NHC Guatemala Service Team

Guatemala 2012 - First Update

2012-01-26T13:22:00.004-06:00

Well, we are almost ready to go again.......

The new team has been in place for a few weeks now - we are glad to welcome Zack, Chris, Dave T and Tony!

We know the Lord has another great trip planned for us and we are excited to see how he will use us. Along with the usual construction work at the Oasis we hope this year to do some work at a second site called "The Lily" to help complete a home for the older girls and also start to build some connections with the local church to see how we can minister along side them.

The fund raising process is well underway, although we are still in need of support - contact Tim Bodkin at 763-536-3222 for details. As always, we value your prayers more than anything.

Google Earth Pictures

2012-01-25T14:06:00.000-06:00

Here is the latest picture of "The Oasis" from Google Earth:

Highlight of the trip

2011-03-08T09:05:00.002-06:00

Make sure you read the "True Worship" post below for Friday which describes the highlight of our trip!

Back Home

2011-03-06T07:05:00.001-06:00

We arrived home safely Saturday night.

It was an amazing week!

Look for more updates and pictures in the next few days.

Saying goodbye is always hard!

2011-03-05T09:00:00.002-06:00

After loading all our bags and suitcases up in the truck we had plenty of time to say "adiós niñas" (goodbye girls). It was a true Minnesotan goodbye...long! The girls had a hard time letting go and so did we! Through many hugs, tears, laughter and photo's we let go and loaded the van one more time, each of us processing the week we had. We went to serve, to use the talents that God has blessed us with, to play and love on the girls, we leave being humbled, blessed and loved back ten times more.

True Worship

2011-03-04T16:00:00.002-06:00

As we neared the end of our time at the Oasis, the team was in great anticipation of a program that we learned the girls were to host for us on Friday evening. But we could have never imagined what we would experience that night; truly the highlight of our trip!

Over the past eight years of NHC teams working with Kids Alive in Guatemala, there has been much work accomplished and many great memories made. But nothing can compare to that most glorious time of worship offered to the Lord by the precious girls of the Oasis! After their worship team led us in praise choruses, our team sang “Power in the Blood” for them. We were then asked to pull our chairs into a circle. Unaware of what was to follow, we were surprised to find ourselves encircled by a group of little brown-eyed angels, who wrapped their arms around our shoulders and their spirits around our hearts. One by one, their sweet little voices lifted prayers to the throne of God on our behalf. Each one, without hesitation or self-consciousness, prayed aloud, thanking God for us. Some broke into sobs, unable to continue, yet they offered us Kleenex and wiped away our tears. And although most of us could not understand all that was said, we sensed the powerful, tangible, sweet Spirit of God pour out His love on that room. These abused, wounded, abandoned little girls served us and loved us in the most beautiful way we have ever experienced, far beyond any way we have ever served them! Together, we all wept and hugged and healed and discovered what worshiping God really is! It is praising and loving IN our brokenness, finding there that we are all loved and accepted, in desperate need of God and that our response should be to serve and give!

What an incredible blessing to see such clear evidence of God’s healing work in their lives! Looking beyond themselves, they demonstrated true worship to a group of big, able-bodied, “tough guys” who fell apart at the sweet Spanish prayers offered “from the mouths of babes”.

The finished work

2011-03-04T14:00:00.001-06:00

After cutting many sheets of MDF, using hundreds of screws, and going through about 12 gallons of primer and white paint, all the cabinets were made for the purple house, door knobs in place, gas, electrical, and plumbing all in and running. One final clean and run through of the house, and it is now ready for 10 more girls to make their home in the purple house. To make this home come alive sponsors are needed for each of the girls that will live there, be restored, grow in their faith and be transformed into beautiful young ladies.

Visit to Chicaman

2011-03-03T21:28:00.003-06:00

Our visit to the small village of Chicaman just outside the Oasis to distribute toothbrushes, toothpaste, candy and tracts was as always a fascinating insight into Guatemala culture. We recognized many familiar faces and loved our time interacting with families that have nothing to offer except a heart warming smile.

Thursday's Work

2011-03-03T21:22:00.004-06:00

We all worked hard today getting many projects completed. Painting, cabinet installation, electrical work, plumbing, well pump replacement and more painting! The purple house is really starting to look like an “Extreme Makeover Home Edition” - the finishing touches are almost done to the point of saying…….“move that bus!"

A reminder of our awesome God from Guatemala

2011-03-03T20:58:00.003-06:00

Kyle's Birthday

2011-03-03T20:55:00.003-06:00

The team decided to start the morning off with a Guatemalan tradition…lighting firecrackers off at 6 AM when it is someone’s birthday..…yes, Kyle’s birthday was today and so he was awakened with a fright! The girls and staff all sang Happy Birthday to him at lunch, and one of the girls, Michelle, made him a homemade banana cake and surprised him tonight.

