Antigua, Guatemala - the city of eternal spring.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
The country is beautiful. Apparently there is no need for glass or screens on the windows in the buildings, but they do have wooden shutters on the inside, and metal bars on the outside for security.
My first morning in Antigua I crawled out from under the warm covers (approx 58 degrees outside and in) and tiptoed down the cold hallway to the bathroom...huh... the sink had a hot water knob... but no hot water. The sink also had a cold water knob and - wa la! Cold water! Yay!!! Time to wash my face and brush my teeth... "Brrrrr".
I didn't know "warm" water actually came out of the shower, so... yup, a cold shower it was for me. A few days later I finally decided to tackle the shower thing and finally figured out how to make the water in the shower "warm". LOL. Let me tell you, the water may not be hot, but "warm" is SO much better than cold.
Since the day was spring-like I left the window shutters open in my room, had breakfast with mi familia, and walked the four blocks to school. By the time I returned to my room in the evening, after dinner, the temperature had cooled down considerably. They don't have central heat or any type of heat in the buildings so this called for two pair of summer jammies and two pair of socks. The next day I made sure NOT to leave the wooden shutters open.
Saturday, February 05, 2011
The hardest part for me right now is not having anyone to talk to about God. I mean "really" talk to about God. In the States I had quite a few friends I could chit chat with and talk to with about God; the Lord's heart, our hearts, different Bible scripture, where we feel the Lord is leading. That is the one thing I miss the most. I'm really going to have to get a phone so I can call Montserrat at El Faro and talk to her. She's a missionary there. I REALLY need to speak with someone about that which my heart is closest to---God.
Last Night... February 14, 2011
I love the time here, the school, and everything else, however, last night was NOT a good night. When I was sleeping I had a spiritual attack. I was held by two spirits and couldn't move. I tried yelling for someone to come and help but couldn't speak. Nothing would come out of my mouth. After a while I was able to start screaming for help but the words were barely coming out. As time progressed I was able to get the words out, "Help me. Help me!" I finally woke up and realized I had been screaming out loud in my sleep. I quickly opened the door of my room and saw "mi hermana" standing at the door of her room with her eyes wide open and then the door to "mi hermano's" room opened. We all had a good laugh after I explained to them that I had a nightmare... and I went back to my room. What really distressed me was the fact that I did not call out to Jesus. What the heck is up with THAT???! Normally, if I have a spiritual attack while I'm sleeping I call out "Jesus help Me!" in my mind and wa-la! Bam!!! Whatever the problem is/was is gone. But this time I didn't.
Why??? This is so disturbing to me - the fact that I did not call out to Jesus. AND the fact that I no longer live with my roommate, Pam, because her and I would have IMMEDIATELY gotten down on our knees to pray and I had to pray alone in my room without a prayer partner. Aargh. So distressing.
The next day after school, I went to the evangelical church and asked if they could find a prayer partner for me. Please, please, PLEASE pray that the Lord assigns a prayer partner for me. Thank you!
February 23, 2011
From Val Buelle: I have a word for you... "I have seen his ways, but I will heal him. I will lead him and restore comfort to him and to his mourners creating new praise of the lips. Peace, peace to him who is near and far says the Lord.
Thank you Val! :)
February 23, 2011
Last week I went to the non-denominational evangelical church to find a prayer partner and spoke to one of the women at the church cafe. She said I should talk to the woman at the church in charge of prayer, however she was somewhat non-committal about the name of the woman with whom I should talk. As I was walking out of the cafe I saw one of the pastors and told him about my request for a prayer partner. He said he would look into it for me. Later in the day I saw him and he told me he had given my name to the woman at their church in charge of prayer and she said she would contact me. It's been ten days and no contact from anyone.
Today I went to the church again because they're supposed to have a group that prays every Wednesday at 5:30pm. I went there hoping to find people to pray with and all I got was "um, yeah, I think there's a group that gets together to pray." And this person asked that person, who in turn asked another person, and that person went to ask "insert name here". Apparently, "insert name here" said the group won't be getting together to pray until sometime in April. I find this to be odd, especially in a small town which consists of tourists and missionaries. If a person is not a local either they are a tourist or a missionary. How can a town filled with missionaries have no one to pray??? I've been a newby at this praying with other people thing in the last 8-ish or so years. Is this usually what happens with prayer groups? Is everyone's prayer life just as sad as mine?
Please pray for people to commit to talking to the Lord here in Antigua and at home in Illinois. Talking to GOD is SO HUGELY IMPORTANT. MORE IMPORTANT THAN ANYTHING ELSE WE CAN EVER KEEP OURSELVES BUSY WITH. Praying to God moves mountains - literally folks - if it's God's will. The people and the land here in Guatemala need healing physically, spiritually, mentally, and emotionally in the name of Jesus. And in Illinois as well. Let us NOT forget to talk directly to God in the Name of Jesus. HE and He alone is our provider, our love, our strength, our breath, our life. I pray Father God, in Jesus Name, that when I am at the mission, the Lord willing, we are not too busy doing Your work to talk to you.
February 24, 2011
It was a bit difficult getting up this morning - the plank in my eye was killing me... :( When I was in the states I would wake up every morning to spend time with God, talk with God; pray. HOWEVER, every morning since I've been here I've tried getting up in the morning to talk to God but I've been soooooooo tired. First the kidney stone thing, mixed in with the sinus asthma thing, and then it dawned on me (as I actually started to feel sorry for myself) that I have nothing to fear. What's going on with me with this fear/aggravation over these physical ailments thing? So, I got down on my knees and gave thanks to the Lord for each and everything that I could think of. It didn't matter if I was sportin' a kidney stone or not. Ahhh... how do you spell relief? J-E-S-U-S
The next morning - my kidney stone pain was gone! I'm not kidding. Thank you Lord Jesus!!!
Since that evening I've been waking up in the morning and spending a bit of time with the Lord, but not as much as I should be. (See that plank in my eye?) When the Lord is a priority in my everyday, my everyday becomes so much easier, and lighter, with less work. I may have homework, I may have to learn Spanish, to tell people about Christ in another language, but my first priority is to give the first fruits of each day to our Creator, to give thanks to the Lord. And I cannot forget that, or forfeit that right, for the busyness of the day. Or because I'm too tired to wake up early but not too tired to wake up early to go to school because school is a responsibility and I've put money into it. Waking up early to give thanks to the Lord is a love gift, not a gift given out of guilt.
My prayer request? That out of love for Christ you and I wake up early to spend time with the Lord, according to His will, offering our love and gratitude with prayers of thanksgiving to our Creator. That the Lord wakes us up with joy each morning.
