Serving the Servants

Today was another awesome day in Guatemala. We started in front of Pastor Jorge's church - where we attended on Sunday - and begin to dig out dirt for a sidewalk. We mixed up the cement in the street - so weird - and made the new sidewalk level with the side of a board. Fred from the church helped us.  I think we all have a Fred in our church who knows the ins/outs of our buildings, has extensive knowledge of the different trades, has great wisdom and carries the keys. Pastor Jorge also showed us their "dream center."  They would like to purchase a building next to their place of worship and they want to use it for youth, church gatherings, worship in the warmer months, congregational meals, etc. We also went to a home across the street where a member of the church "Papa Bete" lives.  He is in his 70's and his job in the church is to share his knowledge of growing vegetables, etc. with the youth of the church.  He also is trying to fatten up a turkey in the backyard that Pastor Jorge bought for Christmas dinner.  However, the turkey lost weight between the time they bought it and Christmas dinner, so they did not kill it and eat...LOL.  Please pray for Pastor Jorge's church to get the funding for the dream center so they can continue to make a difference in their community.

In the afternoon, we went back to the computer lab to do some finishing touches before we set up all the computers tomorrow.  This was also the day that students could begin signing up for school.  We saw the mom's and kids waiting to sign up.  It was interesting to see how some mom's were clearly living day to day wearing clothes that had holes or are patched up while others were dressed up and "appeared" to have a better lifestyle.  I saw women with bruises and many with babies and lots of children to send to school. In Guatemala, a family must pay for their children to go to school because the public school system is nothing.  Sometimes the family can only pay to send one or two out of their family and it's usually the younger ones that attend so the older ones can try work to earn money so the families can eat.

Our van is having some mechanical issues, so please pray that we can get it fixed easily. It doesn't start unless you jump it. So we ask whoever is closest and the Guatemalans smile and help us.  They won't take any money for helping - it is what they do in this culture - they help each other with whatever they have.  I am loving the Guatemalan people and appreciating their culture so much more on this trip. I really love interacting with them, serving them, praying with/for them, and seeing the beauty in the mountains and their food and plants, etc. God is really showing where He is in this country and I am humbled and in awe by it.