From Frances

You’ve heard it all from everyone else…not much to add. It’s our last day of work; folks will finish painting, laying pipe & filling in all those ditches they dug.  The Guatemalan Thanksgiving is on Sunday, and the kitchen is preparing to feed 400 guests from around the city who are friends and families of Casa Bernabé.  The children will be doing presentations of song and dance for the guests.  I’m very impressed by the self-confidence and poise even the youngest has, to be able to speak and perform in front of an audience.

The children gave both teams a “thank you” performance last night, which included handmade thank you cards, songs, and dances.  Although we knew they probably did it for each team that visits (all the children knew the songs, not just the ones on stage), it was still very moving and appreciated.  It doesn’t seem real that almost a week has already passed, and that we will have to pack up tonight, so we can be on the road by 8 AM tomorrow, on our way to Antigua. 

I can hear the women in the kitchen chopping food…time to become a scullery maid!

Love,

Frances (who did this entry with great trepidation and under much protest!)

From Bill

Today is Friday in the morning ready for breakfast.  We’re all well and full of energy to finish the work set before us.

I continue to be overwhelmed by the displays of complete faith by all these on site missionaries at Casa Bernabé, they are “on the job” 24/7, full of caring, energy, and prayers for continued success. These guys and gals are awesome in their service. I was again overwhelmed at the Cornelius school hearing of the “vision” years ago that has now become reality over $2-milion and so much work. In both cases these organizations just rely on God to enter their hearts with a plan and the methodology to communicate that plan to be resourced. Going to the maternity wards at the hospital in (I think it was Mixco) tore me up; though it looked clean we saw up to six to eight beds in a room and no family members allowed in either labor or nursery, and the new mothers looked so lonely. When we gave the mothers the packets their faces just glowed seeming to say “wow somebody cares!” Overwhelmed continues to be my emotion.

We returned during rush hour – I enjoyed the sights (thanks to Jeff Smith for driving) of packed busses, the hustle and bustle of cars all over the place, the converted school busses into local transport packed and more people jumping on for a ride home. The busses were spewing exhaust into the air because of the low grade diesel; I’ll never complain about the “I” again.

We have a wonderful group here, thank you so much for your prayers they are working for us to continue the good work God has prepared for us to do!

Blessings,

Bill.  

From Collin

Before this trip when i woke up every morning and started my day with my daily routines I never just stopped for a moment to just think how much I have. This trip has not only opened my eyes by it has opened my heart. To think that all these children don't have parents to rely on. When I really actually think about my life it's all based on love. Even though there are days when I go home and just blow off my parents and use the usually response of "nothing" when they ask what happened at school, I would have nothing without them.  Today broke my heart. I never thought I would get so attached to these orphans. I also never thought that all of us, gringos, would make such an impact in their lives. The one of the greatest feelings in the world I have ever felt is tonight when a young boy, who spoke almost no english, looked up into my eyes and said "I love you."

I guess I just realize how much I take for granted. These kids see relationships pass like wind. But their even some of the lucky ones. They have a family in this orphanage, a bed to sleep in, and food to eat. When their is over 14 million children in Africa are orphans due to AIDS and their are 7,000 living on the streets in Guatemala's neighboring country Tegucigalpa, Honduras.

We started the day with going to a hospital where we met many different mothers who had just given birth. The hospital contained rusty old beds, dirty floors, and old equipment. Just being able to see these moms who have nothing to go back to. I guess as a teenage boy I didn't know how to react when I was with the mother and baby.

 Tonight the orphans had a performance for our group to say goodbye. It began with a short song that four or five boys sung a song and thanked us all. Then there was a performance by one of the younger girls who did a folk dance. After all this thanks we were given the opportunity to say goodbye to the kids, and thats when it hit me. It really never sunk in  that we were leaving this orphanage in just two days. In the past five days I have grown as a person spiritually. I have learned so much about myself and how much the people close mean to me. In this life I believe were here to learn and create relationships. As a boy it may be hard to show my emotions but I am going to try my hardest to show how I am really feeling. I hope all is well in Colorado and I hope to see all of you soon.

From Niki

Hola, where do I start?  This place and this experience has been absolutely amazing.  There is no shortage of experiences, blessings, smiles, and love here.  It is day 3 of our work schedule and we are all a little weary tonight and looking forward to touring the William Cornelius School and delivering the layettes to the hospital tomorrow.  

