Y.C.I. Central America Convention!

     Every year in Guatemala a large group of American and Guatemalan missionaries come together under one united vision.  Luke 4: 18-19 "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor.  He has sent me to proclaim the captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, and that the time of the Lord's favor has come."
     The lives of Bishop Raul and Pastor "Willie" Gonzales are evidence of this scripture and vision in action.  Their was a time however until Raul Gonzalez was about thirty years old when he was considered by friends and family to be a hopeless heroin addict with no future.  Overcoming much, Raul Gonzalez left a legacy of love in the hands of his wife and other faithful men and women committed to this vision as well as the many men, women, and children whose lives are made better by his ministries daily.  Here we will focus our attention geographically on just one small piece.
Youth Challenge of Guatemala
Youth Challenge of Guatemala operates under a regional board, under this board exist several Programs

 Programs

 

• Reto Juvenil de Guatemala/Youth Challenge of Guatemala (Hogar de la Roca)

This is where I am living and working as a missionary for the next year.  Like the original Youth Challenge program in Connecticut this is a faith-based residential center that helps individuals with life controlling problems such as substance abuse learn to lead productive and meaningful lives.

• Nuevo Reto de Guatemala/New Challenge

Nuevo Reto (New Challenge) is a Christian ministry that reaches the street children in Guatemala. Founded in 1991, the mission aims to rescue kids from the streets and helping them to grow in a Christian family atmosphere. The program plans to operate in two phases; the first being a house for at least 40 kids under the age of twelve, the second- a house for boys older than twelve.

• La Cocina de Amor/ The Love Kitchen

Cocina del Amor operates as a church and a program. the program have branches throughout Guatemala, Cuba, Nicaragua.

• Libre Infancia/ Children in Freedom

Libre Infancia was founded in 1995. The program serves the children of families that live in the "Basurero Municipal" (city dump) in the capital city of Guatemala City. The program plans to be a small city, housing 500 children, 30 houses in addition to activities centers, health centers and other buildings.

• Amigos del Pobre/ Friends of The Poor
• Casa de Deborah/ Debroah House

This is a home just like Hogar de la Roca but for women.

The convention is held in honor of Raul and Willie Gonzalez, the programs they have begun, the people laying down their own lives to work at them, as well as those in need who are benefiting from them.

The Convention:

     The convention, which is held annually at the Hotel Camino Real, is a time of exhortation and building up.  The various leaders from the different programs as well as associated churches are involved with seminars, teachings, and often biblical preachings.  You need to have a lot of tools in your toolbox to be successfully sustained while laboring in one of these Guatemalan programs.  Here Pastor Willy Gonzalez, aided in translation by Chris Allende, is reminding those in attendance of the importance of patience. There were many opportunities to hear other very gifted and encouraging speakers as well.

     The convention is also a time for fundraising.  What you see are two men from Hogar de la Roca (Alfredo & Edgar), whose lives are in the process of being restored.  They are proudly holding shirts they helped hand screen themselves and are offering them for sale throughout the convention on behalf of our program.  Fundraising demands a lot of attention and creativity from the directors, leaders, and pastors in Guatemala.  This is vital not only to keeping the doors open, but also to keep them supplied with various essentials.  Our director Chris, is very good at thinking outside of the box.  He has learned for instance that American cologne bottles can be sold and recycled here in Guatemala, so he always has people bring them when they visit from the states.  He also breeds and sells puppies. 
     During the convention the are multiple "offerings" and financial gifts collected for all the Guatemalan programs.  The convention is a much needed and greatly anticipated financial boost for ministries that often go without so many things year round.

     The convention is a time for banquets, good food, and fellowship!  And in many ways, this is where the heart of the convention lies.  It can be arduous and desolate, to be a missionary in a third world country.  Their are times when the connected Guatemalan programs are so enraptured in their own schedule that fellowship lacks even between local ministries.  And if your from America, the truth that you are literally thousands of miles from home has the capacity to weigh fairly heavy upon you at times.  The convention is a reminder that there are people who appreciate you, and your sacrifice.  Both the Guatemalan and American missionaries go out of their way to mutually show their vast appreciation for each other.  It's commonplace at the convention to see groups of people feasting, praying together, holding impromptu meetings, and encouraging each other in many various ways. All the ministries are visited by the American missionary team, there are day trips and leisure activities, as well as different outreach and church services attended.

