Guatemala Bound (Se dirigió a Guatemala)

I used Google translate with Guatemala Bound and got "Guatemala Limite" (can't make the little mark of the first i, sorry) - and that's not exactly what I was trying to say.  That would be more like, well, literally, Guatemala limited - using bound as in tied up instead of headed to.

WHEW - anyway - so Se dirigio (again, I don't know how to type the accent) was a little lesson for me.  I didn't know that word (dirigio) yet.

Anywho.  Here's the whole point.  Thought I would share what was going on in this aspect of our lives.  Little bit of a surprise, even for me.

If you've known us for any length of time, you know we long, dream, and can't wait, to be on the mission field full time.  There are times the dream seems soooooooo distant.  It's heart breaking to think of what we are called to be, yet we are still here - a long way from where I thought God wanted us to be.  Sometimes I question God, wondering how long we have to suffer for our past mistakes, and just try to learn what it is He must still have us to learn.

The point is - sometimes God throws a little surprise and this is one of those things.

Never once in my whole missions heart have I ever had even a spark of wanting to go to Central America.  Yes, my husband is semi-fluent in Spanish, yes, I have a good base - but I never had any kind of desire to go to a Spanish speaking country.  My heart has always been in Africa.  It's where I feel we're called to be.  But - something presented itself recently that's causing a bit of a "rift" in my walk.

Our Pastor called Marty up to see if he would be interested in leading a trip to Guatemala next year with a group called Champions in Action.  It would team up Marty's love of soccer, heart for missions, and fluency in Spanish.  Marty has ALWAYS had a desire to combine soccer and missions.  We met up with a wonderful couple who - well I'm not sure their title - they are the parents to the person who does these trips to Guatemala.  I think we spent an hour with them to talk about the possibility of us taking a trip with them to Guatemala.

I think Marty was probably ready to jump at it immediately - but I hesitated.  Again - never any desire to go to a Spanish speaking country.  I wasn't sure.  I didn't feel pulled, called, or anything.  We spent several days in prayer and Marty was feeling very led to go.  I still wasn't.  One day, God just gently reminded me that I was to follow my husband and allow him to take the spiritual lead.  I tend to be just a bit of a control freak so I knew that was a God-thought and not a Tami-thought - lol :)  So - I gave Marty the news and here we are.

No details as of yet, but we will take a trip, hopefully with some others, to Guatemala next summer around the end of June.  As soon as I have details - I'll let you know and will most likely have an informational type of blog about the trip.  We would love for you to come along.  Basically, it is my understanding we work with Champions in Action with 12-18 year old boys.  I think - but don't quote me - most of them are street kids.  They come to camp to learn soccer - and about God.  Soccer is the pull - God is the focus.  Champions in Action also connects the boys up with local resources to help them out.  United Way as well as several area churches are involved from what I understand.

So, you ask, where is my heart now?  Is it in Guatemala yet?  Not quite.  I'm still tossing this one around in my head honestly!!  Someone at church tonight said "I never saw you guys in Guatemala" - and I said "me neither!" and then she wisely said "but God will still move".

I think part of my problem is I can't believe it will really happen.  The cost for all 4 of us to go will probably exceed 5,000.  If you've been a reader of my blog for a while now, you know we had hoped to go to Ethiopia a few years back with Global Expeditions.  The cost then was 10,000.  We didn't even touch the surface.  I didn't understand God then.  I thought for sure He had called.  We are in a far worse financial situation now than we were then, and I can't wrap my head around being able to raise 5,000 for all of us to go.  That's one thing about us - we do everything as a family - and this will be no exception.  Maybe that's part of my hesitation - afraid to get my hopes up for something that may never happen.  And now we'll be in charge of a group of other people.  Fear of letting them down is as great as fear of letting myself down.  We've got a kid going to college this fall and as it is, I wonder where the money (and when) will come from for that - let alone to think about this.

However.  I will move forward.  I will follow my husband where he feels led to go.  I will sit back and watch God do His thing.  I will trust and He will lead.  I will work on my Spanish, learn the guitar (always thought it would be a good skill to have on missions trips!) and not doubt. Or at least, I'll work on that!  Prayfully, at this time next year, my heart will have been left with the people of Guatemala and I will be looking very forward to being with them again.

Not sure how Guatemala fits in with the whole African plan - but - God does.  We are called to go out into the world.  No matter what part of the world it is, God is there.  My job is to take His hand and walk alongside of Him and be amazed in his presence.  Nothing more, nothing less.