GiveThanks 5

As I look back on the work that the Lord has done in my life and His sovereign grace over every moment I've been on this earth, I have nothing but gratitude. Even in reading the Old Testament, the picture of His divine redemption has been on the forefront of His plan since the beginning. It's awesome (yes, awesome) to see it unfold in the Bible through the stories of Abraham, the twelve sons of Jacob, the story of Moses, the story of Ruth, David and his kingdom, Soloman and his wisdom, down through the prophets and all the way to Christ. But it doesn't end there! Then God graciously uses US as part of this plan... and I am so thankful to look back and see the ways that God has used little ole me in this Big Picture. I am humbled. I am thankful.

In these past 3.5 years of college the Lord has used many experiences to shape and mold my spiritual life into what it is today. One of the main ways He's done that is through missions. He's given me so many opportunities to serve overseas in my college career, and I encourage anyone who is hearing the call to Go... ANSWER it! :) It's SO worth it and it will change your life forever. If you are seeking guidance concerning missions, check out this website: TheTask

Here are a few of the places the Lord has brought me over the past few years:

Attempted group picture, SB2009 -- San Antonio, Texas

Ministry of the Word, Summer 2009 -- Recuay, Peru

Displaying God's love through actions, Summer 2009 -- Passe Catabois, Haiti

Rebuilding Hope, SB2010 -- Nueva Rosita, Mexico

"Pure and undefiled religion... to care for the orphans and widows in their distress..."

HopeForTomorrow Children's Home

LOVE these children with all my heart

Summer 2010

Guatemala City, Guatemala

Capesino de Niños... complete sovereignty of God, Summer 2011 -- Quito, Ecuador

Thank You, Father, for the opportunities to serve You and further Your kingdom in the nations. Please continue to call workers into Your harvest fields. So thankful for your sovereignty over the nations... help us to love like You love.

#GiveThanks

tratando de entender

El corazón del hombre traza su rumbo, pero sus pasos los dirige el Señor.
- Proverbios 16:9

home?

My last week in Guate was SO much fun. Spent a lot of time with the team working in the dental clinic, and also visited more with my sweet friend Amanda. It was a great week. What a beautiful team the Lord put together: and we know it was all orchestrated by His hand, since it was planned so late, but all the little details worked out so perfectly. We worked on so many teeth that week, but we also spent lots of time and poured out our love into the children. I was so glad that my mommy and boyfriend were able to meet the kids that I love with all my heart. Thank You, Father, for You are SO good. Here's a pic of the team (minus Ms. Bonnie... she took the picture) in front of the home:

I also spent a lot of my last week with my sweet, beautiful, chapina friend, Diana. I was so blessed to have her as mi amiguita mejor for the 7 weeks I spent there. What an amazing, godly woman she is... I love her and miss her so much. I miss our late nights, our English/Spanish conversations, our "girls date!," and just spending time together. I am thankful for Diana, and I know the Lord has truly knit our hearts together. I look forward to seeing her again in the future. :)

It's been exactly 3 weeks since I have returned from Guatemala, and I can hardly believe how fast it's gone by. My heart is slowly adjusting, but not a day passes that I don't think of and miss my eight Guatemalan sweeties thousands of miles away from me. I know it's not my time to go and stay now... but I still miss them and wish we could be together. Words cannot express how grateful I am to have had this opportunity to GO and live the Gospel with 8 orphaned children that so easily stole my heart. And although I'm hurting that we are apart, I know it's well worth it. I pray that the Lord would unite my path with theirs again. I love those children dearly; I only wish I could say it with words.

I miss...

tutoring and taking walks with Miguel,

singing and practicing English with Amelia

being patient and receiving NUMEROUS hugs from Edwin

playing dolls and doing hand-clapy-games with Lidia

having Carlitos sit in my lap and put together puzzles

holding and loving-on Juan José

listening to Luis Fernando say my name as I throw him in the air

walking around with baby Moises as he smiles with his 4 teeth

these children truly have my heart.

