Status of the team three days in

We are all alive and well and have had an incredible first three days in Guatemala. We have built close to ten houses, spoiled the children at the orphanage, and have had the opportunity to share Christ's love by investing into each person that God places in front of us. We are praying that as the week goes on and as we grow closer to the families we are building houses for, the children in the village, and the children and workers in the orphanage; that each of us will have the opportunity to share Christs love.

The need here for Christs love and for basic needs to be met is beyond imagination. The women here are belittled and abused, the children sometimes eat no more than one meal a day that consists of tortillas, and the men are rarely at home. The results of these issues are endless. It is our hope that in the days ahead we will bring Hope and Peace to the villages, and that they might one day Glorify God because of Him moving through us and using us here.

Tomorrow we will be doing a VBS in the Orphanage and the village, building houses, and sharing the Gospel as God leads. In the late afternoon we will be distributing food for nearly 100 families that will provide them with the basic food they need for a month and sharing the Gospel with them. Pray for us that God will do through us more than we could ever ask or imagine, and pray that many would come to know Him as we continue to share His love.

- Ryan Johnston

A perspective from the team

So today and yesterday I went to a tiny village in Chimaltenango, Guatemala. After a year of waiting, I was thrilled to come back and see the children and families I saw last year when I came on this same trip. Even though I knew what to expect, I was shocked by the things I saw in the village. Garbage covers the ground and the the stream that holds the water they drink is polluted and filled with litter. the children are filthy and malnourished and extremely difficult to look at. They crazy thing to me though is how content they are and how easily they smile. As soon as the kids see ours vans coming, they run towards them and crowd outside, yelling our names. I want to cry when i look at them and see how skinny they are and how much they need a good bath and some new clothes... most of them don't even have a good pair of shoes, if they're lucky enough to own a pair. But they just keep smiling and happily enduring the hardships that they probably aren't even aware of. The people here are just so compelling... I wish I could explain each child's personality and just how enthusiastic they are as a whole. Not only are these people content when they are sick and starving (we americans aren't even content with clothes from a year ago or supper our mom makes if it's not our favorite), but they are also quick to forgive and give second chances... over and over and over again. Today when I was helping building a house for a family, the woman took me aside and we went to her sister's house where they were making tortillas. They, of course, offered to let me try to shape the dough into a tortilla shape just for the fun of it. They make it look so easy! I did a horrible job and the dough kept sticking to my hands and then tearing when I tried to get it off. I expected her to smile politely and send me on my way, but she instead handed me another and another and another tortilla to shape, and ultimately break. I couldn't understand why she would keep letting me ruin her food when she could obviously do a much better time and in a much more timely manner. I think back to how it is in the states where we get frustrated when someone doesn't get something right the first time... much less the twentieth! We are so concerned with ourselves and having the perfect life and making everything without blemish, yet we are not content!! We are easily frustrated and torn down and we let petty things make us angry or depressed, though we live comfortably and are always full and with a clean set of clothes. These people have almost nothing to their name, yet they walk around with a smile on their face and positive attitudes. What is wrong with this picture? We come bringing shoes and homes and clothes to these people, thinking it will make a difference in their lives, thinking that we will make these people happy by giving them things...after all, we're so happy and grateful for all the things we have, right? Wrong-- we never have anything good enough and we're always comparing our homes, phones, paychecks, bodies, clothes and a billion other things that only make us more depressed. No wonder the United States is such a depressed nation... we look for joy in material things that will let us down and fade away. These people in Guatemala are more content and pacified with their lives than I've ever been. I think this mission trip will do more in the lives of those who come expecting to change and better someone's life-- to get that warm and fuzzy feeling we need to feel better about all the other bad things in our lives. But that's not it at all. I've come to realize that happiness and peace can't be found in anything but Christ and a relationship that will withstand an economic recesession or not getting to go shopping every weekend. In two days the guatemalan people have done more for me than we could ever dream of doing for them. Sure, they need clean water and shoes and a place to call home, and we can help them with that. But that's not going to determine how they live their day to day life. They've taught me that friends are more than a person to go party with on the weekends and that extended family aren't those people you dread seeing at Christmas and feel like you have to lie to about how you love school and yes, your brother and his girlfriend are doing fine. It's about your friend sticking by you even when you stink or you're annoying. It's about living with your husband's cousin's house for 2 years until you find a place to live. This is community at it's finest and it's necessary to our lives. Obviously, the answer isn't having a huge house or an unlimited supply of McDonalds. The answer is Christ and his love for us despite our selfish selves. If we can look past the material things in life and focus on loving him and the people around us, our lives can have so much more depth and meaning, even if our stomachs aren't full and we don't have shoes on our feet.

