ASSIST JC MISSION TRIPS

Tuesday, June 23, 2015

News from Arizona!

Here is a message received from Rick Kirkpatrick late 6/22/15:

Our flights and connections were smooth on Sunday and we all enjoyed the stunning beauty of the changing desert scenery as we drove northwest from Phoenix to the reservation at Black Mesa.

They had dinner waiting for us when we arrived at 7 and we all struggled to stay awake during the orientation meetings. There is a group of 16 here from Florida and we've been able to get to know a few of them today. Nice folks!

We've moved pews around to turn the sanctuary into our bunkhouse for the week and were grateful to collapse into our beds.
Bob, Jim, Rick and Brian are putting up a ceiling in a hogan (a traditional octagonal Navajo home) about 35 miles away. Denny, Maddie, Abby and Carol are doing hard labor, "stripping forms" from a foundation poured a few weeks ago for an addition to a house 100 yards from the church. We hope it's the closest any of us come to being on a chain gang! 100 degrees in the sun ...which is where we were:)

It's been a good first day!

Guatemala Day 2!

Here is a message reeived from Renee late 6/22/15:

We got off to a great start this morning. Even being the first actual work day with lots of start-up info to digest, we were at the work sites by 9:00 a.m. Two of our home sites are on the property of a family that received a house 2 years ago. They have had a great tragedy since we last were here. One of the daughters died just 5 months ago leaving 2 young children for the grandmother to care for. She is the recipient of one of the homes. The family members remember some of our faces and we remember theirs...as one of our team members said, "It was like greeting long lost family this morning!" One of our sites is tucked into a tiny space but the team did an amazing job coordinating their movements throughout the day. Songs, stories and lots of laughter as we tried to understand each other happened throughout the day.

Plans are set for Children's Bible School and medical education through the rest of the week.

All is well.

The food is absolutely amazing (sorry Arizona! But the again...may Arizona's food is just as awesome in a Southwestern kind of way

) Tonight's dessert: cheese cake with blackberry sauce and a glazed fig for garnish. (Where are we again????)

All we can say is Thanks be to God both for the great care we are receiving and the great privilege of serving those whose need deep and real.

Yours in faith,

Team Guatemala

Sunday, June 21, 2015

News from Guatemala!

Here is a message from Renee:

We all made the trip to Boston in good form. Well, some of us were in better form than others of us. The tall ones among us were pretty cramped in the bus seats. We arrived and began the boarding process. Once again, American Airlines made our transit through Logan frightening. They got the Arizona people through just fine and then the Guatemala Team was put into a separate line just for us. It seemed like a brilliant idea...and it was, but it was so slow!!!! Our last team got through the luggage check in with only 10 minutes before the boarding was to begin. Needless to say the airlines did not say, "Oh, please, come to the front of the security line so that you will not miss your flight." All teams were boarded except the one team caught in the security line. The minutes ticked away, Renee paced back and forth in front of the desk at the gate pleading for more time. The team members on the plane were praying for the last team to walk through the door. The count down was on. They had pushed the closing of the door time back..and then back again. Finally our team made it and the rest of the Guatemala travelers clapped as the tardy team entered the plane. The time in Miami was uneventful and our full flight was another opportunity to try to grab a bit of sleep. At the Guatemala City airport, we waited around a lot because we had 6 missing pieces of luggage. The people at the desk were most helpful...and finally we left the airport convinced that all would be well. In fact, this evening 5 of the 6 bags arrived with the 6th promised in the morning. Some of the team took advantage of a bit of sightseeing while others rested until dinner. The food is excellent. The weather great and the welcome most hospitable. The pictures are just sending the message of our day...Hurry up and wait! :) God took care of us throughout. Please pray for our home recipients and for the upcoming Children's Bible School....We are praying for you...

In faith,

Renee