A Blessing

Dear Friends and Family,

I (Lizzie) get the privilege of sharing with you the final blog of LIFT 47’s mission experience in Guatemala. Throughout the past few weeks we have been updating you with our different experiences, so in this post, I want to share with you how God was working in the lives of LIFT 47. I think that often when we think of short-term missions trips, we think of how we are going to go and be of assistance to the people in the country. However, even though this is true, I think that most of us can honestly say that we have learned something or been blessed in some way by our time in Guatemala. I know that I can say this is true for myself and my experience. As I considered this, I asked the LIFTers to share a quick thought on something they learned during the last few weeks. Here I have included responses from some of my fellow LIFTers:

“It is good to wait for the Lord. It is good to rely on God and trust that He is going to take care of you. (Lamentations 3:24-27, Psalm 27:14, Psalm 33:20- 22, Psalm 37:7 & 34, Psalm 46:10, Psalm 62:5, Psalm 130:5-6, Isaiah 30:18, Isaiah 40:31, Isaiah 64:4, Romans 15:13, Jeremiah 17:5-8).” - Emma Coad (Women’s Social Work)

- Gabe Ciccarello (Trade School) “The power of prayer”

- Evelyn Jensen (Special Education) “God is THE healer”

“Byron talked to us about how we always need to pray and thank God for the ability to move our bodies and exercise, because God can humble us and cripple us and we need to always be grateful for being healthy” - Tenrick Renninger (Sports)

“At Physical Therapy Gaby provided an excellent example of someone who is wholly dependent on prayer. Whether a patient’s situation was desperate or not, she always prayed for them. That was a great reminder of how there’s no prayer too big or too small for God.” - Joshua Magary (Physical Therapy)

I have heard from other LIFTers how God has provided peace in the challenges. How through the site leaders we have learned more about patience, prayer, persistence, and joy in the struggles. I have heard how through home stays we have learned more about enjoying time with others, living in the moment, community, happiness, appreciating the little things, and maintaining the joy of the Lord even in the struggles. And we have also learned more about ourselves through this trip; about our gifts and talents, and how we can serve the Lord with them.

Throughout the past two weeks I have experienced God’s love through the people living in Guatemala. I was shown so much hospitality, grace, patience, and kindness. I witnessed the SI missionaries and Interns showing the love of God in all they do; loving people even when it is not easy. Constantly making sacrifices of their time, money, and energy to let others know that there is a God who loves them. I was blessed with the hospitality of my host family. They opened up their home to me, fed me, waited for me to return home, welcomed me in with hugs, and at the end of my stay, told me and the other three girls staying with me that we had a home in Guatemala, and whenever we wanted to come back, we have a family to stay with.

LIFT 47 truly had an amazing experience in Guatemala with the SI ministry. The missionaries at SI were not only serving the people in Guatemala but were also serving us. They really cared for everyone who crossed their path. They are an amazing example for us as to what it means to die to self, take up your cross and follow Jesus. Even when it is hard, keep persisting, because we have hope that this world is not the end.

As we were flying back, I was reading Hebrews, and there were a few verses that the Lord laid on my heart.

“The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word.” - Hebrews 1: 3 a

We faced challenges and difficult things these past two weeks in Guatemala, but the Lord never left us. He is our sustainer. He holds all things together.

“See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end.” - Hebrews 3:12-14

During this trip I felt convicted by one of the devotions. We were reading Proverbs 3:5-6, and as I read along, I realized how often I rely on my own understanding and neglect to simply trust in the Lord with all my heart. As this verse in Hebrews says, we are not to have an unbelieving heart that turns away from God. But instead, we are called to encourage one another daily.

“Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” - Hebrews 4:13

Finally, Hebrews 4:13. Someday we will stand before the Living God and must give account for all our actions. Have we shown the love of God to others? Have we lived our lives striving to honor him in everything we do? Are we constantly aware of opportunities to share the hope that we have with others? I know that I have often fallen short of this. But when I reach heaven, I want to hear from my Lord “Well done, good and faithful servant!”

“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’” - Matthew 25:21

These past two weeks we as a LIFT group learned and experienced many new things. I want to thank all of you again for your continued support throughout this trip. Your prayers are invaluable to us, and we are so thankful for your financial support which allowed us to go in the first place. Again, thank you so much.

Please continue to be praying for the SI missionaries, people in Guatemala, and LIFT 47 as we are nearing the end of our year together.

SI missionaries:

- Please be praying for the SI missionaries, that their energy would be renewed daily, and that they would get the financial support that they need. Please pray about the possibility of financially supporting the SI missionaries in Guatemala. The Lord is doing amazing things through SI, and some of the missionaries are not fully funded.

