Missions

Fran and I have talked about how we want to do missions. We want two things. One, direct involvement from the people of our church (not just money, but hands on. We live in glocal world. We can afford to go ourselves.) And two, a direct relationship with a foreign community.

Doug Pagitt describes exactly what I'm looking for.

Shelley and Michon are going to Guatemala with a group from church today. They will be in the village of San Juan, la Laguna on Lake Atitlan.Picture 030
The group of 16 people will build 5 houses and a public latrine.
We have been a friendship with the people of San Juan since 2000 and have built nearly 30 homes in the village. We construct simple one room houses but they are step up from what they currently have. Most importantly they allow the families to own something of value, often for the first time in their family history. Picture 005
We also have a partnership with the Christian School in the village.

I am so excited that Michon is able to go. She was last in Guatemala when she was 4 but doesn't remember it. Michon being 15 is one of 3 high school aged people on the trip. I think it is so great that adults and teenagers are integrated at church and on these trips.

The will return home on Tuesday, the 29th, so it is just the boys around the house. And yes, meals are being accepted.
The group will be gone over Easter which is a bummer, but Easter in Guatemala is a real treat.
The group will stay in homes the first day or so and in a simple "hotel" the remainder of the time in the village.