"Thank you God for providing me with such wonderful friends…both from home and from my home away from home, The Oasis in Guatemala." - Kyle

A productive day at the Oasis

2011-03-01T20:44:00.003-06:00

Our second day of work was a very productive day in a lot of areas. In the "Purple House" we finished the doors and trim. Counter tops and sinks were installed in the bathrooms. Shower fixtures and exhausts were put in. Clotheslines and a washtub were installed in the back of the house. More electrical work was completed throughout the Oasis. More shelves were put together, sanded and painted......now we just need to start installing them.

We are eager to continue our work and spend more precious time with the girls!

Today, Lisa painted a globe on the wall with a quote by Andy Stanley and she is having the girls put their hand prints on the wall and also on a piece of paper that will have the same quote and the girl’s names on them. A little something to look at and to remind them of who they are in Christ.

The work begins

2011-02-28T16:49:00.004-06:00

This is a mural Lisa painted today in the games room. The caption reads "Never, never give up"!

Monday, just like at home was the beginning of our workweek. Kids Alive director of maintenance Doug Johnson was excited to have not just skilled workers available to build but also, friends of his. He led us in prayer and then proceeded to layout the plans for our week. As tough times have fallen on economy worldwide, less teams are visiting the Oasis. In years past as many as 25 teams would come in a year - this last year saw only 4 teams. The building we started last year was basically untouched. So, our most important objective is to complete this new purple house. Our work will consist of building all the cabinets, installing doors and handles, getting gas lines connected, installing sinks and counter tops, connecting electrical, connect showers and toilets, get heat for hot water, and more. Each house is able to house up to 10 girls and 2 staff. We were informed that the Oasis has some new challenges in that almost half the girls are now older and many will be moving into the “independence” program. This is a program where they are integrated into the city and public school and taught how to make it on their own. A small house outside the Oasis may become the new home for some of these girls. As the girls grow and the government remains confused, the logistics of obtaining more children has slowed. That and the lack of teams visiting has really taken a toll on sponsors for the kids. Please pray that God would move in people’s lives to share in the growth of these dear children. As Doug Dahl led devotions tonight we were all moved how we are needing to “become the church” as we see how good we have it and then see this precious kids with such need for love and a model of family in their lives. We shared of our frustration with language, and tools that don’t work like those we have at home yet one look of a child’s eyes tells you this is a real God thing going on here.

Testimony from Randy

2011-02-28T08:50:00.000-06:00

At church on Sunday Randy befriended one of the girls named Sara. Sara is one of the few girls at the Oasis that speaks good English so good communication was possible. That evening while sitting on the front steps of the Oasis, Randy and Sara were able to have some time to talk. While making small talk and learning of each other’s lives and interest, Randy asked Sara how many brothers and sisters she had. After a short pause, Sara replied she did not know how many she had. Sara began to immediately cry and there was a very notable pause. As Sara cried, Randy said he was sorry and put his arm around her. He then shared that we “our team” were her brothers and sisters and that we all will be family in heaven. Sara nodded and knew in her heart and faith in Jesus that this was true, yet it was clear, she longed for her own family. All these girls are in deep need of family after going thru some kind of abuse. Please pray that beyond the buildings we put up, that a life and model of Christ will be built in these girl’s lives as they need and look to rebuild a life in Christ.

Sunday - Fiesta with the girls

2011-02-27T20:59:00.005-06:00

What an incredible day we’ve had! Sunday in Guatemala is a wonderful blessing! We awoke to a clear morning with our first glimpse of the volcano out our window. And though we had a later breakfast/gathering time planned, everyone was awake early, fully rested and full of excitement for our day. We attended the Nazaret Church along with the girls from the Oasis and as always, the experience of worshiping in a different culture was beautiful. God is the same in any language!

We have to say, however, that the highlight of our day was an afternoon picnic with “the girls” we have come to love! We did some face painting and press on tattoos while others prepared the meal. Kyle and his crew worked hard and early on a fabulous hamburger, potato salad, watermelon and chips extravaganza! We grilled about 100 hamburgers, wondering if 40 girls and staff could possibly consume them. No problem! They were good little eaters, many returning for seconds! But best of all, once they had all been served, they got up from their seats and jumped behind the serving table, insisting on serving us, long before they had even eaten their food! We really enjoyed a relaxing time eating and talking with them.

Randy was in charge of the “carnival” portion of the day. He had prepared several relay races and super fun games with shaving cream, a piñata, water balloons and lots of sugar! We laughed and cheered and played like a big crazy family together!

It was a great day to get reacquainted and start out our week! But we’re really eager to get to work tomorrow!

