Six Years in the Making!

Well, today was a LOT warmer than January 17, 2009.  Back then, it was a massive snow storm on a cold Saturday.  Vicki and I were driving in our truck (in 4 wheel drive most of the way) and could barely stay on the road.  We had a 2 hour drive ahead of us to witness the birth of our daughters.  Miya and Kira entered this world and our family six years ago today through the beautiful gift of adoption! We are forever grateful for their selfless birth family!

Kira Lynn

Miya Renee

Well, since we are in Guatemala in January, we totally enjoyed the weather spent some serious time outside.  As we are preparing for the next team to arrive tomorrow, we got things ready, played games, did some school work, went out to Pollo Campero to eat, and even “enjoyed” a Barbie movie to cap it off. 

Our family is loud, wild, adventurous, crazy, lovable, and big.  We would not want it any other way!

The girls decided this year that they didn't want to share their birthday.  One wanted her party for breakfast and the other for supper.  But, when push comes to shove these two can't live without each other!  They are as different as day and night in almost every way but yet inseparable.

This relationship of Miya and Kira is parallel to our relationship with Christ.  We may not want to share our life with Him or just certain areas.  BUT, when push comes to shove, we need to be inseparable.



Happy Birthday loves and we look forward to this next year and where God will bring you!

Re-LEARNING

Feb 2014 found me, Vicki, leading a trip to Guatemala with a fine group of people.  We were able to stay in the village of San Ramon and build the first homes for this village.  I was a bit nervous to lead a group without Justin as the main leader, but nonetheless I did it.  Dan, the missionary stated, "Just get them here then I will take over."  Uhmm, I then found myself as a 'forman' of one of the homes.  Okay, I can do this, think positive, I can do this.

I needed to learn this trip that I didn't do anything, God gave me the strength, words, and energy to complete this task with His power.

I was reminded of this lesson this past weekend.  I hate having to re-learn things!

2015
The team and fellow missionaries loaded the vans on Saturday to revisit this beautiful village of San Ramon.  The last medical clinic was two years ago and it was time to revisit these beautiful people.

Once we arrived, after three hours of the some of the most bumpy, curvy roads I've been on, I was setting up the clinic meds and getting organized.  I notice a team member talking with a woman and thats when I heard it, my name, VIcki, with a little spanish twang!  I said Hola and continued setting up.

About 10 minutes later I stopped for a moment and many things came into focus!  This woman was Heidy and the child was Dalia.  This is the women that I had built a house for with Steve and Julie, Don and Sue, Teresa and Alyssa.   The question is often asked do they remember us longer than we remember them?  YEP

Know that I is not always the best option, the task at hand is not always the most important but I need to lift my eyes to HIM and look around with HIS world view!

Learning as a child of God is not always easy but it is often humbling!  

Please pray for Fernando, Heidy's husband because he injured his knee severely and we will be taking him into the doctor for an exam and probably an MRI if God doesn't perform a miracle first.  Please pray that his knee will begin to heal and gain range of motion TODAY.  

don't expect a million dollar answer from a 10 cent prayer.  

PLEASE PRAY WITH ME FOR THIS MIRACLE!

{The house has become a home}

For those of you that helped build this home, know that this family remembers each of you and Heidy asked me to say hi to all of you by name.  God is big but HE is also in the details!

vicki

A new day beckons...

Here it is.  Today.  It is a gift that the Lord has given to us and there is no chance for returns.  It is a one size fits all kind of day.  Yet, it is also a day that WE can make it fit better.  We can let the troubles, frustrations, and disappointments pull at our hearts and minds and make the day "snug" and "tight".  Or we can constantly go to the Lord and ask, "what should I be seeing?"  We can look for the hidden blessings and joys that each day holds.  When we do, the day WILL fit extremely well and beautifully.  Today we clean, we organize, we prep for the next team.  We are making the most of what the Lord places before us.  We hear there is bad weather in Michigan and so the team might not come in today as planned.....according to our plans though.  We need to enjoy the time that is found within today because all plans are HIS.

As you live today, may you sense and see the power that is in the name of Jesus!

Time, the one thing that is not able to duplicated or make more of.  Time is the one thing that our technology cannot produce.  It is what it is.  The time is set, but the day is not.  Filter it (time) well today!


Dios te bendiga,

~Justin

The view from our window this morning!  Volcano Agua....

Smoke from Volcano Fuego...as seen from our window

Back in Guatemala!

We are here!

After a long day of traveling, the SchrockTribe is back in Guatemala.  We want to thank all family and friends for the 8 weeks back in Iowa.  It was truly a good time of reconnecting, sharing about the Lord’s goodness, eating some foods that we craved (can you say STEAK and anything dairy!) and even gaining a time of refreshment.

