Request

Hello all,

I just wanted to give a quick update about our Bible study this past week. We were worried because of the rain but people came anyway which was a huge blessing. I can't describe exactly what was different this week except that the Spirit was present. Please keep praying for these studies and that we would be willing to step out in faith and invite people.

I also wanted to share a few praises from this week. During class with my tutor I was able to share my testimony for the first time in Spanish. My teacher shared hers as well and she is a believer which is such a blessing! It was so rewarding to be able to get my story out and be understood - I left class with a huge smile on my face that day. Also, I have been able to have 2 conversations with my host mother, Damaris, about her beliefs and about mine. One of the main struggles I think I am going to have in sharing with her is that she doesn't believe she can understand the Bible. She believes that only a priest can interpret the Scripture for her. This is incredibly frustrating because she has beliefs that aren't Scriptural because priests have told her that the Bible says it. When I tell her the true word, she looks at me as if I am a liar because I shouldn't be able to interpret the Scriptures. I tried to tell her about the Holy Spirit but I think that went a little over her head/my spanish is not that great. Please pray that God would open up Damaris's eyes to the truth of His Word and that God will speak through my life and even my words (even though my Spanish isn't very good).

Also, please pray that we would have the courage to talk to the people here in the streets of Antigua. There are many cripples and beggars here and I know that Jesus would never pass them by. Pray that we would live like Christ.

Thank you so much for your prayers and for your encouraging words. Please let me know how I can be praying for you as well!

Rachel

Adventures!

My backyard and where the clothes dry
The sink where my host mom washes the dishes
One of the cathedrals in Antigua at night

View of Volcan de Aguas from Antigua
Marco Alejandro and me
Marco Alejandro!
Jackeline and Marco Alejandro Me in front of Antigua and Volcan de Aguas
This is Antigua
This is called Cerro de la Cruz up on a hill overlooking Antigua
The kitchen in my house where we eat all of our meals
The living room
This is the view of the volcano and the beginning of my street
This is one of the beautiful streets in San Juan...There are flowers everywhere

This is my street! The pink house on the left is mine :)

Hola Amigos!

I have just completed my second full week in Guatemala and I am excited to say that I am starting to feel at home. When I walk out of my house in the morning I always glance upwards toward Volcan de Agua to see if the volcano is clear or covered in clouds. When it is clear I marvel at how huge it is and as I walk toward my school I look out over Antigua in disbelief - none of it looks real to me. The cobblestone streets are always a challenge to maneuver as I need to watch where I am stepping while I want to look up at the mountains. I have nearly twisted my ankle several times.

I have been on several excursions already into different areas of the country - Guatemala City and to Volcan Pacaya. I can’t believe how much there is to do everyday - I am rarely bored here. As a group, we went to Volcan Pacaya yesterday which was my second trip to this volcano. When I came to Guatemala in March we hiked to the crater of the volcano (not the safest thing I have ever done). This time though we went to the lava flow. It was very red and very HOT. We were able to roast marshmallows on sticks and after a few minutes our chocolate bars were transformed into chocolate sauce. It was delicious. I didn’t take any pictures while there because I am starting to get lazy but many of my friends took pictures so hopefully I can get some pictures on here from them. This weekend we are headed to the beach :) Doesn’t this sound like an extended vacation? :) I am very excited.

This past wednesday we had our first Bible study. We met in the Plaza near the middle of the town and my friend Corey played my guitar while I sang in Spanish. My friend, Parker, the only one of us here that can actually speak Spanish, read from the Bible and he asked for prayer requests. We hope that this can be the beginnings of a house church in this pueblo (village). Some of our host families showed up and we also met some people while sitting in the plaza who I hope will keep returning.

I have been praying about my witness to this family that God has placed me with. I want to show them the love of Christ but it is difficult because I can’t share in their language. I have been able to play my guitar for them though and sing the three songs that I know in Spanish. Marco Alejandro (the 5 year old little boy) loves the song Alabare and he asks me to play it almost everyday. In the last few days I have learned to play the song Abre Mis Ojos Senor which in Ingles is Open the Eyes of My Heart Lord. As I played, the family slowly gathered and when I finished they were all standing around listening and they asked me to play it again. This is their favorite song right now and I pray that God will use these songs to speak to them in the inner most places of their hearts. I hope that even when I am finished singing that these songs will remain in their minds and keep playing over and over again and that God will use them to speak lovingly to them. Romeo (the dad) especially likes Abre Mis Ojos Senor. He is slightly difficult to talk to because he doesn’t slow down his pace for me at all but I hope as time goes on that I will get to know him better.

