One of 10 best...

Lake Atitlán has been reported as one of the most beautiful lakes in the world. We agree. Last week we entered the area from the south and caught a new different view that we don't see often.
 

Enjoy some photos taken from other locations.

Come visit and we'll take you.

Enjoy the beauty of God's creation!

And that's a wrap!

This week we took a vision team for a new partnership across Lake Atitlán to Santiago. We have befriended a couple of ladies over the past couple of years and have posted photos of them on our blog. One of them is a widow of many years. She makes trickets to sell in order to live. We saw them at the park and then later they arrived at the portico of te church where we usually visit with them. Since then lady did not have her hair properly attired I was able to video as she wrapped her hair in the traditional hair attire. As you watch, pray that she will come to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Night View of Fuego

With the addition of the photo of Volcán Fuego below, you can understand a little more why we are constanly watching it.  The photo was taken in the evening of June 8th by MundoChapin.com.  It is quite a display of smoke, fire, and swift flowing lava.  No wonder the mountainside is changing!

Foto enviada por Rocio Caxaj quien comento: "volcan de Fuego el 8 de junio"

MundoChapin.com

Changes in Fuego

Fuego, one of our close volcanes, has been spitting quite a bit since we have been back in Guatemala.  Fuego is closer to us now than when we lived in Chimaltenango.  Even though we can't see it from our house, as we travel down the road to our house we can watch her spew.  Sunday we were even a little late to church as we turned back around to watch it fill the sky with black puffs.

Monday, we traveled down south for a meeting about a possible partnership and we drove "right between" Volcán Agua on our left and Volcánes Acotenengo and Fuego on our right.  And Fuego didn't disappoint.  She put on quite a display.  I must admit that Sunday's display was more facsinating but I didn't have my camera with us.

As we drove beside her on Monday, we were amazed at the changes in the terrain.

This photo was taken in November 2010

and this one was yesterday.

This one in 2010 was taken from the back side of the volcano,

and then this one was taken yesterday.

Note how the mountainside is cleared of vegetation on left side as well.

Note the difference of the "fingers" at the bottom - they are much wider and more pronounced.

The lava flow is much wider as it goes down the mountainside.

We were visiting an area for a possible partnership and saw all these large rocks.

(There were many more and larger rocks that are not photographed; 

that was not the purpose for this photo.) 

I asked the pastor if they were volcanic and he said yes.  

This place is miles and miles away from the volcano.

I can't imagine what it must have been like when the volcano (probably Acotenengo) belched them them into the air and the force with which they flew to land so far away from its crater.

Though the sun wasn't shining as brillantly yesterday as it was in November 2010,

the beauty is still amazing.

The power and majesty of our God is overwhelming.

The beauty of our portion of His world causes me to fall in adoration of His creation.

What happened?!

No, we really haven't had an alien invasion.  No, we haven't fallen off the edge of the earth.  I really can't give a reason...I have just neglected to post.  How does that happen anyway?  As I look back through the blogs this is absolutely the longest I have ever gone without posting and the sad thing is, I have no excuse.  Well, enough apologies...on to other things.

A couple very eventful things happened the end of April. Our dear missionary friends, David ad Regina White, welcomed their newest little one Benjamin Miller White into the world. We were able to spend a little time with them throughout the month and this momma's heart was delighted to hold and love on him and his older brother Cruz. 

Then this momma's heart was really excited when her own baby (age is relative to a momma) got to visit for 9 days. 

We enjoyed time just being together with Miriam.  We attended an associational meeeting down in the southern part of the country where David shared our work. 

It was a delight to worship together with our brothers and sisters and we look forward to working with churches in this association to plant churches in unreached areas. How Great Thou Art is beautiful in any language...¡Cuan Grande es El!

We so much enjoyed our time together.  We did not travel many places - just to this overnight trip - but were just together.  Isn't that the best family time?  Though we did visit some of our favorite places here in Antigua.

Casa Santa Domingo del Cerro

The view from our table at lunch...

and the view around on the grounds...

at Hotel Antigua.

And a most visited place in Antigua, can you guess where?