We will be having a very busy next 12 weeks here in Guate.  We will be coming back to Iowa in April to help out with the Tim Hawkins concert on April 9 at Dordt College.  This will serve as a fundraiser for the ministry.  MORE info will be coming.  If you live in the NW Iowa region, you will be hearing more and more about Tim Hawkins.  Who is he you might ask?  Simply go to youtube.com and type in Tim Hawkins.  Watch and enjoy.  A Christian Comedian that will bring a great night of laughter, music, and memories.  You will not want to miss out.  Tickets right now can be purchased by following the link on the website (paradisebound.org).

The first team comes tomorrow (Friday).

Then we have two weeks of much needed construction on and of projects at the base.

 This Winter we will have:

 ~four teams come and build in San Ramon

 ~one team come and build a CHURCH! (building only as the Church is very much THERE already!!!!!!!

~We will have…..?

We know what the schedule is supposed to look like, but we know that the days and events are in the hands of God.  So with that, we go forward awaiting the Goodness of the Lord in the Land of the Living and Loving Him....expecting nothing less than an adventure with GOD!

May you be blessed this year, and may those blessings be something you least expect! 

We will do our best to keep in better contact via the blog with you, our friends, our family, our prayer warriors, and you our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Many blessings to you today.  Oh, and it is a cool 70 degrees here today with a nice breeze blowing. 

Hasta Pronto,

Justin

Guard Your Heart for it is the Wellspring of your heart.

In Guatemala the water is very dirty and polluted, but God has blessed my family and Paradise Bound with clean healthy water to bathe and wash in.  We have access to a fresh water spring not too far from the Base.

    Many weeks ago when we would turn our faucets and showerheads on, the water didn’t really look like water. So as the days went on the water got darker and darker.

   Now many people can assume that maybe a pipe started to rot or the faucets were old, but what really happened was that there was a mudslide that ran through our whole water system. The fresh water spring was filled with mud and muck.  So the water system had to be drained and cleaned so we could have clean water again.

   For the past couple of weeks my brother Caleb, and I have been learning that our minds can become dirty just like the water was polluted by mud. Our minds can also be polluted by internet, pictures, videos, TV, and sometimes even books.

We are learning that it is up to us to not be tempted and to trust in God and do what he wants.  Always praying for you.

-AJ

Proverbs 4:23

Caleb hiking up the cement wall of the dam by the spring

some of our family hiking back to the base

Emilee in front of the pipes that bring the water to the base

Kira, Naomi, and Miya looking at the water

Mom, me, and Naomi posing for the camera

nice waling stick Naomi!

Dios Te Bendiga

God Bless You.

We say it when we want people to know we are thinking of them.
We say it when we want people to feel loved.
We say it when people sneeze.


God.

The creator of all things.  This wonderful and yet still mysterious deity that Loves us in such a way that we are continuously striving to fully understand and be closer to.

Bless.

A passing on or imparting an element of love.  This can be done with actions or with words.  It is something we all long for (a blessing) and is something that we when we truly know we are (when we are blessed), we are humbled.  We want to be a blessing as well with how we live.

You.

We often spend time doing things we want to do.  We work on our stuff and our schedules, and truthfully 98% of our day is centered around ourselves.  Yet, do we truly unpack what it means to be "You".  Who are you?  What are you doing here (on earth and in this place)?  How is God speaking to you?  I propose that "you" is deeper than we often realize.  Who you are is the beloved of God.  You are made in His image and designed to dwell with the Creator everyday and all day.


May this Christmas advent(ure) be just that.  A time of thrilling adventure as YOU dwell and encounter God with many blessings and be a blessing to others.  May you live a full and exciting life knowing that you are called to something greater.

As our tribe is in a time of rest in Iowa before we head back to Guatemala, we can honestly say we are blessed.  Blessed by family.  Blessed by friends.  Blessed by an incredible church family.  Blessed by God Himself.  We strive to live as a blessing.  Having our lives echo glory to what God is doing in Guatemala and in the States.  We try to live life like this:  God bless YOU....and  YOU bless God.  This means that we throw off the things that weigh us down and live a life that (actions and words and deeds) will be pleasing to God.
Yep, we fail miserably at this.  We are messy broken people.....yet....we have a desire that burns in our soul to keep on blessing.

May you be blessed this Christmas!  God Bless You! and may with your life.....You Bless God!

Dios te bendiga mis amigos!
~Justin

Our family, our pictures might not be perfect...but that is AOK

The "View" from our other living room window

Naomi and Yvon and Christian

Houston...we do not have a problem

So back in 2010 when our family was in Guatemala for the summer I acquired a new name.  Well, truth be told it was not new name but a variation of what my name (Justin) sounded like with the Spanish accent.  The team members of that day picked up on the name and it stuck.  There are still people today that call me Houston.

Often times it is jokingly expressed as the infamous line: "Houston...we have a problem".

