Well, the team made it back safely on Sunday evening, returning to the 100-degree heat and 500-foot altitude after spending more than a week at 6,000-feet and 65 degrees. Rough return. The group is worn out, I'm sure, but have returned with big smiles and a million wonderful stories to tell. Just yesterday I sat at the feet of Randy Shuffield and listened to a few of them as he described some of the ways God blessed their time in Guatemala. Very cool. On Sunday, August 29th, I hope to have a video put together of their trip to show everyone in the service and immediately after. I'm not sure if the team members have any plans to post pictures, tell stories, etc. after they recover their strength but I'll keep this blog open for a while longer.
— John Newton
CBC Communications
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Friday, August 13, 2010
Brandon's off the hook
Today was another great day. We have spent the day at Brandon and Jenny's house doing some minor and major repairs for them. The "honey do" list is no more! Our guys fixed everything from a coffee maker to a major leak in the roof. God put together a group of men that each had a skill that was used to help Brandon and Jenny. Mike has a great talent for fixing anything, Ryan knows all about roofing, Ron knows about trees and landscaping, and Duke and John are great with the power tools. The rest of us helped out in other ways; we hauled tree limbs to the trash area, took care of the kids, and manned the couch. (It's comfort level for naps needed to be rated.) Today felt like Thanksgiving Day with the extended family. Yes, we worked on various projects, but there was also a lot of sitting around and talking, some snacking on great homemade tortillas, and playing with the little kids. There's a lot to be said for fellowship.
The time at the orphanage went by very quickly. We already miss their smiling faces. They demonstrated love in the most honest, simple way. They accepted us for who we were, dirt and all, and we became instant family. It was all the more proof that God is omnipresent.
Tomorrow we head off to Antigua, and we will eventually end up in Guatemala City for the flight back home on Sunday. Thank you for your prayers, and also for reading our blog. I know I've said this before, but we truly appreciate your prayers and support. We can't wait to get back to our church family and share all that our Heavenly Father has done through us!
The time at the orphanage went by very quickly. We already miss their smiling faces. They demonstrated love in the most honest, simple way. They accepted us for who we were, dirt and all, and we became instant family. It was all the more proof that God is omnipresent.
Tomorrow we head off to Antigua, and we will eventually end up in Guatemala City for the flight back home on Sunday. Thank you for your prayers, and also for reading our blog. I know I've said this before, but we truly appreciate your prayers and support. We can't wait to get back to our church family and share all that our Heavenly Father has done through us!
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Last day at the orphanage
Oh - about Ron's birthday...he was treated to an authentic Guatemalan birthday wakeup call at 5am! It was great! There's nothing like the smell of gunpowder in the morning. He was a good sport.We had a great day at the orphanage yesterday. Our teammate that wasn't feeling well was able to rejoin us, and as the day progressed she felt better and better. Yea! The men continued to paint and repair steel doors, and the women continued to work on the metal railing. The paint here is very thick, and everything we are painting is black, so it is as if we are using tar for paint. In the afternoon the ladies in our group did more crafts with the kids. Before we had left Texas, the lady at the orphanage had requested that we do crafts with the kids so that they can sell the crafts at the market. So, we have been doing crafts that they can continue to do after we are gone in order to make a lot of things to sell in the market.
Yesterday was a great day for all of us. No injuries and good health for all. We have our Father to thank for that. We finished the evening by having hot chocolate on a second story patio of a cafe that overlooks the central plaza of the city. There was a chill in the air, so the hot chocolate was just the thing to warm us up.Today didn't start with a bang; just a shake. Literally, a shake - as in a mild tremor. Do not worry, everything was fine; apparently these things happen around here. It was hard for us to believe that today was the last day. We had a lot of work to finish, and we all worked very hard to get everything
done. We needed 2 things to happen in order for us to get everything painted. We needed the rain to hold off until we finished, and we needed our last gallon of paint to cover everything. It was going to be close. We were all praying that we could finish our jobs, and, amazingly we did. The rain never came (although the clouds did), and we used up all but about half a cup of paint. God is so good! It was an emotional time for all of us when we had to say goodbye to the kids. They really warmed up to us, especially to some of the men. Ron S. really won their hearts. The kids were coming up to him today and grabbing his arms and putting them around themselves. They so desperately needed hugs! We had been told that the men weren't to have contact with the kids, but you could tell that some of them really needed to be around men in a positive way. Thankfully Ron, John, Randy, Duke, and Ryan were able to provide that. It was a huge blessing that the ladies at the orphanage trusted us enough to allow our men to have some interaction with the kids. Ryan played soccer with some of the boys this afternoon; it was a memory I'm sure he will treasure.