Our "work", however, has been intermingled with play and observing these beautiful children here.  They seem amazingly happy and well-adjusted.  The children all live in casitas, by age groups and have house parents and live there, 24/7.  We have had the privilege of painting a few rooms in the toddler house and being able to get to know some those children.  As you can imagine, what an operation to shower and dress those children in the morning!!  Some of these house parents are here for 6 mos to a year at a time, others for longer.  What a commitment of the heart and to these children.  

Today we, (Kathy, Lindsay, Meredith, Natalie, Katie, Sharon) finished our painting, so far we have gone thru almost 11 gallons of paint.  We are definitely leaving our mark one way or another!!  

Everyone here is so gracious and grateful for everything we do, from helping in the kitchen, washing dishes, cleaning, painting, digging, etc.  I really feel like I an the one who is one the receiving end here.  There is so much more I wish we could do for everyone here.  My prayer is that other teams, like ours and the one that is here with us, continue to visit and support Casa Bernabe, its children and staff.  And that God continues to make his love known to these children and continues to encourage the staff and house parents daily.

Happy Thanksgiving family and friends, we miss and love you all!!

From Scott

Its day 5, so to speak, on our mission trip and we are making progress in many ways. Our conduit for the communications system is nearly complete from the top house to the baby house at the bottom, our ditches for conduit we'll install on Friday are getting longer, the toddler house (Casa de David) has some fresh paint, and we are nearly ready to paint Tony's lower house wall by the sports field; between Francis and Lindsay babies have been changed and fed many times, and with Natalie's help, beans have been sorted and vegetables pealed and readied for dinner. Each member of the team is working hard and willingly - it is a wonderful sight. And we have a good sense of team, including joining together for morning devotion, Compline at the end of the day, and we are each reading 1 Peter as part of a daily discipline of prayer and study (click here to see our devotions in the Mission Trip Booklet). I'm truly pleased and thankful.

Here's Jeff Wilson after he broke a pick being such a he-man while digging ditches. He's been a real trooper, doing whatever is necessary and carrying the weight today since Bill Clewe and I are a bit under the weather (or is that, under our stomachs'?).

And here is Sidney doing some painting in the toddler room. Wonderful to have her and Meredith here - back from College and have their experience on missions among us.

Others may have mentioned the Casa Bernabe Ministry of Performing Artists - a group of 5 children and their adult leaders who have just returned from a month of traveling. When they perform, they juggle, do skits, have muppet-like puppet shows, and perform instrumental pieces of well known worship music. On Monday they performed for the Casa Bernabe kids and all us missionaries. When it began I it struck me as one of those awful but wonderful performances by elementary school students to which grandparents get invited - off key music, forgotten lines, and the like - though it improved much by the end. But when each child shared their testimony of God's work in their life I had to withdraw any critique. Each shared not just a history of abuse or abandonment, but how through the ministry of Casa Bernabe they came to know Jesus Christ personally and had experienced Him in their hearts - healing, loving, and redeeming them. On their last performance trip 36 individuals received Christ as their Lord and Savior. I think the whole mission team was effected.

For me one thing has been a bit frustrating - I feel more spiritually "dry" than I expected to. My Daily Time with God isn't as lively as I normally experience, and so I'm having to really quiet my mind and heart to listen - which is good and God is speaking, but its harder than I like. And, today I've got an upset stomach, along with Bill Clewe (we've had a few more, unfortunately).

As you can see we are spending time with the children and youth between projects. The youth with us are truly gifted at interacting despite some language barrier - which doesn't even phase the Guatemalan children. John Linquist and I spend an hour with the oldest boys - 11 of them 14 - 18, as the top photo shows. They were jumping on the "Trampolina de Muerte" - a tramp they had tied to a number of trees so it didn't move off its support picnic table and hillside. The tramp must have been at a 25 degree angle, making jumping a challenge. Though, with 8 of them on at once the angle wasn't the most dangerous thing. Fortunately they adhered to John's suggestion that they limit it to 4, and that is when the wrestling began. Great fun!

Well, I"ll sign off in just a moment. I hope you are reading all the posts, as they are terrific. And tomorrow we go to meet Juan and Elisa, students sponsored by St. Matthias and parishioners at the William Cornelius Vocational School where our 2006 team helped with the library and more. Finally, if you want to know more about Casa Bernabe, click here. 

