viernes: Shortest long week

Dear family and friends,

This has been the shortest long week of the year . . . or rather, it has been the longest short week of the year. I don't ever remember a year when that has not been the case. The trip is at times hard and the week is long but is happens fast. I guess it is the new surroundings each day, and even when you know what is coming, you never know what might happen. (Wow, I just reread that. What did I just say?)

Our day began as they do every day with Guatemalan led devotions. Because our day today was based in Guatemala City, we were offered the opportunity to go to Godoy Coffee to see how coffee is roasted or to the Mayan Ruins down the street, yes, down the street. There are Mayan mounds and ruins everywhere. The Mayan Empire was massive and its artifacts in many instances are unprotected here. After, we had the opportunity to eat lunch in the mission house with all of the Guatemalan missionaries and Ginny and Kevin, we prepared to once again present our faith lessons. The number served is smaller in Guatemala City, so it is all done in the mission house, the adults in the garage, the teens around the table, and the kids outside the house but inside the gated yard. We had another opportunity to talk with another student , Libny, sponsored by Trinity and Bequer, sponsored by my family. Trinity also sponsors Oscar and Julian, two exceptionally gifted, Guatemalan missionaries.

It is much harder to say goodbye to the Guatemalans and to Ginny and Kevin than 8 days would suggest it would be.  I think it is because every day we are in surreal, real world situations with these people without our technology. Tonight, we spent time debriefing and tomorrow we look forward to a side trip to the colonial capital of Guatemala, on our own, before our departure on Monday. 

I am so sorry this is brief.  I'll be honest, we are really tired. Perhaps I can revisit this later. We are all well. We have all independently expressed our thoughts about how we have been changed by this opportunity to serve with Groundwork and how each of us has grown. I can't wait to see how God will use each of us as a result of what we have experienced and learned this week. 

Blessings and good night,

Sally and the 2018 Mission Team of my dreams

jueves: Thankfulness

Dear family and friends,

Trinity, you have been thanked. All day long, you have been thanked.  All week long you have been thanked by Guatemalan teenagers and their mothers.  The 14 high school students Trinity sponsors are genuinely grateful for the opportunity to attend a good high school.  Their mothers who get what that education means for their child and their family's future are profoundly thankful for all of you. My response was the problem.  I really did not know what to say because as usual, they were unknowingly teaching me something I should have already known, and that was, first and foremost, thank God. All day long, as we had the opportunity to talk with these kids and their mothers, it was "Thank God," first, "Thank your church," second. At the same time, I was struggling with what to say in response: "There is no need for thanks," or "Your hard work is the only thanks we need," or even, "you're welcome." I started listening to them and realized, once again, they were teaching me. I had all day to get it right and finally settled on, "Thank God, we are 'blessed to be a blessing'."
I hope this makes sense, but these Guatemalans who have so little, always thank God first and then the secondary giver, secondarily.  It was a whopping important reminder of the source of all blessings.

Our day was spent in Amatitlan. (Sorry, I don't know how to put the accents in on this keyboard.) Amatitlan is not as large as Guatemala City but shanties and homes are wall-to-wall cement block and corrugated metal on its narrow streets. The population density is high. It was there we spent the morning visiting with the families of some of our personally sponsored children. Lauren, Alaina, Adam (on behalf of Emily and Blake), and I had the chance to sit and talk with Maria, Kimberly, Victor, and Joel in their homes. We talked about everything . . . favorite foods, favorite subjects in school, favorite Bible passages . . . yes, I know there is a pattern here. It is hard because none of us is fluent in Spanish, but we persevered with the help of translators. It was equal parts stress and wonder.

There were lots of highs this afternoon.  Megan got to spend some time with Anna and Julian during their medical clinic, and I got to watch Megan's face when they pulled a winged mosquito (Is that a thing?) out of a woman's ear. I suspect Megan will make an excellent doctor, but she may need a little work on her bedside manner/reactions. By the way, the other ear had a seed pod in it. And every mothers knows that stuff happens in the U.S., too. Dylan and Megan had near record attendance at the teen faith lessons, 57, and there were almost 200 at the children's lesson, and I would guess between 150-175 at the adult lesson. Mona and I finally found our groove. We had a wonderful time with the adults. Alaina and her fearless music/dance leader, Lauren, along with Lexi, Ryan, Marisa, and Adam rocked the kid's lesson and the soccer ball. We were working in different parks. These parks have no grass; they are just a square of cement between cement block houses on either side, but they come alive as hundreds show up for faith lessons and the clinic. Tents are erected, molded, plastic stools strategically placed, a microphone jimmy-rigged, attendance taken, and away we go.

Today is a hard day to describe. Admittedly, as the week progresses, it gets harder and harder to find the presence of mind to write. We are tired, but really not that tired. We are somewhat emotionally spent but still completely engaged. I think this is my way of saying I can't describe places today, just a feeling of thankfulness, to God, first, and to all of you, the Guatemalans, and the ministry, second.

Blessings and good night,

Adam, Ryan, Marisa, Lexi, Dylan, Alaina, Megan, Lauren, Mona Lisa, and Sally

miercoles: Deet, Volcanoes, Pigs, Domingo (not the day of the week) and Humility

Dear friends and family,
Open up a National Geographic, and step in. That was our day in Buena Vista. I never get over the wonder of 10 yahoos from Michigan walking down "Main Street" in Buena Vista. I guess you could call Buena Vista a village, or a hamlet, or a gathering of shanties in the middle of a sugar cane and rubber tree finca/farm. Plants, animals/critters of all kinds, children... the place teems with life. Pineapples, mangoes, cocoanuts, turkey's, ducks, cows, "free range"chickens and chickens on tethers, and my personal favorite the bevy of pigs who attended the adult lesson and who paced the entire time, kind of like me; we bonded.

Again, today, we were privileged to teach faith lessons and go on home visits on this small piece of the Pacific coastal plains, in the rainforest, in one of the most beautiful places  imaginable; however, it is remote and it is extremely poor. The homes are bamboo, rusted corrugated metal, with wood fires for stoves. There is no running water; well, it is running ... it runs in a nearby stream where Buena Vista baths, washes dishes and clothes, and drinks. As Americans, it is hard to imagine the hardships that exist day to day there. But, life happens anyway and we got a glimpse of it. Even as we departed Buena Vista in the day time, who can imagine life in Buena Vista in the dark. It is unimaginable.