We were just sad the sun wasn't shining on the volcano this time.

As always, the visits are just too short but we treasure the memories we made.

Since Miriam returned to the states, we have traveled near and far - here in Guatemala and far in Peru.  David was able to attend a meeting of Connectors from Mexico and Central and South America.  It was a wonderful time for them to share ideas and plan for the future.  Our visits here in country are also opening doors and we trust soon to have more partnerships available for churches in the states who are ready to launch into the unreached areas of Guatemala.  Keep praying for doors of opportunities to open.  We know that God is at work, we just want to be "in the way" doing God's will.

We are excited that our first Connecting Partnership team arrives today.  Tomorrow after a dedication service at our church in Chimaltenango connecting Brainerd Baptist Church, Chattanooga, Tennessee and La Iglesia Bautista Canaan, the vision team from Brainerd and Pastor Victoriano and us will head to the east.  Pray that God will make clear the path of launching into La Cumbre de Nearar with the goal of evangelizing, discipling, and equipping believers. Isn't it great to be part of God's plan to reach the world? 

Don't think it can be done?

Recently David took this photo to demonstrate parking dilemmas.

It just doesn't look possible, but, oh, it is.

With only a foot in front and maybe another foot in back,

one can go forward, reverse, turn a little, go forward, reverse,

turn a little, go forward, reverse...

and behold, straighten the wheel and drive away!

Another one of the adventures of driving in a foreign country.  Smile.

Another reason to pray for us as we travel throughout the land.

What it is all about...

When friends visit us we try to take them to places they have not visited before and expose them to new avenues of insight to expand their prayer ministry for Guatemala.  As we traveled with Jim and Patsy in the Chorti area, their eyes were opened to the task in that area of the country, and gave them personal insight into how to pray for us as we travel the roads there in ministry.  After we returned to our home from those days of travel, we decided to focus on closer areas.  We renewed some friendships of theirs and ours with venders in the markets and shops here in Antigua and even enjoyed lunch in a favorite place of all ours from many years in the past, Hotel Antigua.

But Tuesday afternoon, we took a short trip to see the mayan ruins at Iximche outside Tecpan.  We have been there before and have been amazed.  Although much smaller than the ruins in Tikal, they are well worth the view.  We had forgotten that the gates close at 4, so we only had about an hour to walk the area.  According to Wikipedia, Iximche was the home of the Kakchikel who broke alliance with the K'iche' and founded their own center in Iximche in 1491.  It survived wars, human sacrifice, locusts plaque, fire, smallpox, but it could not survive the greed of the Spanish conquisadors in 1524.  I really recommend the reading of the brief history on the Wikipedia site linked above as it gives much insight in the maya world.

As we walked the rear of the ruins, we noticed a family coming up from the woods.  We decided to explore a little more, thinking it might be a picnic area.  However, instead we understood more fully just why we are "on mission in Guatemala." 

This sign says, "Ceremonial area - no climbing the temple."

Yes, it was a mayan temple and the family had been there to make sacrifices.

Here you can see the candles, the flowers, and the food and fruit offerings on the altars.

This is an up close photo of one of the altars with rose petals and pine needles scattered around.

In front of the altars and encircling the entire temple were rings with burning fires in the center.

 A fire burning in one of the circles included pine branches, flowers and something else.

As we approached the temple, we saw several dogs atop the altars eating the food/fruit offerings.

They even were scratching in some of the burning circles;

evidently the "something else" was some type of food.

As we stood here, my heart was broken for those who walk in darkness.

So many generations have been deceived and do not know the love of the Father.

Their sins separate them from the One True God and thus they try

to appease His justice by useless sacrifices.

But these burning sacrifices attest to the fact that once in their history

they knew they were guilty sinners and sacrifice must be made for their sins.

Yet, however many sacrifices any man tries to make to satisfy the justice of Almighty God 

will never bring peace and forgiveness of sins.

Jesus, God's only Son, paid the sacrifice for all sins for all mankind.

 That eternal forgiveness can only be received through faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.

So why are we "on mission in Guatemela?"

