LWC TEAM GUATEMALA

Nov 10-19, 2006

2006-10-03T21:57:00.000-04:00

We are raising funds for our upcoming mission trip Nov. 10-19, 2006. If you would like to help with the team's expenses, please send your donation to: Laotto Wesleyan Church, c/o PO Box 154, Laotto, IN 46763. Please write "GUAT" on the memo of your check.

We also are collecting sandals and shoes to take to the village of Comolapa. Other items needed: wet wipes, chewable vitamins, quart size ziplock baggies, twin sheet sets, towels and wash cloths, jars of peanut butter and small toys for Christmas gifts.

Our team:
Cathy B, Angie A, Lynn & Sharon B and Phil & I from Laotto Wesleyan Church.
Matt & Beth B from Merrill Wesleyan Church in Michigan.
Gladys, Lin, and Wyleen from Cross Roads Wesleyan near Atlanta, Georgia

Tentative date for next summer's trip to Guatemala: July 26-August 4, 2007. Check back for more information or contact Kathy T if you are interested in joining the team!

And even more pictures

2006-08-09T20:42:00.000-04:00

Katie, Scott, Jodi, Paul & Brandon in
Antigua

Scott & Alex on Lake Atitlan

Brandon, Christy, Alex & Jennifer on the
lake

Katie, Kathy & Christy in the blousas made
by Asael's wife

Back in Laotto. Scott, Phil, Chris, Kathy,
Katie and Brandon

More photos for your viewing pleasure

2006-08-09T20:30:00.000-04:00

Pastor Juan sharing his gratitude to God and
our team for his new home in San Juan

Eder, Christy, Alex, Mariano and Michaela
at the hotel

Christy & Brandon's pictures from Guatemala

2006-08-09T20:19:00.000-04:00

A few more pictures from Christy and
Brandon's cameras

Jennifer and Scott moving dirt

Christy and Scott moving dirt

Jennifer, Carol & Kathy giving crackers to the
children at mudslide preschool in Panajab

A little boy and his puppies in Santiago

Team Guatemala November 9-19, 2006

2006-08-08T15:59:00.000-04:00

Pastor Luis describing the devastation from
the mudslide in San Juan, Guatemala.

If you are interested in joining our next mission work team - November 9 thru 19, 2006, please contact Kathy Troyer by August 28th. Cost of the trip will be around $1100/person which includes all transportation, lodging, food, in country travel and expenses. The last team raised the entire amount for all 13 people less their $100/person registration/deposit.

Pastor Luis Martinez of IMPACTO Spanish Ministries will be speaking at LWC August 27 during Sunday School and Worship times (9:30 and 10:30 a.m.). We will have a carry-in dinner after church and the July 2006 Team will be sharing stories and pictures about our recent trip. If you have questions or would like more information, please join us at LWC on August 27th!

More faces of Guatemala

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Faces of Guatemala

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Some faces of our dear friends in Guatemala

San Pedro, Panajachel, Guatemala City dorm

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Scott, Dan, Brandon and Chris after swimming
in Lake Atitlan

Cousins Ryan & Alex on the boat to Pana

Christy & Jen at compound in Panajachel

Ryan, Christy, Jen & Carol singing during
evening devotional at the compound

Cathy filling up her water bottle at Guat
City compound

Delmi presenting gift baskets to the team

San Pedro & Panajachel

2006-08-07T21:03:00.000-04:00

Chiquillo, Alex and David at San Pedro

Kathy, Christina, Mariano and Jennifer in
San Pedro across from hotel

Fishing boat on Lake Atitlan

Debarking at Panajachel

Tzucubal and San Pedro photos

2006-08-07T20:45:00.000-04:00

Team leaving Tzucubal Wesleyan Church
after Happy Feet distribution. We estimate
giving out around 1500-1800 pairs of shoes.

Carol fitting a baby with shoes

Christy talking to Mariano across the street
from our hotel in San Pedro

Jennifer and Christy at hotel in San Pedro

Kathy took this photo of a little boy looking
out his window by the hotel in San Pedro

Promised Land in San Pedro & Tzucubal August 2nd

2006-08-07T20:10:00.000-04:00

Alex and Brandon helping sort shoes

Phil fitting an elderly man with shoes at
Tzucubal Wesleyan Church

Scott, Dan & Ryan entertaining the children
while they wait to receive shoes.

Chris with the children waiting in line for shoes.

Waiting in line in the cornfield...

A young girl in her new shoes

The peanut plants at the Promised
Land in San Pedro

Jenny admiring the coffee plants at the
Promised Land

More ministry photos

2006-08-07T19:47:00.000-04:00

Kathy, Maria Lunes, Phil, Maria Sol, Chris,
Asael, Christy and Scott enjoying fellowship
together on the porch of the hotel.

