Our team arrived intact, minus two, yesterday afternoon.  Those two will not be able to take part in this trip due to a very unexpected illness.  As a matter of fact, they were at the airport and had already checked their luggage whenever this sickness hit.  Pray for the one who is sick.

Everyone else arrived safe and sound from Grand Rapids in Michigan and Huntsville, Birmingham and Mobile in Alabama.  They came in two waves and by 3:30PM or so everyone was on the mountain.

Our day begins with our time in worship and the Word at 7:00AM.  We will then head west toward our building location.  Pray for us.

Another update will be posted either tonight or early tomorrow morning.  All is well and, for that, we are thankful.  God is good!

Thanks for checking in on us!  Thanks for the prayers!

It is almost 4:00AM and the final eight folks just loaded into a van a few minutes ago headed for the GC airport.  They were delayed one day in their departure but what great attitudes they displayed!  Pray they will all arrive home safely and on time later today.

The folks who left on United yesterday morning were delayed due to mechanical issues.  It caused several of them to miss connecting flights.  However, everyone made it home safely with Rachel Mast being the last one home.

The folks who left on Delta yesterday morning finally arrived in Grand Rapids around 1:00AM today.  Long day but David Scholz told me they had great service and seats.  Those folks had great attitudes too!

Lord willing, I will leave here this afternoon.  If so, I should bring up the rear at some point tonight.  God has been good to this team.

The team enjoyed a good final day of this mission trip.  The visits to the children’s homes took place.  All of us went down and spent some time with the children at the “My Dream Center” (are you happy Mark Mast?) shortly after lunch.  What a blessing to see Terri, Kacie & M teaching the children how to brush their teeth.  We had a team of four or five folks (doctors included) who washed dishes and cleaned the kitchen up.  This team has such a servant’s heart!

By the way, the inverter at the “MDC” is working nicely.  Thanks Tim Knighten!

The team then went to distribute food and clothes to one hundred families in a nearby village.  From there they went to a restaurant for a nice meal.  Upon their return, a sharing time took place.  Many team members shared.  Good deal!

The weather continued to cause this team to have to be “flexible” as nine of us will remain in Guatemala until Friday.  Everyone else will depart from the mission house at 3:30AM this morning.  We have seven going to Atlanta then LaGuardia then Grand Rapids – long day of travel for them.  The other twenty four will go through Houston and should be good.

I have to give a shout out to our friend, Trysha, and the fine folks at Delta in Mobile.  She went above the call of duty to get all of our cancelled passengers rebooked on flights for Friday.  What a blessing!  The kicker is that she was actually off work but called in and her co-workers helped get it done!  We are thankful!

The odd thing is that everyone who got delayed did so beyond their control with one exception.  Michael Mason asked to be delayed by one day – what is up with that?  Crystal, just know that I tried to get him to come home on the scheduled day!  (Or something like that!)

Great team.  Great week.  Greater God!

The medical/dental team came in late last night and they were one tired group!  They saw more yesterday than the day before.  They were in a village that had never had a medical clinic at all – ever!  It was a good day for them.

The construction team had an easy day labor wise.  They put the fronts on the final two houses and dedicated all eighteen.  Lots of pine straw, balloons and fireworks.  Good day.

The afternoon was spent on the phone with Delta trying to rebook the eight of us who had our flight cancelled.  It was a success up to this point except for three who were “bumped” from tomorrow’s flight from Guatemala to Friday.  This is a very fluid situation and could change at any moment due to the weather in the southeastern (Atlanta) part of the States.

We plan on visiting two children’s homes this morning, being at the feeding center for lunch with the children, and distributing food and clothes in a local village tonight.

Pray for us.  Thanks for checking on us.

The medical side of this team had a big day yesterday.  It was their busiest day of the trip.  They were near the coast and saw hundreds of folks.  The left the mission house early and got back late but seemed very happy with the day’s results.

The building side of this team was able to completely finish sixteen of the houses.  The other two have received the concrete already and only need to have the fronts, doors & windows put in place.  We will dedicate the houses today.

