Behind a Smile

The days are winding down for us here in Guatemala but even so there is so much that we can still do and learn. Every day God speaks to us through the missionary staff sharing a message, personal quiet time, and through our ministry sites. We are also shown amazing love through our host families. Mom (Veronica) and Dad (Juan) always greet us with a smile and don’t stop telling us how much of a blessing Amit, Gabe and I are to be in their home. It was odd to me at first. All we did was sleep in their home and eat the food they made for us. But as we got to know them and became more comfortable with them, their love for Christ and others was so apparent that they have become a high point to all of our days.

I’ve been given the privilege to work with such a fun group with sports: Alyssa, Elias, Jasmine, and our awesome leaders Danny and Joseph. The sports group goes to different locations every day to play soccer and hang out with kids from Magdalena and neighboring towns. It’s been wild seeing the relationships between our leaders and the kids that have been built week after week of getting together. You may think all we do is play soccer. Nope! Bible study is a major focus and our leaders make sure to point everything back to God. Since we’ve been here the focus for Bible study has been on the future, goals and putting our trust in God. We have been sharing that no matter what we do or are worried about. We can put our full reliance on the God who created the universe and who only has the best of intentions for us, so we don’t have to be worried about our futures because he is always working for us and with us.

I’ve played soccer since I was little, so I know what is needed to play . . . at least I thought I did. After the first couple days I was very convicted about my first thoughts on the locations we played at. A soccer field has grass, lines, poles and nets. I mean, that’s what I had growing up. But the kids don’t see the same things that I did. They don’t see the hard ground with more rocks, holes, divots and trash than grass. They don’t see the bulls, horses and dogs that walk through the field and poop everywhere. They don’t see the goals that have no nets or a field that kicks up more dust than an exploding vacuum. What they see is a place where they can come and play a game they love with friends that share that same feeling. They see adults that love them and want to spend time with them, that show they care for them beyond just the game.

There was one day in particular where we only played soccer for about 30 minutes. It seemed like not all of the kids were motivated to play. So, Danny brought us all to a small hill right next to the field, and carried a large sack of corn that one of the kids had brought. They made a fire and cooked the corn on it. We sat in the shade of a tree, playing and laughing with the kids, just hanging out with them. All the while they are jumping all over us, asking for piggy back rides. That quickly turned into us swinging them around, pretending to throw them off the hill, and literally throwing a 5 year old boy named Dylan back and forth. For some reason they loved it and continued to ask us to do it. We were able to make these connections in such a short amount of time. Alyssa and Elias speak Spanish but Jasmine and I definitely don’t. But that didn’t matter, because when Dylan, Minor, Arturo and all the other kids smiled, I could see the absolute joy in them and it shattered all preconceived notions that may have existed in my mind about it. When someone whiffs a shot, trips and falls, or when I get a ball kicked between my legs multiple times, we are all able to laugh and cheer each other on. I had way better facilities growing up, but these kids have far more joy than I ever did. Creating these relationships and sharing God’s truth and love has been so inspiring to me and I pray that I become more intentional with building relationships as I move forward.

I ask for continued prayer for these last few days that we do not become complacent or ready to leave. The enemy hates that we are here and tries to thwart us in any way that he can. We have heard of a few of the Lifters’ struggles and I’ve had some of my own. There were a couple of days where I felt extremely low and focused on a the negative things rather than on all the good that had been done. I hid behind a smile for a while until I no longer could. Thankfully I find my solace in the unchanging, ever loving Creator of the universe, and am part of a family that encourages, loves and prays for one another so much that I was brought out of my rut. I saw that the enemy was trying to poison my experiences with things that I wanted, but I was helped into seeing the things I needed, God being my primary focus. I could not ask for a better group to be a part of and once again I ask for continued prayer for us, our leaders, and or ministry sites. I want my smiles to not hide pain or struggles, but to show the everlasting love and joy of Christ.