Katie washing feet at San Juan Refugee Camp
Church

Jennifer, Christy and Carol passing out
Spanish story books to the children at the
San Juan refugee church.

Cathy, Chris, Ryan, Carol and Alex with the children

at San Juan Church.

Carol made over 100 finger puppets for the children.

They were pleased to pose for this goofy picture!

Great times in Guatemala

2006-08-06T21:04:00.000-04:00

We had a wonderful week in Guatemala. San
Pedro on Lake Atitlan is one of our very
favorite places to be. Maybe you will consider
going Nov. 10-19, 2006??? Pastor Luis and
IMPACTO Ministries will be organizing VBS's
in the villages around the lake.

7.31.06 afternoon at San Pedro

2006-08-06T20:24:00.000-04:00

Hippies Phil & Katie

Katie washing feet and Jennifer putting on
lotion at Eben Ezer Wesleyan Church.

Cathy Bruner painting toenails at Eben Ezer
Wesleyan Church

Katie & Christy teaching the women how to
stencil paint on towels.

Eben Ezer women hard at work stenciling
their tea towels.

Kathy with Sarah, Chiquillo, Nicolasa and David at Eben Ezer.

July 31 in the morning at San Juan

2006-08-06T19:31:00.000-04:00

Young boy and a cow in San Juan mudslide
area. All of the rocks were carried into the
village by the mudslide. The road was
brought up about 5 feet with mud and debris
and many people lost their homes.

Jennifer with children in San Juan church

Cathy Bruner and Jennifer playing frisbee in
church yard

Jennifer and Christy helping children with
craft at San Juan

Alex carrying blocks up to Pastor Juan's house
site. The team carried about 450 blocks
for the house. Each block weighed about 20 lbs.

Christy, Carol, Kathy & Jennifer riding back
to the hotel for lunch in the back of Imir's truck.

Team Guatemala Photo Diary July 28, 29, 30

2006-08-06T19:07:00.000-04:00

Team arriving in Chicago at Avistar parking
lot near airport.

Team at Carlos & Delmi Rivas' home in
Guatemala City

Children's Sunday School at Adonai Wesleyan
Church in Guatemala City pastored by Carlos
& Delmi.

Jennifer in Antigua. Santa Domingo ruins.

Weavers at the Santa Domingo
ruins

Team at vista of San Pedro on Lake Atitlan

We are here!

2006-07-31T23:46:00.000-04:00

I have been trying to upload pictures on the blog for the past 10 minutes and can not do so. The computer here is very, very slow.

We made it safely to Guatemala and have been having a wonderful experience. God is good. He has provided for us. He has protected us. He has blessed us. We love working with the people here. They are so loving and grateful.

I will post pictures when we return to the States and give daily updates. Sorry for the disappointment if you had been waiting for pictures. If you asked for your name to be on our email list you received some photos today. (We could send them via email). If you would like pictures, please email me at kathy.troyer@gmail.com.

Thanks for praying.

God's perfect timing and provision

2006-07-25T22:15:00.000-04:00

Tonight I was at an LWC Ministry Leader's meeting when I received a phone call from one of our team members. He and his father had been talking about whether we could use a certain amount of cash for a specific need to help in Guatemala. I told him when I got home from the meeting I would email Pastor Luis' assistant, Sarah, to see if there was something the money could be used for.

I got home and started to email Sarah when I noticed I had an email from her requesting a change in our plans. Our team and the team from Michigan were scheduled to build 4 houses next week. She said Pastor Luis had been asked by the pastor at Santa Maria and a medical team working at S.M. church this week if there was anyway a block wall could be built around the church since there have been break-ins and items stolen. A team we worked with last November had been a part of the building of the church and participated in the dedication. The amount needed to build the wall is close to the amount the "father" had been thinking of giving.

Isn't God good? Isn't His timing perfect? Isn't it exciting when His people listen to His voice and obey?

Trunks and Treats

2006-07-25T21:57:00.000-04:00

The team sorted and packed 12 trunks and bags on Thursday. The trunks and bags are filled to the brim with shoes, sandals, wet wipes, 70 fleece blankets from the VBS kids, fabric to make hair tie scrunchies, soap, shampoo, toothbrushes and toothpaste, crayons, markers, crafts, finger puppets, stuffed animals, small toys and lots of other miscellaneous items. Katie is bringing a 13th bag filled with hand towels, paints and stencils for our women's crafts plus lots of other surprises. Thanks to everyone who gave to help make this trip possible. Every gift, small or large, is definitely appreciated and will go to the wonderful people of the Lake Atitlan region!