Yet as we have been back in the states for three weeks, the communication we are receiving is not a problem, but rather a story: A story of God's goodness and provision.

We find our little tribe sharing stories and pictures with anybody and everybody who cares.  We go to churches and share about PBM and the Guatemalans that we have been blessed to encounter.  We have been to schools and spoke at chapels and even swung by care facilities and shared stories.

What have we found with this time back in Iowa:
~We have been busy the last few weeks and are looking forward to a quiet December
~We have thoroughly enjoyed reflecting on what we witnessed God doing the past 21 weeks in Guatemala
~We have some kiddos that absolutely love telling stories of what they experienced in Guatemala


We are blessed.


So what we are up now?  Well...

We are in the states still sharing about stories of God's faithfulness and provisions and grace.  We have our tickets to return to the "land of Eternal Spring" January 7.  We do also have return tickets for March 31 back to Iowa.  We are excited that PBM is bringing Tim Hawkins to Sioux Center on April 9!!!!

We appreciate your prayers and look forward to connecting with you at some point while we are in Iowa....or California....or ..  wherever!

In Iowa....

We are now back in Iowa for a 8 week furlough.  As I am typing this, Caleb is over at a friend's house, AJ is on her way, Emilee and Kira are on the playground outside and we are still un-packing some of the bags.  It is good to see family and friends.

"So what are you going to be doing?"

This questions is one that has been asked often.  Our November will be spent speaking at various places and sharing stories and pictures of what God is up too in Guatemala.  We will also be getting things ready for the Tim Hawkins concert/comedy extravaganza on April 9 in Sioux Center, IA.

The blessings are abounding.  We were blessed with a safe trip back and the adjustment (can you say cold weather?) has been fairly well.

We will keep you posted on more happenings and the excitement that comes around each new corner.


Funny story:  Yesterday Emilee wanted a drink of water so she went and got a glass and went to the faucet and filled it with water and started to drink.
Naomi, from the corner..."Emilee....NNNNNNNNOOOOOOO that is bauchy (bad) water!!!!!"
Oh let the adjustments begin.

Dios Te Bendiga

Justin

We are now down to 8 days....

So today we took some Iowa and California friends back to the airport.  They were here for a week with a few people from MI to work at the base.  We are nearly done with the medical clinic and the offices!  YEAH. This much needed space will allow our pastors to study and prayer and maintain a place for administration details to all of the villages that they go to.

The expanded clinic will only enhance our care and services to the people surrounding the base.


So, as we prepare to have the Paradise Bound Ministries Board come on Thursday......we are just trying to survive.  Let me explain.  2 adults, 6 kids, one flu.  Everyone except for AJ is sick.  Fever, headaches, burning eyes, and a cough.  It has been around for three days and is starting to work its way out, BUT is kicking our tails.

We ask for a quick time of healing as we prepare for the board, as we pack to head back to Iowa, as we are engaging in the preparations for our times of speaking, and as we say goodbye, for now, to some friends.


Addios for now.


~Justin

NO HAY CLAVO!

My confession is that the title is actually a Guatemalan slang term meaning that there is no problem.  This is used mainly with the youth and is not rude or bad, but usually can be said among friends.  My admission is when I say this, I feel like I am hanging out with the youth group again.  Seeing the fellow Guatemalan missionaries giggle when I say it, or they do, brings me a bit of joy.


                                                          It literally translate as: There is no nail.

     We find ourselves down to three weeks before we  jump on an airplane and head for cooler weather.  So, the question begs to be asked, “What are we doing with our time?”

let me introduce you to the next group of WORLD CHANGERS!!!!!

    Well, I am glad that you have asked.   We find ourselves getting things ready for the construction team to come down here on Sunday and help expand our onsite clinic and build some much needed office space.  We also have an Open Doors Children’s Home team that will be coming and spending time with the kiddos (we are NOW up to 13 babies!!!!!! Plus 3 other toddlers).  Shortly after these teams leave, we have most of the board members for Paradise Bound coming for a Spiritual Retreat and Vision Casting. 

    We are now done with our 30 days of Spanish classes, but a small forest of notes to keep going over.  The kids are still plugging away at school and enjoying it. 

    We are busy gathering info to bring to the states, lining up our speaking engagements, planning for a big event in Sioux Center in April, and trying our best to continue building the relationships among the other Guatemalan missionaries here. 

    We appreciate the prayers and thoughts that come down south.  Each day we try our best to soak in this beauty.  The people, the mountains, the volcanoes, the earthquakes, the paradise, and this over all “land of eternal Spring”.  This journey, this followed the Lord to another Country has been, is, and will be a alteration to our lives.  We pray that the alteration is one that will only bring us closer to His heart and that our kids will learn a language of dependence on Him.

"God's Patch Work Quilt"......how would you like to farm that!

                      Dios te bendiga y con mucho amor yo digo adios.

Buenas noches amigos.