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Here are a few words from some of our mission trip team members about their experiences in Guatemala:
Are you considering a mission trip? Sponsoring a child? Some other uncomfortable request that has been laid on your heart? The reason that you are struggling with this is simple…God has asked you and you have reservations. I can’t accomplish that … I don’t have the money … it won’t make a difference … someone else can do it. Sound familiar? God didn't have reservations when He picked you, just as He didn't have reservations when He picked Moses centuries ago. I’m here to tell you that the best place to experience God in an awesome way is not necessarily sitting in church on Sunday or sitting on a mountain top basking in His creation. It is going where He wants you to go or doing what He wants you to do…that’s where He is. Right there with you equipping you with the tools you need to do His work. He may come to where you are to do the asking but He wants you to come to where He is to do His work. Its always easier to hear Him than to obey Him.
Eight years ago I had that calling to go to Guatemala and build houses with people that I didn't know and for people that didn't even speak my language. Every waking moment was spent pleading my case to God that my reservations had merit. “This has to be a mistake God, you meant to ask someone else. You know I’m not comfortable talking about you to others.” I finally went just to get God off my back; afterall, how hard can construction be? Now He lives in my heart more vibrantly than ever. Before, I knew of Him and now, I really KNOW Him. That first year was not what I did for those people but what they taught me. Lessons I could never learn from a book or hearing from someone else were humbling. After my sixth trip in eight years (three experienced with my daughter alongside) I can truly say that if I need a prayer warrior or an example to live by I would call on my brothers and sisters in Guatemala. The feeling I get when my sponsored child lights up, runs across the room and leaps into my arms is a highlight of my trip. She has almost grown too big for me to hold…but you can bet I will find another way to love on her. She and her family are not afraid to show their gratitude and I always return home trying to emulate that and wondering why America is so different.
It comforts me to see how these people minister to each other. How they are unafraid to speak of their faith to non-believers. To see them fast every week so that they can make a mere contribution to their own mission fund for overseas ministry. To understand that change happens one child at a time and they must sacrifice to make that happen. I could talk for hours about my experiences and feelings but that would be robbing you. You see, it is true that the experience is in the journey, not just the end result. If I could give one piece of advice it would be this : as the advertisement says, “just do it!”
Larry Banner, May 2008 Mission Team Member
Franklin, TN
"At the end of each day Lori and I spent about an hour ministering to families with our group near the houses we were building. We saw approximately 40 people pray to receive Christ. Lori and I can now say that we literally prayed in homes with a rooster and a goat walking around our feet. The joy in these families, despite their utter poverty, was amazing. The children were always smiling and the families were so very gracious. We feel we were even more blessed by the trip than the Guatemalans. We cannot begin to explain how much God blessed us on this trip. This was our first mission trip, and we are already planning to go back next year. The needs of the Guatemalan people are great and we look forward to working with them for years to come. "
Lori Snead, May 2008 Mission Team Member
Forest, VA
"Amazing. Moving. Transforming. These are the first thoughts that come to mind but words and even photographs can’t begin to capture
the
construction mission team experience in Guatemala. Somehow, it’s the spirit of the people of Guatemala that’s most striking as you encounter their genuine thankfulness, humility, and joy that they find in the things that matter most. And it’s this quality of spirit that gets down into your soul and begins to change you from the inside out.
Being caught up in the midst of God’s grace working hand in hand with the faith of His believers in a very real and tangible way is simply awesome. Building homes and sharing the Gospel transforms entire extended families and even neighborhoods. Seeing God move right before your very eyes is so uplifting and faith strengthening. It’s overwhelming at times to see the profound needs of the people of Guatemala but also amazing to see how God is responding through the Shalom Foundation. You see God moving as spiritual needs are being met along with the need for food, clothing, shelter, education, and medical care. Although the days are long and the work is hard, it’s incredibly energizing to even be a small part of a comprehensive effort that’s having such an impact.
The fellowship and friendships that occur as the teamwork unfolds are another major blessing. Amazing to see so many gifted people with talents and abilities being put to use for just the right task at just the right time. This happened over and over. And one of the best parts of the team effort was working side by side with the people of Guatemala, doing God’s work as teammates and friends. Prayers were prayed, stories were shared, and lives were changed.
Amazing. Moving. Transforming."
Dusty Doddridge, May 2008 Mission Team Member
Franklin, TN
"The trip to Guatemala this year was my fourth trip. To be honest, I am not sure why I was not anticipating it as much as in the past years.
