Guatemala, Cochrane Alliance Church Trip Blog

Today was our last work day… some rebar rectangles were bent which will eventually span the floors as reinforcement, more rebar was tied (a never-ending task, it seems), some wood forms were also put up to frame in the rebar in order to pour cement.
We had church in the evening and 4 more people shared, we sang and Lorraine was serenaded for her birthday (while being hugged by everybody in attendance) it was pretty awesome.
We’ve been able to build relationships with people here and it has been a pretty amazing experience. There are times when we sit around at lunch with the Guatemalans just asking questions and getting to know them. They are amazing people who have blessed us so much by giving of themselves wholeheartedly. They will be missed tremendously. Thanks for praying for us. We have felt your prayers this trip.
Tomorrow is a day in Antigua and then we have a going away celebration in the evening. Pray that everything goes smoothly and that we don’t have too many emotional breakdowns as we say goodbye
-Kelly (HFL team leader)

the team!

Lorraine bending some mini rebar

Herb tying some rebar.

Ashley cutting up some wire.

Hello again! Well, it was another packed day… We worked in the morning and then we went on a field trip to show Brenda & Ashley Margarita’s new house (that the youth team built). It was a double whammy because we also got to watch her daughters make fireworks… and of course we set some off (but not as many or as big as the youth team did)! We also had the opportunity to give Margarita a cooking pot as a house warming gift, as well as one of the bags of clothes and food.
After that there was more working and then the children’s program. About 70 kids came out for a time of face painting, tattooing, necklace/bracelet making, story time & crafts. It was great! Afterwards we headed to the soccer pitch to play a little with the Guatemalans. They quickly upped us 3 goals in the first couple minutes so we decided to switch up the teams with Canadians and Guatemalans mixed. It was a lot of fun
Everyone is feeling pretty good. A few sore arms, legs, backs & stomachs but as of right now, everyone is doing well. Thanks for your prayers! We look forward to seeing everyone at home in a couple days but are sad to be leaving here in a couple days as well. Til tomorrow,

-Kelly (HFL team leader)

Jason & Lorelee cutting smaller rebar.

Catie watching fireworks being made.

Firecracker-Rambo-Herb.

Merissa & Lorelee face painting

Lorraine crafting with the kids.

We had another full day today with rebar tying, Dawson, Catie, Ashley & Lorelee visited the school where one of our partners, Victor, is a teacher, the ladies did manicures on the ladies who have been helping cook for us (and for some of their friends, the guys went to a birthday party for the grandson of someone in the church, we had church and 4 people gave their testimonies and we got to provide 3 more families with bags of food and clothes. It was a busy day. But we are doing well and blessed beyond belief by the community here in San Raymundo, by our partners who give of themselves so unselfishly & tirelessly and pretty much by everyone we come in contact with. We serve a great God who is at work among the Cochrane Alliance Church team and the Jesus Viene Church as well.
Thanks for your continued prayers!

Dawson & Catie handing out Canada pencils at the school.

learning the ways of tying rebar

Doing manicures on the ladies.

More manicures...

Today’s post is care of each team member… here they are:

Lorelee:
I’m trying to perfect the perfect tortilla (but it doesn’t matter cause I’m already married) and I am mastering the art of rebar tying with fencing pliers. Language is no longer a barrier for Dawson. We’re feeling like this is exactly where we’re supposed be. We are staying with a very warm and generous family. To Clay & Scott: wish you were here, miss you lots, love you (the New Zealand experience repeats.
PS. Jason sweats a lot.

Dawson:
I had pepperoni pizza pockets. I miss you Dad & Clay. Are you done your maze yet, Clay? There’s a dog here named Rocky and I call him Rocky Peirogi. Katie and I now fight like siblings (added by Lorelee).
PS. Jason sweats a lot.

Scott & Lorraine:
We would like to tell our kids Logan, James & Taya that we love them very much and miss them. We’ve been touched by the incredibly warm reception we’ve received here in Guatemala. We have been learning to tie rebar and enjoyed the kids program today.
PS. Jason sweats a lot.

Catie:
I like the food. I like the people. I got to pass out all the toys. I love you mom. Maya and Ellie, I met lots of friends. I miss you.
PS. Daddy sweats a lot.

Jason:
Bonjour tout le monde. I’m really enjoying getting to know the people here. The work is great except for the fact that I’m sweating all the time. Catie is fairing very well and that makes for a really good trip. Thanks for your prayers.

Dan:
This is a really great experience. I guess riding in the back of a truck is legal in Guatemala (even for dogs). Things are going very well. Something sappy at the end…
PS. Jason sweats a lot.

