How are you MARKED

So, you are probably shocked to find a second post in one day after a week of silence.  I hope that you are sitting down.  This summer has been filled and looking at the calendar, the fall is not slowly down either.

We are on team 6 out of 7 for the summer.  As the team is out on a Medical Clinic along the coast (can you say H.O.T.!!!!), I find myself at the base while my nurse of a wife is in her element.  I enjoy these times as it allows me to try to catch up with the administration work, hang with the kids, swing down to the orphanage, chat with the guards and learn more Spanish.

But what was laid on my heart today, was something that I felt compelled to share with you.  Markings.

As I look at my legs and see bug bites galore, I am reminded that we can get marked in our lives.  Bites, scars, dents, bruises, etc.  Some are short term and some are life long.  Each one tells a story.  Good, bad, and even ugly...they make us who we are today.

Last year when I was in grad school, I was in a group required to write a student leadership curriculum.   We started with a concept from a professor and one of his books.  We simply feel in love with the truth that he offered and we ran with it.

What are the markings of a Christ follower?  How can those markings tell a story of who you are and who Christ is?  How can you allow those markings to be long lasting?

Here is our suggestion:  A Christian is truly MARKED, when they embrace four characteristics into their entire life.
LOVE.
GOODNESS.
FREEDOM.
WIDSOM.

Do you have these battle scars in your life?  Would you say you are marked with these?  How can we allow Christ to brand our hearts, minds, and souls so that these four traits marinate the fiber of our speech, actions, thoughts, and way of life?

So as you prepare for a new day tomorrow, may you be marked by Christ.....not just for a moment, but for a lifetime!

This summer in Guatemala, we are seeing people EMBRACING these markings!!!!  Are you?

~Dios Te Bendiga
~Justin


https://sites.google.com/site/markedstudentleadership/home

Justin's chair of choice just before lunch....this time a team member joins in the fun as well!

So what do you do all day?

Caleb on a building day

WORSHIP!!!!

As a youth pastor, I would hear these words often.  Now that the family is in Guatemala and we are still doing youth ministry, AND missions.....we.....still hear these words.

a team member praying for the family...

Dan and Vicki at a medical clini

How do I answer this?  Hmmm....well we have our tentative schedule for the day and even for the week.  We picked up team six for the summer from the airport.  They will be going on two medical clinics the next two days and then on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday will be building five houses and dedicating them to the families.  That is the plan, but we know that our days do not always go according to plan.  Today as we waited for the team to arrive, two of our vans were parked on a road waiting for them to arrive and the parking police sneaked up behind and placed a boot on the back van. Normally that means going to court before a judge to pay the fine and becomes a two to three hours process.  These cops said that the fee could be paid on the spot.  Not according to our plan, as it delayed us, but we were able to pick up the team "on time".

    So what do I do.  I do whatever needs to be done.  I drive vans, help build houses, take notes of what needs to be done and then e-mail the people in the states to see that things get done, I dream, I plan, I fix, I parent, I lead the teams, I do devotions, lead the staff, and whatever else needs to be done.

As a family we try to pitch in with what needs to be done.  Doing this in a 3rd world country has its ups and downs.  There are times where tears are shed, in the work, the hard work produces much sweat, and even sometimes we see blood.  This means for us to pick up this, we need to let go of something.

In Matthew 8 Jesus is once again teaching and he instructs his disciples to sail across the lake.  Before they take off, a teacher of the law comes to him and says that he would follow Jesus anywhere.  Jesus replied " foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay His head".  I used think that that was an odd response, but let us ponder that.

Do you have a favorite chair in your living room?  How about your bed, do you miss it when you travel?  Ever heard of the phrase "home sweet home" or "there is no place like home"?  What are holes for foxes and nests for birds????  home.  There is something comfortable about home.  If we follow Jesus, we need to offer up our comfort to Him.

