Day 4 - 2nd Day of Clinics

Tuesday, July 31st:
After another incredible, paradigm-shifting and gospel-soaked morning of devotions about the four primary steps of evangelism from Hermann, we trekked out about 3km eastward from yesterday's destination of Santa Apolonia to a small school and biblioteca comunitaria in the hills at about 7800' elevation.

Terraced fields and cloud dotted azure skies surrounded us as we were enthusiastically greeted by several of the local church members from yesterday's visit to Iglesia Belen. 

It was a beautiful day to be with the people there, most of whom spoke a creole of mostly Mayan with a little Spanish (see below).

I began the day in a counseling station with our team co-leader, Annette (who has been on about 8 of these trips to Guatemala in the past). We were joined by two interpreters to take us from English to Spanish to the local Mayan language and then back to English. This made for a very interesting conversation and prayer cadence that took a bit to get used to!

In the afternoon, I joined the team's dentist, Guisela, as her dental assistant, handing her what she needed to care for the patients, which included elevators, extractors, forceps, and other not-so-fun tools of the trade. I was also responsible for sterilizing the used tools using distilled water and a pressure cooker. One of the most rewarding aspects of this duty shift was praying over the patients who had extractions for their pain and anxieties to be relieved. I saw some miraculous results of these prayers.

The day ended with the pastor from Iglesia Belen praying for the team and the singing How Great Thou Art, in Spanish, as the entire crowd joined in. Awesome!

Below are a few of the adorable little ones we were blessed to love on while we were there:

Day 3 - 1st Day of Clinics!

Monday, July 30th:
Our day began with a time of worship and praise and then an incredible devotional time with Hermann.  
During worship I received a word from the Lord (this does not happen to me all the time, by the way), which was:

It is by My Spirit that I have called you, and it will be by My Spirit that you will fulfill that calling.

A bit later, I also saw what an army of believers looks like, pushing back the darkness as a span of sunlight sweeping across the Earth seen from space, the ranks of which growing as God calls to Himself His chosen family for the triumph of light over darkness, one saved soul at a time.

See Efesios 4:10, Alb paraphrase: 

>> What are you doing?

>> I am working to fill the universe with Jesus.

How is that for a calling?  We are called to be in the ministry of being and doing like Jesus which is carrying the message of God's plan for our reconciliation, intimacy and restoration to Him.  We do this with our spirit, soul and body.  And we resist the enemy's lures of chasing our own glory, honor and power instead of finding all of these things and our identity in Christ alone. We are strengthened in the way through:

1. Intimacy with God
2. Fellowship with His body, the Church
3. A mentor who shows us how to do it

After this electrifying time getting ready for the day, we set out for Belen, a church in Santa Apolonia, to bring medical, dental and vision clinics to the people there. 

I was in my first counseling station in the morning with teammate Jamie and interpreter Juan. We met and prayed with a lot of wonderful people from the town and surrounding areas.  

After lunch, I worked in the pharmacy, which was fast-paced and especially challenging, given the apparently universal rule concerning the illegibility of doctors' handwriting, which was further complicated exponentially by the convergence of two foreign languages added to it all: Spanish and medicationese (my neologism for the apparent random nomenclature pharmaceutical companies think up for their wares).

View from the front gate of the church

A mother and her son inside 

View from the second floor of courtyard area

La Farmacia

A Vital Message Inside the Church Compound

Days 1 & 2

Saturday, July 28th:

First thing to be done upon arrival was to unpack and sort the team crates to prepare for the clinic day trips.  We brought about 450 Spanish bibles, hundreds of children's flip flops, and loads of medical/dental supplies: 

Sunday, July 29th:
Off to Antigua for church held at Hotel Casa Santo Domingo. The service was awesome with some familiar worship songs in Spanish.  I got pretty emotional when they played a video with Tomlin's God Of This City and I envisioned coming back to Guatemala someday with Paxton.

After the service, this man, named Christian Lopez, came over to me and prayed over me. I speak very little Spanish, but I could discern he was praying for my family and for the work I would be doing during the week to share to gospel. Thank you Christian!