Lunch in Antigua

     I knew Lou Guerra before the convention from church.  Lou is an upbeat and positive person who is always eager to help and serve someone in whatever capacity he is able.  It is no wonder he was recently made a deacon at our church Glory Chapel Intl.  I got to spend a lot of time with Lou this past week.  He is the type of guy who pays his own way to Guatemala, and then volunteers some of his very limited free time to be part of a small team who came to my program to exterminate roaches and help fix our toilets.  He was always there to lay hands and pray for me as I was struggling with parasites during the whole convention, he bought me a beautiful lunch, and was just a complete blessing to myself and everyone around him.
     And it wasn't just Lou.  The whole missionary team displayed this same attitude consistently throughout the whole week.  I, being a Christian, love to see scripture come to life. Being surrounded by so many beautiful people i was reminded of  Galatians 5:22  "The Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, and self-control.  Against such things there is no law.
     Anyone is capable, regardless of the faith they adopt, to display theses characteristics in their life at one time or another.  Christians however, must learn to genuinley display these "fruits" regardless of how they are feeling or what their circumstances may be dictating.  Of course this isn't easily done on our own, that is why the scripture begins with "The Holy Spirit Produces..."
     You find too many "Christians" today bombing abortion clinics, protesting gay funerals, and verbally condemning people to hell.  All of which is completely Anti-Christ, unbiblical, and in many cases even unlawful.  If more Christians would just work on their "fruit." Without saying a word, a life lived that is full of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, and self-control, can speak volumes to Christians and non Christians alike about a more excellent way of life that we posses the power to carry out daily.  This missionary team of hardworking people used their vacation time to come serve, encourage, and bless people in another land.  The local pastors, directors, and missionaries here in Guatemala, lay down their lives daily to continue this vision that was first for Jesus, and now for anyone who chooses to adopt it.
Luke 4: 18-19 "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor.  He has sent me to proclaim the captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, and that the time of the Lord's favor has come."
    

American missionary team arrives!

Open Air Ministry Outreach:

     At almost exactly this time every year a missionary team of people from America come to Guatemala for a week of aid and support.  This is a long-standing tradition involving primarily, however not limited to, Glory Chapel Intl. Cathedral, and First Cathedral.  After the team gets settled they choose a location to set up a tent, sound system, and music to reach out to that community.  Outside Guatemala city, in a very desolate mountain town, all but forgotten by the world at large,  a stage is set.

    First, some loud and lively music.  This provides entertainment for the people, it gets their attention, and most importantly it changes the atmosphere from what people are accustomed to seeing and feeling at a particular time.

     After the music Arch-bishop LeRoy Bailey Jr of First Cathedral in Bloomfield was invited to address this packed little tent in this small barrio in the mountain.  With the help of Pastor Jose Alvarez as an interpreter Arch-bishop brought a visionary message to this wonderful and captivated audience of eager listeners.  They were blown away to hear about how much God loves them and wants to help them through their trials and circumstances.  They were excited to hear about what God had done in the lives of so many of the American missionaries who shared their stories with them, and were overjoyed to learn that God's grace is for everyone including their own family and friends.

     After Archbishop finished speaking people were invited to the front of the tent.  They came to talk to God.  Many needed help and weren't sure what to say.  Many cried out.  Other's couldn't say anything, as they were overwhelmed with tears or had literally fallen to the ground after being prayed with by a missionary and reunited for the first time with their very Creator.  The same one who had knitted them together in their mother's womb so many years before.

     At moments such as these barriers are non-existent.  Cultural, social, and even language barriers no longer exist.  Here you see Rev. Bill Howdy, a plumber from Massachusetts, leading a local man into a new relationship with a loving God.  Bill Howdy, came through the ministry of Youth Challenge many years ago.  Since then he has developed a successful business, a beautiful family, and a desire to show his love and gratitude in as many ways as he is able.       After everything calmed down, and i thought the unseasonable cold evening had come to a close.  These guys came and heated everything up again!