It was again a privilege to talk and laugh with the adults, primarily women, the teens, and the children. Again, our similarities rather than our differences even in this exotic yet tragic location seemed to shine. And nothing captures that better than Dylan, Adam and Ryan playing soccer with the kids and having to pull out their best stuff to compete. These are tough people, as you can imagine, and they hang on to their faith for dear life.The children who are sponsored by Trinity and others are attending school, even high school, although they must travel long distances to attend. There are even high school graduates. The sponsorship program is changing lives but that does not happen without the tenacity of some pretty tough kids and their moms.

In addition to Groundwork's faith lessons and home visits every week day, they also travel with a nurse and her gifted assistant, Julian, a true jack-of-all trades. At every ministry location there is a medical clinic each week, and today I was allowed to accompany Anna and Julian on a medical visit to Xaya.

Last year, I had the opportunity to visit Domingo in the village of Xiya located about 20 minutes from Buena Vista. To get there, it takes a second trek on a rutted and rocky road through the sugar cane past Mayan mounds and wide open fields with trees that looked like those often associated with the African bush. Last year, Domingo had experienced a stroke in his mid-twenties. Neighbors had shared the news of this young man who was need of care. I met him about a month after his stroke. Anna had initially evaluated him and determined, at the very least, he was severely diabetic and dehydrated. Then, she and Julian began the weekly process of Domingo's care in the most difficult circumstances imaginable. Anna demands that Domingo works to recover. She researched the kind of physical therapy equipment that might afford him improvement, and Julian designed and built it right under the trees next to his grandmother's humble home in Xiya. Each week Anna and Julian make the extra trip to provide his diabetic medication and check on his progress. They encourage him but also demand he exercise regularly so that he does not end up in a wheelchair for the rest of his life. Seriously, in the middle of nowhere, there is somewhere where people of God do the impossible for one of their brothers because they can. Domingo has miles to go, but has come miles from where he was a year ago. God placed Anna and Julian in Domingo's extremely challenging life and they stepped so far up it is dizzying. These are the kind of folks we have been allowed to serve with this week.

I can't close without touching on the topic of volcanoes. The drive to Buena Vista took us by Pacaya, Agua, Acatenango, and yes, even Fuego. Fuego is massive and it and Pacya were pumping out smoke today. No, we were not right next to them, but they are huge and can be seen picture perfect from quite a distance. It was a graphic reminder of the fine line between nature's beauty and its fury.

Again, thank you for coming along with us this week. Everyone is healthy and, I believe, extremely happy but after today, tired. It was HOT today and still, everyone did their best. We were fortunate to have so many God sightings (Emily Wright's term, not mine) today.

Blessings,
Ryan, Dylan, Adam, Mona, Lauren, Lexi, Megan, Alaina, Marisa, and Sally

martes: Roaring rain and more

Dear friends and family,
Today, like most days during the rainy season, it rained. No, it was not rain; it was a deluge of Biblical proportions. I honestly had the thought that if one of the volcanoes erupted, there would be no way we would hear it. Yes, you think of some pretty wacky scenarios down here. Needless to say,  we experienced the tropics up close and personal today. We were in El Rincon which is nestled at the base of several volcanic mountains. There were horses on the mountain sides, cattle roaming the dirt roads, indigenous women carrying goods in plastic bowls and bundles on their heads, women wielding wheel barrows down the rutted, dirt roads, rings of barbed wire strung along the the top of cement block walls, dogs of every size, shape, or condition, garbage, motorcycles, also, in every size shape or condition, cornfields which rose at 70 degree angles across the sides of mountains, chicken bus graveyards, a boneless chicken farm (several of my people actually fell for that one), women in indigenous dress, and lots of folks on foot going about their days in the heat and humidity.

Today, we did home visits and the first round of our faith lessons. The deluge occurred during our lessons and the dirt road which separated the adult and youth lessons from the kid's lesson flooded so much we could not regroup after. It looked like the muddy/mighty Mississippi. Mona and I were so concerned about our adult lesson premier, that we were metaphorically high-five-ing each other because we thought the roar of the rain would drown out the mistakes we made; we soon discovered there was a microphone. Oh, well. It was an extraordinary experience talking with the women and despite my missteps in Spanish and our need for translation, it was just an awesome time spent with these adults talking about how all of our families are complicated. . . Biblical families, their families, and our families.

The teen and children's lessons were well done by our kids.  I witnessed every single one of our teens reaching out to talk with, and not talk at, everyone they came in contact with. They took a lot of pride in doing the work well and enthusiastically; they were engaged and caring. We also met extraordinary parents of students that Trinity sponsors as well as the students themselves.  Over and over we heard how thankful each student and parent was to God for the educational sponsorship support Trinity provides, and over and over they additionally expressed how this assistance had enabled them, instead, to use more of the money they earn for needed medication, more and better food, and badly needed improvements to their homes. Their lives are so incredibly modest that sponsorship seems to have an enormous impact on the entire family, now and into the future.

It is difficult to capture what went on today. It is better suited for a conversation rather than to struggle to describe it here when we have to be up at 5:00 tomorrow morning. Please have conversations with your people when we return.  We will need to talk about where we have been, what we have seen, and what we have done.  More importantly, we will need to tell you about the people we have met.

Before I post this, there were many funny things that happened today in the midst of some pretty weighty  experiences that I want to share, but the funniest had to be the verse on our shirts.  A certain unnamed Lutheran High School North valedictorian ordered our shirts with the wrong verse on them; however, most of us did not realize it until today. The verse that is cited on the shirt is absolutely abysmal for a team bent on spreading the love of Jesus. It was supposed to say I Corinthians 13:13, a classic verse about love, but instead it reads I Corinthians 3:14, basically fire and brimstone. Well, it really did not bother any of us  that much once we recovered, although we did recognize how ridiculous it had been that we had been wearing the shirt in Michigan at church repeatedly, but the unnamed valedictorian was beyond mortified, and that was the truly hilarious piece. In addition, Mona keeps forgetting she has had a name change so it is funny to watch the reactions when she introduces her understated, sweet self as Mona,  the Monkey. And finally, there are endless stories about mishaps in the bathrooms. (There are some pretty firm necessary regulations about bathroom operations here.) Last night I was trying to quickly get in and out of the shower and because I basically can't see without my glasses and things are pretty dark at night,  I applied toothpaste instead of body lotion and had to revisit the fairly arduous process of showering in the "electric" shower agan. Maybe that isn't that funny; its probably pitiful.