Lord, I pray now for Miguel, Amelia, Edwin, Lidia, Carlos, Juan José, Luis Fernando, and Moises. I thank You for the way I have already seen You at work in their lives: the way You've already redeemed their physical lives. But Lord, I pray that You would please redeem their soul. I pray that in Your time, You would reveal Yourself to these 8 beautiful children, and that they would know You and Your Son. I ask that You would please bless them now... watch over and protect these sweet little ones. Keep evil far from them, oh Lord, and let Your kingdom come and Your will be done in their lives. I pray that You will show them love like they've never known, and that You'd receive all the glory from it. I praise You for being the Father over us all... even the fatherless. You are so good. Thank You for bringing these 8 children into my life and using them to show me Your love and compassion. I thank You for Your mercy in their lives, and I pray for other orphans around the world that may not be in the same situation as the children at HFT. Oh Father, I know that You are sovereign. I pray for peace and comfort for all the fatherless tonight... that they would know You as their Father. Redeem their lives and souls, oh Lord. May all peoples praise You, Oh God.

in Christ's name... amen.

for mami, aquí, mañana

My mommy is coming in town tomorrow, and I am SO excited! :)

I moved out of Casa Katherina today, and I have spent the day with Diana, my wonderful friend. It's been so nice. Preparing for a very busy week ahead, it was nice to spend some time relaxing. I also spent some time this morning with the babies and Edwin... fun time for sure. So now I am about to go to bed, and I cannot wait to see my mommy tomorrow!

Ok, time to get ready for bed. Thank You, Lord, for Your GOODNESS. :)

already?

Today was my last "normal" day with the children.

We had such a nice day hanging out today. I am thankful that today was a national holiday ("The Day of Rest"), and the children didn't have school or homework. So we spent all of our time together playing. I played dolls (muñecas) with Lidia, Juan José brushed my hair until I thought it was going to all fall out, Luis Fernando used me as a jungle gym every moment he had the chance, we watched a movie, and just spent sweet time together relaxing and enjoying each other's company. It was so special, but I can't believe that today was my last full day spent with the children I love so much.

Tomorrow before lunch Kenneth and Diana are coming to pick me up. We are going to move out of Casa Katherina, grab some lunch, and then Diana and I are going on a GIRLS DATE! :) I am very excited to spend some time with this sweet new friend that I love SO much. I know that the Lord has used this friendship for the good of us both, and for that I am so thankful. I continue to pray for healing in her sweet heart, and look forward to the day when she convinces Kenneth to bring her to New Orleans. hehe.

I am staying with Kenneth and Diana tomorrow night, and then...

MOMMY IS HERE!! :)

I can hardly wait! I know that the Lord has some cool things in store for the end of this trip, and I look forward to being a part of His work WITH my sweet mommy. Also, I cannot wait to see the kids faces when they meet my mom. I know they are going to say, "se parecen iguales!" :) It's going to be a great week!

Well, tonight I am off to finish packing a snooze. Looking forward to a special day tomorrow, and then a fun-filled, busy week ahead. ALSO, excited about the possibility of seeing my sweet friend Beka soon!

feliz noches

the mini-calendar is coming down!

the mini-calendar...

When I was leaving for Guatemala, my mom packed in my bag many letters. The first one had pages from a mini-calendar for the months of May, June, and July, with a specially marked day on the 21st. (like I would forget it was my birthday or something... lol). BUT, when I made it to Guatemala, I taped the calendar to the back of my headboard and have been marking off each day as it comes and goes. And I can't hardly believe it, but I only have 1 more day in the month of June, and then I move out of Casa Katherina. :) Here's a pic of my headboard that was taken at the beginning of June, and then one that I just took tonight. *I had to hold back the corners of the June page because they are rolling in... lol.

