pictures, pictures, pictures!

Some friends from church hanging out at Pizza Hut!
Carlos, Me, Juan Pablo, Marco and Jeff

More pictures!!

Me, Juan Pablo (JP), Sam, and Kevin
Just a random picture
Me and Sam
Marco and Aric
Elena and Juan Pablo

Some of my friends here!!

I just want to share with you some pictures of some things I have been doing during the holiday time here. These are pictures of my friends from church at our Christmas party, hanging around church, hanging out at lunch, and at the annual fireworks show called Luces Campero!
Juan Pablo, Bethany and Aric
Me with friends from church at our Christmas party
More from the Christmas Party
Luces Campero

It's Holiday Time!!

I can't believe December is almost over already...and Christmas this weekend! This Christmas I was invited to spend Christmas with a family from my church. I was so excited when they invited me! They are a family that is very special to me, and has taken me in like family. It will be fun to celebrate Christmas with Guatemalan. I will take pictures of my time with them and put them on here after Christmas!

I am sad that I won't be able to spend Christmas at home. I always love Christmas time with my family and the traditions we have...but I am know that I am supposed to be here in Guatemala right now, and even though I won't be home the Mata Family will take great care of me and make me feel right home.

I am so thankful for the many blessing God has placed in my life! He has surprised me and shocked me so much in the last couple of weeks! My friends here have been incredible. Every time I am blown away by how much they care for me and include me. It's a blessing that is beyond words.

I am also thankful for the blessing of wonderful supporters back home. It is so amazing to know that I have family and friends back in the States that care for me and are lifting me up in prayer! Thanks!!

Jen and Chris get married!

Here are a couple of pictures from the wedding! Congratulations Jen and Chris!!

In November I had the opportunity to go back the Arizona to be in Chris and Jen's wedding! It was a lot of fun! It was a blessing to be able to spend time with my family and my friends. I was there for 10 days, and it wasn't enough! If I didn't get to see you when I was back I am sorry!

It was a lot of fun to catch up with everyone, and be back in Arizona. It is amazing how my time there was different than when I was back in May. In May, I didn't want to come back to Guatemala. Things were comfortable in Arizona, and it was hard in Guatemala. This time it was good to be back and see everyone and reconnect with everyone, but I missed Guatemala. I missed my friends here in Guatemala. I wanted to come back!

It's amazing how things changed in a couple of months! God is amazing. He has provided some great friends here in Guatemala and a great church family. I love the team I work with, and I love my church. I am praising God for the relationships I have here!

Thanks for all of your prayers! It means a lot to me!

A new experience for me...

They just built a brand new World Gym down the street from house, and I decided to get a membership there! It just opened yesterday. One of my teammates (who also got a membership) and I decided to meet there this morning at 6 to try the aerobics class. I was a little nervous because I haven't been in an aerobics class since probably high school, and it was going to be all in Spanish!

Well...I survived!! I actually loved it! It was a new experience going to an aerobics class in Spanish, and learning some new worlds for the dance moves. Mostly I just watched the instructor and tried to follow what he was doing! It was a lot of fun, and I look forward to the many more aerobics classes to come!

Here is a picture of the University group from my church, El Camino here in Guatemala. This picture was taken on a retreat during Holy week last Easter. It has been great to be a part of this group, and make friends with Guatemalan who are around my age.

It's been a long time since I have been the "new girl" anywhere. I have had the same friends back in AZ for many years. I lived at home and always had someone around. This year in Guatemala has been great, but it definitely has been lonely at times, but it has been good to be the "new girl." It has taught me a lot and stretched me.

One thing I really like about the University group at El Camino is that they are a close group. They really care about each other. It has taken time to build relationships and friendships with people in the group, but I am finally feeling like I am part of this group, and I feel like I have a "home" at my church.

You are so beautiful...

The purpose of my blog is share snapshots of my life here in Guatemala. As it may surprise some of you (hint of sarcasm) having blonde hair and blue eyes I don't look like anyone from Guatemala. :-) When I first arrived here in Guatemala it would bother me when I was walking in the parking lot or walking through the grocery store and people were staring at me. I knew they were probably staring at me because I looked different them. I have fair skin, blonde hair, and blue eyes, and they were all probably wondering why I was in Guatemala.