-Donis Maxwell
Team member Guatemala 2009

The Team

Looks like we've made it

All is well in Guatemala, everyone arrived today and we start tomorrow. This year it is our hope to build 15 houses and to work in whatever way we can with Amor Del Nino, an orphanage outside of Guatemala City. Today we were able to get acquainted with everyone we will be working with and got settled. Right now I am sitting in a room full flip flops, jump ropes, bibles, coloring books, T-shirts, and piles and piles of all kinds of ministry supplies. It is incredible how such small things to us can make such a difference to so many.

Tomorrow we will be building houses, Tonight we rest.

Ryan

Packing Reminders

Dear Team,

Four days and we will be in Guatemala and three more nights in your own bed, Can you believe it. This morning we started telling our oldest daughter who is almost two that I was Going and she said “no bye, bye daddy”. Then we started telling her that I was going to build houses for children that didn’t have a house like she did to sleep in; that we were going to hold babies and play with children that didn’t have a Mommy and Daddy like she did. She then started jumping on the bed and saying “Yeah Daddy”. She probably thought I was taking her to get donuts, but we will assume the best and believe that she understood every word and was really excited about me going. It really is exciting what we are about to do, and how so many lives will be different in a week due to you being available and willing for God to use you in Guatemala.

Below is a list of things to remember to Pack “Hopefully at this time your suitcase is out”. This is just to help and not exhaustive, if you have any questions please let me or Rhonda know.

- Light Jacket, you will want
- Rain Jacket, you will want, a cheap poncho is fine
- Jeans, pants, Capris
- T-shirts or shirts with sleeves
- Old Shoes for work, and another pair. Tennis shoes are fine
- Toiletries
- Flip flops for shower
- Tools if you want them
- Hand Sanitizer
- 20 Plates
- Water Bottle we gave you
- Extra Water Bottle for Village
- Skirt and blouse for Church Girls
- Khakis and Polo, or nice pants Guys
- Bible
- Journal/Notebook
- Camera
- Passport “Don’t forget it”


Keep packing and preparing.

Ryan

6 days and counting

Team,

A week from today we will be building houses on the side of a mountain in Guatemala, Can you believe it? All of our partners are very excited about us coming and they have been diligent in setting up all that we will be doing. I have a couple of things that I wanted to run by the team, they are really just random thoughts.

1) The Orphanage is having some issues with their washing machine. If anyone knows how to work on them please let me know, and plan on bringing the tools you would need to work on it.
2) Tools to Bring: Bring whatever you like to use when you are working, pliers, hammer, screw driver, etc… If you didn’t bring any tools they have enough for all of us there.
3) We have had a change in plans on Sunday morning. We will need to wear nice clothes, due to the church we will be attending. Girls will need to wear a skirt that goes below the knees and a blouse, think very modest, if you have questions on what’s modest ask Rhonda. Guys need to wear Khakis and a polo shirt, if you want to dress nicer you can. I know this isn’t the best news for some and I wish we would have known about this a month ago, but we didn’t and now we will make the necessary packing adjustments and be flexible. It is very important that we honor their culture in how we dress as Christians.
4) You will need around $100 in cash, that should take care of your meals out on the way to Guatemala and the way home, a meal out on Sunday, and any gifts you may want to buy.
5) Don’t take anything that you can’t live without, if something gets stolen it is gone. Carry you’re your wallet in your front pocket, or cash in your front pocket. During the day you can take a little cash if you want it to buy a coke or water, but leave your things at the mission house, it is safe there. (It is really not that bad there; we are just erring on the side of caution. These would probably be good rules for Memphis)
6) If you haven’t started prepare your heart catch up, it will really help you!!!!!
7) While we are there remember to be flexible, take the initiative, and Relax.
8) Next Tuesday night at 6:00 in the Gym. There will be a meal provided, so come with your extra bag and enjoy. THIS MEETING IS VERY IMPORTANT

I am sure I will be giving you more updates in the next few days, if you have any questions let us know.