Core Team in Curitiba (Brazil)

I've just come back from Curitiba, in Brazil. Actually the word 'just' gives the impression that the journey was quick -- it wasn't -- 4 flights and 27 hours after leaving Curitiba, I got back to Guatemala!
But it was a good time. I went for a week long meeting of the Latin Link Core Team (which was meeting alongside the Latin Link Brazil team annual conference). We talked and prayed alot - about the different teams, about needs and concerns, and about future plans. (We also ate chocolate from Peru, England, Guatemala and Argentina!). We also managed to escape for a bit and explore the city of Curitiba.

Curitiba is famous in Brazil for it's bus system, construction regulations and everything being environmentally friendly. It was such a weird (and good) feeling to be in a place that actually takes recycling seriously! (Does that make me a geek!?? probably!)





Then I meet the Brazilian football team at the airport!! (And no I have no idea who they all are - but I guessed they were famous!

Curitiba has an iron opera house!
(just so you know!)


























And a replica of crystal palace in England.

And some funny birds on a stick at the 'Eye Museum' (apparently it's named after the shape rather than being full of old eyes!)

Step farewell service

This weekend I went to see the Step team for the last time in their second project. We had a debrief- hearing about all that they have learnt through this experience.
On Saturday the church held a farewell service for the team and had put in so much effort in decorating the church with English and Guatemalan flags and colours.
The church gave each of the team a gift as a reminder of their time there.
Josh and the youth group had been practicing a song with pan pipes.
The step team performed a few songs and a drama and several of them explained what they had learnt from being there and from the friendships that they have made.
Each group within the church (Children's choir, adolescent group, youth group, women's group etc) had prepared a song and thanked the team for their involvement in the life of the church.


It's always really interesting how perceptions are different. During the debrief with the team, some of them had expressed frustration that they hadn't had enough work to do and had felt that they hadn't contributed very much. But it was very clear from the presentations during the service that they had contributed much more than they realised. On top of the work that they did on the building site, people were touched that Josh and the boys had played football with the young people every afternoon or that Lucy and Abi had entertained the kids who turned up at the church every day, or that Bekah and Dave had gone to the local school and taught the children to count to 10 in English. All of this and more; just the normal stuff of getting to know people, is special and really significant in mission.
And I know that the Step team come away from this experience having received and learnt much more than they ever expected too. They have learnt from the churches faith in stepping out in the work that God has called them to do, regardless of the lack of resources, they've been impressed with the churches response to the disasters and tragedies that happened so close. The way the church has welcomed the team into their community, how they have sacrificed in order to make them comfortable, and gone out of their way to look out for them. During Storm Agatha, when the power had gone out, many church members turned up at the church in the pitch black and pouring rain, to give the team candles, to help them move stuff away from leaking roofs -and just generally make sure they were safe and OK. It touched their hearts.
And that is Step.

Stepness at Zaculeu

The church that the step team are working with, took them for a day out to Zaculeu - the ruins of the centre of the Mam mayan group. Some great pyramids -- and plenty of opportunities for posing!
After the mayan ball game, you're supposed to sacrifice the winning captain to the gods.

beach weekend with Striders

So last weekend a bunch of us went to Monterrico to celebrate a few of our birthdays. Monterrico is a beautiful beach on the Pacific coast of Guatemala. It was great to be among friends to chill out and relax.










We went out for dinner one night - and just as we got settled on the deck of a nice restaurant, the storm came. Really heavy rain and thunder and lightning all around us! It was almost like being back in England for a summer holiday -- we were just missing the flask of tea and sandy sandwiches!
But the storm soon passed.

Football scores!

So yesterday was England's first match in the World Cup, against the United States.
I have to admit that I'm not much of a football fan - but occasionally make an exception -- and defending our honour against a country that can't even call football by it's real name was one of those exceptions!

