Water for Sepalau...the story continues!

 We have been working on the water project in Sepalau for a number of months now.  It is a huge project and we expect it will take a year to see it to completion.  A number of teams are contributing, both financially and physically, to make this happen.  This last team from Boise, Idaho, worked on digging the trench for the pipeline to connect the lagoon and the water tank in town.  They also worked on building the water stations (16 in all) situated around town.  So, to go down the list…electricity to the lagoon – check; water tank – check; trench and pipeline to connect lagoon to water tank – check; 16 water stations – check!  The next phase of the work is connecting all of the stations to main water tank.  Once that is done it will be time to hook up the pump! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

While the team was working in Sepalau, their pastor was teaching at the mission site.  The group brought with them 40 study Bibles and the Pastor’s job was to teach a group of 40 pastors how to use them so they would actually be helpful in their personal study, in their research and in planning their sermons.  Pastor Daryl also addressed how to reach the illiterate in your congregation.  When he asked how many in their churches could not read and/or write, the percentages ranged from 50% to 80%!  Hard to wrap your head around that, isn’t it?  It was a couple of days of intense teaching and learning – a couple of days that not only impacted those pastors, but will impact their congregations!

We did it!

Today we said goodbye to our 7th team in 10 weeks!  It has been a crazy summer.  As we reflected last night with Manny and Cindy we were so blessed to know that even though we were scrambling to make it all work the Lord moved in very deep and real ways over this summer.  Not only were the teams a huge blessings in the communities where they served, worked and did children's ministry.  The teams left feeling richer in their spirits for the experience. 
That is amazing...that is God! 
Thank you, Trenton Team, Bellpre Team, Xenia Team, Jacksonville Women's Team; Jacksonville Youth Team, Hilliard Team, and Boise Team!
These teams worked in Seguachil, Sepalau, Santa Marta, Monte Hermon, Chaquiquiche, Presbeteriana Britania, Chisec, and Santa Rosa. 
What a great way to spend a summer! 

 

 

               

 

 

Loving on Pastors' Wives

This past week we hosted our very first event for pastors’ wives.  We invited 39 women to come and share a day with us and a team of women from Ohio.  It was the group’s idea to take the time to honour these women, to serve them and love on them.  They had crafts set aside and a ton of gifts that we gave away.  We made a wonderful lunch full of food these women rarely, if ever, get.  But, the very best part was when the group spoke about how Christ served the disciples by washing their feet and He left that as an example of how we should be with one another.  Then, they divided into four groups, and the team members began to gently and lovingly wash the pastors’ wives feet. 

I don’t know how many of you have participated in a “foot washing” ceremony in North America, but here, much like in Jesus’ time, people’s feet are dirty because they walk everywhere in sandals – through the mud and dirt.  One woman had walked on a dirt road for over 2 hours just to attend the event.  Another, along with her 5 year old daughter had set out at 4am that morning to walk the 3 hours to the nearest bus, but was lucky to meet up with a car and catch a ride.  Many of them journeyed far to come to the mission site. 

Spanish hymns played in the background as women from the US ministered to women from Guatemala by washing and drying their feet.  But, it was so much more than that.  It was a beautiful example of servant hood.  Of the people of Guatemala, the indigenous are the lowest ranking citizens.  Of the indigenous, the women are the lowest.  These American women knelt down and took the dirty feet of these undervalued women, and in the name of Jesus, washed them.  And, by doing so, they said, “you are of worth and value in the Kingdom of God.”  How cool is that?