Evening Presentation

Today is the last 6 hours of training EPPIC Guatemala in the 45 minute program.  Both teams are coming together to present this program for the very first time ever in Guatemala.  Exciting!  Pray for tonights presentation.  Friends and neighbors have been invited, Pastor Nery will be preaching after the team presents.  Many will see and hear the Gospel message tonight.  I look forward to all that God is going to do.
Romans 10:14-17

Training in San Marcos

This past Sunday, Jessica and I traveled from Minneapolis to Ft. Lauderdale to Guatemala City to San Marcos.  Eighteen hours of straight travel.  Once in Guatemala City we loaded into a van with EPPIC Guatemala City team members, Jamie Lopez and his son Alex.  The four hour drive to San Marcos was beautiful and the fellowship sweet.  It was a gorgeous sunny day for a drive up into the mountains where the town of San Marcos lay nestled among the Serros Mountain Range.

In San Marcos we met up with the EPPIC Guatemala San Marcos mime ministry crew and enjoyed a meal together.  Both Jessi and I were ready for a good nights sleep before starting in on training both mime crews.

Over the past three days we`ve covered most of the new program material.  In the next 5 hours of training today we should be able to put it all together and begin polishing each skecth in  the program.  Both teams are very willing to work, making it easier to train them in their roles and work through each sketch.

There is a special bond that exists between these two crews.  They are united in their deisre to serve the Lord and have developed friendships with each other that extend beyond ministry.  I am encouraged by their commitment to each other and to the ministry to which they have committed themselves.

"For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them."  Ephesians 2:10    

Leaving….on a jet plane...

Heading to the airport at 10:45 tonight.  Flight is "on time" with a departure scheduled for 1:15 am.  Good ole red-eye flight.  Salvation Poem Cards arrived yesterday and are now distributed between 5 checked bags.  Let's see, 5 bags at a maximum weight of 40 pounds = 200 pounds checked baggage…and it costs...along with the two carry-ons.  When we return home, it's 2 carry-ons and one checked bag. Nice. One of our local team members is driving us to the airport and taking care of things here until Christina gets home from Canada.  I'm so glad I'm not a dairy farmer!

Pray for safe travel, good health, strength and sweet fellowship with our Guatemalan brothers and sisters.

"But as for me, I will watch expectantly for the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation.  My God will hear me."    Micah 7:7

Salvation Poem Cards

Awaiting 4,000 Salvation Poem Cards to be delivered today.  They weigh in at 42 pounds!  These cards are all in Spanish and are used after presenting the Gospel-in-Mime and giving an evangelistic message.  EPPIC teams in Guatemala have both requested them after experiencing a positive response to the use of them in 2014.  The card provides an individual with scriptures that supports their decision to follow Jesus, serves as a reminder for the individual about the significance of that decision and directs them to a web site where the individual can obtain discipleship materials in their own language…in this case - Spanish.  Go to www.thesalvationpoem.com for more information.  There's also a song that goes along with it!

Prepping for Guatemala

Excitement!  To see our friends and ministry partners in San Marcos and Guatemala City.  Leaving at 1:15 am Sunday morning.  Lots to do in the next two days before departure…..purchase more Reebok shoes, white makeup from Norcostco, white gloves from the army surplus store downtown….

The trick is getting everything to Guatemala City within the allowable baggage weight restrictions.  Between Jessi and I we're checking 4 bags.  Two are taken up with the backdrop and poles for EPPIC Guatemala - Guatemala City, leaving the other two for our personal stuff, a throne for one of the teams and other assorted supplies.  Pack, pack, pack…tight and light.

Then there's the expected distractions.  When you set out to do something in Jesus' name, expect the enemy of our souls to do something(s) to thwart your effort.  I've come to expect it!  Usually things that suddenly come up which require time, attention and dollars.  So far, for this trip, its been a vehicle problem, a sudden infection in Snickers left eye (she's our horse) requiring a vet to have a look, the dryer breaking down etc.  Prayer, patience, faith and steadfastness seem to overcome these distractions.  Whatever the distractions are, I've learned to restrain from getting caught up in them and keep the ball moving forward.  And so it goes :)

"Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary."
Galatians 6:9