Microfinance Ministry Site

Over the past week I have had the immense privilege to work with SI's Microfinance department! Our site is centered around providing micro loans to local individuals to better there businesses and by extension enrich the community. By giving people small loans we seek to come along side them and the Lord and equip them to use there own talents skills and passions to improve there lives for themselves and not foster unhealthy reliance but to embolden there independence. Above all our goal and ultimate job is to love like Jesus by creating deep relationships centered not on finances or socioeconomic status (although important) but on Christ and His love or them and work on the cross.  Right now SI has 7 active loans of varying amounts with various people of diverse professions. From tailoring to avocado farming to tortilla making and more the each loan we give comes with a unique and compelling story of Gods work in the lives and dreams of these wonderful people. I’m going to do my best to answer some potential FAQs for y'all today starting with..

How does it work? 

Great question! Microfinance gives out small loans of no more than 15,000 quetzales which translates to roughly $1,942 at current rates. Each loan has a very small interest rate of 3-5% just so people don't view it as a hand out and take the privilege seriously especially when it comes to making payments. In order to get a loan each individual must fill out a application consisting fo general background and personal information, plans and goals, and some general socioeconomic questions. typically each application takes about 1-3 months starting from point of interest until acceptance.  the purpose of the application process is to throughly vet the applicant and ensure they are responsible and will use the money wisely for themselves there loved ones and the community. Today, Kyle, Jeff, and I accompanied Leo, SI's microfinance site leader, to visit Sandra and get her started on an application. Sandra owns a tortilleria--or in English--a tortilla shop! She has had this shop for 13 years but has been in the tortilla making business for over 35 years! Last we visited her we went over her plans on what she will use her loan for and today we got to begin filling out an application with her which was super exciting!

What does an average day look like? 

The beauty of microfinance is that no two days are exactly alike, each day is as flexible and subject to change as the lives of those we interact with and I absolutely love it. For the most part, however, each day consists of walking around the town and checking in with its beautiful constituents, both those with loans and those without. We spend A LOT of time simply being with people: connecting, laughing crying--it's beautiful. We have had some 10 or so visits so far and although some have been for specific purpose the majority have been simply to spend time and show love. Here in Guatemala schedules are subservient to relationships, which is awesome and something I wish we prioritized more in the US. The inherent relational intentionality that permeates society here catalyses ministry opportunities and empowers us to graft ourselves into the lives we touch. Each visit could be as short as 10-15 min or as long as 2-3 hours, we might be checking in on their store and sharing a coca-cola, or helping out a farmer and getting down into the dirt.  Whatever the purpose for the visit, God's ultimate purpose for us sharing his love is at the forefront of our minds and dictates our every action. 

Whats been the best part/What is God teaching you?

For me the best part has undoubtedly, unequivocally, incomparably been the people. SI's relationships-first mentality and vision just clicks for me. I love people. Having opportunities to laugh and eat and cook and work and play along side people who don't know me yet welcome me with open hearts ams and homes honestly makes me emotional. Making connections and now feeling and being known in and around the community has been a inexplicable blessing to me. Right now God is teaching and showing me a few things. 1) People are people no matter where they are. This means that they are loved, important, and priceless to God, just the same as anyone else--no matter what language they speak, what country they live in, or how much or little they have. They have dreams and struggles, hopes and regret--just like me or you AND God can and does work in their lives just as powerfully as in you or me. 2) God has given each of us unique talents and gifts, in that we have the choice to either use them for "good things" that are our own wants, dreams, desires; or to use them for better things which is what He has called each of us to do and why He imparted those gifts to us. I am seeing and learning more and more clearly that my goal in life should not be to get rich and frankly squander His gifting on my own personal gain, but should be looking around and seeing where he can use me to be His hands His feet and His light in our world. 

How can you be praying?

