Added Authors to the blog

Okay team, I've added each of you as an "author" to our blog to give you the ability to write to the blog. Please respond to the invitation I emailed to you by writing on the blog. That way I'll know If I've done it correctly. And, I guess it will also let me know I have your correct email address. Thanks. (Man, I dislike typing on this netbook keyboard!)

Our Groundwork Guatemala Team for 2012 has been formed!

At our second organizational meeting on Sunday, Feb. 13th, we began the process of preparing ouselves for our 2012 service mission in Guatemala. We received our Mission Team Information packets, and will soon be getting our particular assigned story/theme for the faith lessons and crafts we will be preparing and sharing with the Guatemalans.

All of our team members were present at the meeting. When it came time to divvy up the various tasks among our team members which are necessary to prepare for this mission; I was struck by the thought that God had again provided a great mix of talents and gifts among our members to carry out the mission to His glory. I am so excited to get started!

I again have the position as Communication Coordinator and will use this blog to communicate with our team, and provide information for all who are interested in keeping up with our activities. Right now it is a work in progress as I update it to this new mission trip. I hope we have lots of supporters/followers who will visit the blog and share their thoughts and prayers with us.

We were so blessed with financial and prayer support during our 2010 trip, and I thank God for all of you. Please feel free to express your thoughts to the public on the blog and/or email me privately at cmckenney@chartermi.net.

Thanks, everyone.

Connie McKenney

HERE WE GO AGAIN!!! JANUARY 2012

Guatemala January 2012 is very real! Joyce and Ashly Rhodes are heading up this next group since Randy Woirol will not be able to go this time. We are penciled in for the week of January 21 and following. We have 6 people already showing interest and $250 pledged. If you are interested in going to Guatemala with our team please sign up with Joyce or Ashley Rhodes. A $100 deposit is needed soon! Please make your checks payable to "Grace Mission Team" and give them to Joyce Rhodes or Randy Woirol our Team Treasurer. This is an experience that will grow your faith and challenge you to change your life for Christ!

We did it!

Thank you again for all who supported us in so many ways.
We arrived home from Guatemala at 7:00 am Monday morning after a long flight and long drive home from Chicago. We were all quite tired but still excited about our experience with the Guatamalan people.
What wonderful things God is doing in Guatemala. Not just among the people there but the mission teams that go as well. A great BIG thank you to Kevin, Ginny, and the Guatemalan mission team.
You were all so wonderful, from guiding us to keeping us safe and all of the many things that you did for us. Thank you does not seem sufficient. We will never forget you and we will keep you constantly in our prayers.
I know that I speak for the group when I say that we sill see you all again some day. I hope very soon.

Dios te Bendiga!!!
God bless you all!!!

Randy

Silly Gringos

• Osito is not the same as lo siento
• Bueno = good , Guano = mui, mui malo!
• Oopsidaisio= a Guatemalan “uh Oh”
• Not everyone had the chance to go fishing (which is a good thing) J
• When you want fresh milk, look for the goats
• Some flowers only live an hour and a half- at night
• Fresh eggs come from the Juevo truck complete with speaker system
• Grass too long?  Try a machete! (Or borrow a horse)
• Stop signs are optional
• Drive off at the Gas station and don’t worry about losing your license- you won’t be alive to need it again.
• There is a place with worse potholes than Michigan
• Turn Right at the big tree
• Impassible road?  Nah- just fill the holes with rocks.
• For hot water, dig a well  near a volcano
• Washing dishes is a 4 cycle process
• Never forget your sun sauce and bug sauce
• Two lanes for traffic = space for 3 lanes of vehicles + 1 motorcycle lane
• Motorcycle capacity = 1-5
• Don’t make eye contact with men holding assault rifles
• Keep Connie in sight at all times (and you thought we had to worry about Marilyn) J
• And always, always choose wisely

Now let us rise for the Guatemalan National Anthem:

    12 fire crackers
    11 car alarms
    10 motor cycles
    9 diesel trucks
    8 public buses
    7 police car sirens
    6 dogs a barking
    5 mating cats
    4 roosters crowing
    3 Ice cream trucks    
    2 Gringos singing badly
    And a tuna truck -  
    yes, we said tuna truckJ  

We Found Him! AMEN! AMEN!

Seven days ago, ten very different individuals arrived in Guatemala…each
with a different "plan" for their week-long opportunity to serve the
people. Had any of them heard that it was the group that would be
changed rather than the Guatemalans, they would have laughed. They were
arrogant at best.

The week's journey was an experience in searching for God and learning
about who they were…as God intended. They began at the bottom of a very
steep hill. Day by day, hearts were exposed more and more. The sights,
smells, visions and emotions in each of the villages contributed to the
convictions of each person in the group until the depths of their hearts
were exposed. Old wounds were brought to the surface. Issues of shame,
pride and selfishness were dealt with. God showed his face to each one
of the ten members of the group.

What began as a trip to serve those "less fortunate" turned into a week
of introspection and personal change. God spoke to each of the ten
hearts loud and clear. Yes, change took place, though it was not as
anyone had anticipated. Those ten people who traveled to Guatemala to
make the world a better place will be returning to West Michigan in two
days. They will be taking back not only vivid memories of daily home
visits, bible studies and singing, they will return with changed hearts.
God spent a week pealing away all of the shields and road blocks in
their hearts, leaving raw and exposed people, ready to make a difference
in their own homes.

The most difficult challenge for the group will be to assume life as
usual as it was eight days ago. Their family members will have an
opportunity to meet not new, rather "improved" loved ones Monday
morning. The biggest blessing will be for friends and family to truly
accept these new hearts, and allow their own to be changed as well.

Well it is day number 4.

We are up early to get ready and leave once more for Amatitlan. We stop
and pick up Chochi and continue to the park where we will do our faith
lessons. We begin by divide up in groups to do home visits. There are
amazing stories that I will not go into here. I will just say that it
left most of us wishing that we could do more for each one of the people
we visit. Unfortunately, that is not always the right thing to do. So we
share Scripture and talk and pray and weep with them. God will take care
of the rest. We go to Francisca's house. She has prepared us a
traditional meal of beans rice, and tortillas. She has a very delicious
drink made from the jamaca flower, which they brew down and add sugar
to. It is kind of like fruit juice when they are done with it. It was
quite sweet but very tasty. The faith lessons were really great. The
adults listened intently. The children were the most animated and
interactive we have had yet. They truly made the girls weep when they
all needed hugs when we left. It is enjoyable watching the children
wondering back to there homes carrying their crayons and proudly wearing
their crowns. We all pile in the van and head for the mission house. We
stop in the middle of town to drop of Chochi. It is the first of many
goodbye's to come. We take a detour and stop at a beautiful lake. Kevin
takes pictures of the lake and group pictures of us all and also
individual pictures with the Guatemalan team. Kevin told us that this
was a special stop not usually included in our day. The Guatemalans
wanted to show us this sight. It makes us all feel grateful that they
think so highly of us. We return to the mission house exhausted as
usual. Ginny has supper started and we sit down to pancakes. Yah! Highs
and lows all around the table seem to be about the same. We have had so
many different emotions this week, it is hard to get them all sorted out.

After supper we head up stairs for devotions and Jamie read from Matt.
25: 34 - 40. It is a sweet ending to another absolutely sweet and
astounding day.
To God be all the glory for ever and ever.
Only one more ministry day left. L

Good night to all !!
God's Blessings
Randy