Finishing Up

After spending my whole summer in Guatemala, these months are finally coming to a close. I am heading back home on Tuesday, August 1st! It has been a summer full of being challenged, learning, and growing.

Over the summer, I worked with 6 teams from all different locations (plus a team made up of my brother and dad). I learned a lot from both the Americans and Guatemalans that I was working with on a weekly basis. My job basically consisted of doing anything a team did. I did lots of translating in conversations, worked on relationship building, prayed with patients in the hospital, went on many home visits, helped with work and construction projects, and even went on a few trips to Panajachel and Antigua. I went to Guatemala City (a 4-hour drive) on nearly a weekly basis to pick up teams from the airport or bring them back.

I was challenged to not only be outgoing in English, but also in Spanish, as I was put into many new situations with new people on a daily basis. When I was younger, if you would have told my family or me that I would do this one day, we all would've laughed (I was pretty shy. And by pretty shy, I mean extremely shy!).

As my posts have shown throughout the summer, God has been teaching me a lot about missions. He's opened my eyes to see the negative and positive aspects. He has put a passion in my heart for missions, especially for the Guatemalan people. He's given me patience and energy throughout a very difficult and busy time in my life. He's brought me comfort, peace, and provision when I've most needed it.

God has also shown me other lessons throughout this summer too, and not necessarily ones I would have expected. He's taught me more about giving, patience, forgiveness, conflict resolution, self-control, and working with people of all different types. It's been hard, yet rewarding. I have been able to visit old friends and make lots of new ones too. I've connected with people of different ages, races, genders, and professions. God has shown me more of the plan He has for my life and has given me determination to follow Him in that.

So as I go home Tuesday, I will remember this summer. When I go to Baylor later this month, I will remember this summer. And as I go on with life, I will remember this summer. Because even though it wasn't easy, God was faithful. He had His hand in my summer. And for that, I will always remember.

A Quick Update!

I have now helped with my first team! This past week involved an energetic and fun team from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. This was my first time translating, serving alongside a group, and leading in Guatemala.

On Sunday, we went to the market and I led a group around. I found just about everything they wanted to see, with a little help from them! I haven't been around the market much since I've moved here, but we figured it all out.

Monday, we went up the mountain to a village called San Antonio Ilotenango. This church has had a partnership with them for the past few years. I was able to help translate between conversations. The kids here were full of energy, and so excited to see us! We also went on a home visit. My group visited an older woman, her two adult children, and eight grandchildren. Albeit there being 11 of them, they lived in a 3 room clay house. The elderly mother was being affected by Alzheimer's or dementia, and one of the adult children had special needs. This means the woman, with eight children, was the only working one in the house. She said her weekly income was about one hundred quetzals, equal to about $13. As unfortunate as this is, this is common in Guatemala. We gave them food, but more importantly, lots of prayer. In this village, we also attended a church service and socialized with the people there. It was cool to see the gringos from Pittsburgh reconnect with their friends from a small village in Guatemala.

Beautiful girls from San Antonio Ilotenango

The rest of the week, I helped the team with construction projects on the ASELSI base. I don't know some of my construction words in English, so trying to translate them into Spanish was interesting, but we got by. The excitement of the week was the 6.9 earthquake at 1:30 a.m. on Wednesday. I thought I was overreacting when I felt it, but much to my surprise, it was a big earthquake! I was located 50 miles from the epicenter, so we all are thankful to God that we are safe and sound. Please pray for the families and people on the coast that were more strongly affected by this tragedy. Otherwise, I also translated on a hospital visit during the week. It was a great week, finished off by a small trip to Antigua before they left for the states.

This team taught me a lot about my work for this summer. I was reminded to always be positive and love others, both Americans and Guatemalans. They taught me that my work is not just ministering to Guatemalans, but also to Americans. I learned more about how to perceive missions, short-term and long-term. (Look for my thoughts on this in future posts!) However, most importantly, I learned more about what God is teaching me, His works through me, and made some great friendships.

As I continue this summer with teams, please pray for strength, patience, and energy. My next team comes Saturday, and then I have a team every week for the rest of my time here. Please pray for my continued health and safety. Lastly, I encourage you to pray for God to continue to act and speak to me and through me.

