Day 3 of Agatha

We have electricity, we have internet...we are doing OK. What we don't have, nor does anyone else around us, is clean water! Our water comes from a well in our back yard. With the fast rise of the water table underground, the well is filling with not only water but also mud. What filters we have can't take care of it. We have some drinkable water, enough if we are careful, but all of the water in the house - the shower, the toilet, the faucets and the washing machine - looks like the water above. Kind of hard to wash clothes in water that is dirtier than the clothes you are washing!

Day 2 of Agatha

It is 12:30PM, local time, and the rain has stopped for the time being...we even had a little weak sun this morning! So I got out and took photos of the damage from last night:

These first two photos were taken minutes apart. It had been raining all day when we heard what sounded like a truck on the little road between our house and the "hill" next to us. It wasn't a truck, it was the hill coming down.

Minutes later, I snapped this picture
of the hill sliding down even more, taking out a small tree and bending the fence over. Snow is now on a chain because she could get out so easily.

This was the side of the hill overlooking the small soccer field on the lower level. Besides the hill crumbling, this was covered in water last evening and, even now, has inches deep mud that you sink into when you walk on it.

Unfortunately, all of the work that the Wisconsin youth team put in two summers ago got washed down the river. When they return in a few weeks, they may very well get to do it all over again!

A view in the other direction...all of that mud you see is several inches deep and you sink into it when you walk on it.

From atop the hillside next to us, you can see how the land slid. This was a small road that people used to get to a village on the mountain on the other side of the river.

Looking across the river to the municipal soccer field, you see bare places on the mountainside. These were where landslides occurred last night. Most occurred as dusk arrived, along with a heavy rain, and we could only hear them, not see them. It was scary hearing all of that but not being able to tell where it was coming from.

Yes, we had damage...but we are OK. Our house is dry (except for the leaks) and we have food and electricity. The road to Solola and Panajachel is out. And the surrounding villages are calling for help. Many are cut off, mudslides taking out roads, houses and people. Johnny and Esteban (our guard) have gone to help in a village above us where several lost houses. Don't know if there were any deaths or not. Johnny took clothes that were left from teams (see, they came in handy!) to hand out to those who need them. As we find out needs, we will try to help. And, unfortunately, it's not over. The tropical storm continues to pour rain over lower Mexico and Guatemala. The temperature is dropping and the rain will begin again within the next couple of hours. Yes, pray for us, but also pray with us that the Guatemalan churches will look beyond themselves to see the needs around them and be a light in this scary time.

Stay tuned for more news later, as we get it. I hope to have pictures from Johnny from the relief efforts he and Esteban are doing. To see some of the pictures taken and put into the national newspapers, go to the following websites. They are in Spanish, but you can see some of the devestation this seemingly small tropical storm has caused.

www.prensalibre.com

www.nuestrodiario.com

Rain, Rain, Go Away!

As I mentioned in a post earlier this week, it has been raining here...lots!

We had our quarterly consejo meetings here and stayed wet most of the time. Thankfully, everyone left yesterday about 2:00 PM, before the REAL RAIN started. It has rained solid since about 4 PM yesterday and we have towels all over the house to handle the leaks in the roof!

From the living room window, we could see that the river had risen. It wasn't until Johnny put on his rainsuit and boots, went down into the playground area and took pictures that we saw just how bad it is. And we are expecting rain all weekend from a typhoon off the Pacific coast.

Usually the river is 2 feet below and 3 feet on the outside of the fence. The playground equipment is just to the left of this picture.

Guatemala is expecting flooding and mudslides from all of this rain. And all of this is on top of the volcano, Pacaya, erupting. Keep us in your prayers as we travel, beginning Monday, to pick up work groups (in the capital where the volcano eruption is) through the flooded and mudslide areas between here and there.

Four hours later...

As you can see, the water is encroaching. On the right side of the picture, the fence is giving under the weight of the water. Usually it stands 6-7 feet high...

