I hope you bring an extra car seat!!
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Saturday, October, 10, 2009
Well, it is early and we are about to begin breakfast and our journey home to North Alabama. It has been a full week capped off with a lovely morning of house dedications which saw 8 people become Christians and many of us come closer together as we walked the hills and valleys of Guatemala. We then proceeded to the Casa Aleujah Childrens home where we played with the kids while Danna and Sarah cut hair. It was a great time. After this we went to Antigua to the city square for some shopping and dinner which was great. After we got back to the mission house we had a time of sharing. This was great as it was evident GOD was in this place and many things were shared with the group.
We look forward to sharing with the church on Sunday night this week and letting our folks know some of the things we saw and felt as we ministered here at Guatemala.
We are scheduled to arrive at the Atlanta airport at 6:17 PM EST via Delta flight 692. We will be picked up by Spencer and the Danville bus then drive back to Danville arriving probably around 11:00 - 12:00 Saturday night.
We look forward to sharing with the church on Sunday night this week and letting our folks know some of the things we saw and felt as we ministered here at Guatemala.
We are scheduled to arrive at the Atlanta airport at 6:17 PM EST via Delta flight 692. We will be picked up by Spencer and the Danville bus then drive back to Danville arriving probably around 11:00 - 12:00 Saturday night.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Tuesday October 6, 2009
Greetings for Guatemala,
Yes it seems like it has been a while in one sense while on the other hand it has only started. We continued to build houses today and have 14 in some form of being built with about 8 completely done. We will finish most of these completely tomorrow and get ready for the rest of the week. We also painted the bottom half of the gym at the seminary this morning with one team before going to the village. We had an awesome Bible school again led by Stacie and the group with Mark Mast helping with the story. Upon the conclusion of the Bible school we started our village ministry which consisted of distribution of food, clothes, toiletries, books and toys to 100 families. Each family had been visited and selected by the pastor and deacons of the local church at the village. This was in a word, "AWESOME". We concluded this by standing around the pastor and deacons in a circle and singing "Our God is an AWESOME God"! If anyone has any doubt about this being true you should be with us on this trip.
Tomorrow we will complete the painting at the gym, finish the building except for a few details them come back for another great meal prepared by Adeline and Mrs. Tina Mast from Canada who is leading our cooking crew.
I think everyone is doing well here although I am quite sure some are homesick for their loved ones but the week will come to a close very soon. Continue to pray as we strive to be a blessing as we have been blessed.
Monday October 5, 2009
Monday saw the day get started with a devotion message from Teddie on attitude and how to strive to regain our sight. We then split into teams and was off to the races. We built 4 houses complete with concrete about 2 more houses now ready for concrete and 2 houses ready for tin for a total of 8. The teams did a great job of learning and making things happen. We did a Bible school in the afternoon where more than 250 children showed up to hear a Bible story and do crafts. Wow, a bit overwhelming when we had planned for about 100. Stacie and the crew did great and really showed love toward these children. Supper was GREAT with Tina Mast (Missionary from Canada) and Adaline Byford staying back to cook for us. I think everyone was tired but it was a good tired and all is well.
We are about to be off this morning to build more houses, paint a gymnasium, do another Bible school and provide a village ministry.
We will update you later and get some more pictures up soon.
Momar, we have it narrowed down to three kids and I will put pictures on here for you to help us to decide which one or should we just bring all three.
We are about to be off this morning to build more houses, paint a gymnasium, do another Bible school and provide a village ministry.
We will update you later and get some more pictures up soon.
Momar, we have it narrowed down to three kids and I will put pictures on here for you to help us to decide which one or should we just bring all three.
Monday, October 5, 2009
Chicken Bus
This is the group on the boat headed across the lake. We had our Bible study led by Joe David and the worship was led by Jerry and Stacie Cochrane. It was awesome.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Sunday October 4th, 2009
Greetings from Guatemala,
The team started out early this morning with a cold breakfast then a brisk walk to the bottom of the hill to load onto a Chicken bus. It is basically a school bus but because of our number and SIZE about 6 of our people were forced to stand for the 3 hour ride rather than sitting. Everyone was flexible and we made it fine.