Yours, in Christ,

Scott+

From Jeff W

Hola. It has been another beautiful day in Guatemala -- sunny, warm, with a gentle wind. Perfect day for working outdoors digging ditches (see Father "Hercules" Scott's picture) and installing PVC pipe. As Bill put it, it feels good to work hard for a good cause. The kids are great. It is amazing, given their life stories, how friendly, warm, and caring they are. As we took over watching the kids last night, I saw a number of instances where the older boys watched out for and cared for the younger boys. I also played a game of Bancopoly (Guatemala Monopoly) with three young ones. Although my spanish failed me most of the time, we managed to communicate enough and it was a great game. Following our babysitting time last night, we attended a clown and puppet show. The toddlers were enthralled-- and a joy to watch! I am thankful for the time here, the comaraderie and fellowship, and underlying beauty and spirit of this place.

From John C

Guess what I did today!! Well first, Sunday I fell and really really hurt my left wrist, bummer right? Yes, and no, i go to help Mr. Linquist go around town and do errands so that was fun. So today..... we all got a lot of work done, from painting rooms, to digging, or getting a lot done for the communications phase 1 project with putting PVC pipe on walls. Then I ventured down the hill to where we were hearing music and seeing smoke. They just finished killing a pig, and were then taking the hair off. And I was like, "Hey, I can do that," so I did a little hair removal. Then after they cut the pig's belly wide open, that's when I really got my hands dirty from helping cracking it's ribs open and from holding it's detached, skinned head. Mainly, I cut up the skin into little pieces to be cooked. I think it was safe to say it was a once in a lifetime opportunity.

Alright, so. Cool. The rest of the week should be chill.

From Matt

Hola from Guatemala!  I would first like to say, all of us are having an awesome time.  I know that everyone before me has probably written this, but since I'm writing the blog, you can put up with it a couple more times.  I'm so grateful that we are able to be here helping further God's work and helping these people out.  Thank you all for your support and prayers.

Whew, what a monday.  I don't even know where to start describing the day, but since it would seem most logical to start with when I woke up, I guess I'll start there.  We woke up bright and early about 6:30, and took a nice shower.  The showers are suprisingly nice, considering where we are.  After that, morning prayer and breakfast awaited.  After breakfast, the St. Matthias Labor Union (Me, Colin, John, Jeff Wilson, Jeff Smith, Bill, Rich, Padre Scott) met up with our friendly neighborhood handyman, Tony, and were assigned jobs.  Father Scott, Bill, Colin, and I were deemed the less skilled laborers, so we were sent down the hill to dig an 18 inch trench about 60 feet long.  I know it sounds fun, but someone has to do it.  So we proceeded with the day picking and shoveling away at the very reluctant soil.  We took a break at one for lunch, and got right back into it.  We kept going until around 4:30, when we went to get cleaned up so that we could help watch the kids while the staff here had a meeting.  I have to say, even after digging a ton (quite literaly) of dirt, watching a room full of girls for an hour and half was the hardest work that I did all day.  I have a lot more respect for the house parents after that experience.  Then we went to dinner, and a play/puppet show/concert put on by the Casa Bernabe "Preformos Artisticos".  That was great experience, and it was even more amazing that the orphans are getting a chance to play a musical instrument and be exposed to the arts.  I know that after I learned the guitar, I had a whole new outlook on life, and I am very glad that these children are getting the same chance to have this experience.  After the play, we had our compline service, and now I am writing this to you.

After spending two days at this orphanage, I know that I will never look at life the same way.  The kids here are teaching all of us lessons that will last forever, and now I'm just trying my best to give back to them.  I can dig a trench all day, and still not be tired because I know that I'm helping God serve these kids, and I know that I want to give everything that I can back to them.  One thing that I've noticed is that you learn much about yourself when you are giving to others, and I have learned so much just playing with these kids, whether they are young or old. 

From Sidney

What can I say, there is so much to be done. I have been thoroughly worked today, and I expect nothing less. The harvest is many, and the workers are few. Jesus calls us to tend to his sheep and that is just what we are trying to do. Today some of the ladies and I sorted through the generous donations from St. Matthias and what a blessing the clothes, balls, and all other donations are going to be.