Pacaya erupts

One of the most active volcanos in Guatemala erupted yesterday about 3 PM. Pacaya is about 20 miles outside of Guatemala City and has affected life in that area. Above is a picture taken from the internet of Pacaya erupting in 2002. We have not seen pictures yet, but they are saying that lava is spewing into the air like it did then.

We have not been affected, as far west as we are, but those in the capital and nearby towns are covered in volcanic "sand". The above picture was taken in a town between Guatemala City and the volcano and was published in a national newspaper today. Friends in Guatemala City say there is about 3 inches of "sand" and ash on everything. The international airport has been closed until at least Saturday. Everyone is doing OK, just staying inside until it passes. As the volcano continues to erupt, that may be awhile...

Rainy day

Rain...this morning it started even before I got up. We usually have sun in the mornings...but not today.

Normally it wouldn't bother me so much, but today and tomorrow, we have about 70 pastors and church leaders coming for our quarterly consejo meetings. They insisted on having it here at the Camp this time, even though we have a small meeting room and no dormitories yet. So, they will sleep in the garage tonight and eat out under a canopy in the yard. At least we have bathrooms!

Sube-baja

Sube-baja...that's what they call a see-saw here. Esteban, the guard, built one for the playground area. As you can see, more than just the kids use it! Many of you know these guys...Juan Agosto Saenz (former pastor of the Pana church) on the left and Samuel Can (Camp administrator) on the right.

God's Grace

What do you do when the roads are blocked? Three minutes before getting on the road to take the guys to the capital, we were informed that the roads were blocked from manifestaciones or demonstrations. This was 9:00 in the morning. When could we hope to get through? Maybe noon, maybe later! It was actually later...5:00 in the afternoon before the traffic started moving again. Thankfully, we had not left yet. We would have been stuck in the truck without lunch, bathrooms or anything to do. So we found something to pass the time! Unfortunately, when we heard the traffic moving again, we jumped and ran, left the game where it was and don't even know who won!

Great Commission 2020

Have you ever felt like you didn't know enough to lead someone to Christ? Do you feel that church needs to be "glamour" and "glitz" to attract people? If you do, check out the simple websites of Global Media Outreach. Most are very simple, without graphics or much else, but they present the Gospel very clearly. At the bottom is a button to indicate if you made a decision or not and if you want follow-up. These websites are in almost any language imaginable! In English, look at: www.4stepstoGod.mobi, www.Jesus2020.com, www.Godlovestheworld.com, or www.trueloveandGod.mobi. There are others, but you get the idea. Simple, right?

Now, go to www.GreatCommission2020.com. What you will see is a map of the world and indications when someone logs on to one of Global Media Outreach's sites. You will also see if they made a decision. It's humbling to see flags go up literally all over the world. I watched for 20 minutes and saw decisions made in countries such as Iran, China, Peru, United States and India. Pray for this ministry...they are reaching people in countries that we can't enter. As many problems as we may have with the internet, you have to admit that God is using it!

Unique musical group

I am attempting to do something I haven't tried before. Below is a video clip of an unusual musical group we heard recently in one of our local churches. Easter Sunday, during a praise service at that same church, they played and sang again. I was so impressed that I resolved to try to pass this on so you can hear it also! The pipes and flute played are unusual...I haven't heard groups use these before. You will also notice two different types of guitars, besides the more common style. I have heard these played by two different groups in the last few weeks.

I am sorry that it is not the whole song but you will get the idea. I hope you enjoy this as much as we did!

Next time you see those guys on the streets of Pana selling the pan flutes, just think what you could learn to do!

One, two, three...

No, I haven't gone back on my promise to continue the blog...it's just that our internet connection of late has been super slow. So, no pictures until I can get them uploaded.

This afternoon I had a Quiche language lesson. My guard's wife, Katarina, is my teacher, along with her 5 year old son Misael. As I would count, using the magnetic numbers on the fridge, he would count along with me. I can count from one to ten, but don't ask me to name them out of order yet! Misael had his own lesson...after we practiced in Quiche, I taught him one to ten in English. He did very well. Sad that I am on the level of a 5 year old...