Again, everyone is pulling their weight and then some.  This team is  funny, kind, and great to be with. The Guatemalan missionaries are beyond admirable and great role models for all of us, and Ginny and Kevin continue to run a tight ship full of love, buckets full of wisdom, and kindness.

We are well.
Blessings and love,
Marisa, Mona aka Lisa, Dylan, Ryan, Alaina, Adam, Megan, Alaina, Lexi, and Sally

lunes: too much to process

Dear family and friends,
We have just returned from our first home visits to the shanties in La Liberated just outside the Guatemala City Garbage Dump. Our day began with a visit to Only A Child, the shelter and carpentry shop begun by Boston native, George Leger, followed by a visit to the entrance to the Dump. There is no way I can adequately share details of this day with you. You would think that being a veteran on this trip, I could process it a lot faster than it seems to be happening. In fact, I think it is getting harder.

When I first arrived in Guatemala 14 years ago, everything was new; it was exciting; it was shocking. I am embarrassed to say it was even revolting on many levels. I still love being here; it is still exciting, but I am no longer shocked or revolted, and that concerns me. I suppose it is good that I am no longer thrown  by the level of poverty and despair that pervades much of Guatemala. I wondered if I had become desensitized by all that I had seen, but instead, I think I have accepted it. I know that may sounded twisted, but one of the many lessons I have learned during my time here is that not all problems can be fixed, and that beneath those first shocking impressions is so much more. From time to time, Kevin and Ginny, the long term American missionaries/administrators of Groundwork in Guatemala,  point out that Americans want to fix impossible problems and upon occasion, in the process even create others. Trust me, there are some whopping' problems here, and yes, I know there are some whoppin' problems at home, too. However, Only A Child and Groundwork solve problems by establishing relationships and sharing the good news of Jesus and his resurrection with folks with struggles, in most ways, far beyond ours. Today, we talked with George about his call to provide a home for boys living on the streets, as well as his desire to  provide them with the opportunity to pursue an education, develop a work ethic, and grow a faith that would ultimately lead them to be Godly young men and fathers. We talked and laughed with the boys and watched Ryan, Dylan, and Adam try to glean as much info about the World Cup as they could get from former street kids who love soccer as much as they do. We listened to Marvin, a long-term resident of the program, joyfully translate for his fellow residents after years of keeping a quiet, almost somber presence in that ministry. It was exhilarating to see the profound good that flows from those who invest their lives into a call to serve.

We talked at length about the dump and the many folks who make a living recycling anything they can find in the filth. We reviewed the relative recent history of Guatemala and the aftermath of Guatemala's civil war; the shanty towns outside the dump are a part of that aftermath as native peoples were driven from their land in the countryside to become squatters on a former dump site. And we met, talked, and prayed with families who live and survive with faith intact in these areas. It was a privilege.

The sights and the sounds in these areas is unlike anything you might find in the U.S. Between the corruption, power struggles, violence, and an exploding urban population, we saw the human toll up close and personal. It was a breath-taking day of learning and service. We were exposed to sights, sounds, and smells that were previously  unfamiliar, and we are left to process it while preparing for the next, new day's experiences. Almost everyone here seems to get the one way out is Jesus. It is a lesson not as readily embraced in the North.

Most of all, I want you to know that we are thinking. We are being changed by this experience and what we may be doing for others, pales in comparison to what they are doing for us. We are doing our best, but we want our best to be better. Does that make sense? Tomorrow we head to El Rincon to teach our lessons and attempt to be "courageous." I wish I could tell you more; it is just too much to express tonight.

I have to end with one quick story. Mona's name in Spanish translates to "monkey." Introducing herself as "monkey" was not really working, so I thought it might be cool to call her Mona Lisa because her middle name is Lisa. Turns out that was even worse. The Guatemalans actually blushed when I suggested it, so our friend, formerly known as Mona, is now affectionally known as Lisa. Good stuff!

Again, thank you for your interest. We sense your presence with us.

Blessings,
Lexi, Megan, Marisa, Adam, Alaina, Ryan, Mona, Dylan, Lauren, and Sally

P.S. As you can tell, we are photo challenged. Our flash drive disappeared in transit, so for the time being, please go to the Groundwork Guatemala Facebook page for pics.

domingo

For those who drink coffee, you can understand the collective comfort it can provide a mission team early on a cool Central American morning. Freshly ground, Guatemalan coffee becomes a gathering cry in the mission house. The day starts early in Guatemala, and it is easier to ease into those mornings because of the coffee and the two hour cushion provided by the time zone change. We all slept well last night on hearty air mattresses placed on sturdy bunk bed frames. Today, we were up and ready to roll.

Mona mentioned this morning how exciting it was yesterday to exit the airport in Guatemala City into a sea of aromas, colors, sounds, and humanity.  I had forgotten how that had hit me, too, on my first few trips here; it is an exhilarating and slightly frightening introduction to life in Guatemala City. Urban chaos is probably similar in every large, third world country, but I suspect it occurs in different flavors depending on where in the world you are. Guatemala City is flavored by diesel fumes and particulate, chicken buses, the roar of motorcycles, the aromas of street food, Mayan fabrics, rain, ferocious thunder, and lots of folks. Every place we will go this week has a slightly different flavor.  It is thrilling to be exposed to it and have the opportunity to make sense of it.  This of course applies to worship styles, too.

It's so easy to assume "our" way of doing things is the "right" way. One of the first lessons Americans learn here is that there are other ways of doing almost everything, and on Sunday, worship style was one of those first lessons. Psalm 25 is all about trust. In verse 4 is says,

"Show me your ways, O Lord,
teach me your paths,
guide me in your truth and teach me
for you are my God my Savior,
and my hope is in you all day long."

