Team Visit - Sharon Baptist...

This week was outstanding with the team from Sharon Baptist Church from Georgia. With a team of 19 they made it happen. Fed the homeless, taught some children, gave away clothes and much more.

Again it was marvelous to see a team with passion and action and hearts challenged to change up. Yea God!

Games and Ruins...

About 45 minutes - 22 miles as the crow flies to the north/northwest of Antigua are the ruins of Ixmche just this side of Tecpan - the original capitol of Central American Colony. Here you can find a worship/retreat center that was begun 1500 years BC. If you were to look at a Biblical time line, that dates these ruins to the time of Moses and the children of Israel leaving Egypt.

These ruins included recreation and worship of the Mayan gods. They were in operation for nearly 3,000 years. They "coincidentally" stopped about the time the Spaniards arrived roughly 1500 AD - imagine that.

This first photo is of an ancient Mayan Ballgame field that resembles in some ways the modern day soccer/fútbal. The exception being that as we use our feet primarily, they used only shoulders and hips with protective gear made of armadillo shell and such. They could not use their hands and the goals were rings mounted on the sides of the pay area. For us the losing team goes home sad. For them the losers were killed. It is my understanding that this game played a significant role in the spiritual/religious traditions.

This next photo is of an active section of this ancient worship/recreation center. Here they still practice sacrifices to the Mayan gods - without the human sacrifice element. Too bad they are still playing games with God - the losers though lose more than their lives.

Kid's Getting it Done...

Today was a special day as honored the children's ministry with the quarterly awards. These children were waiting for their partner in class to arrive on the stage. This particular group is the "Bosques" or "Rangers". What a blessing to see these kids actively involved in learning how the Bible applies to life.

Your prayers and financial support help to make this happen. Thank you.

Team Visit - Palm Coast...

Team Visit - Grace Church...

Cruisin' the Coast...

We have a few teams coming that require different team activities for the "ya-ya"day as we call them - this is the tour or rest day at the end of the week for our visiting teams. it was "required" of me to do some scouting out for the groups - check the timing and distance, road conditions, costs, etc. I got to do the following:

- See a group of men lift my moto onto the shuttle boat and have a 20 minute conversation with these ladies with whom this is everyday life -

- See a group of kids just swimming and enjoying the bayou that has flooded their house since Tropical Storm Agatha -

- Pass a serious section of road washed out from the storm -

- then be able to enjoy a soda break in a Guatemala tienda.

170 Miles - 6 hours - Beautful Day - Yea God!

Thank you again to those of you that made the trip possible on the KLR650.

Post Agatha Beauty...

About a week after Agatha hit Central America, my wife was feeling cabin fever for not being able to get out and run. Her usual running partners were not able to run with her this day so I was blessed with riding angel shadow via moto. I was struck with the multiples elements of nature and persons of beauty that I was privileged to watch.

Husbands watch out for your wives - treat them like fine china - honor God.
(1 Peter 3:7 - I love the NVI translation best.)

Steppin' Up to Agatha Relief...

This is what can happen when you step up and are willing to serve...

Days after Tropical Storm Agatha hit Guatemala there was a couple from Switzerland that happened to be vacationing in Central America - at the wrong time? - I think not. They happened into the Cafe hearing that we (IDC) might know of how they could help.

In short, they returned later that day with cash resource to buy food and water for people in the shelters - they also sent out an email to 20 or so friends back home in Europe. This care for those in need generated food, water, and medicines - for people they did not know - totaling in excess of $3,000. Way to step up. Yea God!

This week - post disaster...

I live in another country form my birth and this has given me a much larger perspective for the life I have been given. I grew up with the understanding of options. I was taught to see things beyond what is in front of me. These are some of the reasons that I am blessed...

Unlike my my friend in the National Police of Guatemala - the roof of my church did not collapse under the weight of volcanic ash.

This week, I have not had to suffer the loss that so many in this world or those in my back yard have suffered.

This morning, I didn't wake up to put my feet in the water that filled my house.

Today, I haven't had to dig out the mud from my house - or bury a loved one that was killed in a mudslide - or give up hope of finding them because they have been missing and assumed buried from the mudslide.

The Mayor of my city was not told by the national government that because of limited funds there would be no monies available to help him rebuild.

I didn't leave my home to escape the pending Tropical Storm only to return to a hole where my home used to be.

When I was blessed to take water and food to an emergency shelter - I was also just as blessed to have the option to leave and come home.

This posting is not to bleed guilt as much as to realize blessings and wealth are so much more than only what we have. If you are so inclined please go this website - agatharelief.iglesiadelcaminogt.com - Prayerfully consider what you can do to share your blessings.