All good things must come to an end – or so somebody said.  In our case, we arrived in Vancouver after midnight Friday night and most of us drove home today (Saturday).

 We had significant internet difficulties so we apologize for not being more current with info on our activities. 

Thursday was spent in Antigua, touring in the morning and shopping in the afternoon.  It seems hard to believe but Antigua was the capital of Central America fifty years after Columbus discovered America.  Given the time it took to cross the Atlantic and such, it is amazing what happened in fifty years.  Antigua wasn’t the first capital; I think it was the third.  It lasted until a devastating earth quake in 1773 which wiped out most of the structures in the area.  We toured the ruins of the cathedral, jade factory and a convent.  The history is fascinating.

Shopping there is unique and special.  Needless to say a lot of Christmas gifts were purchased by team members.  We had a beautiful meal at our hotel and then had our last debriefing/sharing session with Les.  It was a happy/sad time as part of us didn’t want to leave, while another part of us tugged at coming home to our family and friends.  In the end we all chose to come home to be with those we love – which includes all of you.  We have appreciated so very much your thoughts and prayers while we were away.  We knew we were safely in God’s hands and could feel His warm embrace every minute.

Each of us has many stories to tell and look forward to sharing with everyone.  We’ll post an array of pictures soon – now that we have good internet access.  Once again, God bless you all and have a happy Thanksgiving weekend.  We certainly have much to be thankful for.

Gloria a dios!!

LU JEM

Well, we’ve reached another point in our journey.  Today we head to Antigua on the western side of Guatemala City.  If we were crows and could fly the way they do it wouldn’t take very long.  However, we’re not crows so it will take us over four hours.

The internet connection here is less than stable and reliable.  It has been difficult to keep the blog updated when there is no connection.

After breakfast we had a devotional by Marg based on a song “My Lord colors outside the lines.”  We certainly have been stretched and moved outside of our comfort zone.  What a great feeling!

Yesterday was a work day with the team trying to finish off some of the projects where we have been working.  As a result we were able to complete the painting in a large classroom, complete the T-bar ceiling in two rooms, and come very close to finishing the T-bar in a large meeting room area.  Everyone has worked very hard with many new skills being developed.  Rob was pleased that he can leave the clinic with the medicines and medical supplies all in order.

Christine had a second session with Leslie, teaching her more sign language.  Leslie is extremely intelligent, being able to figure out what is being taught by the teacher even though she hears nothing.  Leslie is already having fun with the signing – she understands it so well.

In the afternoon the teachers were given instruction in first aid for the children by our capable medical people.  Bernie also did a session on budgeting – a concept the teachers seemed unaware of.  It is so easy to get into financial difficulty with interest rates between 17 – 29%.  A withdrawal from a bank machine costs 5% of the amount withdrawn!

Once again dinner was fantastic.  The meals have been wonderful.  After dinner we had our debriefing with Hector David, the principal of Purulha school, giving us an update and his vision for the school.  He is a wonderful young man and a blessing to the school.

In about one hour we will hop in the vans for our journey to Antigua.  Unfortunately a couple of the team members have picked up a bit of a bug and are a little under the weather.  Apart from this, generally speaking, we have been blessed with good health.

Our weather has been fantastic with no need to get out the sweat shirts.

We’ll get this posted and, with God’s continuing rich blessings, we’ll see you soon.

God bless and our thanks for your continuing prayer support.

Please note that we are having significant internet problems and will post again if the technology allows.  Keep checking!

LU JEM

Today we headed off early (7:00 am) for Purulha.  This is one of the satellite schools about 25 minutes outside of Tactic.  We experienced the kid’s devotional and saw smiles on all the faces.   Once again we had the best ‘hug line’ anyone can imagine.  Once the kids were in class Les gave us some background on the school and the surrounding village. 

