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 

Women's Social Work Update

A little about the Women's Social Work site:

The Women's Social Work and Teens site is driven by the goal of witnessing the impactful transformation that the Gospel of Jesus Christ can bring to the lives of women. The outreach spans the women of San Miguel and nearby communities, with the ambition to elevate their quality of life. SI aims to empower women to actively contribute to community and family-oriented projects while providing assistance to those who have endured various forms of abuse and neglect. LIFT, and SI participants will be involved in an array of activities, including home visits, group meetings, counseling sessions, sowing and jewelry classes, devotionals, and a host of other enriching experiences. 

Dear friends and family,

Thank you for checking in to see the updates on our mission experience with Students International in Guatemala! I (Lizzie) have been working with the Women's Social Work site with Victoria, Emma C., Attie, and our SI leaders Sheny and Ellie. We have heard many stories of how God has been working in women's lives through this site, and we have witnessed some of that firsthand as well. The Women's Social Work Site strives to teach women tangible skills in sewing and crafting so that they can earn money to help provide for themselves and their families. During the process, they have the opportunity to learn about Jesus through devotions. Student International will sell the products the women make, and 50 percent will go back to the women directly. The other 50 will be used to purchase more material and meet the ministry site's needs. The site provides the sewing machines for the women to use. 

4-3-2024 San Miguel

Today was the first day of ministry sites. We started our day with an orientation in San Miguel at our ministry site. San Miguel is a town a short walk from Magdalena, where SI is located. Sheny, our site leader, shared a story with us to start the day. In this story, one of the ladies in the town finds out that she can earn money by making things at the social work site. After a while of attending the site, this woman came up to Sheny and told her that the best part of the site was learning about Jesus. Later, she called Sheny and told her that she wanted to commit suicide because her husband had started cheating on her. She told Sheny that the only reason why she was still alive was because of Jesus. Then Sheny reminded her that she had a daughter she needed to care for. This woman was so distraught that she forgot that she had a daughter. Now, she is working hard to provide for her daughter. She started seeing a new man, but she told Sheny that she was taking it "muy demasiado." 

Throughout the day we made bracelets. In the morning, the woman came, and in the afternoon, the kids came. Sheny shared a devotion with each. In the morning, she talked about how God was eternal, and in the afternoon, she shared the story of Daniel. 

4-4-2024

Today was a fun day of ministry. All day, we sewed coffee bags with the women. This was very exciting for me because I love to sew, and I have a basic knowledge of sewing machines that proved to be useful. I was very grateful to be able to use my gifts to teach others. I also learned a lot from Sheny about different machines I had never used before. 

We also went and did a home visit to a woman who hadn't been to the ministry site in awhile. She has been struggling with high blood sugar and has needed to inject insulin. While we were there, she was talking about her struggles with deciding whether she needed to get off insulin so that her body would be less dependent on it when she can't afford it anymore. We were also able to meet her daughter, who was pregnant, and she was sharing some of her health struggles as well. Hearing these stories made me very thankful for the health care that we have here in the United States, and it made me very grateful for the health that I currently have. 

Tonight we had the SI market where all the LIFTers were able to purchase different things from the different ministry sites of SI. This was a great experience because I was able to see money being made for these women, and I knew how it would make a difference in their lives. In particular, one of the ladies who is at the ministry site is working extra hard to earn more money to provide an oven for her son. Her son is training to be a professional chef, and she really wants to gift him this oven because she wants to see him succeed. It brought me joy to see her things selling, knowing that this would make her overjoyed. 

4-5-2024

We did not go to the site today; rather, we went to the Municipal Building in Magdalena, and we helped cut out patterns for a sewing class that was happening. Eli, one of the interns with the Social Work Site, told us that this was the most people they've ever had. Usually, only a couple attend, but this week, there were six. I've enjoyed being able to help teach sewing, especially on the machine. We did this class in the morning. 

We went and had lunch with the Physical Therapy and Special Education teams, and many of us went to purchase smoothies. After lunch, we went and made another house visit, this time in Magdalena. We visited a lady who had been a part of the Social Work Site. She had since moved, and her husband purchased her a used sewing machine. We got to talk with her and her three children. She shared with us that one of her daughters is sponsored by SI, and they are hoping to get her other daughter sponsored as well. Additionally, she shared how they are trying to pay off their house as the landowner is getting older.

As we jump into this next week and reflect on the past, please pray for these things. 

1. Pray that we will have energy and enthusiasm as we continue to be a part of what God is doing here through SI. 

2. Pray that we will remain healthy and will all be able to prepare well for the volcano hike. We have attempted the Eco Hike qualifier twice now, and everyone is doing extremely well. 

And for the Women's Social Work ministry, please be praying for:

1. Pray for the women we met and heard about this week. Pray that God will work in their lives, give them peace and wisdom, and provide them with the things they may need financially. 

2. Pray for the women coming to the site. Many of them have been hurt in some way. Please be praying for healing and peace in their lives. 

