Guatemala 2024/25

These children are “Jesus with skin on.” They don’t care if you are tall, short, American, Guatemalan, fat, skinny, young, or old. They will walk right up to you, give you a hug, and take you by the hand as if you’ve been friends forever. We were able to attend church with the community here and it is always an uplifting time of hearing God’s Word. After church we had lunch and the team split into two groups - one to continue painting the school and the other to sort donations. I joined the donations group and the rest of my family was painting. The missionary liaison has a list of the needs for specific houses so we laid the clothing out in order and fulfilled their “orders.” Most of what YOU donated is going directly to a child and we will probably see them wearing the items tomorrow. It’s kinda cool. Our team raised some extra funds this year so we will be able to purchase the remaining needs at Walmart before we leave. I didn’t take a single picture today, but that’s a good thing b...

We were able to get started on projects today. Some of the team worked on building some reinforcement walls for the canal/water system which involved mixing lots of concrete by hand. The mixer was broken but one of our handy team members was able to get it fixed after a few hours. It’s so cool to see how the gifts of different people become highlighted on trips like these. Our family worked on painting some of the classrooms. They needed it!!! After lunch, we were invited by some house parents to their home because they wanted to pray for us before they leave. Their family’s last day will be December 31st and we have grown to be dear friends. Casa Bernabe will not be the same without them, but that’s how life goes, right? The ministry will continue and a new couple will carry on loving the boys in that house. Please pray for the transition for boys in the house and our friends who are starting a new chapter. We were so touched that THEY wanted to pray for US. This is just one shining e...

When we got to the airport last night we were greeted by the most beautiful faces! Six of the children came on the bus to see us! Their hugs are precious and just what the doctor ordered after a long day of travel. We’ll be studying Philippians this week and I can’t wait to dive in to God’s Word. May we glorify Him in all we do.

We are deeply saddened that one of our teammates became very ill and her and her husband can no longer join us on the mission trip. They have spent countless hours in meetings and preparations and our hearts are broken. A few hours after we found out this news, Caleb said, “Maybe Timmy and I should go?” An hour after that we were changing names on the airline tickets and doing laundry and they joined the team! God is full of surprises. I would never in a million years imagine this would have happened. I’m so excited to have our whole family serving together again! We have landed in Miami and are waiting for our connecting flight. Praise God for travel mercies!

  Casa Bernabé, here we come! Hannah and I will be returning to Guatemala for our 3rd year. We are looking forward to serving together and are curious and excited about what God will do in us and through us this year. Please pray for safe travels for the team. We will be departing from our church at 2:30am on December 27. I hope to use this blog for journaling again. Please subscribe to get email notifications about new posts if you want to follow our journey.

Dadada

The team got a day off today and we had a wonderful time in Antigua. We left Casa Bernabe at 6am to beat traffic. These sweet buses are a very common way to travel in Guatemala. Most are lifted in the front and have tons of lights as well. First, we went to “La Cruz” to do our team devotion. The view was breathtaking and we got to see one of the 3 local volcanoes erupting. Super cool! Next, we went to the McDonald’s which is seriously beautiful! They have a section of the restaurant just for McCafe and you can get so many different kinds of coffee drinks and even cheesecake or small donuts. They also have free bathrooms here :) Afterwards, we explored some cathedral ruins, popped in to a few shops, and visited the market. Antigua is so colorful and vibrant.  When we picked Caleb up from the airport, I asked the house dad who drive us a lot of questions about the native clothing. I had no idea, but the different patterns and colors represent different indigenous heritages. The cloth...

We got to sleep in a little bit today and then we did a major clean up from the big party. In the afternoon, we had lots of time to play with the children and give them the attention they crave. Unfortunately, my friend had to visit with the director because she continues to make unsafe choices. It breaks my heart to watch her struggle. However, the Lord created this special girl for a purpose and I am trusting Him to draw her close and help her through her pain. He knows. We had arranged to play some board games with another house in the afternoon and we had so much fun.  The boys in this house are nuts - in a fun, energetic way. Most have ADD and/or ADHD, but the house parents are absolutely incredible. They found a way to channel their energy and need for stimulation into daily board games. I got to play Sequence with the house mom and a few kids while Caleb and Timmy played Settlers of Catan with the house dad. Hannah taught some of the others house to play Spot It and they als...

In the morning, we attended church here at Casa Bernabé. When I entered the room, I was looking around for my family and there, in the front row, my friend had saved a seat for me. That was such a thoughtful gesture for a girl who is facing so much trouble in her life. I am so grateful for the honor to sit by her and worship together (although I felt so bad that I couldn’t sit next to my family). After church, we went in to all out preparation mode for the huge party we were going to throw the kids. Skit practice, trying up activities, cooking, dishes, and so much more. The team really came together and God provided everything that was needed and more. The smiles on the kids’ faces say it all! My favorite part of the evening is always bringing a meal to the families and eating with them in their homes. These girls were a riot! They entertained us with jokes and tongue twisters that we failed miserably at. After the fiesta, we praised God for all He has done for us this year and what He...