This post is long overdue, but still relevant and needed to be posted! This blog will be all about ministry in Guatemala. This post would look a little different for each team on my squad, but here is what my team, JR. Floss, did during the weeks:
-We went to a nearby town called Parramos for ministry everyday. It was about a five minute bus ride and only 2 quetzales each, which is about 30 cents.
-Our time in Guatemala was three months and the basic outline of every week was pretty much the same.
Monday-
My team and I went to an old folks home every Monday. We spent time with them, asked questions the best we could in Spanish, listened to their answers even though we had only the slightest clue what it was about. We exercised with them, played games, and got to know them as well as them with us. Sometimes we would have a translator with us, and this was an incredible blessing because we got to share with them our faith and testimonies from the week. They loved telling us stories of how the Lord has moved in their own lives and sharing their testimony of how they accepted Christ. Some long ago, some recently. I will admit, Mondays were my least favorite ministry day. I had a bad habit of sometimes getting bored and not pouring in the way I should have been. This was a lesson I learned from and made me view ministry a little differently- even if it’s not something I particularly enjoy, it doesn’t matter because it’s not about me…it’s about bringing KINGDOM everywhere we go! And even if it didn’t feel like it sometimes, Kingdom was brought and hearts were affected. Also, it taught me how to genuinely invest into people and places selflessly.
Kingdom was brought here by friendship, laughter, joy, and testimony.
Thank you Lord for the old folks home, for your love was shared and your name was heard. The people there are so kind and just want to glorify you!
Tuesday-
Tuesdays were ATL days. ATL stands for “Ask The Lord”. We would intentionally pray and listen for where, what, and who He wanted us to go, do, and talk to that day. Because our God is ALIVE and PRESENT and PERSONAL and He is a God that ANSWERS!! We would go to the park square in Parramos and spend some time in prayer. Tuesdays were one of my favorite ministry days because before the Race, I had never experienced doing ATL before. Growing in awareness of His presence is something that has forever changed me. Every Tuesday would look very different and we never knew what to expect. No matter what happened, the Lord always showed up. The Spirit would guide us to certain places or people and we would witness salvations. People coming to know the LORD! That’s huge! We would have opportunities just to love on people and encourage them in their faith, help people with whatever they were doing, have the chance to revisit some old friends, etc etc etc. Every Tuesday was something new. I remember I would sometimes be on the bus on the way home after ATL and my jaw would be dropped and my Spirit would be so full of joy because I witnessed how the Lord used us that day (or someone else!). The second half of the day would be spent lesson planning with Lucy (teammate) for Wednesday.
Kingdom was brought by witnessing salvations, rejoicing in those, bringing His name to the town of Parramos, and relying on Him and receiving answered prayers!
Thank you, Lord, for ATL and the incredible privilege we have to SPEAK to you, you intently listen, and then shed your wisdom, love, and guidance upon us!
Wednesday-
My team and I went to an elementary school to teach English. Lucy and I taught five classes of third graders with about 25-30 kids in each class. Sometimes they didn’t care much for what we had to say, but it was still always a great time! We taught them most of the basics of English and would have quizzes, sometimes a game, and try to converse with them. It also carried on into much of the week because of grading papers and making sure we are prepared. This was also one of my favorite days of the week (I found I really enjoy teaching English!). In the afternoon we would go with a couple local women and do house visits. Sometimes different people, sometimes the same. We would share a message with them, share testimonies of some of the amazing things the Lord is doing in their very own community, and have fellowship with them. And then later that night after dinner, my team and I would go to the Wednesday night service at a local church called Restaurando la Familia (restoring the family). Here we would teach the youth a bible story and the meaning behind it. Wednesdays were our hardest ministry because it took much preparation, investing, teamwork, being a good teacher, and it was very busy and exhausting. But it was also very fulfilling and absolutely wonderful.
Kingdom was brought here by setting examples for the younger generation, providing a hand for those who need help, bringing the Spirit, fellowship with the community.