Shopping and Dinner in Antiqua

2011-02-26T21:36:00.003-06:00

We all enjoyed a lovely afternoon of shopping and just taking in the hustle and bustle of the Antigua culture on a Saturday afternoon. While some of the team made our proper contribution to the local economy, others of us just walked around town, or sat in the center park near the fountain and listened to the wonderful sounds of the city...great music, children and parents laughing and playing together, friends and couples just enjoying each others company, vendors selling, and birds chirping. After a few hours of filling our time with whatever we chose, we gathered together as a team for dinner. We even had the privilege of having Carlos' wife, Nancy and his two daughters, Shirley and Hazel join us for dinner! We were all hungry and enjoyed a great time of food and fellowship at a nice comfortable, rustic restaurant. The food was delicious, the service warm and inviting, typical of Guatemalan culture, and the fellowship wonderful! With full tummies and happy hearts we headed back to the Oasis for a time of team devotions and to talk about our day on Sunday to come.

Day 1 - Saturday

2011-02-26T14:00:00.003-06:00

Who knew it could be so much fun to be woken up early by roosters and barking dogs after a long day traveling. We began the day with an enjoyable visit to the "Casa del Waffles" for breakfast and then came back to the Oasis to see the girls beginning to emerge from their houses. They get to sleep in on Saturday and have chores to do most of the day. But by the time the afternoon rolled around old acquaintances were being renewed and a great time was being had by all playing games and laughing (mainly at our expense). This evening we are off to Antigua for some shopping.

Arrived in Guatemala

2011-02-26T00:20:00.001-06:00

We arrived safely at the Oasis a little before midnight. All flights were smooth and on-time and all our luggage arrived safely........first prayer answered! Kids Alive has a new van which was way more comfortable than the old one but still a little cozy for 14 of us. The sights, sounds and smells of Guatemala are oh so familiar. We can't wait until the morning to see everything in the daylight and meet the girls - we hear they are excited to see us too!

On the way

2011-02-25T17:47:00.002-06:00

We left a chilly Minnesota just before noon today and are on the way to Guatemala. We are due to arrive late this evening. Thanks for your prayers for safe travel.

2011 Promo Video

2011-01-21T11:33:00.003-06:00

Financial Support

2011-01-20T13:41:00.000-06:00

Thank you to everyone that has supported the team financially - Praise God we have reached our goal!

However, it's not too late to give.....additional funds will be taken to Guatemala to purchase supplies for the girls, support the Kids Alive missionaries and the ministry at the Oasis and in Zapote. Please return support forms, mail checks to New Hope Church or designate a gift in your regular offering as soon as possible.

Please continue to pray for us during these final weeks before our departure that we would remain healthy, both physically and spiritually, and be ready to learn, grow and serve in whatever way we can.

Team Picture

2011-01-02T13:49:00.000-06:00

Lisa, Dave C, Kyle, Greg, Mark, Dave M, Sandy

Randy, Neil, Tim O, Pete, Doug, Kory, Tim B

Videos

2011-01-01T13:54:00.000-06:00

To view videos of our previous trips click here and then select "Full Documentary DVDs" - thanks to Tim Oberg for all his hard work in documenting our trips!

First Meeting

2010-10-19T15:35:00.003-05:00

Tonight we have our first team meeting. We have twelve amazing guys and two wonderful women on the team this year. We have booked flights and paid deposits to Kids Alive. Time goes by so fast - it's seems like just yesterday we were there.....and in a few short months we will be there again. We are excited and ready to go!

Guatemala Trip 2011

2010-09-16T21:17:00.003-05:00

New Hope Church will again be sending a service team to the Oasis home for girls in Guatemala. The dates for the trip are Friday, February 25 to Saturday, March 5, 2011. We look forward to what God is going to do and value your prayers and financial support. For more information about this trip please contact Tim Bodkin at 763-536-3222.

Safely Home

2010-03-14T16:52:00.005-05:00

We arrived home safely late last night after uneventful and only slightly delayed flights. It was a long day of travel, we hadn't planned on the clocks going forward today, but I think most of us still made it to church this morning!

As always it was another amazing trip. We are so privileged to be able to serve in this way. We are grateful to the staff of Kids Alive for making this such a great experience for us - to Corbey & Janie, Doug & Sara, Carlos & Nancy, Melanie and Patricia we say thank you and we pray that God will continue to bless you and the ministry at the Oasis and in Zapote.

Lord willing we plan to return to Guatemala next year and continue to support the work there - even though the majority of the construction work is now complete the financial support, encouragement to the staff, interaction with the girls, the development of the ministry into the surrounding community and the ongoing sponsorship programs will continue well into the future.

Thank you for your prayers and thoughts for us while we were in Guatemala and to all who supported us financially we are grateful more than words can express.

