Greetings, WBFJ family and other friends! Just a quick introduction via our itinerary. Sorry, but my work schedule has me booked until we leave Friday evening to stay with friends in Charlotte for our Saturday flight. The list below is by way of Sean Dana, our CI Sponsor Trip Leader:
Saturday, February 13 Our adventure begins! Today, as you know, is a travel day. Our TACA flight departs Miami International Airport at 3:10 p.m. Once we are settled into the hotel we will meet together to get to know each other and for some orientation topics. We are staying at the Hotel Princess Reforma tonight which is just a short distance from the airport.
Sunday, February 14 What better way to experience this new country and culture than to join them in Sunday morning worship We will join with our brothers and sisters in Christ at GU-879, one of our church partners in Guatemala City as we begin to anticipate all the Lord want to do in us and through us this week. Later we will travel to the beautiful old city of Antigua for some site-seeing. Once back at the hotel the team will organize supplies and ideas for our ministry opportunities this week.
Monday, February 15 This morning we fly to Santa Elena, in the region of Petén. Once we have checked into our hotel and have had breakfast we will visit the San Andres Student Center, (GU-858) our first visit to a Compassion child development center. After a wonderful program presented by the children, you will have an opportunity to see how a student center functions, learn now student center staff track the progress of each child and how they account for sponsorship-provided resources. Then, we will visit the families of several children from this center to learn about their lives and connect with the complexity and reality of living life amidst tremendous poverty. After lunch we will work together to minister to the children of this student center through the vacation bible school activities we have planned.
Tuesday, February 16 After a good night sleep and some breakfast we will head out to experience a day in the life of a sponsored child. We will travel a short distance to GU-954. Our day will begin by dividing into five groups and walking a short distance. We will spend the morning with a Compassion family and live life as they do every day. You can help with daily chores, participate in the family business and visit with the family. We’ll help serve the children their lunch. Then, in the afternoon we will work together in our ministry teams to engage the children in the VBS activities we have planned.
Wednesday, February 17 We start our day at GU-912 where we will work together to paint the student center kitchen as well as the tables used for the children. After a half day of service we will take the afternoon off to explore the exciting attractions that this area of Guatemala is known for, the Mayan Ruins of Tikal and Ixpanpajul (an echo-tourism park). This will be a fantastic day in Guatemala!
Thursday, February 18 We check-out of our hotel this morning and make our way to the airport to fly back to Guatemala City. Once back, we will make the trek to our last Compassion child development center visit. Today is unique because our hosts for this visit will be several emerging young leaders who were once children in this student center but are now nearing completion of the Leadership Development Program. We will have lunch with them as well to hear their testimony and see the potential that await the children we sponsor and will meet tomorrow. The afternoon will find us at a brief stop at the country office and then some time to shop at a fun, authentic handicraft market.
Friday, February 19 It has been a great week and today is our last full day in Guatemala. Today, we meet the children we sponsor and spend the day making memories together as we interact together at a local amusement park. This is always the highlight of the week. Tonight we will celebrate all that we have learned and experienced in Guatemala this week.
Saturday, February 20 Once relative strangers, today 25 new friends go their separate ways as we return to Miami on TACA flight to catch domestic flights home. We are now prepared to take our new knowledge and zeal for the Lord and His work through the ministry of Compassion back to our families, friends, places of work and churches.
// Please do pray for traveling mercies on this trip as well as most importantly, for God to receive the glory in all that is said and done!
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