A big part of my story is overcoming depression.  By writing my thoughts out and seeing them helps me to better articulate what I want to say. When I am led, I write poetry to express how I feel, as in this moment…

Behind a Smile

A child’s eyes will always know                                                                                                                   

A wonder yours could also show                                                                                                                   

A child’s laugh will also bring                                                                                                                       

 A warmth that’s like the days of Spring

A child’s eyes could sing a verse                                                                                                                  

Of the God who made the universe                                                                                                               

So just like them, mouths stretched for miles                                                                                         

 Show only God behind a smile

Jacob Gerry

Listen

Today has almost come to a close here in Magdalena.  I just finished a delicious dinner with my host family and roommates.  I am now sitting on my bed as I write, surrounded by the sounds . . . culture shock just a week ago, but now I take comfort in.  I hear the dogs barking, children playing, and the occasional fireworks exploding in celebration of someone’s birthday.

It is Sunday.  The team and I had the opportunity to go to a bilingual church today in Antigua.  The team and I went to the Spanish service.  I’m glad we did as it was great to worship with our sisters and brothers in Christ in Spanish!

Today was a great time to rest as God has been preparing my heart for the week to come.  This next week, I will continue to serve, with two other LIFters, Aimee and Lynette, in the special education site alongside the missionaries from Students International.  I am excited to tell you a little bit about my site! At the school, the missionaries, Brenda and Shelly, serve and teach students with a variety of intellectual disabilities.  There is a morning and afternoon class that meets three times a week. During class the students practice their math skills, play games together, have a devotional, do a craft, and have time to socialize with each other as they enjoy a snack.  Brenda and Shelly are so loving and patience with the students as they demonstrate God’s love through their actions and kind words.

Also, two young boys with autism, come to the school three times a week.  Both of the boys are nonverbal but they clearly communicate with their smiles and laughs.  The boys love playing outside in the school’s small garden as they joyfully interact with whoever is kicking a ball to them or spinning them around in circles.  Also, a couple of days a week people within the community come to receive physical therapy at the school.

Aimee, Lynette, and I asked Shelly about how special needs is generally viewed in Guatemala.  She said that it is commonly looked down upon.  She told us that students have often told her stories of people calling them ugly and stupid on the streets.  Shelly also shared with us that some of the families of these children are often unkind to them as well.  She shared with us that when one student walks up to his cousins they run away from him.  They do this because he scares them as they do not understand his disability.  Hearing about how special needs is viewed here continues to break my heart.  I feel a heavy sadness for the students at this school.  Yet, I am happy and thankful for the privilege to serve these students with God’s love in me. Because they are discarded by society, the students believe that they are less important.  

Shelly and Brenda have been working on self-worth with the students to counteract these lies.  I created a sign that was hung in the classroom that says, translated in English, “I am intelligent. I am handsome/pretty.  I am invaluable”.  Brenda talked to the students about the truth of who they are. Also, with the students we made paper machete balloons and wrote Psalms 139:14 which reads, “I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.”  I would encourage you to pray for these students as they begin to believe to the truth of who they are.  Also, pray that they would believe the truth that God created them with purpose.

Shelly told us that a mother shared with her that when she had her son, who has autism, she believed that it was a punishment from God because of the sins she had committed.  Shelly told us that this is a common belief within the culture as intellectual disabilities are misunderstood.  Yet, the mother of this boy has now come around to believe that her son is a blessing and has been given to her by God because God has entrusted her to take care of him.

Last Friday, the special education team went on a house visit to see Pablo, who has muscular dystrophy and intellectual disability.  When we got to the nearby town we sat and waited for Pablo’s father to find us so he could walk us to his house.  Pablo’s dad spotted us and led us to his home.  The path to where Pablo and his family lived looked over a big valley towards a mountain.   We walked awhile on the steep rough path, until we reached dozens of tin houses built with steal sheets.

We walked down makeshift concrete stairs, where many houses on both sides were.  Pablo’s dad then invited us into his home.  There we meet Pablo, who was being held by his mother.  We sat down in the small, well-kept room as we talked with the family.  Pablo’s mother looked into her son’s eyes with so much love.  She talked tenderly to him with gentle words as she held him securely.  Shelly asked Pablo’s mom, “What’s the best thing about being his mom?”  She smiled warmly and answered right away with, “The fact that he is my son and that I get to love him.”  Also, throughout our conversation the dad was lovingly trying to get Pablo’s attention as he smiled and gently waved across the room.  Yet, Pablo remained limp and verbally unresponsive.  I was so moved by the love Pablo’s parents clearly displayed. I also learned, from Shelly and Brenda, that Pablo’s mom carries him all the way up the steep and crooked path to get to the bus to take him to physical therapy.  I was amazed.  The walk to the house felt more like a hike and I was not carrying a six year old like she does!