"Lost" "pieces"

Look at what I discovered in Alabama in February! Almond Joy...our favorite! Next would be the Dark Chocolate, and last the York Peppermint Patties. Snuck a couple of bags in the carry-on before leaving. Yum! Got the first season of Lost for Christmas. Had to see what everyone was talking about! Needless to say, I liked it, got hooked and bought Seasons 2 - 5 on sale at Amazon. Guess what we do in the evenings?

I'm hooked...Johnny's just burned out!

So I bribe him with the Almond Joy!

Office and Salon

Remember the office and salon that was finished by the teams last summer? You'll be happy to see that we finally have some furniture to make them a real office and salon!

The table with the two chairs will soon hold a desktop computer and printer!

The "lockers" in the corner are for the different church committees in the area that may want to use the office as their meeting place, since we are fairly central. The committees can bring files, office needs, etc. and put in their "locker" and lock it with a padlock. Since file cabinets are very expensive, this was a simple way to give up to 10 committees room! The file cabinet in the other corner will be for the Camp.

You are looking at the start of the Pastor's Library. We have been growing since this picture was taken and now have over 50 books, various DVDs and programs for the pastors to use! All of the books, DVDs and programs are in Spanish and have been donated by various individuals and groups. We would love to fill this bookcase and have to buy a new one!

Finally, the Salon now has two whiteboards and a clock, besides the tables and chairs! We are still looking to buy a pull-down screen for use with the projector. We have the money but locating the screen has been the problem. Here's Johnny resting after he and Samuel hung the boards.

The request for much of this was placed in the CAM Christmas Catalogue this past holiday season. As you can see, gifts given to the Christmas Catalogue are put to good use! Thank you to all who gave, whether through the Catalogue or as a team. All of this has been used and will find many more years of usefulness!

He Is Risen!

He Is Risen!

He Is Risen, Indeed!

Semana Santa - 2010

The week of Semana Santa, or Holy Week, is celebrated throughout the Christian world. Here in Guatemala, Holy Week is a holiday, with many businesses closing at least from Thursday thru Sunday, if not the whole week. We have stayed at the Camp this week, having various groups from the churches come to have "retreats" and such. Travel is more dangerous this week and the pickpockets are out in force in the tourist areas such as Antigua and Panajachel.

Pray for those, here and all over the world, that don't believe in the cross...those that have never heard...those that don't accept the sacrifice that was given. Christianity is not a religion, it is a relationship. A relationship with God and His Son, Jesus Christ. A relationship that accepts the sacrifice that was made on our behalf. Many religions say, "Do, do, do". God says, "It has already been done". And the debt was shown "Paid in full" by the Resurrection!

We will celebrate on Sunday, the Day of Resurrection, with one of our area churches. You, dear friends, will be in our hearts.

Back again!

Those of you that haven't been here since last summer will be pleased to see the work of our January team from West Rome, Michigan. Those of you from West Rome will be pleased to see the work that has been done since you left! The gates give us more control over people coming onto the property (our side, at least) by car. There is a walk-thru gate on the left of the big gates that doesn't have a door yet, so walk-thru traffic continues. Other than one of our barbed wire fences getting cut, we are not having the problems with the locals that we had at first, as we began to fence and close off trails and secure the property. We are doing it slowly, so, like the frog in the pot of slowly heating water, they are getting accustomed to it little by little.

I have always been a procrastinator...just ask my mother! After 3 years of blogging, it has gotten slower and slower. For that I am sorry. I don't get much feedback, so it's hard to see if I am just doing this for me or if others enjoy it also. I guess there are others also because this week I received an email saying certain folks were having withdrawal symptoms! So, here I am again. I hope to continue in a timely manner, although pictures will be more sparse than usual. The time it takes for pictures to load has been one of my issues. So, more blogs with fewer pictures, OK?