I wasn't really sure how this would all go down in Guatemala as here they have a funny love-hate sort of relationship with the States. For many the American dream is still alive and well, and thousands migrate north in the hope of making their fortune (both legally and illegally). Mostly this leaves broken and divided families and communities all over Guatemala. Many love the opportunities which exist due to the proximity to the states, and the remittances (money) that relatives who have made it in the states can send home - as well as all the films, music and American 'culture' in general that invades Guatemala as much as anywhere else. But on the other hand, they detest the influence the States has politically, most evidently in their involvement in the 36 years of civil war that devastated the country and particularly the indigenous population. They're also not that keen on the States these either for their treatment of all the illegal Guatemalan workers there.

On the other hand, their relationship with the English is also a bit confused. It was only about 5 years ago that Guatemala officially recognised Belize (the neighbouring country which was previously a British colony) as a country in it's own right. Previously they had still claimed sovereignty there - even though they speak English (well kind of) and you can buy Baked Beans and Cadbury's chocolate there - clearly demonstrating it's English (not Spanish or indigenous) heritage! And then there is the Castillo de San Felipe (St Phillips Castle) situated on a river near the Caribbean coast which was built specifically to keep out the English Pirates (who were stealing the gold and precious stones that the Spanish were sailing back to Spain after stealing them from the indigenous groups in Central America). On the other hand, the majority of Guatemala don't actually know where England is and many assume it is a state in the United States.

So with all that complexity going round in my head, I met up with a few English friends and we went to a shopping centre where they were showing the game on a big screen in the food hall.
I was surprised and happy to realise that the huge crowd of Guatemalans filling the hall were all cheering for England, and they were even happier to see some real English people. Of course this is Latin America and the response to any football game is always passionate and loud. It was great fun (even if the game itself was a bit of a disappointment). But what made me laugh the most though was that whenever we saw a shot of David Beckham on the sidelines, the whole hall was filled with girly squeals, rather than manly football cheers!

volcanoes, storms and life as normal ! ??

So it's been a bit eventful here in Guatemala.
A couple of weeks ago, Pacaya Volcano (which I have climbed a couple of times) erupted and sent clouds of volcanic ash raining on Guatemala City and around. A bit surreal, but not that desperate - apart from for the 1000 or so people who were evacuated from their homes close to the volcano.
But then the following day it started raining heavily and didn't stop for 2 days. We lost power for about 12 hours but didn't think too much of it. It was only later, that we realised that it was tropical storm Agatha, and that throughout the country about 100 people had died, mainly as a result of landslides. Over the next few days we found out that now something like 90,000 people had been made homeless and were staying in makeshift shelters.
In a mountainous country like Guatemala, it's usually not the storm itself that does the most harm - but the landslides that it causes. This is even more likely in areas where there has been serious deforestation (ie everywhere), and where the quality of houses and roads is poor.
There have been several stories in the news about bridges or roads -which were virtually brand new, being swept away in the storm. Guatemala has always been affected by tropical storms and as a result has quite stringent building regulations --- but very little in the way of enforcing them.
So here it all feels a bit strange -- there are still 90,000 homeless people. The government has assigned several collection points where we can donate clothes and food items for those affected. Some organisations I know are also involved in the distribution - but at the same time most of life carries on as normal. It's weird to be affected and yet not be affected. I pray for more of God's perspective in all of this.

Prayer Day

Yesterday was a Day of Prayer for Latin Link, so in the Guatemala team, we decided to have 24 hours of prayer - trying to have somebody praying at every hour of the day. Anna prepared a prayer room in her house (next door) with lots of creative stuff to help and inspire us to prayer.

















It was a great day. I spent a few hours in the room in the early morning - and it was great to start the day by focusing on God and worshiping him. God reminded me of some dreams that I had had several years ago - that now seem to make sense! He always fulfills his promises - even when we don't understand them to start with.





We all met together in the afternoon and were able to pray into specific situations that are affecting the team and give encouragement to each other.







Coming back to the room for a few hours in the evening, it was great to see the 'Worship Wall' filled up and with specific requests and prayers on the map, giving more fuel for prayer.
We all really enjoyed and benefited from having the prayer day like this - and we know that God has worked - not only in us -but in the situations we have prayed for too. God is Good.