     Meet the "Perlas de Cristo" mariachi group!  http://www.perlasdecristo.com/  As their stage presence suggests these guys were professional and all business up there.  It was a perfect ending to a perfect night.  People shook off the cold by singing and dancing.  Genuine shouts of Jubilee were spilling from the tent and were heard even by those who chose not to attend our open air ministry.

     Coincidentally, these gentlemen were a pleasure on and off the stage as i was able to speak with them and buy their full length CD for the equivalent of $1.10 U.S.

     For so many people this was the first time they had ever heard God revealed in such tangible terms.  Others had heard "the story" so many times it had lost any meaning.  But it takes on a whole new face when people you've never met come half-way across the world to your small town just to look you in the eyes and tell you God loves you.  Then to pray with you, embrace you as you shed tears, and help walk you through any doubts or questions, all at their own expense, and all because God is just that real to them.  Now that changes things.

 

Part 3: Doctor

Third:  Doctor

     Knowing that i am not just a tourist in Guatemala, but that i actually live and work here for the next year, i have been making a strong effort to adapt to life as a "Guatemalan."  I can honestly say that so far, i 've tested the water with both feet.  I've eaten whatever the people i've been with were eating, in the very conditions in which it was prepared, (see part one and two of  previous post).  I brushed my teeth and showered with the same water. I've eaten salad, and other food or beverages made with water as long as they were heated up. I did everything except drink large amounts of water straight from the tap.  And even for that i've been teased on a consistent basis.  Especially because i have a 5 gallon jug of "agua pura" in my room that Hunter and i use daily.  I told the guys after the coming Y.C.I. convention (which will be covered) i would take the drinking water plunge as sort of a final step but now I'm not too sure.  Tuesday morning my whole body was so racked with pain i was screaming out loud uncontrollably.  My stomach felt as if it was overfull of battery acid and razor blades.  My body temperature was giving me sensations as if i were continually walking  from a sub-zero walk-in  freezer, out into the bright burning sun, and then back again.  I promise you it felt like the sun would suddenly start burning my face. It was absolutely maddening. Sometimes i was pouring sweat, sometimes frozen with goosebumps, and all in this while in bed for about 5 days, too weak to even take hunter outside on a regular basis. That Tuesday Chris, and all the guys took their relatively new missionary to the Doctor.

     I wasn't sure what to expect really.  The men who live in the program thought i had probably come down with "Dengue" which is a common and horrible mosquito virus prevalent in Guatemala.  Having fought off mosquitoes on a nightly basis i started to believe it too. When we (Chris had to interpret and translate) told the doctor my symptoms he did a number of tests involving a total of around 5 people in the very small room with me while Robert Palmer's "Simply Irresistible" played loudly in the back round. First there was blood work, which he "emergency processed" through the lab.  He was checking for Dengue as well as my white-blood cell count.  If my count was high he would treat for bacteria, if it was low, he would treat for a virus.  Then there was a full battery of normal, however in my condition very painful poking, prodding, and questioning.
     And  then this happened..........

