Guatemala is land rich with beautiful weather, forested mountains, and warm, friendly people. Magdalena is the temporary home of LIFT 40. It is a quaint village, over 6,000' above sea level, on the side of a mountain with cobblestone streets and colorful houses all connected together. The LIFT students are split up into groups of 2-3, living in the homes of 13 different families. They eat breakfasts (cereal, oatmeal, pancakes, eggs & beans) and half of their dinners (chicken, rice, soup, more beans, pasta and fried steak) with their families, giving them time to further learn Spanish.
Last night was the first time since stepping off the plane that the LIFT team had time together without many other people around. They shared about what they have been experiencing and learning in the past two days at each of their ministry sites. The overwhelming theme that permeated from the stories told is how each of the missionary leaders from the different ministry sites make it a priority to take time and connect and listen to people. The focus on building relationships and loving people is preeminent over getting things done. In fact many times their ministries are intentionally designed to create time to spend with people in training and doing life together at the cost of lacking efficiency or sacrificing performance in getting a task done. The work at hand is a means to develop loving, lasting relationships. For Americans who have been raised in a performance-oriented culture, this has been both frustrating and refreshing to experience and adjust to. They are seeing so much joy in the lives of their site leaders - even those who deal daily with very difficult and dark situations that arise from a broken and sinful world.
As Jesus taught about being citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven he had children on his lap and didn't worry much about where his next meal would come from. He encouraged people to invest in what really matters and to store up treasures in heaven that cannot ever be lost, taken away, or decay. Little did they know that he was modeling his business plan to everyone around him as he shared the Father's love with them and invested in the only thing that matters eternally - relationships.
I have been summoned to go join the LIFTers and missionaries as they head to a field to fly the kites they just made to see who engineered the best aeronautical designs. Kite flying is a big tradition here as part of the religious holiday, "The Day of the Dead", which happens tomorrow. They will participate in cultural tradition a day early as to not be part of the religious undertones associated with it.
More posts will be coming soon as the students submit their impressions of what God is teaching them and how He is working through the ministries they are with. Stay tuned.
Tim
Last night was the first time since stepping off the plane that the LIFT team had time together without many other people around. They shared about what they have been experiencing and learning in the past two days at each of their ministry sites. The overwhelming theme that permeated from the stories told is how each of the missionary leaders from the different ministry sites make it a priority to take time and connect and listen to people. The focus on building relationships and loving people is preeminent over getting things done. In fact many times their ministries are intentionally designed to create time to spend with people in training and doing life together at the cost of lacking efficiency or sacrificing performance in getting a task done. The work at hand is a means to develop loving, lasting relationships. For Americans who have been raised in a performance-oriented culture, this has been both frustrating and refreshing to experience and adjust to. They are seeing so much joy in the lives of their site leaders - even those who deal daily with very difficult and dark situations that arise from a broken and sinful world.
As Jesus taught about being citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven he had children on his lap and didn't worry much about where his next meal would come from. He encouraged people to invest in what really matters and to store up treasures in heaven that cannot ever be lost, taken away, or decay. Little did they know that he was modeling his business plan to everyone around him as he shared the Father's love with them and invested in the only thing that matters eternally - relationships.
I have been summoned to go join the LIFTers and missionaries as they head to a field to fly the kites they just made to see who engineered the best aeronautical designs. Kite flying is a big tradition here as part of the religious holiday, "The Day of the Dead", which happens tomorrow. They will participate in cultural tradition a day early as to not be part of the religious undertones associated with it.
More posts will be coming soon as the students submit their impressions of what God is teaching them and how He is working through the ministries they are with. Stay tuned.
Tim