3. Pray for the children coming to the site. They are so excited to read their Bibles and learn about Jesus! Pray that they would continue to be excited by this and that they would be able to share this with their families. 

Personal update:

I am doing really well and enjoying my time in Guatemala. Thank you all for your continued support throughout the trip; it means a lot. God has been so good throughout this trip. I have been learning a lot and have been meeting many great people. Additionally, I qualified for the volcano hike first time! I love my host family. The language barrier is difficult, but I am learning fast, and it is a great opportunity to build relationships and show that we genuinely care. I've definitely messed up my Spanish, but it has just made for some good laughs.

"Do not be dismayed, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." - Isa. 41:10

Thank you all for your continued support in prayer! All of us appreciate it very much.

God bless!

Lizzie

El Ministerio de Deportes | Sports Site

A little about the Sports site:

The Sports site collaborates with kids and youth in Magdalena and nearby areas, seamlessly integrating a range of recreational activities. The primary objective is to impart valuable life lessons, mentorship, and witness a transformative change in the lives of young individuals through a Christ-centered approach. The program includes baseball, soccer, track and field, and badminton. LIFT and SI participants not only cultivate relationships through sports but also engage in coaching exercises and devotionals with various groups of people.

Over the past week in the sports ministry site, I (Tenrick) and Joe, Isaac, and Isaiah have seen the love of Christ shown to these kids so well through their love of exercise, teamwork, and education. Byron and his wife Dulce are amazing at interacting and touching the hearts of these young children! 

Through exciting games and short lessons, you can tell these kids are being poured into. The kids are very friendly, even though I can only understand half of what they are saying. The sports ministry at Students International Guatemala is intentionally relational. You can see this exercised in the way that Byron and his team greet and converse with these boys and girls. 

Byron is not only a “coach” to these kids but is also a “pastor” to them. He shares the gospel daily with each group of children he teaches and encourages them to work on scripture memory. Being in the sports ministry is physically exhausting at times, but seeing the joy and happiness in these children is so rewarding. 

Through a cycle of sports: baseball, basketball, soccer (futbol), volleyball, and badminton, Byron teaches the children to excel in all aspects of physical education. This past week has been a blast, and I am so thankful for the opportunity I was given to be here. Thank you all for your support! 

On this day, the sports, special education, and girls' club sites worked together to have practice for students for the upcoming Special Olympics. 

Prayer requests for the Sports Site: 

- Safety and good health.

- Continuing to build good relationships with these children.

- Humility and a servant's heart

God bless, Mateo (Tenrick) 

(P.S. Happy Birthday Abby!!) 

Buenos Días desde Magdalena!

We have been in Guatemala since Tuesday morning, and it has been such an amazing experience so far. I have loved working with SI, they have such a deep impact here. The staff of SI are so clearly passionate about Jesus and have hearts for serving others. The city of Magdalena is busy and colorful. 

Wednesday was our first full day. We got to work at our ministry sites for the majority of the day, explore the first part of the Eco hike (our qualifier for Acatenango), and have Culture Night at the SI community center building. At the Culture Night, we got to eat Guatemalan food, visit tables to learn about Guatemalan history/culture, dress in traditional clothing, and play Guatemalan games. The women (of LIFT) who wore the traditional clothing also did a traditional dance around a circle for everyone! The LIFTers were certainly getting into the games, especially one where we got to crack eggs over each other’s heads that were full of confetti! We learned about geography, traditional clothing, Guatemalan treats/desserts, tools/artesanias, and musical instruments. It was such a fun night and the food was so delicious!

On Thursday, we worked at our ministry sites for the majority of the day and then had a time of shopping at the SI community center building where each ministry site set up a table and sold products to help fund their ministry site. There was coffee, cupcakes, stationery cards, bracelets, purses, aprons, cooking utensils, cutting boards, t-shirts, and even massages. I am a part of the physical therapy work site, and we sell massages. We were supposed to sell chocolate, but our chocolate didn’t work out, so we offered our skills! It was pretty funny! Everything that was sold was handmade by the ministry sites, making the items much more valuable. 

Every morning, we have a devotional with SI. We have been going through a devotional they created called A Life Worth Living. It focuses on how God created each of us for a unique purpose and has given each of us unique gifts and experiences for the good works that He has planned for us. I love the reminder that God is SOVEREIGN and GOOD; He goes before us and has given us a purpose for our lives. Our purpose is to love Him and then, in turn, serve our neighbors. We serve and love others out of the love that we have for Christ, and God has already laid out how He wants us to do that, He already has a plan for us. The reminder of God’s sovereignty and His care for every little detail brings me so much joy and peace. Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” I encourage you to rest in your identity in Christ, to rejoice that you are a NEW creation in Christ and that God has a plan for you!

I am so excited for whatever else God has for us LIFTers here in Guatemala, and I look forward to my next blog post when I get to write about everything we have been doing at the physical therapy site! Check below for some specific prayer requests for our team and SI!

