appreciate a "great thinker" like Oswald Chambers. 
This morning I was reading out of 2 Corinthians 5 - I think one of my all time favourite passages of Scripture.  It is in fact in this passage that Rocky and I received our call and reason for being in Guatemala...for Christ's love compels us! 
Today, although, the focus of my reading was on the very last verse, God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.  Now there is a mouthful!
Here is part of Oswald Chambers reflection that really struck home, although:  Sin is a fundamental relationship; it is not wrong doing, it is wrong being, deliberate and emphatic independence of God.  The Christian religion bases everything on the positive, radical nature of sin.  Other religions deal with sins; the Bible alone deals with sin. 
As I read that and let it sink in, suddenly things came into focus.  At home, in Canada, many people are involved in "doing good works" and are essentially "good people."  Some, in fact, are better people (more caring, loving, forgiving, accepting, generous) than I am, yet they will not enter Heaven.  Why?  Because of their wrong doing?  No!  Because of their wrong being!  The challenge for unbelievers in Canadian culture is the giving up of their emphatic independence of God.  They want to remain in control, and so they reject their need of a Saviour.   
Our work here is among a people steeped in ancient beliefs and superstitions.  Contrary to Canada, if you asked anyone here on the street if they believed in God, they'd say, "Yes!"  Sadly, although, their concept of one, true, living God, salvation, forgiveness and grace is twisted.  They try as hard as they can to do the right things in hopes of attaining "salvation" but they lack the assurance that can come from Christ alone. 
This problem even extends to the evengelical church.  It is a challenge to find a church here where the concept of authority is not abused and where grace abounds.  Often when someone within the church "sins" (and that can be defined however the leadership wants to define it), they are often dealt with harshly and without grace.  They are "disciplined" publically and must go through a process to be restored.  It is as though they are still operating under the concept of "doing" and not "being."
This morning's reading for me was a good reminder of what our call as believers really is - to share with the lost that it is all about the redemptive work of Christ on the cross and not one of us is worthy to receive this new identity, no matter how good we look on the outside or how many good things we do!  God sees our hearts, our motives, and desires to transform us into new creatures so we can be a part of His Kingdom!  Wow!      

Making Friends

For the past two weeks, every day between 5:30pm and 8:30pm we have been teaching English to a family from our church.  But, more than teaching English, we have been making friends.  For those of you who have lived in a different culture or been on the mission field, you can understand what a blessing it is to simply build relationships and make friends.
This photo is just a part of the family we have been spending a lot of time with.  Walter and his wife, Blanca, have 6 daughters (Viviana, Blanca, Hubeny, Linda, Esmirna, Maria Jose), 2 sons (Walter, Guillermo), 1 daughter-in law (Lily), 1 son-in law (Uri), and 3 grandchildren (Jasime, Yancy, Waltercito).  The majority of the family has participated in my class. 

Rocky was in charge of the little ones - boy that was a full-time job.  After the first class, they were calling him Papa (grandpa)!  I had the task of teaching the rest.   

Everyday Blanca would feed us part way through the class.  She is an amazing cook!  We had to be careful what we said, although, because if we said we liked pizza, they ordered pizza for us.  Needless to say we at like kings!    

Hospitality is something that this culture has down pat!  It seems to come so naturally to them and this family in particular made us feel welcomed and appreciated.  Walter owns a mechanic shop and parts store and he and Rocky have spent quite a bit of time together.  He has helped us with our car and Rocky has helped him with some constructions jobs around the shop.   

Today was presentation day - each person had to interview someone else, in English, and then present them to the rest of us. It was a lot of work, but it was so good to see how much they have learned over the past two weeks.   

Over the two weeks Rocky and I taught them a number of simple songs - they love to sing!  We sang God is So Good; My God is so Big!; Father I Adore You; He is the King of Kings; More Precious than Silver; Open the Eyes of My Heart.  This was a great way to learn English and praise the Lord at the same time!  

I am happy to say that they did learn a lot, but I am even happier to say that so did we!  We laughed, shared, prayed and sang together - we shared life and made friends.  What a blessing!