Saturday, June 29, 2013
Japan meets Texas meets Cusco
It has shaped up to be a very international summer! After returning to Texas from Guatemala, a good Japanese friend of mine visited for about a week. He was studying abroad at the University of Oregon, and my friend and I met him on a college ministry trip we took back in January with our school's BSM. Before returnig to Japan, he wanted to see the rustic west, and we were thrilled to show him! Some close Tarleton friends and I had a fantastic time showing him around Dallas, Ft. Worth, and Stephenville. It was unforgettable to reconnect with our friend! As sad as it was to see him go, I am glad he is back home safely in Japan.
I am now blogging from Cusco, Peru! After a cancelled flight in Lima and lots of sleeping in terminals, my team and I were welcomed with a giant banner, balloons, and new smiling Peruvian friends! They work with a ministry called Zona Segura (check them out on facebook). The ministry reaches out to 18-25(ish) yr olds in Cusco. They provide a "safe zone," as the name describes, by building relationships with people, telling them of salvation in Christ, and teaching them everything Jesus taught! My team will be working alongside them this week in different schools and universities. There will also be an opportuntiy to go into the mountain villages in Cusco. We will also get to visit Macchu Pichu on our last day! I am very excited to see what God doe this week. The team consists of teo amazing families, 2 beautiful girls from my church, my parents, and four of my closest friends!
I love y'all! Thank you for your thoughts and prayer!
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
Guatemala Synopsis
"Then Moses made Israel set out from the Red Sea, and they went into the wilderness of Shur. They went three days in the wilderness and found no water. When they came to Marah, they could not drink the water of Marah because it was bitter; therefore it was named Marah. And the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?” And he cried to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a log, and he threw it into the water, and the water became sweet.
There the Lord made for them a statute and a rule, and there he tested them, saying, “If you will diligently listen to the voice of the Lord your God, and do that which is right in his eyes, and give ear to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you that I put on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, your healer.” - Exodus 15:22-26
This was a passage of Scripture that the Guatemalan pastor of the Church of God in Candelaria read in Spanish upon my team's arrival in his village. From day one, my American team and the Guatemalan Living Water Intl. staff were welcomed with open arms, delicious food, and expectant smiles by the people of Nueva Candelaria. Until this day, there was no governmental or organizational aid going into their village. What an incredible honor to be a conduit of God's love in this remote area on the eastern coast of Guatemala! The Lord does not use super-humans to do his will. I am living proof that he uses ordinary, broken, scatter-brained people to meet others' needs.
If I were to summarize this trip in three words, they would be FULL (We were awake for work before the sun rose and asleep after it had set), DIRTY (I was covered with the 'elements' of a drilling rig on a pretty constant basis), and REFRESHING (I cannot think of a better way for the Lord to have quenched my parched tongue after such a difficult semester).
I got to see the hues of meeting the physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual needs of Nueva Candeliaria converge through Living Water Intl. Here's a bit about how this happened:
PHYSICAL
Drilling a 150 ft. deep water well through 4 natural aquifers met a physical need. The village had a shallow open well of about 20 ft. that was easily contaminated by the latrine that was dug at about the same depth. This water and the water from the nearby river are both problematic sources of drinking water. I washed my hands in the village's caramel-colored water and spotted a small, black, worm-like creature floating in my palm. A school teacher later said that their water had many problems with leeches. A child said that after playing at school, he would not want to drink the water that the teachers had to offer him because it tasted bad. But since he was thirsty and the water was the only refreshment available, he would drink it.
EMOTIONAL
Working alongside the Guatemalan villagers of Nueva Candelaria enabled them to take ownership of the water well as a new part of their community and lives. From set up to tear down, men from the village helped our team make the well a reality. We had no intention of walking in, drilling, and leaving without the people understanding and being a vital part of the process. The women of the village sustained the drilling process by cooking lunches for the team, mayor, and pastors who came to drill as well. My leader also mentioned that having women on the drilling team provides the men of Nueva Candelaria an opportunity to see men work alongside women in a biblical, mutually-respectful way. This can speak volumes in a male-dominated society. INTELLECTUAL Teaching hygiene and well maintanence supplied the women and children with practical information to imporve their quality of life. The village was equipped with knowledge on how to keep their new gift in running condition, so they will not be dependant on external help (although Living Water Intl. will be in continued correspondance with the village in case help is needed). Other topics that were taught and readily learned included oral hygiene, germ transmission, and diarreah treatment. Sadly, many infants die in these areas from dehydration after bouts with diarreah. Rehydrating the baby with a simple water, salt, and sugar mixture is a very attainable solution that we taught on this trip. I feel like the villagers were the ones who taught me volumes about working together, being hospitable, and simply living life in a productive way. SPIRITUAL The hygiene team was also able to share Bible stories during their lessons in the school and the church. So, hundreds of children and their mothers heard of the God who created them and loves them personally. The men also heard the gospel multiple times throughout the well dedication ceremony, as well as through personal conversations on the drilling rig. The drilling and hygiene teams both began each day and each meal with prayer to the only One who can bring success. I was so encouraged when I heard the pastor, mayor, and many members of the church and