health returns!

Just a few lines to thank everyone for praying for our health.  Diana is well again from this last very strong virus, without the continuing problems that she had last year after a similar virus, so we are very thankful!  Also, Niel is struggling with his second kidney infection in a month, so he plans to see a specialist in the city before we leave for the states in a couple of weeks.
This week is Vacation Bible School at our church here in Panajachel.  Had 200 kids today!  Ran out of supplies and chairs, but everyone enjoyed themselves!  We're all tired, but happy that God's Word and His precious Gospel is going out to so many in our community.  Will write again when it is over and post photos.

Sister Visit

Diana's sister, Linda, visited Guatemala for two weeks in October.  While she was here, we visited the Mayan ruins in Tecpan, the biggest mercado in Guatemala at Chichicastenango, and the west coast where there are black sand beaches and a very dangerous undertow.
We had a great time and it went by really fast!  She even brought down a great many items that we need for Vacation Bible school this year, for which we are very thankful to her S.S. class and fellow workers at her Quaker workplace.

 
The roads around Guatemala are still quite dangerous.
They are planning to shut down the road for 2 or 3 months on the mountain road
that was hit so badly by mudslides during our rainy

season .  That leaves the mountain road on the other side of Panajachel, which is barely passable, with a new walking suspension bridge over the chasm.  In one place as we were coming back on that route, we saw 3 large rocks in the road that we supposed were caused by a slide and had we continued past them,and we could have, we would have fallen off the edge of the road into the river.  By the grace of God, there was a truck in front of us that knew the way, so they went down this dirt path and through the river to the other side, so we followed them.  A little scary, but these days in Guatemala, we are getting used to that, and that just causes us to trust in our sovereign Lord more.

"Feria" in Panajachel

Once a year every little town in Guatemala celebrates it's patron saint with a "fair day".  It is celebrated by a huge market, lots of vendors selling everything, parades, dancing, fireworks, and old U.S. fair rides.  It is so sad to see the Catholic church as it thanks "San Francisco", also celebrate with Mayan ceremonies, dances and freaky costumes.

 

Mudslides in Guatemala!

We have had several people ask us if we are okay due to the seriousness of the mudslides here.
We are fine.  Where LBN is, it would take a gigantic mudslide that wipes out the town to affect us. With that said, there was a mudslide above the church that sent mud down all the streets on Sat. The city got some big machines out there to pick up mud pretty quick, though, but all the streets are covered in mud. Yuck!


We have so much rain that all the mountain roads are in danger of mudslides. It is precarious. One happened on the road to Xela that caught a bus, then when people and firemen came to unbury the bus, another one happened and buried the helpers. About 40 people were killed in that one. There have been all kinds of slides on the road to Solola. In fact, Sat. so many happened that they closed the road to car or bus traffic and I am not sure that it is even open yet. People can cross it on foot at their own risk. Niel did that the other day. A week ago, we had a group here from the seminary in Chimaltenango and one of our CAM missionaries who teaches there needed to go back to teach a class on Sat. So, Niel decided to go with him because our dentist friend in Chimal is going to fix Niel another bridge because his is useless. Anyway, they left here at 6AM. but there had been a huge mudslide in Tecpan with a huge line of cars waiting and no opening in sight, so they couldn't pass. So, after waiting awhile, they turned around. But since they had left, there had been another slide on the Solola road, so cars could not pass for a couple of hours to get down here. So, Niel left the car, and walked over the mud, got a tuc-tuc to bring him home. Crazy! So, we have heard that there has been another slide in the Tecpan area this past weekend, so Pana was really vacant . No rich guatemalans, no gringos, and not much produce at the market because nobody can get down here.

We need to go into the city before Niel leaves on the 22nd. Oh, that is another thing. He and Marco left here on FRiday to go to a meeting at the campamento, but our radiator busted more, so they had to come home. So, now we can't drive the car until he gets another and radiators in the city cost twice as much as in the states. So, he is going to wait and buy one when he goes to the states. But that leaves us carless, so we will have to get a van driver to take us to the city this week when the roads are open.

Anyway, it is an experience, but God is in control and we are resting in His sovereign will and protection.