One Week

One week. That is all I have left. A week from now, I will be flying back home. Words cannot describe all I have learned throughout these past two months. I have made lifelong friends, learned a whole lot of Spanish, drank lots of coffee, adventured, and most importantly, grew in my relationship with God.

I love my Guatemalan mom!

I fell in love with a new place. I found a new home. There is a reason for this. Because when I moved here, I was blessed with supportive Christian friends and a Christian family to live with. I love the culture here, and I love the joy of the people. However, I don't think my experience would be the same without that Christian fellowship.

Being a homebody and leaving home is difficult. But when you are rooted in Christ, you can feel at home anywhere. You can find family anywhere. And for that, I am forever grateful. Furthermore, the faith of the Guatemalan Christians is incredible. I strive for their joy and their unwavering faith in God.

This experience was so far out of my comfort zone. However, God brought me comfort. This place has become more than just a missions outreach or the location of my Spanish school. This place is my home, and I already know that I am going to miss it more than anything by the time next week comes around.

So when thinking of Guatemala, I pray that they will not get caught up in the works or in all the small technicalities. Our faith is not about the works, but instead about our faith and His grace. I pray they will not only believe, but also try to grow in their faith. I pray that they would know that God has a plan for their life, no matter how many trials may come their way. I pray for peace in the midst of hard times. I pray that they would never lose their "first love" for Him. And ultimately, I pray that they would lead others to Christ and continue to share their immense joy.

I came here two years ago and got a taste of Guatemala. I fell in love and will never forget that week. These two months are the same way. I love that God has used me in this way and I am so grateful for such an amazing opportunity. I am not ready to leave, but I don't think I ever will be. Thank you for a great two months, Guatemala. See you soon, America.

Halfway There

I am already halfway through my time here: I arrived in Guatemala one month ago, and I leave Panajachel in a month. I thought I would catch you all up on what I have been doing (besides having deep thoughts about tough issues).

I have been attending class 25 hours a week, and it's extremely tiring. There really is no way to explain the difficulty of learning another language, except for the fact that you are always tired (no matter how much sleep you get) and your brain constantly hurts. Although school has been difficult, I have already learned so much. Putting it into practice is the hard part!

Between only yesterday and today, I have had tons of cultural experiences! Yesterday, I attended a high school graduation for one of the sons in my host family. Since the ceremony was in Sololá, I got to take a chicken bus up to the other town. If you are not aware of what a chicken bus is, it is a colorfully-painted school bus, always jam-packed with people. The drivers are known to be drunkards and they definitely drive faster than what most people would like, going around the curves in the mountains. However, the ride was not terrible, and I am glad I can say I did it now. The graduation was very different than an American graduation. Although I really did not understand anything, there were many traditional parts of it that I also did not understand. I was most definitely the only gringo in the room, and that is always an experience!

Afterwards, we got a taxi back to Panajachel, so unfortunately (or fortunately?) I did not get to ride on the chicken bus again. I went with the whole family to a restaurant, which was by far the best food I have had here yet. I loved going along with the family, and becoming a bit more cultured!

Today, I went on a tour around Lake Atitlan. Besides Panajachel, there are eleven other towns around the lake, in which I visited four towns just today. I went to San Marcos, San Juan, San Pedro, and Santiago Atitlan. It was interesting to see the differences between each town, even though they are so close. The water was very choppy, which led to a boat ride that felt more like an amusement park water ride. By the time we arrived in Santiago Atitlan, we were soaked and tired from screaming and laughing. On the small boat, there was people from approximately five countries. It was really fun to go on a crazy boat ride with a whole bunch of strangers from around the world, and reminded me that we all have something in common. Even if it is just finding joy from a crazy boat ride!

The beautiful Volcano San Pedro, from Santiago Atitlan

This weekend has already tired me out (my Fitbit says I walked 10 miles today!), but I am loving this great adventure! Please continue to pray for my health, both physical and mental. I would also appreciate prayers just to continue soaking in everything I am learning, as I am going to need it next summer. I love all the support, and cannot wait to come back home--minus the snow, of course! As my Iowan family and friends are freezing, I will keep getting sunburnt. Thank you for all your prayers and support, please keep it coming!