Today has been a great day! I went to the home this morning, then my friend Amanda came by, and we spent some time with the younger children during the morning time. We came back to Casa Kat at 12:30 for a yummy tostada lunch and watched Spain beat Portugal while we ate. It was so great spending time with her today! We went back to the home around 2:30, helped the kids with their homework, played, and left the home right before 5:30. We went to tacontento to eat a delicious dinner, and then she treated me to gelato for dessert. (really suffering over here... lol). It was seriously a great time spent with my new sweet friend. :) I am thankful for our friendship, and I know it has been God-ordained. Thank You, Lord, for Amanda Joy.

So, I know that was a quick update, but I hope you enjoyed. Now I am going to do a little packing and get ready for bed. I can truly hardly believe that packing is beginning. Mommy will be here in less than 3 days, and I can hardly wait! :) I am also looking forward to spending more time with my beautiful friend Diana later this week! She's such a blessing to me, and I just love her so so so much.

Just 10 more days. I am praying that the Lord would lead me by His Spirit, that I would make the most of the time He's given me here. I am continually grateful to be a part of this ministry. Thank you, Lord.

more updates to come... stay tuned! hehe :)

joyFULL week

Hello, blogging world! :) After a fun-filled birthday week, I am back to the "normal routine" and blogging again. I want to share with you all the blessings the Lord has poured out on me this week. I am SO thankful for His blessings, and I recognize that all good things come from Him. Here's how the week was:

Firstly, started off Monday with my 20th birthday. When I arrived at the home, the children were waiting for me at the door with many hugs and "happy birthday!" (in english). After lunch, Diana and Kenneth came by the home with a piñata and cake, which the children were SO excited about! We had a great time celebrating (my first piñata was pretty rough, but I'll blame it on the 20 spins... lol). Afterwards, I went to eat with Diana and Kenneth for my birthday, and we got some coffee for dessert... it was such a blessed birthday. **And for the record, I DO have a video of my Spanish birthday song, Annie and Mary... it's just too long to upload. hehe

On Tuesday things were pretty standard. Went to the home in the morning and worked with Miguel as he prepared for his big exams. Then, around 11, my sweet missionary friend Amanda from South Carolina came over to visit with us for the day. It was very nice having another english speaker with me, and the children immediately fell in love with her! We went out on a limb and internet-ordered McDonald's for lunch (which was SUPER fun... lol), and spent the afternoon with the kids. Diana came and picked me up later that evening to stay the night at their house. Tuesday was a very nice day!

On Wednesday morning we woke up and headed on the 2.5 hour drive to Panajachel. Kenneth had to meet with some pastors out there for a team that's coming in the end of July, and he invited me to go with them! We arrived around lunch, and I'm not sure if my eyes have beheld such beauty! Lake Atitlán, with the most blue water I've seen, surrounded by volcanoes and beautiful clear sky... ah! The Heavens really do declare the glory of God, and the sky (and ALL creation) proclaims His handiwork. After visiting Pana and meeting with a pastor, we took a boat across the lake to Santiago Atitlán, a small little town on the other side of the lake. We stayed the night in a bungalow there, and met with another pastor on Thursday morning.

The pastor took us around on Thursday after the meeting, so Kenneth could see where the team would be working. We went to a smaller village outside the town and visited a home that the team will be rebuilding. I've been to Haiti, Peru, Mexico, and I have seen poverty... but it never gets easier to see. Visiting this home reminded me again of the comfort that I am surrounded by... the comfort that I am used to. It also reminded me of my state of depravity before the Lord came to rescue me. So I pray that this family would recognize the Lord's work while the team is building them a home, and that the Lord would receive all the glory due His name. Also, a noteworthy part of our visit with this family is that they are all Mayan... none of them spoke Spanish, but rather an obscure Mayan dialect called K'iche'. So, I was literally only communicating through gestures. And I once again discovered that a smile and a piece of candy are universal signs of love for children. :)

We made it back to the city late Thursday night and woke up early Friday morning to take the children to the water park... and we had SO MUCH FUN! It was a long day, to say the least, but the weather was perfect for the outing, and the children had a blast. We swam, cooked lunch, and then looked through the small zoo. Finally making it back at 5pm, I was POOPED OUT! However, when Amanda called me that evening, I didn't hesitate in the least to agree to go to dinner with her and Jessi and Roblans. :) We had a nice time visiting and eating, and then I stayed the night with her that evening.

