Join us in supporting our 2012 Summer Mission Team in prayer as they head to Chocala, Guatemala. Many of you have signed up for timeslots to pray for team so that they will be bathed in prayer 24 hours a day! Thank you!

The following guidesheet was created to help you focus on the various prayer needs the team has.

Please return to this section of our website to receieve updates of the team's progress. If you would like to also receive any emails of the team's progress, make sure you are signed up to receive the Eminder newsletter.

Again, the Mission's team thanks you for your prayers!

Attachments:

Prayer Vigil Guidesheet.pdf

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While the Mission Team is in Guatemala, they will be studying the Gospel of Matthew! You can join them and follow along. Download the attached daily devotional - El Reino de Dios (The Kingdon of God).

Attachments:

El Reino de Dios.pdf

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406 kB

Today is the day! Our Guatemala Mission Team heads for Chocolá, Guatemala! This page will be updated with their travel status.

4:30am		The Team met at church
5:00am		The Team hit the road for the Atlanta airport. Pray for safe travel!
8:09am		Received word that the Team has been dropped off at ATL. Praying for a safe return trip for our drivers, David Breazeale & Skip Blasier.
10:47am		And they're airborne! Estimated arrival time is 11:42am Guatemala time (1:42pm Eastern).
11:58am		And the drivers made it back safely from Atlanta - thanks guys for your service!
1:37pm		Delta 461 has landed at the Guatemala City airport!
2:27pm		Pastor Ben texted and said all is well - no issues - and that they are on the way to Chocolá!
11:00pm		After 2 flat tires and an 8.5 hour ride on a chicken bus, the Team made it safely to Chocolá around 11pm our time. They were met with food and showers - all were happy, but tired!

The Team landed safely in Guatemala City at 1:37pm (all times are Eastern), made it through customs, and are now on the way to Chocola. Received a text from Pastor Ben at 2:27pm that everything is well! The trip from Guatemala City to Chocala is approximately 160 km (96 miles) and may take 2.5 hours depending on traffic, etc.

Did you know, if you drove from CC Greenville to Chocala, Guatemala you'd drive approximately 2,500 miles and might take you 44 hours of driving!

Well, after 2 flat tires and an 8.5 hour ride on a chicken bus, the Team made it safely to Chocolá around 11pm our time. They were met with food and showers - all were happy, but tired!

So just where is our Mission Team? Chocolá in Guatemala! But just where is Chocolá?

According to Wikipedia: "Chocolá is in the San Pablo Jocopilas municipality in the southern Suchitepéquez department of Guatemala. A modern village lies on top of and within the ancient site."

The Team is staying at a hospital/clinic named Hospital Santa Fe, which has been manned alone by Dr Sergio Castillo for over 12 years.

[Google Maps: +14.61032, -91.42335]

Everyone is well and are working hard!

On Thursday, the Team finshed up some of the larger projects at the hospital and then spent some time with the local kids sharing the Gospel and playing soccer.

On Friday, the Team visited their first village with medical help and the Gospel.

Pastor Ben reports that in one instance the team was able to share the Gospel with 400 people! PTL!

Keep praying for the Team - and you can follow along with the El Reino de Dios (The Kingdon of God) devotion.

Latest update from Pastor Ben:

Awesome day yesterday [Sunday, July 29th]! We were able to see the community of Chocola and then after lunch and some work on the clinic, we went to a Quiche village deep in the jungle. Dr Sergio has a clinic outpost there, where he treats 200 patients for 2 days every month. It is run in cooperation with a Ppresbyterian church there in the village, which is where we hiked to after the clinic. We shared music, the youth drama, and then Pastor Lewis was asked to preach. The congregation was beautiful, all Quiche, so Lewis preached, then Chico translated, then the pastor translated! We had vitamin and gift bags prepared for all the kids, and the highlight of the service was when Mike and I had the honor of carrying 4 beautiful new Quiche Bibles to the front and presenting them to the pastor. He later said they would be used by the pastors of various churches of the region, who had only Spanish bibles and had to translate their sermons. God's Spirit of unity and fellowship was very strong. Repeatedly, Pastor Lewis and the local pastors who spoke commented on the famiy that we all are in Christ, and how one day ALL barriers would be gone in his presence. The congregation was very reserved, but very loving and moved by the love of God. Pastor Lewis shared from the day's Matthew reading on our being family in him (ch 13). We all got an unforgettable glimpse of God's kingdom, one of unity of the most differnnt cultures and languages, but one in Him. It was a humbling yet joyful afternoon of worship and ministry.

When we returned that evening to the hospital, Sergio's family had prepared a quincenera for Zoe (15 year bday party: a HUGE deal in latin culture, a passage into womanhood celebration). We were blown away by the decorations, gift, cake and dinner they prepared. Had a wonderful celebration with a lot of games and laughs, honoring a precious girl on her big day.

Today we're off to the jungle again, to share Christ with 300 rural schoolkids. A chicken bus, pick-up ride, then hour hike 2 our destination. Then back to the hospital for painting, repairs, and a children's outreach service. God is carrying us by the prayers from home. We've had refreshing, healing, joy and unity, and a real grace for expressing God's love to the people we've met. And we have been showered by love from Sergios family and others. All the team is able to do all the trips, please pray for some upset stomachs and anointing to invest our time and energies in all the right things. Our love and prayers to the boday. Pastor David, we were able to hear some of your message on Mike's phone. Weather has been holding up miraculously for us. The team was tired yesterday, but refreshed by the time with God and the party.

Wow! PTL! Awesome news! Please keep praying for the Team as your prayers are being felt!

Mike Davis was out on a supply run and found free wifi at a Pollo Campero. So he took the opportunity to send us some photos!

Pastor Lewis sharing the Gospel in a Mayan church

Our Youth leading worship at a Mayan village

Sia sharing her testimony in a Mayan village

Pastor Lewis sharing the Gospel in a Mayan village

Chico Lopez with Dr Sergio's wife, Veronica, with some of the kids from the village of Chocolá. Chico bought them all ice cream!

From Pastor Ben yesterday:

"Morning! Trust all is well. Things are good here. Yesterday [Monday, July 30th] we went to a remote Mayan village, by bus, then standing in a pick-up, then hiking.beautiful views,wonderful time sharing Gospel and meds with school of 250 kids. Chico bought them all ice cream. :) most only spoke quiche.the kids jad prepared cultural songs and dances for us. The youth did their drama, sia and lewis shared testimonies. Returned home midday to buy supplies, paint the surgery, teach English class 2 sergio's girls, and have a local kids outreach service (we are going thru the first few ch of Genesis). Lost power 4 a few hrs in a storm. Returned in time for a late dinner, then dr sergio shared his testimony and the history of hospital w/everyone. Then we had a late night prparing toy and medicine bags 2 distribute 2day. Pray for a few upset stomachs, for the last 2 days w/sergio to be fruitful and meaningful."

From Pastor Ben this morning:

"Morning. Yesterday [Tuesday, July 31st]was great day, we went to a mayan pueblo, to a school of about 300 kids. Had a gospel presentation and meds/gifts distributed.very productive afternoon, a lot of painting,an awesome kids outreach service w/the locals in Chocola. plz pray for team, we have a few ppl sick with diarrhea, including me. Pray esp for Dr Sergio, this is the 2nd day he's in bed with fever and extreme weakness, may alter our plans for traveling 2 another village 2day."

Please note the bolded text as these are items needing prayer.