Wrapping up!

We've completed all our tasks for the week and tonight we will be saying goodbye to the kids and our friends at the children's home.  It has been a great week filled with blessings from God!  I thank all of you who have supported us this week with your prayers!

Our computer gave out on us so this will be our last post.  Thanks again!

pics - Thursday

Thursday - our final day at the home.  Everyone is asking how it got here so quickly.  The thoughts of saying good bye have started to become a theme as the day continues.  BUT...NOT until we get that swing set finished!  The goal is to get those kids on it TODAY so we can see their joy!  The team worked well into the evening Wednesday night to ensure they were ahead of schedule so they could witness the excitement of these kids!  AND... This is a huge jungle gym not  a simple swing set!  Created and sketched on a napkin by Mike Landis and before he knew what sizes of lumber we were working with.  God IS good!  It has come together and will be a blessing to all!

This has also been the trip for DIRTY jobs!  You know the ones that when mentioned, everyone hangs there heads and won't make eye contact in hopes that they are not selected for this work crew.....

We have discovered, however, that we are united!  There is no job harder or more important than any other!  We all have a skill and a job to do and we are completing them with LOVE for others!  What a GREAT feeling!

We have a closing time with the kids tonight at dinner and depart by 6:30 am Friday morning!  See you all back in the states EARLY Sunday morning!

Thank you for your continued prayers!

Mas fotos

 Samy and Michelle

 Ryan working the chop saw

 Torri, Janae & Michelle mixing concrete for the swing set

 Sue and Gena trimming brush

 Paint crew working on the dining hall

 Posers!

 Levi and Nate working the swing shift!

 Levi with Estrella

 Ryan with the girls

 Nate

 Michele with a leaf she found

 Janae with a new friend

Sue on a little mop up duty

pics pics and more pics

A lot has gone on in the past 3 days.  Everyone has been busy and with various jobs.  There are relationships being built among the team members as well as with new and re-acquainted friends from Guatemala.  It's amazing to witness the excitement and love as those from past trips are jumped on and loved immediately by the kids.  It is also special to see those making the trip for the first time, as they bond with those around them.

Saturday we got right to work in various work teams.  A large project was staining all of the wood that would soon be used to build a new swing set/activity center for the school here.  Others worked on a remodel project in the intern home, and there was a crew that was plating ivy around the property.

Sunday was a day of rest and fellowship as we all loaded up and were off to church.  It is awesome to see the kids here as they are so excited to learn more and more about the Lord!!!  Two hours of praise and worship was an emotional start to our day.  Later in the day Sunday is always an exciting time as there are no projects and there is bonding time to play with the kids.  Soccer and Four Square were the games of choice and broke any language barrier.

Monday, WORK, WORK, WORK!!!  The swing set is ahead of schedule, as the rain held off!  Looking to pick up on that Tuesday.  The goal is to get to see the kids enjoy it prior to our departure Friday.  Additional projects on Monday included tree trimming for the safety of the property as well as painting of the dining hall.

Please enjoy several photos of the past few days until we can post more!

'Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly...whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus.  Colossians 3:15-17

Various pictures from our first couple of days. Enjoy!

The July 2013 Servants Team!  Everyone ready for a great Sunday time of Worship!

Micah making new friends

Boys will be boys

Lee muy loco!

Dancing, anyone can do it

Esther and friends

Erik and the gals

Dylan and Missy, the leaders of the SARF (Serving at risk Families) ministry

Tammy and Gena making new friends

Janae and the boys

Levi and old buddies

Eshter, Alyssa and Gena waiting patiently at the airport in Mexico City

Hitting the ground running

We met "dark" and early at 4am at Bethany Church for departure.  After a little delay in Mexico City, we arrived at the Children's Home at about 9pm (11pm Eastern Time) on Friday night.  There was not much time for rest, as we woke up early and got assigned to our work projects.  Part of the team has a remodeling project to insert some walls in an apartment so the apartment can be divided in to two separate living quarters.  Another group was working to plant ivy along the inside walls that surround the Home to help make it look a little less like an institution and a little more like home.  A third group was hard at work putting a protective sealant on lumber that we will be using later in the week to build playground equipment.

It was great to get right to work serving the Home and even with a couple of rain delays, it is the rainy season after all, we were able to get a lot accomplished.  We are looking forward to a quick rest day on Sunday and then getting back to work on Monday!

Safe arrival

We have arrived safe and sound at the Children's home.  We have had some technical difficulties with updating the blog but we have it resolved now so we will start posting more frequently now.   It's 1:30 eastern time now so we are going to bed.  Look for more updates tomorrow!

Servants is excited to return to the New Life Children's Home for our 31st trip!  We will be working on some construction and maintenance projects at the Home as we continue to build relationships with the children and show them the love of Jesus Christ!  We leave on July 19th and we will be in Guatemala until July 27th.

Please join me in praying for our team members that will be serving at the Children's Home:

Tammy Anslow
Levi Davis
Micah Davis
Susan Davis
Trent Davis
Alyssa Gausman
Janae Grim
Katie Kline
Ryan Kunselman
Victoria Kunselman
Mike Landis
Michelle Minneman
Gena Hargrove
Nate Olsen

Thanks for your prayers and check in after the 19th for daily updates!