I'm Here!

Praise the Lord! I did finally make it safely to Casa Monday night, after a weekend with much family, due to my great Aunt Mary's funeral (Saturday,) enough time in airports, threats of Hurricane Felix closing airports, and much praying! Thank you all who prayed--your prayers are felt!

Arriving:
I took my printer as my carry-on, box and all, and of course I packed it full of other things as well, as to not waste precious space. I also had my backpack, which weighed about 50lbs, so by the time our plane landed in Guatemala City, I was about ready to never have to carry those two things again. Then came the longest walk I have EVER seen between the gate and the baggage claim...it just went on and on! Anyways, after loading all my bags precariously onto a rolly cart--thank God for rolly carts!--and watching/praying as someone took one of my bags from the carousel and about 3 minutes later returned it, I proceeded towards the outside. There's one more stop to turn in paperwork before exiting, which is usually a breeze--just hand them the paper as you walk by--but this time the lady pulled me over: "Is it just you travelling?" as she eyed my mountain of luggage..."over here please, to the bag-check station." I groaned as I looked at the few people in front of me, whose every bag were being opened and searched, then looked back at my stack, thinking "I really don't want to unstack, let alone open all of those." Just about that time, I looked up to see my welcoming committee! :) Familiar faces from Casa, waving their arms from outside the doors (they don't let anyone come into the baggage claim)--yay! Praise God! After searching only a few of my bags, explaining I was moving (hence the load of stuff,) and explaining that, "no, I don't have a receipt for the printer--it's not new and besides there are a bunch of other things in the box with it"--fwew!--, I finally was free to go on to meet my welcomers. Allison (Doncellas house mom), Ashley (Jack and Carolyn's daughter,) Melvin (one of the older guys,) and 2 of Allison's girls Ana Ruth and Keirsy all came and made it a sweet welcome home. Praise God that on the drive back to Casa from the airport, we were able to stop and buy phone cards, since both Ashley and I were out of minutes (pre-paid cell), and that we didn't hit the HUGE boulder that was just hanging out in the middle of the highway! It had fallen off the cliff-side that lines most the highway around here. I mean, I've heard of rock-slides, but this thing was enormous! I wish I had a picture for you.

Getting Settled In:
I've been staying in one of the vacant apartments while my room/dorm is being finished. I spent the last 3 days getting it painted--have you ever painted concrete? It's not so easy as it looks! Tim (maintenance man and house parent of Vencedores, along with his wife Patty) helped me by sharing that the trick is to mix it with water--works wonders! I'll post pictures once I'm moved in there. And yes, I do have a bathroom! Praise God! It's pretty much finished...just have to decide what to do with the closet space. The room is done, except the time to be added on the inside of the door frame, so hopefully I'll be able to move in early next week, once the hot water is hooked up. Thanks to all of you who prayed and/or paid for my living space!
It looks like I'll be buying a stove for the kitchen, as it turns out there was no plan to put one in--let me explain. The plans have changed so that now the university girls will be living in the house Scott, Tiffany, Bry, and I were helping the build the floor for (behind the Doncellas dorm), and it is just going to be Career (High School) girls in my dorm, hence, not so much of the transitional facility, but hopefully we'll be able to do some of those things--just a bit modified. A huge praise in all these changes is that we are only planning to move about 17 girls into my dorm! Thank God! I was expecting 40!! The move will take place around mid-October, after Mike and Dottie return from the States. They go every year in September, but this time they are also there because one of their sons, Chad, is having surgery on the 25th, so please pray for him and for their time away as well. Things have been pretty stressful for them lately. (Read some of Mike's journals on the Casa website from this last month for more details.)

Well, it appears I'm writing a paper...a few last details/prayer requests/praises...

I'm supposed to meet with Pastor Dave tomorrow afternoon to go over rules/expectations for both me (staff) and the girls, so pray that the meeting would actually happen (stuff comes up) and that all things would be communicated clearly, and that I'd be prepared and ask necessary questions. In the next couple of weeks, I'll be going to look for a stove, an armoire (sp?), and some other household things needed for settling in. Pray that I use good judgment and budgeting on what's best/really needed, and what can wait. Oh, I almost forgot: Thursday, Angie (kitchen/supplies overseer) lent me her car and I drove for the first time in Guatemala! I was really nervous at first, but I just kept telling myself "It's just driving, you're fine, you know what to do," and praying! I didn't go very far--just to the store down the road--but it was really nice to have that freedom and feel capable in that :) Praise God.
Well, overall things are getting along well. Thank God I'm able to use the internet now, although it may be spotty as I move to my new room and get connected there, so be patient if I don't respond to emails quickly...hmm...quickly...that's a word that really doesn't exist down here :)

If you're still reading, then thanks for hanging in there. Hopefully I'll be able to update more often and be a little more concise. Also, Paula (internet expert) is will be working on getting a journal up and running for me to use on the Casa website. Once that's up, I'll try to update that close to daily and update this blog more like once a month or something...I'll let you know. Thank you all for you love and prayers! I miss you guys! Blessings!

Back from Guat

Well, we all got back to the States safely Tuesday night. It was a huge blessing to me to have our whole team down there with me this time! Thank you guys for going and serving--the Lord, Casa Aleluya, and me! Each member of our team was a huge blessing me personally, encouraging me in the Lord and speaking His words to me--very truly indeed, as He spoke to me through Bry as we prayed one night--and even just the simple thing of being familiar, loving faces to me, especially walking through a couple of tough moments.