13 Things

I have been here for thirteen full days, and in my short time here, I have learned so much about the Guatemalan culture and way of life. I thought I would share with you thirteen things I have learned thus far...

1. It is completely normal for small children to sell alcohol on the streets.
While I was at the Sumpango Kite Festival, kids were yelling "Corona! Corona! Es frio!" These are types of things you don't see in the states...

2. Big guns are normal too.
Banks have money, therefore, they guard them with armed men. Sometimes, it makes me a bit apprehensive, but they do not use their rights in a bad way. I am all about supporting gun rights, and I am happy to see that there are barely ever abuses of these rights. It is more of an intimidation factor, and for some reason, it seems to work.

Cemetery in Sumpango on Day of the Dead

3. Cemeteries are a place to celebrate, not to mourn.
Day of the Dead, on November 1, is a widely-celebrated holiday in Guatemala, and in other Spanish-speaking countries. There are many old beliefs connected to the day; however, the holiday had moved away from the beliefs and more to a tradition. They celebrate the lives of their loved ones in such a beautiful way.

4. As a "gringo" in Guatemala, I have learned to expect stares. All the time.
It is not the most comfortable situation to always be the different one. I look a little out of place here, especially because I don't spend my time in the touristic area. It is odd to feel watched, but now I can put myself in the shoes of many Guatemalans in America.

5. Fireworks are fun at all times of day and night, mainly because we apparently love noise.
For real, Guatemalans seem to love noise. Fireworks go off randomly, including at 4 a.m. My favorite type of alarm clock...

6. You don't have to be good at singing to praise God with your musical talents (or lack thereof).
There are a few churches near my house, and I can assure you, they try to make it sound good, but there just isn't a whole lot of talent. Luckily, God doesn't care if you're good at singing or not. I love hearing these people crying out to God with no cares in the world of who hears them.

7. Roosters do not crow at the crack of dawn like all the stories claim.
In every perfect fairytale, the rooster crows to wake you up. Not here. They like to crow when you're trying to go to sleep. Or in the middle of the night. Or pretty much anytime you don't want to hear them.

8. Rules are only suggestions, especially on the road.
I am sure there are laws in Guatemala, but I honestly doubt that many are enforced. Stop signs are merely a suggestion that no one cares about, and lanes: what are those? We just like to weave around whoever we want on the road here.

9. Sunburn can happen in November.
I forgot about sunburn. I always get sunburnt. However, not usually in November. Surprise, surprise! Zara is now a tomato after a long day at the kite festival.

10. Cold showers remind you of how blessed you are.
Seriously. The first week here, I did not have warm water. Even their warm water isn't very warm. Hot water is such a blessing.

11. American politics could be worse.
Guatemalans love to ask me about my political views and who I voted for, because they know it is quite the show this year. However, they shouldn't be talking. They have a comedian for a president.

12. Sometimes you just have to be adventurous.
Most things I do here are out of my comfort. Even just going for a walk to get food on Sunday night can be scary, but God is with me through this adventure. Also, I tried some street food (which I am not supposed to eat because of the risk of getting sick), and it was worth the adventure. The food was fantastic, and I didn't get sick! I'll call it an accomplishment.

13. When you struggle to speak the same language, complete simple tasks, and lack the feeling of home and safety, you trust God for everything.
You don't rely on yourself, and then turn to God. God becomes your #1 stronghold, just like He should be. God is with me on this crazy journey, and I am so glad He called me to this beautiful place (even with all the crazy things listed above). An adventure it is.

Leaving Comfort Zones

This whole trip down to Guatemala was a leap out of my comfort zone. I was the shyest kid you would meet when I was younger, and now God is stretching me to be more outgoing in a language I don't even speak. Talk about a challenge!

We did still make kites of course!

