Terri's Thanks

I don't know why I'm so slow at sending you my reflections re our trip to Guatemala. It's partly because it's just plain hard to put into words what I'm feeling. My overwhelming emotion is gratefulness! There are many I must thank. I'll start with Pease CRC..thank you so much for allowing me to tag along with your team! It was a wonderful privilege to again visit and work in a country I have come to love since my first trip there12 years ago. I especially appreciated the kind of preparation we did and the teamwork that was built long before we left.

That leads me to the next person I want to thank from the bottom of my heart...my dear friend Julee!! It was largely her vision and her passion (along with the Outreach Team) that were the impetus and inspiration for the idea in the first place. She communicated that vision and passion in ways that encouraged excitement, participation, and commitment in so many others. I saw Julee, in the middle of much personal/family struggle, pain, and grief, continue to work tirelessly in planning, organizing, fund-raising, leading meetings, leading devotional times, and taking care of countless other details that made it possible for all of us to have the kind of experience we had. Her leadership was a gift from God to all of us...and I am so proud to call her my friend!!

I also want to express my thanks to World Renew, Pastor Moises and all of his associates at his church, at John Calvin Seminary, and at Vid y Pampanos for the work they all do to advance the spiritual, social and economic growth of the people of Guatemala. It is definitely our Reformed worldview in action! A particular blessing to me was to see the work being done to lift up the position of the Guatemalan women, who have been oppressed and held down for centuries by a culture that values male machismo far more than female dignity. We saw women in leadership, and we saw women whose lives had been made better, safer and more meaningful when their husbands and other men began to see them as their equals. One man in particular, who is a new Christian and is a student at the Seminary, now encourages his wife's gifts, and treats her with new respect...beautiful to see!

I loved being a part of this team, and I loved getting to know the people in the villages where we worked. It is a special joy to me that the people we worked alongside are now our friends, we will see them again, and our relationships with them will continue to grow as the Pease CRC carries out its commitment to partner with them for years to come. This is what missions should be!!

This is getting too long (those who know me well aren't surprised)..but I still need to thank Kris for being a great roommate...

And above all, I thank my Heavenly Father for blessing all of us with the privilege of serving Him in this way!