Those of you that read this, thank you.

It's being used...

Besides the English classes I have been teaching, the first "formal" use of the new salon was yesterday by pastors and their wives in the Pamazebal area close to the Camp. There were 23 in attendance. Johnny took these pictures during their meeting.

We still need a large whiteboard and a pull-down screen for the front of the meeting room.

The tables and chairs were donated with a generous gift from Wisconsin!

Again, thanks to all who had a part in building and helping supply the new salon. I don't have pictures of the new bathrooms in use...but we are ever so thankful for them also!

Vacation Bible School 2009

We would like to say "thank you" to all the folks who helped us help the local churches with Vacation Bible School. As many of you know, school is out here November, December and part of January. So, as the U.S. churches do in the summer vacation, we have Vacation Bible School during the vacation break...usually in November or early December. We had many gifts from teams that came down during the year of craft supplies, Bibles and a special gift from a good friend in Decatur, Alabama, which supplied materials for teaching. In all, we were able to help 8 churches with craft supplies, teaching materials (in Spanish, of course), Spanish Bibles and money to help support the VBS. The church of the pastor in the photo is doing three VBS programs - in their church and in 2 other villages that do not have an evangelical church present. In one, they use the local school without any electricity. Just this one church alone reaches about 250 children! So you see why we are so thankful for your gifts! It is amazing to see the ingenuity of the teachers to make some kind of craft project out of whatever they are given! God has blessed these programs in reaching children for Christ and God will bless you for helping. All of the pastors we have helped have wanted us to tell you all...

Gracias, Maltiox, Thank you!

He came to work...and work he did! Wayne Campbell, the youth pastor at our home church, First Bible Church of Decatur, Alabama, visited us for a week in October. He wanted to see what we did and boy did he ever!

Wayne spent a couple of days learning to tie wire and make concrete on the ground. He was helping us prepare for the dedication of the Camp by putting up a wall and fence at the end of the soccer field.



He also spent almost every evening helping out with some computer problems!

But everything he did wasn't work! We did visit Panajachel and Antigua. Here, you can see him climbing the waterfall between the Camp and Panajachel!

Thank you, Wayne, for all of your work! But most of all, thank you for coming to visit and lift us up!

Centennial Camp Dedication

Finally, after three years of work! Monday, November 2nd, all of our churches were invited to join us in a dedication of Centennial Camp. We had just returned to the Camp the evening before after a week in Dallas, but were up early Monday morning to welcome around 1,000 of our church members to see what Centennial Camp was all about! Below are some pictures of the day:

We had children and ancianos and everyone in between!

The basketball court, the papifut court, the playground equipment and, especially, the new bathrooms were all utilized!

As you can see, we packed them in!

We were joined by several of our CAM staff - Niel and Diana Thomas, Glenn Stewart, Brandon Scott (who didn't show up in pictures because he took many of these!), Joel, Vivian and Josh Lara and finally Mike Stephenson, who represented CAM International in the dedication!

We welcomed everyone...I managed to do it in English, Spanish and Quiche! After a time of worship, a devotional by the president of the national Centoramerican church consejo, a congratulatory speech by Mike Stephenson of CAM and a prayer of dedication by Joel Lara...

We enjoyed praise music by a ensemble from the Esmirna church in Solola! There were about 6 marimba players playing on 2 marimbas, a bass, drums and various percussion instruments. You can see the drummer above...he really enjoyed what he was doing!

Finally, the ribbon was cut on the new building! Then...what everyone had been waiting for...

fun and games! Noe refereed the guys' papifut games while the ladies played a basketball tournament! I didn't get a picture of the winners with their trophies because during this time they also started feeding the crowd.

We only had about 1,000 people...I can't imagine the crowd of 5,000 that Jesus fed! Puts it all in perspective, doesn't it?

I want to thank all of the teams we have had in the last 3 years and who worked so hard on the Camp. This was only the beginning of what we will have, but it was a good start! Thanks to you all and God bless you!