Our day began with a look into His ways at Ministerios de la Cruz, a store-front church unlike most in the U.S. We were welcomed like brothers and sisters, and like our brothers and sisters, here we worshiped for two and a half hours. I'll be honest, it's a long time. We stood and sang for at least 45 minutes whiles liturgical dancers performed perfectly choreographed moves, non-stop. We worked at standing that long, while the dancers moved with ease in long-sleeved long white dresses with little regard for the humidity and rising heat. We know that we have much to learn. There was a lot to take in, but it did strike me that faith life here is a predominant thread in the fabric/culture of Guatemala. In our country, it seems sometimes as if it is has become more of an add-on or adjunct to our culture.  Not sure if that is a correct characteriazation but there does seem to be a profound difference.

Our minds are racing. There is so much to process in an experience like this. Motorcycles speed by during the service, cell phones ring quietly, babies fuss, "tweens" laugh and chatter, and we are trying to soak it all in; and. . .  it is all so familiar. One of the many lessons today may be that we are truly all the same in every imaginable way that matters. I have a mental picture of God looking down on us and asking, "What took you so long to figure that one out?"

This afternoon we assembled 200+ hygiene kits to help those individuals who lost their families and communities as a result of the volcanic eruption. We will meet folks this week who have almost nothing, but these victims of the Fuego explosion have exactly NOTHING. Thank you that we are able to help in this small but basic way. Groundwork will work through their connections to place these supplies into the actual hands of those in immediate need.

I know I ramble sometimes when I work on the blog and recognize I likely lose some of the readership when I do. So, to the point, I want you to know we are well; the kids are great. Mona and I feel fortunate to be having this experience together and with these eight, special kids, some of the many great kids we all know and love through Trinity and our neighboring schools and churches. Thank you for following our days here.  Every hour is something new and challenging in our faith walk together in Guatemala.

Blessings,
Megan, Alaina, Lexi, Mona, Ryan, Dylan, Marisa, Lauren, Adam, and Sally

We have arrived . . . hooray!

Dear family and friends,

After a bit of a delay in Atlanta, and a 757 filled with American mission teams, at least five, we arrived in Guatemala City late Saturday afternoon Michigan time. "Almost" everyone had a great flight, caught up on some sleep, and experienced the thrill of arriving in Guatemala City with all of our bags intact. (Some of our boxes were questionable leaving Detroit.)

The number of American down here right now is impressive. There are so many who wish to be a part of the solution in Guatemala; it is evidenced in the airport by the number of duffle bags filled with supplies from every corner of our country. Furthermore, there seemed to be a pronounced shift in our reception by customs and airport officials compared to previous years. This year officials seemed to sense we wanted to help and many even seemed appreciative; that has not always been the case in the past.

After loading our 41 bags of all sizes into two 12-passenger vans along with Ginny, Kevin, Manual, Bequer and all of us, we made are way to the mission house and began to unpack and organize supplies. There is a system in place here, for everything, and once you understand it, it's all good. Ginny and Kevin put us through the paces on everything from the "electric" shower, to the "rules" on toilet paper, brushing your teeth with bottled water, passport copies, and so much more.

We are exhausted but happy to be together, here, in Guatemala. We are hoping to be courageous in all things this week. We look forward to sharing this adventure with all of you, as best we can, and when we can't, please check the Groundwork Guatemala Facebook page for additional pics of the our activities each day.

We are humbled to represent each of you in this experience. Your generous support of and prayers for Groundwork Guatemala and the Trinity mission team make you as essential to this effort as any of us.   The medical supplies, the school supplies, the crafts, the office supplies, the Thrivent shirts, the pillow case dresses, the hygiene kits, and let's not forget those pesky bottles and cans are all thanks to you; thank you for talking this faith walk with us.

Blessings and love,

Sally, Mona, Lexi, Marisa, Adam, Ryan, Dylan, Alaina, Lauren, and Megan

Last Minute Preparations 2018

Back row: Mona Wade, Dylan Presnail, Adam Racey, Megan Guiles, Ryan Hecker, Alaina Petzold, and Lauren Miklusak
Front row: Sally Buss, Marisa Grant, and Lexi Hallberg

Dear friends,
As the Trinity Guatemala team undertakes more than a few last minute preparations for our trip to Guatemala on Saturday, on behalf of Groundwork Guatemala and the Trinity team members, thank you for your overwhelming support. From your generous donations of pop cans and bottles, to the enthusiastic giving by school and church families as well as employers and friends, we have been afforded the opportunity to take all the supplies that Delta permits us to carry by weight to Guatemala this weekend. The maximum amount we have been allotted this year is 1080 pounds, and thanks to you, we will be able to use every single pound. Thank you, too, for leaning into an extremely difficult situation in Guatemala this spring. The response to our desire to replace hygiene supplies used for Fuego disaster relief was overwhelming.

We are honored to represent all of you next week and will do our best to walk-the-walk and talk-the- talk with all with whom we are blessed to come into contact. Please pray for the safety of our team members and those who work tirelessly in Guatemala everyday to reach out with the love of Jesus to those in need. We will keep Trinity in our prayers, as well.

Again, thank you; words alone are not enough!

Blessings,
Sally and the 2018 Mission Team to Guatemala

Day 7: Guatemala City

Dear friends and family,
We are terrific but the blog has an issue. I cannot get onto the blog on my computer; I am left to hunt and peck keys on an iPad. Bienvenidos a Guatemala. I will post photos tomorrow if I can resolve the problem. In the meantime, please know that we had another meaningful day filled with new, rich experiences and that we are healthy and safe.  More importantly, today and all days this week, we saw God everywhere!

Before I sign off tonight, I want to tell all of our former team members you have been missed. The Guatemalan missionaries wanted you to know they are praying for you and all you do in your lives in the States. They remember each of you fondly.

Blessings y buenos noches,

Sally

Later...
Well, the issue is resolved, and now I am too fried to write.  Please forgive us if we just post a few photos.

Trinity and the Guatemalan missionaries this morning from the roof.

Johnny (soon to be the birthday boy), Megan, and Deb at the Mayan ruins just down the street from the mission house.