On Sunday, Pastor Tyler had the team members present stand by the trunks and bags and then had the congregation gather around us to pray for us and the items we will be distributing in Guatemala. We are grateful for our praying church family.

Team Pictures

2006-07-13T22:21:00.000-04:00

Thanks to Youth Pastor Aaron for
taking our team photo tonight.

left to right (back row)
Dan, Scott, Alex
(middle row)
Phil, Cathy, Jennifer, Chris
(front row)
Kathy, Carol, Christy, Katie

Although they were not at tonight's meeting,
we had a picture of Ryan (left) &
Brandon (right) from another meeting.

Carol
First time mission team member, wife, mother, grandmother, care giver for children

Jennifer
First time mission team member, married one month prior to trip, elementary teacher

Cathy
First time mission team member, wife, mother, grandmother, musician, health care service

Christy
3rd trip to Guatemala, IWU graduate, worship team, teacher (ESL) and private tutor

Katie
1st trip to Guatemala but has visited other countries, retreat speaker, musician from Wisconsin

Dan
Veteran mission "tripper", Taylor grad & TU basketball team, musician, band-Rudisill

Ryan
1st mission trip, Carroll HS grad, photography, musician, University of St. Francis

Alex
3rd trip to Guatemala, East Noble HS grad, Purdue BCM major

Scott
Multiple mission trips, IWU grad, artist, musician, band-Rudisill

Chris
Multiple mission trips, East Noble HS grad, IWU pre-med student, football

Brandon
Multiple mission trips, Indy resident, IWU grad, artist, musician, world explorer

Phil
Multiple mission trips, husband, father, grandfather, architect

Kathy
Russia, Africa, Guatemala mission trips, wife, mother, grandmother, team leader

With praise and gratitude to God...

2006-07-07T15:10:00.000-04:00

We are so grateful that the Lord has provided the funds we need for our trip! A special "thank you" to the generous donor this past week who helped us to reach our goal!

Whether you gave a little or a lot, may God bless what you have given. May each giver and each recipient praise Him for His goodness and provision. He is truly Jehovah-Jireh for our team and for the people of Guatemala.

Any funds given from this point for Guatemala will go toward the November trip. Phil & I will be leading another team, God willing, from Nov. 4-18. Nov. 4-11 will be Vacation Bible School in Guatemala City at Adonai Wesleyan Church. Nov. 11-18 will be VBS's in the villages around Lake Atitlan. We would love to have you join us for one or both weeks. If you can only go for one week, we would suggest Nov. 11-18 to get more of the "typical flavor" of the Mayan culture.

Please pray for us as we make final preparations for this trip. Again, may God bless you for giving, caring, praying and encouraging each of our team!

Garage sale

2006-07-01T19:58:00.000-04:00

Please check out this blog for information on Team Guatemala's garage sale. www.philandkathytroyer.blogspot.com

A special "thank you" goes to Kim Folds for all of her hard work!

Guatemala, July 28-August 5, 2006

2006-06-07T14:11:00.000-04:00

These are photos of the area where we will be serving in Guatemala. The Lake Atitlan area is called "Land of Eternal Spring" because the climate is so mild. Temperatures range from high 78 to a low of 58. There are a few days of higher or lower but it is usually very comfortable and breezy. The clouds hovering around the volcanoes coupled with breathtaking views of the lake and mountains make for some of the most awesome pictures in the world!

The villages around the lake are named after Jesus' 12 disciples. The indigenous Mayan people are warm, loving and receptive to us as we work along side them.

Our team consists of 7 men and 6 women. 10 are from Laotto Wesleyan Church --- one is from Trinity Wesleyan in Indianapolis, one from Lighthouse Church in Fort Wayne and another from a church in Wisconsin.

Our team is partnering with Pastor Luis Martinez of Impacto Spanish Ministries and Wesleyan Global Partners. We will be distributing shoes and sandals thru Happy Feet Ministry, building a cinder block home, hosting women's ministries in the mornings and children's ministries in the afternoons.

Our travels will take us from LWC in the big "LA" to Chicago to Dallas/Fort Worth to Guatemala City. From Guatemala City, we'll travel to San Pedro. It is only 85 miles but takes about 4 hours because of the roads. We'll wind and wind and wind up and down through the mountains and villages ---but the spectacular vistas make it very enjoyable!

Please pray for us as we prepare, travel and serve July 28 through August 5, 2006. We need to raise over $2700 for our trip. We could use more children's shoes and sandals as well as other items (ziplock baggies, space saver bags, etc.). Please leave a comment if you are willing to help in any way. We will post daily pictures and diaries from Guatemala. So, pray and watch! Thank you and may God bless you beyond your wildest dreams!

Kathy Troyer for TEAM GUATEMALA