Today stated with an incredible blessing. The team visited the Shalom Church/School to see our sponsored children. Lots of hugs and tears were shared, and many new children were sponsored. For 35 dollars a month, a child can have the opportunity to go to a private school, receive a safe environment to learn, uniforms, one meal per day, and learn about our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. After spending a week in the neighborhoods, several new sponsors stepped up without hesitation to help. God is so good! After visiting the school, most of the team went to job site #5 to do a 4 yard concrete pour. We poured every inch with 1 gallon buckets. Man what a workout! The natives looked at us like we do foreigners in our country with disbelief that “Green-gringos” could actually work so hard. We finished the pour and God showed up in amazing ways. We had a drunkard who had been harassing and annoying team members for two days that showed up on the site. We shared a lunch with him, and God came into his life and saved him today! There was a total of three conversions today, and God has saved over 25 new believers this week. To God be the Glory! More to come tomorrow.
Kevin Bridges – Thompson Station Church
Thursday, June 5.
Today was our final day of construction and the team finally got a little Guatemala Heat! It was hot today. For the first time since we’ve been here, it didn’t rain on us while we worked. Chase Lemonds, Steve Wilson, and Greg Ramsey who have been leading in worship this week were asked to visit a local public school to share what we are doing here. God is so amazing and accepted here. Can you imagine what our world would be like if we could share Christ freely in our public schools in the USA. Seventeen students prayed to receive Christ during their visit! Praise God. Secondly, Larry Banner and his daughter Olivia visited Caterpillar dealer today to ask for donation assistance on a generator for the Shalom Foundations newly purchased medical center. The visit went well, and God blessed us with a verbal commitment that Caterpillar would donate a generator to support the needs of the Shalom Sugary Center. How amazing is that? God is a God of movement – and if we will get up and move with Him we can see some amazing things. Tonight the team is going to the Shalom Church to have dinner with the families we have been building homes for this week. And tomorrow we will go to Antigua for some R and R. Thank you all for your continued prayers as we continue to server God here in Guatemala. Keep ‘em comin’!
Jeff Swayze
2 more days……..Can’t wait!!!!
Oraramos que Dios bendiga nuestro viaje, nuestra salud, y nuestra voluntad de compartir el evangelio con los que se pierden, de una manera nunca podremos imaginar.
Hey Team – We need your prayers! One of our team members from Brentwood, Shanna Scott isn’t feeling well. She’s been to the doctor and gotten some meds, but as you know…traveling when you don’t feel well isn’t fun. Please pray for healing. We are all praying for you Shanna.
Hope Shanna is feeling better. Prayed for her and will continue – along with praying for all of you!
Tell Jerry – the “Missing Link” I’ve got him covered in prayer!
Hope this comes out right…
¡Toda la gloria al dios!
MJ (aka Jody)
Praise report..God is so good. We arrived in the BNA airport and got checked in without a glitch. Thank you all for your prayers for Shanna. She is still not 100%, but she was able to join us for the trip. We are now in Miami and have met up with Lori and David Sneed from Union University in VA., so we are now a complete TEAM! However, this picture might make you doubt that. But…you can’t judge a book by its cover. God Bless you, and look for the next post once we get to Guatemala!
One of the hopes I’ve had for this trip that is soon coming to fruition is cathcing up with former Christ Presbyterian Academy exchange students from Guatemala City.
We plan to get together on Sunday afternoon. That will be a cool extra blessing!
I also look forward to meeting Alan at The Shalom School on Wednesday, the child we have started sponsoring. I brought a bunch of soccer balls to give away. Those will be like giving out gold!
Soli Deo Gloria – To God ALone Be the Glory.
Steve Wilson
The team arrived safely and was welcomed by families from the community and lots of children. We had our first heavy rain but were blessed to see Rosemary and Samantha; Javier with Junior and Jonathan and Ramiro and his family all joyfull to receive us in their finished homes that we built last year!
We praise the Lord for what He already started to do in our hearts.
We’ll keep you posted as how things go tomorrow and promise to have some pictures up for you all to see. We apreciate your prayers…
Jen, It was good to see you in the photo. We are praying for you and miss you.
Hello, all!!
I asked my son (Chase) to call me once from the trip before I knew about this blog site. Hope all is well and everyone is feeling back up to 100% health-wise. I will check this site every morning and pray for you all at that time each day.
Please tell Chase he can send me a blog-note and he doesn’t have to call me. Chase, I love you and am praying for you to be a blessing and to be blessed, which I know you will. Hello to all from Grassland Heights and others. Jeff, we are making it OK-continue to pray for our circumstance here at home and send hedges of protection and comfort around my babies.
Love to all,
Barbara
In response to the previous blog post by Barbara
I think this is a blog-note, but I’m sure if you read this blog every morning it won’t matter. I didnt call you because apparently our phones can recieve international calls, but can’t make them.
Anyway, I’ve finally started to think in Spanish again, but I have my days when I seem only able to think in English, making it muy difficult to translate. I have met many of my guatemalteco friends again, and they all remember me like the trip the previous year was only yesterday.
Thank you for asking prayer for my protection and comfort, but I don’t want either if God needs me to go without. He has shown up in some amazing ways already here.
I look at this trip as a warm-up for Mission Fuge. Evangelizing in Guatemala is much too easy. The real challenge will come when we return to the States and I am sent off to wherever we are going in order to spread the truth in a place where the people have it made.
Hasta sabado
Hello again, all
I have prayed for you all every day. It sure seems like God is indeed working. 17 new souls in the kingdom from 1 school visit! WOW!! To echo Jeff, what a shame we can’t go and do that here openly and freely. Our nation is truly a mission field, albeit a very wealthy one by the world’s standards.
I know you will all enjoy your supper tonight with the families you have built homes for. That is always an incredible moving occasion I have heard. I hope I can go and help someday.
When I prayed for a hedge of protection and comfort for my babies, I was more referring to everything that is going on here at home. I have also prayed daily for your safety and strength there also, of course.
Please have safe travels home. I know all of your families at home are missing you as much and are anxious for your return as much as I am waiting to see Chase.
Chase, I am very proud of you, of your willingness and boldness to share Jesus, even in another language, and of your spiritual strength. I love you, my son and my brother in Christ.
By the way, what does “Papi con bege” mean?! The beige papa???
I love you!
Mom
so good to hear all of the reports! wishing you safe travels today! Prayers and with you. Talk soon!