Blessings with morning prayer

It is funny how God works in our lives. He loves us and is over joyed when we love him back. I know the feeling. I am a parent of four. The greatest joy I get is when my kids love me back. And I am amused and sometimes disappointed when my kids suck up to me trying to get something they want and do not necessarily deserve. I want to give to them, but sometimes there is  lesson requirement attached.

This morning I was praying. Praying about a number of things, but mostly thanks to God for all he has done for me. How he sustains me and gives me hope. Thanks for his son. Thanks for the heart he has given me. Thanks for the lessons he teaches me. Thanks for not giving up on me. Even when I have been a fool and sinned against him. Lord thank you. Blessed be your name.

Every morning I have sent out a suggested prayer for the six people on this winters mission team. I being one of them pray about these things and what is on my heart for this mission. In the middle of this part of praying I heard my blackberry notification tone, sound off. How hard it was to not stop praying and ignore it. Then my daughter came all the way up stairs and grabbed my phone and brought it to me. "Daddy your phone-uh"  I thanked God for the blessings in my life including my children, finished my prayer and accepted my phone from my daughter and looked at it.

This is the blessing that was sent to me this morning.

This is the Gomez Cotzal family

They have 12 members living in 1 home.

The fathers ; Domingo, He works in the fields/agriculture

The mother(pictured) stays home

They have 8 children 

4 go to school

The oldest Manchara (pictured in the back ground) has a child and lives with them too.

Anasete (18) She works

Lorenzo (16)

Wendy (15)

Isabel (10)

Esther (9)

Domingo (8)

Odivio (4)- the boy

This is A picture of the Grandmother from the second family

It was not made clear to them whether Solomon was their last name or her husbands name.

In this house she lives with her husband and their 2 children, Their children's spouses, and

Their grandchildren

Maria Wos Quevac is her daughter and the daughters husband is Mauricio Ramirez Wos

They have 2 children

Alex (7)

Hendy Mateo (4)

We did not receive the names of the rest of the family

It is so wonderful to have a picture of the families of whom we pray for.

Lord, prepare us

Mold our hearts and make them soft

shape our thoughts

and prepare our hands and feet to be yours

may you guard us and keep us Holy for your work

May only Your name be held high and glorified

Oh how I love thee

In your sons name

Amen

Please pray for these families

Pray for Pastor Diego,

Brother Tomas,

Gloria of Orphan Outreach in Guatemala 

Our driver Josue 

and our translator

(I have been told it will most likely be Pablo or Cesar)

Grace and Peace

Barrett

The beginning (4th addition)

It is now 30 days before we leave for Guatemala

(2-18 to 2-27)

William Carey said " Expect great things from God; attempt great things for God"

Pray that God will do a work in our lives so that we may be used to do a work in other's lives.

Here is the start (again). Another blog for an HPCC mission team heading to Guatemala. What will we write about that will make this new or more interesting than the last one. To be honest, I don't know. I am always amazed at how God works and how He changes things on you. So keep your eye/hearts open to the changes and see/feel what happens.

In 2008 Our church made one of multiple trips to Guatemala. I (Barrett) joined that team. Little did I know how much it would impact my life. I decided right then that I would be back. Something just felt right about being there. It was not the newness, or excitement of it. There was something deeper, more core to it.

In 2009 I signed up to go again. But something happened. We as a church had to think about where and why we go to these places. What birthed out of that was a mission model. Our last location was a square peg that would not find it's way into a round hole. We changed location within Guatemala to partner with a church that would minister the word to the people 365. This allows us to help with something that is already there and there will be someone there to disciple new followers after we are gone. One note-worthy event that happened on this trip was building a house for Barbara. I did not get to work on any houses, I was stuck on a roof trying to get a water tank to stop leaking. I only was able to go to the village of Cerro de Oro in the afternoon to help Dr. Keith work on Barbara's legs. Cleaning them and applying ointment to fight the infection in her legs he honestly was worried about her age and whether or not she would live for another 6 months. We all prayed for her. Prayed for God to do a work in her life.

On return home I was asked if I would go back and help lead the team in February of 2010. My answer was predictable.

Our church sent us back to build 2 more homes.  On one of the last days we were in the village we checked in on Barbara. Dr. Mary  was on the team. Barbara's family recognized us and all came rushing out to meet us. Barbara walked out and gave us hugs. Not only was she alive........Her legs were 90% healed!!  Dr. Mary cared for the one last soar on her leg, we prayed for her and said our good byes. Brother Thomas  lead us around the village and we prayed with other families. One of them Isabel Sosof.

In  July 2010 I was now leading HPCC again to Santiago Atitlan and Cerro de Oro to build 2 more houses, deliver beds to Chuk Muk, and conduct a VBS at the school.  That July Isabel was baptized and Katherine of Orphan Outreach was allowed to pick a family that we would build a house for. She picked Isabel Sosof. Katherine did not know we had prayed for her the winter before.During the day as teams worked on 2 houses we held a mini VBS at the Church plant in Cerro de Oro.  Those of us that had gone in the summer of '09 and the following winter of '10 hoped we would get a chance to go visit Barbara. Her house was just up the road from the church. But that was our surprise. She came to visit us,.........and brought her grand daughters with her. She then surprised us again. Her legs were 100% healed. The swelling was gone and she walked and sat down and got up with a smile on her face. As if this was not enough to shout praises to God for being allowed to stand in site of his glory. She surprised us again. She was baptized with Isabel 2  weeks before we arrived that same July. I teared up in joy with this great news. I have another sister. 

This is why I go. 

I now sit 30 days out from returning to Guatemala.

I ask for your prayers

for Barbara,

Pastor Diego,

Brother Thomas,

Isabel,

Moises-

 (a non-believer we built for in winter 2010),

for Diego and his son Emilio-

(Emilio will be Checked by Dr. Heather and RN Heather to see if he has anemia),

for the families that we will build houses for this February,

for our Orphan Outreach lead, Gloria,

for our families at home while we are gone,

for our team, that God will prepare us to be His hand and feet

For me, That I may lead with the humility of a servant.

"Prayer is the mighty engine that is to move the missionary work." -- A.B. Simpson

This is not where the story begins, This is where the story continues.

We are not bringing Jesus to these people.

Jesus has been here since he created the world and everything in it.

He has invited us to participate in what he is doing here.

"God's work is not man working for God; it is God's own work, though often wrought through man's hands."

Hudson Taylor

The question should not be, 

"What new and exciting experience will they write about."

The question should be,

"Why have You not answered God's request yet"

Hudson Taylor

 With love in Christ.

Barrett