AsburySkinsFan Posted February 14, 2010 Share Posted February 14, 2010 Hello ES'ers. Well I'm in Guatemala with our missions team for the next week. We are working at an orphanage named "Mimi's House" and they currently house about 5 girls, soon though when the work is done they will be able to house 12 boys and 12 girls. We're working on building the team dormitory as well as working in a local school to provide some Vacation Bible School for them. I would ask for your prayers as we work down here, for the orphanage and for our safety...because we're not in Kansas anymore Toto! Pic update. We got in this afternoon most of these are from the drive in. An historic aqueduct. City life That can't be safe! Can you see the guy selling flowers for Valentine's Day? Looking from the orphanage into the valley From orphanage balcony Our team Time exposed valley shot. Time exposed valley shot 2 Time exposed valley shot 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RansomthePasserby Posted February 14, 2010 Share Posted February 14, 2010 Awesome ASF, will be praying for you. I've been on a few short term missions, and they've always been a positive experience for me. It's good to go out there and give some extra support to the guys who do it for the long haul. One thing I learned though, nothing ever goes according to plan! Haha. Stay safe! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jumbo Posted February 14, 2010 Share Posted February 14, 2010 Good luck, amigo. Keep us posted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twa Posted February 14, 2010 Share Posted February 14, 2010 Enjoy your time away,I look forward to the pics Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickalino Posted February 14, 2010 Share Posted February 14, 2010 Don't drink the water Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoony Posted February 14, 2010 Share Posted February 14, 2010 Stay safe and God Bless (seriously, I hear Guatemala is a very dangerous country) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twa Posted February 14, 2010 Share Posted February 14, 2010 (seriously, I hear Guatemala is a very dangerous country) Ain't he living in Tennessee?...have you met the people that fill those woods? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AsburySkinsFan Posted February 14, 2010 Author Share Posted February 14, 2010 pic bump..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AsburySkinsFan Posted February 14, 2010 Author Share Posted February 14, 2010 Stay safe and God Bless(seriously, I hear Guatemala is a very dangerous country) That's why I prayed for our safety, it most certainly isn't like home. Ain't he living in Tennessee?...have you met the people that fill those woods? Ahem!! I live in Kentucky! We ain't like them heathens in Tennessee!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The 12th Commandment Posted February 14, 2010 Share Posted February 14, 2010 I hope your trip is as rewarding as I imagine it will be. Good on you ASF! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Special K Posted February 14, 2010 Share Posted February 14, 2010 Nice pics ASF! I especially like the panoramic with the huge McDonalds sign smack dab in the middle, haha. I'm very happy that plague hasn't invaded Madagascar yet. I had a classmate who spent 2 years in Guatemala with the Peace Corps, she had some pretty incredible stories. Are you guys staying in a residential facility or building with some type of security? I'll keep you and your team's mission and safety in my prayers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AsburySkinsFan Posted February 15, 2010 Author Share Posted February 15, 2010 Thanks for everyone's prayers they are greatly appreciated. Day 2: We started this morning by attending church, I got to give a brief address with the help of a translator considering I am "un pastor de la lengua." The worship experience was amazing so much wonderful singing and the word of God brought to the people of Magdalena in such a wonderful way. Truly it was a blessing. Since today is Sunday we had this as our off day and went to the city of Antigua where we toured and shopped. BTW, cobblestone streets will kill your feet walking on them all day long...ouch. Tomorrow we go to the work sites; building the team house and expanded orphanage housing, presenting a feeding program and VBS at a local school and setting up a veterinary clinic. Please continue to be in prayer for the work we are doing and the wonderful people we are serving here in Guatemala. In the city of Magdalena this is the equivalent of a laundromat. The Church during worship The beautiful children at church who sang in worship This little one has eyes that will steal your heart. Pastor Mario Mt. Sinai Evangelical Mission Church in Magdalena Typical city street in Magdalena, the people openly live just behind the concrete walls in tin shacks, poverty has reached a new level of understanding for me. A volcano as seen from Antigua A fountain park in Antigua. A church in Antigua The cathedral in Antigua. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Major Harris Posted February 15, 2010 Share Posted February 15, 2010 my guatemalan geography is not good, how far from zacapa are you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AsburySkinsFan Posted February 15, 2010 Author Share Posted February 15, 2010 Nice pics ASF! I especially like the panoramic with the huge McDonalds sign smack dab in the middle, haha. I'm very happy that plague hasn't invaded Madagascar yet. Yeah, the biggest disappointment is how much our American commercialism has affected this area, this is even a Taco Bell if you can believe it! Wal-Mart is also down here but they call it something different. Much of the really blatant commercialism is seen in Guatemala City, but even in Antigua it can be seen. There is even a McDonald's in Antigua but you'd not even recognize it if you weren't looking. Just makes me kinda sad when I think about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MVille_Skins Posted February 15, 2010 Share Posted February 15, 2010 Don't drink the water <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psIuidkkLjI&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psIuidkkLjI&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Major Harris Posted February 15, 2010 Share Posted February 15, 2010 Yeah, the biggest disappointment is how much our American commercialism has affected