During our visit Pablo’s father poured us each a glass of Pepsi.  This was a small, but telling gesture that revealed his hospitality and gratitude towards our visit.  Shelly told us that Pablo’s dad is the only father she has even seen at the school revealing his dedication and care for his child.  At the end of the visit, we gave the family fresh cut flowers from the garden at the school and a homemade card with a bible verse.  We prayed over the family and Pablo and thanked them for letting us visit them. Pablo’s mom gave each of us a hug and thanked us again for visiting.

The visit reminded me of the danger of the single story, as Christy mentioned in yesterday’s blog.  I do not want to tell Pablo’s story wrong.  Yes, his parents are financially poor.  But, more importantly, they are rich with love as I watched them care deeply for their son as they clearly reflected Christ’s love.  They choose to love their son as he is despite what society says about him.

I encourage you who are reading this and support us in prayer to take time to ask people their story and listen to what they have to say.  This is one of the most dignifying things you can do to another person. Instead of judging someone on the outside or by what they have, I encourage you to dig deeper and learn about the people around you.  When we are willing to be in relation with another person and listen to their story, it opens doors for us to share the hope and truth that is revealed in the gospel.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read the blog today. We are so thankful for all of your prayers this week. I ask that you pray for continued strength and reliance as we continue to serve. Please pray that we continue to not dwell on our needs but rely on Christ throughout the day. We are all so thankful for the privilege God has given us to serve here in Guatemala!

Sarah Dietz

See photos in the LIFT 40 photo album on Facebook at the LIFT Discipleship Program page:

https://www.facebook.com/pg/liftdiscipleshipprogram/photos/?tab=album&album_id=2100950696583129

One Story

          

My friend Sarah, a fellow LIFTer, and I are currently sitting in a quaint little coffee shop in Antigua, Guatemala.  Today, November 3^rd, is our rest day.  Everyone is currently shopping at the market, exploring the city, eating tons of food, and enjoying the culture.  It has been a great day to stop and reflect on this past week and all that has happened so far.

On Wednesday, Noah Nehls, the director of Students International in Guatemala, taught one of our “Missions Practicum” classes about solidarity.  He started the class off by showing a Ted Talk given by a Nigerian woman.  She spoke about literature and how much of it only portrayed one story about the place where she lived.  African’s were portrayed as poor and uneducated.  She said that the people in power, the Americans and British, were able to control when, where, how, and how often that one story was told.  She concluded by saying that one-sided stories create stereotypes, rob people of humanity, and are incomplete.  After the video he asked us one question, “What story are you telling wrong?”

We broke for dinner and had time to think about the video and to ponder the question.  When we resumed class, Noah went on to talk about poverty and how it too is portrayed as a single story; as a lack of material possessions.  This is only part of the story.  Poverty can also be physical, social, emotional, psychological, governmental, and spiritual.  Poverty is a manifestation of broken relationships in all these areas and we are all impoverished because of sin.

He talked about a survey called “Voices of the Poor” in which they asked the poor what they lacked. They said that they had no hope, no dignity, no voice, no worth, and no value.  Those things don’t take money to fix, but time and much more.  It is very evident how materially impoverished some of the people in Magdalena are, but fixing their material poverty won’t change the fact that they will always be in poverty while on earth because of sin.  Student’s International understands this and therefore focuses on relationships over tasks.  Spending time with people, investing in their lives, and sharing truth are the things that will make a change.  Ministries focus on relationships over tasks; it is definitely not the American way, but it is what makes a difference.  Pouring into people, being vulnerable with them, loving and serving them, and giving them our time, this is what we are called to.