Saturday morning Amanda and I woke up and got ready for our day of "freedom." hehe- we took the car, picked up Stephen in Zone 18, almost wrecked heading back to the children's home, and then went to the mall for lunch. It was SUCH a fun day, although a little dangerous with 3 20-year-olds driving the streets of Guatemala, and although we all just met, I felt like I was with some of my best friends. It's amazing the ways that being in the Lord's will connects people. :) Although saddened that day by the loss of our country in the world cup, we were grateful for time spent together and to get OUT. :) However, I will say that unless it's an emergency and I absolutely HAVE to, I will not drive in Guatemala City. lol.

Saturday night I stayed the night with Claudia and Nathan, Diana's sister and brother-in-law. It was nice being with such a beautiful Christian family, and I was blessed to see a real-life missionary family in action. :) They are such sweet people. Sunday morning we went to Nathan's dad's church (who is an IMB missionary here in Guate), and spent the afternoon at their home. What a blessed Sabbath day it was! I came back here, talked briefly with mommy and Daniel, and crashed.

And... that brings me to today! Today has been the first day of the trip that I've done NOTHING. I woke up and got ready, spent some time reading, ate some breakfast, watched Brasil win their game, ate some lunch, and it was STILL pouring down rain. So I decided just to rest for the day and start again tomorrow. It's been a nice day to catch up a little.

(and since I brought up the world cup, I will say that it's SUPER fun watching this tournament in a central american country. I've never heard the word "GOOOOOOOAAAALLLLL" said so often, and I'm enjoying the chances I get to watch some of the matches. Also: VAMOS BRASIL A GANAR!! :)

I can hardly believe I have only 3 more nights in this room... 3 more full days with the children, and only 4 days until my sweet Mommy is here! While I am excited that this part of the trip is nearing, I am also sad, because that means the trip is coming to a close. Being a part of this ministry has been SUCH a blessing, and I'm so thankful to God that I've had the opportunity to work with these children. I look forward to spending these next few days with them, pouring out every ounce of love the Lord has given me. Please continue to pray for them. :)

I will try to update pretty regularly for the remaining time I have here. Thanks for reading.

¡Dios le bendiga!

a taste of Guatemala

So, there are many women in my life that I love and am inspired by... two of them just so happen to belong to the same family: Leslie Young and Jessica Young Handy! :) And what's more: they blog too!! I really love these women a lot. Anyways, recently they have both been posting new recipes on their blogs, and I've enjoyed watching and hopefully trying one day.. (especially the stuffed artichoke hearts!!!). Well, during my time in Guatemala, I have discovered un plato chapin (a Guatemalan dish) that is SOO yummy, and I was inspired, once again, by these two women to blog about it. So, I hope you try and enjoy. ¡¡que rico esso!!

::TOSTADAS::

Here's the ingredients you need:

- tostadas (I am not sure if you can find these in the states or not. If not, you can use regular tortilla chips and make mini-tostadas, also known as ganachas.)

- shredded mexican-style cheese (queso)

- your favorite brand of salsa

- a can of refried black beans (frijoles negros)

- a little bit of butter (mantequilla)

- a little bit of onion (cebolla)

- slices of avocado (aguacate)

- lime (limón)

Step 1: Chop up a little bit of the onion. (I made 2 tostadas to eat, and only used one slice of the onion, chopped up. But, if you really like onions, you may want more... just whatever you prefer!) --Also, please excuse my onion chopping skills... I am only working with a butter knife over here! hehe

Step 2: Put a small pot on the stove with a little butter inside.

