Concordia Pullman's Guatemala Mission

We've Moved!

2010-11-07T19:34:00.000-08:00

In an effort to keep our blog more up-to-date and better serve others we've moved our blog. Check us out at www.clcguatemalamissions.wordpress.com

2010-03-22T14:30:00.000-07:00

We've retunred!! Our apologies for not posting last week but as I'm sure you can imagine the time was short! stay tuned this week for pictures and stories. We all had an amazing and life-changing expirence! here are just a few pics to start off the week:

So Close!

2010-03-10T15:16:00.000-08:00

We're down to less than 2 days till we leave!! Everything is falling into place and it's great to see how God is ALREADY working in our group to make sure everything works out and gets done.

Again we can not express how GRATEFUL we are for all your support! We're really hoping to be able to post on this blog while we're there but are unsure if that is going to be possible. So please check back often and be sure to look here when we get back for photos and stories!

2010-03-08T17:13:00.001-08:00

Just a few short days till we're on our way to Guatemala!! We are all extremely excited. Thank you to all for your continued support! Below is our Prayer Calender for the week:

Prayer Calendar for the Concordia Lutheran
Mission Trip to Guatemala
March 12th-20th, 2010

We invite you to pray daily with us and for us as we travel on this servant-trip to minister to God’s family in Guatemala. We will work hard, touch lives, grow in faith and perspective, become closer to one another through our experiences, and share the Gospel of Jesus Christ as we roll up our sleeves! We treasure your presence with us in thought and prayer. Thank you!

Trip Blog: www.clcguatemalamission.blogspot.com/ (If it is possible to update this during the week, we will. Otherwise, watch this and the Concordia website www.concordiapullman.org for post-trip accounts of our experiences.)

Friday, March 12th, 2010

Please pray for Garner Alzheimer, Shanna Goplen & Ben Barr
• It’s our first day of travel, and it’s a long one! Please pray for safety. We will be leaving Pullman around 9:00 in the morning and driving to Spokane. Our Delta flight leaves Spokane International at 1:00 p.m. We’ll fly to Salt Lake, LA, and then all night to arrive in Guatemala City at 6:36 a.m. (4:36 a.m. Pacific time).
• Please pray that we all remain in good health as we travel.
• Ask God to groom our hearts, minds and bodies for servanthood.
• Please pray that the children and youth of Puerto Barrios will welcome our love, and God’s Good News in Jesus Christ.
• Pray that loved ones at home may be kept safe and healthy while we are away.

Saturday, March 13th, 2010
Please pray for Lexi Carter, Anna Hansen & Abbi Olson
• Please pray for safety as we are transported from Guatemala City across the country to Puerto Barrios where Christ the Savior Lutheran Church and Lutheran Community Center are located. Also pray for the pastor, Byron Paz.
• Pray for us as we settle into our accommodations and meet with Rebeca de Franco, our international ministry center director in Guatemala, and her husband, Karloz.
• The worship service at Christ the Savior Lutheran Church in Puerto Barrios has been changed to Saturday night. Please pray for our presentation to the congregation! We will introduce ourselves (in Spanish), sing songs, and offer a message… after 36 hours of travel!
• Please ask God to give us the ability to be ourselves as we meet people from a different culture in unfamiliar surroundings.

Sunday, March 14th, 2010
Please Pray for Charlie Clark, Alyssa Gundersen & Matt Hardman
• We request prayers for our group planning session with Rebeca and Karloz on Sunday morning.
• Pray as our construction at the Community Center begins in the afternoon – for safety and effectiveness. We will begin work on the block and mortar wall that will span the front of the center’s property line. This is Phase 1 of a project that will span several mission groups’ visits.
• Please ask God to bless our final preparations for the VBS we will be providing for 335 children (ages 3-12) tomorrow morning at the Lutheran School, and 100 more children & youth tomorrow afternoon in the Community Center.
• Pray that God continuously renews our focus on what is needed at any given moment to serve Him in the best possible way.

