Due to a series of unfortunate events, our team has experienced an absurd amount of blessings. Circumstances so crazy and unthinkable that only God could have orchestrated the timing in order to turn our sorrow into dancing.
My previous blog informed you that we were leaving for Panajachel on Friday morning.
The plan quickly changed when Amanda walked into our hotel room at
12:30
at night announcing that her purse, including her passport, all forms of identification and money had been robbed from her.
Praise God, that she was left completely unharmed! We decided as a team that it would be easier to take care of all the police reports and passport replacement from here, rather than the lake.
Team L.O. is also staying in
Antigua
at a church so we took all our bags there, thinking it would be okay to stay. Turns out, it was not okay so we were on our own to find housing and ministry.
This is where the story gets good! As I told you before, the plan for Panajachel was to arrive and PRAY that God would provide all that for us.
So why not do it in
Antigua
?
That’s just what we did and here is how God answered..
On the way back from the police station Andrew and Amanda met a guy working on his cable.
They stopped to chat with him and he recommended that we meet his neighbor Pastor Mike.
They arrived back at the park to meet the rest of us and told us the story.
Amanda knew of a Christian Coffee Shop/ Church that she recommended we check out to see if they would have any recommendations for housing and ministry.
When we arrived, the pastor was in a meeting but Karen, the barista told us he would be out shortly.
As we sat on the leather couch waiting, Andrew sat at the bar checking things out.
He noticed the green cards of the employees on the wall.
He quickly realized that he had met Katy (the other employee) in
Mexico
last year on another mission trip.
When the pastor walked out Katy followed and it was a big surprise and reunion.
Camino Cafe.. The church is upstairs
We explained to the pastor, Mike Watkins, our situation and asked him if he knew of any place to stay and serve.
He confidently invited 6 gringo strangers into his home and offered us a chance to serve by painting his church.
As we packed our bags across town to his house, we met up with his wife Nancy and his Daughter Amber.
Amber and Amanda began to chat quickly discovering that Amanda’s old roommate, Ally, from
Guatemala City
is Amber’s soon to be sister in law.
Better yet, Ally was on her way to the house that evening, another reunion full of joy! As we got closer to the house Amanda and Andrew shared a moment of amazement followed with laughter as they realized that we were staying with the same Pastor Mike they heard about just earlier in the day!
It has been a huge blessing to stay with Mike, Nancy and Family.
They have made us feel like part of the family and it will be hard to say goodbye.
Mike also stated “You don’t have to eat bugs to be a missionary.” It has certainly been one fine week with warm showers, a beautiful home, great meals and NO BUGS!
In my next blog I will share with you unfortunate event number two!