This is getting on a bit, so I'll close. Thank you for your prayers! We feel blessed to be here; thank you for sending us. Tomorrow we are going to spend the day at Brandon and Jenny's house doing some repairs and things for them.Again, thank you for praying for us. Your prayers are truly appreciated!
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Its in the blue van...
Hi All!
Wow! What an amazing two days we have had! Sorry about not posting yesterday; we couldn't get an internet connection. Yesterday was our first day at the orphanage, and it was wonderful! We were received by shy little faces with warm smiles. In the morning we started working on sanding some metal railings and steel doors to get them ready for painting. Brandon dropped us off with a few supplies, and then he and Mike McM. went back into town for more supplies.The orphanage is about 20 minutes from town, so we were expecting them to be gone for about an hour and a half. They left around 10am, and didn't return until 1pm. We had all left various things of ours in the van, and, sure enough, at some point throughout the morning we all needed something that was in the van. So the catch phrase of the day was, "It's in the van." We managed to get a lot done, without any injuries!
The orphanage is away from town, nestled between a volcano and a mountain. It is on the side of a mountain, with an incredible view of steep cliffs and beautiful trees. The property slopes down to a beautiful river, which right now is full of whitewater rapids. The actual orphanage building is nice by Guatemala standards; we will have pictures for you hopefully soon. The guys have to remove the heavy steel doors from several rooms, carry them downhill about 100 yards to the "farm area" of the complex, sand them, paint them, and then carry them back up the steep hill and put them back in place. The lady that runs the orphanage does not want the men to be around the kids (some kids have a lot of trauma in their past associated with men), so the men have to work out of sight from the main building — hence they are down in the farm area. They are literally between the chicken coop and the pig sty. Add a few wandering ducks, sheep, and goats, and you get the picture. Pray for the strength of our guys; they are having to carry these steel doors up and down the side of this mountain several times a day. The ladies in our group are sanding a long metal railing from the main building to the classrooms. As we are doing our work, we are being closely watched by many precious, shy faces peeking from around the corners.
It is the rainy season, and it usually rains in the afternoon. So, in the afternoon we (the ladies) have craft time with the kids in the classrooms. That has been a wonderful experience. The kids have immediately attached themselves to us, and we have fallen in love with them. There are quite a few special needs kids, and they are precious. The crafts are a big hit, and we are also teaching them English (as requested by the lead teacher). We have had interpreters, and through them we are able to incorporate the message of our wonderful Saviour to the kids. The orphanage is run by a Christian group of women, so the kids are familiar with the gospel. One of the teachers even commented on Phoebe's name as being from the Bible. It has been a wonderful experience.
We have been blessed with cool, sunny weather. It hovers around 70 degrees during the morning, and when the clouds roll in, it drops to about 60 degrees. (Sorry you had to hear that, but there it is.) Please continue to pray that the teachers at the orphanage will build on the trust that they have given us so far. Our group is an amazing mix of the Crossroads family; please pray that we will continue to demonstrate to the people at the orphanage God's love for one another. We have one member that missed today's activities because of a stomach illness. She is better this evening, but still not at 100%. Please pray for a full and speedy recovery for her, and please pray that the rest of the team remains healthy. Apparently it is hard to avoid the stomach bug around here. We really need your prayers for our health and strength.
Oh, one more thing...in the last entry I mentioned that there are a lot of firecrackers going off at all hours of the day. We have learned that in Guatemala it is customary to set off firecrackers in honor of someone's birthday. Friends and family will set off the firecrackers in front of the birthday person's house. It usually begins around 4am and lasts all day. You can't just light one; they come in these multi-packs of about 100. Someone mentioned at the beginning of our trip that it was Ron S's birthday on Wednesday (before we knew about the firecrackers). Hmm, I wonder if anyone is going to be awakened by some loud noises....