Prayer is vital. Firstly, thank you all for all the prayers you have already prayed on our behalf for safety and transformation! For micro finance specifically, please pray for Leo (the site leader) as he continues to diligently work in the local communities, pray for strength innovation and connection. Pray for the people here in Magdalena and its neighbors to truly seek the face of the Lord and to trust and rely on His plan and timing in their lives. Pray for their dreams and struggles, pray for their encouragement. For us, as we begin to wrap up our time here, please pray for continued energy and for us to seize every chance big or small to share the love of out Father with His children. Please pray for a safe return home and for the SI staff who will continue to work here after our departure. 

If you made it this far, thank you! I hope this was an encouragement to you and gave you insight into the work God is doing here in Sacatepequez (the state of Guatemala we are in). We love you all and cannot wait to share more in depth when we return!! <3

Best,

            Ashok Paul Merchant

A Weekend in Antigua

Hola Chicos,

LIFT 48 just spent the last two days (Saturday and Sunday), exploring the streets of Antigua (a beautiful and famous city in Guatemala). The city was absolutely beautiful in the heart of the volcanoes and Guatemalan culture. I know we all had an exciting weekend of wonderful weather, good food, and fun activities. 

We arrived in the city at the start of the Holy Week festivities, and if there is one thing I learned about this culture is that they take Holy Week, very seriously. The locals have different processions--holding the coffin of Jesus, around the entire city of Antigua. The women dress up in traditional widow attire, and the men wear purple robes, kids also dress up for the procession and burn incense to mourn the death of Jesus.

On Saturday we all got the opportunity to split up in different groups exploring the city together. Many of the groups went shopping in the local markets (my group purchasing many wool blankets). There were ruins to explore, birdwatching, and many food places to try. My group went to an art museum; where we viewed many of the cultural pieces that make-up Guatemalan art. On the drive back, our bus driver played karaoke that everyone sang along to, and the driver was thoroughly entertained by us knowing every song. It was a great way to end our Saturday.

On Sunday we went back to Antigua for church at Shoreline City Church. The church was in an old Guatemalan building with a courtyard, but the service was very modern. As someone who comes from a background of modern churches, it was very refreshing. It was definitely different for a lot of us. Afterwards we all broke up into groups and walked around before meeting up again to go to lunch. Sunday afternoon we headed back to Magdelena to get some rest before we did the eco hike again.

In our time in Antigua we got to try many food, I went to three cafes: "Fat Cat", "12 Oz" and "Cafe Barista", trying a chai, lattes and an interesting latte mixed with beet juice which was very delicious. Many of the LIFTers (my group included) decided to try out the Guatemalan Taco Bell, and it had a beautiful courtyard where we got to sit, eat, and watch birds landing on the fountain. There was a crepe place called "Luna De Miel" that was heavily recommended to us by one of the leaders here at Students International, as well as my host mom. The crepes were some of the best I had ever tried. For dinner, we all went out to eat at "Sky Cafe" (a Guatemalan restaurant that has a view of the volcanoes) with the entire LIFT group, which was a nice way to debrief our day and catch up with one another.

Something that the Guatemalans truly value here is relationships and intentionality with their community. Without electronics or random busy schedules to divide our attention, when we are with each other, we get to connect with one another, and listen to each other. It does not matter how long we sit at the dinner table, or at the crepe place, because the importance is not in how much we can accomplish today, but how can we connect with one another today. At dinner I saw such a growth with the people I was sitting with. We were talking about some of the difficulties with communicating with out host families with the language barrier, but how much we are willing to try anyway. I know for me dinners with my host mom are something I have started to look forward to each day. Even though I do not understand everything she says, the excitement she has for the stories she tells is contagious, and it's refreshing that many of the other LIFTers are also willingly getting out of their comfort zones to be intentional with those around us, even with this language barrier.

Some prayer requests I have is for continual intentionality with one another, and even though we are all slowly getting tired, that division will not occur within our team. Please pray for prevention from any ailments that can occur. Finally, pray that we will be focused on God's will for our time here in Guatemala, and that we will listen to how He wants to use us, instead of focusing so much on what we think He is using us for. Thank you all for your continual prayers and support for this mission.

