Day 7 (3/2)

Greetings,

After breakfast we spent the next few hours traveling to Antigua for another day of R&R.  It was a scenic ride, but it did have a lot of twists, turns and hills to endure along the way.  We went in and out of the clouds and finally we made it to Antigua.  We enjoyed a quick stop at a coffee plantation.  We were able to sample different coffee's and buy some fresh bags for home.

We spent the afternoon going into our own groups and taking in sites or shopping.  The roads were very bumpy, as they were made of stones and made walking challenging at times.  The architecture of Antigua was very historic, as the buildings were built in the 1600's, when Antigua was the capital of Guatemala.

We were able to check into our rooms and by evening meal, many of us decided to wear our jackets, as the temperature was in the 50's and had a little breeze that contained a light rain.  The hotel, like the one in Panajachel was centrally located near shops and restaurants was convenient for walking.  We enjoyed a nice meal at the restaurant called the Arch.  Betty joined us for dinner and we got to enjoy her testimonies and sharing once again.  The team was truly blessed to have Betty with us, as we served many of her ministries in Guatemala.  The team was also blessed to have Davis along with us to help with the service team and do all the driving of the van.

The mission trip was truly a blessing, as we served a widow and her family, the children of the HIV orphanage, the school that needed repairs and the children had some of their needs met.  We could have easily spent much more time there serving at each place.  God worked in our hearts this past week in many ways and our hearts will continue to be open, even when we get home and share our experiences with our family and friends.  Thanks for following our mission trip and next year, we'll save a seat for you.

Dios Bendiga!
Terry

Day 6 (3/1)

Greetings,

We enjoyed sleeping in a little this morning and then having a nice breakfast at the hotel.  After breakfast, we took a walk down to the boat launch and enjoyed a nice boat ride across Lake Atitilan over to Santiago.  We had some team time near the lake in a pavilion and then had lunch at the Posada.  It was a traditional fajita meal with corn tortillas, beans, chicken and beef.  The meals were designed with adding to your own taste/tolerance of pain, spice or heat, however you may term the burning sensation in your mouth.

After lunch we took tuk-tuk's back into town and did a little more negotiating for goods with the local merchants.  Some of the merchants were very aggressive and followed us down the street, relentlessly at times, to try and get us to accept an offer for their goods.

We then took the boat ride back to Panajachel and spent some time relaxing in a pool or resting on a recliner chair basting in the warm afternoon sun by the pool.

Of course, all this exhaustion led to an evening fish dinner at the hotel.  After the evening meal, some of the team members went down the street for more shopping or just taking in the sites.  We did spend some time at the local coffee shops reflecting on the mission trip and what each of us experienced and how it has changed our world views.

Dios Bendiga!

Terry

Day 5

Greetings
 We left Guatemala City for Solola this morning.  It was a 3.5 hour trip along some hills and winding roads.  We took a break a little over half way and then arrived at the Eagles Nest (The name of the Orphanage) at Solola for lunch.  The view was spectacular, as we could enjoy looking down on the lake that was over 3,000 feet below.  We learned about the ministry to the Orphans and then had lunch.  After lunch, we spent time holding and playing with the orphans.

We left from the orphanage after spending a couple of hours with them and checked into our hotel in Panajachel.  We went down and started shopping and practicing our negotiating skills.  After doing some shopping, we had a nice supper at the restaurant at the hotel.  We had a nice time of sharing and then reviewed our plan for tomorrow.

 Everyone is looking forward in getting a good nights rest and spending some well deserved time relaxing.  I know that God has worked in the hearts of all the team members and they will not forget this mission trip, as it will leave a lasting impression their lives.

 Thanks to all that has been praying for us while we have been serving and sharing God's blessing's with the people of Guatemala.

 Dios Bendiaga,
Terry

Day 4

Greetings from Guatemala,

Today, we had a pretty good day at the HIV Orphanage and at the worksite building the home.

 We needed to stop and pick up some pill bags for the medical clinic before dropping the team off at the Orphanage.  We stopped in Sumpango at a local pharmacy store.  As we were leaving and started our U turn on the cobblestone road, the back tire went flat.  We just happened to have a flat tire in front of the tire changing shop, so we paid about $7 US dollars to get our tire changed with the spare.  The spare tire was replaced with a new tire later in the morning.

 The medical clinic had about 60 people needing care today.  The team saw some children from the orphanage, their parents, the nuns and people from the community.  The morning was slow, but in the afternoon is when the bulk of the patients walked in for care.  Danielle entertained the children with bubbles and making some balloon animals.

 The service team was able to finish putting the roof on the new detached kitchen.  The main 2 room home will probably be finished by Friday.  The roof material was from the old house, in which we needed to remove from that house today.  The detached kitchen was completed enough with doors and windows to place 2 bunk beds in this afternoon and dedicate the home.  The pastor from their church led the dedication, prayed over the home and the family.  The family was very excited to receive this miracle, as it was described by the pastor.  They were so grateful to God for sending the team down to Guatemala and having all the financial support to change families living condition.  It was a heartfelt dedication and it was truly a blessing for this widow and her children.  They had been sleeping in a small metal room in 2 beds, now all the family members get their own beds.  The little boy, Louis, who wa about 10, claimed a top bunk and started making his bed as soon as he could.  After the dedication, the sun shown through the clouds and it seemed to be a glimpse of God smiling down on us.

The evening meal was to be a surprise for the HIV Orphans.  They were served their favorite meal, in which they get once a year, the meal was from Pollo Comparo.  The children were electric and couldn't wait to get their food served to them.  Afterwards many of the children got hugs and pictures with the team.

 Tomorrow we leave for R&R, but before we check in to our hotel, we'll visit one more orphanage at Solola.

 Thanks for your continued prayers.

 Dios Bendiga!
 Terry