Guatemala:

- We as LIFT 47 sang the song “The Blessing” over Guatemala while on the volcano. I ask that you would also be praying a blessing over Guatemala. Pray for the hearts of the people in Guatemala, that they would be open to the Lord. Pray that they would experience healing.

LIFT 47:

- Pray for us as a LIFT group, that we would finish strong. Pray that we would invest in each other, that we would grow in our relationships with each other and with the Lord in these next two weeks.

God Bless and thank you all once again!

- Lizzie

Acatenango Volcano Hike

4/14-4/15 

Today is volcano day! We started off our day, bright and early on the bus at 5 AM. We then rode over to the O. X. Headquarters in Antigua where we collected our food for the trip! After a yummy, typical Guatemalan breakfast, we were on our way to our starting point at La Solidad. at around 9 AM we were off. The first hour of the trip was the most physically draining. Throughout the trip we traveled through four ecological zones.(farmland, cloud, forest, sub, Alpine zone, and volcanic zone.) After we passed through the farmland, we moved into the cloud forest. The cloud force was a unique zone. Many of us had never experienced. The Erie, humid, lush Moss filled area was a much cooler and easier zone than the farmland. At around 130, still in the cloud forest, we stopped for a much-needed lunch break. During our lunch break, Dan befriended a stray dog whom he named “King Scar.“ he then followed us around the rest of the trip! Finishing off the rest of our first day of hiking, we entered the sub Alpine zone. The sub-Alpine zone was very dry and hot. Luckily, we were traveling mostly flat in this zone. We arrived at our camp at around 3 PM! Upon arriving at our camp, and admiring the beautiful views of Antigua and the volcanoes Fuego and Agua we set up camp. for the rest of the afternoon, we relaxed in the sun, taking the views and getting a little sunburnt. After a delicious dinner of pasta and veggies prepared by our amazing guys, we socialize by the fire. As the darkness set in the volcano, Fuego transformed from its smoke clouds during the day to its glowing magma view in the night. We had a great time of worship around the fire, with our guys pausing briefly to ooh and ahh at the volcano spewing fire into the sky. We all turned in early to prepare for the sunrise summit in the morning.

4/15/24

A 3:30 wake-up made for many groggy lifters. After repairing for the experience ahead, we left Basecamp at 4 AM. We slowly hiked, higher and higher, leaving a base camp elevation of around 11,000 feet. Our guides moved slowly and gave us many breaks to prevent bad altitude sickness. One hour and 40 minutes later, we reached the summit of Acatenango as the sun was coming up! At 13,045 feet and 40% less oxygen than we were all used to. It was a very new experience for all of us! A small group of us completed the crater run ( a 400 m run around the perimeter of the crater of Acetanango. The crater run challenge had to be run in under five minutes without walking or stopping to take a break. Everyone who attempted completed it! After taking some group pictures, and admiring the Beauty of creation, we started the descend back to Basecamp. 

The entire way down to Basecamp was a loose and deep gravel trail and we all had a blast running as sliding down it! Upon arriving at Basecamp at 7:18 AM. We enjoyed a tasty bagel and banana bread meal prepared by our guides. Before leaving Basecamp to head back down to Antigua, we cleaned up camp and collected some trash around camp that had been left by the previous group before us. After a fast descent, we arrived at the parking lot at 10:50 AM. This excursion was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and everyone learned so much about the natural beauty of Guatemala while enjoying it with our brothers and sisters in Christ. On behalf of everyone, I can say we are all exhausted and can’t wait to have a great night. Sleep tonight before a very long travel day tomorrow. 

God bless, Matteo (Tenrick)

Physical Therapy Site Update

 A little about the Physical Therapy site:

The Physical Therapy Site is committed to connecting with the community through activities that enhance physical, mental, social, and spiritual well-being, aiming to discover the gospel and life purpose. This is achieved through group exercises, personalized patient care, educational sessions emphasizing the importance of physical activity, and home visits. SI's dedication extends to providing professional services at low cost, aiming to raise awareness in the community about the numerous benefits associated with regular physical activity. 

Greetings from Guatemala! Yesterday was the last day of service at our ministry sites, and it has been an amazing two weeks! This blog post will focus on the physical therapy site. Before we get into what we did these two weeks, let me (Joshua) share an overview of this ministry site. Gaby Escobar, our site leader, operates a small clinic that offers treatment for only 20 Quetzals. Although the price is very low, all of the patients experience high-quality service, from massages to ultrasound stimulation. Carlie, a former LIFT RA, also serves on this site as an intern, and Fredi, a medical student, also volunteered with us. Xena, Whitney, and I were assigned to this site to serve alongside Gaby, Carlie, and Fredi. 