        This shot was supposed to ease the pain and give my body a vitamin boost.  I don't remember any pain "going away" but as you can see from the picture i certainly experienced a lot of pain from the whole ordeal.  Physically of course, and now viewing and sharing this picture emotionally as well. I actually wrestled for a while as to whether or not i would use this picture.  I concluded that since this blog in many ways is a documentary, both the reader and myself would simply have to endure some things.  I settled on shrinking the picture down "to soften it a bit" or something of that nature.  Anyway, I couldn't sit comfortably for at least an hour after. 
         At the end of my visit i gave the receptionist 400.00Q (quensales) which is significantly less if you equate it to US dollars.  I was told however that the express blood work, and extensive staff isn't common procedure and most likely they saw a gringo from Connecticut and hiked up the bill.  However they upped the service along with it and being so sick at the time complaining about extra medical attention was the last thing i planned to do.
        Later that night i got a call from the doctor and he told me I had a bacteria infection from the food i had been eating, and the water i had been bathing in. The medications were delivered to the house/ inpatient drug rehabilitation center, with no prescription needed for 90.00 Q later that night.  The next day Chris got sick himself and was diagnosed with an intestinal parasite.
          IT took only ten days of living "as a Guatemalan" to completely break me physically.  Within a week of my regular running routine (about 40 miles x week) I developed debilitating and painful shinsplints running around this very treacherous concrete jungle with nowhere soft to land my feet at any part of the run.  Shortly after being taken out of my physical exercise routine that i thrive on, the rest of me was taken down by bacteria.  To be honest, the sickness brought on an element of feeling "homesick" which i would have calculated as drastically pre-mature if i were to have pre-calculated it's appropriate place and timeline on my mission.  However, when your lying there in a third world country, with nothing but your thoughts and sick body for days on end,  your mind can start doing some crazy things.  I was so thankful however, for this obvious and yet sorely needed revelation and reminder.
Phillipians 4:12-13  "I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.  I can do everything through him who gives me strength."
          I have read about Paul's secret many times.  I have tried to apply it to life circumstances here and there.  But living here, in light of the recent posts i've shared, and even more so in the wake of what's to come, i believe i will truly learn that secret for myself.  In fact, i understand that as part of the very reason God has called me here. Formally, i was the kind of guy who could make himself miserable and discontented in paradise and in ideal situations.  I could be touring with my bands and finding myself at the Grand Canyon, the Pacific ocean, or even Europe and somehow find a way to misery. But why figure it all out now?  Because I have to. Because it's time. And because here among me are all good and necessary ingredients for spiritual growth.  Poverty, sickness, impending natural disasters, and pandemics lie all around me.  As I learn the secret of being content here, i'll be able to be truly content if  God elevates me to more "comfortable"  surroundings.  What about you?  I'm willing to bet your not always so content in difficult situations.  That is perfectly normal. We all need to work at how we deal with adversity.  It's still interesting to know that a man just like us found a secret to being content in those situations though isn't it?   How about this, are you content with being well fed, or living in plenty?  Does joy sometimes sort of miss it's mark despite those blessings too?  I believe this secret is attainable to everyone and well worth seeking!  I  also want you to know that i'm at peace even as i write and meditate on the above Scripture.  Finally, as an update, i still have 5 days of anti-biotics left to take, which i will even though they destroy my stomach, but I'm basically healed of infection! .  It's just a matter of getting up and running again now....literally.

Infestations, bacteria, and a trip to the Doctor

     There has been a considerable lapse since my last post.  I mentioned this possibility in my first post but i certainly didn't expect to be completely out of commission and horribly ill for 4 days and counting so quickly.  Let's catch you up on the recent events of Hogar de la Roca.
First: Infestation

It started at the puppy cage.  I guess some food had collected underneath and Chris and myself hadn't noted it.  We also had the window open because the puppy's were starting to stink up the office a bit. Monday night is when we noticed this ant infestation.  There were probably hundreds of thousands, some with wings some without.  They don't look like much in this picture and i was only slightly intimidated by their numbers. That is until they started biting!  These little black ants packed such a massive bite that was completely out of proportion to their size and color.  I thought only red ants bit but these ants bite too, and they leave welts i still have as souvenirs.  I was in flip-flops which rendered me useless until i could run and change into some real shoes, and the puppies were absolutely soaked with ants.  Chris however was well prepared.

With a lot of spraying, sweeping, and washing this particular invading army was put down. But there are a lot of other boys in the band on a consistent basis.

Tortillas anyone?  This is what you find when you walk in the kitchen at night.  My camera has a tough time capturing the whole scope and magnitude and of the way these guys party every night in the kitchen just after lights out, but just imagine dozens of these completely all over the food and utensils you use every day, as well as the occasional late-nite visit to your bed.  This next  image appers "lifesize" on my 15" computer screen.