Monday, March 15th, 2010
Please pray for Seth Gibbon, and Ashley & Rick Leary
• Praise God for the 435 children we will meet today! Please pray for our singing and communication, and for the clarity, simplicity and significance of His message through us. VBS theme for this day: God’s Everlasting Love.
• Pray for all the people of Puerto Barrios, that God might become quite real to them, in part, because of our presence.
• Give thanks for this amazing opportunity we have to impact lives!
• Please pray that our construction work on the Community Center wall goes smoothly.
• Pray that we may be able to adapt and be flexible to all the challenges and changes that we will face.

Tuesday, March 16th, 2010
Please pray for Shawn Nolph, and Gary & Rebecca Quarles
• Thank you for your continued prayers for our morning & afternoon VBS sessions. Praise God for His provision on every level! VBS theme for this day: Trusting God in All Circumstances.
• Please pray that our faces reflect our joy, and His joy as well, and that the message of Christ’s love is clear.
• Please pray for our group that we may support, love and build each other up during our time of serving, and that our attitudes remain positive as we battle fatigue.
• Pray that as we help others learn more about Jesus, we also continue to grow in His word. Especially keep our daily sharing and prayer time lifted up to God.

Wednesday, March 17th, 2010
Please pray for Elisa Romaneschi, and Bob & Jane Shrope
• Please pray fervently for our LAST day of VBS! Theme for this day: Eternal Hope in Jesus.
• Pray for the Garifunas and Mestizos, the people of Puerto Barrios. May they find God’s plan for a balance within their culture that marvelously accommodates the Gospel.
• Pray for the strength of our team: physical, emotional and spiritual.
• Ask His blessing on the deepening friendships we are building with one another.
• Please ask for safety as we boat across the bay to spend our lunchtime on a beach. A quick swim in warm salt water is an amazing gift!
• Thank you for praying for our last day of construction. We want to leave the people in the neighborhood around the community center a secure and sturdy place to use for God’s special purposes in Puerto Barrios.
• Please pray for the future of the Lutheran Community Center – for all the events that will happen within its walls!

Thursday, March 18th, 2010
Please pray for Ellen Simonsen, Carla Tibbals & Matt Thom
• Ask God for traveling mercies as we journey back across the country, stopping at a Mayan ruin on the way.
• May He bless our visit to the Lutheran Hour Ministries office in Guatemala City and our stay at the beautiful Lutheran Center in Antigua, previously a hospital – now a peaceful retreat center.
• Pray for missionaries around the world that they may be encouraged as they spread God’s word.
• Please also pray for those who are feeling called to take trips similar to this one. May God bless them with a connection to mission opportunities that fulfill His particular objectives around the globe.

Friday, March 19th, 2010
Please pray for Annie Smith, and Ann & Mark Summerson
• Praise Him for His very specific care for us this entire week!
• Please pray for our time of relationship-building as we have walking tour Antigua with Olga, our guide and shop in the local market. It is our day to experience the culture in the ancient city of Antigua.
• Please pray for clarity of thought as we pack our belongings and continue absorbing and integrating all we have learned in one very fast, very full week.

Saturday, March 20th, 2010
Please pray Rebeca & Karloz de Franco and Polly Gregali, Lutheran Hour Ministries
• Praise and thanks to God for this extraordinary opportunity to serve His family in Guatemala!
• We awaken at 4:30 a.m. local time in order to catch our Delta flight that leaves Guatemala City at 7:40 a.m. (5:40 a.m. Pacific time). We arrive in Spokane at 8:36 p.m. after our two stops in Los Angeles and Salt Lake. Exhausted? Yes! But also filled with joy! Pray that God would keep our drivers alert as we continue on the last leg of our extraordinary journey home to Pullman and Moscow.
• May God give us courage to formulate new goals for our personal mission opportunities on the WSU and U Idaho campuses.
• Please pray that we would all find a balance in the days ahead between the tasks at hand and the processing and application of all we have learned, now that we have brand new hearts for mission.
• Finally, please ask God to bless us as we assimilate an entirely fresh set of attitudes about His world and our place in it.

