Guatemala Mission Trip-w/BPC

       In November, Josiah and I will be heading to Guatemala in partnership with Living Waters For The World and Global CHE  (Community Health Enterprises) to serve at a local orphanage in Cantel.  Together, with a team of adults and two teenage girls (that I have had the blessing of walking alongside), we will be installing a clean water system, as well as encouraging the children and their caretakers with the love of Christ-through crafts, games, and music.  There will be medical professionals on the team as well providing care to the communities we are serving.  Many of the team members who are going have been multiple times over the past 20 years and have built deep relationships with the in-country ministry partners there. 

       After leading worship with Josiah and Gigi, at camp Ligonier this summer, I walked onto a path leading back to our cabin and "Guatemala" came into my mind. I suddenly had a strong desire to go.  It really came out of now where.  I knew that Gigi had signed up to go a month or two prior, but I hadn't really considered going, feeling like it wasn't an actual possibility with all that is going on in our lives.  But I offered it back up to the Lord, "If you want me to go, I will go, Lord.  Make it clear."

      When we got back from Ligonier, it was still on my heart so I talked to Matt. He opened up the possibility of Josiah going as well and said he had peace about it.  I reached out to Gene, one of the team leaders, who asked me to share about my desire to go.  I told him what had happened, and that I was just stepping out in faith, to see what the Lord was up to.  He asked me what day it was that I had felt the "nudge" to go and I told him.  Turns out that same day the Lord was putting Guatemala on my heart- Gene had sent an email to the team asking them to pray. He had felt that the team wasn't complete yet, and that the Lord had specific people in mind!  For me (and him) it was confirmation that God was directing our steps and has a purpose in us going, far beyond what we can understand at the moment. 
    
     I’m excited to step out in faith with Josiah, to serve the Lord in a totally different context, to encounter God as we care for His precious people in Guatemala, to become a part of Bay Presbyterian’s long time relationship with Dr. Gomez & CHE and to see where God leads us out of this trip.
        
     Josiah and I got our passports in record time and now need your help in actually getting us there!  Josiah will be babysitting to earn money toward the trip and our family will be working together to raise support, but we cannot do it alone! Our first payment is due September 15th and our final payment is due September 30th.  If you would please consider giving any amount to help us go we would greatly appreciate it.  If you cannot give (or don’t want to) don’t sweat it!  I’m confident that God will provide! Either way please say a prayer for our team as well as the people we will be serving!  Thanks so much!