Combine that with the potentially virus ridden mosquito's that buzz (way louder than American mosquitoes) in your ear all night, the multi-coloured spiders hanging around wherever, the fleas hopping around, and the rat we just found in the office, we have got a lot of friends here at Hogar de la Roca.

Second: Bacteria:  Meet "La Pila"

Meet the CENTER OF SANITATION here at the men's home in Guatemala. This sink, is where we wash our food, dishes and utensils, our dogs, vehicles, and where the students wash their laundry.  It has one tap that provides cold water which potentially carries hepatitis a or b, as well as various other viruses, amoeba's, bacterias, or parasites. (Did i mention that i'm a self-proclaimed germaphobe?) This has all been very difficult for me, and although i mostly keep it to myself, the guys are still quick to remind me that our house is fortunate because the water runs here every day.  There are sections of our neighborhood nearby where they only receive water every other day.
Speaking of water...

 
The shower water carries the same potential for spreading virus and disease.

     Everything posted above is in spite of the best efforts of the director and staff of Hogar de la Roca.  In reference to the infestations it is important to note that we live right on the edge of a Barranco, which is basically a deep valley that is full of all sorts of wild-life and insects, making us their first stop as they migrate into the city.  On the flip side it give us a beautiful view off the back of our roof, overlooking a sort of jungle terrain surrounded by volcanoes and villages. That part is really wonderful.  Also our neighbors, within their small yard contain around 6 dogs, fifteen cats, and a lot of garbage that piles and collects continually.  There have been countless efforts made to control the roaches and insects, and just today we implemented a system to put the dishes through a bleach water rinse before being dried and put away. Chris and myself are currently trying to raise money to bring in real exterminators as well as dedicating extra time for the house to spend on deep cleaning during chores.  The truth is, as far as Guatemala goes the people in this house live pretty well.  And most of the local people don't often get sick on the daily water and food they consume as their bodies are accustomed to it. Sickness generally occurs when something  really bad and different passes a long.  But as for me, I got sick, real sick, real fast.  My next post will be a continuation of this one, dealing with being sick in Guatemala, visiting the doctor etc.  For now i must return to bed.  Although I'm beginning to feel a little bit better, I still have a long way to climb out of this bacteria/ parasite infection. 

Meeting needs with prayer & oranges.

          I've invited people to my house after church before, but i've never invited people to my house for church until today.  Every third Sunday of the month we open our program/home and have church for anyone who will come.  A lot of work goes into this process and set-up. Unfortunately, since i was so involved in the service by setting up, playing guitar with the worship team, giving my testimony, etc., i wasn't able to take many pictures, but as you can see we have a few.

          What you are seeing is a free service for the community. When you live in a city where some sections only have running water every two days, it's so easy to become overwhelmed and even discouraged by the need that surrounds you.  You begin to wonder if your efforts are even going to scratch the surface let alone "make a difference."  You begin to doubt what can be tangibly done to meet peoples needs when you don't really have the resources to meet all of your own. However, if we look at what we have at our immediate disposal that is free of charge, we quickly begin to realize that we have a lot to offer a community in desperate circumstances.  We have a space, 4 walls, which might not be "free" but the bills are paid so far this month.  In these walls we have chairs where people can sit and rest.  While they are resting, some of us have the ability to deliver an encouraging word, build them up, make them laugh, and give them hope.  We have instruments and voices accompanied by the talents behind them at whatever level we have cultivated them.  Music takes people to another place, beyond their circumstance and sometimes even their bodies.  I've always thought that music is the closest you can get to heaven on earth, and it's free to play music.  So you can see, with no financial investment we still have so much to work with.  And when we put all those things in God's hands and watch Him move, nothing short of miracles happen every day.

