2007 Guatemala Missions Trips
| In 2007 Sault Wesleyan Church sent two mission teams to Guatemala. Read all about the trips below! Sault Wesleyan has sent a three member team to the Lake region in Guatemala to help with Vacation Bible School. Sharon Smart, Samantha McDonald and Amie Covel are the members of the Mission Team for the trip that took place November 9-16th. November 14th Update from Sharon Smart Another wonderful day to serve the Lord. Today we went to Santa Clara in the morning to a church the size of Pastor Chad's living room with 110 kids inside. There were also a few that couldn't fit inside, so they were peeking in the windows and sitting on the entryway steps. Pastor Diego was very friendly and grateful for us to be there. But, we are more blessed to give than to receive. The children really enjoyed the bracelets they got to make today. They made them with the colored beads that tell the gospel story. Thank you so much for your donations for the crafts. After the VBS was over and the children were dismissed, some Impacto people brought us a packed lunch and we ate together in the church. Then we left for Santa Maria, where the church was a little bigger, but there were still a TON of kids and some of the kids stood outside to listen. We were working with another team and it was their turn to help with the craft. They brought pre-cut crosses with little sticks and when you wrote on it, it showed up really colorful (their group called it an etch-a-sketch cross). Working with all the children has been a blessing. There's so much we can do for them if we have the man-power (or woman-power) and the financial support. It is my prayer that you will consider how you can participate in the next VBS, in November 2008. Sharon November 13th Update from Amie Covel What an amazing day! We went back to San Markos this morning for the second day of Bible school. Efriene, the little nine year old boy who had hurt his wrist, was at the church when we arrived. With the help of a couple of translators, we were able to ask for permission to take Efriene to the doctor in San Pedro. However, Efriene{s mother Clara did not want us to take her son out of San Markos. This was most likely due to a strong mistrust of outsiders because of a history of child abductions in Guatemala. She did consent to letting us help her son right there at the church. So Pastor Duanne from the Maine team and I set off to find some supplies. After consulting with Dr. Lawson via telephone, we were able to wrap his wrist in a neutral position with Ace wrap. We then fabricated a dorsal and volar wrist splint out of a plastic squirt bottle (like you would put ketchup or mustard in). It turned out looking pretty good! Pastor Duanne and Roger are very handy with a jack knife! We were able to give Efriene and his mother instructions for the splint and for some exercises as well as for the pain medication we gave them. Please keep Efriene and his family in your prayers that this situation may be used to draw the whole family to Jesus. We had the opportunity to work with approximately 100 children in San Markos this morning and 250-300 children in San Juan this afternoon. That is a lot of children, let me tell you! The children are really enjoying the crafts that we were able to bring for them. I will try to send up some pictures tomorrow. So far 70 children have come forward to accept Jesus! We have two more days of VBS still to come! Praise God! Or as the Guatemalan say, Gloria Dios! We will be bringing VBS to Santa Clara tomorrow morning and Santa Maria in the afternoon. On Thursday we will go to Tzucubol. Please pray for God's strength and wisdom as we work with the children in these churches. We are looking forward to sharing with you in person of the many ways that God has been at work this week. Thank you for your prayers! Amie November 12th Update from Samantha McDonald Hello everyone! Sharon, Amie and I arrived safely on Friday in Guatemala City. We spent some time with some of the other teams from the US on Saturday and then went to church on Sunday. It was wonderful. One of the pastors from a team in Maine preached so we understood the whole message. Pastor Luis translated for the congregation. We then arrived in the lake area yesterday to begin our VBS programs. Today we held VBS in 2 churches. The VBS workers did some songs, a lesson, a memory verse and then we did the craft. The kids loved the crosses. Thank you again for donating the money for them. They pretty much have nothing down here (and I mean NOTHING) so they loved the bright crosses and the bright stickers. The children are very friendly and love to have their picture taken. They ask for un foto and for dulces which is candy in Spanish. After the craft they had a nutritious drink with some bread. A pastor from another team told us that the snack of the drink and bread will most likely be the only thing they will eat that day. If they have anything to eat at all it will be black beans and maybe tortillas. We also met a boy who had broken his arm. Amie looked at it to see if she could do anything. It was wrapped and in a simple arm sling made from a handkerchief. We spoke with Pastor Luis and we are going to bring him to the doctor tomorrow when we go back to finish VBS. The only reason he hasn´t seen a doctor is because his parents have NO money. It´s so funny because if Bailey or Katelyn get a sniffle a cough or a bruise I don´t even have to think about how to take care of them. I know I have insurance for a doctor, money for medicine and I have a nice, comfortable, warm home for them to stay in. It´s been so different seeing what happens here then just hearing about it. Pastor Luis mentioned in his devotions one evening that sending money is wonderful to help out