I'll keep you posted.
.
Wow! What an amazing two days we have had! Sorry about not posting yesterday; we couldn't get an internet connection. Yesterday was our first day at the orphanage, and it was wonderful! We were received by shy little faces with warm smiles. In the morning we started working on sanding some metal railings and steel doors to get them ready for painting. Brandon dropped us off with a few supplies, and then he and Mike McM. went back into town for more supplies.The orphanage is about 20 minutes from town, so we were expecting them to be gone for about an hour and a half. They left around 10am, and didn't return until 1pm. We had all left various things of ours in the van, and, sure enough, at some point throughout the morning we all needed something that was in the van. So the catch phrase of the day was, "It's in the van." We managed to get a lot done, without any injuries!
It is the rainy season, and it usually rains in the afternoon. So, in the afternoon we (the ladies) have craft time with the kids in the classrooms. That has been a wonderful experience. The kids have immediately attached themselves to us, and we have fallen in love with them. There are quite a few special needs kids, and they are precious. The crafts are a big hit, and we are also teaching them English (as requested by the lead teacher). We have had interpreters, and through them we are able to incorporate the message of our wonderful Saviour to the kids. The orphanage is run by a Christian group of women, so the kids are familiar with the gospel. One of the teachers even commented on Phoebe's name as being from the Bible. It has been a wonderful experience.
We have been blessed with cool, sunny weather. It hovers around 70 degrees during the morning, and when the clouds roll in, it drops to about 60 degrees. (Sorry you had to hear that, but there it is.) Please continue to pray that the teachers at the orphanage will build on the trust that they have given us so far. Our group is an amazing mix of the Crossroads family; please pray that we will continue to demonstrate to the people at the orphanage God's love for one another. We have one member that missed today's activities because of a stomach illness. She is better this evening, but still not at 100%. Please pray for a full and speedy recovery for her, and please pray that the rest of the team remains healthy. Apparently it is hard to avoid the stomach bug around here. We really need your prayers for our health and strength.
Oh, one more thing...in the last entry I mentioned that there are a lot of firecrackers going off at all hours of the day. We have learned that in Guatemala it is customary to set off firecrackers in honor of someone's birthday. Friends and family will set off the firecrackers in front of the birthday person's house. It usually begins around 4am and lasts all day. You can't just light one; they come in these multi-packs of about 100. Someone mentioned at the beginning of our trip that it was Ron S's birthday on Wednesday (before we knew about the firecrackers). Hmm, I wonder if anyone is going to be awakened by some loud noises....
I'll keep you posted.
.
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Great Sunday!
I think we all had a good night's sleep last night; everything from the man snoring next door (which we all heard, but no one is claiming it) to the 4am firecrackers all seems to filter into our rooms, but we were so tired that it didn't phase us too much.
After a nice breakfast at a local restaurant, we went to Brandon and Jenny's church. It is a small church with wooden pews and friendly people. We were greeted with hugs and handshakes by the congregation, and then when it was time to say hello to the people next to you, we were greeted with more friendly hugs and handshakes. They had a guest pastor today, and he spoke on how your relationship with Christ affects everything from you to your neighbors; it was very powerful and pertinent. Jenny taught the Sunday school class, and today not only did the kids have a great lesson form Jenny, but they also washed two cars that were parked in the courtyard between the church and Sunday school rooms. Hey, this is Guatemala, and when the sermon lasts 2 hours, you do what you gotta do. But - an amazing thing happened today at the end of the service. They did a few baby dedications, and there was a teenage young man up on the stage also. Well, today was the day that he gave his life to Christ!! He prayed with the pastor, and now we have a new brother!!! The amazing thing is that Jenny said that he had been helping her with Sunday school for a few Sundays. So, not only was Jenny being a witness to the children, but, unknown to her, she was sharing the gospel with this young man!
