Ministry Weekends

As I write this on a scrap of paper, I am eating a piece of juicy delicious ‘sandia’ (watermelon) at the house of one of the teachers at the school Alpha y Omega in Patzun. It is the final day of our second weekend of ministries. But before I write another word, I must back track…

Each weekend my Discover team, Los Ochos, has been working in a small town up in the mountains called Patzun. The forty-five minute chicken bus ride is pretty crazy, almost completely uphill, driving incredibly fast up switch-backs. This weekend there was only standing room by the time we got on (at least 180 people, we counted haha), so all of us squished in the aisle. By the time we reached Patzun everyone was pretty nauseated.

Our first weekend ended up being mostly prep work and getting supplies, etc all set up for the next two weekends. Although at first we were all a bit discouraged with the amount of activity we were doing, in the end God blessed the time we ere able to spend there. You see, there is something you must understand about latin culture. Time means nothing. If they tell you to be ready to paint at the school for 9 am, but don’t show up until 5pm, this is not out of the ordinary. And so that is exactly how we spent our Saturaday. While we were upset from waiting around in the sun for hours, most of us were able to make the most of this situation I ended up playing soccer and basketball for hours that day with some of the kids that were hanging around the school. That was so much fun! Two of the boys, Alex and Edgar are always around the school becaue they are the schools janitor’s children and live on the school property.

On Friday afternoons I teach English in two of the older classes, to students aged 14-18. I absolutely love it. I don’t even know how to describe it, I think I’m still getting used to the idea that after so much time of talking about teaching English, I actually am. The students are a lot of fun, and I am grateful for the little Spanish I do know because it definitely helps.

This Friday, while I was not teaching, we actually started painting! That was really exciting, to finally be able to see some progress happening. They chose to paint the school an almost peach colour with white trim. It looks very umm… well Guatemalan. At least they love it.
The final project we are helping out with is papermaking. The youth group is being taught how to make different paper products out of recycled paper (journals, cards, etc) to sell in the tourist markets to generate some income for the Church. We are simply helping them get this started while we are there. It’s a lot of work, but its really interesting to me how incredibly resourceful people can be. I’m excited for this project to grow and to be something that continues to benefit them long past when we leave.

Kelsey and I are living with a family from Alpha y Omega while we are in Patzun. They are both doctors, which proved to be a God- send last weekend when my sickness suddenly worsened. Axel was able to give me a higher dose of medications (I got sick in Antigua with Giardia and an intestinal infection. The medications I was given there were not strong enough for how severe my case of it was). I have just finished these new medications and feel a lot better. Thanks for all your prayers, my mom told me she sent out emails to some of you, updating you about this and asking for your prayers. Thanks again! Please continue to keep us in your prayers, people are being hit in every which direction, and it is becoming really difficult to be down here. Please pray for protection also.

We return to Patzun on Thursday for our final weekend, which will last this time until the following Tuesday. I am really looking forward to a few days of rest and classes inbetween…