Guatemala family comments

The blended Guatemala family, Grace, Daniel, Maydy and Lauri. God brought us all together.

Words fail to describe the impact of spending two weeks in Guatemala with fellow believers from FBC and Guatemala. Grace and I were both overwhelmed with the love of God being shared between people. I truly loved being a part of the developing fellowship that transpired. Before the two weeks, these were for the most part strangers coming together for different reasons. After spending condensed, focused time together, we emerged as friends and comrades, Guatemalans and Americans. Going to church on Sunday after a trip is an amazing experience. There are new friends to hug in the hallway, (we need to do much more hugging!), the songs take on a new spirit and the Word of God seems much clearer. I have to say that going to Guatemala was for me a mobilizing experience. You can not just come home and not do something. God will provide the vehicle, I just have to get on board.
Grace didn't want to come home and is wanting to spend even more time there next year if she can figure out a way. She reconnected with Karen, a Guatemala girl who she prayed and cried with last year like long lost friends. She held and comforted Karen's little sister, Sarah, who cried and cried when given a photo of her and Luke O. There are definitely relationships established through the Spirit that are so impactful we have a hard time grasping the implications. Grace also had so much fun getting to know the Guatemalan teens and commented that they are just like teens here with the same trials and delights that she experiences in high school.
Of course getting to see Maydy and Daniel was especially tender for us. God has provided us with a family in Guatemala through His divine inspiration. How else could have we connected in a way that provides so much love across the miles and cultures. This year Maydy and I did not need Daniel to translate and stayed up into the wee hours Friday night before we left talking mom issues. It really was a miracle that we communicated so well. Maydy going on team with us for two days was more important than we imagined. She had never been on a mission trip before or seen her own people through mission vision and she was moved to tears. Her prayers were so beautiful! Daniel loved reconnecting with his buddies from Faith and making new friends as well. Watching him say goodbye to Matt Garcia was a tearful experience for us all. As Taylor Alcott said, "Ya'll are going to have to stop or you're going to make me cry!", and of course he did. What a blessing to see young people break down the "cool" walls and have true affection for each other. Gathering around Maydy and Daniel on our final share night, laying on hands for prayer you could feel the Spirit of God washing over us connecting souls for His purpose. God is good...all the time!
I'll be back!

Back home in Houston

Well we made it back home to Houston Saturday night after a 1 1/2 hour wait sitting on the plane in Guatemala City waiting for the lightning and storms to pass so that they could fuel up the plane. I suppose that is a good law so we waited and finally made it back to loving family and friends waiting for us.
Thanks again for joining us on this trip to Guatemala City through your prayers, support and encouragement, you can realize how much that meant each day to us. We truly saw God at work in us and in the lives of the local Guatemala believers that we worked with.
Pray about joining us on anther trip like this in the future, it will change your life and the lives of many more that you come in contact with.

God bless.

Cacey and Cade comments

Hola hermanos y hermanas en Jesus Christo,

This trip has been a wonderful blessing for both Cade and me. We were able to reunite with old friends and develop many new friendships that will last for eternity.

I think what impacted me the most is the willingness of God’s people to serve others. Whether it be through medical service, prayer, a warm meal, painting a beautiful mural, or painting a child’s fingernails, God expresses His love through the faithful in a myriad of ways. I learned that it is only when we joyfully anticipate the opportunity to serve others that God can really begin his work through us to further His kingdom. We were created for one purpose, and that is to give glory to our Father in heaven. I believe when we are humbly and sincerely serving others is when we are most alive because we are doing what He commanded us to do first above all other things…to love Him and others with all our being. It is the essence of who we are. God is love and we are created in His image.

I experienced many blessing this week. I met many wonderful people with a heart to serve the Lord. But what summarizes my trip best is what I saw during a simple game I was playing with the children at VBS. The adults and the children spread out a multicolored chute in the center of the soccer court outdoors. We put small colorful balls in the center and then began shaking the chute simultaneously. Waves of color rippling, balls leaping into the air, the sounds of children’s laughter, sun warming our shoulders….perfect moment with God. This was a beautiful picture of God’s heart…overflowing, bounding with joy and love for His creation.

As for Cade, he said his first trip to Guatemala has been a humbling experience. He has enjoyed experiencing a different culture and is more thankful now for all he has.

Walking in the light of His glory,
Cacey & Cade

Rene Matthews comments

This was my first opportunity to serve the people in Guatemala. It has been an amazing experience. I had the privilege of serving as a dental assistant with two great dentists who were both extremely patient with my unfamiliarity with dental equipment. What an awesome privilege I had to pray with each patient as they sat down in the dental chair. Many had serious dental work done and two even had oral surgery with no more than a local anesthetic. The calm these two women had just awed me. I don’t believe I can ever go into a dentist office without thinking of these two precious women. Both dentists were unbelievers, but as I left on Wednesday, Patty asked me to pray for her and then during our share time that evening she was able to join us and she thanked us for our prayers and gave God the glory for the successful dental procedures. Though I don’t believe she has come to know the Lord yet, I think He is definitely working on her. Please pray for her.