This is a team tradition. Note, my friends are spelling "JESUS."

Day 6: Amatitlan

Adult lesson in Gonzalez Park

Dear friends and family,

This was an extraordinary day, but honestly, I have no idea how to muster the energy to write about it.  I am going to start with photos and hope that a guest blogger will jump in. We are all in great spirits and excellent health, just a little tired. We met with sponsored students, went on home visits, and again, held faith lessons for hundreds with our ever able partners, the Guatemalan missionaries.  It was an exhilarating day with meaningful, new experiences we will never forget.

Blessings,

Sally

And now... for tonights guest blogger, Ali Corace.

Hola a todos. My name is Ali and I am beyond blessed to be a part of Trinity's 2017 mission team here at Groundwork Guatemala. Guatemala is an extremely special place to me. I had my first experience in Guatemala 7 years ago, on one of the first teams to work with Groundwork. After trying to find time to get back here for the last 7 years, I was fortunate enough to be accepted to a gap year program for medical and nursing students and lived in Guatemala last year for 6 months. So for me, it has been an incredible opportunity to return to a place that has had such an impact on me.

Today our group visited a community called Gonzalez Park, which is in a city called Amatitlan. Amatitlan is a smaller city about an 45 minutes from the capital where the mission house is. After a devotion led by one of the missionaries, Carlos, we all piled into two vans to start our journey. Apart from our official activities of home visits and leading lessons, van rides are my favorite part of the day. You may think that squeezing 18 people, craft supplies, medical clinic supplies, and lunch supplies into two van would be a nightmare, but you would be wrong. For us, it is a time spent overcoming language barriers, getting to know each others quirks and getting to see more of this beautiful country. 

After arriving at the site, we unpacked and immediately began home visits. Home visits are an incredible part of the day because people invite us into their homes to offer prayers, words of encouragement and bible verses. Each situation is different but it is a very powerful thing to watch the missionaries minister so well to each person and have the opportunity to gain insight into the struggles that many people face here in Guatemala. 

After returning from home visits we sat down to a very traditional lunch of PB&J before getting ready to present our lessons. Different members of the group have put together lessons for different age groups and I have been lucky to work with Sally on presenting a faith lesson to the adults. I wish I could say that I am always excited to present the lesson, but my experience (and Sally's for that matter) is with kids and teens. So while each of us are happy to serve in whatever area we are asked, it has stretched our gifts to say the least! But after we have presented, and Carlos, the missionary who works with the adults, has cleaned up any issues created by our Spanish language barrier, it is such an  honor to spend time just talking with them. 

My favorite part of the day definitely has to be when we have the opportunity to talk to the children that Trinity sponsors. My ability to communicate in Spanish has been a blessing because I can speak directly to the kids and really let them know how proud we are of them and how grateful we are that they are taking this opportunity to work hard and better themselves and their communities. I even found out that one of the boys we sponsor has straight As! As we all know, a good education can open so many doors. Here in Guatemala it is even more important because it can literally change the trajectory of a life from that of poverty to one of opportunity. Even more impactful was meeting with the mothers of some of these children. Like many of the moms on our team have said, no matter what country they are from, all moms want the same for their kids. These moms were no different. They thanked our church for providing their children with an education and also praised God for blessing their children with the chance of an education. 

So, as you may be able to tell, I am not at a loss for words about my experience here so far. God has blessed our team, this ministry, Ginny, Kevin, and the Guatemalan missionaries with an incredible week so far and we are so excited to see what tomorrow will bring. Thank you to our Trinity family for all that you do to support this ministry and thank you to God for all he is doing through it. 

Buenas Noches. 

 

Jen, newly sponsored Kimberly, and Alaina

Deb and newly sponsored Melody and her family

Joel (Sally's sponsored child), Sally, Ali, and Joel's mother, his niece, and sister.
Joel had grown about 6 inches since last year and his voice was at least an octave lower.  He still wants to be a doctor!

Seven of Trinity's sponsored students in Amatitlan. Guatemalan students must wear uniforms to go to school, so they looked much more pulled together than we did.  Seniors in high school must wear suits. Three of their mothers found Ali and me later in the afternoon to thank all of you for your support for their children.  Without you, these kids would likely not still be in school. It was an honor to be on the receiving end of those thank yous. We are blessed to be able to do this as a church family.

Children's lesson under tents on a new slab of cement at John the Baptist Park.

Teen lesson with Julie and Leyna

Day 5: Buena Vista

Dear family and friends,
Two hours west of Guatemala City, about 45 minutes from the Pacific Ocean, is the village of Buena Vista.  Buena Vista is indescribable and that explains, in part, why Leyna and I had such a difficult time getting this started. I am going to post photos and perhaps explain more later.  The photos make everything beautiful, and it is, but those who live in Buena Vista are merely subsisting or less, if that is possible, and that makes life brutally harsh here. . . and that points as well to the problem with our photos.  You will never see what we saw looking at these images.  On the surface, it was hot and exotic, but behind that, it was complex and devastating. It is a place where you must have a clear message because lives depend on it, and yes, I know that sounds dramatic, but I am telling you, it is the truth.  We ministered along side Guatemalans who comforted the critically ill, the malnourished, and the injured.  We witnessed women washing clothes, dishes, and bodies in nearby streams;  we hiked among rubber tree plants with their drip collection cups by the hundreds; we walked along side ducks, pigs, dogs, cats, chickens, horses, turkeys, and cows in various stages of vigorous life and death. We stood in smoke filled shanties that were set in dirt and mud, with sides of bamboo lashed together on three sides.  We walked along side mothers and grandmothers caring for family members in dark shanties with very little hope for a better day, and we prayed with children, teens and adults, knowing we were privileged beyond words to walk among these Guatemalans and share our faith as they share theirs with us.  It was a day none of us will ever forget.  And as is always the case in Buena Vista, mountain top experiences are coupled with strangely odd occurrences. Today it was an angry possum on a leash being drug home for dinner.  The photos will illustrate many of the life changing experiences we had today, but after careful deliberation, I have decided, once was enough with that stinkin' possum.
Blessings,
Sally y mi amigos
(See Leyna's post below.)

Turn right at the tree and you arrive in Buena Vista.

