Our Journal: Moving on…Our 3rd Country...We are in Malacatan, Guatemala!!

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Sunday (6/10) We worked on cakes again! Of course, Salvador had us in class again. He talked to us about marriage and made comparisons about our relationship with Christ. He reinforced what we had learned earlier about 3 types of love...phyisical (Eros), brotherly (Philos), and godly (Agape)...a marriage needs all three of these.

Sunday afternoon we went to the river to celebrate Frida's birthday, but she and her family didn't go because it was raining...they stayed out at the ranch. We were sad that she wasn't there, but we hung out for a bit at the river anyway!

Sunday night, Taly wanted to read the Bible with all of us together. We had an awesome time of worship...reading and discussing. Then we prayed together...let me tell you about how the Holy Spirit refreshed us all. We didn't go to bed until 2:30, but none of us even realized it was that late! Calin (Esther's brother and Frida, Karla, & Juan Carlos's dad) was there as well...he stayed the night instead of going back to the ranch because he wanted to pray and study God's Word too! I felt like we should pray for him too, but the door didn't open that night.

Monday (6/11) We worked on cakes again! We also went with Samy to deliver them to the other stores in Arriaga and Tonalá.

Monday evening we finally got to celebrate Frida's birthday! The kids were really pumped up! We all sang...because those who don't sing, don't get cake! Then we had cake and then played with the cards that we gave Frida for her birthday. We taught the kids to play Old Maid and War. (in addition to Spoons that we taught them earlier) It was tons of fun!!

Tuesday (6/12) No cakes today...Chris and I thought we were leaving today, but the Lord had other plans. There wasn't a lot of work, so the family decided that we should all go out to Calin's ranch. Right as we were all about to load up, I felt like I was going to be sick on my stomach. Then I could hardly walk...the family was really worried, so they made me go to the doctor...my blood pressure was really low 70/40...I don't know what that means, but I don't think it's supposed to be like that. The doctor was nice, but not Dra. Dulce! He gave me some vitamins to help with the issue. When I got back to the house, I did get sick. I almost immediately felt better.

Esther, Chris and I started talking, and we realized that it was spiritual warfare. (Salvador was feeling really sick too, but with allergies.) Frida really wanted us to go to the ranch to pray for her parents. They are really struggling in their marriage and in their relationship with Frida as well. So we decided that we would go out to the ranch.

It ended up being a special time of sharing...we sang together and prayed together! Praise God for victory!

Wednesday (6/13)

We knew it was time to go...so we worked on cakes one more day. They were trying out a new recipe for the cake and icing. The icing was a little runny, so Salvador thought that he would try toasting it with a blow torch. Not successful, but it was still really tasty (and pretty funny to witness). Then Chris and I went with them once more to Arriaga and Tonalá to deliver cakes. In between Arriaga and Tonalá, we had flat tire. We finally used the leatherman that we brought along with us. And Esther even sold a couple of slices of cake while we waited for the guys to change the tire. From there, Salvador and Esther put us on a bus to go to Tapachula, Chiapas. We were soooo sad to leave them and the family, but we all knew it was time! We look forward to when we can be back with them again!

As we rode the bus, we were hoping that we would find a church...but it was late when we got there. We ended up staying in a hotel.

Thursday (6/14)

Neither of us was 100%, so we decided not to move on...we worked on catching up on e-mail and rested a bit more.

Friday (6/15)

Time to walk...we were about 12 miles from Talisman, and the border Guatemala. We walked about 4 miles before we took a bathroom break at a gas station. While I was waiting for Chris, Betsabe came up. When she came out of the bathroom, she started talking to us. We learned that she is a Christian and a lawyer. She was headed to the border and wanted to give us a ride. We enjoyed chatting with her...she gave us several pointers for our travels in Guatemala...talk about God's perfect timing.

When we crossed into Guatemala, we were both pretty nervous because there were tons of men crowding around offering us their services--taxis, help with our paperwork, buses, money changing...dollars for quetzales (the currency in Guatemala), etc. It was really overwhelming. Thankfully God guided us through quickly!! We walked on!

