Week 3 <3

Ok wow what a week. Due to some town events and political elections we weren’t able to go to regular ministry until Friday. The elections make the town unsafe, with that being said our ministry was robbed twice this week. First just a few things and then everything. The ministry people have been putting their heads together to find ways to keep this from happening again. They want to build a small home in the garden (this is what we call the place where ministry is) and have a family live there so it’s less likely to be stolen from. This is a small ministry that’s been ran by the same group of people for almost three years now. They are all sooo devoted to the ministry and love each other and the kids like a huge family. Ok so you might be wondering like, “okay but what are they doing for the kingdom?” Other than teaching these kids about the Lord every day in between guitar lessons, English lessons, and sports lessons, they do have one ultimate goal in mind. The entire heart of AIM (adventures in missions) and Hope Ministry is to raise up Guatemalans to be fearful missionaries that have a heart to go to the nations and minister in places that Americans are not allowed. They are raising these kids up to be lights in places that have absolutely no idea about Christianity and if they do hear about Christianity, they hate it. Many people in this area have the heart for the nations like this, it’s really amazing. Even though Guatemala does have much more knowledge or acceptance of Christianity, they still need so much help. Most people are catholic and don’t know about Jesus, while others are just in the dark completely. Guys Guatemala is really just a sad place. One of the political leaders started a hospital recently and residents of the hospital soon went missing. Presidents are so corrupt and nobody ever has the courage to change the system. Human trafficking is woven into the places you wouldn’t think. Our security guard told us a story of babies being taken from their families and sold. The candidate for governor took families apart for “adoption” but it was actually a sex trafficking organization. These people get re-elected because they bribe the villagers for their vote in the race and the villagers don’t have any room to pass down a few extra bucks. So yeah, my eyes were really opened this week to the sadness here. Honestly, this kind of evil is at home too, but the poverty on top of the evil and the corruption just makes it so much sadder to me.

Monday: ATL in Chimaltenango. God gave me a picture of cake so we went over by a cake shop. We found a girl there who we felt lead to talk to. She told us about her family struggles, her brother is in vegetable state and her niece is struggling with problems in her lungs. After speaking to her for a little while we prayed over her. She was showing lots of anxiety and spiritual warfare that was evident to us. I prayed any evilness or spiritual warfare over her away in the name of Jesus, and will keep praying for her. I encourage my readers to prayer for her as well. She was a lady who was nearly bald and had little hair, and clearly had something wrong with her. I’ve seen other women with hair loss like this, I don’t know if this has something to do what specific malnutrition or disease here. My teammate thinks there’s some sort of spirit that does this to them. I don’t know, it’s a little freaky and scary. I’ve had revelation that God has given me a type of authority in the spiritual realm and keeps bringing me to situations where I have to pray against this type of warfare. Anyway, when we asked what SHE needed prayer for and she would only mention the problems of the people in her family. We are going to approach the women that also has hair like that and try to pick up any more clues on it. Both women have little hair and masks on, and nobody really wears masks. We ended up going back to the girl and talked to her more. We asked if the other girl was her sister and she said yes. She told us that they both have a genetically illness. Her family is full of illness and curses, please keep her and your family in your prayers. Her name is patty. When we have our ATL days, we really just try to listen to where the Lord is leading us and to hear what he wants us to do. It’s giving the spirit complete will over us to use us how he needs. Today at the mall I felt a young girl (maybe 12) continuously looking at me and then smiling (honestly this happens a lot bc people are fascinated by white girls here lol). But I felt like God wanted me to give her one of my verse cards that I carry around. I was trying to figure out the translation to Spanish so I could tell her what it says. While working on the translation the girls dad gets my attention and starts talking to me in English asking what we’re doin in Guatemala and chatting with us. At the end of the conversation I told him that the Lord wanted me to give his daughter that card and he was able to translate it to her for me. She was so excited about the card and after we walked away I looked back at her and she was just smiling so much. It was really sweet to have that light hearted joy after the heavier conversations prior. 🙂

On Tuesday we spent two hours at the prayer room. We prayed over Guatemala and their government, we prayed over human trafficking here, we prayed over the Catholics and the Evangelical and the people who don’t know any religion, we prayed protection for all missionaries coming here and that they all have the right hearts in coming, we prayed over the spiritual warfare here, we prayed over the poverty here, we prayed for the hearts and souls and minds of everybody here. We prayed for two hours. In the afternoon, we helped with a local soccer ministry at our base. The kids were so friendly with us and so much fun. It was a really great afternoon if just playing and bonding with the kids and showing them what it’s like to incorporate a Christ like attitude into the game of soccer.

On Wednesday, we did something called kingdom table at a different ministry called Reindom (our ministry was off this week because of a celebration in the town). We set up a table and chairs and decorated the tables while others of us cooked breakfast. We then went out into the town and invited any homeless people and alcoholics to breakfast. Then we served them, talked with them, and ministered to them. The reindom people were giving a message and worship to them, so I just decided to go stand by the drunk men. I could feel the heaviness on every one of them, so I decided to just pray over them while the people worshipped and listened. I prayed away any spiritual darkness and prayed that they come to know Jesus through their battles. The morning was really sweet and amazing while also really heart breaking. Please just be praying for this country. In the afternoon I taught a computer class to a few kids and then helped with soccer. The computer class was even eye opening to me. The kids were so excited to be at class and happy to be around us. The kid that I was helping did not know how to click the mouse and his typing was really slow. It just shows how different things are for the kids here compared to the kids back home. Pretty sure my nephew knew how to answer an iPhone call by the time he was 3, haha. The kids at soccer were so much fun again. Guatemalans have such a happy, sarcastic, energy that is really enjoyable to be around. Especially the kiddos.

Thursday we did ATL (ask the lord). I was with a group that went up to a small village in the mountains. Nobody was answering the door because they were all attending a funeral, yes every person in town goes to the funeral even if they didn’t really know the person. We did manage to finally find somebody that was home. We bought popsicles from her and then asked if we could come sit and talk with her while we ate. She welcomed us into her home and chatted for awhile. We asked her if there’s anything she needs prayer for and she told us about some struggles she’s having with her daughter being really disrespectful to her and not talking to her for days and never listening to her when she gives her advice and that her husband makes it home safely from work. A lot of the women worry about their husbands and sons making it home from work. I’m not sure why, I know women of them have to go to the states for be able to make enough money to provide for their families.

On Friday we were back at Hope and played soccer with the kids. I spent most of this day talking with the ministry leader and gaining her insight and wisdom. She’s a huge powerhouse in the kingdom and I learn so much from her on these days. I love her so much!

If you made it this far, thank you so much for reading ❤️🤍