Ashley:
I had fun with the kids today; they are awesome. I’ve taken a ton of great pictures. The toilet isn’t as bad as I thought. I’m having fun with the team. The boys are cute here.
PS. Jason sweats a lot.

Brenda:
I survived my first cold shower. I’m really enjoying the people; they are incredibly friendly and generous. I’ve met some kids as cute as Dave & Karla’s.
PS. Jason sweats a lot.

Merissa:
I absolutely love the people here and I’m going to miss them when I leave. I don’t want to leave. I am learning how to make tortillas so that I can get married.
PS. Jason sweats a lot.

Maureen & Herb:
God has a purpose for us here. We feel God’s presence with us. We’ve never met such friendly and caring people. I (Maureen) can’t wait to show off my new Kaqchikel blouse that was gifted to me.
PS. Jason sweats a lot.

Dan working with Lorenzo.

Lorelee, Dawson, Catie & Ashley working on the rebar.

Lorraine & Brenda nailing wood forms.

Dawson face painting.

Scott handing out stickers.

Dan colouring with the kids.

so today we worked… we learned how to tie rebar (with a few lessons) and arranged the rebar rectangles into manageable piles of 5 rather than the stack of 600 that the youth team created.
Then most of the team spent time up on scaffolding or on top of the big rebar forms. Dawson even managed to get up there for a bit
Please keep praying for safety, health and that we can be a blessing to the local church as much as they have already been to us!

-Kelly (HFL team leader)

Dan and Scott tying rebar

wire tying lesson

Jason, Herb & Lorraine trying rebar.

Dawson teaching Lorelee how the stacking is done.

Today was a great day. We started out by going to the main market and to the supermarket and bought items to make up food bags to give to 20 families. We made those up and included outfits from the clothes that were donated.
Then some of us tried to make tortillas… some were more successful than others… it’s WAY harder than it looks… the ladies here can get them perfectly round and flat… takes some practice.
In the afternoon 5 families came and we gave them the bags of food & clothes. Catie gave out toys to the kids of the families as well. We were able to pray for them as well and they in turn prayed for us.
We went to church in the afternoon… It was a great time of preaching by Jason, Maureen gave her testimony, Dan shared a story & illustration about Moses, and the whole team sang 2 songs. At the end of the service, the team was called forward and the whole church prayed for them with their voices and hands raised… it was a great blessing for the team. Then everyone in the church came and shook hands & hugged the team members welcoming them to San Raymundo.
We are looking forward to starting our physical labour on the church tomorrow and seeing what we can accomplish by the end of the week!
We also get to go pick up Brenda and Ashley from the airport which we are excited about!!!
Thanks for your prayers so far… we have been in good health and can see God working already.
Enjoy the pictures below!

We made it! So did most of our bags… minus 3… which we picked up today! So we are a whole unit now… minus Brenda & Ashley who we pick up on Monday! We were a little worried when they said that our flight into Houston was going to be half an hour late and we only had an hour layover to begin with… and usually the gate we have to get to is quite a ways down the terminal. But we got there, stepped off the plane… and our gate was the next one over! We had to walk 1 foot and they were boarding already. Praise the Lord for His perfect timing!

So it was our first full day here and we took it pretty easy. We had breakfast and then we went on a tour to see the projects that the youth team worked on… the 2 cinderblock houses are now fully complete with roofs and patios! The families are excited to be moved in and are really grateful for the work that Cochrane Alliance Church has already done with the youth team.

Dawson and Catie are already running off with the kids here to play card games and draw pictures, so that is an answer to prayer that they are able to ‘communicate’.

Tomorrow we are going to go shopping for food staples (ie flour, sugar, oil) to make into food bags, and then we are going to put together those bags with bags of clothes that people from Cochrane donated… Throughout the week we are going to deliver bags to families from the community that can really benefit from these staples. Please pray that the right people get these things!

Jason is also preaching at church tomorrow night so I’m sure that he would appreciate your prayers as well!

Thanks for your prayers so far and I´ll try and post pictures tomorrow!

-Kelly (HFL team leader)

The youth team from Cochrane Alliance just got back a couple of weeks ago… now it’s the adults (and 2 children)’s turn…

Today we leave for San Raymundo, Guatemala… We’ll be spending 9 days there helping the local church (Jesus Viene) with building classrooms onto the back. We’ll also be working with people in the community… visiting families and supplying them with groceries… cooking and sharing a ‘Canadian’ meal… and celebrating ‘Day of the Bible’ with the community.

It’s going to be a great trip jam-packed with activity, so please pray for health, strength, quick relationship building, peace and calmness dealing with any frustrations and a joy in the work we’re going to do.

Thanks for following along and we welcome your comments, encouragement and prayers!

-Kelly (HFL team leader)