with ministries like this, but money does not have hands, does not have a heart to care. It means a lot to these people in Guatemala that we took our time -- away from our jobs, families, comfortable lifestyles -- in the US to come and be servants to them. To share the love of Jesus with them through crafts, candy and smiles. Thank you so much for praying with us while we are here in Guatemala. We look forward to sharing with you when we get home to the white north. We love you all! Samantha The Spring 2007 Guatemala Mission Trip took place during the last week in March. Click on images to enlarge. Please scroll down to read updates! March 30 Update from Pastor Chad We are now leaving the lake area and heading back to Guatemala city. Everyone is doing very well and looking forward to returning home this Sunday to their loved ones. Thanks to everyone for their prayers. This has been a sucessful trip. March 28 Update from Amie Covel Hola Soo Wesleyan Church! Greetings from San Pedro, Guatemala. Today we saw the roof go on our house that we are building for a small family. They are currently living with their extended family of 10 in a small house. They are a Christian family and they have been a blessing to get to know. Pastor Luis emphasizes how much of a blessing this house will be to the family. I don´t think that we can even understand just how much of a blessing. Today half of our team spent the morning passing out the worm medication at two schools in San Juan and San Pablo. As Pat Pyle stated, what a blessing to give the children medication that may save their lives in a small communion cup. It was very humbling to be used by God in such a simple, but life saving way. We also received many hugs from the children as well as many giggles. I had the good fortune of seeing my little friend Ophelia again this year. I met her on our first church trip to Guatemala and have given her a hug each year. She is now nine and is doing well. I love the way our church has partnered with Impacto to reach the villages of Lake Atitlan for God. This gives us the opportunity to establish relationships with the children of the area as well as the pastors and churches. Please continue to pray for us as we finish the projects God has given us to do. Please pray that the Happy Feet event tomorrow meets the needs of the children both physically and spiritually. God bless! Amie March 27 Update from Jim McMillan God Bless Everyone! We are nearing the completion of the house and looking very much forward to doing the clinic for the children, and Happy Feet. The weather has cooperated with us in the house building(Thank the Lord). We miss everyone and hope all is well back in the Soo. I myself have talked to Pastor Chad about coming closer to our Lord Jesus Christ, by getting baptised here in Guatemala. He of course said he would love to. Pastor Luis´ sister Delmi has been feeding us very well, and for the most part we haven´t been complaining about the food (it's really,really good). The children have been very happy to see the Gringos. I am positive that this will be a fine bit of work for Our Father God. God Bless You All, Jim McMillan March 25 Update from Pastor Chad Greetings from San Pedro Guatemala. This morning we attended church in San Pedro. This is a church that has just joined the Wesleyan church. It was wonderful to worship with them. We even had the opportunity to participate in the service. Amie played the piano for them and did a very good job. Jonny played the guitar while Michele sang "Open the Eyes of My Heart" in Spanish. Kim shared her testimony and it was very powerful. Later we took a boat over to Santeogo and 15 of us (12 from the Soo and 3 from Idaho) climbed in the back of a small pick-up truck and went to the mudslide area were 5,000 people died a year and a half ago. It was a very humbling experience for all of us. In the morning we will be heading over to San Marcos to start our construction project. Bill and Kyle will be working with a few men from Oregon to finish a construction project in the "Promise Land". Thank you for your prayers. Pastor Chad March 24 Update from Michele Cole We arrived safely in Guatemala on Friday afternoon. After settling in at the place we stayed for Friday night, we visited the hospital ministry house of Kairus. We met a father and his son with cancer and if it were not for the Kairus house they would live on the street and have no food to eat. There were floors of children in the hospital. Some abandoned there. It was amazing to see that in the midst of this terrible suffering, God´s hand of love reached down in the form of bread and coffee and oatmeal given to these hurting people. They also supply a place for some of the families to live while they are in Guatemala City. It was a beautiful and hard thing to experience. Saturday we traveled to Lake Atiqulan and have settled in to our rooms at the hotel where we will stay for the week. Thank you all for your prayers, Michele Cole The Team Kim McPherson Lisa Sommers Kyle Sommers Pat Pyle Craig McDonald Jim McMillen Michele Cole Bill Smart Jonathan TenEyck Amie Covel Pastor Chad McDonald |
2007 Guatemala Mission Trips
| Some of the devastation caused by Hurricane Stan in 2005. |
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Sault Ste. Marie Wesleyan Church
WHERE GOD’S WORD IS TAUGHT AND LIVES ARE CHANGED!
WHERE GOD’S WORD IS TAUGHT AND LIVES ARE CHANGED!
| World Hope International is a faith based relief and development organization alleviating suffering and injustice through education, enterprise and community health. Click on the link above to learn more! |
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| Find out more about IMPACTO ministries who organize our short-term mission trips to Guatemala. |