Please pray for:

• This family, (Romeo, Damaris, Jackeline, and Marco Alejandro) that their hearts would be opened to the truth and that God would shine through me. I want them to see that I am different from the other tourists that come through here. I hope that they will want the joy that God has stored up in me.
• The Bible studies - we will have one each week on Wednesdays at 5 p.m. Please pray that we would be lead by the Spirit to the passages that He would have us share. Please pray that hearts would be opened and that we would become friends with these people that come. Also, 5 p.m. here is 7 p.m. in Georgia - If you could find time during the study to pray that would be amazing!
• My Spanish learning - earlier this week I hit a wall. I wanted to speak so badly but I lost a lot of confidence. God has been faithful though and the past few days have been better. Please pray I would learn quickly and that I wouldn’t get discouraged.
• Please pray that we would not forget why we are here. We have a message to share. Please pray that we would be bold in sharing (even in broken Spanish). This verse encourages me often in this area: “But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things - and the things that are not - to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.” 1 Corinthians 1: 27-29 It is not my awesome language skills that will be used to share Christ - but the weaknesses in me and the lowly things, so that I can not boast before him.
• Please pray for a man we met in Antigua whose name is Juan. Parker was able to share with him that his life can be different with Christ. Please pray that Juan would be open and that God will place people in his path to share the truth with him. Juan invited Parker to come to his house to continue their conversation - pray that they can find the house (it is in a different village) and that this man's heart would be prepared.

Thank you so much for your prayers! Please let me know how I can pray for you as well! I love your encouragement and I would love to be able to encourage you as well!

Raquel

This is a video of my friend corey playing with some chicos in the plaza before Bible study on Wednesday.

I am Here! Yo Estoy Aqui!

Hello!

I am finally here in Guatemala and I am overwhelmed by the faithfulness of God. On my way to the airport Thursday morning I remember thinking "I am really at peace about this." I hadn't really cried even though I have been told that it is better to cry before I leave because it means I will cry less here (who knows if that is really true.) When I got on the airplane though I felt alone for the first time and I will admit that I did cry. I had my Bible on my lap and I was just exhausted. I finally realized that it is just me and God now - He is the only one I have in this new place I am living that I can rely on. I read this verse as we were taking off: "Listen, daughter, and pay careful attention: Forget your people and your father's house. Let the king be enthralled by your beauty; honor him, for he is your lord." Psalm 45:10-11. God reminded me that he has called me to this place. He has called me to leave my people and my family. I am here as a light for him and I hope that I will be beautiful before him.

After meeting my new family, I settled into my room. The family I am staying with includes two children: Alejandro who is 5 and Jacqueline who is 10. Alejandro is so fun to play with and he constantly hugs me and kisses me which brightens my day like you wouldn't believe! My days have been full of learning and adventure already. On Friday we went to school for the first time and I got to be blind folded and hit a pinata. It was so fun! They had the pinata tied to a string and were able to move it back and forth in the court yard. We directed each other using directions in Spanish which was good for learning but it was also just fun to yell out "Arriba Arriba!" Yesterday, I hiked with a few other students. Our guide was one of the house parents whose name is Luis. His two sons came along as well and their names are also Luis. It was really funny to say "Hey Luis" and watch them all turn around. We laughed quite a bit and we were in awe of the beauty of the country side. We looked down from the mountain and were able to see all of Antigua and the surrounding villages, including ours which is San Juan Del Obispo. Needless to say my journey has been incredible already. My house parents are very patient with me when I try to communicate with them and they are very good at correcting me when I say things wrong. I am already speaking better Spanish than on Thursday morning and tomorrow is my first real day of class.

Please pray that I would learn Spanish quickly and that I would continue to seek God daily. It is hard to have quiet time here because there is always something to do. Please pray that my time with the Father would be rich and that I would grow in Him more and more everyday. I am so grateful for all of your prayers! They have been felt! Please also lift up the family I am living with: Damaris, Romeo, Jacqueline, and Alejandro.

Muchas Gracias!

Rachel

Getting Ready

As most of you know, I am set to leave on Thursday morning. I am trying to get everything together to leave but it is pretty overwhelming trying to pack for two years. There has been a lot of time to rest over these two weeks, but the last few days have seemed so full of things to do that I haven't rested at all. As I am reaching the point of exhaustion I am also reaching the time to leave. Tears seem to be at the surface lately as I think of leaving all of my friends and family. I know that God has a plan for me and that he will take care of me, but I also know that there will be times when I am very lonely. It is difficult to experience so many emotions all at once - excitement, joy, and sadness - and also the knowledge of hard times to come.

I am so encouraged by the support I have been receiving from all of my family and friends. I have been so surprised by how many people have gone out of their way to see me and spend time with me before I leave. It has blessed me so much and has truly touched my heart. I love all of you and I am so thankful that God has put you in my life.

As I finish packing and I spend the last few days here with my family, I hope that I can recharge and be refreshed for Thursday. I am smiling even now as I write this thinking about what is ahead of me. I will soon be sleeping in the home of a Guatemalan family in a town surrounded by three volcanoes - incredible.

I am so grateful for all of your prayers and I truly am lifted up by them and I know that they will be felt when I am in Guatemala. I want to tell you again that I desire to pray for you as well. If you have any needs or requests that I can pray for please do not hesitate to email me and let me know. While I love and value your prayers so much, I want to be able to extend that same prayer back to the Father for you. I love hearing your words of encouragement and receiving your replies to my updates so please please let me hear your hearts as well.

I am getting excited and I hope that all of you are too! :))))