September 2024 Update

The Pathway to our Friend Alicia's House in Parrojas

We spent June and part of July in Spokane, mostly seeking rest and care and that is exactly what we received. We are thankful to each person who spent time with us, encouraged us and help build us up. It was so much harder to return to Guatemala this time around since we had decided to leave the church we were attending and supporting. We felt like we had nothing to return to and were leaving everything we knew and loved.

Family Time in Washington State this Summer

The Sign to Parrojas

Our children were enrolled in the Missionary school called Encounter, which began in late July which freed us up to do more here. As we shared previously, we began exploring the Mayan Village called Parrojas. We began getting to know the missionaries who had been working up there for the past two years. They were excited to have us join them. They are generally up there two days per week, one day visiting families in the mornings and then teaching English and a Bible story in the afternoon. On Fridays they serve lunch to 90 children. We have been helping both days to get to know them better and to get to know the families. We are going up a third day each week to read the Bible with different families we have met who have heard the gospel and want to continue hearing more about Jesus. They generally know the gospel well here, but don’t actually KNOW Jesus or anything about him. We have started reading one chapter of John per week and then talking about it with them. We have had incredible conversations with the families and we love going up. Most of the community does not read so we read to them or play the audio Bible (when we have internet service) from our phones. We try to play it in the Mayan dialect since that is their native tongue and Spanish is a 2nd language.

Reading the Book of John with Alicia's Family

We have also had fantastic conversations with the missionaries serving up there about the importance of establishing a church and not just doing para-church ministry. They are very receptive and recently had a team from the U.S. tell them the same thing. We have been so challenged by their desire to be led by the Spirit and to see their faith in action. They believe in a very big God who does very big things and it has been both encouraging and challenging to us. They have been challenged in their thinking as well and we continue to see how the Lord divinely put us together to care for this community.

Serving at the Ministry Campos De Sueños

We had the blessing of having some of our good friends the Clarks come and visit us from Spokane! We had so much fun with them and it was such a blessing to have them come and join us in serving here in Guatemala. We had some fun game nights with them, and showed them around some amazing ruins right in Antigua. They served a lot and the kids had a lot of fun showing them what life is like for us down here. It was so great for us to have friends here with us for a week, and Alyssa is staying with us for three months! As I write this, she and Seth are helping our friend Melanie with some short term teams for the next three weeks.

Aiden Serving at Campos De Sueños

We have continued serving in another Mayan Village called Santa Maria De Jesus. Our friends started a feeding center 13 years ago and about 7 years ago started a church as well called Campos De Sueños. It is the only evangelical church in the town. There are about 80 members and, just this year, they baptized 12 adults who came to Christ. Dan serves there with preaching, leading music, and teaching the team about Biblical leadership in worship. We agreed to attend their Thursday evening services and to serve at them where needed. Dan will preach once per month on Sundays for them as well. Recently, they decided to hold a dinner inviting as many people as would come to be fed and hear the gospel. 150 people attended.  A new couple about to have a baby attended for the first time. They returned the following week after her C-section and the baby has remained at the hospital. The national hospitals are free down here, but the mortality rate is extremely high because they are not well trained. They came back because they felt loved and cared for the week before and were seeking prayer and love again. They are not Christians so please pray for them!

Kadi Sharing Her Bible at the Campos Evening Church Service

We are very thankful for the ministries God has placed before us to serve in. We are thankful for the church, Calvary Antigua, we attend on Sundays with Biblical preaching through books of the Bible and a sweet community. We are also thankful for all of your love and support. Please scroll down for more photos.

Kadi Taught How to Make No Bake Cookies at Campos

Kadi Teaching Children to Write in Parrojas

Jack Serving w/ The Adventures in Missions Team Feeding in Parrojas

Kadi Leading a Bible Study at Campos De Sueños

Making Tortillas in Delfina's House to Feed Children in Parrojas

Serving with the Adventures in Missions Team in Parrojas

The Craft After a Bible Lesson in Parrojas

Seth Reading to a Family in Spanish in Parrojas

Making Our Way from One Family's House to Another in Parrojas

Delfina Explaining a Bible Passage in Mayan Kaqchikel from our Spanish Bible

Alyssa Reading a Story to Our Friends in Parrojas

Dan Preaching with Mario Translating at Campos de Sueños

Kadi Serving at Campos de Sueños

Making Pancakes for our Friend Alicia & Her Family

Kadi Showing Rosalina How to Flip Pancakes

We Celebrated at Calvary Antigua with a Potluck After Church & Baptisms

Delivering a Water Filter to our Friend Alicia

We Gave out some Shoes from our Friend Kristy in Spokane

Reading Through John with Alicia, Rosalina, and Oscar

Melanie's Team Dan & Kadi Helped Translate For

Alyssa Shared Her Testimony at Refuel, Jasmine Prayed for Her After

Dan Sharing a Message at Refuel

A Special Thursday Night Church Service at Campos De Sueños with Food

Kadi with a Friend at Campos De Sueños

The Main Road in Parrojas

Kaylee with A Water Filter in Parrojas

Eating Delicious Homemade Chicken Soup Our Friend Alicia Made

Cleaning Up After Sharing a Meal in Parrojas

Serving with the Adventures in Missions Parrojas Team Who Hosted a Short Term Team

Serving With Adventures in Missions Teaching English and Bible Stories

We Love Helping Make Tortillas to Bring to the Kids in Parrojas

Leila Sharing Her Testimony at Refuel

Leila, Seth, Aiden, Edgar, and Alyssa Leading a Song at Campos De Sueños

Visiting the Village Leader in Parrojas

Seth with our Incredible Friend Aderkee Teaching English in Parrojas

Special Thursday Evening Church Service at Campos De Sueños

We Like to Go for Walks and Jogs Around Our Neighborhood Here

Dan Showing Rosalina & Oscar their New Book w/ Spanish & English

Sharing a Meal at our Friend Alicia's House in Parrojas

These Catholic Churches are in all the Towns in Guatemala. This is in Jocotenango.

A Night at the English Worship Service called Refuel

Kaylee and Jasmine Love Alicia's Cats

A View of Parrojas

Anna from Adventures in Missions Teaching our Girls How to Make Tortillas