Friday morning, I was reminded of Noah’s question. During my quiet time I was reading “Holiness” by J. C. Ryle. In the chapter called “The Cost”, he says,

“Do not speak only of the uniform, the pay and the glory; speak also of the enemies, the battle, the armor, the watching, the marching and the drill. Do not present only one side of Christianity. Do not keep back the cross of self-denial that must be carried, when you speak of the cross on which Christ died for our redemption. Explain fully what Christianity entails. Entreat men to repent and come to Christ, but bid them at the same time to count the cost!”

“Do not present only one side of Christianity.”  This statement got me thinking back to everything Noah had talked about on Wednesday.  Thoughts of one-sided stories and poverty flooded my mind yet again. I thought about if I presented Christianity as a single, one sided story.

   

I realized that too often I focus on the crown but not the cross.  The single story I tend to speak about is the crown.  But since I am a follower of Christ, I am told to pick up my cross and follow Him, to deny myself and serve Him.  There is a cost to follow Christ.  When I started thinking of the whole story, I realized that there is a poverty that I’m called to as a Christian.  I am called to become impoverished to the things of the flesh.  I must rid myself of earthly desires and things of this world.  I must focus on things above.  I must remind myself of the whole story of Christianity and proclaim it to others.

Each morning before our quiet time, LIFTers put on the armor of God together.  We put on the Helmet of Salvation, the Breastplate of Righteousness, the Sword of the Spirit, the Shield of Faith, the Belt of Truth, and the Shoes of Peace.  We prepare ourselves for battle.  This is one of my favorite things we do as a community because it reminds me that we must always be ready to fight.  It reminds me that I must be constantly denying my flesh and carrying the cross.  The cost is high, but Christ is worth it. 

                    

We are all so thankful to be in Guatemala and serving at all the various sites.   Pray that we are willing to lay our desires aside to serve as the Lord calls. We are one week in and are excited to see what God in the remaining week here. Thank you for all the prayers thus far.

“Pray for us that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ - Pray that we may proclaim it clearly as we should.”  Colossians 4: 3 & 4

Gloria a Dios!

Christy White

Created in His Image

The work day is just wrapping up here on Thursday, and LIFTers are going their separate ways to their host families’ houses to eat dinner. Tantalizing smells from the street food waft throughout the buildings, and I can hear the happy chatter of my host family as they prepare an equally delicious smelling dinner for the household. The local church’s bells are periodically rung to commemorate the two-day holiday (Day of the Saints & Day of the Dead) and the lives of their deceased family members.  We passed several groups of people walking through the streets singing as they remember those who passed before them. Mothers and fathers did not go to work today, and children are off of school so that the whole family can go to the cemetery, eat a meal together, and adorn the gravestones out of respect.

Magdalena is a small yet very diverse and complex place, as we are learning in our various experiences in the work sites. For a peek into LIFT’s routine service to the community, today the health care team deloused children’s hair, and the child sponsorship and tutoring teams joined together to play with and love on the kids. Appropriate technology finished installing a smokeless stove in a local home and the special education team visited with two children that they have been regularly working with to find a better way of caring for and teaching them. The veterinary and agriculture team went to a town 45 minutes away to vaccinate cows, horses, and dogs. In one of the homes that they visited, their site leader Meme surprised an elderly disabled woman with a wheelchair. The sports team has been very active and busy playing with various groups of energetic kids in a handful of communities. I think it’s safe to say they burn enough calories for everyone! Microfinance has a unique job in that they grant a small amount of money to financially impoverished families to help them back on their feet, and then counsel them in wisely spending it. They pray with the families and care for them emotionally and spiritually, with the focus on the money always coming second.

My own site has been in women’s social work, where I work with two other LIFT girls, Sabrie and Kara, and our incredibly joyful site leader, Sheny. She has made a program for the local women to learn to craft, sew, mend, and design a variety of bags and clothing. Many of these women come from very dark, abusive and seemingly hopeless family situations with alcoholic husbands and very little self-worth. Sheny has counseled many of them, and in her program gives them both purpose and shares Jesus with them through regular Bible study. It is an absolute privilege to see how she knows and cares for the women in her community, and stops in the street as we walk to work to ask about their family and perhaps pray with them. The amazing things are the transformative stories I have heard in just the four days of being here. Many of the women who attend the program have made their own small side businesses through the skills they have learned, and through Jesus’ redeeming power they and their families have come to know Him and love Him. Alcohol abuse has left some of the families, and relationships are being restored! As with all the sites, Sheny and the women’s social work program could use your prayer, specifically that the broken families are mended, and that these women find purpose and self-worth in their work and in Jesus.

