Finishing up

Today we finished up our work at the school in Zapote. Despite having to pack up and leave sooner than we had planned, because of a heavy rain storm we were satisfied with the progress we have made this week. Lisa painted a beautiful mural, we completed all the wiring, installation of doors, painted 5 classrooms and tiled a bathroom.

We also had an opportunity to visit the church in Zapote, meet the Pastor and present the church with a projector. The projector was purchased with extra support money raised for our trip and will be used in the church and also for outreach events for the community.

Friday Pics

Thursday Pics

Thoughts from Randy

Had devotions in the morning led by Kyle about bricks made without straw.  It was an encouraging message and what better person to encourage along with scripture than Kyle.  We also found that for the 2^nd day in a row, a staff member of the Oasis had lost a loved one. Josh lost his grandfather in Hong Kong.  This, along with the loss of Doug’s brother has been tough but  both are encouraged knowing the faith of these men will bring them to a more joyous place.   Doug was able to find a flight back to the states to be with family and attend the funeral in Duluth, MN.  We headed off to Zapote and the bouncy hour and half drive.  Along the way we picked up another one of the girls from the Independence house to help work with us. If you are unaware of the Independence house, this is for the older girls.  They must request and earn the privilege to live in this house to continue a training, work or school program to help them become independent and able to live on their own versus going back to where they most often encountered the abuse.  Going back home may put them right back to why they came to the Oasis in the first place. This allows these girls a better chance to obtain what the Oasis is all about.  We are now well into our routines and got right to work and on time today without any issues getting there.  It was hot and muggy but everyone is healthy and pulling their load.  This may have been our most efficient day and getting much of what is needed near completion.  Only one more classroom needs to be painted. Lisa did an outstanding job on a mural which should be posted.  The electricians are doing great and should be able to complete their tasks by tomorrow.   The tile job may be the only one we will not be able to do both rooms but should have one of the two rooms completed.  This has been the most fatiguing day so far, but also the most effective.  The evening devotion was led by Dan (GQ MAN) who really did a nice job with some various verses on encouragement and joy.   After that we had a time of reflection sharing what we have seen God doing. Many of the team shared the impact the girls have had on them, with their desire to share their favorite verses with us, another hug or just a smile. We have no doubt that this is a place that is of God and for God and these very special girls.  It was mentioned how over just a few years we are able to see specific girls who are maturing in their lives and walk with God.  It is so true - James 1:27 – “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: “to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”  We thank each of you for praying and taking the time to read the work of our Lord in this Oasis for these girls.  Blessings to each of you and thanks.

Purchasing Supplies for Nazaret Church

Today we arose around 6 AM as usual, had breakfast, a short team devotion time in the prayer room, and then began to get ready to depart for our trek to Zapote. As we discussed what the day plan was, Tim Bodkin asked Ken Brown and I, (Kyle), to stay behind to take a shopping trip with Pastor Libney from the Nazaret Church. We are doing a construction service project at the church on Saturday and needed to purchase and pay for all the supplies needed. Pastor Libney was not to arrive until 10 AM and since it was 7ish when the team left, Ken and I decided to see what small project at the Oasis we could accomplish. We had been told that the red house needed to have a bunk bed turned into two single beds.  So off we went to seize this task…it can’t be that difficult, right? Well, lets just say we did get the beds finished, but it took way to long…lots of laughter! Pastor Libney arrived shortly after 10 AM and we headed off to the construction stores to begin the shopping…no, it’s not like going to Home Depot in Guatemala…it takes 3 different stores…several trips with a loaded truck bed to unload at the church, (one trip with a giant plastic septic tank tied to the truck bed that was almost the same size as the truck), and lots of waiting in between. I was reminded once again that shopping in Guatemala takes lots of patience, humor and appreciation for shopping in the states. Tonight the team arrived back to the Oasis a little early so that we could join the girls and staff in their weekly Wednesday devotions at 5:30 PM.  What a joy it is to be a part of that worship experience! We enjoyed and participated with several worship songs, sharing of 2 Peter 1: 5-7 character trait “sightings” and a short devotional to reinforce those traits. Hearing the girls pray was so amazing…so much passion for JESUS! After the Oasis devotions, we gathered for our team dinner that Aura had so faithfully prepared for us! While having dinner, we had the privilege of having Renee Wolf, Oasis sponsorship coordinator, join us for dinner and then talk to us about how the sponsorship program works with Kids Alive Guatemala. She talked not only sponsorship for the girls at the Oasis, but also the boys and girls in Zapote. One sad statistic Renee mentioned is that sponsorship for the Oasis is only at approximately 50%. They need more sponsors!  If you are interested in helping to change this statistic for the better, please go to:
http://www.kidsalive.org/around-the-world/latin-america/guatemala

