Guatemala Day 1

So we went to a Mega Church yesterday. The building holds about 8,000 people – It’s huge!!!   

The Front of the Church.

The Church from our van. The parking garage (6 levels) for church parking is on the left. The stairs in the center of this picture are one of 12 entry ways (on all sides of the church). 

Since we are in Guatemala, no surprise but every one speaks Spanish – of which I know little to none.  So we all got the Translation Headsets for the service.  A lot of our headsets didn’t work all that well, but some of them got replaced.  Mine was 70-80% static and 20-30% understandable voice. It was really difficult to try to listen to a soft voice with lots of really loud static going on. And it wasn’t the same all the time, it was like the Headphone’s cord was the antenna.  Every time I bumped it, shifted position or breathed on it, the static got worse and was really hard to get it back to how it was before.  

During the first part of worship (without the headset) God really spoke to me.  He showed me a faint glimpse in the back of my head of His glorious face looking down upon the church smiling.   He was happy with the church congregation.  He opened my mind and showed me angels guarding the singers and musicians on stage.  Then, oh it was glorious, He showed me the entire stage full, packed full, with angels: singing, praising, and worshiping the God of Heaven.  God showed me His love for the people. That their singing, though I could not understand any of it, was true worship.  He showed me how he loves the people of Guatemala, that He is doing mighty works.  He showed me that the world I’m use to is not the Home of the Church; that in places like the House of God we were at today, is where the Church is, where the Great Commission is carried out, where God is! 

After church, we went to a TGIFriday’s for lunch.  Then we went to a market place about an hour away – though still in Guatemala City - and spend a few hours shopping around.  It was really cool.  I spent more than I was planning to on the first day, but so be it.  I also got to participate (involuntarily) in a street performer’s act (I’ll try to post a vide of it later – or it’s on my Facebook page).  We ate at the market place and then came back to Hector and Ruth’s house. 

(Yes that is a volcano a the edge of the market)

Guatemala City (at leas the valley part of it) is in the background.

More Pictures from throughout the day:

The view from where we were staying looking over Guatemala City.

Ruth and Liz

Eating at TJIFriday's

Ruth and Hector 

Jasmine, Rosalie, Brooke, and Ariel

Oto...

Our class as we just arrived at the place where we were going to be shopping.

The market streets. 

Team Picture.

Kids Drone Presentation

So I got the opportunity to give a little give a little drone presentation to some kids today.  I was asked to talk a little about the drone, what it does and how it can be used for spying - then provide a video or two of what it can do/what I've done with it.   The theme this class is in right now is dealing with spies, secret agents, missions, etc... - it's actually pretty cool.  One of the class leaders took these Pictures:

New Zealand's Prime Minister

After getting a reply from Buckingham Palace, I decided to ask a number of World Leaders if the would send me a letter or something with their signature on it to add to my collection of unique letters. Even though I only sent New Zealand's Prime Minister an email, he still sent me this picture of himself with his signature. Another Prize to add to the collection! 

(Sorry for the poor quality pictures)

Missions Trip Prayer Requests

Wow, time has sure flown by. We leave for Guatemala and Honduras in about 60 hours (Saturday morning we leave the church - the plane leaves mid-afternoon).   As we prepare our hearts for this 'adventure' in our lives, we could use all the prayer we can get. Not just before we leave, but also while were there.

I asked the three missionaries we will be with for specific prayers, they are listed below:

Anthony van Engen (Guatemala)

I would say for mentalities to be broken. In particular a poverty mentality and for people to have more of a desire to live. Life here some times has so little value and most people just live for today. Also for greater vision and the desire to see the vision become reality.

And for the 20 kids we have in Casa Espeanza [their kids program]

Hector Aragon (Guatemala)

Traveling mercies and for the ability to communicate the wonderful News Dale Ruttan (Honduras)

We've recently hired 5 new Honduran staff for our Bible classes. Pray for an anointing on these guys as they start this week to teach. Pray for our 10 new public schools that begin these Bible classes this week. Pray for ears to hear His Word and salvations throughout the year.

Pray for our family. My mom in kitchener is currently dying of cancer. We are here. She is there. We would love to be with her in her final days, but this is where God has us at this moment. Pray for peace and comfort as we go through this time.