I personally have already been humbled in my site, and am learning more and more the value of human dignity. This is dignity that the Lord gives us as people created in His image, and the world is constantly trying to take it away. The attacks that these women face to their self-worth is a degradation of that God-given dignity, and I have been shown through example the immense importance of not putting myself in a position of superiority, but rather putting myself in a position to learn. For example, I have no idea how to sew, and these women have been perfecting the craft for the better part of the year. I was asked to use a sewing machine, and since I had no idea how to, I asked a woman next to me to teach me how. To me normally, that wouldn’t seem so significant, but this woman’s face lit up, and for five minutes she excitedly showed me how to keep a straight line, how to make sure my string wasn’t getting tangled, and in general just steady my hand. We spoke almost no words, and yet I could tell by her enthusiastic smile and her friends smiling in our direction that this was significant for her to help her American friend.  Afterwards I thanked her and her smile got bigger, and her friends told her she did a good job. I feel like God designed the whole situation to show me that asking for help is giving another person the gifts of teaching, accomplishment and importance.  In giving opportunity for those gifts to be exercised, I can be of use in building up those around me here in Guatemala.

God is working mightily here in this beautiful country, and we LIFTers are being stretched in many new ways, and also having the time of our lives living joyfully in our close community of friends. To God be the glory!

Lauren Kinner   

See photos in the LIFT 40 photo album on Facebook at the LIFT Discipleship Program page:

https://www.facebook.com/pg/liftdiscipleshipprogram/photos/?tab=album&album_id=2100950696583129

Treasures in Heaven

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

Vamos a Guatemala!

The countdown is ticking to this evening @ 9:30 when LIFT 40 will launch from CAMP-of-the-WOODS to fly like eagles to the beautiful country and culture of Guatemala.  All of the students have been working very hard the last few weeks preparing for our time of serving with and learning from the missionaries with Students International.

http://stint.com/our-communities/country/?id=4

The students will be in groups of 2 or 3 living in the homes of the people of the small mountain village of Magdalena.  During the days they will be helping with the various ministry sites they have chosen (medical, education, microfinance, social work, appropriate technology, sports, veterinary/agriculture, arts, sports)  and be shadowing a missionary for two weeks, observing and experiencing what it means to live out the mission of God in a cross- cultural context.

Please keep checking in with our blog as we will be posting information every few days to help those of you supporting us to know how to pray.

Please be praying for the team as we travel and interact with the wonderful people with a rich Mayan and Spanish history.  Our hope is to allow our Lord and savior to radiate through our lives as we share his life, love and light with a hurting and broken world - for we all were rescued from the dominion of darkness and brought into the kingdom of the Son God loves, in whom we have complete redemption and forgiveness of sins. 

Lord go before us and open hearts and doors to this amazing news so that we may be able to share it clearly and openly as we should.

Tim

Climbing, Closure and Coming Home

LIFTers spent this morning debriefing their experience here in Ecuador and are now using the afternoon to pack for their return trip home starting at 11:30 pm tonight - arriving at JFK around 10:30 am Thursday.  It was a rich time of reflecting on lessons learned and how they saw God working in many different ways.

The camping/climbing trip on Sincholagua went well.  The weather was dry for only a few hours in the morning then broke into rain, hail or snow depending on how high up the mountain the climbing teams were.  Four out of six teams reached the summit.  It was a long hard test of physical endurance and psychological strength.  The Lord watched over every group and kept everyone safe as they ascended through ominous and sinister looking rock formations.  It was said that base camp resembled The Shire and the mountain - Mordor (from Lord of the Rings).

The students are full of energy and eager to get home and have a bit of a break before finishing out the final weeks of the LIFT semester. 

Thank you for your prayers and support.  Be sure to get the full story of all that happened here in Ecuador the next chance you get to talk with one of the LIFTers from this team.

Tim