Greetings from Nate!!

        Day 9 of Guatemala is here! We have different sites that we are serving in. It's been really cool to see the flow of the ministry of Students International in the community in Magdalena. There are many parts of missions that we are to take hold of. Jesus went to the sick, the poor, even to the people who rejected him. We are called to be like Jesus. I see a lot of that calling being fulfilled here.

I have been serving in the microfinance ministry. As someone who is big in business and sales, the conviction hit me like a truck. This is not about the money, its about the building of those around us. The relations in the church and the importance of prayer has been highlighted to me. In microfinance I have been with Abigail, Trina and recently Alena. Gary is our site leader. We LOVE Gary! We have been checking in with business and seeking prayer needs and praying for them. Even if I can't understand some of the things being said, praying in the Spirit is what we have been doing and it's huge and have been seeing fruit. The Ministry helps entrepreneurs build and grow their businesses. The provide loans financially with interest rates more than a quarter of what market is going for, they provide seminars and do check-ins and help with business plans. All while planting seeds of the Gospel. God is moving here! We are seeing a lot of the Lord providing for these people that we are talking too. 

        Some supernatural things too! We prayed with a healed blind man and saw his Aquacate (avocado) farm that is booming with 400 trees on a hill with sandy dirt which is normally not common for trees to thrive. God is now using the Farmer Eladio to further the Gospel as well. He is helping his workers by paying them more and spreading the love of Christ, he has more time to spend in the church and serve. I am seeing a lot of believers building up believers and non-believers here. This is living on mission. We can be doing this in the States too. God uses everything to build up His glorious kingdom. People play different roles. You matter and play a role in the kingdom, too. Your personality, smile, skills, hobbies, all of it. Serve the kingdom. I encourage you and my class with, how can you use your gifts and what you enjoy to serve God?

The hospitality here is also something to note. We all have host families which really make the experience very immersive. We are able to live IN the culture here. It is different for all of us because our host families don't speak much English. For some that is not a problem, and are communicating no problem. My house…. that's a little different of a story haha. But we still pray everyday together and we try our very very best to communicate, although Paul, Brayden, Hage and myself know little Spanish. But I am so thankful to be doing it with them. Our family took us in knowing this. 

        We do home visits to check in on business and other sites check in also on their people and consistent hospitality, we get a warm welcome inside smiles and they even feed us! We have learned how to make tortillas (which means we can now get married in Guatemala lol.) Microfinace was able to make a dessert called Mole (Mole-ay) with Ava, a host mom and business owner. She does it because she loves the ministry and North Americans. She dreams to have a hotel some day to take North Americans in and wants to serve them. Mole has tomatoes, chocolate, plantains, sesame and pumpkin seeds, cinnamon, sugar, breadcrumbs, and some other spices. It was very interesting, but such a great experience. 

        We are sending our best wishes to you. We are definitely having a live-changing experience. I have been on mission trips before and this one is different. But we still miss you. We miss your hugs, encouragement, whats going on with your days, we miss your laughs. Be encouraged, work together, serve, Seek God for this very moment. He will guide your steps. I pray that you find him today, that he builds up your faith and he reminds you of the skills and all the things He's blessed you with that you may help others as well. 

Prayer Requests:

1. We are hiking a Volcano soon! Saturday and Sunday we will be 13,000 feet high looking at the active Fuego Volcano. Please pray as some try to qualify today, for injuries that some are facing, and also the Spiritual Emphasis that Paul and myself are doing. We want to make an impact with LIFT but also with the Guides that are leading us and to the many tourists that will be with us as well. A good, safe, and edifying Hike!
2. Open hearts to the people we are ministering too and the people that we run into today
3. Eyes to see the Spirit and a willingness to act (this is something we learned early on, God giving us opportunities and we had to adjust to culture on how to act)
4. Encouragement for what we are feeling called to from God, What the next steps are and how this trip impacts that. 
5. The continuing of the building of relationships 

Your Prayers and support is way bigger than you know! Thank you so so much. 

Many Blessings, Much Love and One GREAT BIG HUG coming soon!

-Your Brother In Christ,

Nathan Tarnowski (: