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Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Love, Suffering, and Hope

Our team is feeling the love of the Lake Atitlan Guatemalans in every ministry we're involved in, from soccer to one-on-one evangelism and home construction - and we're building bridges each day in every opportunity we have. The home construction team takes breaks from their work to entertain the children of the families who are receiving the new home, while the parents are busy or temporarily away. Our English teachers are receiving 'big' hugs from the kindergarten students and a heart-warming welcome each day as they entered their classes. And the Wooddale children in our soccer ministry are making new friends with the Guatemalan students.

The one-on-one team and alcohol recovery teams see another side of Guatemalan life. They too are warmly welcomed, but are witnesses to the societal problems and personal suffering of those who are struck with disease or who have lost hope in their grief of losing a loved one. Most pointedly, we learned of troubled young people who, in their distress, turn to alcohol and suicide only to be found on the street by family, friends or someone in the community. Alcoholism and suicide are serious problems that have the potential to diminish and destroy a generation and a people. Our teams who are ministering to these people are sensing a real demand for their service and have been requested to expand their efforts well beyond this one week. Planning is in progress.

No one knows the precise outcome of these efforts, but the seeds of hope we plant today have the potential of a beautiful and abundant harvest.

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