While the team headed back to Chijacorral to continue painting and working on the ceilings, Marg and I stayed in Purulha to work with a very special student.  Leslie is deaf and is a very determined young lady.  We introduced sign language to the school by me signing during the devotional and signing Father I Adore You while everyone sang.  We worked with Leslie all morning and will again tomorrow.  We also met her mother who worked hard to understand the signs and was very appreciative of our efforts.  It was a great experience to say the least.

 This afternoon we headed to Parachoch. The roads are terrible when the weather cooperates, and impassable when it rains.  We were lucky that God shone on us this day and we were able to make it to this very remote village.  Bridget led everyone in a children’s program.  Les was very animated as he acted out the big catch as he translated.  He had the children and all of us laughing. It was so heart warming to see not only the children, but the adults participating in the colouring and enjoying is so much.

 We’re back at home now and ready for our last full day in Tactic tomorrow.  Love and prayers to all of our family and friends.

 LU JEM

Purulha School

Leslie Signing - Eat

People of Parachuch Watching the Children's Program

Adobe House in Parachuch

Parachuch Villager Pleased with his Colouring

 We’re waiting for lunch on Sunday after an exciting morning in the market looking for items on a list written in Spanish.  We were in three teams.  The competition was fierce to say the least.  It was a great experience.

 Back to yesterday.  The morning was taken up with team members visiting their sponsored children in their homes.  I think it’s fair to say one would have to experience it to appreciate the myriad of emotions we felt.  It was also a construction day with Terry providing the leadership with Christine, Graham and Bernie and Eileen providing support.  As of last night we have two large classrooms completely finished with T-bar ceilings, and a third room will be finished on Monday.  Rob worked in the pharmacy culling out expired medications.  A highlight of the afternoon was the program put on by our ladies for the Guatemalan women.  Over fifty women attended with another twenty-five children joining in.  Trudy gave her testimony which touched the hearts of many women as well as those on the team.  Shirley followed with a session on hygiene, health and sanitation – especially hand washing.  It was a long day and dinner was enjoyed by all at the guest house.  Les led us in a debriefing session.  These sessions are always special.  Then off to bed and a slight opportunity to sleep a little longer.

 So it’s now lunchtime and then we’re off to visit a coffee plantation.  Church on Sunday starts at four o’clock because Sunday is market day.  So we’ll be off to Rio da Vida iglesia for the service.  Rob will be giving a testimonial.  This is a first for him and he is very nervous.  We prayed for him this morning.  We would ask that you join us in holding him up in prayer.

Our days continue to be full with each person experiencing their own unique emotions.

 Thank you for your continuing prayer support.  We love you and will be home soon.

 God bless.

LU JEM

Well, here we are one week into our Guatemala mission and today was filled to overflowing with experiences and emotions.

We started the day with breakfast and an inspirational devotional by Linda.  We were picked up at 7:30 am so we could be on time for the morning devotional at Chicoy school.  Wow! These kids really know how to praise God.  Their faith is truly amazing.  Once again we were prayed for by the children and hugged every one in the school.  A wonderful experience we likely won’t see in Canada.

From there we journeyed a short distance to Cuevos de Chicoy – a cave which has been used by the Mayans as a worship site for many many years.  We had to walk up the side of a mountain about 400 feet and then descend about the same distance into the cave.  It is a unique experience that affects each person differently.  We left the cave and traveled a short way to see the school in Macohan. 

Then we traveled back to Chicoy where some of us had an opportunity to meet our sponsored children in their homes.  You can only imagine how special that was.  We had lunch in Tactic and then boarded the vans for Coban to visit the hospital there.

By North American standards the hospital is poorly equipped, dirty, lacking in supplies, crowded – I could go on and on.  However, it is a vast improvement since our first visit.  We visited the pediatric ward and prayed with each child and the family members.  The women visited the nursery where they gave each of the new mothers the layette packages we assembled in Kamloops.  We also had different packages for the two moms who had lost their babies. 

We traveled back to Tactic for dinner with Les and Rita.  We had a long session reviewing the day’s activities and hearing from Rita about her experiences since moving to Guatemala.