We arrived at the Atitlan lake area and proceeded to load the boat after some visited the pay toilets. So things you just pay the regular price and do not ask to barter. The boat had an upper deck where we were able to get our 44 danvillians and 3 Canadian friends gathered for a unique worship service and Bible study as we made our hour long trek across one of the most beautiful lakes in all of central America and maybe the world. National Geographic has rated this lake so you know it is not the mouth of no business or flint creek. Upon arrival on the other side of the lake we began our hour long shopping excursion. We have some shoppers in the bunch as just about everyone had bags of goodies upon the return to the boat. We then were able to observe a baptism service in the water next to the boats as we were leaving. We had trouble on the boat as we got almost to the shore and had to have another boat come to get us to take us the rest of the way. Now, we can say it is an official Danville Baptist trip because we all could smell diesel. Where was Ron and Spencer?
We ate at the Casa Blanca resturant for a late lunch and the food was great . We then loaded back on the Chicken bus and returned home where we prepared and ate sloppy joes, vegetables and ice cream sundaes for dinner. Everyone then was able to lounge as we are getting ready for our ministry to begin in the village. We will start at 6 AM for breakfast and then be gone for the day.
Please continue to pray to Steve Tanner as he strives to overcome his bike wreck.
The team started out early this morning with a cold breakfast then a brisk walk to the bottom of the hill to load onto a Chicken bus. It is basically a school bus but because of our number and SIZE about 6 of our people were forced to stand for the 3 hour ride rather than sitting. Everyone was flexible and we made it fine.
We arrived at the Atitlan lake area and proceeded to load the boat after some visited the pay toilets. So things you just pay the regular price and do not ask to barter. The boat had an upper deck where we were able to get our 44 danvillians and 3 Canadian friends gathered for a unique worship service and Bible study as we made our hour long trek across one of the most beautiful lakes in all of central America and maybe the world. National Geographic has rated this lake so you know it is not the mouth of no business or flint creek. Upon arrival on the other side of the lake we began our hour long shopping excursion. We have some shoppers in the bunch as just about everyone had bags of goodies upon the return to the boat. We then were able to observe a baptism service in the water next to the boats as we were leaving. We had trouble on the boat as we got almost to the shore and had to have another boat come to get us to take us the rest of the way. Now, we can say it is an official Danville Baptist trip because we all could smell diesel. Where was Ron and Spencer?
We ate at the Casa Blanca resturant for a late lunch and the food was great . We then loaded back on the Chicken bus and returned home where we prepared and ate sloppy joes, vegetables and ice cream sundaes for dinner. Everyone then was able to lounge as we are getting ready for our ministry to begin in the village. We will start at 6 AM for breakfast and then be gone for the day.
Please continue to pray to Steve Tanner as he strives to overcome his bike wreck.
Sunday Morning October 4, 2009
Greetings from lovely Guatemala,
Saturday was a GREAT day as we made it safely to our destination at the mission house.
The day was started off right as we got loaded onto the bus from our Atlanta hotel at 6:36AM instead of our scheduled departure time of 6:30AM because one of the phones did not automatically reset to EST from Alabama. This person shall remain nameless at this point in time. We then went through our check in process which was smooth because of much planning and packing by the team and not to minimize the contribution of the scales provided by Gerald Cochrane as he was our official weigh in person both at Danville and at Atlanta. No, we have not started our game of Biggest Loser yet at Guatemala. The flight was flawless and actually landed 30 minutes ahead of schedule.
Mark Mast was a sight for sore eyes as he was a familiar face among the locals as we entered the luggage area of the Guatemala airport. We were able to gather all the bags and meet with Jon King and the luggage truck outside as planned. Again, a real professional group in the way they get things done. It was off to get the rental vans and get loaded. Thanks to Teddie and the staff this process again was flawless except for the boys from Alabama who could speak 0 spanish and had to just point and grunt our way though the process. I caught myself a couple of times answering in Chinese instead of Spanish but we got through the process anyway.