During the summer I went to Payless with the STEP girls, because one of them needed a pair of shoes. As I was helping them find shoes, one of the employees asked us if we needed any help. At the time we were just looking, so I thanked the employee, but told him we were just looking. He then went on to say (like a good employee), "Well, I am here if you need any help." We continued to look at shoes, and one of the girls needed to ask if they had shoes in a certain size. So our new friend who worked at Payless was right there waiting to help. So, I asked him about the shoes and he started looking. He started up a conversation with me and asked why I was in Guatemala, introduced himself to me. This is quite common here in Guatemala, for someone to start a conversation with you. People here are very friendly, something I really like about Guatemala. Well...In the middle of the conversation, the Payless employee stops talking and puts his hand on my arm and says, "You are so beautiful...You have the most beautiful eyes." When he says this, I say thanks and try to keep the conversation going, but he goes on to say that whenever I come to Payless he will be there to help me and give me a good deal. All, I could was laugh about it afterwards. It's not like it happens all the time, but the Latin culture is just different here. There are times when I go to the movies or to a store that the guy behind the counter will make a comment about my eyes, and how beautiful they are.

So...because of this happening it got me thinking. I know they are just interested because I look different them, and I can't help to think that when I am in AZ and I see someone who looks like they are from another country I am interested too. I start to think...what is their story? I wonder why they are here. People from other countries are interesting. I know living here in Guatemala I will never look like a Guatemalan, and I will never "fit in." I will stand out, which a lot of the time can be uncomfortable, but it's amazing how God can open doors because I look different.

It's amazing what can happen on a chicken bus!

Here is a picture of me, Ashley, and Antonio (he is a graduate of a Bible Education program that SEPAL has in rural areas of Guatemala).

I wish I had a picture of a chicken bus to show you, but I will just try to describe it to you! A chicken bus is one of the main transportations here in Guatemala. Picture a school bus, because that's basically what they are, old school buses from the States, repainted on the outside to be a lot more colorful.

I went with the STEP team this summer to San Pedro La Laguna. As we were riding one of these chicken buses back to Guatemala City (about a 3 1/2- 4 hour drive), several things happened that I had never seen before!I have been on chicken buses not a lot, but several times. This time when I was on the bus it was the most full I have ever seen a chicken bus! The motto for buses here in Guatemala is, "there is always room for one more!" As I was on this bus, I thought there is no way we can fit anyone else on this bus. The seats are like a school bus, where 2 kids can fit on a seat and 3 can squish, but they aren't that comfortable, well every seat on this bus had, 4 people to a seat! No joke! And there were people standing in the aisle, with no room to move, or breathe (well that may be an exaggeration, but you get the idea)! Even with the bus this full, the bus driver kept stopping for people, and I kept thinking how is this person going to fit, and how is the bus attendant able to keep track of who has paid? How is he even going to be able to collect the money? You don't pay when get on the bus, the bus attendant comes through the aisle and asks for money. As each new person got on the bus, the attendant kept asking everyone to get closer and move back, but I look back and there really isn't anywhere to go!

So, my question of how the bus attendant was going to collect money was soon answered! He opened a few windows (I wasn't sure why he did this, but I later found out why), and he started climbing on all the seats. It's a good thing he was a little guy, because if he was any bigger I think he would have been hitting his head! Yes, he literally climbed on top the seats and like Spiderman (that's what some Guatemalan's were calling him on the bus), he crawled through the whole bus collecting money and trying to place people so he could make more room! He got to the back of the bus, so I couldn't see him anymore, but a few minutes later he appeared back up front through the front door! No, we didn't stop so he could move up front, he went out the back door, climbed on top of the bus and then used the windows he opened to climb back to the front door. I was amazed! He was like a little Spiderman, climbing all around a moving bus, and doing it like it was nothing! These are things that can be a normal occurrence here in Guatemala!

Whew!! Sorry that was a long explanation! So...If you are still reading this, there is more to my bus experience!! As we got closer and closer to Guatemala City, many people exited off the bus, the bus was still full, but there was definitely a lot more room, only 3 to a seat instead of 4! For about 30 min. of the bus ride I was just sharing my seat with one of the STEP girls (Erin), but then we stopped in a town called Chimaltenango, which is about 45 min- 1 hour outside of Guatemala City.