Yet another teacher said to him, "first let me go and bury my father and then I will follow you".  Jesus said "Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead".  Harsh Jesus......harsh....or is it?  Did you pick up on the two key words from the teacher of the law?  First and then.  What are our datebooks, calendars, iphones, and tasks?  How would you feel if I took your calendar and took over your schedule?  Feel out of...control?  Why does the first have to be there?  We need to give our comfort AND control over to Jesus and then we can do what he says......"follow me"....a path and a person.  What more do we need.  What more do we need to do?  Follow Jesus and your day will be fine and filled with wonders, even if those wonders were not on your calendar originally.

what path is God taking you on today?

~Justin

Laundry and Vaccines

Leslie, one of PBM’s nurses, has a wash machine at her house.  Big deal right?  No, that is a big deal; wash is done on a rock or in a pila by hand!  But, the machine the bought is all written in English not Spanish so the family has not been using the machine out of fear of breaking it.  I got to go to her house and help ‘train’ the family how to use the wash machine.  As we were driving I thought, what am I doing, I am no laundry expert.  Although I feel like all I do is laundry . . . laundry . . . laundry.  So I said a quick mindless prayer that I would be able to help these people with their machine and that my Spanish or lack there of would be sufficient.  We parked our big vehicle through a very narrow entrance and walked the rest of the way to Leslies’ house.  In a beautiful courtyard sat a white wash machine, wait for it . . . that is identical to the one I use in the states.  Seriously, exactly the same!  God, your sense of humor continues to stop me in my tracts and make me smile.  Leslie and I were able to put my broken Spanish into instructions so that the family can use their high capacity Bravo wash machine. 

How often do our modern day convinces distract us from our Heavenly Father or in this case point us right back to Him?

Oswald Chambers writes, “Never be surprised at what God does, but be so taken up with HIM that HE may continue to do surprising things through you!”

On to the next story~

As many of you know we have a set of twins that are 5 years old and full of life.  Well, I needed to draw on my experiences from 5 years ago when they were infants.  Yohanna, another PBM nurse, and two nannies brought 7 yep 7 babies to have some blood work done and vaccines completed.  As I sat in the lab with 2 babies helping one hold still and one on my lap waiting, I thought back to my time taking Miya and Kira for their first vaccines.  I was so overwhelmed helping two little ones at the same time, yet today this was old hat.  I can juggle two babies with the best of them!  God your provision with 5 years of ‘training’ doesn’t go without notice!

The kids at Open Doors!  we are falling in love with each child of GOD!

As a side note, while carrying two babies to get their vaccines at Centro de Salud, I was definitely attracting some attention.  A tall white skinned red head with two babies in tow is something a bit uncommon.  I am use to being looked at and typical the looks don’t stop me because I am numb to the stares.  BUT, today the looks were different.  I felt that I was being stared down and accused of stealing their babies.  I thought about that feeling for a while and then dismissed the accusations cause I am correct in my motives.  How many times have I stopped what I’m doing in the past because of others reactions? 

Today I’m going to focus on HIM and not worry what others think.  I’m going to follow HIS Leading and try to be successful at positive thinking!

Vicki

A new house . . . or two.

For the past couple of days Justin and Heidi have been building play houses for the younger kids. They are all excited to play in the play house. There are two houses, one is already outside and the other one is still inside almost done.

Today Justin is going to pick up the team. We would appreciate your prays for the team that started building in a new village today!

-AJ

Helping hands x6

 

 

The whole Schrock family got to go help with stucco and painting.

Miya got to help sweep the inside of the houses while the team got ready to paint she was a good helper. Kira found some friends and stuck with them for the day.

 Emilee, Caleb and I got to help paint the inside of the house. We all got to help with the stucco, it was fun and messy. We had tostadas  and rice for lunch, and then some of us kids went back to the base early to help out there. We had a fun time working on the houses. I saw God in some of the men working on the roofs, it was really amazing on how hard they worked to get the houses done. Still praying for you.

 

     -AJ

Oh Beautiful for.....

     On the 3^rd of July our family has had the tradition of celebrating the 4^th.  We have attended the Village Northwest Celebration for as long as my kids can remember.  This year was a bit different though because of our location in Guatemala.  BUT, God has a sense of humor as we again celebrated the 4^th on the 3^rd.  Do to schedules we celebrated a day early.