Pray for daily protection over our team. 

As for our team:

- Safe travels including flights and daily ground transportation to and from ministry sites - Wisdom and strength for our team leaders - Unity and grace as a team ministers cross-culturally - Favor with our hosts, ministry partners, and the communities in which we will be visiting - Physical health of team and national hosts - Effective ministry, partners encouraged, lives touched by the love of God and Gospel advancement in each community - Courage and boldness to use the voices that God gave us when and where He wants them to be used - Anxious thoughts and feelings will be overcome by the understanding that God is there and God has a plan - That everyone we come in contact with, everyone we interact with will see God's love in us: in the people we sit next to on the plane; bus drivers; street vendors; kids; leaders; people at the Airports; etc... - That God's hand of protection would be over us and the mission areas we are at. - Border crossings would go well, and smooth - Most of all, in everything we do, that is done or that will be done, that God's name will be glorified!

Guatemala

Getting Ready for Guatemala and Honduras.  I was unable to find any Exchange that Honduras currency on hand, so I just got some American cash to use there (apparently a lot of shops will use American too).  The Picture below is of the Guatemalan cash I just got for the trip.  

So excited!! We leave this Saturday!  Please keep our class and those who we will be with in your prayers. Thank you.

Market & Coffee

I went to the Market again today. This time I had plenty of time to walk around, and it was fun.  I found a coin shop (which was probably the most fun of all the booths).  I spent $4.50 (CAD) on 3 $1 Canadian Dollar coins.  All 3 are 1982 coins, and they are not Loonies (Canadian $1 coins).   The Loonie first came out in 1987 (I just found this out today).  I though that it was pretty cool - since I have never seen them before.  They are a silver-color and are larger than even the Toonie (Canadian $2 coin).  To me, they were worth it, even if I end up using them as only $1 coins.

I also tried another coffee.  It wasn't great, but it was good enough that I went back for a second one.  There is a possibility that I might be getting into coffee.  It's not something that I want to have everyday, but I wouldn't mind having every now and then. We'll see...

Life Goal Accomplished

I Finally have been able to accomplish another one of my Lifetime goals!!! That is, to make a life-size snow creation like that of what Calvin & Hobbes would make.

I spent the last few hours of daylight today making this fun creation!   It is soooo much fun to play out in the snow again!!!  I got lucky that I was able to catch the snow at such a good time: perfect packing snow, 3-4 inches of snow in most places, and good weather.  It's suppose to warm up tomorrow so I don't think this "meeting" will last long - but it was worth it!  I would of loved, though, to have a few more hours of sunlight - the sun sank way too quickly today.   I was planning on having more than 20 "attendees" at this "meeting," but because of the lack of daylight, only 10 were able to make it. (Thanks to Daniel for taking the pictures)

Another Day of Firsts

Yesterday I finally went to the Farmers Market.  It is the first time I have been to it since coming up here (6 months ago), and I have to say, I don't remember it being so much fun (and so big, bright, and cool - not to mention cheap).   I expect I will be going there more often now.  However I didn't go to the Market to shop around.  I went for a cup of coffee.  For those who don't know me as well, I do NOT like coffee.  I've tried it here and there and still think it tastes horrible, all the while having a lot of people telling me that it is really good.  So one of my classmates in particular, Ariel Bondy, has been really trying to get me to drink coffee for the past 6 months.  So, since yesterday was her birthday I told her I would stop by her work and get a cup (she works at a coffee shop in the Market).  I don't know for sure what kind of coffee it was (if I had to guess I would say a latte) but all I know is that it had a lot of vanilla in it - I just told Ariel to make me anything she wanted me to try.  Well, it was still coffee and tasted horrible. Yet, after putting a large amount of sugar in it along with some cinnamon and coco powder, it was better - still not good, but better.  It was the first FULL cup of coffee I have ever drank.  Normally coffee leaves a very bitter, disgusting taste in my mouth for hours after trying it, but this time it was a bit different. It still left a coffee taste in my mouth for many hours afterwards, but it was a taste that almost said, "I want a little bit more.  I want to try more, I could like this, but I first want to try some more." The taste wasn't good, but it left me wanting more.  So I figure I will give it a try again.  