Working with the children of Palencia in VBS was also incredible. The sweet faces of the children and their joy and excitement in everything we did from singing to blowing bubbles. Praying with them and then having them pray for us was a very humbling, emotional experience. The precious hugs and kisses as we left gave me a real feeling of genuine love that we as Americans seem to somehow lack.

I came here to hopefully share something with the people of Guatemala, but I believe I am leaving with far more than I have given them. This has been an experience that I will never forget and hope that God sees fit to allow me to participate in again.

Rene Matthews

Earle Family comments

We thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to serve the needs of America Latina in Guatemala. We feel like we were able to make a great impact in a very short time with the construction projects, VBS for the kids and assisting with the medical clinics. In addition, we made many wonderful friendships with Tito, Rolando, Makko, Axel and others. We appreciate the care that Tito and his group took toward us in so many ways this week. The greatest impact was for our daughters as they were able to serve others in need. They gladly accepted tasks and projects – which we all appreciated. They also saw their parents have fun, be silly and serve side-by-side.

Thank you all for your prayers. For all who read this, let us continue to find ways to help serve and support America Latina.

Hicks family comments

This is our second year serving the people of America Latina in Palencia. Reacquainting ourselves with our Guatemalan friends was a joy. We also made several new ones. Our big surprise was discovering that prayers were answered through the beginning of the AWANA program (called OANSA here) at IDEAL, the church in Palencia.

Our serving here has been a real blessing for Davis, Evelyn and me. We have enjoyed the work with the women, children and men. We have also made many new friends, just on our team. We look forward to those friendships extending further once back at home.

The one thing about coming back a second year is to see the progress that has been made, not just by our team, but by other teams that participate in the ministry in Palencia. The progress at the school is such an encouragement. They are adding a grade in the next year and we look forward to seeing how God will continue to work in this place.

p.s. Sue, the statue is still there. And he asked about you.

Comments for Romain family

A few highlights for Ainslie were the prayers and hugs. On the last day of VBS we went around and prayed one on one with each child (mainly in English) during the first part of the afternoon, then at the end of the afternoon the Guatemalan children prayed for the “team”. Also, as the children left VBS on the last day it was so special to receive a hug from each one. Elise bonded with a girl named Diana and is already missing her. She and Diana were together constantly! Three things Ian enjoyed were helping the kids at VBS, getting to stay in Palencia overnight with the men, and the shopping at the market on the “touring” day today. Kathy’s favorite times were prayer times. There were many – praying with the VBS children as described above, praying with team #1 in the airport as we crossed paths, praying within the team for our personal situations, praying to bless Guatemalan team members, praying with eye patient’s that I didn’t know, praying with a woman that I was able to talk and laugh with for a while before praying, Guatemalan church praying a birthday blessing for Ian, and the team praying a blessing on Ainslie’s commitment to use her passion for dance to God’s glory. John’s observations also would follow the theme of prayer. In the months coming up to this trip I have felt God steadily leading me to a stronger prayer life including the establishment of a pretty extensive daily prayer list. Boy was I in for a shock when I saw how much the Guatemalan’s focus on prayer. God has allowed me to see that reliance on him is all we really need and that prayer is how we show that reliance. Thank you Lord for this wonderful gift.

Guatemala

We will miss Guatemala and our friends but we aready to go back...soon and very soon.

Streets of Palencia

As you can tell it rains alot here
Always be prepared

This is what we call team work

We got it loaded and off we went.

Reload the van...again

Last obstacle before leaving Palencia

As we finished cleaning everything up before we left and took quite a while to load up the van and put all of the luggage and medical supplies on top of the van we stared to pull out and realized that oops there is a gate we need to go through and the stuff on top is not going to make it.
So what do we do we need to unload the top and pull out into the street and repack it again.

Final murals

You all did a great job on the murals but Bethany was our leader and inspiration on this. Thanks girl for showing us the way and completing the task. The kids will really enjoy seeing these every morning when they walk into their class room.

Last day in Palencia

Kevin and John making pancakes and eggs for the men's team, great breakfast guys...thanks

Pastor Menfil and our men's team

pastor Menfil and his family

Men's meeting in Palencia

Men's meeting in Palencia

Tom sharing from God's word with rolando translating
Rolando, Kevin and a special friend sharing

Who are these guys

Waiting for the men's meeting and share time together in Palencia

Tom and Rolando real baseball fans

Sunset over Palencia

Sunset

The sun was starting to set on Thursday evening at Palencia and this shot reminded me of the bindings that we all have yet Christ can take all of this away.

Manuel

Manuel was always around helping out here diane is giving him one of the crafts a beaded cross necklage which he loved. A great servant who loves working at the school and helping with all he can.