Day 1

Greetings from Guatemala
 We met at the airport this morning at 4AM and arrived into Guatemala City about 20 minutes early this afternoon.  We were met by members of the Guatemala team that brought us to the Hostel and we feasted on Pollo Comparo (Chicken) for lunch.  We visited with Betty, one of Wooddales's Worldwide ministry partners who told us about the ministry at the school and at the HIV Orphanage.

After lunch, some of the team visited a local Mayan ruins in which was very interesting.  (see picture) Most of the ruins had been buried, as it was a strategy that the Mayans used to hide their cities from their enemies in the area when coming under threat.  After a period of time (hundreds of years) they would return and uncover some of their structures and build newer ones.
While part of team was taking in some of the sights and culture, some elected to stay back and work on the service bags and rest.

We will be working at the school tomorrow.  The medical team will be working with the students, while the service team will be working on replacing windows and screens.  Our day will get started around 8AM for breakfast and then pack up to our first service day.

 Dios Bendiga,
Terry

The Team is Ready

The send off service was well attended and Julie Faltinson did a great job with the service.  We spent some time letting everyone know on the map where we were going to be and what we were going to be doing.
The team is all packed, bags weighed and tagged and ready to go.  Our meeting time at the airport is 4AM, so we all plan getting a little something to eat and go to bed early tonight.

Please pray for safety and health tomorrow as we begin our mission trip.  We are all excited to start serving in this ministry.  We are still getting to know each other on this team too, so please pray for team unity and building strong Christ like relationships.

Thank you for your support.
Dios Bendiga!
Terry

Send Off Service

Guatemala City Ministry Send Off Service

When:  Saturday, February 23rd  4:30pm - 5:00pm

Where: Wooddale Church Room 108

Julie Faltinson will lead the service
 
Schedule: Mini slide presentation of our upcoming mission. (Medical, Building, School/Orphans)
               Prayer Needs
               Pray
               Conclude Service


Prayer Needs

•Sharing the love of Christ

•Blessing those we serve through helping and sharing

•Building friendships with brothers and sisters in Christ.

•Personal and spiritual growth

•Team Unity when we are joined with the Guatemalan team.

•Health and Safety as we travel and serve.

 

 

Building Project

Greetings,

The home that we will be building is for this widow and her 5 children.  The family currently lives ina metal corrugated home that gets extremely warm in the noonday sun.  It is in need of an outhouse too as currently the family has like an old pastic shower curtain that is stretched along a clothes line for privacy.  The project will not only give them a better home, but it will also provide a cement block outhouse that is detached from the home.The family has only 2 beds currently, but through many extra donations, we will be providing the family with 2 additional bunk beds and sheets.  Blankets are being donated from the church in Guatemala City for the family. The work on the home was planned to be started before we arrive.  There is a local mason that we will be working with, along with a few men from Guatemala.  We plan on working on the home for at least 2 days.  The home will be dedicated on Wednesday to the family.

One of our work days, we will be at a school in Guatemala City.  Betty has asked for help in installing some needed doors, windows and screens in the school.

 Below is a picture of the mother, who is a widow and two of her children.
 Betty is in the picture as well, she is one of Wooddale Churches Global Patrtners and has been very helpful in arranging our service projects and medical team care clinics. Please be in continued prayer for our team as we prepare ourselves for this ministry.
 Dios Bendiga!

10 More Days

Greetings,

We are 10 days away from starting our service ministry in Guatemala.
The service team will be working on building a home for a widow and her 5 children in Sumpango.  They will also be doing some repairs around the Precious Moments school in Guatemala City.

The medical team will be caring to the children in the HIV orphanage in Sumpango.  They will also have a clinic to the community and caring for the children at the Precious Moments school in Guatemala City.

We will also be spending time playing with the orphans, bubbles, sidewalk chalk, balloon animals and the parachute game.  We may even get a chance to play with the children at the school too.

We may get the opportunity to teach some English to some of the students at the school.

The team has been given a wheelchair/cart to donate to a paraplegic.  The cart was donated by www.petmntc.org and we look forward to sharing the love of Christ with this individual too.

A couple of girls in the junior high collected shoes to donate, so we will be giving those away too.  Thanks Regan and Emma!!

Keep checking back, I'll try to keep posting information on our trip and keep us in your prayers as we continue to prepare.

In Christ,
Terry

                                         A picture of the home that will be transformed