A much needed adventure for the kiddos.....

Thursday  Still praying for you all.

Us Schrocks got to go swimming with some friends. We went with the Smith family and Debora who lives at the base with us. We had fun going down slides and playing many water games. The younger kids had fun going down slides and playing in the kiddie pool as the older kids went on a big slides and played games like ring toss underwater. It was very fun for all of us kids who went on the big slides, because in the middle of the slide the water would slow down and we would have to push ourselves down! Even Naomi got to go on the big slide. We had a lot of fun swimming and hope to go again sometime.

-AJ 

Rolling out the GREEN!

So Sunday night we went as a whole family to a village for a medical clinic with the last team (Team Pizza Ranch/ Calvin CRC from Le Mars).  THIS, is what we needed.  The tears subsided....and we saw each of the kids in their element: loving on others!

AJ was busy painting nails, passing out stickers, and playing with the kiddos.  Caleb found buddies that played soccer and football.  Emilee quickly found friends and painted nails and played games.  Miya painted nails for 3 hours!...kids, moms, and grandmas!  Kira jumped rope and helped other jump too.  Naomi colored with side walk chalk, tried to paint nails, and just allowed the locals to marvel at her red hair.

It was needed.  The service aspect of this ministry we can do well.  The living in community and a "confined" space has been the biggest adjustment from going from an acreage to the base in Guatemala.  Yet, it was moments like Sunday that made us as parents feel and say: Thank you Lord.

The village (one that we will be building houses in later this summer for the next two years) laid out green pine needles on the ground of the school.  This is the equivalent of rolling out the red carpet.  Instead of buying a carpet, they hand pick thousands upon thousands of needles to lay on the ground as a sign of honor and respect that we were there.  Very humbling.

As we get into a routine (me with building during the teams and running with staff administration...lay pastor training will start this August/ Vicki with the clinic and mobile clinic) we see small glimpses as to why we are here.  God has truly done some cool things in the villages so far.  Many have surrendered their lives to Christ.  One person shared the gospel and many accepted!  Way cool.  Words fail to truly describe the sights and presence of that awesome Spirit.  God is not dead!  Hope and healing is happening to the tribe as we move forward to make this our new home for now.  We also have gone through the flu as is made its rounds down here.

Our daily devotions have been found in the books Jesus Calling  and My Utmost for His Highest.  These resources have been a source of energy for us as we begin each new day saying: Lord we will go anywhere at anytime to do anything with YOU!  May those words be found true on your lips and dwell in your heart this day!

Hasta Pronto mi amigos!

AJ and the other kiddos playing in the rain!

making friends....

too much fun!

The entire family got involved!

a BEAUTY!

Kira!

Caleb!

Buenas Dias means good morning....

In the process of learning Spanish and learning our roles and places here in Guatemala, we knew the day would come when we would need to learn to push through the home sickness. Both Vicki and I knew what we would face.....we had a hunch what the kids would face.....we just did not know when it would happen.

Having a group here with familiar faces, has been refreshing and fun.  We are gearing up for the second medical clinic day today.  Yet, yesterday it hit for some of the kiddos....."I want to go home".

With some tears and hugs and chats, we tried to express the reality of that home is here for now.  Home is truly where we are together as a family.  The process of over-coming our comforts and schedules will take time, but in the midst of it, it takes time to help someone else get to the place of contentment in Him.

As we minister to and with the beautiful people of Guatemala, we realize that STILL the first and foremost calling we as parents have is to minister to and with our children until they are old enough to soar on their own.  We hold them now as they grow, but they are meant to soar in HIM.  We only hope that we can provide the space for them to discover who they are in Jesus as they grow up.

So until that moment of "okay, we can do this" we sit with them.  This learning will be one that will make us grow stronger and rely more on Him.  It is not our comfort or control of our schedules that will bring us closer to God (in fact, the comforts of life often distract us from His voice), it is total reliance on Him....HE is our home.  This shelter is just temporary.

Side note:  We greatly appreciate your prayers as they are truly felt.  We are getting closer to have a better internet connection here that will allow us to update more often.  We blog when we can!  Blessings to you all
~Justin