We look forward to sharing more of our experiences with you soon.

Serving in the name of Jesus Christ,

The 2010 NHC Guatemala Service Team

Tim B, Kyle, Dave M, Neil, Pete, Randy,

Tim O, Dave C, Josh, Mark, Greg & Kory

Real men are not afraid to cry!

2010-03-13T10:00:00.002-06:00

Saturday morning came around way too quickly and it was time to say our good byes. This is an emotional time as it is always hard to leave the girls. This year our relationships with the girls have been particularly close - there were a number of reasons for this: firstly going back to the Oasis for several years many of the girls recognize faces and even remember names, secondly the party/BBQ we had on Sunday really helped to get things off to a great start, this year we also ate with the girls each day in the dining room, we also benefited from the fact that there have not been many teams visiting the Oasis this past year (actually we were the first in 2010) and finally we simply made more time to hang out with them and get to know them instead of just working all the time. This slightly different focus was definitely of benefit to the girls who desperately need Godly male father figures and a blessing to us guys. So after a week of eating together, exchanging photos, hugs, soccer, basketball, laughs, gifts and hand written notes, saying good bye was harder than ever. Many tears were shed (mainly by the guys, not the girls) and we once again left the Oasis thinking only about when we would be able to return.

Final day of construction

2010-03-12T22:20:00.002-06:00

After a little too much fun on Thursday it was time to get back to some serious work. With all hands on deck we managed to complete all the electrical work in the apartments and house #6. The sheetrock and most of the painting was also completed and all the ceiling grids were done along with some of the tiles as well. The "door guys" (Kory & Mark) did a great job installing doors in house #6 - these are not the pre-hung kind, you understand.....this is doors from scratch! So by the end of the day we felt like we had achieved what we set out to do. In the evening we treated the staff at the Oasis to a meal out at the Hotel Santa Domingo in Antigua. It was a wonderful time to encourage them, reflect on the week and hear more about their heart and vision for the work in Guatemala.

Thursday at the Oasis

2010-03-11T21:21:00.004-06:00

Today we got back to work after a great night out in Antigua. We installed more doors, ran wire for the lights, and are ready to install the ceiling panels in house #6. We are also finishing the sanding for house #4 which is ready for paint. It is amazing to see 12 guys take multiple projects, and work together to achieve so much in a short amount of time. Having worked in construction for many years usually when you put that many guys together in a small room doing so much it can usually get ugly. It has been a joy to work with and be around these gentleman. Three of the staff here at the Oasis have had birthdays this week. So today we celebrated them all with cake made by Kyle Biggar. At lunch we sang "Happy Birthday" to them and also had some fireworks. The guys then sang "How Great Thou Art" for the girls and the staff - it was a big hit! After lunch we got back to work, but it didn't last long as the girls continued the celebrations by bringing out some Pinatas. It was a lot of fun watching the girls take their swings at them. We also handed out t-shirts to the girls that were donated to us. It was fun seeing them all wearing tie-die shirts. Late this afternoon nine of us went to visit the town of Chicaman. We took toothpaste and toothbrushes to hand out. We also had some candy to go along with them. As we started our walk up the hill we ran into the pastor of the town. Tim Oberg was showing him some magazines, and then showed him one with a picture of his church in it. He was very excited to see the picture so Tim gave him the magazine. Right after that we ran into the mother who had lost three girls last year. We told her we were praying for her and showed sympathy for her and her family. It was a very sombre moment for all of us. After that we continued up the hill and by the time we got to the top we had a good size crowd of kids following us. We took a lot of pictures, handed out the goodies and played some games with the locals. We also handed out some small booklets to the kids in Spanish with short stories about Jesus, and his love for them. It is so wonderful to see how God is working in the people of Guatemala and the love they have for Him, especially the girls here at the Oasis. We are looking forward to our final day of construction (it has gone by very fast) and helping them finish house #6. It has been great to see the progress in just one year, and the plans they have for the future. This is a safe and loving place for the girls.

Visit to Zapote

2010-03-10T22:00:00.003-06:00

Wednesday was a great day! We left the Oasis early in the morning and headed out to Zapote. This journey involves driving over the mountains and through 4 rivers in the pickup trucks - always an interesting experience. We put some lights in at the school there and ate lunch with the kids. It is amazing to see about 100 kids being educated, fed and taught the Word of God in a place where just a few years ago there was no school and no hope. In the afternoon we took a little time out for ourselves, visited a coffee farm, did some shopping and then ate out in Antigua. It was a long day but great to see how God is working in the village of Zapote and experience a little more of the beautiful Guatemalan culture.