Adios Chicos,

Jess Roesler

Child Sponsorship Ministry Site Update

Students International has many different ministry sites that we have the privilege of being a part of for our time here in Guatemala. One of them is the Child Sponsorship site!

Many families here in Magdalena cannot afford to send their children to school to get an education. Without an education, a child has limited opportunities for their future. Child Sponsorship is a ministry dedicated to helping the children of Guatemala pursue an education as well as a relationship with Jesus. They do this through people willing to sponsor funds so a child can go to school. Child Sponsorship has many testimonies of young men and woman whose lives were changed through this program because now they can use their passions and talents to find a suitable career.

Through tutoring, kids club, birthday parties, and house visits, Child Sponsorship shares the love of Christ. Their intention is for every single child to feel loved and to be confident in who they are as an image bearer of God, and so incredibly loved by Him.

I have the privilege, along with other LIFTers, to be a part of this ministry for the next couple of weeks. So far, we have been able to help with class preparation, tutoring, and helping with an English class. 

One day we helped the Child Sponsorship Intern, Lydia, make birthday cards for the April and May birthday party that happened this morning! 

We played games, ate cake and snacks, and prayed over the birthday kids. One of the games we played was called bunny bunny, as seen below:

    Cesar and Yvonne have wonderful relationships with all of the kids who come to this program. They love and care for each of them as individuals. It's evident that the Child Sponsorship building is a safe place to learn, make mistakes, and be a kid. 

    Please pray for Child Sponsorship that God will continue to open doors for their ministry, that more people will be willing to sponsor a child, and that they can continue to do the work of the Lord with fervor, patience, and integrity.

-Kaeli

The Child Sponsorship Ministry Site is committed to equipping and supporting children, teens, parents, and teachers in communities with great need. SI believes in the God-given potential of each individual and seek to transform lives through education, discipleship, and holistic care. They serve the communities of Magdalena, and it’s surroundings providing vital resources and encouragement for children’s growth and development. Through Kids Club, academic tutoring, Bible lessons, and one-on-one discipleship, they invest in the spiritual and academic growth of children. Child Sponsorship also offer psychological support and parent workshops to strengthen families, and equips teachers through training events to create a lasting impact in their classrooms. Participants will engage hands-on in these activities—helping with tutoring, organizing Bible lessons, mentoring children, and supporting parents and teachers. Whether they're leading at Kids Club, offering encouragement to students, or helping in workshops, the LIFTers' time here will make a lasting impact in the lives of those SI serves.

Buenos Dias from the Sports Ministry Site!

Buenos Dias!
These past couple of days at the SI Sports ministry site have been awesome! The first day (Wednesday) we played soccer with elementary school kids as well as hearing our site leader Byron’s testimony! Thursday we did a group devotional on James 1 with the kids and Lydia P talked God’s Grace, teaching them to rely on God through difficult situations! We also played a game called “Polish” with them all day and had great bonding time. Yesterday (Friday) we focused on James 2 for our devo with the kids and helped run the Special Olympics with the special education students and ministry site leaders, they were a true joy to be around! Drake almost got tackled by his buddy out of pure excitement!

God has been teaching us that even though we may not have everything we want in life, He will always provide and take care of our needs. We have seen that materialism does not bring happiness, the people here have learned how to be so grateful and fulfilled with what they have. It is very touching to see the joy they have in Christ despite what seems like difficult living situations and lacking access to what we have so available back home. We should be so thankful for every little thing we have!

Please pray that we would be able to continue to impact these kids through the sports and shine the light of Christ onto them. We also ask that they would have open hearts to receiving the love and joy of Christ! We also want to lift up their future and pray that they would stay on the right path and not be overcome by the temptation’s of the world. We are broken people in a broken world and could use as much prayer as possible!

Blessings from Drake and Josh M!!