A "better than most" kitchen in Buena Vista

Seriously ill Domingo and his caretaker, his 80 plus year old grandmother, with nurse Anna. Notice the height difference between Domingo's grandmother and us.

The children's lesson

Levi and Leyna

Hola! It's Leyna Gatti. I'm 14 and a sophomore at Lutheran High North. It's my first time in Guatemala, but I don't think it will be my last. This trip so far has been the craziest thing I've ever experienced. There is no way to explain the views and conditions I've witnessed here. Getting out of the van in Buena Vista, I felt like I had walked into the butterfly garden at the Detroit Zoo, but with a few more pigs (and an opossum on a leash)! There are flowers and animals everywhere. It is the most beautiful place I've ever seen, but the nature's beauty pales in comparison to the people. Today I had the privilege to meet the boy I sponsor, Levi, and his mother. Levi was so sweet and getting to know him has been my favorite part of this trip so far. When I went to leave, Levi asked me when I was coming back and told me that he would be waiting for me, but I don't think he'll be waiting that long. The places I've seen and the people I've met have had a massive effect on me, and I know a piece of my heart will always be in Guatemala and with Levi. 

Day 4: El Rincón

Jen and friends (Living the Dream!)

Trinity with Sonya, Dulce, Gerson, and Gustavo, students sponsored by Trinity and on their way to school.

Dear Family and friends,
You know that time you committed to do something you knew was outside your comfort zone, but you did it anyway? That was today for most of us. We were off to El Rincon about 45 minutes into the mountains outside Guatemala City.  It is an incredibly beautiful setting with equally beautiful people, but the life is hard and the poverty pervasive.  Each of us were placed in situations that were new for us. I am a firm believer that God has a sense of humor, but He is also faithful.  The combination worked for us today.

Our morning was spent visiting the homes of children who had been newly sponsored by team members.  Half of us visited Megan's newly selected 14-year-old, Nelson, and the other half visited Debbie's recent selection of 17-year-old Melody to replace a previously sponsored child who had graduated from high school this year.  Megan, another Lutheran North senior, will describe her experience in her own words, below. I also discovered that Johnny and I can be extremely cool customers when the need arises.  During our time in Melody's home, a rat literally ran across the cinder block wall behind the rest of the team and off onto the roof; neither of us even flinched. A lot is happening in those home visits. We did not even realize the other one had seen it until we got back to Guatemala City. At the same time multiple roosters were crowing, and there was an extremely big, bad dog being held back with an extremely big stick because he has been known to bite strangers. It was a joyous experience all around, really.  In the afternoon, we took on our respective faith lessons. Those of you who have been here know how stressful that can be.  It is ridiculously stressful! I know everything went well, but I can only speak first-hand about the adult lesson.  I loved working with Ali and watching her reclaim her Spanish after her 6 months in Guatemala last year.  I was also thrilled to be silly with the 110 women as well as remind them we are all sisters and struggle with the same challenges. It was truly a privilege to speak with these women and share our lives and God's word, and thanks to Ali and Carlos, they may have even understood us! LOL

It was an exhausting day, but it was filled with experiences we could never have imagined even one day ago. We are well, happy, and focused.  Thank you for your prayers and interest.
Blessings,
Sally

Megan and Nelson

El Rincón

¡Hola todos!

This is Megan.  Last night I picked out my sponsor child, and today I had the opportunity to meet him! His name is Nelson and he is just the sweetest boy.  He is 14, a student, wants to become an electrician, and has a real passion for music.  He was pretty shy, but it was so sweet to hear him talk about his music, and how blessed he feels to have his talent.  His mom shared with us how their situation had made her want to leave the family, but then she saw Nelson playing his keyboard in their kitchen and crying.  When she asked him why he was crying, he said it was because he knew she was sad, and he wanted to make her happy, and the only way he knew how was to play his keyboard for her.  It was so amazing to see people who have such pure hearts.  They have next to nothing, but their relationships with each other and with God are everything.  It is truly a blessing to be a part of their lives.

Day 3: Only A Child y La Libertad

Daniel carving a cross

Home visit with Lydia and Aida

Dear family and friends,
Today was a gut check day. We spent the morning with another ministry, Only A Child, which ministers to street/homeless/hopeful boys.  George Leger, a pastry chef from Boston, gave up his life in the U.S. to reach out to these kids in profound ways.  Over time, he has established a shelter, carpentry workshop, and opportunities for an education for these deserving kids. Responsible young men are a rarity in many communities in Guatemala.  George told us his fascinating story as well as introducing us to the boys and men who make Only A Child their life's mission.  I will include photos of our morning at the end of the blog.  We also drove by the Guatemala City Garbage Dump to see where many of the people Groundwork serves and many of the young adults who work with the ministry live.

Our afternoon started with more work on our faith lessons with the Guatemalan missionaries.  Later we broke into two groups and returned to the Dump area to a network of shanties called La Libertad. La Libertad was built on top of a dump by squatters who had no where else to live after leaving the countryside as a result of Guatemala's 30+ year civil war. Many spoke Mayan dialects rather than Spanish and as a result of that and racism, were left with scavenging in the garbage dump to survive.  A couple generations later, it is the unspeakably desperate home for the poorest of the poor.  Today's guest blogger is Julie Gatti. Even the returnees were staggered by today's experiences. It will be powerful to read her impressions. More photos to come at the end.
Blessings,
Sally

Hello All,
I fear that there is no way I could ever find the words to adequately describe the poverty we experienced today. The first place our group visited at La Libertad was the home of Lydia, a 19 year old mother of a sick 11 month old child, Aida (sp?).  Tiny Aida, who looked no older than 4 months, clung to her tiny mother who stood in the main living space in her slides with flies landing on her toes and legs and face almost constantly during our visit.  Lydia had just lost her mother, Maria, to an illness, most likely related at least in part to her use of alcohol.  Clothes lines hung throughout the space which was barely large enough for the seven of us (Kevin from Groundwork, Carlos, a Guatemalan missionary, Jen, Alaina, Megan, Leyna and me) to stand.  Thousands of flies flew around, landing on the drying clothes, swarming on the floor, and creating a buzzing cyclone around the opening to the home from the alleyway.  There was no door.  Cats and kittens dashed in and out.  Aida's stroller was piled with clothing covered in flies.  Two sewing machines sat, unused for now, as Lydia could not put down the ailing Aida without her immediately wailing.  Aida little ears were pierced with pretty little earrings and her big brown eyes, while wet with tears, could not be more beautiful.  Lydia showed us a framed picture of Maria.  Her eyes were full of sorrow.  Both she and her sister, Graciela, were sponsored children of Groundwork Guatemala, but only Graciela followed the stringent rules of sponsorship through high school graduation and became a mission success story.  Lydia became pregnant, dropped out, and lives in the tiny shanty with 13 others, including her drunken father and elderly grandmother.  She spoke of her father's addiction with open disdain, even in his presence upon his arrival to the home.