Tuesday Video Update

2010-03-09T18:43:00.002-06:00

First day of construction

2010-03-08T19:38:00.007-06:00

Our first day of construction went well. We got a good start on some dry wall finishing, putting in some drop ceilings, some electrical work, installing some doors and painting. As usual we spent a good deal of time at the beginning of the day trying to find the right supplies, tools and plans before we could really get going! As if a full day of construction was not enough we foolishly agreed to another game of soccer with the girls - we are really starting to feel it now and they ran circles around us this time. One of the highlights of the day was eating lunch with all the girls in the dining room. It was so cool to walk in and see many of them had already saved seats for their favorite "gringo". Having the party on the first day really gave us a great chance to get to know the girls quickly and as a result the relationships have already been a lot closer than in previous years. We are really feeling your prayers and thank you for them, it is such a blessing to be down here again - we praise God for the privilege of serving.

P.S. Make sure you checkout Sunday's video update!

Sunday Video Update

2010-03-08T06:58:00.003-06:00

Sunday at the Oasis

2010-03-07T21:12:00.003-06:00

We had decided before we came that we wanted to have a "party" for the girls, so this was our opportunity! After church we got back to the Oasis and quickly jumped into getting lunch prepared for all of the girls, tias, and most of the staff, and of course the team too! Sara Johnson, Kyle and Randy were in the kitchen with several of the girls cutting up cabbage and pineapple to make "Minnesota" coleslaw...it was a bit "chunky" but delicious! Mark Chapman was the "grillmaster"...cooking up burgers and dogs. We had chips and KoolAid too! The girls really can pack it away so we were praying "fish and loaves"...but we had enough. After lunch the girls had prepared a program for us...and gift to us to thank the team for coming. They sang a few worship songs for us and then two of the girls gave their testimonies, Katy and Maria Christina...oh man, I don't think their was one of us who was not touched very deeply. Hearing these young ladies pour out their hearts and tears was very heart wrenching. We then surprised the girls with ice cream, photo albums, gift bags and some candy. It was such a blessing to see these girls so happy and having fun. The afternoon activities came to an end with our annual soccer game. I think the old men held their own this year. We are once again tired and ready for a good nights sleep. Tomorrow brings the first day of work for us. We will be painting, installing doors, doing electrical work and anything else that the Lord brings us to do.

Sunday morning at Galilea

2010-03-07T13:32:00.000-06:00

This morning we enjoyed a sweet time of worship at Galilea church which included a time of communion and a powerful message from a visiting pastor on unity. Now back at the Oasis the grill is fired up and the hot dogs are cooking - it's time for fiesta, before we begin the hard work!

Arrived Safely

2010-03-06T21:51:00.001-06:00

All travel arrangements went smoothly and we arrived safely at the Oasis at around 4pm Saturday afternoon. It is good to be back and be greeted by the happy smiling faces of the girls here. After a quick orientation from our host - Carlos, we went into Antigua for a quick bite to eat at the Sky Cafe. We are now heading to bed to hopefully get a good nights sleep - although we can already hear the dogs and the roosters!

Getting ready to leave

2010-03-05T09:52:00.000-06:00

Thank you for all the wonderful items that were donated - we filled 10 bags on Tuesday night with construction supplies, school supplies, toothbrushes and toothpaste, bedding, toys, shoes and clothes. These things will be a great blessing to the staff and girls at the Oasis.

We leave from New Hope Church at 4 am Saturday morning and Lord willing arrive safely in Guatemala City at around 2 pm on Saturday afternoon. We are excited to be reunited with our friends in Guatemala and look forward to seeing how God will use us again this year.

Google Earth Pictures

2010-03-02T10:27:00.001-06:00

Checkout these pictures from Google Earth to see how the Oasis has developed over the years!

New Hope Church first sent a team in February 2004 - we have been every year since, except for 2007.

May 2009

August 2008

February 2008

October 2005

May 2003

Prayer Commissioning

2010-02-19T15:31:00.000-06:00

Join us this Sunday, February 21 for our prayer commissioning at all three services!

Fund raising continues to progress well - we have now exceeded our goal so will be able to take some additional supplies with us, as well as gifts for the girls, Kids Alive and the church in San Lucas.

We are excited at the prospect of returning to the Oasis and look forward to the new challenge this year of working at a school in the remote village of Zapote.

Thank you for continuing to keep the team in your prayers for the next couple of weeks as we prepare to leave. See the post on right side of this page for general prayer requests.

Financial Support Goal Reached

2010-02-03T09:01:00.000-06:00

Our financial support goal for this year is $19,800. As of today our total amount raised is $19,832 - praise God! Any additional money raised will be used to buy supplies for the people in Guatemala and enable us to give a gift to the church out there. Thank you to everyone that has financially supported our team this year!

