Tuesday: Work in Membrillal and Kaitlyn thinks we should have better titles...

To God be the glory!

Greetings from Guatemala!  We are very busy now, doing what the ministry needs to do.  Today we went to Membrillal to work on the church.  It was a very productive day.  We all worked as a team to get things done, just as we do at Risen Life.  At one point we stopped work and prayed about what we were doing and for safety.  It has been a good experience getting to know everyone on our team better. 

We have a beekeeper, a bow shooter, a Yo-Yo expert, and a welder.  Oh no!  Wait!  That is just Corby:  a man of many talents. 

We all have been in prayer, but the Lord has used each of us, and that is what is happening.  When one person lacks experience, someone else has it.  It is really cool to see. 

We all need everyone’s prayers as we start VBS for the kids at the school and community on Wednesday.  We are preparing for 150 kids and the final day we will serve them ice cream (something I know little about).  It will be nice to see all the cares those kids have fade away for a few hours.  Working with the kids and seeing how they make the most of what they have warms my heart and it makes us all want to be more for them and this ministry, and to be content with what we have. 

Please continue to pray for our team that the Lord has put together as we continue to serve here in Guatemala.  I know we are all praying for our loved ones back home and we will hate to finish up here, but it will be good to see our families Sunday evening. 

P.S. You don’t need an alarm to get up in the morning.  The dogs start barking at 3 AM and don’t quit, and usually at 4 AM the fireworks start; but it is all good.

Continue to pray for safety as we work and that God uses us in a way that brings Him glory and through our effort that there is someone who comes to know the Lord as their Savior.  We have come to be here to serve and be a blessing, but as usual we are being blessed.

To God be the glory!

Scott Cook

Is that rebar on the volcano?

This morning when I woke up to watch the sunrise, it was too cloudy to see any color, however the volcano was clearly visible.  As I tried to look into the distance, I noticed something that were some tall poles on top of the volcano.  “That’s not natural.  Is that rebar?”  I think I have spent a lot of time perfecting my skill of working with rebar, that I see it everywhere!

Today was Day 2 for working at the church and school in Membrillal.  We received our supplies late last night after some of the men from our team were so wonderful to jump at the opportunity to pick them up and deliver them to the location site.  The team quickly began to work once we arrived:  remove the oil off of beams, measure and cut them to size, weld the beams, and began to piece the roof together.  Others began to cut rebar, create rebar columns, piece them together on posts, all while avoiding giant puddles of water and exposed electric wires.  While many were working, 3 team members and a school staff member, went out to pass out tracts and church invite cards.  I got to be a part of this experience and it was so beautiful to go out and meet the community.  The school staff member knew each child we came to meet and would speak to their family members inviting them to attend Vacation Bible School tomorrow. 

When we returned from passing out cards, it was amazing to see how each one of the team members are working alongside each other and define the word: unity.  I was a little surprised at what was happening before my eyes:  trying to raise a beam for the roof with no crane and use safety techniques that are different than home’s.  The unity I saw was how each person, Guatemalan and American, was posted in their stations and doing his designated job well.  Whether it was raising, lifting, directing, or observing, it was done well.  There were others that will still working on creating rebar columns and they were working diligently. 

Wherever I look, whenever I glance, I see unity.  We are each excelling in our own gifts, but we have been brought together to work for the glory of God. 

When I started to prepare for this trip, I was nervous at how many people were going.  When I found out 18 people were going, I thought that it was way too many and that there would be a lot of extra bodies taking up space.  I am so thankful that God knows more than I do. 

It is a beautiful picture to look around the room as I write this evening and see Sean and Courtney work on the translation of “Jesus Me Ama”; Kenzie, Corby, Jared, Maddie, Angie, and others discuss the details of Vacation Bible School tomorrow, some learn how to improve their skills of playing the Yo-Yo, and conversations being started.  We all have something of importance to do and we all do it so well.  I am extremely thankful for each one of these people and their love for God.  They are so willing to go where He leads them and to say Yes to whatever He asks. 

This team is a prime example of being the Body of Christ:  Romans 12:4-13.  They are so encouraging, uplifting, take advantage of the opportunities to teach, lead, serve, and be Christ-like to one another.  It is truly a blessing to be surrounded by each one of them.  Everyone that comes into contact with any one of these people is truly changed. 

Kaitlyn Wolff