We spent the afternoon getting ready for our week at the orphanage. Brandon, Jenny, Melissa, Ryan, and Mike drove to the orphanage to see what we need to buy for the remodeling projects, while the rest of us stayed back at B&J's house with their kids. Those of us at the house practiced making our crafts, and played with the kids. It was a great time for fellowship.
We then went to the Guatemala version of Wal-Mart to get some supplies and then to dinner at a taco place. Two local restaurants in one day; we'll see how well the Pepto is working by tomorrow. Ron capped of the day with a great devotional based on the perspectives class. All in all a great day.
We are all in good spirits and in good health. God is so good.
After a nice breakfast at a local restaurant, we went to Brandon and Jenny's church. It is a small church with wooden pews and friendly people. We were greeted with hugs and handshakes by the congregation, and then when it was time to say hello to the people next to you, we were greeted with more friendly hugs and handshakes. They had a guest pastor today, and he spoke on how your relationship with Christ affects everything from you to your neighbors; it was very powerful and pertinent. Jenny taught the Sunday school class, and today not only did the kids have a great lesson form Jenny, but they also washed two cars that were parked in the courtyard between the church and Sunday school rooms. Hey, this is Guatemala, and when the sermon lasts 2 hours, you do what you gotta do. But - an amazing thing happened today at the end of the service. They did a few baby dedications, and there was a teenage young man up on the stage also. Well, today was the day that he gave his life to Christ!! He prayed with the pastor, and now we have a new brother!!! The amazing thing is that Jenny said that he had been helping her with Sunday school for a few Sundays. So, not only was Jenny being a witness to the children, but, unknown to her, she was sharing the gospel with this young man!
We spent the afternoon getting ready for our week at the orphanage. Brandon, Jenny, Melissa, Ryan, and Mike drove to the orphanage to see what we need to buy for the remodeling projects, while the rest of us stayed back at B&J's house with their kids. Those of us at the house practiced making our crafts, and played with the kids. It was a great time for fellowship.
We then went to the Guatemala version of Wal-Mart to get some supplies and then to dinner at a taco place. Two local restaurants in one day; we'll see how well the Pepto is working by tomorrow. Ron capped of the day with a great devotional based on the perspectives class. All in all a great day.
We are all in good spirits and in good health. God is so good.
Saturday, August 7, 2010
The Americans Have Landed!
Hello All!
We made it, safe and sound, and what an adventure we have had! First of all, thank you to everyone for your prayers! They were felt and greatly appreciated.
Everything has gone well so far. The flight was smooth for the first hour, mainly due to the fact that we sat at the terminal waiting for some storms to clear the area. No problem; we'll wait on that. We took off at 7pm and landed in Guatemala City at 10pm (Texas time.) Customs was a breeze, and at the end of it all was Brandon's kind smile and warm hug! After loading up the vans, we did what every American would do; we went to a Burger King!! Delicioso! Oh, one huge God-thing that happened: Brandon told us that because of the heavy rain that was going on that evening, all flights were being diverted to Nicaragua and Honduras, but for Some Reason our flight wasn't diverted.
Our overnight accomodations were in Guatemala City at a seminary. We arrived at 11:30 that night, tired but happy. Those beds were the most comfortable beds in all of Central America. Seriously.
Today we drove to our final destination, Quetzaltenango (known as Xela to the locals, and henceforth to this blog.) It was a great drive on the Pan-American highway, for the first half. Surprisingly the road is very nice, but they have a slight problem with landslides at this time of the year due to it being the rainy season. We found out this the hard way when we ran into a traffic jam, actually more like a traffic picnic. It was quite obvious that we weren't going anywhere for a while. People were milling around outside their cars; many were selling their goods up and down the now parking lot. We spent our time journaling, talking, snacking, and taking bathroom breaks on the side of the mountain. We also played a "new" card game of "pens", thanks to Phoebe. It is actually "spoons", but we didn't have any spoons, so we used pens. The men took walks up to the landslide, which was at least a mile from where we were. But, eventually, after 3 hours of this spontaneous rest stop we were off again. The region is absolutely beautiful, and the weather is perfect! Did it get above 70 degrees today? I say nay nay!