New Team Picture

2010-02-01T11:00:00.000-06:00

Here is our team of 12 guys for Guatemala 2010.
Top row left to right: Dave C, Randy, Kory, Greg, Dave M and Kyle.
Bottom row left to right: Neil, Pete, Tim O, Mark, Josh and Tim B.

First Team Meeting for Guatemala 2010

2009-11-04T08:54:00.000-06:00

Last night we began our preparations for our 2010 trip! We have paid our deposit to Kids Alive and have booked our flights and are now beginning the fund raising process. We are praying for another great trip and are thankful for the opportunity to serve again at the Oasis.

If you are interested in supporting the team this year please contact Tim Bodkin at 763-536-3222.

To view videos click here and then click on "Full Documentary DVD's"

Safely Home

2009-03-17T15:18:00.000-05:00

We arrived home safely yesterday evening as planned. Thank you for your prayers and financial support. It was an incredible trip, God answered all our prayers and blessed us beyond our expectations! We are grateful to have been able to serve in this way and are humbled and privileged to have been sent by New Hope Church. We give all praise and glory to God for what we accomplished, for what we learned and for drawing us closer to Him, closer to each other and closer to the wonderful people of Guatemala and the staff of Kids Alive. If you would like any more information about this trip please contact Tim Bodkin.

Heading Home...Final Thoughts

2009-03-16T09:12:00.000-05:00

Well, the trip is coming to a close and we are preparing ourselves to head to the airport to return to Mpls. this evening. It will be a long day of travel, but, God willing, we will return to the Mpls. airport around 10:00pm.

How do we recap this week in a few short words?

God has been so very faithful in so many ways. We have surely felt the countless prayers by our faithful friends back home and have encountered God here at the Oasis. God has melted our hearts towards his children here and we have been blessed by their smiles, hugs and friendly Guatemalan giggles.

The times we have spent as a group of men praying and sharing has been tremendous. We have found ourselves crying out to God, and weeping as we have lifted up the needs of Guatemala, the children here at the Oasis and for the needs of our families back at home. God has brought us all close together as a team and as brothers in Christ. Friendships have been made and others strengthened. God has definitely answered the prayers of His people for a bonded team.

Our work here at the Oasis is finished for the time, and we see some of the fruits of our labor in the various projects we accomplished, but the greater fruits will be in the lives of the girls here at the Oasis and what God has in store for them as they continue to grow in Him. We came here to serve with our hands and hearts, but we all agree that we have blessed so much as well.

Thank you for your prayers and thoughts for us while we have been here. We look forward to sharing our experiences with you when we return...

Serving in the name of Jesus Christ,

The 2009 NHC Guatemala Work Team

Worship, volcano and playing with the girls

2009-03-15T21:52:00.000-05:00

We had a great last full day here in Guatemala. We started our day worshiping with the local residents of San Lucas at the Galilea Church. The worship included many worship songs that are heard at NHC, only with very unfamiliar words. That being said, the worship was beautiful and reminded me that God has no boundaries - He is the God of the entire universe. We also had the opportunity to share the Lord’s table with the Galilean church, and hear a wonderful (and not just because it was interpreted) message on Jesus’ discussion with his disciples on the road to Emmaus.

After church, the group split up into two groups, one group took the opportunity to climb an active volcano, while another group remained at The Oasis for a bit of time with the girls playing games, rough-housing, and having an ice cream party. It amazes me how much patience these small girls have had with us “gringos” when it comes to our inability to speak Spanish. They have been much better teachers for us, than we have been students for them. The toughest part of the day was when it was time to say goodnight, and ultimately not knowing if we’ll see them before we leave for home tomorrow, possibly good bye. There were many hugs, tears, “I love you’s” and “Jesus loves you” – both in Spanish and in English.

Lake Atitlan, Panajachel, Santiago & Zipline

2009-03-14T22:06:00.000-05:00

This morning we woke up to some clouds to start our day. As we started off to meet the people of Santiago we were greeted with lots of smiles. The town was very busy with work, and vendors setting up for the day. Many of the people we met talked of their love for Jesus. At one point while walking, we came across 23 men mixing concrete on the ground. With 2 ladders, and several buckets they would fill the buckets up, and pass them up the ladders two stories high. Seeing this, John Slama jumped in line, and helped pass up buckets of mud. All of the workers were laughing, and had a good time with his willingness to help.

When we left to return to the Oasis, we stopped in Panajachel to experience the zip line. They strap a climbing harness around you with a pulley system. Then you take a long walk up the side of the mountain, and slide down hanging from a steel cable. It was the experience of a lifetime!

As we headed back on the road, we had a little trouble with one of the vehicles. When you have 15 guys on the road in a different country you tend to get a lot of people staring at you. As we waited for the tow truck, one of their buses (also called a chicken bus) broke down as it passed us. The sound of tire blowing was like a shotgun. So now we have 2 vehicles broke down. That is when the police arrived. After talking with them while one of the officers was carrying a machine gun, they left us to wait for the tow truck.