We did a lot of manual labor--digging out the dirt to lay the concrete floor for a small house on the campus and wheelbarrowing the dirt over to the other side of the campus--no small feat! but everyone worked hard. We also got to spend a lot of time playing with the kids, and also getting to know the other 2 teams who were down at the same time we were. If you check the Casa website, you can find their pics under the "work teams" photo album.

Another blessing of our team was getting to spend the evenings together, sharing some of the stories God is working in our lives and praying together, especially for one another--that was a huge blessing. We also ended each evening with our newly traditional group hug :) It really was the perfect mix of folks that the Lord worked out for this trip...not surprising that He knows so well what He's doing.



I also saw the Lord answer my prayers by working out many details of arrangements of meetings and questions I needed answered. I was able to meet with Mike and Dottie, the founders and directors, and find out more of what will be expected of my role with the girls, what some of the structure I'll be providing them will be, when the dorm will be finished, and what my living space will be. Thankfully, the timing was just right so that I got to make the call to put my bedroom in the 9x12 space with the window instead of the 8x10 space next to the showers. I also was able to talk with Tim, who is in charge of the building on that dorm, and work out a plan to build me a private bath off the outside wall of my room--praise the Lord indeed! This things can seem small, but can also be a huge curse or blessing--I'm thankful they look to be more of a blessing! (and praying all the bathroom and rest of the building plans work out.) I will be paying for the bathroom, as they have already used the budget for the rest of the building, so please let me know if you'd like to help with that expense. I'll let you know when I have a figure.
The rest of the plan for the dorm is that the sleeping will be bunker-style quarters upstairs, with a large study area with privacy desks downstairs, a small community kitchen space, and 3 showers and 3 toilets--oh please pray for this--20-40 girls!!!

I was also able to meet with some other people on staff and hear where they're coming from and get some encouragement and words of wisdom from them as well. It was a blessing, and the Lord has encouraged me through this trip, as I continue in this direction, by faith, knowing that it won't be perfect, but that it is His will. It is also a blessing to be able to anticipate some possible challenges, so I can know how to pray and be better prepares, and also I know it will be a stronghold to have the confirmation that this is indeed His will for me, as I walk through some of those struggles and challenges...anticipating growth--undoubtedly! Praise God.



The dorm is planned to be finished mid-August. I'm planning to go September 1st. Please pray for all the details to be worked out so that this is possible. Also, please pray that the Lord would prepare my mom's heart especially, but also mine and my family's, as I will not be spending Christmas or Thanksgiving with them at all this year.

Back to Guat...

...for just a week this time. We leave tomorrow night. My friends Scott, Bry, and Tiffany will be joining me as we serve wherever we're needed most. Please pray for rest for all 4 of us, as everyone has had really packed and pretty exhausting schedules this past week or 2. Especially pray for our rest tomorrow night, as we'll be flying as we try to sleep (12:35a-4a San Francisco to Houston, 7a-11:24a Houston to Guatemala City (PST)--so we'll be tired, except by the grace and miracle of God--we all know He's able, so let's pray:)! ) Praise God we have rides to/from the airport also provided. Please pray for all the details of transportation in Guatemala to work out, and also for our physical safety.

Thankfully, we made it through this last week at work, although we're losing 2 of our team-members, so pray for us there as well, as everyone else picks up the slack, especially with people also gone for vacation over the next month.

Another answer to prayer is that I was able to meet with another woman from my church's Missions Council--the meeting went very well--she was very gentle, encouraging, and loving. Thank God for that and for her willingness to take the time to get to know me a little, as well as learn some more about the work in Casa Aleuya. Please continue to pray for the Missions Council to have discernment in what is best as they pray over considering making a recommendation for me to the Elders to be recognized as a short-term missionary from our church. I would be so thankful and blessed to have this support and backing from them.

It feels unreal to me that we'll be in Guatemala in less than 36 hours. Praise God for this opportunity. Pray for the folks at Casa too, as they just had another lighting strike on campus that took out their main internet hub--praise God though that again, no one was hurt.

Until Texas (be back just in time for 4th of July!)...que Dios les bendiga (May God bless you all.) Much love, G:)

ps: We plan to have another slide show presentation after returning in late July/early August, so please pray for the details of this and stay tuned for those details once I get back to California in mid-July.

Speaking of mid-July...please also pray for a group of about 30 of my friends from church who will be going to serve in the Yucatan Peninsula July 14-22, in a small Mayan village, helping to build/repair hurricane damage on houses and minister to the community. Thanks!

God's grace

There is nothing like the grace of God, to end the day, after bitty battles all day, with sharing the gospel. God is good, and God is sweet, merciful and loving. He still uses me for His plan and work, and counts me worthy for His kingdom work. Humility. How does His grace so abound? The day started off with a piece of a verse I've read over and over and memorized, yet was filled up with chewing on and digesting it today.

Context: I had 3 dreams last night wherein someone was strangely absorbed with themselves, at my (or someone close to me's) expense, and I woke up pondering the message of how it felt to be on the observing and receiving end of that...After reading this verse and being convicted of my own self-centeredness, I batted with this, along with my common struggle of hearing, discerning, and truly listening to (heeding) God's voice and guidance, through the day.

(from Philippians 2:3)

"...but with humility of mind, regard one another as more important than yourselves."


And our God, who is able and gracious, will, more than we can imagine, pour out these blessings in abundance on us: grace, humility, freedom, forgiveness, love, care, provision, work, exhaltation, hope, service, fruit, and participation in His kingdom works...oh what a freeing, humbling priviledge!