Hola from San Pedro La Laguna,

Today we rejoice that God has been faithful to us as we start to close up our trip here in Guatemala. Yesterday a team of two dentists, Tony Oney and Eugene Keller, two assistants, Shannon and Jackie,  three students from Colegio Bethel, Christian, Daisy, and Joselina, along with Luz Elena and Jorge, traveled by truck to San Jose Chacaya, where our missionary Luz Elena is living right now. A family with ten kids welcomed us to San Jose Chacaya with a hearty breakfast and a warm welcome. Very quickly after our arrival, we set up the clinic and started seeing the kids from the school. We worked hard from nine o’clock am until seven thirty pm, and it felt like a day of worship as we all worked together to make the children feel comfortable, to pray with each patient, and to give them dental care.

It was a slice of heaven to be working with the students from Colegio Bethel, translators, dentists, and dental assistants all together for the same cause. Bilha came to help translate later on in the day also. She was a great help! There were several times when Shannon would pray for patients, Luz Elena would translate to Spanish, and Christian would translate to Quiche, which is the dialect in the area we were at. This was very unifying for us as we all depended upon one another, and each person had different gifts and skills to contribute as the day went on. This is how the body of Christ is supposed to be! We celebrate one another’s differences and lift one another up as we rejoice in who God has created us each to be!

 

In total we saw 26 young patients and pulled 84 teeth!  We said goodbye to Luz Elena and the leaders of the clinic in San Jose Chacaya, and thanked them for all their help as well as took team photos. The team got back around nine thirty pm, with tired bodies but full hearts. The following morning, most of the team met at our favorite Italian Coffee Shop for coffee, and at breakfast Kirsten led a devotional on the story of Mary and Martha, and learning to rest at Jesus’ feet rather than feeling like we need to work for him. The focus of the devotional was having a relationship with Jesus rather than feeling like we need to work hard and strive for Jesus to please him. A quote Kirsten used was “Are you about the heart or the hustle and are you about being WITH Jesus or doing FOR Jesus?” Shannon followed up with her testimony on how God used her fractured neck three years ago to help her slow down and realize she has already been accepted by Jesus so she doesn’t have to strive to be ENOUGH for Him.

 

Today is the last day of the clinic, and we are sad to be wrapping up our time down here.  All of the dentists have been busy with their final patients as well as the optometrist, ENT doctor, and ortho doctor.  This afternoon we are spending more time with our sponsor children and cleaning up at the clinic.  Tonight we will have the goodbye dinner with everyone.

 

Thus far, Colton and Jorge installed all the insulation, the ceiling, and mounted the A/C unit in the fridge renovation for the kitchen.  Dr. Mike installed a new water pump for the school since the other one went out while we’ve been here.  Always lots of projects at Colegio Bethel!

Please pray for continued health and for those who are sick to feel and to have energy for the rest of the trip.  Please also pray for safety as we travel tomorrow morning from San Pedro La Laguna to Panajachel to Guatemala City.  We have had a wonderful trip overall and do not want to leave our family in San Pedro La Laguna.

Thanking God for His abundant blessings,

Shannon and Kirsten

To see more pictures from this team, Click here!