We arrived back late, but with all we encountered it was a very joyous day we spent sharing in Gods grace.

Some Rest & Relaxation

2009-03-14T09:47:00.000-05:00

We are blessed to be able to spend some time today resting and enjoying some of the wonderful sights, smells and sounds of Guatemala. We had a sweet devotion time last night sharing some of the ways we have seen God work this week and how we have all been blessed by this experience. Thanks for your prayers as we travel the interesting roads of Guatemala!

Finishing Construction

2009-03-13T10:17:00.000-05:00

Well, today is our last day of construction - most guys were up by 6:30 a.m. to complete their projects. We have had a slight change of plan and will be heading out to the lake today. We will be staying at lake Atitlan Friday night, and heading back to the Oasis on Saturday afternoon / evening. We have successfully completed all the projects we were assigned and more! We have worked hard and are looking forward to a couple of days to rest and reflect on this past week. We have experienced many new things, been touched by the girls and the people of Guatemala and seen God work in many ways.

Some thoughts about contentment

2009-03-12T19:15:00.000-05:00

I’m very thankful for being surrounded by Godly men who exhibit so many of the godly traits that I am weak in and strive for. I’m being made aware from the Lord how much I have and take for granted and how much He needs me acknowledge that the only things that matter at all are things that are done for His Glory and for His purpose. I’m being shown that these Guatemalan people have a very unique contentedness with their lives and that is something that I want and need more of. They find enjoyment in the most “Non-American” simple things, like just playing with sticks or flowers, running and laughing with friends, hugging big, stinky strangers from foreign countries, or just lying around. I need to find solace in just being quiet and allowing myself to meditate on the Lord or just let myself be calm and listen to the world. They don’t have hardly anything in terms of earthly assets at all but seem to have contentment with the small amount of things they have. WOW, that’s a lifelong project to work on…but it seems more palatable to start working on prioritizing life’s real and core necessities here in Guatemala. They seem to just be OK with where they happen to be in life-not necessarily striving for things that are not available to them. My prayer is that God change my heart to become a man that is not striving for things that are not of his kingdom, but instead develop a heart of contentment that finds adequacy and joy in the simple act of worshipping my Lord and humbly accepting the most important gifts that He has placed in my life, MY RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM, FAMILY, HEALTH, FRIENDS, and take care of and share the small amount of things that He has entrusted to me and my family.

Zapote Day Care Center

2009-03-11T14:32:00.000-05:00

Today we were gifted to visit the town of Zapote. We began our journey in our van for an hour and then transferred into four-wheel drive pickups to traverse the rough terrain and four river crossings. This area of Guatemala’s country side is quite rural as we only saw people upon occasion as they also traveled this rough road. We were struck by the local people's incredible capacity to work this land. We saw some fixing the roads or carrying huge bundles of wood. Each one on their local journey…

As we arrived at the school we were greeted by cheers of gringo, gringo’s from behind the gates. Every sweet child was smiling and cheering. What a reception… We proceeded to inside the school grounds and were greeted with hugs and playful balls bouncing around. We saw two groups of about 40 kids and had a blast working through a craft with them about how God created the world in seven days. They sat intent waiting on our every word. What a joy to spend time with these precious kids. We left handing out some candy and then tossed some we had left to the kids along the way back to the Oasis.

Our day continued with more work till around 7pm and then a hot meal of chicken, salad and rice. God is truly at work here not only with these kids but genuinely in each of us.

Lunch with girls, soccer and Gabrielson testimony

2009-03-10T19:57:00.000-05:00

Many things were accomplished on the Green house today including one of the stairways, the metal stud walls, electrical boxes and the PVC tubing and finally the new soccer goal posts were finished. No sooner than the goal posts were set up did the girls come running out to challenge the New Hope men to play soccer. Need I say that the Oasis girls creamed the men?

One highlight today was dividing up into small groups and being invited over to one of the homes the girls lived in for lunch. The girls had fun looking at our family pictures and we enjoyed learning about their favorite school subjects, sports, and favorite bible story.

After dinner we watched a 3 minute video by Pastor John Piper on why the health, wealth and prosperity gospel is wrong and how in the throes of suffering great loss we can rely on God for strength and support and that God will see us through what ever difficult times we may go through in this life. It is often in the face of great loss that God draws us close to Him. Our God is a big picture person who understands all that we go through. Unknown to me at the time I sensed God calling me to sign up for this missions trip there was a girl in this orphanage that resembles our daughter Maria. Tim Bodkin called me over to share that with me the night the men gathered for prayer. When I arrived I was amazed how much alike this girl was from her looks, to her giggles, and to her determination to overcome her leg disability. I was equally amazed that her name was Maria. This Maria became disabled from some unknown accident. The director told me that she is very determined to learn to walk and that there is a possibility of her having surgery in South Carolina in the future. It is really amazing how God orchestrates the events in our lives and in my case brought me down to Guatemala and used this Maria to help me in the grieving process. Our God is indeed an awesome God!