God has challenged me in crazy ways thus far. On Saturday, I went with a girl from my school and helped with a school for children, ages eight to twelve, in a rural area. As I headed there, I simply knew I was helping with a school, and we had planned to make kites. Sounded easy enough, and more in my comfort zone. They started out their class by sharing the Bible story of Noah's Ark. As I sat there listening and half-understanding, the girl who came with me whispered something in my ear. With my poor Spanish skills, I didn't understand, even after she repeated herself. All I knew was that she said something about English. I didn't think anything of it, and just responded saying yes. I assumed she was maybe going to translate for me, or show me something in English. However, I found out after the Bible story was over, that I had actually said yes to telling Noah's Ark in English and then teaching the fifteen kids English for about 25 minutes. I kind of chuckled at God because I knew this was His doing. With public speaking (even in front of kids) not on the top of my favorites list, this was definitely far out of my comfort. If I would have known what the girl was saying to me, I honestly probably would have said no. But God didn't give me the choice this time. It was such a blessing to be able to teach these kids. English is an important thing they need to learn; however, they do not have the resources or English speakers to teach them. God definitely challenged me, but I would not have it any other way. The kids were so joyful and accepting of me. I wish to be inclusive as they are, and I strive to have their joy.

On another note, I have been in a school for over a week now, and I love it! My teacher is wonderful and the school does a phenomenal job at reaching out to the students. There are so many opportunities for me through the school, and I have already been able to meet people from all around the world. Although school is wonderful, it also is extremely tiring. Five hours a day of intensive learning is strenuous and much more difficult than what I expected. Please keep praying for renewed energy each day to learn the most I can!

I have also found a wonderful church family here in Panajachel, who have already welcomed me with open arms and been very supportive. I am looking forward to telling you about my awesome missionary church in Pana. Thank you for all the prayers and please continue to pray for safety, good health, and lots of energy! Adios (for now)!

The Start of Something New

Dulce fits her name perfectly, because she is so sweet! :)

After a bout of sickness and many changed plans, I made it to Guatemala on Wednesday night! I arrived in Panajachel on Thursday, and moved in to my new home for the upcoming two months. My host family is loving, watching out for me and helping me along. My host mom, Magda, makes me three meals a day and is patient with my terrible Spanish skills. Her husband and three kids all either work or go to school, but I have been able to meet all of them, even though they are busy often. Magda's granddaughter is four, and full of energy. I have loved playing with Dulce and seeing her immense joy, with a little bit of attitude on the side. After moving in on Thursday, I became a little more acquainted with the town, walking around and attempting to figure how I would get around. I started classes at Jabel Tinamit Language School on Friday morning. My teacher, Celestina, and I, meet for five hours on weekdays from 8-1. Currently, there are only a few other students at the school. We all have our own teacher and receive one-on-one tutoring. I absolutely loved my first day of school and it went by quick! However, it is crazy that in two months from now, I will be able to speak enough Spanish to translate for others. It is a bit overwhelming to be in a foreign country where they do not speak my language, but God has been faithful and kept me safe.

Just on my walk to school...

As I was walking on my plane to Guatemala City, I was assured that God called me to do this. Even though I love adventure, this would be way too adventurous and out of my comfort zone for me on my own. I am so glad that I answered God's call, because it is definitely not simple. It is easy to say you will go and live in a foreign country, but actually doing it is difficult. Now that I am here, God has given me peace and more faith in Him. Usually I am a homebody, but God has allowed very little homesickness and more of a desire to discover and adventure in Guatemala. I have already seen myself rely on God more, just in the few days I have been here. Instead of trying to solve every little problem myself, I am more likely to pray. Feeling unsafe? Pray. Scared I might get lost? Pray. Feeling sick? Pray. God has continued to answer my prayers and keep His hand upon me. I cannot imagine all I will learn within two months here, as I have already learned so much in a few days.

The beauty is incredible here (The weather is too. Sorry Iowans!). Not only in the kind people, but in the surroundings as well. I have already taken long walks just to go and see the lake. Lake Atitlán is breath-taking, surrounded by volcanoes and mountains. When I see a place like this, there is no way I can doubt God. If He created that beauty, I know He can do anything. The same God that created volcanoes and the beautiful lake created me and you, and to me, that is more amazing than anything. I am so blessed to be called by God to this wonderful place, and I cannot wait to see what else He has planned.

¡El lago de Atitlán es muy bonita!

T-Minus 1 Week!

