LIFT 48 Heads to Guatemala!

Buenas noches, amigos y familia!

Good evening, friends and family!

Tonight we will depart CAMP-of-the-WOODS for our two-week missions trip to Magdalena, Guatemala. LIFT 48 will live with ten host families and serve at nine different ministry sites at SI Guatemala, all for the glory of God!

As we prepare to embark, we wanted to take a moment to share what God has been doing in our hearts and lives during the last week of preparation. It has been an incredible time of challenge, growth, and dependence on the Lord.

To remind ourselves of the simplicity of life and cultivate hunger for God and his voice, we had the opportunity to commit to eating only rice and beans for five days. This experience taught us not only to appreciate the abundance we often take for granted but also to lean on God for satisfaction beyond physical nourishment. Additionally, we were asked to choose at least one day during the week to refrain from speaking, except when necessary. We realized how we do not always use our words for good and were reminded of the importance of listening. God moved powerfully among us as we ended the week and broke our fast with worship, reconciliation, and communion.

While we have experienced the power of the Holy Spirit, our class and staff have also experienced spiritual attacks during this time of preparation, so we're more grateful than ever for your prayers. Here are some specifics that you can be praying for today:

- Physical and spiritual protection for LIFTers and staff as we travel and settle in with our families tomorrow
- Unity within our team, that we would encourage and support one another through every challenge and thus exemplify the body of Christ
- Sensitivity to the leading of the Holy Spirit, coupled with strength, boldness, and energy to say "yes" to whatever God asks us to do
- Open hearts in Magdalena to receive the gospel; lives transformed!
- Courage to love people (our host families, practicum missionary partners, and anyone else we encounter) by speaking Spanish with them, no matter how simple

Thank you for being part of this journey with us. Your prayers and support mean more than words can express.

In Christ,

Lydia W, on behalf of LIFT 48