this area, this is even a Taco Bell if you can believe it! Wal-Mart is also down here but they call it something different. Much of the really blatant commercialism is seen in Guatemala City, but even in Antigua it can be seen. There is even a McDonald's in Antigua but you'd not even recognize it if you weren't looking. Just makes me kinda sad when I think about it. have you been in one? it's no cheaper to eat that stuff down there than it is here. very few can really even afford it. i guess enough do to keep them open. are you staying in the city or will you be venturing out to the remote areas? lots of beautiful country down there. i have a thread from my missions trip in '06 somewhere around here. that pic you posted of the street, zacapa isn't that wealthy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AsburySkinsFan Posted February 15, 2010 Author Share Posted February 15, 2010 my guatemalan geography is not good, how far from zacapa are you? I just checked google maps, and it looks like Zacapa is several hours to the East of where we are. In the states I'd say it is about 2 hours driving time but with these roads I'd be surprised if you got there in less than 5. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AsburySkinsFan Posted February 15, 2010 Author Share Posted February 15, 2010 have you been in one? it's no cheaper to eat that stuff down there than it is here. very few can really even afford it. i guess enough do to keep them open.are you staying in the city or will you be venturing out to the remote areas? lots of beautiful country down there. i have a thread from my missions trip in '06 somewhere around here. that pic you posted of the street, zacapa isn't that wealthy. We ate at Pollo Campero today in Antigua and it was about the same price as KFC, you're right though most of the people here cannot afford the American fast food places, the Wal-Mart store down here is considered fairly upscale from what most can afford for their groceries. The shotgun toting guards that wander the parking lots let you know that they cater to a richer consumer. The orphanage where we are staying is just outside Guatemala City, the full time American missionaries have a very nice place here where they house the girls we're behind two layers of security walls which serves as a healthy reminder of where we are. Unfortunately we won't be going out into the outlying areas too far in that the our mission here is focused on the orphanage and in Magdalena. It doesn't surprise me at all that Zacapa is very poor as it is really remote and when you get out of one of the cities you see just how fast the economic situation deteriorates. We are currently planning next year's mission trip to come back and it looks as if the team house here will be done then and we'll begin building pre-fab homes in Magdalena, I think the entire thing costs about $700 with a chicken coop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Major Harris Posted February 15, 2010 Share Posted February 15, 2010 I just checked google maps, and it looks like Zacapa is several hours to the East of where we are. In the states I'd say it is about 2 hours driving time but with these roads I'd be surprised if you got there in less than 5. one thing i remember vividly was how fast everyone drove. it was like one giant game of chicken. the only rule of the road seemed to be "avoid death." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AsburySkinsFan Posted February 15, 2010 Author Share Posted February 15, 2010 one thing i remember vividly was how fast everyone drove. it was like one giant game of chicken. the only rule of the road seemed to be "avoid death." No doubt!! Its crazy! I keep hearing Captain Barbosa's line from Pirates of the Caribbean "The code is more what you'd call guidelines than actual rules." We were trying to make a U-turn in one of the places that are made for that purpose and our small bus is about 4 cars back in line to do so (no light) the traffic coming the other way didn't have a break soon there are two rows of cars waiting to U-turn even though there is on ONE U-turn lane then one of the big red city public transit buses stops on far side of the road we're on going the same way as us, he picks up his passengers then proceeds to make a left hand turn into the same U-turn space that the two rows of cars already occupy! He stopped all of the traffic flowing beside us until finally a police officer ran out and stopped the oncoming traffic so we all could make that U-turn.....crazy! And the motorcycles and their lane splitting...OMGness...I'm shocked we haven't killed one yet, on busy highways they ride the lines between traffic all the way down the road! Oh and you don't ride the city transit buses because they are VERY dangerous as about 2 drivers are killed each week in Guatemala City and passengers are often extorted on the buses. What a real joy that must be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoony Posted February 15, 2010 Share Posted February 15, 2010 Great work ASF- I'm glad there are people like you and Major and Keeastman that do this kind of stuff while the rest of us sit at home and read your blogs What you and Maj are describing about the traffic patterns reminds me of the Jeepney's in the Phillipines. Yikes! Stay safe and God Bless your entire group- especially those children Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PCS Posted February 15, 2010 Share Posted February 15, 2010 Nice ASF. Don't forget to take care of yourselves while you're taking care of others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Special K Posted February 15, 2010 Share Posted February 15, 2010 Great pictures ASF. Thanks for sharing! Keep posting them and stay safe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AsburySkinsFan Posted February 16, 2010 Author Share Posted February 16, 2010 Thanks everyone, long day, really tired, I'll try to do a full update tomorrow night. Please continue to pray. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burgold Posted February 16, 2010 Share Posted February 16, 2010 Now, this is what a religion thread should be about. Doing Godly works. I hope you and your mission stay safe and receive as you give. Remember that the people of Guatemala may be poor, but they still have a lot to share and teach. Keep your hearts and minds open. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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