My Class is a Blessing From God

Last night as I was lying in bed, God was showing me tons.  I don't remember the last time I cried so much.  God was showing me how thankful I am for what He's done.  How He brought me up here to Canada and all that He's done for me here. He gave me a glimpse of what I could of become had I not followed His call for me to Canada - and it was not all that great.  Though the key thing that He showed me, and kept reminding me of was my SLI class.  How thankful I am/should be for them.  I have never (ever) had a group of friends like this before. I have grown up with three 'close' friends from 5th grade through 12th grade. But close to the end of the year my senior year they took a different path, and I lost my best, closest and longest friends.  I still had friends, but not too many "close" friends like I had prior (with the exception of Family).  The experience of losing my greatest friends secretly wounded me, deeper than I knew myself.  God showed me that I may not of ever been able to get friends as close as I had because I was so wounded (unknowingly) and my life would have been lacking so, so much.  But I now have these friends, my SLI Classmates.  I have never had a group of fiends like this before: so close and so God-focused (not to mention so many).  I have truly been blessed!  & along with that God has shown me that through it all, He has shown me Himself more, so much more that I now see Him as more than my Fathers; more than my God and Lord, but now I see Him as my Friend as well.  Unknowingly I was crushed inside by the loss of 3 Best friends, but because I trusted God, He has given me 11 Best friends!  Thank you God!  I don't know how I can express how glad and thankful I am and how meaning full my classmates are to me.  Thank you class for being in my life!  Thank you God for being my friend!

NT Survey - Matthew

The Book of Matthew is a bridge between the Old Testament & New Testament

1.     Title - “The Book of the King
“Kingdom” in Matthew’s Gospel
v. 3:2; 4:23; 5-8; 6:9-10; 13; 16:19; 21:43; 24:14

a.     Jesus is portrayed as a king

b.     The theme of kingdom runs throughout he entire Bible

                                               i.      Adam & Eve were created to rule

                                              ii.     Promise of a coming king

                                            iii.     Jesus returns as a king in the book of Revelations

                                            iv.     The kings of Israel were meant to represent God

c.      “Kingdom” is used 55 times in Matthew (in Mark 25 times; in Luke about 40 times; and in John 5 times)

d.     Most common name in Matthew = Jesus is called “son of David”

e.     Royal genealogy (Matthew 1)

f.      Magi are looking for a king

                                               i.     High Political & religious office

                                              ii.     Astronomers and diviners

                                            iii.     Following a star

                                            iv.     The Jews were afraid of them

                                              v.     Called “King Makers” in Persia

                                            vi.     Daniel ruled over them

g.     Presents Jesus as king

                                               i.     His crime was that we was “King of the Jews”

                                              ii.     They did not want His kingdom

2.     Author - Matthew

a.     One of the twelve

b.     Also called Levi

c.      Tax collector/publicans

                                               i.     Educated

                                              ii.     Permitted to collect more than Rome required

                                            iii.     Were considered worse than gentiles

d.     “Called” alongside Simon the zealot

                                               i.     Simon was a very anti tax collector

e.     Writes more about taxes than other Gospels

f.      Uses “Publican” in the same breath as “sinner”

g.     Writes to the people who hat him the most

3.     Date – about 66AD

a.     Written prior to 70AD because of the references to the temple (The Temple was destroyed in 70AD)

4.     Special Circumstances

a.     The tax revolt is starting to escalate

b.     “Jewish Wars” leading up to 70AD

c.      A warning concerning the destruction of Jerusalem

d.     Jewish leadership is deceiving them

5.     Message

a.     Jesus is the Christ

                                               i.     The Jews had been waiting for the Messiah

                                              ii.     Matthew attempts to prove that He is the Messiah

b.     The true Kingdom of God

                                               i.     He re-educates His people

c.      Jesus is King

                                               i.     Jesus’ temptation is the temptation of a king

                                              ii.     Satan wanted Jesus to disqualify Himself as a king

1.     Abuse of power for self gratification

2.     Be careless with your life believing God will bail you out

3.     Focus on earthly acquisitions

6.     Importance of the Book

a.     To link the message of Jesus to the Old Testament

                                               i.     Many of the Old Testament prophetic words are stated to be “fulfilled”

                                              ii.     Compared to Moses

Matthew 3:17