School Ministry

Our ministry has primarily been going into schools and doing dramas, sharing life stories and praying over many students! The children bring us so much J O Y! They are so precious. We have been to many schools so far, and have been blessed with each one!

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY

Wishing all our dads back home a very happy and blessed Father's Day. We love you and miss you so much. Ps: If it wasn't for you (or your money), we could not be here! Have a great day!!!

From Lorette

Saturday in Guatemala. Today will be a fun day. We are going to Antiqua to go shopping, and then to an orphanage where there are 38 girls from the ages of 5 to 18. Everyone is excited to go there, especially Tiara.

We have had an extraordinary week so far. God is doing a great work in Guatemala and in our team. We start each morning with prayer and worship and have been so blessed and experienced God's blessing to start each day. It has been so good to prepare us for day and has been a time of healing and growth for team members.

We have ministered in many different schools both elementary and high school. The youth and young adults have stepped forward and done a tremendous job. We have encouraged them to do skits share testimonies and alter calls. They are nervous and hesitant before they start and then after they have shared they are so anxious to share again. Who knows, God may be calling some into the ministry after this opportunity. In any case they are experiencing God and it will have a impact on their lives for eternity.

We have had good laughs, great times of fellowship and opportunities to get to know each other better. I think that the time is going by way to quickly. We are praying that we are able to go to Panamache ( the indigenous village) on Tuesday. There has been problems with the roads because of all of the rain.

We have not had any health problems everyone is doing well. That is a great blessing.

Thank you for your prayers and please continue to pray for us.

Lorette

Brant's view on Guatemala

Well, we've been here for 5 days now, and wow how many blessings I have recieved. Not wordly blessings or objects or stuff, but spiritual blessings. Oooooooooooooh, the way God moves. I feel like I could never experience God like this in the U.S., but I know that's not true. So many lives being changed because of us allowing God to use us. So many of our teams lives being changed also. God is so amazing. How close I feel to Him right now, He is trully amazing. I have seen people give their lives to Christ, I have seen people freed from oppression, I have seen people rededicate their lives to Christ, I have seen so much. I have seen hundreds of people break down in tears, me included. I'm beginning to feel like a cry baby. When I'm in the presence of the Lord, I just want to cry, and this week, I have been in the presence of God a lot. Guatemala is being changed, but so is every person in this group. Awesome worship, awesome prayers, and awesome fellowship.

The group has been to so many different schools, elementary, middle, and high school's. People are experiencing God everywhere. His love that He has placed in everyone of us for these people burns inside of us. It comes out in smiles, prayer, and fellowship. We have made new friends and made better friends with those that were already friends.

I personally did not expect such blessings and insight. I prepared myself before coming here to work, pray, and tell people about Jesus, and I've been doing that wide open. I have experienced God in new ways that I would not have experienced if I would not have come here. I am so glad I came.

I also wanted to say that Virginia and the baby inside of her are doing well. She has amazed me because of her hard work and her love for the people here in Guatemala. She is an awesome warrior for God. I love to see her love for God manifest itself through worship and prayer. She is an awesome woman of God and I love her.

My sister Maggie is also here. What a blessing it is to see her loving on these people that she has never met before. It has to be love that God himself has placed in her heart. She is a prayer warrior full of compassion for this lost nation. It is such a blessing seeing her in a service, running around praying for their souls, begging God to save them. She is an awesome woman of God.

This group that has come from Tricounty is such a blessing to be a part of. If any of you could see them working so hard, getting up early to pray for services, worshipping God for who he is, blessing these people in Guatemala, being tired but yet continuing on, Ooooooooh, what a blessing it is to be a part of them.

The testimonies and pictures I know you'll see and hear, will never be able to do it justice. I guess you'll just have to go on a mission trip yourself. I promise, you won't regret it.

Please continue praying, interceding, and thinking about us while we are here. There is lots more work to be done.

Praise the Lord for ever and ever.

Brant

Safe arrival! Great start!

Well the second team has arrived in Guatemala safely yesterday and we got wifi back at the mission house! It's been non-stop ever since they got here, with painting at Getsemeni school yesterday afternoon, a wonderful dinner and devotions with the whole team!

This morning it was up early for prayer and worship, then a scrumptious breakfast and our 1st elementary school for ministry. We were able to give lots of gospel bracelets and prayers of

salvation with many students! They love the face paint and balloons too :)

Now its a lunch break, and then back to painting the school for the girls and construction at the mission house for the boys!

The past few days!

Well the past few days have been full of painting and construction at the mission house! Its been crazy because we lost wifi connection at the mission house, and the computer there, so I have no idea if we're going to get it back soon?! Hopefully! Updating this from an internet cafe in San Lucas right now!

Tips for those coming down: start eating vitamin C NOW! We've been getting a little cold-ish, and trying to drink lots of Emergency, Airborn and OJ, so hopefully we'll all be better soon.

Also bring sunscreen and Aloe Vera! Jevon is now FRIED from not wearing any sunscreen in the sun, and doing construction.

We're having a great time! Can't wait to see the next team Monday!

1st Day with Team !!

Well, the first 7 have arrived here, safe and sound! Praise the Lord! So thankful that they are here and SAFE!

Today was our first day, and what a day we had! We got up had a wonderful time of worship and prayer, then breakfast, and after we did construction and painted most of the day for the mission house. We had awesome devotionals together tonight too! We are already bonding as a team and it feels like a family!

God is SO GOOD! :) Continue to pray we mold as a team, and serve with hearts wide open!

Latest Update

After a crazy week here in San Lucas, Guatemala, things are more calm today! There's no school at Getsemeni today because they are giving out end of the semester grades. I guess you could say I have a "day off" today :) I've enjoyed my time hoping from class to class, helping where I can and teaching English, and improving my spanish! What a great experience!

Let's see, the weather has definitely warmed up since last week! Its been in the low 70's during the day and sometimes rainy at night. Still bring rain gear, just in case! It's not freezing during the day (like last week), yesterday actually felt pretty hot!

I can't believe my time here is already flying by so fast! I've already been here 11 days! Hillary and I are excited to see the 1st 7 on Monday! I've heard that it's Noah, Jeremiah, Jevon, Amber, Amanda, and Stacie...who's the 7th? lol I don't even know!

grace and joy

-Alli

expect the unexpected

Well, it has been a few days since I've been able to update! Saturday night was the Agatha Hurricane here in Guatemala, and we lost all electricity, and just got it back today! Praise the Lord! After having to move food from frig to frig, going to neighbors house's for showers and meals, we are back in action at the mission house and the Rodriguez home.

What I have truly been learning here is to expect the unexpected. Sadly, today we found out the devastating news that Jodi's father, Lamar Esbenshade passed away today. Please be praying for the Rodriguez family through this time. As they will be leaving for the funeral in the U.S. most likely tomorrow. Please be especially keeping Jodi in your prayers. What a dear family they are! They run an incredible school, and church, plus having missions teams down here to reach Guatemala. They have a lot on their shoulders and a true heart for this country. Yet may their load be lifted by our prayers these next few weeks.

Hillary and I will continue to stay in the mission house until the next group comes on Monday. Still so excited to see the first 7 come down :)

Also: the weather has been warmer (The past 2 days)! T shirts and jeans! Hopefully it stays warm...but this is there rainy season, so still be ready for some rain!

http://www.foreca.com/Guatemala/San_Lucas_Toliman?tenday

love you all