Packing Time

I almost have everything I need for my trip! Thursday I got all the little travel bathing necessities I will need so I crossed that off my list last night. With all the new airline rules packing that kind of stuff is turning out to be a pain. Unopened, less than 3oz, original containers...it's crazy! But, I know that it also keeps us safe, so I don't think I should really complain!
Friday I was blessed by one of the most caring and loving people in my life. I went shopping for a few pairs of shorts and shirts for my trip and my guardian angel decided to take care of me on that. I'm so thankful for her and for all that she does in my life.

I'm a terrible packer...I'm really stressing over packing stuff. I hate not knowing what to take. I'm such an over packer at times, and an under packer other times. Anyone have an tips on international travel packing? If so, I could definitely use them!

11 Days and Counting

Wow! Only 11 more days and we will be on our way to Guatemala. I can't wait. I have so much to do between now and then, I don't have a clue when it is all going to get done! We had another meeting on Sunday and have all of our craft ideas down and supplies ordered. They are supposed to arrive by June 2...please pray that they arrive on time and not any later than the 2nd :)

I'm trying to prepare myself for this trip and for all that God has planned to show me. We are going to be used in such a mighty way. God is already answering prayers...He is really preparing the hearts of those in Guatemala. Read Mike's latest post on the Clubhouse Guatemala site here to read how the people are being changed! God is so good!

Only 3 weeks to go!

Wow...3 weeks! In 3 weeks we leave for Guatemala. I have been so busy getting things ready and preparing for this trip. I'm so excited and so nervous!
My passport came in the mail the week before last so that is taken care of and it's in a safe place until I leave. Hopefully I don't forget where that safe place is!
I have been to the doctor and only need one more vaccination to up to date and safe in another country. Lucky for me, the vaccine I needed for Typhoid Fever comes in a pill now. Of course I went with the pill! I start it tomorrow and it's a week long deal. The side effects are something I'm a little worried about. Nausea is one of the main side effects so I'm not looking forward to that at all. I'm praying God will sustain the side effects.
We have been meeting at church each Sunday about what we will be doing in Guatemala. I am on the craft team for the Bible school we are doing. I'm excited about planning crafts for the kids! We have so many great ideas...the sad thing is that there are only 4 days we have to spend with them! That's not enough time at all!

Pray for us as we spend the next few weeks really preparing the lessons, crafts, and games that will tell all about Jesus and His love for the people of Guatemala.

Meeting the Parkers

While we are in Guatemala we have the opportunity to stay with the Parker family in their mission house. They are currently in the country raising funds for some of their ministries and they joined us at Northstar yesterday and gave us a run down of what we would be doing while we're there. Let me just say, our schedule is packed! We will be hosting a Bible School for one of the schools Monday through Thursday mornings. In the afternoons we will be doing things around the village: painting, building, ect. Friday night we are having a huge blockparty for the village where we're doing the Bible school. That will be our chance to really witness to the families of the children we're spending time with throughout the week.

Mike Parker gave us an insight on what the people there are like as well. There is a lot of witchcraft and darkness in Guatemala. The majority of the population is Catholic and Mayan belief. The school where we will be teaching is a Catholic school, however the principal knows what we will be teaching and opened the doors for us to share the gospel. God is really going to do a work in this village. I have faith in that.

This week, if you're praying for me and the team, please remember Mike Parker and his family. While you are at, visit the Parkers website and let them know you're praying too!

God's Love

Tonight I was sorting through things and throwing things out and trying to "de-clutter" my belongings. I looked around and realized that I have a lot of stuff. As I was trying to figure out where all the "junk" came from my mind wandered to what I was going to experience in Guatemala. I follow several other blogs and one in particular, Dreaming Big Dreams, sticks out in my mind. The couple are adopting 2 babies from Haiti and have been to visit several times. Each time, Jamie writes about the things she sees, and a lot of time my heart breaks for the children and people there. They have so little. We have so much. They don't have a single pair of shoes. We have so many. They don't have clean water. We have tap and bottled water. They have little food. We have a lot of junk food. They have little. We have much. It doesn't seem fair in the scheme of things. For we are all God's people. And that is probably one of the few things that I'm going to have in common with some of the people there. They are loved just as much as I am by Jesus.

Each day I ask for God to give me a specific prayer for the people of Guatemala. Tonight my prayer is that He really prepares me to show His love. I want the love of Jesus to shine through me. I want the people to see that even when they feel like they have nothing, they have the opportunity to have something far greater than anything on this earth. Jesus.