Guatemala Youth Mission Trip

Trinity Church and St. Margaret’s Church, Barrie, ON.
July 7 – 15th, 2008

On July 7th the first Youth Mission Team from Trinity Church and St. Margaret’s Church, both located in Barrie, left for Guatemala. For the youth this was their first mission experience and several of them had never traveled outside of Canada. The experience would prove to be high impact and life changing.

The objectives of the mission were threefold:

1) To provide assistance to the poor in Guatemala through: house building, food distribution, and Bible teaching.

2) To train additional mission team leaders from each congregation.

3) To facilitate accelerated spiritual growth in the lives of the participants and provide them an opportunity to reassess their values and priorities.

We were hosted by the “Arms of Jesus Children’s Mission”, which works with the indigenous people in the hill country located about 2 hours from the capital, Guatemala City.

• This past week is something that I’ve never experienced and is indescribable. Building houses and helping children is a feeling like no other. I was touched by the dedication of the houses we had built. I feel more confident with God and understand more about the Bible. — Brennan, aged 16 years

Support for the team was sufficient that we were able to build six houses. The recipients for these new houses are chosen by the “Arms of Jesus Mission” as being the families most in need. While the homes we built were a very simple two-room structure it was a significant improvement for the families who had been living in huts with dirt floors and corn stalk walls, which provided very limited shelter from the rains. During the building of each house the team was able to meet the family and the children. This created a real bond between the Canadian youth and the local Guatemalan people. It was quite emotional when the house was dedicated and the teens presented to the family: a new set of pots and pans, a Spanish Bible, crayons for the children, and finally the keys to the house. There was a wonderful common bond as we prayed for them and they prayed for us.

• This really has been a lifetime experience. The culture shock was really big and was really hard to get used to. The thing that touched me the most were the people. Everyone here is so happy and they have barely anything. It really opened my eyes. I think that having devotions twice a day and being around such positive people really helped me grow closer to God. — Anna aged 16 years.

As part of its sponsorship of children, the mission provides their families with food supplements once a month and practical instructions for the parents. Our team packed 160 bags of food and distributed them to the families. The smile of gratitude on the face of the mothers was amazing.All of the children were given a pencil case with school supplies, which had been provided by“Sew on Fire” ministries located in Burlington. Prior to the food distribution the team led the parents and their children in worship followed by drama and puppets focused on the Genesis account of creation. The team then led the 175 children in a craft based on the six days of creation. It was a time of real contact between the team and the children as the teens guided the children through the craft. Despite the language barrier there was a heart to heart connection.

• My eyes were opened incredibly. I saw poverty but love in the same people. I realized how you can overcome hardship through God. I feel like I understand God more, and I know how to better serve him. I wish to serve the Lord as much as I can when I am home. — Scott aged 14 years.

“Arms of Jesus” also runs an elementary school. To maximize the number of children who can receive an education there are two shifts of children. 200 attend in the morning beginning at8:00 a.m. and 200 attend in the afternoon concluding at 5:00 p.m. To enable a day of professional development for the hard working teachers, the team led the children in a time of worship, puppets, story and crafts. It was wonderful to see the teens from Canada ministering to so many children. Once again each teen had a circle of about 13 children to lead through the creation based craft. It was both a challenge and delight for all involved.

• This week has been one of the most emotional weeks of my life, not only because of the extreme poverty, diseases and undying love, but because I found myself. I found who I am and who I want to be. I have grown in soooo many ways spiritually, but most importantly I have gotten more respect for the Lord, I have more faith than ever before and I feel closer to Him. — Amanda aged 15 years.

Special excursions for the team included a visit to picturesque lake surrounded by volcanoes plus a hike up a volcano.

• The peoples faces touched me the most and I learned how to stop and enjoy a moment not just to go go go. I have grown in understanding of the faith and feel closer to God. — Katlyn aged 17 years.

The smooth functioning of the mission team was a blessing to all. Many of the team members were virtual strangers at the beginning. Such an intense experience quickly bonded them into a well functioning team where the unique gifts and talents of each person was utilized. This was a tangible example of the full functioning Christian community as described in 1Corinthians12:14-26.

• This week has been life changing. The people in Guatemala and the group have changed the way I look at life. I am happier with life and I only think of the “needs” and not the“wants” in my life. — Deanna aged 14 years.

Each morning began with team devotions on the roof top terrace where we were staying. With the hills and volcanoes surrounding us and the rising sun and clouds ever changing the words of Psalm 121 came to life in a new way, “I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.”

• I experienced an overwhelming spiritual healing. I feel closer to God and stronger in my faith. I feel that I have accomplished more this week than in my life. — Sarah aged 19 years.

Each evening, despite feeling overwhelmed and slightly exhausted, we gathered together and reflected on the events of the day and what they had meant to us. The selected Bible reading came to life in a new way and our prayers together took on new meaning as we prayed for the families and children we had met and as we prayed for strength to do our very best.

• This week has been: moving, hard work, touching, turning to God, feeling love. I feel more in tune with God. I want to become a better Christian. This includes music, reading, friends and to follow the word of the Bible. — Corey aged 15 years.

We want to thank all those who made this outreach possible. Rather than just 17 people going to Guatemala, it felt like it was an outreach initiative by the whole congregation and the vast network of friends and family. Thank you for your part in making this a success. May the Lord seal in the hearts of the team members the blessings & transformation of this past week and may we be led by the Spirit as to our next steps.

• This week has really touched me in a lot of different ways. I have never done or seen anything close to what I saw this week. What people here don’t have and yet how happy they are. An example of this is the homes they had before we built one for them. It is just amazing how depressed and sad our society is with all we have. I wish to serve the Lord anyway I can and in many more ways. — Zach aged 15 years.

• This week has been overwhelming, joyful, hard, touching, it was a whole jumble of emotions. Seeing the children so eager, excited and open really touched me. The house dedications and just seeing how touched and grateful the families were was really emotional. I think I have gown to be more open to actually listening to God and not just shutting him out all the time except for at church. I think I really now understand that He is always with each of us no matter what. — Katie aged 17 years.

MISSION TEAM PRAYER

Lord Jesus, as you left the glory of heaven to come to this world, we give you thanks that you laid in on the hearts of these teens to leave the comfort of their homes and families and to go to Guatemala to share your love in a tangible way. We thank you for all those who supported them and made this outreach possible. We ask that your continued blessing rest on the work of “Arms of Jesus Children’s Mission” and each child that is sponsored and each child that attends their school. We thank you for health and safety for the team members. We thank you for the opportunity to build six houses for six families and ask for your blessing to rest upon them. We pray Lord that the wonderful work that you have done in the lives of the team members will be sealed in their hearts and not lost. We pray that you will lead us as a congregation in the next steps we should be taking. All this we ask in the wonderful name of Jesus Christ our saviour.

Amen.