A couple of miles later, we saw a sign for a church...we turned down the little stone path in hopes that we would find that the had a service. As we walked down the path a ton of people starred at us, but no one really talked to us. We got to the church, but they haven't finished constructing it, so it's wide open. We went in so that we could read and pray. (and have shelter from the rain...we are going to have to continue modifying the schedule of when we walk...early in the morning is looking like the only time...it rains now almost every afternoon.)

After we had been praying for a while, a man came up to us with his machete tucked under his arm. Apparently Eriberto (he would let us take his picture) is part of the community watch, so he was coming to find out exactly what we were up to. As we explained, he relaxed and began to share a little as well. He doesn't go to that church, but he does go to church. He also shared that they've had problems with people coming to their town to rob them or to kidnap their children. So they are very cautious now when outsiders come into their town. After we talked for awhile, Eriberto brought us some food to eat and then went back to his house.

Tons of the kids were out and about...they were very interested in us and what we were doing. So we started talking to them and sharing with them. We played soccer with them and talked to them about Jesus. While we were playing we noticed that Eriberto came out as well. After 30 minutes or so, he told me that he thought that the best idea would be for us to stay at his house. Apparently two of the adults who came out while we were playing are known to be thieves. Eriberto just wanted to protect us. Praise God for watching over us!

We played some more and shared some more with the kids, and then Eriberto introduced us to his neighbor. He and his family gave us corn on the cob to eat. (They grow a lot of corn in this little ranchito.) I've never eaten corn and ketchup before, but it was pretty tasty. The dad also gave us some quetzales (the currency in Guatemala) Praise God for His continued provision as we cross another border!

As it was getting dark, we headed to Eriberto's house. (It's made up of 3 rooms of wall to wall beds. 17 people live in the house...Eriberto & Victoria and 5 of their 7 kids plus Eriberto's sister-in-law and her 9 kids. Apparently Eriberto's brother is working some where else...maybe he's in the US...they didn't talk about it very much.) There's no electricity in the little village, so we sat around and talk to him family by candlelight! We read the Bible together and sang some hymns as well! (Eriberto doesn't know how to read, so the only time he can learn from God's Word is if someone reads it to him...Praise God that the Holy Spirit teaches even those who can't read!)

Saturday (6/16)

We got up and had breakfast with Eriberto and his family. He escorted us (with his machete again) back to the main road to make sure that no one bothered us!

We walked on...at one break we met a teenage girl and her brothers...she was anxious to practice the little bit of English that she knows...it was so sweet. (God used this interaction to calm me fears a bit about being in a new country.) Then we walked on...the view was absolutely beautiful! Two of the tallest volcanoes in Central America were on the horizon in addition to the Sierra Madre that continues to accompany our path. We also crossed a ton of rivers...this one you can see the women washing their clothes!

We kept walking...we could tell we were coming into Malacatán (the next city) but we had no idea where to go. Just then Rony pulled over and asked us if we wanted a ride into downtown. We agreed, and he showed us around a bit. He took us to the bank so we could change some money...you can't spend pesos or dollars in Guatemala. Then he dropped us off at the plaza in the center of town. I was in desperate need of a shower, so we went straight to a hotel. When we were checking in, I asked the lady about a church. She gave us directions for Sunday morning, and we headed to our room.

I was still feeling pretty anxious about being in Guatemala...we've heard a lot of stories about how unsafe it is...but God spoke really strongly to me. The power went out at the hotel on Saturday night. I was starting to get scared...then I remembered where fear and worry come from...the devil! NOT God! So I surrendered my burden again to my Lord...oh, such peace...God still has His mighty hand on us! I realized that Salvador had just spoken a Word from the Lord over us concerning this very feeling I had been having. He told us that some people are called to be martyrs, but that God hadn't called us to that. He reinforced what we already knew by telling us that God would be protecting us on our journey just as He already had! Salvador said that there was a tunnel of angels that we were walking through daily as we journeyed...they would protect us from whatever or whoever who desired to harm us! Praise God! He told us that God was marking a path for something later...revival, mission trips, etc. Praise God for bringing this back to our minds! We serve an awesome God! We're pumped up and ready to walk without fear in Guatemala!!