Children Visitors

We have, of course, a steady stream of visitors to Las Buenas Nuevas.  This past week, our visitors were Menonite missionaries who work in the outback of Kiche land.  When Menonites come to Las Buenas Nuevas,  it reminds me of what LBN used to be like many years ago when our CAM missionaries came with their families for vacation.  They don't come with mission teams.  They don't come to shop.  They come to relax with their families and get away from their work for a little while.  The kids take off their shoes and play in the grass.  They fix all their meals here.  It was a joy to minister to them.

And then, we have national visitors to our own home.

This precious nina is the daughter of our former pastor - Odalis.  She enjoyed playing with our cat, Eva.  She and her 3 brothers feel quite at home in our house, as they spent some time  here when they lived in Panajachel.  They are always looking for "cookies" from their gringo grandma!  They now live about 3,000 feet higher than we are, in Santa Lucia.

"Volcano in my yard."

Another rainy afternoon on the lake.  It's been a wetter than usual rainy season marked by many landslides making it really hard on villages built on the mountain slopes and anyone who tries to travel.  Some of the areas we minister in are now 4 times further by the clock.  Our routes now go through areas known for many robberies and kidnappings, so much prayer is in order for our protection. 

Thursday we got on the little boat for a 30 minute ride to San Lucas in that the road there is impassible due to a washed out bridge.  They are aiming to have it rebuilt by late spring....(don't know what year..!)  We went to Iglesia Bethany C.A. to dedicate the water purification system we installed so badly needed there.  We have held medical clinics there, and Pastor Morales and his elders are thankful for our help as they minister and spread the gospel there. I'll be traveling there more now to check and repair the systems, and work with the elders to encourage using the system as a tool for evangelism.  "Pure water is important, but Living Water is eternal!"  This gives me seven systems of responsibility, and much thanks is due First Pres of Visalia California for their generous provision of much of the equipment and for the installation team. 

Band of Brothers

At long last, the main event for the new men's ministry occurred last Sat.  night!  12 hombres came, including many youth.  Niel started off the evening with some cool games from the TV show "Minute to Win It".  

A big hit!  An important element in team building as well.
The guys were encouraged to choose an accountability partner to meet with once a week, study a discipleship course together, pray and share.  In six weeks, the whole group will come together again for another "event". 

Maybe it won't be raining and they can play soccer!  Niel told them that it would  not be easy, but it would be worth it!  Time will tell.                                                  

Serious prayer is also on the agenda, and the guys understand its importance....

Food always helps!
While Niel was working with the guys,  Diana had 12 teenage girls in our house for a separate time of fellowship.  After a short study ,  they enjoyed some craft time!  I am always looking for different crafts for them, so if anyone has any ideas, please let me know.

Our eyes are opened!

We have learned from other missionaries that even many of our Mayan Christians still have Mayan core beliefs and that keeps them from really trusting only in Christ, and have seen evidences of it at times, but this week, we are really facing the reality of how it affects total families!  Actually one of our families at Iglesia Emanuel is struggling with a situation with their 5 yr. old, who has for about 3 months been crying at night for no reason, complaining about pain in her body, and saying that "the devil is in this place."  Her mother has taken her to a local "healer" for a remedy, which is really dangerous and yet they feel very comfortable doing that.  They believe that they are being oppressed by the enemy of our souls, and they want our prayers, but there are members of the family that have allowed their sin and unrepentant heart to open up their family to the spirit world.  We are facing a spiritual warfare here that is real, but we know that our Savior is already the Victor and we pray for the wisdom to know how to handle situations like these.  Thank you for your prayers for this family and especially for their precious daughter, Gabriela.

Friends are leaving Guatemala!

Last weekend we drove to Guatemala City, the first time in two months.  We were out of a lot of stuff that we can't get here in Panajachel.  But the reason we went was the "despedida" or going away open house for our best friends here in Guatemala.  Maria and Johnny Coker, who have been the missionaries on site at the Campamento Centennial ( a camp for Guatemalan kids) for the last five years and our closest (in distance) CAM missionaries. Maria's mother is not well so they need to go home to Decatur, Alabama. We are very sad to lose their fellowship here, but definitely will not lose their friendship!

Taking time to blog

Our friend, Judy, in missionary care, is helping us start a new blog.  Hopefully, this one will be easier for all of you to access.  Will write more tomorrow.

Feel free to go to Judy's blog.

Diana