     Prayer is free.  Everything I've just described all leads to this, the "altar call." This is where people are invited to leave their seats and come to God in prayer.  We have people here who are willing to pray with anyone in need. In prayer people come and cry out to God, often loudly and in tears, to express their praise, sorrow, anger, thanksgiving, confusion, and doubt.  All the music, testimonies, and exhortation, sets the stage and leads to this.  A true encounter with their creator, surrounded by others sharing the same experience, praying with and for them, and being changed forever in the process.  And all this happened tonight, for free, in a little concrete room, in the heart of Guatemala city.
     When the music and prayers were over, Chris, myself, and the guys passed out oranges and everyone took at least a few.  No one was in a hurry to go anywhere.  Everyone sat and enjoyed their oranges and fellowshipped with one another.  There was great energy in the room.  Spirits were lifted, burdens were laid down at the altar and the oranges were sweet, juicy, and free.  When people eventually did leave, they did so as different people, transformed by their encounter through prayer.

     Phillipians 4:6-7  "Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything.  Tell God what you need and thank Him for all He has done.  Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand.  His peace will guard your hearts and minds...."
     Too many times, even Christians look at prayer as a last resort.  You will hear people say things like, "Well, I guess all we can do is pray."  Or we will wait till our circumstance get so bad that we completely run out of all options and we decide it's time to pray.  Tonight reaffirmed for me that prayer is the most important thing you can do, and that it's a good place to finish, but an even better place to start.  Prayer is merely human communication with God that express our feelings. The further into prayer you get, God starts speaking things back into your heart, mind and spirit.  Maybe God wants to give you a new vision for a room, talent, or some fruit you have lying around the house that can be used to change someone's life forever.  

Within 24 hours: earthquake, a dog sheds tears of blood, and....band practice

     I've never felt the earth move under my feet... until today.  I was sitting at my desk sending out some emails when i noticed the fan on the floor to my left was beginning  to casually walk across the room. This spectacle integrated itself with some semi-incoherent screaming in which i was able to make out the word "earthquake!"  The next situation which dominated my awareness was that my feet and legs gave the same illusion and sensation as if i were surfing, only sitting down. The soundtrack to my first earthquake was that of a very low and dull frequency that could have been the earth, the building, or just something completely made up in my own head, i'm really not all too sure.  Quickly my mind raced back through it's archives of old movies I'd seen depicting earthquakes, instructional safety tapes i'd seen in school, and random things i'd overheard or been told to do in this very event, but before I could take action it was over.  Not only was it over, it had been really small.  There was no damage, no power outages, and I don't even think Hunter got out of bed to investigate.  But it was surely an interesting experience and from what I'm told a little taste of what's to come.

      This is Chris (the director at Hogar de la Roca) and one of his dogs named Perla.  Perla has a condition referred to as cherry eye and it is apparently common in her breed.  when I met Perla her left eye was almost completely covered by large inflamed red bubble.  From what Chris tells me it seems her tear ducts got infected, and swelled out of her face and made her almost blind in one eye.  Chris took her in for surgery and when we brought her home he administered the post operation eye drops.

     Needless to say it didn't go so well.  I t was clear as soon as Chris administered the drops that they were burning her eyes.  Shortly after came the blood.... a lot of blood.  The pictures you are seeing are only from the aftermath.  I was too busy helping Chris comfort his dog and contain the blood to even think about pictures in the moment.
     From what the vet told us the dog must have opened a stitch on her tear duct and then when Chris administered the eye drops it created a reaction that caused Perla to in essence cry tears of blood.

     Time and time again Chris would get the bleeding to stop by applying pressure, but because Perla's eyes hurt so much she was always pawing at them and re-opening the wound. We spoke about the possibility of finding a vet but 24 hour emergency animal hospitals at a reasonable price is a lot to ask in Guatemala. i knew we needed a dog-cone so Chris got some cardboard and staples and improvised.  To his credit the cone came out great, but despite his best efforts that cone was the LAST thing Perla felt like dealing with after her surgery and recent ordeals.  She tore it off of herself in seconds.
     Just when we had done everything we could and the situation was looking pretty desperate her eye just stopped bleeding.  She looked exhausted so we allowed her in the cage with her puppies (Perla is a mom) and she slept like a rock.  When we checked on her this morning the incision in her eye hadn't reopened, even with the four little puppies and their sharp little claws moshing all around her in their crate. 