The ride to the mission house was long as the traffic was slow but none the less we made it safely. We got our bags to the rooms and then we were off to the mall for dinner and buying more groceries. All was well there as we ate from the various different choices inside the food court but suffice it to say that McDonalds was pretty busy with our group. We came back to the mission house and folks began to twitter, facebook, sing and get our Bible school things ready for this week.
Today, we will head out in a school bus called the chicken bus down here for the lake about 2 hours away. We will have our Sunday service there with Joe David bringing the message. The only issue now is Joe David is insisting we take up our normal 2 offerings as he states this is part of his training from his Dad. Oh well, we will see what happens.
Let me take this space to really thank the Grace ministry and Friendship Baptist Church of Grand Bay for the awesome first class facilities and the very professional staff at Guatemala which have been excellent in both planning and now executing our events thus far. We are a bunch of rookies and without the help of the staff we would still be at the airport wondering where to go and what to do next. So, as inadequate as it seems here is a heart felt "THANKS" from our team.
Some of our team have heavy hearts this morning as Charles Lee James (the uncle of Lisa Kelso) passed away just before we left Danville on Friday. I was informed last night that Steve Tanner (Brother of Jim Tanner) was injured in a bike accident on Saturday and is in the ICU at Chattanooga. Please keep both these families in your prayers as you go about your business today.
Well, it is off to the races this morning and we will post some pictures later as my skills continue to improve with this blog software.
Have a GREAT day with JESUS!!!
Saturday was a GREAT day as we made it safely to our destination at the mission house.
The day was started off right as we got loaded onto the bus from our Atlanta hotel at 6:36AM instead of our scheduled departure time of 6:30AM because one of the phones did not automatically reset to EST from Alabama. This person shall remain nameless at this point in time. We then went through our check in process which was smooth because of much planning and packing by the team and not to minimize the contribution of the scales provided by Gerald Cochrane as he was our official weigh in person both at Danville and at Atlanta. No, we have not started our game of Biggest Loser yet at Guatemala. The flight was flawless and actually landed 30 minutes ahead of schedule.
Mark Mast was a sight for sore eyes as he was a familiar face among the locals as we entered the luggage area of the Guatemala airport. We were able to gather all the bags and meet with Jon King and the luggage truck outside as planned. Again, a real professional group in the way they get things done. It was off to get the rental vans and get loaded. Thanks to Teddie and the staff this process again was flawless except for the boys from Alabama who could speak 0 spanish and had to just point and grunt our way though the process. I caught myself a couple of times answering in Chinese instead of Spanish but we got through the process anyway.
The ride to the mission house was long as the traffic was slow but none the less we made it safely. We got our bags to the rooms and then we were off to the mall for dinner and buying more groceries. All was well there as we ate from the various different choices inside the food court but suffice it to say that McDonalds was pretty busy with our group. We came back to the mission house and folks began to twitter, facebook, sing and get our Bible school things ready for this week.
Today, we will head out in a school bus called the chicken bus down here for the lake about 2 hours away. We will have our Sunday service there with Joe David bringing the message. The only issue now is Joe David is insisting we take up our normal 2 offerings as he states this is part of his training from his Dad. Oh well, we will see what happens.
Let me take this space to really thank the Grace ministry and Friendship Baptist Church of Grand Bay for the awesome first class facilities and the very professional staff at Guatemala which have been excellent in both planning and now executing our events thus far. We are a bunch of rookies and without the help of the staff we would still be at the airport wondering where to go and what to do next. So, as inadequate as it seems here is a heart felt "THANKS" from our team.
Some of our team have heavy hearts this morning as Charles Lee James (the uncle of Lisa Kelso) passed away just before we left Danville on Friday. I was informed last night that Steve Tanner (Brother of Jim Tanner) was injured in a bike accident on Saturday and is in the ICU at Chattanooga. Please keep both these families in your prayers as you go about your business today.
Well, it is off to the races this morning and we will post some pictures later as my skills continue to improve with this blog software.
Have a GREAT day with JESUS!!!
Friday, October 2, 2009
On the way to Guatemala !!!!!
This is the blog site we will use while at Guatemala. Please check often for updates.
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