KBI July Module (it's really more exciting than that lame title)

We mentioned in our update that there had been a KBI module planned for several months for July. The team scheduled to teach this module backed out at the last minute. We do not like to make a commitment and then not keep our word to these Kekchi pastors... especially since this is still sort of the beginning of what we want to be a long term relationship! Jimmy was left with 3 weeks to prepare for these classes. Jimmy chose Cults and the book of Judges. Cults is especially helpful to these men since they have been losing younger members of their churches to them lately and have had tons of questions on this topic during the question and answer time.

Jimmy gave Jay the option of helping with these classes. He taught some of the judges and a couple of the cults. They spent hours studying and typing up notes to give the men. This notebook represents a lot of work!!!

They went to a butcher shop to get a jawbone for the story of Samson!

Becca and Rachael made a wig from an old baseball hat and yarn. Jimmy actually wore it the entire time he was teaching about Samson!

Can you guess which judge Jay is teaching about here, with the tent stake in his hand?!

Jimmy and Jay also made an ox goad out of a piece of bamboo for the story of Shamgar!

I don't think Jay was that excited about teaching these modules at first. It was a big responsibility that Jimmy threw on him right when he got here that required tons of reading and preparation. He did a great job though. After the first day of meeting the pastors I think he was able to see how valuable this would be to their churches. I hope he enjoyed it. We appreciated the work he put into it.

The Daytona team will like this! Juan, the man that had accepted Christ in the village of Santuario and shared his testimony with the town, came to these courses. He wants to be a pastor!

The team that had canceled went ahead and sent part of the transportation funds for the pastors. As of the day before the classes began we were still $200+ short. Well... we received an email that day that someone put a donation of the exact amount we were short into our paypal account on our website. No one knew the amount we needed but us! That was the only way we could have received that money too in order for the funds to be available in time. It is so reassuring when you can see God's hand on something like that!

All in all I think Jimmy was glad that he was the one that ended up getting to teach on cults. KBI is his passion. These national pastors and the fruit from their churches are the keys to reaching the rest of Petén.

CRAZY ITEM OF THE DAY: Jay was teaching on what Mormons believe and midway through Jimmy realized that every time he said "humans" it was being translated "hams" (Spanish "humanos" to a Spanish word used by the Kekchi, "jamones"). In the context of what he was talking about, it was pretty funny.

Teen Girls Outreach

We asked Becca to plan a teen girls outreach for while she was here. She brought down fleece to make these no-sew heart pillows!

The outreach was last week. We passed out invitations to the teens that come to our Bible study and told them that they could each invite one friend... and they did. It was a great opportunity for us to make some new contacts and begin building more relationships!

We served punch and cookies and just had girl talk!

They were very quiet at first, but soon got more comfortable and came out of their shells.

Becca shared a devotional from one of her favorite verses. We laminated cards with that verse on them and attached one to each pillow when they finished.

The day was a success!

Please pray for all of these young ladies (4 of them have accepted Christ). Pray that all will come to know the Lord one day and that we can encourage them in their walk with Him.

CRAZY ITEM OF THE DAY: We saw another one of these on the highway on the way home a few nights ago. It was at least as big around as a baseball bat...

Answering the Call

The interns took over our Bible studies this weekend in Santa Rita.

Jay taught the adult Bible study in Santa Rita Sunday evening. He spoke from the book of Esther.

He is fluent in Spanish. He picked Spanish up just from the Spanish friends he has made in the States and his desire to share Christ with them. He is a people person and is great interacting with people here.

Sunday night he spoke with a lot of excitement. He really got into the story and its application to their lives. He did a great job!

Becca taught the kids' Bible study time Monday afternoon.

(Game Time)

She is majoring in deaf education. She is coming to Petén to start a school for the deaf after she graduates. This will change thousands of people's lives and will open so many doors into different villages.

Rachael and Jay helping with craft time!

Becca taught on the fruits of the Spirit. She put a lot of work into her lesson and did a great job too!
Becca and Jay are passionate about missions and their call... we love that! They have seen the need and oportunities here in Petén and have caught the vision! They both still have a while before they are on the field. They are going where the Gospel hasn't been before and the devil doesn't want that. Please pray a hedge of protection around both of them and that God will put people in their lives to encourage them and that they will always sense His blessing on them answering His call.

CRAZY ITEM OF THE DAY: Jimmy has been playing basketball once a week with some influential people in our town. He has had some great opportunities to witness as a result of these relationships. Well... the other night Jonah was playing with Jimmy's cell phone while Jimmy was very expressively singing the "frog song" to him (in Spanish). When Jimmy took his phone back he realized that Jonah had dialed someone. It was one of these basketball guys, Harry. He said, "Jimmy... why are you singing to me?!" Jimmy was a little embarrassed, but Harry thought it was funny!