The past year has been difficult for me personally, and I am not sure if that was part of the reason. But on Sunday, when Pastor Alvaro spoke to us for our Sunday School class (of course translated so most of us could understand what he was saying), he spoke of two people who's lives had been changed basically due to the Shalom church and school. I then felt very emotional and happy to be there. I was starting to weep a little. Then at church, I saw a family that I had met two years ago and sat we them during the services. When we saw each other, we were all just so happy to see each other. Before service began, I saw another family that I had also met two years ago. We hugged and again started to weep. The bonds that we make with the people while we are there are so great in most cases. We can say how helping them has changed there lives, but I can say that being with these people changes me each time. They probably do more for me than I do for them. I got to also meet my sponsored child this year. This had been the first year that we sponsored anyone.
It is a very rewarding experience going to Guatemala. Each year I come back to the states more blessed than when I left."
Ken Kleespies, May 2008 Mission Team Member
Franklin, TN
"My trip was amazing! I didn't want to come back home. I saw some familiar faces from last year and got to know and love some new ones! My sponsor girl, who last year didn’t smile at all, smiled at me and that made my day! I encourage anyone who is thinking of going on a mission trip to GO…IT WILL BE AMAZING!"
Bekah Lemonds, May 2007 Mission Team Member
Franklin, TN
"Guatemala was my first mission trip outside the U.S and I was blessed to be a part of God's work in assisting the people of Guatemala realize their dream of a home and more importantly understand that through Jesus Christ all things are possible. In the U.S and in Tennessee, we are so blessed and prosperous compared to conditions in Guatemala. The amazing aspect of our trip is the people of this poverty stricken land are so hungry to hear of the Good News of Jesus Christ and his love for ALL people. God knew what He was doing when He sent me to Guatemala as my heart to serve the people of Guatemala is my first thought instead of any after thought. Although I was there to help the families, I was the one that has been blessed and touched by the generosity and love the families poured into our lives. I wear a bracelet from Guatemala everyday that has not left my wrist since returning to Tennessee as a constant reminder of my experience this summer and when I return next year and I will trade it out for a new one. God is good ALL the time. ALL the time God is good. Pictures and testimony cannot take the place of being there and God working in everyone's life. I have spoken with countless people and I tell them, " Do not think about it; Follow God's will for your life and HE will bless you far more than you could ever imagine."
Joe Doughty, May 2007 Mission Team Member
Thompson’s Station, TN
"God opened my heart and eyes to see some real suffering in the world that make my financial and relationship struggles seem incredibly trivial. My care-free sometimes callous heart became care-filled as the Lord broke my heart for the people that we were serving."
David Larson, June 2007 Mission Team Member
Atlanta, GA
"My experience in Guatemala was truly memorable. I was immediately drawn to the people of this remarkable country, and the home projects encouraged these interactions. It was very interesting to watch the Lord work both in our team and the people to who we served. I think that everyone might originally set out on a mission trip thinking that they are there to do God's work, however so many times I'm reminded how my heart is changed on one of these adventures. In Guatemala, Christ met me where I was, and showed me through His eyes how to serve the poor. I spiritually matured by allowing God to strip me of the comforts of America that so easily encumber, and once that was gone, I saw the face of Christ amongst these people."
Drew Hollowell, June 2007 Mission Team Member
Franklin, TN
"Wow! The trip was not what I had expected at all. I thought I would walk in and bless people because I was on a mission trip. But quite the contrary occurred. Within 30 seconds of seeing the living conditions of these precious people, my life was changed forever. What impacted me more than these poor living conditions was the happiness and gratitude shown by the people in Guatemala. For people that seemed to have nothing, they acted like they had it all. What an eye opener for me. This trip has definitely made me take a deeper look at my life and all of the "stuff" I have that may distract me from doing God's work.
I feel blessed and honored to have been a part of making a difference in the lives of countless people in one short week. Not only did we build homes, we built relationships and were instrumental in leading 60 people to Christ! Praise God! I not only made new friends in Guatemala, but I also have some new family members. This is a trip that I will look forward to for years to come. Thank you Shalom Foundation for your support and love towards the people of Guatemala. May God continue to bless this ministry."
Jeff Swayze, May 2007 Mission Team Member
Thompson’s Station, TN
"It is difficult to put the experience of being in Guatemala City into words. The city itself looks like what you would expect any downtown area to look like with high rise buildings and tons of businesses, but when you travel outside the city to what we would call the "suburbs" it is a drastically different place of surprising poverty. For us it is hard to imagine the needs that the people of Guatemala City have for simple things that we take for granted such as clean water, food, clothing and basic shelter.