From church back toward GC to spend the afternoon at Casa Aleluya. These precious little ones adopted me and drew me into a marathon game of tag. Each girl chose a picture of Paxton from the ones I had with me. Luisa directly below chose a picture of Amy, Paxton and me taken the night before I left for the trip, and Jenifer chose one of Paxton and his Grampa from several months ago.

Heading out

20 hours to go!

Our flight is scheduled to land in Guatemala City approximately 20 hours from now.  Please keep us in your prayers.  

I've found out that I probably will not have access to update this blog while I am away, but we do have an official chronicler who will be updating the team's site here.  Please check there frequently for updates and pictures!

Today began beautifully with a couple dozen co-workers praying for the trip, travelers, and the people we'll meet over about two hours.  I thank God for where I work!!

And thank you all again for your prayers and financial support.

Jason 

Thank you!

A big thank-you to all my trip supporters!! 
I am now beyond my fundraising goals!  Any additional funds will go toward supporting the other members of the mission team and to purchase additional supplies to be given to the people in Guatemala.
Special shout-out to everyone who has offered prayer and financial support -- you  guys are awesome -- thank you again!!:

Brian B.	Dan G.	Katrina J.
Diana G.	Dave H.	Mick C.
Courtney C.	Glenda K.	Nick J.
Amy R.	Howard H.	Sherri P.
Bill W.	Jeff J.	Tuere T.
Bob L.	Josh W.	Marye L.
Joel B.	Mac H.	Bob F.
Robbie H.	Joe P.	Terry P.
Jim R.	Cindy R.	Donna B.
Brad H.	Imani B.	Marcia V.
Jeff S.	Stella P.	Gordon H.
Nancy C.	Julie W.	Mike M.
Dana R.	Steve C.	Eric R.
Debbie P.	Catherine L.	Judie P.
Martha N.

Dates and locations on location announced!

We've received word of the locations we'll be visiting while in Guatemala.  If you're praying for the trip, please pray especially for the least, lost, and last in these villages that the light and love of Christ would break into their world through the work of our team.
Looks like we'll be in the vicinity of Chimaltenango for the week:

Sunday, July 29 -- Orphanage and Church in Guatemala City
Monday, July 30 -- Belen, Santa Apolonia, Chimaltenango

Tuesday, July 31 -- Pacutan, Santa Apolonia, Chimaltenango

Wednesday August 1 -- Cruz Quemada, Jerijuyu, Chimaltenango
Thursday August 2 -- Xiquin juyu, Chimaltenango

What Can I Do For You by Bob Dylan

You have given everything to me
What can I do for You?
You have given me eyes to see
What can I do for You?

Pulled me out of bondage and You made me renewed inside
Filled up a hunger that had always been denied
Opened up a door no man can shut and You opened it up so wide
And You’ve chosen me to be among the few
What can I do for You?

You have laid down Your life for me
What can I do for You?
You have explained every mystery
What can I do for You?

Soon as a man is born, you know the sparks begin to fly
He gets wise in his own eyes and he’s made to believe a lie
Who would deliver him from the death he’s bound to die?
Well, You’ve done it all and there’s no more anyone can pretend to do
What can I do for You?

You have given all there is to give
What can I do for You?
You have given me life to live
How can I live for You?

I know all about poison, I know all about fiery darts
I don’t care how rough the road is, show me where it starts
Whatever pleases You, tell it to my heart
Well, I don’t deserve it but I sure did make it through
What can I do for You?

Copyright © 1980 by Special Rider Music

www.bobdylan.com

Vaccination Party

Visited the travel health clinic to get necessary vaccinations, none of which are covered by medical insurance.  Funny conversation I had with BCBS customer service on Thursday went like this:

Me: So, rather than cover the immunizations for Hepatitis, Blue Cross would rather pay the treat costs of the disease if I contracted it?
Customer Service: That is correct.

Because I will be travelling, the preventive measure is not deemed medically necessary.  If I was going to be, working in the domestic medical field as a healthcare practitioner, it would be.  Go figure.

Now I understand business is business, but that seems a little silly to me.  According to American Liver Foundation treatment cost for Hep A run between $1800-2450 and Hep B, depending on severity can run up to $8000 for a chronic case, and if liver disease occurs, costs skyrocket to around $60K (National Business Group on Health).

All in all, my total out of pocket for Hep A & B immunization for all four courses will be $675.