Louisiana style

It has been a crazy month, but now is time to get a couple of updates out!

Starting the end of May our first EMERGE Summer interns arrived for a 5 day orientation, which means we had 9 days between the end of the orientation, and the start of another 5 day orientation for our second group of interns.

What better way to fill those 9 days than with a team!

We had a team of 16 people from Community Bible Church in Baton Rouge, Louisiana come for their first trip to Guatemala! And what a blessing it was for us!

This is a trip that was 3 years in the making, starting with contact from the pastor when he was in New Jersey! Then he changed churches, things kept getting pushed back, until finally, this year they made it! As always God's timing is perfect and it was a great team at a great time!

Community Bible Church team over Antigua

With a new team, first time in Guatemala for each one, everything we do is new for them! We try to give a good mixture of service, ministry and fun! 

But...so much to do, see and learn in such a short time....sooooooo

we kept them busy!

Their main project was to paint ceilings in houses at Las Aldeas Children's Home.

They had recently put new roofs on the houses and the ceilings were very stained from years of leaks.

Of course, the best part was not making the houses look so much better (that was great) but was getting to know the Tia's and kids in the homes!

Ken in the playhouse at Casita Benjamín

 We also showed them around Guatemala City, taught them a lot about the city, people, culture and history.

We visited many other ministries we are involved in, to let them see a lot of what life is like for us here.

They saw and learned about La Luz Brilla, Kairos House and Casita Benjamín and more!

Playing games during Vacation Bible School

 Two of the afternoons at Las Aldeas we stopped work early to hold a Vacation Bible School for the kids.

The team was well prepared and had games, music, crafts and a message each day!

The kids loved it all, and Pastor Steve had messages that kept the kids mesmerized! I've never seen them so quiet and pay attention like that!

Playing fútbol after working all day!

After working all day on several of the days, they had some play time with kids at Las Aldeas. It was so much fun to see some relationships started, and to see genuine unconditional love poured out on the kids.

There were some real impacts made there.

Team with Kairos families after day at the ZOO!

 On Saturday, we went to Casa Kairos, the home for kids with cancer and their families, and loaded all the kids there with parents, on our bus and took them all to the ZOO! What a fun day for everyone! We all ate lunch at the zoo together, and it was a time for the kids and families to just relax and enjoy the day.

Leading worship at Iglesia Heme Aquí Señor

 Sunday, the team went with us, and several kids from Las Aldeas, to our church 

"Iglesia Cristiana Heme Aquí Señor"

After worshipping with our worship team, they went up front to share a couple of songs but the church wouldn't let them stop! We continued to worship because the Spirit was leading and we followed!

Then Pastor Steve had a message for our church, and they presented our church with a gift of a new guitar!

We had a dinner at our home to thank the team for their love and encouragement here, and they learned more of the history of Guatemala and the reasons for many of the issues we face here today.

We are looking forward to their returning hopefully in 2013, and Lord willing, maybe becoming an annual fixture here in Guatemala!

THANK YOU Community Bible Church!