     Every third Sunday of the month we open our home and hold a church service in which we invite the  community.  The other ministries we are affiliated with in Guatemala, friends and families of the students, and local people from the neighborhood are all encouraged to come and participate.

     Danny (left) is a kind-hearted local music student and faithful volunteer at the program.  He is also an  incredibly talented musician.  The three of us will be the worship group at the church service and today we had our one and only rehearsal.  With songs like "Todo Poderoso", "Maravilloso", and " Cantara de tu Amor" on the set list i had a definite crash course into Guatemalan praise and worship music.

    

     

      I was speaking with one of the students in the house after the earthquake and he was telling me that many people who live in Guatemala do so in a sort of strained state and underlying  fear of impending natural disasters.  It's warranted due to this country's history and capacity for disaster.  From the roof-top of our home I can see at least one if not two large and active volcanoes close by.  You may wonder if they ever erupt?  To answer that question, i'll tell you that the guys and myself spent part of the daily chore time just this morning cleaning mounds of black volcanic ash that are all over our street from a recent eruption.  We cleaned it up because we like the front of the house to look nice, but also because it's slippery!  i wiped out HARD like four times in my first basketball game with the guys.  I mean, my team still won but I got kinda banged up and embaressed ya know?.  Also the Capital of Guatemala used to be Antigua (which is a beautiful city), but some time ago a massive earthquake devastated it so severely that the capital was moved to Guatemala City.

     Luke 21:  10-11  "But when you hear of wars and commotions, do not be terrified; for these things must come to pass first, but the end will not come immediately...Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.  And there will be great earthquakes in various places, and famines and pestilences; and there will fearful sights and great signs from heaven."

     Apparently these are conditions we are all subject too, even if it makes us uncomfortable.  The bible is a book of hope for people who choose to adopt it.  Even so, the text above was written about two thousand years ago and it predicts a lot of pretty devastating and horrifying things that 

"must come to pass"  and are materializing right before our eyes.  And yet the scripture opens with the phrase, "do not be terrified."  What is the answer to not being terrified in the face of all this potential and eminent disaster?

     Hope:  is a great place to start. 

Romans 8:18-25 (excerpts) "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us...For we know that the whole creation groans and labors in the pains of child-birth right up to the present time. For creation was subjected to frustration, not by it's own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from it's bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God"...

  - this image of nature groaning vividly conjures up my experience in the earthquake.  Nature, the earth itself, is "conscious" of the desperate state it finds itself in.  Mother Earth knows she's been mistreated, polluted and raped of her resources.  Moreover, I believe nature is somehow a conscious witness to all the horrible things we sometimes do to each other and ourselves, and further, that an earthquake is an outward expression of its frustration and restlessness. Due to these things, all creation has fallen from the perfect state in which God created it and therefore can't fulfill it's purpose . It waits in eager expectation to be liberated and transformed.

     "(text continued)...Not only so, but we ourselves groan inwardly as we eagerly await the redemption of our bodies.  For in this hope we were saved.  but hope that is seen is no hope at all.  Who hopes for what he already has?  But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we eagerly await it with patient perseverance."

       We are all going to face difficult circumstances, "they must come to pass." And we aren't always going to deal with them well or like the outcome of the events.  But we can actively find a personal way of beginning to replace fear with hope. It is easy to live in fear and discouragement if we only focus on what our eyes see.  We know that sorrow, sickness, and disaster in one form or another lies

 before us.  And we also know that all our paths eventually lead to death.  Contrastly, in light of all this darkenss there are so many beautiful things to enjoy and experience right here and now, and with all my heart i encourae you to do them.  And not only to do them, but be acutley present and wonderfully alive in all those tremendous settings and situations you are sure to find yourself in this beautiful creation called Earth. But with regard to the end of the road, i gently urge you to take that same free spirit one step further.  Allow yourself, if just for a moment, to dream of a life that continues even after you close your eyes. Where even after your last breath you will awaken again....somewhere...with nothing to fear.  Just let your mind go....... and hope.   

Gleaning...how to eat when your poor.