As hopeless and heart-wrenching as the scene would seem, quite remarkably, Lydia was very open to praying with us and sharing Bible readings.  When Kevin asked if she wanted to read the Bible, she immediately said, "Josue uno nueve." She read from Kevin's Bible in Spanish with perfect diction, Joshua 1:9, "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."  Jen's words when we arrived back at the mission house described the thoughts of all of us.  No one should have to live like that.

While we certainly appreciate your prayers, please include the people of Zone 3/La Libertad - that they would not be discouraged.

On a personal note, Scott and Julian, Leyna and I miss and love you.

Only A Child and Trinity

Home visit with Maria

Note from Sally: I know the photos did not load in the right order, but honestly, I am just happy to get them posted at all.  It is extremely hard to manipulate.  Buenas Noches.

Day 2: Ministerios Sendero de la Cruz y mas

Dear family and friends,
I am a little bit of a control freak about some aspects of the Guatemala trip, but I am trying to back off a bit. . . well, a little bit.  We have never had a team that was not up to the experience and this team is no exception, so I am going to ask other members of the team to write about some of their impressions each day.  Not willing to give up the entire ship, I will set the stage and then ask a team member to remind you who they are and what touched them on that particular today. I am not sure if they have been dying to wrestle this thing from me for years or if this is more like an unwelcome, eighth grade writing assignment.  Either way, I know you will enjoy hearing from them. Again, I will set the stage, and then you will hear from a team member about his or her thoughts about the day. To that end, our day began as follows.

After at least nine hours of welcomed Guatemalan rest (in addition to dogs, roosters, fireworks, motorcycles, thunderstorms, leg cramps, falling flashlights, bunk beds, air mattress squeaks, misplaced glasses, and a moth the size of my hand), we were up early and ready for our trip to Ministerios Sendero de la Cruz and more.  The church is a storefront celebration of faith and fellowship.  Each year I am always initially impressed by the teenage liturgical dancers, male and female, and the way in which the church seamlessly welcomes us into their family of worship; however, the experience is so much more.

After church,  grilled cheese, chips, and salsa (what could be better), we set about fine-tuning and perhaps even overhauling portions our faith lessons for the week.  Ali and I are preparing the adult lesson; Julie and Leyna took on the teen lesson; and Alaina, Jen, Johnny, Megan and Deb have the children.  After spending most of the afternoon working on our respective lessons, many of us independently muttered we would rather build houses. We were reminded today, however, God does not call the equipped; he equips the called.  With that in mind, we persevered . . . and laughed, a lot.

Here goes with our new format.  Out first guest blogger is fan favorite, Alaina Petzold. Alaina will be a senior at Lutheran North this fall.
Blessings,
Sally

The most impactful part of today for me was while we were at church. The praise band is phenomenal and does an amazing job engaging every one, even those of us who don't know the language. The second song we sang was "This is Amazing Grace." This is one of my favorite songs that we sing at Trinity. It captures God's unfailing love for us in a way that moves my heart every time I hear it. Singing this song in Guatemala was beyond special and opened my heart in a way I haven't experienced. I felt an incredible connection to the Guatemalan people as well as the Trinity congregation. It reminded me that we all worship the same God and are all united in His family. Though we may have different cultures, skin color, and experiences, we are ALL children of God. Please continue to pray for us while we share God's love to the Guatemalan people. I know the kid's lesson could use some serious prayers, and I'm sure the adult and teen lessons could as well! Thank you so much for all of your support!
I miss and love you, dad.

Love,

Alaina Petzold and Team

P.S. We all would like to wish Megan's little sister Rachel a very happy birthday!

This is Sally again. As I post photos, I am watching Johnny, Alaina, Ali and Megan do planks and sit-ups before bed.  I don't think it has occurred to them how sore they will be tomorrow and how difficult it will be to sleep tonight.  You have to love their "enthusiasm!"

Leyna and Julie working on the teen lesson.

Johnny, Alaina, Jen, and Deb recreating a whale of a tale for the kids.

Ali and Sally pretending to have a solution to their problem.

Megan apparently does not eat vegetables, but did!

Day 1: It was an early one.

Megan, Alaina, Jenn, Ali, Sally, Deb, Johnny, Julie, and Leyna

Today began at 3:00 A.M. when most of us got up to be on the road by 3:30, so we could be at the airport by 4:30.  We all arrived within seconds of each other and everything went extremely well.  Most of our bags were within a pound or two of the 50 pound limit so there was virtually no repacking required.

The flight to Atlanta was smooth and quiet. We landed and took off from the same terminal which never happens, and we arrived in Guatemala on time and ready to go.  Ginny and Kevin Holmes along with  Guatemalan missionary Manuel picked us up, helped us load our 18 bags of supplies and 18 carry-ons, and we were off on the relatively short ride to the mission house.

After getting the lay of the land, we unpacked and sorted the supplies you so generously provided, made hygiene kits for the young children of Buena Vista (Wednesday's destination), and counted what seemed like millions, but perhaps only thousands of children's vitamins and placed them in baggies.  After a wonderful dinner of fruits and vegetables, we are winding down/crashing for the night.  We are exhausted, but gratefully this is a county that tends to go to bed early and get up early. We are all down with that, tonight.

Families and friends, we are happy, healthy, and extremely excited about our time with Groundwork Guatemala. God blessed us in many ways today. Thank you for your texts this morning and your prayers and support this afternoon.