community say that while the new water well is a beautiful gift, Jesus is the only Living Water. He is the ultimate gift to recieve. On a personal note, the Lord showed me that I continue to love agriculture, and that I enjoy drilling water wells! You know how you sometimes need reassurance that you actually like what you want to do someday? As a grad student who struggles to trust his guidance sometimes, it was sweet of the Lord to steady me in this fact: I love what he is leading me into. I have also been reminded that I have been blessed in many ways so that I can bless others. Am I Mother Theresa? As awesome as that would be- No. My name's Elizabeth. But I can still make a difference in Jesus' name. To wrap this synopsis up, I'll share a quick, but very dear story. I thought of my late friend Kim Peacock every day of this trip. On the second day of drilling, I could not get her out of my head... not that I tried very hard. However, for the sake of keeping emotions at bay, I was trying to focus on the drill rig. Emotions finally won. I couldn't hold back tears when I thought about how cool Kim would have thought this whole water drilling experience was. So, I walked over to the van to take a moment to get a drink and collect myself. I prayed. Lord, I don't understand you, but I do know your character. You are good. You are trustworthy. So, I will trust you. Help me to be fully here in Guatemala. Please heal my heart in this moment without my friend. I trust you with her. God really did comfort me. I was able to say amen and walk back over to the drilling rig with healing and hope. I found out that night that it was the month anniversary of Kim's death, May 28. I told my team a bit of her story after dinner, and they got to love her and praise God for her life with me. So, the beauty in all this heaviness is that God was glorified in Guatemala in that moment because of Kim. The impact of her sweet faith has officially gone international. Thank you SO much for your thoughts and prayers for this trip. The well was a success! Connections were made across two different languages and cultures! The gospel was shared! God was glorified! And I even got to make tortillas! All of this is cause for celebration.
Working alongside the Guatemalan villagers of Nueva Candelaria enabled them to take ownership of the water well as a new part of their community and lives. From set up to tear down, men from the village helped our team make the well a reality. We had no intention of walking in, drilling, and leaving without the people understanding and being a vital part of the process. The women of the village sustained the drilling process by cooking lunches for the team, mayor, and pastors who came to drill as well. My leader also mentioned that having women on the drilling team provides the men of Nueva Candelaria an opportunity to see men work alongside women in a biblical, mutually-respectful way. This can speak volumes in a male-dominated society. INTELLECTUAL Teaching hygiene and well maintanence supplied the women and children with practical information to imporve their quality of life. The village was equipped with knowledge on how to keep their new gift in running condition, so they will not be dependant on external help (although Living Water Intl. will be in continued correspondance with the village in case help is needed). Other topics that were taught and readily learned included oral hygiene, germ transmission, and diarreah treatment. Sadly, many infants die in these areas from dehydration after bouts with diarreah. Rehydrating the baby with a simple water, salt, and sugar mixture is a very attainable solution that we taught on this trip. I feel like the villagers were the ones who taught me volumes about working together, being hospitable, and simply living life in a productive way. SPIRITUAL The hygiene team was also able to share Bible stories during their lessons in the school and the church. So, hundreds of children and their mothers heard of the God who created them and loves them personally. The men also heard the gospel multiple times throughout the well dedication ceremony, as well as through personal conversations on the drilling rig. The drilling and hygiene teams both began each day and each meal with prayer to the only One who can bring success. I was so encouraged when I heard the pastor, mayor, and many members of the church and community say that while the new water well is a beautiful gift, Jesus is the only Living Water. He is the ultimate gift to recieve. On a personal note, the Lord showed me that I continue to love agriculture, and that I enjoy drilling water wells! You know how you sometimes need reassurance that you actually like what you want to do someday? As a grad student who struggles to trust his guidance sometimes, it was sweet of the Lord to steady me in this fact: I love what he is leading me into. I have also been reminded that I have been blessed in many ways so that I can bless others. Am I Mother Theresa? As awesome as that would be- No. My name's Elizabeth. But I can still make a difference in Jesus' name. To wrap this synopsis up, I'll share a quick, but very dear story. I thought of my late friend Kim Peacock every day of this trip. On the second day of drilling, I could not get her out of my head... not that I tried very hard. However, for the sake of keeping emotions at bay, I was trying to focus on the drill rig. Emotions finally won. I couldn't hold back tears when I thought about how cool Kim would have thought this whole water drilling experience was. So, I walked over to the van to take a moment to get a drink and collect myself. I prayed. Lord, I don't understand you, but I do know your character. You are good. You are trustworthy. So, I will trust you. Help me to be fully here in Guatemala. Please heal my heart in this moment without my friend. I trust you with her. God really did comfort me. I was able to say amen and walk back over to the drilling rig with healing and hope. I found out that night that it was the month anniversary of Kim's death, May 28. I told my team a bit of her story after dinner, and they got to love her and praise God for her life with me. So, the beauty in all this heaviness is that God was glorified in Guatemala in that moment because of Kim. The impact of her sweet faith has officially gone international. Thank you SO much for your thoughts and prayers for this trip. The well was a success! Connections were made across two different languages and cultures! The gospel was shared! God was glorified! And I even got to make tortillas! All of this is cause for celebration.
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