One Family United

The families arrived in Guatemala today! What a blessing it's been to jump into the arms of my family that I haven't seen in almost six weeks! I flew straight into Guatemala to meet up with the AXIS ministry group (aka 18 through 20-something's), for missions here last week after a month of studying abroad in Costa Rica. This was my first mission trip with Lakewood, and what an awesome ride it has been! Not only did I get to take part in God's ultimate mission for our lives here in Guatemala City, but I also have had the privilege to get to know and reconnect with some of the most incredible, talented and God-fearing group of young people I have ever had the pleasure of knowing.

Today, 21 people from various families arrived in Guatemala to join the AXIS group making 39 of us total. As close as our AXIS group has gotten within the last week, the families that arrived by no means caused us to skip a single beat. We all became united the moment they stepped off the plane. We returned to Seteca Seminary where we're staying, and immediately the greatness of God shown through as he pulled us all together for worship and fellowship. Lakewood has even had the pleasure and blessing of working, for the first time, in Guatemala with another church within our community in North Georgia, Ivy Creek Baptist Church.

Sons, daughters, mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, friends and cousins alike gathered together tonight for our first night in Guatemala at a church in the landfill called Restoration Church. Songs were sung unanimously in both Spanish and English as well as sermons spoken. The power of God fled through the tiny church tonight. It was an amazing start to another week of God's work here.

What's been special to watch today is that it doesn't matter what age we are, or what family background we have, what language we speak or even what church we come from, we are all one family united under one father - our Father in heaven. We are all here for his purpose.

One point that has laid heavy on my heart from a devotion this morning that carried over into our devotion tonight is that God doesn't need us to do his work. He could do it all on his own as he is an all powerful God. What's incredible is that he choses to invite us in to work with him along his side. He gave us the power to change the world with him as an unstoppable force! How much more amazing can life get that we may have these precious opportunities to change people's lives not only abroad in a third world country but also in our daily lives?

Luke 18:27 "The things which are impossible with men are possible with God."

Megan Rochester