As we end this day, we would like to ask you to pray for our friend and partner, Doug Johnson, Construction Director for Kids Alive Guatemala. Doug’s brother, Dwayne, passed away this morning, in Duluth, MN. Doug will be departing Guatemala shortly to be with his family during this time off loss. This was a very hard day for Doug, but he knows, with out a doubt, that Dwayne is standing in the presence of his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!  

Wednesday Pics

Impressions of a first timer

The mountains are majestic; the volcanoes are breath taking; the landscape is green and lush but these sites pale in comparison to the amazing people that inhabit this beautiful country. The gracious hospitality of the Guatemalan people has been apparent since the moment we arrived and there is a beautiful smile that accompanies every greeting and interaction. It’s only been three days but to know this place is to love this place. To see the amazing work that the missionaries here are doing is inspiring and to see what God is doing through them and in the lives of the young women He has brought here is truly awe inspiring and incredibly humbling. God is at work all over this world in a mighty way and He only asks that we join Him in it. I pray what we are doing and what all of you are doing to support us is seen in HIS eyes as a faithful response to this powerful call.

Aren't vehicles fun!

The challenge facing the team today was a van that decided to manifest some overheating “issues”. With all of the steep mountain terrain around here it’s not a huge surprise that vehicles have trouble with that. We couldn’t be kept down for long though – we jumped into the back of the pick-ups and continued on our way (thanks Kyle for driving). We made it to the school at Zapote (a little late) and continued our work tiling the bathrooms, installing classroom doors, painting and running electricity to the new second story addition. As you can see from the pics we also had some inquisitive guest helpers join us.

Tuesday Pictures

The construction work begins

Today was day one of our work on the second floor of the Christian School in Zapote sponsored by the Galilea Church.  Zapote is an hour and half drive from the Oasis.  The first 45 minutes covers the majority of the distance on paved roads and the last 45 minutes covers that last 5 kilometers on rugged roads that closely resemble the surface of the moon, except that we have to drive through 4 rivers, whereas there are no rivers on the Moon.  Nonetheless, the Lord showed up in a major way.  When we finally got to the school, the children radiated with the joy of the Lord.  They were so eager to help, even the smallest child wanted to carry some of the many heavy materials from the first floor up to our work zone on the second floor.  It was a joy to see their excitement to help.  The team had a productive day.  A lot of painting, tile laying, door hanging (mostly game planning and preparation), and electrical work (all preparation, cleaning plaster out of boxes and trimming pre-layed conduit).  We’ll be working in Zapote all week long, so we hope to really transform the unfinished second floor of the school.  The kitchen staff at the school truly went out their way to bless the team by cooking an excellent Mayan lunch for us over an open fire when they lost propane to the kitchen. While in Zapote, the team got to really see what a blessing that school is to the community.  Zapote is very poor community, with very sub-standard public education.  That school is truly a highlight to that community.  The team has a holy calling in helping to get that second floor opened to the children.  We are so blessed to be able to serve this way.  At dinner back at the Oasis we were privileged to have the Pastor of the Galilea church explain to the team the history of Zapote, their church plant in Zapote, the school, and how the Lord is working mightily in that community.  We also heard from Corbey, the director of the Oasis, of how the Lord continues to work strongly in the lives of the girls at the Oasis and all the wonderful ministries they are pursuing to restore families and raise disadvantaged girls in God glorifying way. Please pray that we accomplish beyond our expectations this week in Zapote and that we shine the light Jesus wherever we are.