Guatemala - Day 4

36 students prayed to receive Jesus for the first time.  17 indicated they desire to recommit their lives to following Jesus.  12 students provided email addresses for discipleship followup.  9 students want to speak with someone from EPPC Guatemala or the local church.  These facts were gleaned from 91 blue response cards students filled out after seeing an EPPIC Gospel in Mime presentation.  All this information was a result of todays outreach at a local school where EPPIC's mime crew ministered to 140 students, teachers and administrators.

The team gathered at Siomara's home in the morning where they went through a quick rehearsal of the five sketches they know.  This was followed by a short devotional on Galatians 2:20 and then the air filled with that all too familiar smell of baby powder, as crew members put their makeup on in preparation for the trip to the school.  A local youth pastor, his wife and small child arrived to help transport the team.  He will be presenting the Gospel message verbally after the presentation.  Sio's little red car with issues is loaded with sound equipment, the white wood box they made to use as God's throne (one from EPPIC will be supplied next trip), the coat bag and a pink backpack containing all the necessary cords for the sound system.  It barely fits as we all pile into the two vehicles and head out.

At the school mayhem reigns until all 140 students and staff are settled into an outdoor performance area in anticipation of seeing something special.  I pray it doesn't rain.  These students vary in age from 10 - 17 years.  The usual student to student joking, jostling and pranking is taking place.  As the team is introduced and the students are settled down, something comes over the audience and God begins to work.  I've witnessed it thousands of times…all eyes glued on the EPPIC crew as they go about presenting the Gospel message without saying a word.  I'm in a familiar spot these days, running sound for the crew and watching them and the audience.  I'm coaching, encouraging, helping facilitate….but most of all, just there to observe.  All things considered, EPPIC Guatemala City, does a great job and the Lord uses them to impact individuals in this particular audience….again.

For the the teams efforts, the school, uncharacteristically, provided Sio with a small honorarium.  Sio graciously gives it to the young youth pastor who helped transport the team and speak after the presentation.  I know Sio's economic situation and I'm impressed with her generosity as she trusts in the Lord to provide.  We certainly share that in common as we both seek to serve Jesus and trust Him with providing all that is needed.  I think all of us fell asleep tonight encouraged that the Lord used us to share the Gospel with 140 individuals, 53 of whom demonstrated through prayer and a card, that they desire to follow Jesus Christ.

"The sum of Your Word is truth, and every one of Your righteous ordinances is everlasting".  Ps. 119:160

Guatemala City - Day 3

Flexibility.  This is an important word…probably in any context.  It's certainly a key word here in Guatemala as life and living and plans here can change due to many contributing factors beyond your control.  Most importantly of which has been the wet weather.  It has rained every day here, sometimes very hard, causing little rivers of water to flow throughout the streets.  It interrupts things, causes delays and can soak you through and through in a matter of seconds.  Try taking down sound equipment set up outside in a down pour….no fun at all.

I had the morning to myself.  Was suppose to meet with two team members for some training where I'm staying, but that changed.  I had the afternoon to myself.  Had some plans for the evening, but that changed.  Had the evening to myself.  Well, I'm really suppose to be in Honduras anyway working with EPPIC Honduras, but that changed.  Flexibility :)

I officially start working with EPPIC Guatemala City on Friday.  Since my plans changed in regards to traveling to Honduras, I jumped right in with the team here as they prepare for a presentation at a school tomorrow.  Plans are to rehearse in the morning, have lunch, prep for presentation and then travel to the school in the afternoon and present a program.  Those are the plans.  Things could change.  Remember…be FLEXIBLE!  :)

Guatemala City - Day 2

Looking at my first full day in Guatemala City.

Awoke to the sounds of the street and a few hammers knocking out cement holes on a building site next door.  Enjoyed a great breakfast and then had the morning to get organized and prepare for a 2:00 rehearsal with EPPIC - Guatemala City.  This team is directed by Siomara Conde and presently has seven members.  I previously worked with Amy and her sister Licasta in San Marcos when Jessi and I did the training for EPPIC - San Marcos.  Today is Licasta's 22nd birthday.  I'm sure the day will involve a birthday cake, food and some firecrackers….probably after the rehearsal.  Sio picked me up at 1:00 and drove me to her home where we dropped off a birthday cake and some food, then left to go pickup the birthday girl who was at the university.  Upon our return, a nice surprise awaited Licasta through the EPPIC team members who prepared a surprise for her.  I met each in turn after yelling and screaming and celebrating Licasta's birthday…..hugs all around!  After the celebration I met Javier, Pablo, Gabby, Isabelle and Siole.  Siole's from Peru and attends the Seteca Bible Seminary in Guatemala City.

Our rehearsal took place in the car port next to the house just inside their metal gate.  A roof covered the top, but a little rain still made its way down upon us as we worked out the five sketches they learned in June:  Goal, Rejection, Gift, Rope and Finale.  After working through each sketch we broke to enjoy Licasta's birthday cake.  This group loves to joke around and as a result they have a lot of fun together.  In keeping with the birthday theme, I announced that I came bearing gifts.  From the two full cargo bags came performance shirts which they will have to get tailored to size them down to fit.  Then shoes….a pair for each, most brand new and a few slightly used pairs.  I personally think Reebok keeps making this model of shoe because we keep buying them.  Then came the makeup kits…one for each team member.  They loved them.  They've been sharing one kit amongst all of them for the past 4 months.  The big hit were the black and white tails coats.  Each tried one on for size and with respect to the role they will be playing….I could tell they felt special wearing them.  An EPPIC team needs 2 white tails, a black tails coat and 3-5 angel coats that are made from the white tails coats.  The team just received about $1510 worth of costuming and supplies…a nice birthday!  Siomara will retain control of these resources for the steam for as long as the team continues to function.  As they continue in ministry, more resources will follow.  I found the members of EPPIC - Guatemala City to be joyful, willing, cooperative and serious about reaching out and sharing their faith in Jesus.  They are excited to learn more of EPPIC's Gospel in Mime tool.  Tomorrow they have a presentation scheduled at a school.  I'm looking forward to seeing them engage, and part of me, like a father with his kids, is very proud of what they are accomplishing as they serve to advance the kingdom one person at a time.

Guatemala City: Day 1

I'm back in Guatemala to train and supply EPPIC Guatemala - Guatemala City (EGGC).  After 15 years of going in and out of Guatemala, exiting the airport in Guatemala City seems all to familiar….almost like coming home.  Always a throng of people behind a metal barricade just outside the main door to the airport, once again I look for familiar faces as I politely tell the baggage guys who want to wheel my bags another ten feet; "No gracias…..no gracias".  I pick Amy and Licasta's faces out of a sea of black hair and beautiful dark eyes, young and old, all awaiting someone returning from somewhere.  Soon Siomara appears, Amy and Licasta's mom, and EGGC's director.  We wheel the bags full of mime shoes, shirts, tails coats and makeup kits to Sio's old red 1989 Nissan Centra that Siomara's brother gave to her as a gift ten years ago.  The little red vehicle has issues, but Siomara slowly navigates us all out of the airport and transports us, amidst much laughter and joking, to  Hostel Genesaret in Zona 7, my home for the next 11 days.   Dinner awaits me after saying goodbye to my friends and making plans for tomorrow's first unplanned rehearsal, to prepare for two high school presentations that unexpectedly surfaced and made their way onto the teams performance schedule.  Some things never change.  It's all good.