Well, we returned to the US today. Good trip back, flights were pretty good. Very busy day getting everything packed up and loaded, getting through customs and security, etc. But we made it safely and I'm thankful for that.
We finished up ministry on Monday, a day early due to our plans falling through for Tuesday morning. So, we spent the last two days relaxing and unwinding a bit with some shopping in Guatemala City on Tuesday, and Antigua on Wednesday.
There were a lot of neat experiences during the trip, and many will be shared over the next few weeks. Some of mine include our time with Pastor Shorty and the men and women he is ministering to that are in recovery. I got to share my testimony with them, and that was really cool. I think I got some more healing through my testimony. I love how God does that.
Overall, for me it was a tough trip, especially when compared to the other trips I have taken. We met a lot of people who are living on just dollars a day, but seem so self sufficient and reserved. It was kind of like ministering to people in the US. But it was all worth it. We saw many healed and set free from demonic oppression. We also saw many touched by the Father's love! It was amazing.
Thanks to everyone who read this blog. This will probably be the last post. I didn't take a lot of photos, but some team members were able to take quite a few. Hopefully, we will find some way to share them.
Steve
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Catch Up
Well, it's been several days since I have been able to blog. We have been running fairly hard and have had some long days in the middle of the trip. Figured I'd take a few minutes to catch up a bit.
Some of the sites we visited included the women's shelter, a children's adoption home, the city dump, cemetery, slums, and a community center. very diverse areas with diverse people groups. All very interesting to me.
Yesterday we met Pastor Shorty, the person of interest in the film Reparando. Shorty has an interesting past involving gangs, drugs, and such, and really has a heart for the people he ministers to. Last night we had a service in a little church that serves an area of approximately 1/2 mile wide x 1 mile long and is home to 60,000 people! The service was amazing, and the presence of the Lord was very strong. I got plastered during worship, the first time since we have been here hat that has happened.
That's probably all for now. Very busy and getting a bit worn down. Stayed behind yesterday morning to rest and then went out with the team in the evening. Still have some congestion and sore throat.
Blessings, Steve
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Open Wide!
Today we experienced some very amazing things in Guatemala. During the day, we went to do a couple ministry sites at a local private school. Pastor Mike did the altar call, and a prophetic grace filled the atmosphere. Mike powerfully and accurately prophesied into the lives of many students. Some were overcome by the spirit. It's the first time since we have been here that we have seen this type of spiritual activity. It is refreshing!
At the evening service, we were treated to a couple new dramas that the team learned on the fly. One was sumo wrestling. It was very interesting, amazing, and yet disturbing all at the same time :) Details and possibly photos later. Maybe even video.
Also tonight PL and PC ministered powerfully and there was a mass deliverance of rejection. It was amazing watching the Lord break through. We also released the Guatemala song, which is a prophetic song for the country that the Lord gave to me a couple months ago.
This was our last day ministering alongside Pastor Jorge. It was a real honor to lock arms with him and his family and staff to reach a community. He has a heart filled with compassion, especially for the children.
The Father's love has been pouring out ever since we landed, and today seemed to be a major turning point in our time here. I want to see more breakthrough while we are here.
Steve
At the evening service, we were treated to a couple new dramas that the team learned on the fly. One was sumo wrestling. It was very interesting, amazing, and yet disturbing all at the same time :) Details and possibly photos later. Maybe even video.
Also tonight PL and PC ministered powerfully and there was a mass deliverance of rejection. It was amazing watching the Lord break through. We also released the Guatemala song, which is a prophetic song for the country that the Lord gave to me a couple months ago.
This was our last day ministering alongside Pastor Jorge. It was a real honor to lock arms with him and his family and staff to reach a community. He has a heart filled with compassion, especially for the children.
The Father's love has been pouring out ever since we landed, and today seemed to be a major turning point in our time here. I want to see more breakthrough while we are here.
Steve
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
The Father's Love Poured Out
Another very busy day in Guate today. We ministered in a school, picking up where we left off yesterday. After that we went back to Pastor Jorge's house and ate lunch (mmmm PB and J!) and then went out to a couple more sites.