The Shalom School and Church are located in an area of Guatemala City called Paradise, a paradox of what the area really is: the poorest and possibly most dangerous part of the city. This is where the heart of The Shalom Foundation's mission work is done. Amazingly, veterans of the mission trips to Paradise will tell you that God is changing this area in a big way. God's presence was definitely felt by the 30 people on our mission trip. We traveled down with the intentions of helping others have a better life - hoping to touch their lives, and they ended up touching our lives in so many ways.
As we embarked on our journey of homebuilding for the week, I was focus on getting the homes that we came to build constructed and ready for use, but God quickly taught me the first day that the families and our interaction with them would be a key part of our trip also. We were there to build up the community through the construction of homes but also to lift up the people we met in the process. As we prayed for them, they had been praying for us all along also!
I complain because I may not have the clothes I want or the car I desire, and yet I think of the Guatemalans and their needs, and I am embarrassed that my wants are not needs. I have all I need: clean water, food and shelter one hundred times over. The people of Guatemala have taught me that where they are rich I may be poor. They sacrifice of themselves to give all they can afford to others for God's glory and yet they have so little. The fact that the Shalom Church can send money to not just one, but over six churches in other communities including several churches in Central America is incredible. I have certainly carried back many lessons that the people of Guatemala have taught me about joy, peace, happiness and sacrifice in the face of adversity. They could choose to be bitter because of the lot they have been dealt in life, but instead they are filled with a fullness that is not found on a regular basis in my everyday life and in my interactions with others. I say this not to be cynical but in finding something that seems to be missing at times in my life due too much work, too much worry and not enough time spent embracing the joy of life and walking in the light of Christ.
"But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus his Son purifies us from all sin." 1 John 1:7
Tami Harris, 2006 & 2007 Mission Trip Participant
Nashville, TN
"Why? There are plenty of people that need help. Why should I help someone in another country? Every town has people who are poor and need help.
I had always heard the stories of other people who had been on mission trips to various places and seen the promotions on TV. And I remember the comedians offering to send a fly-swatter instead of food….
My experience in began with a warm welcome from a lot of families and children at the airport and a bus ride to the Nazarene Center with very little communication beyond hugs and thank you’s. I immediately felt very welcome and very appreciated, and I was intrigued to learn more about our new friends. I sat with Teresa, and quickly recruited the help of Suzanna, another local, to interpret for us. I was impressed with Suzanna. She was dressed in slacks and spoke very good English. She had visited the States twice for a health condition, once staying in Bowling Green, KY.
We later loaded in the vans and took a ride through Guatemala City to visit our construction sites. As we approached the first site, I saw Suzanna standing on top of her home looking out over her neighborhood.
Our project consisted of adding a 2nd floor to her family’s home. As I walked through the home, I see concrete floors, block walls, hardly any furniture, a commode under the stairs with two barn doors propped up against the stairs for some privacy (I don’t remember a sink). As I walked up the stairs, I ducked under a piece of tin that shields the open stairway, and met Suzanna on the roof. That was the first glimpse for me of what was to come, and Suzanna had one of the better and cleaner homes of the ones I saw.
Each day, our team split up to cover all of the 7 sites. My first task was setting roof perlins in preparation for a metal roof for a two bedroom and bathroom addition.
The original home was a lean-to style shed, two bedrooms with a gathering room in between. A small other section served as the kitchen. Dirt floors, no plumbing…I notice an extension cord has been run through the home spliced to additional internal wiring providing some lighting and servicing a small refrigerator (same size as most of us had in our college dorms).
As the day passed, we interacted with the family. There were four girls: ages 13, 11, 6, and 2. You would want to grab them all up and bring them home with you - such a sweet family. The children would help their mother wash clothes and such, then come help us with construction. In the afternoon as it began to rain, the beds had to be pulled away from the walls where the rainwater ran down the inside of the walls onto the dirt floor. What a happy family they were.
The other days presented much more of the same or worse. Many roofs were tin held up by barrels, posts or block walls, and most of the tin was held down by block and debris placed on top. I can only remember one operable commode, and too many conditions that I would simply not believe existed anywhere anymore. Flies, chickens, and one iguana that slept in the bed with Milton, come to my memory often."
Tony Harris, 2006 & 2007 Mission Trip Participant
Nashville, TN