The staff at PBM was invited for a good old fashion picnic and fireworks.  We enjoyed grilled burgers, potato salad, fruit, and cake and ice cream.  The finale was an amazing fireworks display lite by Mr. Dan Smith.  We had a good night.  I was reminded of our nations independence.  But more importantly I was reminded of my right to nothing.  I have no right to independence, no right to a beautiful home, and no right to worship my Savior without threat.  Yet, my Heavenly Father placed me in Iowa to experience all of these as a norm.  Thank you Jesus for your grace on my family and I.

The 4^th of July~ Our family decided to go on an adventure and to visit Lake Atitlan, the 4th most beautiful place in the world according to National Geographic.  After riding on some difficult roads about two hours into our trip we came to a river and the bridge was gone.  HMMMMM what to do?  We’ve foraged rivers before but never with just one vehicle and our kids in tow.  What to do?  Just then a truck came and crossed the river with no difficulty.  So we crossed . . . without incident . . . On with our adventure!

About 2 ½ hours into our trip Justin and I began to question if we were actually on the right road.  As we continued on we came around a corner and the lake was there in all of its glory!  We passed through a small town and then found an amazing overlook where we could have or picnic!  God is Good!

We then got back in our big van and continued on to Panajachel.  We found a beautiful national reserve that we were able to hike to a butterfly house, see monkeys swing in the trees, and even spend a few minutes observing God’s amazing beauty displayed in the lake. 

Of course there was adventure in this part of our trip too.  Naomi is 3 years old and as independent as can be!  She would not hold Justin’s hand as we crossed the swinging bridges, now before you think she fell, keep reading!.  About 15 feet into the first bridge Naomi’s foot got caught and her beautiful pink and grey tennis shoe fell to the bottom of the ravine.  Well, its not the shoe that you should worry about, its Justin and I cause now we have an independent 3 year old, with no shoe and the need to be carried on this adventure.

About 30 minutes later Naomi was riding on my back and she said into my right ear, “I’m naughty Mommy.” 

I responded with , “Why?” 

“Cause I lost my shoe.” 

I calmly said, “Oh, it was an accident, we can’t change it. You are not naughty!”

As I continued up the path I could hear two things, my heart beating in my ears (cause of the high elevation . . . um Riiiiight) and my God speaking to me.  HE said, “Vicki sometimes there are things in life that you can’t change and yet you shame yourself for them.  Please let it go and just let me carry you up the mountain.” 

How many times do I need to learn this lesson?

As we finished our day we spoke with a family (in English!) about the best way to go home, he told us a ‘better’ route and we thought, what have we got to lose?   Yeah, the way home was much smoother and less adventurous.  As a family we grabbed some fast food for supper in Chimaltenango and continued on our way home. 

You know the time when you round the corner and your drive way is in sight and you reflect on your day and think. . . that was a good day.  We almost made it to that point. But hold on, our adventure isn’t over J   Right before the fork in the road there is a pickup loaded with firewood.  I mean loaded.  The rear axle is broken and there is no moving this truck and there is no going around it either.  Now what?  We are sooooo close to home.  God’s provision is so great we can’t even comprehend it most of the time.  Estuardo, a fellow missionary with us,  so happened to be right behind us on our way home (so happened J ).  After a few minutes of deliberating of what to do cause we have 6 kids, 3 gas tanks, 2 propane tanks, 1 man in a wheelchair, it was decided we call Estuardo’s son to drive up the road and pick us up.  But, that would mean moving all of the previous items past the broken down truck into another van and then,  we would park the vehicles up the road a bit and walk back . . . IN THE DARK.  Just when we think, oh that was a good day, God says “Oh, you are on MY adventure!” 

We pray your day brings you adventure and you can find joy in HIS plan for your life!

~Vicki

Lake Atitlan!!!!!

picnic lakeside!  A beautiful view...

wow!

just finished the butterfly house and....

.....found one more butterfly

through the jungle with the Tribe

enjoying the lake after a long hike with 8 people and 15 shoes

a spider monkey...one of many

the zipline swing...the kiddos loved this!  

a Guatemalan school bus?  :) 

trust me...the road TO the lake, looked NOTHING like this one on the way back home....