All in all it was a full day leaving us with much to think about.

This morning (3^rd) God has blessed us with another beautiful day.  We’ll be splitting up to do home visits with our sponsored kids, do construction, and a program for the women after lunch.  Week two promises to be every bit as exciting as week one.  God bless you all at home.

PS   Sorry this is late, but the internet is not always relaible!!

LU JEM

Team at the Openning to Cuevos de Chicoy

Looking up at the Openning to Cuevos de Chicoy

A Visit to a Sponsored Child's Home

A Visit to the Hospital in Coban

It’s hard to believe that 5 days have gone by. Everyday is a new adventure. After our morning devotional, Les drove us up a steep, windy road to a Catholic church called Chixim. From the terrace of the church we saw a spectacular panoramic view of the Tactic valley.

In Guatemala Oct. is the month of the kite. Children were flying colorful kites everywhere. Today, Oct 1 is the Day of the Child (children’s day)

From there we were driven to Chijacorral school and continued with our work projects. Some of the team went back to the guesthouse to put labels on the 300 lbs of coffee that arrived today. Also bags were sorted for the women’s program and hospital. At the school we cleaned rooms to get them ready to paint. Some painting has begun, ceiling tiles were sorted and one room now has half of the tiles hung. The rooms will be used for classrooms and one will be used for a music/devotional/parent-teacher meeting room. We are all excited to see it come together.

The children are in class during all this activity and during recess they enjoy coming over to say hello and give us hugs. The first day we saw a 9 year old boy in a lot of pain due to a badly decayed tooth. He had his tooth extracted at the clinic on Tuesday. He was so happy and greatful today, giving us lots of hugs and smiles.

The weather has been in our favor as we’ve had a lot of sunshine and very little rain.

Hope all is well at home.

Blessings to all.  Trudy

LU JEM

Chixim Church

Children with Kites

Labeling Coffee

Painting Classroom at Chijacorral

Placing Ceiling Tiles

Sometimes God blesses us with special miracles.  Today was one of those days.  We had a medical issue,with Rob in the clinic, but for all those at home – know that he is OK.    Thanks for all the prayers from home.  They were answered.

While one group was working in the clinic, the other worked on construction and ran the children’s program.  We had our third children’s program today and the smiles are contageous. It was a phenominal  program – it is really special to see kids walking home from school proud to hold the windmill crafts they made during the children’s ministry.  The construction is in full swing and the framing for the T-bar ceiling in one classroom is complete.

We have definitely been doing things the ‘Guatemalan’ way – riding in the back of trucks, on the tops of vans, washing dishes in the pila and making doblados to name a few.  The team is working well together and we gel more each day. 

We all send our love and prayers to family and friends and look forward to sharing our experiences with  you when we return.

Love to all.

LU JEM

Clown Entertaining Children at Chijacorral

Placing T-bars for New Ceiling

Villagers from Parachoch Visit Clinic

New Glasses at the Clinic

Dentistry Eases Pain

 We have had two very full days…let me try and remember what to tell you.  Oh, but first, dad I haven’t been sold into white slavery or attacked with a machete.

 This morning we were at the clinic/school.  It is an amazing building. It contains lights and ceiling tiles from Canmore and even desks.  It is almost completed.  Classes are going on in one end while building is going on in other parts.   

 Three doctors, one dentist and one optometrist came last night from Guatemala City out of the goodness of their hearts, all young folks.  The clinic was open to the people of Parrachoch today.  Over seventy people came.  Chrisitine helped the dentist do over ten dental extractions.  Rob helped count out pills in the pharmacy for infections and other maladies diagnosed by the doctors.  Nikki and Linda poked fingers to do hemoglobins and got the patients to collect urines to check for infections and diabetes.  Shirley helped the optician with the eye test, and played gopher for the doctors and dentist.  It was neat to see children walking around with glasses after.  Bridget greeted the patients as they came in and weighed them and took their vital signs. Trudy assisted the dentist.  The dentist brought his own chair and autoclave for sterilizing instruments.  Bob brought his clown suit and performed for the school kids.  They love the bubbles and the endless colored ribbon he pulled from his throat.  The kids program was a hit.  Eileen talked about Jesus, and then the kids were split into two groups.  The first group colored pictures of Jesus and the second group made beaded pins that they could pin on their sweaters.