Step 3: Add the onions. Regardless of whether or not they change the taste of the beans, they make your kitchen smell like you're cookin' up something REALLY good. :)

Step 3.5: Let onions simmer... adding more butter if you need to.

Step 4: While your onion is simmering, prepare your tostadas on the plates. This will be very important for when your beans are ready. (average serving size per person: 2 tostadas)

Step 5: Add the beans into the pot. If you don't want to use a whole can of beans, I recommend a hefty tablespoon-full per tostada. *yes, I know.. the beans look gross. But they taste FABULOUS!*

Step 6: Let the beans cook with the onions, stirring regularly. (it's ok if the start getting a little darker. Just make sure you keep moving them around so they don't burn).

Step 6.5: Make sure to keep your stove-top heat low... to prevent re-refried beans.

Step 7: When the beans are ready, they will be very smooth and much easier to stir with your spoon. (to test this, just put some on your finger and make sure they are hot!). When that's the case, spread those yummy beans on your tostada. *continue to disregard how gross the beans look.*

Step 7.5: Spread the beans evenly around the tostada.

Step 8: Quickly add shredded cheese. If you add it while the beans are warm, it melts and tastes mmmm so yummy. And you can't add too much cheese! (right, Mrs. Leslie?!)

Step 9: Add a little bit of your favorite salsa, and spread around evenly with a knife.

Step 10: Put slices of avocado on top of your tostada. (I was nearing the end of my avocado, but you can definitely make your slices look prettier than this!)

Step 11: Squirt a generous amount of lime on top.

Step 12: ENJOY! Eat it with your hands, and make sure to have napkins in reach. :)

This super-yummy meal takes about 20 minutes to prepare. I hope you enjoy a little taste of Guatemala.

¡Buen provecho!

Bec Bec's Last Week As a Teenager:

When one of my best friends, Mary Wiltse, turned 20, Annie and I made her a list of things she had to do during her last week as a teenager. (for evidence, please refer to her xanga... lol) Well, the tradition has continued! :) And even though I am spending my last teenage week out of the country, I still have a list of things to do. Here's the list Annie and Mary sent me on Monday:

1. Have someone sing you happy birthday in Spanish (and record it).

2. Color a picture.

3. Sing Disney songs and record it.

4. Take a picture near the sink hole.

5. Bring home some ash.

6. Put your whole day's plan into your facebook status.

7. Write a mushy love-letter to your boyfriend (Walter Daniel Jackson).

8. Talk like a teenager (for example, "so um I like went to the store today and um it was like SO hot").

9. Make up a dance to a popular song.

10. Randomly hug 5 people.

11. Wear a ribbon/bow in your hair.

12. Eat birthday cake.

13. Eat dessert before dinner.

**All of these things should be recorded on your blog for all to see. :) We love you!! Happy Birthday!!

xo,

A & M

So... you've seen it yourself, and now you get to watch as I try to make all these things happen over the next few days. Here's what I've done so far:

#2: color a picture. I kind of took this a step farther and colored THREE pictures. (It's easy to find coloring books and crayons in a home with 8 children!) So, as you can see, one is Annie, one is Mary, and one is me. hehe

#5: bring home some ash. This is the one I really didn't want to do. When you spend 4 weeks with ash all over the place, you'll know what I mean. It's EVERYWHERE. But, it was on my list, so I did it creatively! :) hehe

#11: wear a ribbon/bow in your hair. Since I am out of the country, I had to improvise here. I just pulled the ribbon off my backpack and used it! But, being with children all day, my bow was at some point transferred to Lidia's hair, and not returned until the evening. :) hehe... I guess I should have known that would happen!

I will continue to update my blog as I complete my list. I am thankful for Annie and Mary, what good friends they are to me, and I love them SOOOO much! :)

ok, that's all for now!