Day 2

Today we built a house for a 58 year old widow. Her husband had died 5 years ago. we spent most of the afternoon building there and when we finished we went to the shoe factory in Mt. Flor where I got my self a pair of flip flops hand made by Guatemalans (and a pair for my mommy too) each pair that is bought buys a pair of shoes for a child in the community for shcool, they are not aloud into school with out good shoes here. after that we went to a feeding program wich I will exsplane more about tomorrow when I am less tired!

Sorry it's so short today but it's another early morning tomorrow! here's some pictures to make up for it :)

Norma and I with the widow we built the house for

when we first got there the foundation and beems were already put in

building walls with power tools :)

putting the top of the wall on tight to seal out all the rain in rainy season

West Coasters!

(Norma, Jen from Chico CA, and I)

the bunk beds built inside of the home with all the donations for her

The widow thanking God for her new house

sky light :) note the cross we put up!

the widow with her friends and family and us in front of the house we built for her.

The finished house, wow we built that!

helping serve at the feeding program

riding in the back of a pick up truck with a beautiful view!

Day 1... not the most creative title but it works :)

Today at 12:20 pm I Landed in Guatemala City! The flight was only about 3 hours, but there was no window in my entier row so sadly no pictures comming in :/

I quickly relized that it is different here from any other place I have ever traveled. The plants, smells, sky, and buildings are compleetly different then what I have ever seen before in a way I just can't put into words.

Driving out of the Airport. (Note the STOP sign says ALTO, Spanish for stop)

A (Palm?) Tree, different then ones I have seen before in a way I just cant put my finger on.

Not a whole lot happened today. It was almost a 4 hour LONG drive to Manos De Jesus, he mission house we are staying at. but we did make a fun little stop to use the restroom and strech along the way.

The place we stoped at along the way "Paulinos"

 The driving is a little crazy but nirmal for a 3rd world country. They have theese small busses here called "Chicken Busses" the bus drivers get payed based on how fast they get to their destanation, and so they drive like a bat out of hell! Men will literaly climb out of the busses while they are going 60 MPH and cilmb up the side to untie or re-tie something. It's nerve racking to watch!

A chicken bus... see the man standing on the back?

We also talked a bit about the culture. the locals here beleive that God only gives out a limited amount of blessings per year, and so if they see someone else blessed it is in there nature for them to be upset with that person for taking away the blessing from them.

Guatemalan Women are not aloud to have a job or own land if they are not married, nobody will hire them or sell them land. so if they are widowed, or there husband leaves them (wich is very common and a social norm here.) they cannot get any land or money with out finding another husband. It is also very unexseptable for the new husband to take on another man's children, and for this reason widowed women are locked into poverty or giving up there children. That is why we are here to bless theese women and build them a house of their own. I am so much more excited to see what God is going to use me for now that I know even more of the backround on why theese women are so locked into poverty.

ok so i guess I lied when I said not alot happened because i learned so much in just a few short hours here!

on more picture just for fun :)

They have a Zoo here :)

The doors God opens...

As i prepare to leave for my trip on Sunday I have tried to take extra time to reflect on something’s to prepare to be able to serve to the fullest of my ability. One thing comes to mind; FEAR NOT... I came across a bit of scripture from Revelations last night that really spoke to me;

 The Lord will open doors that no man can close…

(Rev 3:8)

This is such a huge deal to me to read this. It feels like almost every day i worry about what other people are doing and how it might affect me. On this trip i was worried my flight would be canceled for weather or my professors would tell me i couldn't go. This verse sticks out to me because it very clearly says that NO man can close the doors that God opens. It’s useless to worry about what someone might do to stop you from doing something or going somewhere because if God has opened that door then no single man can close it. It brings me back to striving to learn to place my trust in God not just in times of joy, but in times of anxiety as well.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart
   and lean not on your own understanding; ⁶ in all your ways submit to him,
   and he will make your paths straight

(Proverbs 3:5-6)

The biggest struggle in my life is definitely trying to fully trust God with everything in my life, and to not be afraid. Fear Not is the most uttered command in the bible; it's said over 365 times. This is the reason i Got Matthew 6:25 and Fear Not tattooed onto my wrists. My tattoos stand as a constant reminder to me to FEAR NOT and give God full control of my life.

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?

(Matthew 6:25)

 

Some thoughts before I go...

This is where i will be in just 3 days from now, Chichicastenango, Guatemala! I’m going with the James Fund (a Family Christian Stores ministry) and Pray America (the ministry in Guatemala) My team is going to be building 2 houses for widows while we are there, and helping complete an orphanage for girls rescued from the sex trade by International Justice Mission. I’m so excited to be a part of something IJM in doing! The work they have done all over the world is truly amazing and I feel so honored to be a part of something that will change so many lives!

Sometimes with all the stress of packing, completing school work, and flying (I HATE flying) I Lose sight of the reason I’m going in the first place; To spread God’s love by helping those in need. I forget God is so much bigger than I ever could imagine and everything is in his control, no amount of anxiety or stress can ever change that.

If you want to know more about IJM, Pray Amerca, or James Fund check out their website’s (on a list to the right ->) for more info on the amazing things they do and ways to get involved!