Grace Missions Blog

The internet issues persist so this is actually being written early on Tuesday morning.  We had a good day yesterday as we saw four more houses built to the point of being ready for the concrete and one more started.  We were able to pour cement in five more and four more were completely finished.  I “think” we now have eight completely finished, thirteen with concrete, and fifteen at least started.  So, that means we have five more to build with seven needing concrete.  (I may be off a little but we will eventually get to twenty!)

We only worked half of a day building houses as we then went to Parabej to do a food & clothes distribution.  It took us about two hours each way driving.  This village was hit hard by Agatha.  Our February ‘10 GRACE team built houses there and also did a medical clinic.  It was a good afternoon of ministry.

We “had” to stop at Paulino’s on the way home for supper.  Excellent food & fellowship!

Today, we are moving our worship time to the evening so we can hit it hard for the entire day.  Our plan is to finish the houses and at least begin the dedications.

Everything/everyone is good.  We found one of the Mobile girls but we think the other one may have run off with an islander!

Keep praying!

We continue to have internet issues so I am typing this on Pages and will cut & paste once we get online.

We had an unusual Sunday for one of our GRACE teams as this is the first time that a team did NO shopping!  Our day began with a morning devotion where we presented Tico Vargas & Kirk Lightfield with a gift from GRACE Ministries & friends.  Surprised would be a good word to describe their reaction.  Pastor Mel brought the Word to us and we then headed out for the services at Su Presencia.  Pastor Doug Chappelle brought the message in that service.

We then headed to Las Antorchas where we enjoyed a good meal and even better fellowship.  We headed directly back to the mission house and quickly readied to go to a village to distribute food & clothes.  We got back to the house around 6:30PM and the ladies sorted clothes for tomorrow’s distribution after supper.

Everyone is well – praise the Lord!  This team is doing very well blending together.  The students on this trip have done very well!  (We’ve lost the two girls from Mobile but feel confident we can find them before our departure on Thursday! LOL!)

Thanks for checking on us.  Keep praying!

As I type this, we do not have internet service at the mission house.  However, we do have electricity.  It is almost 9:30PM and I am sitting in the office at the seminary where Kirk Lightfield graciously came and got me online.  I am here because Chris Howell is laying tile in an office.  It is actually a continuation of a job started by Tony Hacker last June.

We had a good Saturday.  The house that wasn’t completely finished yesterday was finished today and three more were built to the point of being ready for the cement.  Four more were cemented today.  So, that makes 11 ready for cement with 8 of those having received cement.  Four are completely finished.

We only built until 12:30PM and then we returned to the farm for a block party with the children from Paul & Cristy’s church.  However, we had to literally pull the blue pick up out from a house and were very, very blessed that it did not tumble down a hillside.  I have never seen anything like it and hope to never see it again.

We very much appreciate Katie Parker bringing the team to do the block party.  They were from Knoxville, TN which didn’t make me real happy but they were great folks!

We had a praise and prayer service at 6:00PM and it was special.  Afterwards, we enjoyed supper and the team members are now just getting ready for tomorrow.  We have a full day!

Thanks for taking the time to read this entry and please keep praying for us!

P.S. – I take no blame for any errors in this post and I don’t have my glasses with me!

As I type this, we do not have an internet connection at the mission house and haven’t had one since we returned from our day of ministry.  As a matter of fact, we returned home to no electricity and basically had to eat supper in the dark.  By the way, I have a call into Al about this lack of connection issue.

Good day!  This team is comprised of 44 members and 21 of them are first timers on a GRACE trip.  Since two remained at home to cook that meant that exactly half of our builders were totally unsure of what we were doing.

God blessed and we were able to build 7 (three walls/roof on) houses and another is very close to being at that point.  Four of the seven received cement today.  This team is building in Aldea Tunino and the climbs were significant.

Everyone is well.  Tomorrow we will host a block party for the children just over the mountain (Paul & Cristy’s church) and that will be a good time.  The morning will see us focus on building/finishing houses.

Pray for us.  The internet/phone is spotty.  However, we will try to update daily and no post simply means no internet.

(Wrote this last night at 8:30PM and am posting at 5:30AM because we just got internet service – sorry!)

Just a quick word that we all arrived safe and sound at the mission house around 2:00PM.  A quick meeting then it was off to lunch/supper combo followed by another meeting.  Everyone is now settling down for the night as our Friday begins with a 6:30AM devotion.  Thanks for the prayers & support!  Lord willing, I will blog again tomorrow night.

WORDS TO ENCOURAGE FROM GUATEMALA

Pastor Bob

BE FLEXIBLE – Teddie gives us a wrist band at the beginning of the week. It has Grace Ministries” written on one side, and “Be Flexible” on the other.  Teddie says that’s important on this trip.  Teddie is so right, even if he is an Alabama fan.  Seldom is the day experienced the way it was planned.  Today bears that out, for many of us, Teddie included.  I’lll let Teddie tell his story.  Here is mine. 

I was assigned to “The Concrete Crew”.  That’s a lot like punishment.  After a drive of nearly 1 1/2 – hours we arrived at the building site.  Traveling up the narrow, winding, steep, steep, steep roads I figured we were close to heaven.  The construction crews were unloaded.  They headed off to their sites.  As I looked turned around I saw the concrete crew leave without me.  A mis-communication due to my lack of Spanish language ability might have contributed to that.  I walked for another 1 1/2 hours up and down mountain trails trying to find Max (my spanish speaking crew).  I’m not sure which was preferable- not being able to find my crew, or finding him.  Having found him we mixed concrete for the houses.

At the end of the day all was well. Some 15 houses have been built (5 to go). Over 500 patients have been seen by the Doctors. The Seminary is being painted.  Many children have been blessed.  The day did not go as we planned it, but I have a feeling it went the way God planned it.

BE FLEXIBLE -

Blessings from Guatemala, Pastor Bob