Thank you, Lord, for the opportunity to teach English to a bunch of kids because I found a new passion of mine!
Thursday-
Thursdays were Activation Day. We were all-squad for this. At the base, all of the staff who work for AIM in Guatemala and other people who had a part in ministry with us (translators, liaisons, leaders, etc.) would come and we would all have a teaching together. Usually one or two leaders from staff would do a teaching and then all the teams would disperse and have another day of ATL. These teachings would be about prayer, our relationship with God, spreading the gospel, trust and reliance in Him, interceding on behalf of others, recognizing His voice, ATL, our identity in Him, saying yes to His call, and much much more.
Kingdom was brought by my squad being poured into, learning about our creator, and diving deeper in pursuing Him.
Thank you, Lord, for providing wise leaders whom I trust to teach me, guide me, and push me further in intentionally seeking after you!
Friday-
Fridays were always our day that never quite turned out right. Times were always shifting, sometimes people weren’t expecting us to come, and sometimes we had to make do with what ministry opportunities we did have. We would work in the community garden with local women for a little while and then we would go to the local library to teach English. Teaching on Fridays was an opportunity offered to the community by City Hall. This was for all ages and for anyone who simply wanted to learn English! We had different students every week, along with a few regulars. Teaching this class was another one of my favorite ministries because we were teaching those who genuinely wanted to learn. We would also ask how we could be praying for them and sometimes they would be interested and ask questions about faith and God!
Kingdom was brought here by planting seeds and making fellowship common!
Thank you, Lord, for providing a place for us to teach those who were hungry for knowledge and also be question-answerers for those who were curious!
And the WEEKENDS!
We had the weekends off, unless something came up during the week and we planned to use our off day to do something for ministry. My friends and I usually went to Antigua both Saturday and Sunday. Antigua is about a 40 minute chicken bus ride and was five quetzales, which is about 80 cents. Antigua is the city with all the nice coffee shops, good food, and just fun to walk around. It is also a great place to find people to minister to because there are usually a lot of tourists there. Sunday most of us went to a church in Antigua called Shoreline City, they had an English and a Spanish service.
One of the most special things we got to experience in Guatemala was going into Parramos for anything from groceries to scheduled ministry- and 9 times out of 10 we would see several locals who we knew. We built incredible relationships and were friends with many people. Sometimes we would run into people from the old folks home, or some of our students from Wednesdays, women from the garden, or other people we met in the grocery store or on the street (or wherever!).
No matter what day it was, what ministry we were doing, or where we were- bringing His name and spreading LOVE was (still is) ALWAYS on the forefront of our brains. Being in Guatemala, after living as witnesses to the Lord’s GOODNESS for six months straight, I saw a tangible shift in everyone of my squadmates, along with myself, of the idea “ministry is life, life is ministry” going from an IDEA of an ideal way to live turning into the ACTUAL way we were living! We had all grown so much and learned the urgency of bringing Kingdom. A mind of mission is living. Day to day is being attentive to the Spirit, asking the Lord what He wants to share with someone, creating an atmosphere of LOVE and TRUST and FELLOWSHIP everywhere you go. Thank you, Lord, for growing me in more awareness of you in every way.
Adventure and a crappy time:
Two quick stories here!
I had the opportunity to hike a dormant volcano, hardest hike ever by the way- so steep and some parts were on actual ash, which felt like hiking in sand. When we got to the top, we set up our tents and got to sit by the fire all night while we watched the volcano right next to us erupt. Amazing!
And the crappy story- at one point I got a parasite and got so sick that I couldn’t leave my room for a couple days. That was pretty miserable.
My time in Guatemala was incredible. I made phenomenal friends, opportunities for the future arose, and I grew in my intimacy with the Father. I have a feeling I’ll be back in the near future.
If you have any questions, comment below! Thank you for reading, and until next time!
Also, sorry I’m not very good about posting regularly…blogging isn’t one of my strong suits.
Pretty soon I’ll post a blog about team leading (what that means, why I’m doing it, etc.)
-Clarissa Cappadona
