A Few Pre-trip Interviews

Less than a week

There is less than one week to go until our group of 28 high school students and adults travel to Guatemala City, Guatemala! We will be working in the landfill that is located in Zone 3, widely known from the documentary entitled 'Recycled Life' which can be watched on YouTube. In the landfill we will build/rebuild homes, pour cement floors, and install stoves. We will also work for two days at Rayitos de Esperanza, the school that our church supports, leading a VBS and loving on the children.

Saul, the pastor of Iglesia El Camino, has been a great connection for our groups in the past and our group will be working with him the whole week. He has had a tremendous influence in the lives of the people living in his church's community, including the people of the landfill. Saul meets physical needs by giving away clothing and food, but always shares the loving message of the Gospel while working!

Please pray as our team prepares to leave for Guatemala City this week!


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It's Time To Go Back!

It's that time of year again...high school students will be signing up to go on our trip in March/April 2012. We will begin the signups by letting the 11th and 12th graders sign up first. After a certain date, if there is enough space on the trip, we will begin letting sophomores sign up, and then freshmen if there are still spots remaining.

TO SIGN UP:
Grab a Guatemala registration packet in The Lodge and turn the 2 forms in along with a $50 non-refundable deposit. The total cost of this year's trip will be close to $1,500 per person.

Last night in the U.S. of A

Our group will be meeting at 5:00am tomorrow to be taken to the Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport for our flight into Guatemala City, Guatemala! It is hard to believe that the trip is already here, and to think that at this time of night tomorrow, on April 2, we will be in Guatemala. Please be in prayer for safe travels for our group as we ride to the Airport and fly (3 1/2 hours) to the beautiful country of Guatemala.

Don't forget that you can sign up to receive FREE text message updates from our trip (when new blogs are posted, when we land, etc.) by following this link https://secure.txtsignal.com/subscribes?s=e83be6c&t=8017 and filling out the simple form.

T-Minus 2 or 3 Days!

Only 2 or 3 more days (depending on whether or not you count leaving at 5am day or night) left until our group leaves Gainesville, GA for Guatemala City, Guatemala!! Please be in prayer for our team as we go to one of the poorest areas of Guatemala City to share the Good News of Jesus Christ. We will try our best to keep this blog updated with pictures, stories, and maybe even a video or two. Until then, enjoy these aerial images from google earth of several of the places we will be visiting:

Aerial View U.S. & Guatemala

Guatemala City Airport (La Aurora)

Seteca Seminary (We will be staying here Saturday-Tuesday)

Guatemala City Landfill

Antigua is B-E-A Utiful!

One of the many volcanoes in Guatemala.






And another view.





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Location:Antigua Guatemala,Guatemala

Oh Guatemala, How I've Missed You

Hey team and anyone else reading this blog! I am currently in Guatemala City for some pre-trip planning and have been reminded of the great work that the Lord is already doing in this country. This reminder actually started happening as the Delta 747 that I flew in on swooped (it literally swooped so everyone get ready for a roller coaster type landing) down through the clouds revealing make-shift housing littering the steep rocky brown mountains and the newer shiny metal shacks built almost on top of each other around La Aurora Airport. Then, I remembered reading James 2 (which I read again this morning) where the writer talks about not showing favoritism to anyone because of their wealth or lack thereof. But buried in this chapter I "found" this..."Listen my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which He promised to those who Love Him?"

2 of the gazillion things that I see in this one verse from James:
1. First, the obvious...God chose the poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom.

The faith of the poorest people in this world should be the faith that we all strive to have!

2. The not so obvious...God chose the poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom.

God chose them because they represent what God desires for all of creation...dependence on Him! The poorest of the poor only have one choice which is to be dependent on something or somebody. There is no other choice...as they have no earthly possessions, sometimes no family, and sometimes not even life-sustaining essentials. But, THEY HAVE THE LORD and He is enough for them. Is He enough for you and me?

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Next Team Meeting: January 23

Next team meeting for our Guatemala trip will be on Sunday, January 23 from 12:00-3:00pm. Lunch will be provided.  Bring your Bible, any forms that have not been turned in, and your Guatemala folder.

Please send your Guatemala letters out!

If you have not sent letters out for Guatemala yet

Support Letters

Don't forget that support letters must be sent out by mid-January. This is important as it will give you plenty of time to raise the money to pay for your trip and will allow your prayer partners to begin praying for you well in advance!

Remember to have all return envelopes addressed to:

Lakewood Baptist Church
ATTN: Guatemala Team
2235 Thompson Bridge Road
Gainesville, GA 30501

Only 3 1/2 months until we leave for Guatemala City!

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Parent & Participant Meeting Tonight!

From 8:15-9:00pm in the lower auditorium of The Lodge.  This meeting is mandatory for anyone participating in the Guatemala Mission trip!

How to get a passport

The following website has information on how to get your passport (required documents and fees) for the Guatemala trip:

http://travel.state.gov/passport/get/get_4855.html

Where to get your passport:

Limestone Parkway Post Office
2490 LIMESTONE PKWY
GAINESVILLE, GA 30501-9996
(770) 536-5647

Passport Processing Hours
Mon-Fri
9:00am-2:00pm
Sat-Sun
closed

Passport Photo Hours
Mon-Fri
9:00am-2:00pm
Sat-Sun
closed
An appointment to apply for a passport is required at this Post Office location.

45 people!

We will be taking 45 total students and chaperones to Guatemala this year!  To my knowledge, this is the largest group that has ever taken a foreign mission trip from our church family.  Please pray for the entire team and the people that we will be sharing the Gospel with.  I can't wait to see what God has in store for us all!

Please pray for our team...

Please take some time to pray for our team members (some of which do not even know that they are going yet)!  Pray that God will use all of us in a mighty way.  Pray for the people that we will minister to in Guatemala.  Pray for safe travel.  Pray that the Kingdom of God will be expanded because of what God does through us!

The Planning Stages...

Our Guatemala mission trip is nearly 9 months away, but the planning process is already underway!  Last year's trip was incredible for our team (both adults and students) as many of us witnessed real poverty for the first time and most importantly experienced God in a new and powerful way.  This will be the blog that is updated with pictures and stories while in Guatemala and will track our training times, plans, and all things Guatemala until we arrive back in the States.

Thank you for reading and for your prayers as we plan to do the work that God has called us to be a part of in Guatemala.