A Couple of 9 Month Olds!

Jonah was running a fever while the Daytona team was here, so we took him to a pediatrician here in Petén for the first time. We were pretty happy with that visit and he is literally 98% cheaper than their doctor in Guate, so since the boys don't need any shots this month we decided to save money and not drive to Guate for their 9 month check up. Silas caught whatever his brother had and still has a slight cough, but other than that they both got a great report.

They are so funny with Dr. Rojas. Silas is more outgoing, so he loved meeting the new doctor!

Jonah is a little more shy. He was polite at first, but after about a minute and a half he really wanted the good doctor to give him back to his mommy!

Silas:

Is a little traveling man in his walker.

Talks non-stop and mimics our sounds.

Likes to eat and if he thinks you take too long in between bites (usually to help his brother), he tells you about it.

Loves to make raspberries with his tongue.

Sits up very well all by himself.

Has 2 teeth coming in!

Is a very easy going, happy little man!

Jonah:

Takes about 20 minutes to wake up all the way from a nap.

Has 4 teeth plus 2 more coming in.

Says "Mama" (but only when I am not in the room and he is looking for me).

Is quieter than his brother.

Is a mover! He climbs up on us when we are laying on the floor to try and stand up.

Sort of wobbly still when sitting up, but thinks he is ready to conquer walking.

Very good at feeding himself finger foods.

More baby milestones:

I was listening for the boys to wake up from their nap the other day and heard some giggling. I peeked into their room to see Jonah holding on to the side of his crib and Silas cheering him on. It was time to lower their mattresses!

Watching daddy:

Climbing on Silas' mattress while waiting:

Their first tuktuk ride!

Going swimming... in the kitchen:

Kekchi Salvation Service

Yesterday we went back to the village of Esquipulas with Domingo, José, and another Kekchi pastor for a Salvation service. You can read about the beginning of the story here. We were so excited to be able to see the fruit of our other outreaches into this village. Kekchi people are thinkers. They like to think about things for a long time before they make a decision. Once that decision is made though, it is a permanent one!

It was about a 3 hours drive, an hour on pavement and two hours on dirt. We got to pass over all the questionable bridges again.

Becca helped me hold the boys in the cab, but poor Rachael and Jay road in a pair of sawed off chairs in the back. It even rained several times. I am sure it was an adventure for about the first 5 minutes and then after that I know it was miserable. Neither one of them complained.

The house where we held the service was about a 5 minute walk off the main road. And it was a BEAUTIFUL walk.

Since we had been there with the teens from Crossroads a couple weeks ago, a family had accepted Christ. That is another characteristic of this people group. They do things as a family unit. Each individual had to decide for themselves what they were going to do with Christ, but they celebrated together as a family.

(Jimmy about to slurp his juice)

The family that had already accepted Christ made dinner for us. They said it was chicken, but we all thought that the bones were too big to be chicken and that it looked more like turkey. Whatever it was, it was good! I really like the flavors that the Kekchi put into dishes like this. Our corn tortillas were served in a hollowed out gourd. I loved it! I am going to be on the lookout for one of these plants!

Since Rachael and Becca were there I was able to take the boys. They just grin at everybody. Children give you an instant connection with the other families.

Here is Jonah talking to Alexander (he and his family are one of the ones that accepted Christ.)

Jay, Rachel, and Becca got to spend a little time with some of the families before the service started.

Jimmy got to talk with some of the men.

Then it was time for the service to begin. This is where we held the service (this was before it started). I walked outside during the service with Silas and saw about 3 more families who came after dark with flashlights to hear the service. They were looking in through the door and window.

That is Domingo next to Jimmy. He preached that night, José led the singing, and Oscar played the keyboard. Oscar is one of the men who comes to our Kekchi training and sometimes translates for Jimmy into Kekchi.

Jimmy and Jay both got to share a little bit about why they were there (Jay is fluent in Spanish).

The man in the yellow shirt is the one who had already accepted Christ. He shared his testimony with everyone.

The photo below is another one from before the service started, but the man to Jay's left and the one in the white shirt both accepted Christ that night along with their wives and children. The man to Jay's right said he was interested, but not ready yet.

The photo below is of the families coming forward and accepting Christ. Jimmy, Jay and Oscar prayed over them too, that they would grow as new Christians, and for strength and encouragement as they are now the only light in this village of darkness.

We found out yesterday that there are exactly 31 families in the village of Esquipulas... 3 of them are now Christians!

Yesterday was Becca's 21st birthday! This was her second year in a row to celebrate her birthday in Guatemala, also her second authentic Guatemalan birthday cake. She said that her day could not have been any better! We are thankful for her passion for the people of Petén.

CUTE ITEM OF THE DAY: Danilo doing a headstand!