El Señor

Fun Facts about Guatemala:

Guatemala means "Land of Many Trees" - Mayan Tongue
Guatemala shares borders with neighboring countries like Honduras. El Salvador, Belize and Mexico
Capital: Guatemala City
Population: 14,373,472 (July 2013 est)
Area Comparative: slightly smaller than Tennessee
Literacy Rate: 75.9 adults
Religions: Roman Catholic, Protestant, Indigenous Mayan beliefs
There are 33 volcanos located in Guatemala’s highland region.
Ancient Mayan's used coco seed as currency
Coffee, sugar and bananas are the main crops grown in Guatemala
The Bird on the Guatemala flag is called Quetzal (Ket-Sal)
Currency is called Quetzal, plural is Quetzales (Ket-Sall-Es). - The Mayans used tail feathers of the Quetzal (bird) as currency.

A Question por Phil - From your perspective, with the help of the Holy Spirit, how are God's people restoring the communities we visited? Is there a difference being made? What did/do you notice? - Starting with the physical aspect of restoration in the communities, I was extremely happy to see the improvements and progress of Monte Margarita and El Tineco. By this, I mean with the roads and physical support for the schools. From a personal standpoint, we (the group) are renewing relationships and growing new ones with the people throughout the communities. Every year I come here I feel more affection from the people and it's easier for me to show affection back to them.
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Today, we spent the morning helping at the "classroom" worksite in El Tineco. We helped in three different areas 1) "ribbing" the barbed wire 2) hauling cement sand and rock 3) mixing concrete and pouring the foundation. The help today was outstanding - the kids and other community members all wanted to help. (check out this guy carrying cement blocks on his back).

We did all this until 12:30pm. Carrie (from Michigan) and I sneaked away to play soccer right before lunch. The kids loved it! Lunch was great, as usual. The teachers prepared pulled chicken with beans and rice with a very tasty sauce. We washed it down with Hybiscus Tea (juice) - It was AWESOME!
After lunch - we prayed over the project, gave thanks and encouragement to each other then hit the road for La Palmera.

We stayed in La Palmera until 4:30, playing games (lighting, soccer, duck duck goose), story telling and singing, even arts and crafts with cut-out hands!

I think it's safe to say we were pretty exhausted once we arrived at La Palmera. That is my only regret is not having enough energy to play with the children there . I'm thankful we get to go back to La Palmera tomorrow to see the them again!
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I (Nick) would like to tell you about two children who've been very heavy on my heart. A boy named Esdras and a girl named Greis (Grace). Both are from El Tineco. Esdras is an 11 year old who has been by my side since yesterday. I noticed him when he started carrying rock with me. He randomly spoke "stop" in a fun tone, while I was walking my rocks to the drop off zone. I happily stopped because he spoke English! I wanted him to know he had my attention. I knew, some how, he was testing to see if "stop" meant what he thought it was. I turned it into "Simon Says." We did this periodically for at least an hour. Stop, Go - Stop, Go .......I also did it in Spanish. It was a lot of fun. Before I left I heard him speak other English words. He said "Thank You" and "Goodbye" - I was excited to see him the next day, as I made a new friend. Today, as we pulled in he was sitting next to the site, as if he was waiting for our arrival. We saw each other as soon as I got off the bus. "Buenos dias, we exchanged. Jessica TenHaken and I got to work together, ribbing the barbed wire. Esdras was by me the whole time, along with a crowd of children. Luckily, our translator, Patty, was there because they all asked a lot of questions. "What do kids do in Minnesota?, how old are you?, how many are in your family? Can we see pictures of Minnesota? Why are there no leaves on the trees? so on and so forth (and this is when I met Greis 'Grace') - but I'll get to her later.
While we were working, Esdras was proud to say all the English he knew; the colors, counting, pretty much a little more of what I know in Spanish. But what really grabbed a hold of me was when he patted me on the back and said "my friend, Nick" - I was blown away! I was very impressed with his English (the other kids didn't know English like Esdras did) I wasn't only impressed with his knowledge and gray matter, I was impressed with his will to pry out more English - He wanted to know more and more. He kept repeating to himself what I was telling him. This kid has a lot of potential! I spoke with Patty about kids with potential like that....living in a small village where school ends after 8th or 9th grade, what happens to a child who is gifted with such knowledge and potential? She said, unless the family has enough money to send them to the nearest city for additional school, nothing happens. I was crushed by this. It hit me that this kind and enthusiastically smart kid may not be able to reach his potential. He may not be able to succeed with the gifts he has been given.
I believe Esdras has been laid on my heart for a reason. Can you pray that God gives me clarity for this young boy? Can you pray that I understand the gravity of this situation and I say "Yes" to God if he chooses to use me to give this kid an education and a chance at a future outside El Tineco?

Thank You                         (below is Esdras)

The other child is Greis (Grace). I over heard her talking with Patty about what her parents do for work. Her father works in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. I was excited to tell her I was from Wisconsin and told her how beautiful it was. Her father has been there for 7 years working at a restaurant to pay for her and her brother's education. She said he will return once they are finished with school. I got his name and told her I will try my best to locate him. It would be great to see a father in the state I grew up in and tell him that I met his daughter in his home community. haha that would be the coolest thing ever! I realize that's a long shot, but stranger things have happened!!
My prayer is I can maintain contact with Greis in her community of El Tineco via mail. I'd love to send her information about the state in which her father has been working for so long. It's gotta be so hard for a little girl to grow up without her father around. Please keep this family in your prayers, to keep her father safe and that his efforts grant her and her brothers a great education.

(From Left to Right - Greis and her friend)


Thank You
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Prayer request - The mayor has agreed to meet with us tomorrow. Please pray for our team and Phil to fill him up with eloquent words, may God speak through him. Pray the mayor feels God's love through our praises.