One thing that is so awesome about this clinic is that it is so much more relational than I expected. Each appointment was typically more than an hour because we spent so much time talking with the guests. Rather than rushing through treatment for the sake of efficiency, Gaby ensured that a relationship was built with every single patient. Additionally, we always prayed for the guests. This was so special because Gaby provided an excellent example of a Christian who is fully trusting God with everything. At times, I felt tempted to think that prayer was the least we could offer some guests, but this experience with the clinic helped change my perspective. Prayer wasn't just something we did at the end of each appointment; it was our clinic's most essential element. 

Although I didn't have much experience in physical therapy, on day one, Gaby trained us and put us to work with patients. On our first day, I helped a man named David with plantar fasciitis. I used an ultrasound on his ankle and performed strengthening exercises with him. The others worked with their patients, and after we were done, we simply chilled with the missionaries. There was a lot more resting than I anticipated, but all of it helped keep our spirits up to serve the guests who visited us. On Thursday, we went to a community center to lead a group of about 60 seniors in some exercises! This was such a fun time, especially since I accidentally went on stage when it wasn't my turn! 

After that, we began a project to paint the outside of our clinic blue. This took much longer than expected because we didn't use rollers to paint and did it with brushes. However, this time was filled with laughter and tomfoolery with the missionaries. We continued to practice Spanish, and we also began teaching Fredi English. After two days, the painting was done. 

The next week of work was pretty normal, with many patients coming through for treatment. I had the privilege of working with David again, and the healing from just one visit. What was remarkable is that he said his pain had gone down and he could play some basketball. Several other patients we worked with came back, with all of them feeling better than last time.

All in all, serving at physical therapy was an amazing experience! God is providing healing and quality relationships through the clinic in Guatemala. We have a couple prayer requests for you. First, pray for health and strength for Gaby as she faithfully leads the clinic. Second, pray for direction and guidance for Carlie. Third, pray that Fredi might find a job where he can use his talent for physical therapy. Thank you very much for reading to the end of this post, and be on the lookout for Tenrick’s post about our volcano hike!

- Joshua Magary

Going & Sending

Hello all,

This is Caleb, and I am one of the leaders serving with LIFT. Along with this role comes the absolute pleasure of visiting a new site every day so that I can encourage and see all that the LIFT students get to see and experience. It is a unique opportunity because I get to see the various ways that Students International as a whole serves their community here in Magdalena. They see needs, and they will seek to meet those needs with the love of Christ. 

Today, I visited the Trade School site, where Dan, Andrew, Shane, Gabe, and George have been joining in the ministry work being done. The site’s missionary leader, Samuel, has a wife, 3 beautiful kiddos, and a couple of dogs. Samuel teaches classes in welding, electrical work, and carpentry. He is literally a jack-of-all-trades. This ministry site allows men of all ages to come and get training and practice in hard skills that they will hopefully be able to master and take to their community. During each day, Samuel is building relationships, teaching technical classes, and talking about Jesus with all whom he can. 

Samuel is just one of the many missionaries with SI who have been called to dedicate their life to serving God by loving those in their community. Samuel could be working any number of places and making plenty of money to never really have to worry about having material possessions. But he decided that the call of God on his life is more important than knowing exactly where each dollar of funding is going to come from. 

In our classes at LIFT, we talk about those who are called to go— those like Samuel and the other SI missionaries. There are then those who send— that is the Church, we all get a chance to join in the work being done all over the globe for the Gospel, even when we aren’t the ones physically called to GO. We send through encouragement, prayer, and giving resources to ensure that the focus of these missionaries is on the great commission.  

My heart has been touched by these people, but I want that affection to be stirred to action. I am being given the opportunity to be a part of SI’s legacy of disciple-making and love. While I cannot always be physically present for it, I can help take part of the monetary burden off of my brothers and sisters who serve here. 

Sports Site team

Girls Club Site

Trade School Site

Women's Social Work Site

Child Sponsorship Site

Many of these missionaries still need funding. If you would feel led, or if you have questions about who needs funding the most here at SI, please reach out to the team here at https://stint.com/country-donation/?locid=4. This is a way to play a part in sending, and I am excited to continue to see how the LORD multiplies the resources we share.

