Each day of our trip, we started our day (or if we couldn't start the day, it was at another point in the day) with team devotions and prayer and discussing the proposed plan for the day. Each of the teens were assigned a day to provide the devotional. They did a terrific job! Many of the verses they shared and their thoughts about them, resonated with each of us.
Saturday started out with our usual team devotional and meeting with an outline of what we expected the day to look like. As I shared with them what we expected to do, I realized I was saying "we think" quite a bit. Basically, everything we thought we were going to do on this entire trip or how we thought it would go, never went the way we thought it was going to go. Literally...everything. I knew it would not all go as planned, and had told the group that could be the case, but this trip was, by far in all of my experiences, the one that had the most changes to the schedule. Everyone did great with it and were flexible and respectful in the process. And...we still had a great week full of many cultural experiences.
Saturday morning, we spent time at the local market to shop for some souvenirs. We had lunch at our usual place in the city.
Trying a sample of local cheese....they didn't like it...
Lunch
After lunch, we went to a park nearby to spend some time prayer over our teens. It was a beautiful time of praying God's blessings and affirming each of them in their gifts. We gathered in a circle and one at a time, each teen stepped into the center of the circle to be prayed for. This was the start of something even more beautiful as the day went on.
The youth event was to start at 3 pm. Our van was to meet up with the big blue bus (and we hoped and prayed we didn't have to get back on that bus!). Pastor Mynor was picking up several people and Mike and Lori were with him with their youth from church. After our time in the park, our van drove to a certain point and waited alongside the road to meet up with the bus. Finally, the bus was in view and we pulled in behind them to follow them the rest of the way.
We never knew where we were going (because, of course, we're not familiar with the area) and we never knew how long it would take to get there. Traffic! Can I just say that I really, really dislike traffic? It's the worst here, even worse than Los Angeles! Really, because there seem to be no rules and it's a "free for all" to everyone. Somehow it works, but it took us maybe 1.5 hours to get there (and only 40 minutes to get back later!?).
We finally arrive to the youth event, only maybe 45 minutes late, and they were just starting. Time is not relevant here. When we came in, there was an awesome worship band playing and a room full of youth. Originally, we had thought we may play some music with a guitar and cahone, but when we walked in to this amazing band, well, let me just say it was a humbling experience. Both Joshua and I felt "what are we doing here, and what can we say to these youth? Someone here would do a much better job in sharing with them...." Of course, those were lies...the enemy was already at work trying to bring me down.
Again, we had no idea how the service was going to go. Basically, it went like this...4-1/2 hours...
- the awesome worship band
- some prayer and announcements
- my sharing time, on being used in your brokenness
- my "thoughtful/serious" message followed by a clown?
- then a really cool painting demo/worship
- offering
- Josue sharing his testimony - he did awesome!
- Joshua's preaching - he nailed it!
- more singing, and then...
- basically an awesome concert by a local Christian artist
- then some amazing time of prayer and the Spirit moving...really moving!
The entire evening was pretty awesome, when I didn't let the enemy get in my head. I was wrestling with the "order of service" and if I had known what they would be doing in the program, I may have chosen something else to share. So many doubts began to set in. I quickly pulled Lori aside to process some of my feelings with her immediately. I told her to tell me if what I was feeling was just "my American culture and to just get over it" she should tell me. I was feeling like what I shared wasn't appropriate and doubting whether it resonated at all. Seriously, the enemy was really working on me. She quickly affirmed what I shared and how we don't know who it spoke to, but God would use it. And, as far as the "order of service," I had to let that go...that was just my American culture getting in the way.
So, we rejoined the concert and worship and it was beautiful. Many youth were prayed for, some of ours were prayed for as well. The Holy Spirit was moving in mighty ways and many prophetic words were spoken. We had some more time praying over each of our teens as well. God is moving in the lives of our youth!! Praise God! Continue to pray for them as they process the amazing, new experience from last evening.
As the evening ended, we were served some food.
As we were preparing to leave the event, Pastor Joshua was pulled aside to be interviewed on live TV for a Christian TV show in Guatemala! Josue was part of it, of course, for translating. The clown was involved...it was supposedly a comedic TV show...such a strange and unexpected experience!? Then, we thought we we leaving, but they asked ME to also be interviewed on the show? So strange...but good. It was in that time, through the two women who were interviewing me, when God revealed to me that what I shared DID resonate with the group. The women shared with me how blessed they were and encouraged by what I had shared. God is so good.
Apparently, we can watch the TV show in 2 weeks on You Tube.
On our drive back to the hotel, we spent some time talking about things they had seen and heard and what all of it meant. Every single one of the teens was touched and moved during the service. I shared with them my time of vulnerability and doubt when I shared with Lori. They were shocked and couldn't believe I would have thought what I did. It was a good teaching time of how the enemy can take over our thoughts and how we must constantly work at turning our thoughts to Christ and truth! Many of the teens also said that what I shared really resonated with them and they really appreciated it. So...there you go...
This morning, we'll be leaving the hotel around 8 am (we think) to go to Pastor Mynor's church where they will serve us breakfast before taking us to the airport for our long journey back to the U.S.
Thank you for following our time here. Thank you for your prayers. God is so good! We praise God for the good health for the group! The weather has been beautiful. The cross cultural experiences for the group have been many. Every single teen was touched by God this week. Pray that God continues the work he has begun this week in each of our lives.