We also request continual prayer for Lutheran Hour Ministries in all they do to spread the Word.

Thank you!

2010-03-08T17:12:00.001-08:00

A Big THANK YOU to all who attended the LWML chicken dinner on Sunday, and thank you to everyone who helped cook and clean!

2010-03-05T10:32:00.001-08:00

This Sunday, March 7th the lovely ladies of the Lutheran Women's Missionary League will be holding their annual Chicken Dinner at noon at Concordia Lutheran church!

Join us after the 10:30am worship services for a full spread of chicken, mashed potatoes, beans, rolls and pie!

All home-made and delicious!

Donations will be accepted and all proceeds will go toward our Guatemala trip.

Hope to see you there!!

HUGE Thank You In Order...

2010-03-04T16:35:00.000-08:00

A few words and pictures from Ann:
On Saturday, February 27, trippers and congregation members were very industrious! Around 20 gathered at the church to prepare VBS crafts and daily gifts for the 435 children we’ll get to share Jesus with in Guatemala. We unwrapped, sorted, counted, repacked and labeled around 2,600 crafts projects and presents for our kids. That included punching holes, sticking stickers, cutting and tying ribbons, and stuffing little zip lock bags with all manner of fun things! With jazz playing and good conversation, the morning flew by and the stacks grew until everything was done.

Witness Bracelet update: We have reached our goal of 2000 bracelets to give to Rebeca de Franco to share with every Guatemalan Lutheran in the country! We also have enough bracelets to give one to each of our VBS children, too, with a handwritten message that says, “Please share the story of Jesus with others” in Spanish!

Here are a few photos from Saturday's wrok party:

Carla and Matt assemble bracelet bags (this picture is special, or "especial" in Spanish)

Matt H., Anna, Jane, Ben, Ellen, Carla, Matt T., and Mark write Spanish phrases for gifts that will go out to the children at VBS. Ellen took the prize for "best hand writing"
The Grimes and Gary & Rebecca work on assembling crafts for VBS

Mary and Garner work on witness bracelets

Out at Jane & Bob Shrope’s home on that same Saturday, Anna Hansen and Charlie Clark joined Jane in making dozens and dozens of fresh cinnamon rolls for a Sunday a.m. sale of rolls and strong Guatemalan coffee. Their efforts brought in over $200 for the trip fund.

Charlie and Anna working on sweet Rolls at the Shrope's

Congregational members enjoy some sweet rolls and coffee last Sunday morning

2010-03-03T10:51:00.000-08:00

We leave in 8 days and 14 hours!

I know I personally am beyond excited. Everything is coming to together, God is good indeed!! Last Saturday about 20 trippers and congregational members met at the church and assembled over 2,000 craft kits and gifts for the 425 children we’ll be putting on a VBS for. Thank you to everyone who got it all done in record time!

INFO FOR TRIPPERS: We’ll be having one last meeting on Sunday, March 7 at 7pm, dessert will be involved. Come with any last minute questions. Also don’t forget to pick up your Malaria pills!!

2010-02-23T22:28:00.000-08:00

Coming up this Sunday, February 28th at Concordia Lutheran's 10:30am church service all the trip members will be participating in a Commissioning Service in preparation for our trip in just a couple weeks. All are invited to attend.

Also join us after both the 8am and 10:30am services for sweet rolls and real Guatemalan coffee. Donations accepted and will go towards our trip.

We Need Assemblers!

2010-02-21T16:33:00.000-08:00

This coming Saturday, February 27th from 10am till 4pm we'll be assembling craft projects that we will be taking with us to Guatemala. While there we'll be putting on a Vacation Bible School for 425 children (our numbers went up!). Supplies that we ordered will be coming in this week and we'll be assembling on Saturday. We welcome anyone who'd like to come by for 3o minutes or the whole day to help out. Any questions email Ann at asummerson@turbonet.com

2010-02-21T16:09:00.001-08:00

Just 18 days till we're on our way to Guatemala!

Here's some info about why we're making around 2,000 witness bracelets for all the Lutheran churches in Guatemala:

Rebeca de Franco, our Guatemalan Lutheran Hour Ministries host, will visit every Lutheran church in Guatemala in the upcoming year. She asked about witness bracelets that could be used to tell the gospel story through the colors of the beads. When the Concordia Lutheran congregation heard about the project, they jumped at the chance to make a mountain of these bracelets. We have nearly 700 made just from CLC, and a Spokane tripper Mom and youth group are donating another almost 500. Kits are underway to get to the goal of 2000 by the time we need pack the bags on March 9. Each bracelet will be accompanied by a card with the meaning of each bead’s color and Bible verses, all in Spanish.

Thanks to all who've been counting beads, cutting string, trying knots and putting literally thousands of kits into bags!

Annie and Elisha count beads into kits for congregational members to assemble.

Ben and Garner cut strings for kits.

Garner and Shana work on assembling kits at the LSF Winter Retreat

2010-02-17T15:27:00.000-08:00

Just 23 days till we leave for Guatemala!

Here are some of the things we've been working on:

planning VBS for over 360 children!
assembling several hundreds witness bracelets that will be given to EVERY Lutheran church in Guatemala.
Continued fund raising including plans for a cinnamon roll sale on February 28th at Concordia Lutheran church in Pullman, WA
tons of individual prayer and preparation (like travel shots, woo hoo!) as we get ready to serve and grow in ways we can't even imagine!

Thank you to all for your continued prayer and monetary support! Our work would not be possible without your gracious gifts!

I will be trying my best to post daily while we are in Guatemala in hopes that we will be able to share our experience with you! However at this time we're not sure of what our Internet and computer situation will look like, so please stay tuned.

Thanks!

2010-02-04T16:14:00.000-08:00

A big THANK YOU to all who came out for the Spaghetti feed last Saturday, it was a great success! Thank you also to the Nez Perce Thrivent chapter for matching funds too! Here are a few pictures from the evening:

Our friendly $ takers; Matt H. & Anna

Matt T. & Ben serve up TONS of spaghetti...
Cooks in the Kitchen

auctioning off ice cream cakes

Coloring on the tables...

Good crowd

2010-01-28T14:03:00.000-08:00

We're getting Close!! Just a mere 6 weeks until we leave for Guatemala! Planning is going well, this weekend we'll start working on our VBS curriculum that we'll be sharing with 360 local children! We are beyond excited and thank you all for your generous support thus far.

Please mark your calender for this weekend!
All-you-can-eat Spaghetti Feed!
Concordia Lutheran Church
1015 NE Orchard Drive, Pullman, WA
Sunday, January 31, 2010
5:30pm-7:30pm
Suggested Donation of $5 per person, $20 max for family of 4 or more
All proceeds go towards
Concordia's Guatemala Mission Trip

quick update

2010-01-05T13:06:00.000-08:00

Hello All,
I wanted to apologize for the lack of posting lately on the blog, so here's a little update on how we're all doing:

Fall semesters at WSU and U of I ended in early December so many of us traveled home to be with family over the holidays. We've all been working on sending out appeal letters to family and friends and some of you may have received one in the mail. Spring semester starts up again next week and we'll be back to hard-core fund raising (and regularly updating the blog). Our final payment for our plane tickets will go in this month and we'll be officially on our way! Check back here in the next few weeks for updates on upcoming fund raising events!

Thank you for reading and for your continued support!

-Carla

Project Information!

2009-12-10T16:07:00.000-08:00

We've recently learned where we will be heading to in the coutry and what projects we will be working on while there! We are returning to Puerto Barrios is on the eastern coast of Guatemala, the same location that our group went to in 2008!

While there in 2008 we worked to raise the floor of the Lutheran Community Center in El Rastro. We are excited to learn that we will be returning to that same location and building on the front wall to help protect the property as people in the area are trying to encroach on the property. We have been asked to raise $2,700 in project costs and Christ The Savior Lutheran Church in Puerto Barrios has offered to provide $1,094.50 in costs to supplement the total project cost of $3,794.50. You're prayers and monetary donations are greatly appreciated as we work to raise this additional trip cost. Our hope and goal is to raise more than $2,700 so that we may be able to give back to the local church. We are confident that God will provide for this ministry opportunity.

In addition to our construction project we will be providing a Vacation Bible School program to help spread God's messages of love, hope and peace to the children and families in Puerto Barrios.

We are so incredibly excited! Thank you for your continued prayers as we work toward our fund raising goals. Please also pray for the people and families that we will encounter while we're there! Keep checking back here for updates!

2009-11-27T19:12:00.000-08:00

Attention:

PARENTS OF YOUNG CHILDREN!

Do you need a date night or two in December to Christmas shop for you children WITHOUT them along??

Or would you just like to go out for a quiet evening?

A large group of University students from Concordia Lutheran are raising funds to travel to Guatemala for a spring mission trip and would love to care for your children, all ages!

WHEN: Friday nights, December 4th and 11th, 5pm to 8pm

WHERE: Concordia Lutheran Church Preschool area

HOW MUCH?: we are requesting a minimim donation of $5.00/hour per child, and $5.00 for pizza, if you'd like them to have dinner at the church. (Any amount gladly accepted)

Please email Ann Summerson (asummerson@turbonet.com) to let us know which evening(s), how many children and their ages, how many hours, and if we should expect them for dinner.

THANKS SO MUCH!!

2009-11-17T11:00:00.000-08:00

This week I've included two posts. One for trip members with reminders and events to mark on your calender (look below) and this post for folks checking in to see how we're doing.

Each Sunday morning at Concordia Lutheran church we've been trying to have a “trip table” up with a few folks around to answer questions and to “sell” various items for donations. This last week our fabric gift bags and hand made mittens were a big hit! We made $231 in about a 15 minutes time span! Thanks you to all how donated! Your contributions are GREATLY appreciated!

Here's a few events we have coming up:

December 6th-Baked Goods! A few of our very talented bakers from the team will be baking items all weekend to sell after the 10:30 service. Items will be “for donation” and any contributions will be gladly accepted. Grab a cake, pie, or cookies to enjoy during the holidays!

Holiday Child Care: Fridays, December 4th & 11th. We are currently working on arranging childcare at the church from 5pm to 8pm for parents who'd like to get a little Christmas shopping done with out the kiddos or perhaps just want to have a date night. Prices and details are in the works so check back soon for further details.

We are still have parking available at the church for WSU Men's basketball games! If you're heading to the game come on over we have a parking spot for you! A HUGE THANK YOU to out neighbors the Presbyterians for letting us sell their lot last week too!

Info for Trip Members:

2009-11-17T10:43:00.000-08:00

Here's a reminder of what's going on and what needs to be checked off that to-do list!

TRAVEL INFO:

First, HUGE THANKS to Annie Smith for keeping track of all the passport copies, seat lists, and airline communications! Thanks Annie!!
The travel agency needs a preliminary name list by December 05, 2009. The final name/passport number list has to be perfection by January 15. If you haven’t applied for your passport, please do it post haste! If you already have a passport and it is not with you here at school, please either bring it back after break so we can copy the photo page here at the church, or while you are at home, make three very clear copies to bring back with you. Annie will need those copies for the ticket list.
A deposit of $100/person has already been sent in to reserve our seats.
We’re flying DELTA all the way, and all the way back. We’ll leave from Spokane on Friday, March 12 @ 1:15 p.m., and return on Saturday, March 20 at 8:21 p.m.