     Thursday mornings we (the guys from Hogar De La Roca) go to the market with no money, empty sacks, and high hopes.
      I am going to dedicate a post soon to explain thoroughly exactly what "Hogar de la Roca" means, but for our purposes so far it is important to know that it is a faith-based residential program designed to help people in Guatemala with life controlling issues such as substance abuse, learn to lead productive and meaningful lives. It is also important to know that we have little to no funds as the Government doesn't support us financially and most of the people who come to the program come with literally only the clothes on their back.  We have money in our budget for tortillas and  black beans, which we literally eat for breakfast and dinner every single day!  The lunch is the big meal of the day in Guatemala and that is where Thursday morning market runs come into play.

Ruth 2:2  One day Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, "let me go out into the harvest field to pick up the stalks of grain left behind by anyone who is kind enough to let me do it"      That is called gleaning and that is exactly what we do.  What you see in the photo above is a student from our program, Edgar, going with myself to every merchant and is asking for any vegetables or fruits that aren't able to be sold due to being damaged, nearly rotten, or too small.  We have a flyer that explains what our ministry is about and it is kind of an ID tag for us.  However most of the people spot edgar a mile a way by now and either wave us over or shoo us away.

   This is a beautiful example of people in need helping people in need, as well as a testimony to God's faithfulness.  The vendors are under no obligation to give us even rotten vegetables, yet often times we leave with stuff that is in pretty great shape and just needs a good cleaning and maybe a section cut away.  We learn to work with what we get too.  For example we may get three cartons of broken eggs, so we load them on the truck carefully and bring them home.  We pour the eggs out of the broken shells into a bowl and have scrambled eggs ready to go in the fridge for the next week or so.  Scrambled eggs go great with beans and tortillas by the way.

     Whether it is a good day, or not so good day at the market there are always a few faithful people we can count on consistently to help us.  This woman fills a bag for us every time before we even ask.  Today we gave her a couple of the sweet bananas we got at another stand as a thank you.

     We literally filled a truck with avocados, carrots, papayas, eggs, limes, oranges, cilantro,verduras, and some other veggies I don't know the name of yet.  Not bad at all for a day of Gleaning in a third world country!

Leviticus 19: 9-10  When you harvest the crops of your land, do not harvest the grain along the edges of your fields, and do not pick up what the harvesters drop.  It is the same with your grape crop-do not strip every last bunch of grapes from the vines, and do not pick up the grapes that fall onto the ground.  Leave them for the poor and foreigners living among you.  I am theLord your God.
     Why does God allow people to starve?  This is a seemingly reasonable question that is commonly asked.  However when we really look into it, we see that world hunger isn't so much a problem that God created, as much as it is a problem we create and re-create on a daily basis.  The text from Leviticus above is part of God's original plan for his people. It's part of the "sabbath laws" outlined in Leviticus 19, and more predominately in Leviticus:25.  If you have a bible i strongly encourage you to read chapter 25 as God outlines a plan that if followed by his people would end permanent poverty and hunger.  It's brilliant and fool-proof but it comes against our human nature too much and was never followed properly.  One thing remains clear however, God has a heart for the poor and expects us to use the same abilities we care for ourselves with, to care for the poor as well. 
     God didn't make too many people and not enough food.  In fact I once read a statistic that said the U.S. harvests enough grain in one year to feed the whole world two times over.  This is easy to believe when you think of every dunkin donuts, bakery, subway, and fast food restaurant across the country throwing away garbage bags full of good food every single night.  So it quickly becomes clear that world hunger isn't a creation problem, but a distribution problem.  We as people have complete dominion over our food and too often we either hoard, mis-distribute, or waste precious food that our fellow-man desperately needs. 
     I may be in Guatemala now, but I'm from Hartford CT, and there are plenty of hungry people there too.  Looking back, I wasn't the best steward of my food.  I encourage all of us to find ways to actively contribute to end world hunger, even if it is just by one meal and mouth at a time.  Let me tell you from experience, even a bag of nearly rotten vegetable is wildly appreciated when your hungry.