Blessed in Guatemala

Haven't posted anything lately because I've been busy either getting ready for, serving in, or recovering from a mission trip to Guatemala. After a good night's sleep Monday night, I feel like the jetlag is gone and I'm getting back in the swing of things.

A team of 10 from TNC left on June 16 and returned June 23. We participated with two of our partner churches - El Camino San Cristobal and their mission church, El Camino Escuintla. We stayed in San Cristobal, a suburb of Guatemala City, the first night and attended church there Sunday morning. On Sunday afternoon, we made the hour drive to Escuintla. The church families of El Camino Escuintla welcomed us with open arms. We spent the remainder of the week there making improvements on the church property.

Pictured above is the family that I stayed with (along with my roomie for the week, Joe). Left to right they are Flori, Jose, CeCe, and Mordecai. They were great hosts and with no TV to interrupt our fellowship we spent each night singing and reading Scripture together - as well as just talking about life and having fun with our language barrier. Flori and her kids speak English pretty well so we were able to enjoy their company even more.

Life in Central America is simpler and less complicated. The people there must work harder than we do and for fewer things. Our host home was very simple. No hot water. No air conditioner. No TV. Few electronic gadgets. But, in the words of Flori, she is so happy because she has all that she needs and she has the love of Jesus.

I've said it hundreds of times and I'll say it again, everyone needs to get outside of the U.S. to see how God is working in other people's lives and also to see how blessed we are in the States. Or maybe it's how blessed others are because of their simple lives. One could argue, I suppose, that because of all our conveniences and riches - (Yes, if you live in the USA you are rich! If you don't believe it, go to www.globalrichlist.com) - maybe we aren't blessed, we are cursed. Maybe our quest for more toys and material things makes us miserable. It's debatable.

I can tell you this, a friend of ours, Joy, just surrendered to be a full-time missionary to Costa Rica. She sold everything she had minus two or three suitcases of clothes and personal items. It was very liberating for her to be free of all of her stuff!! So there is something to be said for the simple life that is lived by others in the world.

I'm also posting about the trip at www.tncblog.com soon if you want to go over there and read more.