We are here to share the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ with those

who have not heard,

 who do not know,

who have never received the forgiveness of sins.

After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude, which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands; and they cry out with a loud voice, saying, "Salvation to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb."

Revelation 7:9

 I trust that this post will challenge your prayer ministry.

Pray the lost peoples of Guatemala and around the world

will have the opportunity to hear and receive forgiveness of sins through Jesus alone.

Ride alongside us for awhile...

Just had to post a video so you can enjoy the ride alongside us.  Remember that Patsy had prayed for an adventure, well, she certainly got one as we rode some of our more "interesting" roads in the Chorti area.

She said that she knows better how to pray for us now.

So instead of praying for us once a day, she's moved it up to at least twice a day.

When we ask for your prayer covering for us as we travel, we are comforted knowing that you are holding us up to the Father for His protection over our car and us.  Indeed we would not know how to tell anyone to reach us if they have not traveled in this area but He surrounds us with His angels giving us peace as we travel by faith in His covering.



Remember to call our names to Him...we depend upon it!

Time is passing...

and we have already had to two trips to the Chorti area in the east.  We have a medical team arriving February 11 to work with our church in Chimaltenango in some new Chorti areas.  Since we needed to make hotel and restaurant reservations for the large group (there will be 27 for the team, translators and drivers) we took a little trip to settle those plans.  While there we were able to visit with David and Regina White and little Cruz.  They have recently moved to Camotan to begin working among the Chorti. We were so excited to spend some time with them and get a little lovin'

Check out their blog and pray for them as they begin the task among the Chorti.

Then Thursday, long time friends Jim and Patsy Brannock, arrived for a visit.  They are dear friends who first came to Guatemala with David in 1991 and have continued coming at least once a year ever since working throughout the country.  But they had never visited or ministered in the Chorti area, so off we went to catch the vision to share with their home church as they pray about becoming partners. 

The whole earth is filled with His glory! 

When we travel in this area, we are amazed at its beauty. 

It is so different from the lush green of our area

but still is such a gorgeous place, resplendant with His majesty.

Patsy said that she had prayed that God would give them an adventure this time,

something they had not experienced in the past.  

As we road these roads, she knew that God had answered her prayers.

 

We were reminded that even the rocks will cry out that He alone is God!

Continue to pray with us for Guatemalan churches who will accept the call to reach the Chorti for Christ. 

We have many US churches ready to partner but we need the Guatemalan ones who will lead the way.

Pray with us that God would lead us to the right ones ready to lauch out into the deep.

And off we went...

The white outline is the country of Guatemala and the pink lines are the areas where we have traveled these past two years. As you can tell, much time has been spent on the road. It makes us remember the part of our job description…”A couple that likes to travel; that likes to travel together.”

Indeed we have traveled, but as we have, God has continually opened our eyes and hearts for the great need within Guatemala. We will travel back to some of these areas with the purpose to plant growing reproducing churches in areas with little or no light of the Gospel of Truth.

Begin praying with us now:

1. For a united strategy of purposefully planting growing reproducing churches throughout Guatemala.

2. For Guatemalan pastors and churches to have a heart to reach their own country with the Gospel of Truth and ultimately the world.

3. For the salvation of people.

4. For the raising up of men to be leaders and pastors in these new works.

Long time friends...

Long time friends are those special folks you have known for a long time and with whom when you see them again, you begin right where you left…almost in the middle of the last conversation. 

Well, long time friends, Jim and Patsy came to visit us again this February.  But this year they traveled alongside us up the Rio Dulce to Livingston to gather information on the Guatemalan Garifuna. 

The views on the Rio Dulce are so pretty at sunset.

The water taxis like to go back up river for folks to see the old Spanish Fort Felipe.

Herons, by the thousands, live on the river.  

This young girl wants us to buy her shells, note that large starfish in her boat.

The bevy of boats...

Young boys net fishing...

Sea gulls, by the thousands, live around Livingston.

We watched as these men put down their nets and then circled back to gather their catch. 

Obviously it was quite a heavy load.

These were hoping there would be some left for their dinner as well.

These folks were hoping for some of that dinner too.