Life is not just one event, it is an accumulation of events that define you and bring you to where you are today. Everything that has happened in my life has brought me to this exact moment. God has also been in the process of refining me along lifes journey. Now he has brought me to a pilgrammage to find Him around the world and see how he is moving in the nations. 11 Countries in 11 Months…. I am only on day 11 and I already am blown away by how He works.
After Launch we have now moved to Panajachel, which is a beautiful volcano lake city, surrounded by poverty. There is a mix of indigenous and modern guatemalans as well as hippies from the 70s who migrated here and never left. While we are, our goal is to live out our faith and serve in the community to those who have nothing materialistic but have so much love for our great God. Last night God brough me to the Psalm 131, “My heart is not proud, O Lord, my eyes are not haughty; I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me. But I have stilled and quieted my soul” My life pre-world race was constantly on the go and depenedent upon myself to get everything done. But now here is it different, He has humbled me and quieted my soul for complete dependence upon Him for provision and strengh.
Week 1 we are just finishing up building a home for a single woman named Isabel and her 4 children. Before we got here she was basically living in a hole with no bathroom, no shower, no roof over her head, or pillow to lay her head at night. A garbage ridden area the size of most Americans laundry rooms.
But in 5 days we are able to finish her home through the strenght of God. It is now a 2 story home with a bathroom (we installed a tiolet and shower for her… Uncle Dan you would have been proud, I should have taken some lessons for you before I left on how to do this stuff) and tomorrow we will be finishing it up by installing the roof.
Walking home the other night from a teaching session with Benjamin (who has the most faith I have ever seen out of anyone – there will be a future blog about this man and his testamony – and is devoting this month to pour into us) we saw Isabel walking in the opposite direction as us. The moment our eyes met I saw joy. She looked at each of us in and you could just tell how appriciative she was for what God is able to do through us. That alone almost brought me to tears. We have seen her multiple other times throughout the week, and everytime it is the same reaction. Ben said something to us that really struck me in a new way now that I am living the lifestyle I am; he said those who have so little materialisticly have so much faith and so much joy becuase all they really rely on is God; where compared to America (with the Babylonian mentality of excess) people feel they can do it on their own and leave such little room for God to really work in their lives.
So for this year… it will be a process of santification and refinement by God for myself, along side living out my faith and sending God’s love around the world! God bless!
Much Love,
Jamie