The winding road eventually led us to Brandon and Jenny's house. We are some amazing travelers - no car sickness (due to a little extra Dramamine!) Jenny greeted us with her familiar cherry smile and hugs for everyone (must be a family thing.) She also had some warm, homemade vegetable soup ready to serve! We have spent the evening in fellowship with Brandon and Jenny as well as Shaun and Chantell, another missionary couple here. Shaun actually was the driver of van #2, and he has been a tremendous help for our team.
So, this is where we are right now. We are heading to our guesthouse in a few minutes. Tomorrow after church we will pay a quick visit to the orphanage to see what supplies we will need. We have been blessed by a safe journey, good camaraderie, and great fellowship with some amazing missionaries.
Thank you again for your prayers, and please keep praying that our time at the orphanage will be fruitful and that God's love will shine through us and bless these children.
We made it, safe and sound, and what an adventure we have had! First of all, thank you to everyone for your prayers! They were felt and greatly appreciated.
Everything has gone well so far. The flight was smooth for the first hour, mainly due to the fact that we sat at the terminal waiting for some storms to clear the area. No problem; we'll wait on that. We took off at 7pm and landed in Guatemala City at 10pm (Texas time.) Customs was a breeze, and at the end of it all was Brandon's kind smile and warm hug! After loading up the vans, we did what every American would do; we went to a Burger King!! Delicioso! Oh, one huge God-thing that happened: Brandon told us that because of the heavy rain that was going on that evening, all flights were being diverted to Nicaragua and Honduras, but for Some Reason our flight wasn't diverted.
Our overnight accomodations were in Guatemala City at a seminary. We arrived at 11:30 that night, tired but happy. Those beds were the most comfortable beds in all of Central America. Seriously.
Today we drove to our final destination, Quetzaltenango (known as Xela to the locals, and henceforth to this blog.) It was a great drive on the Pan-American highway, for the first half. Surprisingly the road is very nice, but they have a slight problem with landslides at this time of the year due to it being the rainy season. We found out this the hard way when we ran into a traffic jam, actually more like a traffic picnic. It was quite obvious that we weren't going anywhere for a while. People were milling around outside their cars; many were selling their goods up and down the now parking lot. We spent our time journaling, talking, snacking, and taking bathroom breaks on the side of the mountain. We also played a "new" card game of "pens", thanks to Phoebe. It is actually "spoons", but we didn't have any spoons, so we used pens. The men took walks up to the landslide, which was at least a mile from where we were. But, eventually, after 3 hours of this spontaneous rest stop we were off again. The region is absolutely beautiful, and the weather is perfect! Did it get above 70 degrees today? I say nay nay!
The winding road eventually led us to Brandon and Jenny's house. We are some amazing travelers - no car sickness (due to a little extra Dramamine!) Jenny greeted us with her familiar cherry smile and hugs for everyone (must be a family thing.) She also had some warm, homemade vegetable soup ready to serve! We have spent the evening in fellowship with Brandon and Jenny as well as Shaun and Chantell, another missionary couple here. Shaun actually was the driver of van #2, and he has been a tremendous help for our team.
So, this is where we are right now. We are heading to our guesthouse in a few minutes. Tomorrow after church we will pay a quick visit to the orphanage to see what supplies we will need. We have been blessed by a safe journey, good camaraderie, and great fellowship with some amazing missionaries.
Thank you again for your prayers, and please keep praying that our time at the orphanage will be fruitful and that God's love will shine through us and bless these children.
Friday, August 6, 2010
Leavin' on a Jet Plane
The Guatemala team is at the airport ready to embark on a flight to Guatemala City to begin their trip. Pastors Brent and Mike were on hand to document the event and sent the following photos I (John) want to share.
Just to recap: the Guatemala team will be assisting Brandon and Jenny Scott in Quetzaltenango, a major city west of the capital, Guatemala City. The team will be primarily working with a local orphanage, serving the kids and workers there. The Scotts are active in the rural areas around Quetzaltenango, where Brandon teaches local pastors in a non-formal educational setting. Besides being a full-time mom of three, Jenny also helps out at the local orphanage and works with pastors wives.
Here's more of today's action from the field:
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