The Sports Ministry site & Boys Club site partners with children and youth in Magdalena, San Miguel, Buena Vista, and El Tablón, using sports as a tool for personal growth and spiritual transformation. Through baseball, soccer, volleyball, and track and field—along with adaptive programs in partnership with our Special Education site—SI creates opportunities for mentorship and discipleship. Beyond athletics, Byron also runs Boys Club for middle schoolers and Club 56 for 5th and 6th graders, where kids build friendships, have fun, and engage in Christ-centered devotionals. Participants play an active role in training sessions, sharing their testimonies, leading devotionals, and building meaningful relationships with the youth. Through sports and mentorship, SI aims to develop character, teamwork, and a deep understanding of God's love.

Guatemalan Culture Night with Students International

Last night, LIFT enjoyed a cultural night that the SI staff graciously put on. It was filled with laughter, fun, education, and food. 

We feasted on some traditional Guatemalan food such as tostada de guacamole, frijoles refritos (fried black beans) o salsa; chuchitos and chile rellenos. We also enjoyed jamaica (hibiscus) tea and fried plantains with cream and sugar for dessert. The food was so delicious and flavourful, everyone loved the feast we had. In Guatemala, it is so amazing how the SI staff and our host families are so generous with their food. Hospitality here is so important! In order to have this food, the SI kitchen staff worked for 5.5 hours to prepare the meal. It is crazy to see how much people are blessing us here. 

After we wrapped up eating, some of the girls dressed in traditional Guatemalan attire and lead LIFT in a traditional dance. The traditional attire was beautiful and each outfit was from a specific area of Guatemala. For Guatemalans, the colours and patterns on the outfit represent the area that the woman is from. It that amazing and so creative. All of the LIFT girls who dressed up looked so pretty in these beautiful outfits. 

Then, the SI staff lead us in some traditional games. It was so interesting to see, the games range from hitting a hacky sack the most (only with your foot, knee and head) to cracking confetti-filled eggs on people after they lose rock, paper, scissors. 

The games brought out the competitive side of most LIFTers, but none more than the confetti egg game. The whole aim of the egg game is to get 3 of your team to the other team's side. In order to do this, you sprint and where you meet the other team you play rock, paper and scissors. The loser gets a confetti-filled egg crack on their head and goes back to their side. It is one of the most fun games I ever played. 

Graciously, the SI staff taught us about traditional clothing, food, instruments, different people groups and languages in Guatemala. For example, Guatemala is referred to as the land of "eternal spring" and it only has 2 seasons, dry or wet. There are 25 languages spoken here, the main one is Spanish and the rest are tribal. 

It was truly eye-opening to learn about Guatemala and helped me appreciate the uniqueness, creativity, beauty and wonder of the Guatemala culture. We are grateful to be here and learn from such wonderful people! 

Please continue to pray for us as we spend time at our ministry sites each day, learning from and loving the people in front of us!

Charlotte

We Made It! | LIFT 48 is in Guatemala!

        

Hello everyone! We made it to Guatemala safely and we are all so ecstatic! Thank you all for your prayers! After a long travel day, we made it Magdalena at around 4pm yesterday. Last night, there was much excitement as we got settled in with our host families and got to see the ecological hike that we will be doing several times to prepare for our volcano hike at the end of the trip. 

 

As we wake up this morning for our first full day in Guatemala, we are hopeful, excited, and ready for what God has us to do in every moment today. First thing after breakfast with our host families, we arrived at the Students International base, where we are currently doing a devotional that SI prepared for us. They have prepared daily devotionals for us to have each morning, and this morning’s devo was focused on the sincere love we read about in John 15 and Romans 12. 

 

Today we will have our SI orientation and get to visit our ministry sites and meet the missionaries we will be serving with each day. Some other fun things that we have ahead of us are the cultural night tonight, exploring more of Magdalena, as well as getting to know our host families better. 

 

How can you be praying for us? You can be praying for communication between LIFT students and our host families, and for renewed strength and energy after our long travel day. Please continue to pray for the Guatemalan’s hearts and for our hearts to be open to what the Lord has for us and that we would not lean on our own understanding or our own strength, but His.

 

Thanks so much! 

 

Much love, 

Mackenzie and LIFT 48

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