Grace & peace,

Caleb Harlan

Luz en la Oscuridad | Light in the Darkness

"Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." - John 8:12

This world is full of darkness - our LIFT class was reminded of that these past 2 weeks from the people we interacted with, to the stories that we heard. But God reminded me yesterday that it is a choice to either walk in the darkness or walk in HIS light. 

We had a woman named Maria come into the physical therapy clinic last week because she had taken a bad fall. We soon discovered that she had a broken hip and when she came back the following week (this week), we discovered that she had internal bleeding. We told her and her husband that she needed to go to the hospital as soon as possible. Unfortunately, there is both a lack of money and a lack of understanding. They did not understand the severity of the situation. After they left we continued to pray for them and reach out to them to see if they would be taking Maria to the hospital. The next day, we headed to the city hall to lead workouts for a senior citizen group that meets there every Thursday. As I sat in the city hall waiting for our time to go up front, I began praying for Maria. As I prayed, I began to cry. It was heartbreaking to know that it was a lack of money and a lack of understanding keeping her from getting the treatment she needed. But then we were called up, so I quickly wiped the tears from my face and put on a smile for the senior citizens. And in that moment God reminded me that I am called to love the person in front of me. Though my heart breaks for Maria, those senior citizens in front of me needed my love just as much as she did. 

There are millions of Maria's in this world; there are millions of people in this world who are walking through darkness and who need hope. 

But we serve a God who is greater than any internal bleeding. 

A God who is greater than any abusive alcoholic.

A God who is greater than any physical ailment.

A God who is greater than any brain tumor.

A God who is greater than any poverty.

Our God is greater than any darkness this world can bring.

Therefore, we have HOPE and we are called to share this hope with others.

In John 8:12, Jesus says we have the light of life. Therefore we cannot get caught up in the darkness of this world if we’re going to love the person in front of us because the person in front of us needs to see Christ’s love through us just as much as the last. 

The past 2 weeks has given even greater meaning to what we memorized in the Sermon on the Mount:

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” - Matthew 5:14-16

Each and every one of us is called to be a light for Christ. We have the greatest hope of all but the only way that we can share that hope and be a light is if we are abiding in Christ. John 15 says that a branch cannot bear fruit unless it abides in the vine and neither can we unless we abide in Christ. I pray that we can all do that so that God may be glorified and His kingdom multiplied.

With love and hope,

Xena Bartlett

Physical Therapy SI staff and LIFTers praying before they head off to their site

The Trade School Ministry Site

A little about the Trade School site:

The Trade School serves as a platform to cultivate relationships and spread the gospel. In this educational space, men and women of all ages hailing from the communities of Magdelena, El Gorrion, and San Miguel can acquire valuable practical skills, delving into carpentry, welding, and glasswork. LIFT and SI participants actively engage in trade school classes, home visits, and the sharing of devotionals, fostering a holistic and enriching experience. 

Hello all,

Over the past week, I (Shane Wahlberg) and four other LIFTers (George Poynter, Andrew Barce, Daniel Camp, and Gabe Ciccarello) have had the opportunity to assist with the work at the Trade School ministry site run by Students International (SI). Samuel Gomez, the site leader, welcomed us with open arms, and we jumped to work right away. 

The trade school opens up its doors to all members of the community, regardless of age or gender. On our first day, we worked with young teenagers in the morning, learning welding and woodworking with them. In the afternoon, we worked with young women and mothers on carpentry, carving unique chicken sculptures that were meant to be used to hold eggs that they could then sell to make a profit. 

One of the main goals of the Trade School is to empower the community to be able to make a living for themselves. On Monday, the 8^th, we visited Tino, a former student of Trade School. Through the classes and training he received, he was able to save up little by little for his own set of tools. Now Tino is commissioned by members of his community for several carpentry projects. He was also able to raise enough money through his carpentry business to raise eggs and sell them or their eggs for another form of income. 

Another way that Trade School is empowering the community of Magdalena is through their electrical classes. Samuel and SI have told us that there is a huge need for electricians in the community. Most of the trained electricians live far away, and most of the work done in the community, while it works, runs the risk of injury due to lack of proper training and safety knowledge. To address this, the Trade School has partnered with a senior electrician from the government named Jorge, who teaches a class every week to men, ranging in age, about electrical work, covering topics from safety to regulations to techniques, and how electrical power flows. Upon completion of the class, students will receive a diploma certifying them as trained electricians, which is a huge accomplishment! This will legitimize them, making it easier for them to obtain work in their community, proving that they are trained and trusted. 