I will be reunited with this beautiful place in one week! I am excited, nervous, and happy to finally be headed to Guatemala! After having a trip delay, I am still in a bit of denial about the fact that I am actually going. I will be writing more once I get there and updating you all. Thank you to everyone who has met with me, sent me a quick encouraging message, prayed for me, or supported me. Every little thing has meant so much to me. Each card, quick text, and prayer, has been a huge blessing. I am so grateful for a wonderful God who called me to Guatemala and has already taught me so much along the way. I cannot wait to share more of what He will be teaching me. Please continue to pray for me for safe travels (next Wednesday), a smooth transition, and to stay in a good health. I will be beginning Spanish lessons next Friday, and continue until the middle of December. Thank you all again!

God's Plan

Today was the day I was supposed to be writing to you from Panajachel, Guatemala, telling you of the beauty there and my amazing experiences thus far. But I'm not. Instead, I'm sitting on my couch of my living room, still in Iowa. Sometimes it is difficult to understand God's plan in it all.

After two weeks of packing and preparing to leave, while fighting health issues and a sickness, I was sure I'd be going to Guatemala on October 4. I had my plane ticket, my language school bill paid, and I was totally in control. However, on Friday, God reminded me that my control is simply an illusion. I had a second doctor's visit, and was told to hold off on international travel, especially to a place like Guatemala where there is a poor medical system.

I was called by God to go to Guatemala. His plan for my life was finally coming together. Then this happened. I was finally about to do something big, go out on my own, and it all came crashing down, just days before I was supposed to leave. Disappointed and angry, I just wanted to shut down. I did not want to talk to anyone, and I'll be honest, I definitely did not want to talk with God.

However, God somehow got through to me. He reminded me of something that I needed to be taught. This is not about me. This is not about Guatemala. This is not about my health or my happiness. This is about Him. Our lives are not meant to be self-glorifying, but instead God-glorifying. I could never go to Guatemala on my own. Doing this is so far out of my comfort zone. God calls us out of comfort zones and into His great plan.

I knew God was going to teach me through this experience of going to Guatemala. However, I sure did not realize how much He was going to teach me before I even arrived. At this point, I have no clue how soon I will be going to Guatemala. I will only know a few days in advance. No, this was certainly not my plan, but fortunately, I have an amazing God who has an even better plan. I may not always know why, but I am going to trust Him. He is faithful through it all. He's a big God with big plans, and I cannot wait to see what those plans may be.

Searching for Truth & Good Coffee

A few weeks ago on July 16, I attended Together 2016, a large prayer event on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. With half a million people there, I never expected the event to become so personal. I had been waiting to hear back from ASELSI Ministries in Guatemala. I thought God was calling me to minister there next summer, but I had been waiting for confirmation for quite some time. Together 2016 was all about the Great Commission. The whole day, we were in prayer for young people following God's calling. Within a few hours of being there, I heard that I was approved to go to Guatemala. Crying out of joy, excitement, nervousness, and every emotion in between, my mom and I shared such a personal moment at such a public event. Throughout the day, it just felt as if everything was directly for me. The music, the speakers, the prayers. It all applied perfectly to my life. We were even in my favorite city where I'm hoping to spend much of my future. It all came together, and I learned a great lesson that day. I don't always trust in God's timing, but I should. His timing is impeccable. I couldn't have asked for a better day to be called.

Now that I am actually going, I have lots to do before I leave! Between college and scholarship applications, to fundraising and planning for my time abroad, life is crazy, yet fun. I am very excited, yet nervous, for this leap of faith and learning adventure. I know I will learn so much there, and that's why I am searching for truth and good coffee! I will be learning more about myself and about our almighty God. And if you know me well, you know I am a coffee snob :) but Guatemala has great coffee, so I am quite excited for that aspect of things! In all seriousness, I am overjoyed to be able to take this crazy learning experience and soak it all in.

From early October to late December, I will be attending Jabel Tinamit Language School in Panajachel, Guatemala to learn the Spanish language fluently. I will be using this skill next summer when I return to Guatemala for three months to intern with ASELSI Ministries. I will serve as a translator for American teams as they come to Guatemala for short-term missions trips. I would appreciate your prayers for safety, health, and most importantly, that I would make a difference for Christ. If you feel called to give, I am in need of approximately $10,000 between plane tickets, language school, and entire living costs. Any monetary gifts would be appreciated, no matter how small. Thank you for your prayers and support, and I will keep you updated here during my time away!