Blessings,
Johnny, Leyna, Alaina, Megan, Ali, Julie, Deb, Jenn, and Sally

The view from the plane about 5 minutes before landing in Guatemala City.

Ready to go . . .

We are packed and ready to go; we fly out on Saturday at 7:00 A.M. I hope to post a photo of the team on Saturday afternoon so you can get a sense of who is traveling and confirmation that we have arrived. It will be the first time we will have all been in one location in the 9 months since we began preparing for the trip. There are 9 of us ranging from high school to retirement and everything in between.

Age is irrelevant on mission trips although the team weight-lifters may beg to differ, as they will be dragging around the bags I cannot lift.  We only use first names because it takes brothers and sisters to pull this off; maybe musketeers is a better way to describe it.  At any rate, we are thrilled to get this trip going, humbled to represent each of you in Guatemala, and anxious to see what God has in store for us this year.  I know for sure we will be called in ways we could have never anticipated.

Blessings and thank you for your incredibly enthusiastic support again this year,

Sally Buss,
Ali Corace,
Jenn Petzold,
Alaina Petzold,
Julie Gatti,
Leyna Gatti,
Debra Graham-Large,
Megan Guiles, and
Johnny Morton

Day 7: Guatemala City and Philippians 4:8-9

Trinity, overwhelming Libny, a Trinity sponsored high school student in Guatemala City

Bruce and Groundwork nurse, Ana

César's devotion this morning reminded each of us that God put the good in each of us. Philippians 4: 8-9 was the basis of his message. We simply recognized one strength in each of us; it was an uplifting way to start the day.

This morning we went in three different directions: the Mayan ruins down the street, The Goday Coffee roaster to pick up coffee for all of you, and cleaning and cutting crafts for children next week. This afternoon we once again taught our lessons to the adults, teens, and children from a variety of locations in Guatemala City.  Many of those attending come from the areas surrounding the Guatemala City Garbage Dump including La Libertad and Sandra Colon. It was one more chance to meet and establish relationships with these incredibly fine people, and meet more of the students Trinity sponsors and of course give them a pep talk about the value of an education in changing the course of their futures; thank you Gordy for leaning on the boys. All of our females leaned on the girls as most girls never graduate from high school but instead get pregnant and begin the life of a single mother in extreme poverty at age 14 or 15.

Again, I will tell the story with photos.  I have included as many photos as I can before the blog pushes back.  It is an evening busy with tears, packing, and good-byes. Tomorrow we head to Antigua, Guatemala.

The mayan ruins located down the street.

Olivia and missionary, Sandra

Becker and Kara blowing bubbles 

Abby and Marina

Adult lesson in the garage of the Mission House.

Yes is it Saul, a.k.a. Nate with Harry Potter glasses... if you know Nate, you won't even question it!

I think this might be a hint from the resident comedian and American missionary, Kevin Holmes.

Amanda and missionary, Aracely

Day Six: Amatitlán

Please forgive the apparent lack of organization today.  I am having trouble moving things around and will give up for the evening. The text is in the middle with photos on either side.

Bruce is a rock star after the adult lesson. He literally bends in half to give the women each a hug. The other photos is Emily and Victor with Sally and Joel savoring their time together.

Lake Amatitlán

Today was another great day.  Carlos led devotions and after we each recited Psalm 91:14-16 to the person next to us after inserting their name, we were a little weepy but ready to set off for a day in Amatitlán.

It is about an hour drive to the third ministry site. Amatitlán appears to be a smallish, poor city situated next to Lake Amatitlán, possibly one of the most picturesque, polluted lakes I have even seen/smelled.  It was an extraordinary day for all of us, but again for those of us with sponsored children, it was incredibly meaningful.

So many organizations provide opportunities to sponsor children around the world, but this is a unique situation.  Our team from Trinity can meet and talk with the many students Trinity church and school sponsors, but also visit the homes of the students some of us personally sponsor,  Today, Kelsey, Hannah, Emily, Lauren and I had that opportunity.  Emily and I sponsor brothers and their mother invited us into their humble but loving home and served us Salvadorian pupusas to thank us for sponsoring her children. Normally, we would not eat food away from the mission house, but apparently I do, because I am two for two. It is amazing to watch children grow each year and in a very small way make such a big difference for their families by supporting the expense of sending them to school.  It was extremely touching for all of us.  I was present when Hannah met one of her two new "children," when Kelsey was reunited with Karen, and when Emily lost it when Victor gave her the biggest hug ever! (He reminded her of her brother, Adam.) Their mothers are thanking God for us, the whole time we are thanking God for them opportunity to help them.  It is clear every day that "Mothers" (biological and sponsor mothers) and children are the same everywhere.

Our lessons today were interrupted by a bit of tropical rain, but there were about 400 women and children in Gonzales Park.  There is nothing green in Gonzales Park; it is just a slab of crumbling concrete, but when Groundwork pulls up, everything comes alive. I hope the photos do our day justice. It was a wonderful day with new and old friends... and many faith lessons planned and unplanned.

One last thought... the frustrating thing about blogging with photos from Guatemala is the country and the people are so beautiful. The photos never capture what we are seeing and experiencing because of its beauty.  So many of  people are extremely poor, hungry, sick, and living at constant risk of violence, but the photos rarely capture that.  We love it here; however, it is not an easy place to live.  The air pollution is staggering, the government corrupt, and in Guatemala City, we are surrounded by urban chaos.  However, I think that is what makes the experience so powerful. The American and Guatemalan missionaries here are fearless, and we are blessed each day to walk with them. They reach out in places you could never imagine. We witness and participate with them only because of their willingness to lead us into situations our faith walks likely would never go without them.  Again, today we are blessed.

Hannah and Daryln

Missionary, Aracely. Karen and Kelsey

Team photo at Lake Amatitlán

Lauren and Maria at Gonzales Park

Again, the photos are uploading in random spots and it is messing with my head, so I will stop for now.  (I will add more photos tomorrow and edit the rough spots.) We continue to be happy and healthy and grateful beyond words.

Blessings and good night,

Nate, Amanda, Kara, Kelsey, Bruce, Jim, Gordy, Meredith, Hannah, Emily, Olivia, Abby, Savannah, Lauren, Sally, and Delainie