Each of the childrens' faces that you see breaks your heart and hearing their stories breaks your heart even more. I am slowly becoming attached to these children and my heart is being moved for Guatemala. Today also we were able to play with some of the toddlers. Those of us who were there each had one to two children in our arms or on our laps at any time. These children just want to be loved and to be held and to be the center of someone's attention if even for a moment. I love hearing their laughs and seeing their smiles. I honestly feel a little overwhelmed with how much there is to do down here and how big of an operation this orphanage is. Please pray for more workers to continually come down here; they need it.

From Natalie

Hola! Greetings from Guatemala!  I guess the first thing I should say is that my mom was right.  Like always.  She told me before I left to wear a sweatshirt or jacket of some sort because it will most likely be chilly on the airplane or when we land.  In retrospect I know I should've listened to her, but us young adults can never accept that parents are smarter than we are.  So here I am in Guatemala shivering in the cold wind that sweeps down this hill where Casa Bernabe is located trying desperately to keep warm with the meager outerwear I brought.  So, yes mom, you can say "I told you so".

The beauty here is amazing. It's night time right now and you can see the stars between the trees. I think that it's wonderful that even though the people will change, the scenery will be different, the food will taste different, and the smells will be unfamiliar, the stars will always be there--everywhere in the world and always constant and familiar.  The stars remind me of the old belief that stars were the passage way or window into heaven, so when I look up at them I think of God looking down on me, and I feel safe because I know that, like the stars, God is always constant and unwavering in his love and guidance. 

With love,

Natalie W.

From Rich

John and Sharon met us at the airport with a big sign to welcome us.  The team arrived safe and sound.  We arrived at Casa Bernabe aroung 11pm, had a shortened compline and hit the sack.

Today we attended a wonderful service at Casa Bernabe.  It looked like most of the orphans were there along with staff.  Also many families of the orphans were there.  It appears that many of the orphans have been taken from their families by the authorities and placed into Casa Bernabe.   This was apparently an opportunities for some of the families to reunite just at the service.  It started with a singing group called Fishermen.  They are a group composed of a keyboard player, lead guitar, bass guitar, drums and a singer - not your typical Episcopalian music.  However, they were excellent.  All in spanish of course but the music was very moving.  After lunch we took a walk to an overlook where we could see some of the volcanoes and a lake - beautiful.  

Kathy and I feel called to do this mission work.  It is wonderful to be back in Guatemala.  John and Sharon have done great work to set this all up.  We are looking forward to a rewarding experience and serving God.  It is apparent that there is huge need here.  The monies collected through the grocery card sales that are going to this mission are serving that need.  

From Katie

This is Katie (youngest in the group)

We are in the Denver international airport. We are awaiting the plane to Houston, I am very excited for Guatemala so many thoughts are going through my head right now. I don't know what to expect but I don't want to expect to much. When we get in Guatemala I hope to change the lives of some of the children down there and spread the word of God. I want to set good examples for these children. I am very excited for this trip and I can't wait until we get to Guatemala. I am looking forward to handing out some balls to the kids and see the smiles on there faces. Thank you for your prayers and I hope you think of us on our trip. 

Katie!         

From Scott

It is just over 24 hours before our team steps off a plan in Guatemala. We are each excited and probably a bit nervous - the good kind, for we don't know exactly what the Lord will do with us and through us when we are there. Yes, we know we'll help install phase I of a communication system, hold lots of babies, and play futbol  with the children, but what spiritual impact will this have? What eternal thing is God going to do in us and in those we serve? For me, half the fun and all the nerves are about that part. Eeek! and Cool! and Wow! Maybe Moses and Ezekiel and Mary had this kind of trepidation before they saw God and when they saw visions. 

Lord, use us...carefully!

Casa Bernabe on YouTube

We are heading out in just a week. While preparing team material I came across this on YouTube...

Getting Ready

It is exactly 20 days before 18 Christians from St. Matthias board a plane bound for Guatemala City to work with the people and children of Casa Bernabe. Like taking a step of a diving board, we go willing to serve, open to what God has in store for us, and to bless the people we meet. We'd love your prayers for us each day. 

Please check back daily for our trip updates, posted by each of the 18 members at least once. Give it a shot, and see what happens!