When we stopped in this town a girl (Alejandra) sat down in the seat with Erin and me. She started talking to us, asking us questions about why we were in Guatemala, if we liked Guatemala, etc... She was taking the bus in to the City, because she studies at the public university there. Alejandra seemed really interested in why we were in Guatemala, and interested in getting to know us better. The STEP girls and I were about to get off the bus, when she asked for my cell phone number, and we made tentative plans to hang out when the STEP group had left. So, we exchanged phone numbers, and as soon as I got off the bus she text messaged me. Saying that she was glad to meet us and looks forward to hanging out!

What struck me most about what happened on the bus with Alejandra, is a prayer that I have prayed off and on. For the last 6 years or so I have sometimes felt like I am in a "Christian bubble." I would pray and ask God to bring someone in my life who doesn't have a relationship Jesus. Someone who I can build a friendship with, and through my loving them, hopefully they will see the love of Jesus and I will have opportunities to share about the love of Jesus! I am pretty sure Alejandra does not have a relationship with Jesus, and when I least expected it God brought someone into my life. She sat right next to me on the bus!

We have been text messaging back in forth for the past month. We still don't have plans to hang out, but she called me a week ago and left me a message, saying she would still like to hang out and to give her a call. So, I am going to call her!! I am excited to see what might develop through this friendship. She lives about 45 min. away from me, but everyday she studies at the University that is only about 5 min. away from the SEPAL office, so there is no reason why I can't hang out with her! God answered my prayer, when I least expected it!

When you think about it can you pray for Alejandra? Pray that this friendship can continue to develop. I will keep you updated about what happens!

Thanks for all your prayers!!

A reminder of why I am here...

(The STEP team and youth from El Camino left-right: Josue, me, Paola, Kara, Erin, Vivi, Meli (top row), Ashley, Pablo, and Guillermo(bottom row))

At the end of May I had the opportunity go home for almost 3 weeks for my sisters high school graduation. I was looking forward to going home and seeing my family and friends for the first time in almost 9 months. The first week or so it was hard to transition back into living in Arizona, and I definitely went through some culture shock and wished I was back in Guatemala. The last week I was home things started to get comfortable again. I loved how I could just pick up the phone and call one of my friends to hang out, I missed being able to do that in Guatemala. Driving was so much easier, the food was familiar, everyone spoke a familiar language, it felt comfortable again.

When it was time for me to come back to Guatemala, I started to question my call. Life was so much easier back in Arizona. Why did I want to come back to Guatemala? Where at times I felt lonely, sometimes it was hard to communicate, and things were not familiar. It was probably harder saying goodbye to my family and friends this time than when I left last September.

When I got back to Guatemala I started reading Joshua. The first chapter starts out by describing the command and the calling of Joshua. When I read verse 9 of chapter 1 something about it spoke to me. I had heard the verse many times, but with my struggle of being back in Guatemala, God used this verse to remind me. Joshua 1:9 says, "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go." I then went back to Deuteronomy 31 where Moses tells Joshua of his calling. Deuteronomy 31:8 says, "The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged."

Did you catch the word "before?" Reading those two verses encouraged me and reminded me that God has called me to be in Guatemala right now. He has gone before me, and He will never leave me.

Throughout these past few months I had the opportunity to help lead and coordinate the STEP program. The STEP team was here in Guatemala for two months (this is the same program I was a part of in 2001). It was an amazing time. One of our trips was to this village called Campur. Youth from my church here in Guatemala (El Camino) joined us on this trip. Watching the youth from El Camino serve, gave me goosebumps and brought tears to my eyes. Seeing Pablo step up and lead programs, seeing Josue lead worship through his gift of playing the guitar, and seeing the other youth love on kids, and just being willing to serve wherever, reminded me that this is why I am here.

It's not about me. It's not about me leading a program, or being in front of a group, but it's about the opportunity to come along side the youth and encourage them. Seeing the youth from El Camino serve people from their own country, really impacted me. God used them and our trip to Campur to remind me why He has called me to be in Guatemala right now.

So I am finally joining the blog world!!

I finally figured out how to set up a blog, and I am officially joining the blogging world! My hope is to be able to keep everyone updated more often, and to give you little snapshots of my life here in Guatemala!

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