Grace Missions Blog

We are going to try to keep the pictures from each team uploaded.  Simply go to the home page of www.friendshipfamily.net and under the media section click on gallery.  The pictures are filed under GRACE 2009 and will be divided according to the group.  We hope you enjoy seeing the ministries in Guatemala!

According to Facebook, Faith Baptist has arrived safely in Memphis.  They left the mission house at 7:30 a.m. and landed in Memphis at 10:30 p.m.  We are grateful for their safety in a long day of traveling.  I have pictures of the Faith team that will be posted on the site as soon as I figure out how to do it.  Help Chino!

Bro. Don Tibbett and three other team members arrived at the mission house this afternoon.  The remaining team members will arrive on Saturday.  It is a special week for Mrs. Luisa because this group is from her home church.  Please pray for this group throughout the week!

I tried and miserably failed!  I bought meat from the same market that everyone else in Chimaltenango buys their meat.  Due to my lack of Spanish and the butchers lack of English, I am not exactly sure what cut of meat I purchased.  I am pretty confident that it was beef because it was laying next to the cow tongue!  After the meat finished cooking, we (all six of us) decided that it was a mix between tough beef jerky and a car tire.  We will try again, but with an interpreter.  We are graciously saving some of the meat for Larry Whitehurst!  We are very grateful for Pollo Campero!

I wish you could have seen our faces around midnight when Soy answered the door and my mom stood on the other side!  We were surprised and confused!  (Soy’s mother-in-law surprised him in Guatemala–What more could he want out of life?)  It is a very unexpected birthday surprise for me.  Of course it could not be a birthday without Mrs. Diane’s cake.  The workers at customs thought it was such a pretty cake and the flight attendant kept it in the cockpit so it would arrive in one piece!  I am grateful that Mrs. Luisa has changed off days with me so we can enjoy the weekend.  I am blessed !

Beth Moore quoted, “no amount of success in ministry can make up for failure at home.”  I can honestly say that I have watched my parents be the same Monday-Saturday as they are on Sunday.  They have made it a priority to raise us based on Biblical truths even when it was not the popular choice.  I have watched them sacrificially give beyond belief, and I have seen God continue to bless them over and over.  They have a passion for Christ that compels them to love and serve people.  IMO, they are champions for Christ!  I will forever be grateful for godly parents!

-Deidra

Ryan Johnston began the morning by challenging the team members to remember that we have one purpose in life–The Great Commission.  I can honestly say that Faith Baptist is a church filled with people who do not simply talk about missions but are involved in missions.  They continue to spread the gospel in their community, state, nation, and world.  I believe God is continuing to pour His blessings on Faith Baptist because of their passion to see people come to Christ.  They are passionate about Jesus!

The people of Faith Baptist presented GRACE ministries with a gorgeous banner.  It will hang in the mission house as a reminder of the one reason we serve the people of Guatemala–JESUS!  Their banner ministry worked extremely hard on the banner and we are truly grateful.

The teams finished a total of 15 houses this week.  The men and women worked hard, even in the rain, to complete all of the houses.  Fifteen families are thankful for the gringos who spent their time, finances, and ability to provide a “better” house for them.  My dad would say that Tennessee people don’t even know which end of the hammer to hold!  Regardless, the houses are finished even if they did spend the entire looking for the “board stretcher”.

Thankfully the rains held off this afternoon for some of the team to dedicate houses.  They blessed the families with clothes, food, and Bibles.  Our prayer is that the people realize an earthly home is temporary, but the unseen things are eternal.

The team hosted a VBS for the children in the village.  They had a great time playing with the children, making crafts, and sharing about Christ.  It was definitely a rewarding time for the children and team members.

“This mission trip has reminded me that it is the love of God that changes people, and it is by his grace that He uses people to show His love to others.” – Krystal Durfee

“God continues to be faithful!” -Robby Crafton

“This week has helped to remind me just how blessed and how much we have in America.  It has shown me just how much others are in need of and how God can use us to help fulfill their needs.  I feel that I have received more blessings than I gave.” -Brian Norton

“For where your treasure is, your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:21-Jenny Carter (adopted 2 Guatemalan girls)

Thank you Faith Baptist for serving the Lord in Guatemala!

-Deidra

Pam and Alisha arrived without any trouble this afternoon.  Miss Luisa is all smiles as she now has extra help and three washing machines!  We are extremely excited about helping Miss Luisa and serving the various teams throughout the summer.

Faith Baptist of Bartlett put in a long, hard day of work.  The team continued to complete houses with cement and prepare the remaining houses for cement.  They will finish the houses in the morning and participate in house dedications in the afternoon.  The pastors who work with GRACE Ministries always do an excellent job presenting the Gospel to each family who receives a house.  Please pray that the lost will come to know Christ and God will receive all of the glory for the houses!

Some of the group went back to Amor Del Nino to hold the final day of Vacation Bible School for the children.  Juan Marcos has complimented the group for the outstanding job they have done during VBS.  I am certain that it has been a week that the children will never forget!

Thank you for continuing to pray!

Deidra

Wow, we had another good day but it was a long day!  The medical team left the mission house around 9:00AM and returned around 9:30PM.  We now have twenty houses built and cemented.  All that remains is some minor additions i.e. a hinge here or there, et cetera plus 15 dedications.  We had another team go to the seminary where they painted the exterior of a house, broke up some cement sidewalks so they can be replaced and began preparing some ground for stone runners.  Pastor Bob Harvey preached in the chapel at the seminary this morning and then “slacked” off by going for coffee & dessert with Tico Vargas.  (Can you say slacker t-shirt?)

Normally, we have pizza on a Thursday or Tuesday night but we changed the schedule this year.  We took the team to Tecpan to Paulino’s Restaurant – it was a great time of fellowship and some really good food.  We left the restaurant and went to La Iglesia Evangelica C.A. “La Gran Comision” which is the sponsoring church in the village where we are building houses.  Their quartet sang for us along with some congregational singing.  Our team, led by Carla Mast, sang two songs for them.  It was a neat night. 

As we were driving back from the church service, Jeff Schuiteman called to tell us that his father had passed away earlier today.  Jeff’s wife, Cheryl, is on the trip.  So, I ask you to pray for the Schuiteman family.  Cheryl will stay here as they anticipate the service in Michigan will not place until next week. 

This is a good team.  We have had zero problems.  They are one of the most flexible teams I have ever led on a mission trip.  Everyone has been awesome up to this point and I have no reason to believe it will change before we leave.  I thank God for these folks. 

We are changing gears tomorrow as the construction team will leave at 7:00AM and the medical team at 8:00AM.  We will have our service time tomorrow night.  Pray that we will have a great final day.  Thank you for taking the time to read this blog. 

What a day. We left the mission house at 6:40 for worship at 7AM. Worship lasted from 7-8:20. I did not understand a word spoken, but the Spirit of God was evident.

After returning to change into more casual clothes we drove to ANTIGUA for shoppinig and lunch. Following that we loaded a pickup truck with supplies of food, clothes and toys. We drove to a remote location an hour away that is so very hard to describe. We went from poor to pooer to poorest. When we arrived the villagers were waiting. Each family had been given a ticket to receive a food bag. We set up an assembly line much like our Brown Bag Ministry through the Food Bank in Auburn. 644 people came through the line. One family had 13 children. Several with 6 or 8. After receiving the food each child was given clothes and a toy. Then all were given toothpaste and a brush. So sad, yet very rewarding.

Tomorrow we will divide into 2 locations. 1 doing medical missions, the other building houses. More later,

Blessings,
Pastor Bob