 The kids are so loving and huggy.  Nikki is our photographer.  She has gotten some amazing pictures thus far.  Arlana has been a real asset.  She hugs the kids and doesn’t want to let go.  She has a very big heart.  Marg runs all over making sure we are all happy and taken care of….and if you need anything, chances are, she has it.  Terry’s experience in construction is so helpful. At this moment, he and Bernie are putting up a ceiling in two of the classrooms.  This morning they installed the “ledge” around the perimeter and now they are starting to build the framework that the ceiling tiles will sit on.  The ladies have started to paint the classrooms.  Tonight we are going to visit one of the poor families in the area.  The people will cook for us….and we have been told that it is very inhospitable not to accept what they offer…so grin and bear it and swallow!!!!!  The ministry has of course financed the dinner.  We will have the opportunity to see them weave their art. Impact ministries packages and sells their table runners and table cloths, etc so these people have a means of income.  Yesterday was a full day as well.  Our main objective was to make the clinic available for use today.  Up to this point it had been used as a storage area.  So we spent a lot of times moving desks and chairs and donated lights from the clinic to various rooms in the building.  We also moved quite a few pews which were donated by a church in Canada.  They will be converted to benches or else the wood will be used for something else down the road.  Others participated with the children’s projects yesterday also cutting out a boat and filling little netting with cracker fish to represent Jesus feeding the masses.  We gave been treated wonderfully here.  Graham and Joanne are here for a month from P.E.I.   They make sure we are fed and coffeed up and drive us to and from the site and Graham keeps us organized at the work site.  Yesterday morning we went to one of the schools for the morning devotional.  Each morning all the Christian schools have a devotional period when they sing and praise God and Jesus.  It was something to see kids of all ages reaching up to the heavens with their eyes closed and giving thanks.  These kids have so little with regards to material things, but so much faith and hope.  We volunteers were then called up to the front and then a child came and stood by and held each one of us, and then we were blessed.  It was very emotional.  After the service was over, we stood in line and the children hugged each one of us as they filed out of the auditorium.  We must have gotten a hundred hugs.  The children who are sponsored were then measured for shoes which they will get at Christmas.  I cannot forget to mention two other people.  Amy is related to Les.  She is in Guatemala for work reasons but has stopped by to visit her dad’s cousin.  She has been a huge help to us in all areas, and I personally have really enjoyed talking with her.  Jenea is here from an area three hours from here I believe.  Her parents are missionaries there and so Jenea has been in this country for three years.  She turns 17 tomorrow.  She is here in Tactic to be our interpreter.

I  better close.  My fellow Canadians are working pretty hard.  All I can say is that in only four days, this has been an amazing amazing time for me.  I have never met a man like Les, and I am looking forward to meeting his wife Rita.  He is a man with a vision, but also a man with a vision that he is making happen…and it is a totally selfless vision.  It is so neat to be even a nanopart of that.  God bless everyone.  Tracey.  Love ya all.

TAY  JEM

A Million Hugs

Kids Fitted for Shoes at Chamche

Chijacorral Clinic and School

Children's Program at Chijacorral

Making and Eating Doblados at a Villager's House

 We have arrived safely in Guatemala and are getting our first taste of things.  The weather has been great and we have traveled from Guatemala City to Tactic.  Enjoy the pictures below.

Everyone sends their love.

 LU JEM

28 Bags Packed and Ready to Go

Arrival at Seteca

Arrived at Seteca in Guatemala City

The Palace at Central Park in Guatemala City

Kilometer zero. Every road in Guatemala is measured from this spot.

The team with the Peace Monument at the Palace in Guatemala City.