Todd Gabrielson

First Day of Construction

2009-03-09T21:01:00.000-05:00

Today we successfully completed a roofing project and an electrical wiring project. We are also underway with building 2 outdoor staircases, spraying soccer goals and some cabinets. The weather is beautiful (70 degrees and sunny), the guys are getting along great and God is knitting us together as a team. It was a hard day, we are all tired, but we are having a lot of laughs and it is a joy seeing the girls around the Oasis. We praise God for safety and for the blessing of being able to serve in this way.

Worship and Antigua

2009-03-08T22:03:00.000-05:00

Today was a new experience for the entire team as we attended worship at the Fraternidad Christiana de Guatemala, the largest evangelical church in Central America rather than the local church in San Lucas (we'll be going there next Sunday). It was a warm, friendly body of believers and the service was very meaningful to each of us. Through our personal team interpreter from the church, we heard a message of how important it is that our children see Christ in us in the way we relate to our spouses, our friends and our children as well. We need to walk the walk, not just talk the talk. As we are away from our families, this was a great message for our team to talk about during our evening devotional time. The experience also allowed us to reflect on the greatness of God and how He is the God of all humanity.

This afternoon we made a trip into Antigua, a town not too far from the Oasis. Quite a traffic jam ensued as we got stuck in a local religious parade. They happen quite often, especially during the Lenten season. It commemorates the crucifixion of Christ, so it was much like a funeral procession. Literally thousands of people participate with most of the men wearing purple robes and paying to help carry massive floats on their shoulders as penance for their sins. The team felt it was quite dark though and was at the other end of the spectrum from the grace we experienced at church this morning.

We ended our trip to Antigua spending some time shopping in the local market and had dinner at a local restaurant. Tomorrow we start construction in earnest and look forward to what God has in store for us.

Safe Arrival

2009-03-07T18:30:00.000-06:00

The team left church at 4 a.m and has now arrived safely at the Oasis! Flights were all on time and relatively smooth, all our luggage arrived in tact. We are settling in, playing a little bit of "football" (soccer) with the girls, eating dinner and then getting to bed......it's been a long day.

Testimony from Greg Stoesz

2009-03-02T21:29:00.000-06:00

“Be still, and know that I am God” Psalm 46:10

My journey started one Sunday sitting at Church when I saw a note that people were needed to go to Guatemala. I have never been on an international mission trip and a lot of feelings and thoughts were bouncing around in my head. I wanted to go, should I go? Was God calling me to go? Was my own desire to go getting in the way of what God wanted? Could I afford to go? How in the world would I raise that kind of money to go? In a very short period of time God would answer all of my questions and calm all of my fears.

This was all new territory for me - I felt God’s gentle nudging but was allowing my own fears to get in the way. This was a big undertaking and the weight of this decision I took with great care and responsibility. After meeting with Tim Bodkin and signing up to go I felt great relief and a sense of doing what God had planned for me. This is where God really showed me that he was pleased. I started making a mental list of whom I would send support letters to, and I also told a few people that I was going. The following Saturday in my men's Bible study a friend of mine handed me a check to start the fund raising. To be honest, I didn’t have this person on the mental list and was blown away by this donation. In one minute, God had completely removed the biggest hurdle that I thought I had. I was 1/3rd of the way to my goal and I hadn’t sent out a single support letter, praise God! Here I sat, in complete awe and humility. Over the next 2 months he has continued to amaze me and provide for this trip. I can’t wait to see what he has planned once we set foot in Guatemala.

Please keep praying for our team, we have a lot of traveling to do before we can get down to the hard work.

Greg Stoesz

The Oasis

2009-02-18T09:48:00.000-06:00

We will be involved in construction work at the Oasis home for girls. We are excited to see how God will use us and are privileged to be able serve in this way.

The Team

2009-02-18T09:26:00.000-06:00

The 2009 Guatemala Service Team from New Hope Church, MN will be serving March 7 - 16 with Kids Alive in San Lucas, Guatemala. The 15 team members from top left are: Todd Gabrielson, Dave Mikkelson, Jack Simmer, John Slama, Mark Chapman, Dave Carlson, Tim Bodkin, Greg Stoesz, Neil Johnson, Pete Jensen, Doug Dahl, Tim Oberg, Josh Bodkin, Kyle Biggar & Kory Kohler.

Thank you for your prayers and financial support. We praise God for providing the funding for this trip and give Him all the glory!