Samuel told us that Trade School should not simply be a place where people come and receive training and hear a devotion in the morning. He wants it to be a place where people feel loved and cared for, seeing the love of Christ. One way he accomplishes this is by visiting the homes of his students, young and old, checking in on them and praying alongside them, regardless of if the circumstances are good or bad. He has told us stories about how house visits have deeply impacted students of Trade School, helping them on their walk with the Lord. Samuel cares deeply for the youth that come and attend the classes here. Often during our lunch and/or coffee break, he will go to the store nearby and come back with snacks for everyone. He is always pouring into the youth, checking in on them and having meetings, wanting to help them grow not only in their potential career, but also their spiritual walk with the Lord. 

It has been very encouraging to see the youth here dive into Trade School, absorbing as much as they can and always asking Samuel how their work is. One day when we were doing house visits, we saw two kids sitting outside the workshop. They were hoping Samuel would let them in to do some extra work to practice their carpentry skills! When we were painting a cabinet for Women’s Social Work, I asked some of them what job they wanted after finishing school: they all said jobs related to trade school, be it welding, carpentry, or painting. Not only do they see the value of the work they do, but they really enjoy it. 

The time at Trade School has been encouraging and really impactful, both physically in regard to the work we assist Samuel with, and spiritually with the prayer. Every morning before work, we prayer as a site, sometimes even praying between classes or visits. I’m excited to see how the Lord works during our last few days working alongside Samuel and SI. 

Thank you and I hope you all have a blessed day.

Grace and Peace,

Shane Wahlberg

Prayer Requests:

-  Provision of electrical tools for electrical class

-  Health and safety of Samuel and his family

-  Continued safety of students using/learning machinery 

-  Current students will be able to purchase/obtain their own tools so they can start their own business upon completion of the site

 

Our Sabbath Day in Antigua

Greetings from Guatemala! This blog will be about our time spent in the city of Antigua on Saturday. After a few days of serving at our ministry sites, and a hike up Corazòn de Agua, we were ready for a day-off. Thankfully, our SI leaders planned a full day for us in Antigua, a popular destination for American tourists. What makes this city remarkable is that there are 3 volcanoes (including the one we will hike at the end of the week) that are visible from the city! With so much we could do, I (Joshua) hoped to do some shopping in the market. Aside from gifts for my family members, there were two things on my wish list: a traditional Guatemalan shirt and a machete. 

The day started with a bus ride into the city, and with a few instructions delivered (don’t wander alone, don’t eat street food), we were let loose. Nivia (our SI leader) gave some of us maps of the city with popular destinations highlighted. 

At first, a large group of us traveled to a coffee shop. Those among us who enjoyed coffee stayed at the shop, and our crew separated to do something shopping. We first visited a large textile store, but they didn’t sell men’s shirts, so I left empty-handed. We then stopped by an entrepreneurs’ store that Connor (who is working at the Microfinance site and knows the best entrepreneur spots in Antigua!) took us to. I bought some gifts for my siblings (that I won’t spoil here), and the others bought some jewelry, soap, and decorations. At this point, we agreed to fuel up before facing the artisan market. We ate at a restaurant my host family recommended called Pollo Campero. Other groups ate at McDonald's, which was such a unique experience. Imagine a massive park with water fountains, greenery, multiple rooms and corridors, and a couple of McDonald's logos here and there. Additionally, I was told the apple pie was 100 times better than in America. 

With chicken wings nested in our stomachs, we felt courageous enough to descend into the depths of the Artisan markets. I purchased a fake Messi jersey just for the humor of it and a traditional Guatemalan shirt. We then stumbled upon the true artisan market—picture a large Walmart-sized canopy with hallways of tiny booths stocked full of bright clothing and trinkets—I merely mentioned that I wanted a machete to my friends, and a merchant heard me and pulled me aside. He displayed to me a large machete with a leather sheath. Caught up in the heat of passion, I resolved to purchase it. The rest of our crew and I bought some gifts for family, and a couple other items before leaving. 

After this, we ascended a large hill with a cross overlooking the city. We rested here and soaked in the remarkable view of the town at the base of Vulcan Aqua. After descending the hill, we returned to base camp (a coffee shop) and somewhat split apart as we waited for dinner. For dinner, we ate at the Sky Cafe, which served delicious Latin food. All in all, we had a packed day, and it was special how each group of LIFTers experienced different aspects of the city.

You can rest assured that all of us are eager to return to our work sites this week. Thank you so much for your prayers! There will be other blog posts with specific prayer requests for ministry sites, but for now, continue to pray for health and safety. Pray that we will have the energy to keep blessing the missionaries here at Students International. And finally, pray that each LIFTer here would remain focused on God and his global mission. Thank you for reading this blog, and keep posted for more updates. 

- Joshua Magary