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

Hi everyone.

 Today the team went to another building day.

There is a flu bug going around and affecting many people at the base, so we would appreciate your prayers. While the team was at the village, Vicki Schrock and Heidi Smith had a meeting with the nannies at the orphanage. They are hoping to get a better organization for the orphanage, as some of the older kids will need teaching soon.  It was a beautiful day this afternoon, we got to see a double rainbow and while it was raining us kids got to have some fun running on the deck and playing games in the rain (This activity was not including Emilee and Caleb as they got to go put stucco on a house. I also got to bake cookies in the afternoon with some of my sisters and Haven, who is a daughter of the Smits. I have had an excellent day today and I hope you did to. Thank you for your prayers.

-AJ

Grilled Cheese Sandwiches...

So Kira has fallen deeply in love.  As her father, I approve of this relationship.  Kira loves grilled cheese sandwiches.  SO MUCH, that she asked for them for every meal......literally every meal!


As the first team is preparing for their last night here, and we prepare to say goodbye to Grandma Kathy, we are grateful to the Lord for this past week, and look to Him for the next week.

What we experienced:
9 people riding in a pick up to go splurge at McDonalds for one meal
a smoke detector going off at 4 in the morning (faulty battery)
A 5.0 earthquake
noise noise noise.....two youth groups made this team up
and much more!

We are busy trying to improve on our spanish, trying to get our home in place, trying to learn more of our rolls and place, and observing a lot and seeing how we can jump in to the grove of all that is going on here.

As we send this post, we decided to include our current prayer list.

*TRANSPORTATION...we had three vehicles go down the first week (2 of which are vans)
we have another van in Michigan but are trying to find the right RORO (roll on/roll off) shipping company to get it down here QUICK

*For health.  There was a "bug" that was going around here, but thankfully it only lasted only for one day

*For the people that we will be encountering when we build houses and host medical clinics


Since part of our roll will be administration at the base, we have had the opportunity to see various needs (and some wants) at the base to help make things go more smoothly AND allow more time and focus on other aspects of the ministry.

Dios Te Bendiga,

Houston (aka Justin...since the locals have a hard time saying the J, it sounds like Houston)

Hello Everyone...

Today in Guatemala the team from Michigan are getting ready for their last medical clinic.  As this week is coming to an end we are all thankful that the team could make it to the medical clinic last night, as their car got stuck. Once they were to the village it started to rain, so they could not show the film or preach over the loud noise of the rain, but God answered our prayers and they were able to show the film and preach. We are doing great down here. Thank you for your prayers.

-AJ Schrock

sights and sounds and smells and more....

AJ organizing our kitchen

friends on the play ground

what happens when a 5 year old gets your camera...

and this too!

busted sink in the kitchen? Vicki and on that fast!

Emilee and Leslie and Noami cooking in the kitchen for the team

Always a great day at the playground when friends are around

AJ and Yvonne

Naomi and her buddy Dulce!

This is how we roll...

For the past two days we have been working very hard. While Justin was building houses with a team from Michigan, Vicki, Kathy and us kids have been working at the base. Our apartment is almost done. We even had time to go on a hike to security hill, which is just a steep driveway. We are doing great. Thanks for all of your prayers.

-AJ

us and Grandma at the top of security hill (minus mom and dad who are behind the camera)

some of us kids hard at work sorting meds before the team arrives

Day 1 (and a few days late...)

(Monday's original post)

After a busy morning of getting some of the final preparations for the summer in place, we headed off to the airport to get the first team (two groups from Michigan….a youth group and a Christian group) AND the rest of the tribe.  Everyone made it safely here and even the entire luggage made it.

It is a refreshing feeling to have the family back together again.  This feeling is refreshing and energizing.  We do find ourselves re-doing the orientation with the big three of life in Guate, but they are bouncing back quite well. 

Tomorrow is building day one in a new village.  We ask for prayers of safety, no rain (or at least until 5pm), and that relationships can be built already.

Your prayers are truly being felt.  We are seeing the goodness of God already.  We were busy with the team when they got here by sorting medicines, packing the care package bags, and sorting through the piles of equipment and tools from the container that came down a few weeks ago.  They are much needed supplies will be used for the base and other projects . 

We are excited to see what God has in store for our tribe AND the people that God will place in our paths…

Prayer requests for this team ( AND for all the teams) that the rain would occur in the evening of building days and in the afternoon or early morning on medical clinic days.

ALSO, Please be praying for the transportation as vans are breaking down left and right!

Hello Again from Guatemala!...Remember Us?

Well, after a quiet week with the internet, we are finally able to post some updates.  With the weather with what it has been and the busyness of a first team, we were unable to share insights, photos, and prayer requests.  We are hoping to get caught up again.

A Picture can say more words than any other story....

Volcano Agua, seen from the base

The view we are blessed to have out of our living room window

2 Corinthians 5:9
Therefore, we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to HIM.
~Vicki

On the Verge...

Well, here it is, down to the last day before the teams come in for the summer.  There will be seven teams coming this summer.  We will be busy with new villages and houses, new villages and medical clinics, visiting new villages and churches and training/connecting with pastors....the theme, is new.  This summer is going to be one filled with a lot of newness.

As I wake each morning (okay, maybe earlier than I would like) I get to see the sunrise (when the summer rains will allow it to shine) over the mountain ridges out our living room window.  Lately I have had a song come to my mind.  Now, this song has a small story to it as well.  I only remember part of it and I have not sung it since I was a freshman in high school.  My high school music teacher, Mr. Cooper, was big on bringing in choruses that held Christian over and under tones.  The song was called, The New Day.

"You are the new day.  I will love you more today than yesterday.  You are the new day".  That is it!  That is all I can remember, short of the melody as well.  Yet, it sticks with my inner being.....each day I am reminded that it is HE that makes the new.  No matter what yesterday held, today is a new day.  The maker of all, makes all things new.  So today, He is the new day.  May this new day be a day where you seek after Him and see Him in all things.  May the sun shining or the birds singing or the raining falling give you pause to think on Jesus, the Word made flesh.


You are the new day.  I will love you more today than yesterday, you are the new day....Jesus!


~Justin