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Hello!

Yesterday was another busy work day for us. The groups flip-flopped sites again and worked hard. The students at The Colony also took a tour of the mudslide area. I have included some pictures today from the tours. You can see the mudslide down the mountain. There is also a picture of the mass grave that looks like a field. We were actually standing on mud that is covering homes and dead bodies. About 350 people are still living in temporary shelters (many provided by the US) in the area we walked through. The government began building permanent housing nearby (to replace the temporary ones) but after some studies of the terrain declared that area a “red zone” because of the potential of future mudslides. So construction on the new permanent housing ceased and they are considering where in the city they can move those folks.

You’ll also notice pictures from a few things we did yesterday. A group of our students played a group of people from the Alfa y Omega church in soccer (in the middle of a corn field). The score was tied 7-7 at the end of regulation. The US lost to Guatemala on the very last PK. A rematch is scheduled for this afternoon (weather permitting).

Also, a group of about 12 folks went to the prayer service that was at the church at the Colony. Pastor Abraham’s brother Jose is the pastor there. Our group participated in the service and prayed for Jose and his wife Maria as well as the other folks that live in the Colony. Our group was blessed by the sincerity and generosity of the people they worshipped with and humbled and challenged by their commitment to prayer.

There is an immense amount of laughter at the Posada and on the work sites, sometimes due to practical jokes. At Campamento David some of our folks taught Chelsea Inman how to say, “I am very, very excited” in Spanish and kept encouraging her to speak those words to the Guatemalans. When she finally did, she got some weird looks from the Guatemalans. The group had intentionally taught her to say “I am very, very pregnant” (which Chelsea is not) instead of “I am very, very excited.” Also, we print common Spanish phrases in our students’ workbooks. One we printed was the translation (or so we thought) for “Only faith in Jesus can save you.” Chris Cole, however, informed us that what we had printed actually says, “Only faith in Jesus can save you money.”

Last night Brent Kesler continued our teaching on missions and did a great job. He taught on the Great Commission, Matthew 28:16-20. “Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.,”

A few folks have stayed in sick this morning. Pray for their health and that none of their illnesses spread to others.

I have throughout the week referred to the Gospel a number of times and have not really defined that word yet. And since I don’t know who is receiving this email (Richard keeps the list) I recognize that some of you may not know what the Gospel is. I am including at the end of this email a copy of the Bad News/Good News presentation of the Gospel that our students often use to share the Gospel with folks. It would be their desire (and mine) that all of the Guatemalans we meet and all of you who read this email embrace and believe this amazing news (if you have not already). We are so grateful for what Christ has done for us. And we want all people to receive the blessing of getting to know and be amazed, now and forever, by the person of Jesus Christ, to the glory of God. He is our delight.

Soli Deo Gloria,

Kathy Harrelson
High School Director at Christ Chapel Bible Church