FUND RAISING:

Letters: Get appeal letters in the mail ASAP! Ann has a sample letter if you would like to see one and she also has envelopes available to you as well! Any questions concerning these please chat with Ann!
The fabric-gift-bag/LeeAnn-Tibbals-handmade-mittens were a big hit! In December after break, we’ll have a bake sale on Sunday, December 6th. Those interested in baking are meeting at the church on Saturday, Dec. 5th at 4:00 to bake up a storm.
Friday Night Child Care: Ashley Krieger had a great idea – to watch children while their parents go Christmas shopping without them, or just go out on a date. What do you think of two Friday nights: December 4 and 11, from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m.? Please send Ann a note back if you’d be willing to watch some 3-5 year olds on one or both evenings! Thanks!
Basketball parking: We are in good shape for covering all the home basketball games until January 14. THANKS to everyone who signed up!
Krantz cleaning, etc.: Becky (the preschool teacher) said that their realtor is coming to view their home and set up the FOR SALE signs on Friday, November 27 – the day after Thanksgiving. If anyone has ANY time between now and then, she’s highly motivated to spend some cash for your help! If you are able please contact Ann and she will forward you Becky's contact info. If there is a group all interested we might be able to schedule a time to carpool...

VACCINATIONS: (Every one's favorite!)

Over break would be a good time to check out about vaccination information!
The hepatitis vaccines are given in a series, so if you haven’t had those, it’s a good idea to get them started soon. If you only get 2 of 3 before we leave, that’s enough to cover you.
The typhoid injection is a one-time thing, available at either a travel clinic (most Safeway pharmacies) or maybe even student health.
If you go to the Center for Disease Control website, you’ll find a ton of information. http://www.cdc.gov/ You can even locate your nearest travel clinic through that website.
Our malaria coverage will be by tablet. We don't know how early we can get those prescriptions filled, so feel free to ask about it when you get your vaccinations.
One thing that is sort of hidden in the “routine” list of vaccinations is tetanus – needed very 10 years. Be sure to check your records to see if you’re due for one of those.
Flu shots are recommended but optional.

That's a lot of information!! If you have questions, concerns, comments, etc...please don't hesitate to chat with Ann (the keeper of all info!). And on that note a HUGE THANK YOU to Ann for all the planning and preparation you've been doing and will do! You are GREATLY appreciated!!

Upcoming Fund Raising Events...

2009-11-13T13:51:00.000-08:00

Planning is well under way for our Spring 2010 trip. Plane tickets have been reserved and our first deposit has been sent in! Right now we have 29 folks signed up to go and we're all knee-deep in the fund raising process. Soon we'll have a donations tracker up and running here so that you can check back to see our progress. We are confident that God will provide for us and for the people that we will be ministering to while in Guatemala.

Here are a few fund raising events that we have in the works:

Sunday, November 15th at Concordia Lutheran after the 10:30am service we'll be selling handmade fabric gift bags and crocheted mittens! Perfect for the first snow fall of the season today. Price is “for donation” and a few folks will be around to answer questions. Stop by the table pick up a gift bag and say hello!

Sunday, December 6th at Concordia Lutheran we'll be selling handmade baked goods after the 10:30am service. Trippers will be meeting at the church at 4pm on Saturday, Dec 5th to get some mass baking done. Our mission trip group has no shortage of talented bakers so stop by pick up a pie, cake, or cookies to enjoy for the holidays.

Throughout the WSU Men's basketball season we'll also be collecting parking $$ to go towards the trip fund. If you're heading to a WSU game we have a parking spot for you! Here are upcoming dates and who will be working at them:

Friday, Nov 13 (vs. Mississippi Valley), 7pm. [Shawn Nolph & Matt Thom]
Monday, Nov 16th (vs. Eastern Washington), 7pm [Shawn Nolph & Anna Hansen]
Thursday, Nov 19th (vs. Indian Fort Wayne), 7pm [Garner Alzheimer & Shanna Goplen]
Wednesday, Dec 9th (vs. Idaho), TBD [Ashley Krieger & Rick Leary]
More Dates to come...

Welcome!

2009-11-10T20:53:00.000-08:00

Welome to the blog for Concordia Lutheran's Guatemala mission trip group! We are excited to share our experiences before, during and after our March 2010 mission trip with you. Soon we will have up-to-date information on our fund raising efforts, personal preparation and ways that you can pray and help out as we work towards our goal. Thank you for taking the time to be directly and indirectly involved!