Love, 

Xena Bartlett

Prayer Requests:

- please pray for the LIFTers that we would continue to seek God, serve well, and learn from the community here 

- please pray that God would continue to work in the hearts of the people here in Guatemala to turn them towards Him

- please pray for the funding of the SI ministry sites here in Guatemala so that they can continue to love and serve this community

Endings and Beginnings

LIFT has been preparing for Guatemala since the very beginning. For many of us, this mission experience is what drew us to the LIFT program. Our classes on missions have been preparing us during both semesters to be equipped with head knowledge around helpful and hurtful practices when on mission trips. Our mission trips to Loon Mountain Ministries in New Hampshire and Capitol City Rescue Mission in Albany, NY have helped prepare our hearts and give us different ministry experiences. Our personal relationships with Jesus have been deepened as each of us has faced challenges and difficulties this year. All of this anticipation, serving, learning, and prayer have brought us here.

Our classes have looked at how to help without hurting communities. Poverty goes beyond simply materialistic lack, and we have considered the many factors that contribute to it. We are called to love others and to make disciples, and loving others well can be a complicated process. Usually, we see money as the answer to poverty, but this year we have been learning how that rarely reaches the heart of someone's difficulty and only gives temporary relief. The beauty of partnering with Student's International and joining their team on our short-term missions trip is that they have and will continue discipling and working with their community long after we have gone. Our role during this trip is to encourage, love, support, and learn. 

We have each sent out support letters and asked our friends and family to be in prayer for us and this journey. Before we left, we were prayed over by full-time staff at CAMP-of-the-WOODS. This is a time that has been prepared for by seeking the Lord. Although Guatemala is the culmination of most of what we have been learning this year at LIFT, giving us the opportunity to practice what we have learned and to love and serve others well, it is also the beginning. Perhaps here is where the Lord begins to stir our hearts in deeper ways and opens our eyes to know him more and all he has for each of us. This trip may be signaling the nearing of the ending of LIFT, but in so many ways it is just the beginning.

With a hopeful heart, Attie F.

CAMP-of-the-WOODS staff praying for LIFT before they leave for the airport.

And We're Off!

LIFT 47 has arrived in Guatemala to serve and work with Students International (SI) in Magdalena! 

We are so grateful for the Lord’s provision in a safe and smooth travel process to get here. Thank you for your prayers for our travel. The SI staff have been incredibly welcoming and hospitable, and we are so excited to get to know them better over the next couple of weeks! 

Each morning, we will have devotions with the SI staff. This year, our devotion book focuses on “A Life Worth Living,” which takes a look at what Scripture says about who we are in Christ and how we can live a fruitful and fulfilling life with Him at the center.   

God has been at work here in Magdalena for a long, long time. We are thankful for the opportunity to come and see what He has been doing and is continuing to do through His people here in Guatemala. It is a gift to be able to learn from our brothers and sisters here who are investing in the people of Guatemala. Would you partner with LIFT in praying for the Lord’s Kingdom to continue to grow and flourish here in Magdalena? 

Please also pray for LIFT as we head off to our ministry sites for the first time today. We will be meeting lots of new friends and want to exemplify Christ’s light to all we interact with while we are here. We pray that the Spirit will reveal to us what He wants us to learn today. We are His vessels, submitting to His work and promptings in our lives. We treasure your prayers! 

Below is a brief overview of what our time in Guatemala will look like if you would like to be following along! Our hearts are expectant for God to reveal Himself to us in new and big ways while we’re here seeking Him. We will be sharing updates every few days, so check back here for more posts!

With grateful and expectant hearts,

Rachel and LIFT 47 

General Schedule:

TUESDAY, APRIL 2nd - Arrive in Guatemala / Meet host families / General orientation at Students International  

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3rd - First day at ministry sites / Cultural night 

THURSDAY, APRIL 4th - Serve at the ministry sites 

FRIDAY, APRIL 5th - Serve at the ministry sites / Ecological hike

SATURDAY, APRIL 6th - Day in Antigua

SUNDAY, APRIL 7th - Church at Shoreline City Antigua / Ecological hike

MONDAY, APRIL 8th - Serve at the ministry sites / LIFT Mission's class

TUESDAY, APRIL 9th - Serve at the ministry sites / Soccer night

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 10th - Serve at the ministry sites / LIFT Mission's class / Missionary Forum with SI missionaries

THURSDAY, APRIL 11th - Serve at the ministry sites / Last dinner with host families

FRIDAY, APRIL 12th - Serve at the ministry sites / LIFT vs SI Soccer game / Banquet dinner

SATURDAY, APRIL 13th - Ecological hike / Trip debrief activities / Dinner in Antigua

SUNDAY, APRIL 14th - Start hiking “Volcan Acatenango” / Camp at basecamp

MONDAY, APRIL 15th - Sunrise summit hike / Dinner Buffet at Hotel Soleil

TUESDAY, APRIL 16th - Depart from Guatemala City 

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17th - Arrive back at COTW