While the dedications are taking place today in Chipata, the medical folks will return to the coast.

Pray for us and thank you for checking on us.

After many years of praying, planning, building and waiting, the GRACE Ministries feeding center officially opens today, 2/10/14!  Hallelujah!  It is going to be a very special day for 35 children!

The first seven children have already been assigned sponsors.  The other twenty eight will be assigned a sponsor real soon.  The excitement is real high!

Pray for Lazaro and all this involved in this opening today.  I know the menu consists of grilled chicken and soup.

Thank you to each person who has helped in any way up to this point to help make this a reality.  However, the praise, honor and glory belong to God!  He is good!

Yes, our Sunday was different but it was a good kind of different.  The team left at 7:30AM headed to the market while Michael Mason had left at 7:00AM to go preach at Alpha y Omega church at 7:30AM.

Everyone, minus Dr. Michael, met at the restaurant in Antigua for lunch.  (Dr. Michael preached at 11:00AM also)

We met back at the mission house after lunch and left at 3:00PM bound for a church service West of Chimaltenango.  There service began at 3:55PM and ended at 6:15PM.  There were 1,000 (+/-) in attendance.  Dr. Michael preached.  The entire team was given individual pies (still hot) after the service.

The medical team heads to the coast today while the building crew hopes to finish the houses.

Pray for us and thanks for checking on us!

Good second day of ministry for this team.  This entry is being written shortly before 7:00PM and the dental team has not returned to the mission house.  Perhaps they are still eating but it is “possible” that Dr. Derek has them in an ice cream parlor somewhere in Antigua!  Talked to Dr. John and he said the medical team had a good day arriving back at the mission house around 5:30PM.

The building team had another good day.  I am actually having to hold these guys back as they have now gotten thirteen houses up – ten with concrete and three ready for concrete.  Probably could have built two more today but I made them leave.

Tim Knighten did some important electrical work around the property.  He has been a real blessing.

I think Rhonda Clark left this morning but not sure.

Our day began with great worship in song led by Carla Mast.  Cristy Leytham then shared about her cancer and the peace God has given her.  Dr. Michael then brought a really strong word on marriage from I Cor 13:4-7.

We are flipping our day tomorrow.  Going shopping early, eating, and then to an afternoon service in a traditional church about forty-five minutes from here.  Dr. Michael will be preaching.

Everyone is well.  Great team.  Thanks for checking on us and please pray for us.

I saw something last night that I have never seen before – lights on in the feeding center!  You talk about beautiful!  Granted they are not permanent but they are lights regardless!  Special thanks to Tim Knighten who took the lead and made this happen!  We are able to have the lights and refrigeration.  The center opens this Monday, 2/10!

Good day in Guatemala yesterday.  The medical team being led by Dr. John Nicely and the dental team being led by Dr. Derek Draft and Dr. John Gissal (actually, Laurie King is in charge of the whole thing but do not tell these doctors) had a good day of ministry with the dental being busier than the medical.  The team seemed content with the outcome of yesterday’s ministry.

On the construction side, our team of fourteen had a blessed day.  Four houses were finished with everything, including concrete, except hanging the doors and windows.  Three others were finished up to the point of being ready to receive the concrete.  We could possibly finish the construction side by Monday if there are no surprises.

Evangelist Michael Mason did a really nice job of sharing the Word with us yesterday morning.  It is such a blessing to have him with us this week.  Probably does a better job of preaching Junior Hill’s messages than Junior does himself!

Thanks for checking on us.  Pray for us.

Quick update.  First, we had no internet most of the day yesterday and, when we had it, it was hit and miss.

The team all arrived safe and sound.  Two from Chicago and three from Mobile had to take alternative routes to get here and arrived at the mission house around 10:15PM.

Breakfast is being cooked and soon everyone will be up and about ready for the day.  The medical side of this team far outweighs the building side.  It is going to be good!

Pray for us and another update will come tonight if the internet is available.