Going back to yesterday - in the afternoon we walked from the pastor's home to the bus station - a very busy intersection and ministered there. It was kind of like a flash mob, as we set up on a very small corner market area and did the Heart Skit. It was the perfect skit to do at that location, as there were a lot of school aged young men and women passing by. This culture and especially that age group are all so hungry for the Father's love and acceptance. Many of them had boyfriends/girlfriends and some of them were even making out in the ministry site. Crazy. Four of the young ladies were especially attracted to one of our team members who shall remain nameless (Ryan). Oops!
We are working hard and really plowing hard ground here in some locations. The school sites are all very special, as the children are being reached at a young age with songs and the Word. It's exactly what this region needs. A young generation hungry for God and motivated to improve their community.
Another great dinner tonight at Pastor Jorge's home. These ladies can cook. Some of the team even helped by hand forming and making the corn tortillas!
Tonight we did another service at the church and Pastor Joel told his story and gave a message about the Father's Love! Then we did a Father's Love tunnel for the kids. It was awesome!
Lots of healings taking place - too many to list here. We are collecting some awesome and amazing storied to tell when we return!
The team is really doing an amazing job giving their testimonies, and God is reaching people through them.
All for now. Photos and videos are being taken by team members and I am sure they are being shared on FB and such.
From Guate with Love,
Steve
Going back to yesterday - in the afternoon we walked from the pastor's home to the bus station - a very busy intersection and ministered there. It was kind of like a flash mob, as we set up on a very small corner market area and did the Heart Skit. It was the perfect skit to do at that location, as there were a lot of school aged young men and women passing by. This culture and especially that age group are all so hungry for the Father's love and acceptance. Many of them had boyfriends/girlfriends and some of them were even making out in the ministry site. Crazy. Four of the young ladies were especially attracted to one of our team members who shall remain nameless (Ryan). Oops!
We are working hard and really plowing hard ground here in some locations. The school sites are all very special, as the children are being reached at a young age with songs and the Word. It's exactly what this region needs. A young generation hungry for God and motivated to improve their community.
Another great dinner tonight at Pastor Jorge's home. These ladies can cook. Some of the team even helped by hand forming and making the corn tortillas!
Tonight we did another service at the church and Pastor Joel told his story and gave a message about the Father's Love! Then we did a Father's Love tunnel for the kids. It was awesome!
Lots of healings taking place - too many to list here. We are collecting some awesome and amazing storied to tell when we return!
The team is really doing an amazing job giving their testimonies, and God is reaching people through them.
All for now. Photos and videos are being taken by team members and I am sure they are being shared on FB and such.
From Guate with Love,
Steve
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Guatemala Embrace
What awesome things we have experienced these last two days. We were able to meet with a local pastor and church that ministers to the local community - a community that is approximately 2 square miles and is home to roughly 31,000 families. 31,000! Imagine that in Tulsa. Wow. Pastor Jorge met with us to talk about his ministry and the community they serve, and I was really drawn to the work they are doing. His motto - if you can reach one person, then you can reach one family, the you can change a community. His heart is so filled with compassion that you cannot help but to be amazed. His family is beautiful, and the volunteers and workers at the church tirelessly give of themselves and pour back into the community.
We did some dramas last night and then prayed for a bunch of people. It was raining hard the entire time, and at one point during our meeting with Pastor Jorge, the power went out, but he didn't seem phased by it at all and kept on talking. A short while later, the power came back on.
This morning, Sunday, was awesome as well. Pastor Linda spoke about the Father's love and then we prayed for more people, releasing more of His love and more fire!!! Mas Amor, mas fuego!!!
Tonight was even cooler. They held an outdoor meeting and we set up chairs for about 150 people. It started to rain, so we prayed and spoke to the heavens to hold up the rain until the meeting was over. The staff and volunteers even built us a small stage that attached to the raised sidewalk for us to perform our drama's. They were quick and efficient. Our bus sprung a fuel leak on the way, But the driver, Josh David, and Shane got it fixed and we got there on time.
After service we were treated to dinner at Pastor Jorge's home, where his wife and other prepared us a very good chicken dinner with mashed potatoes and carrots. The chickens had just been slaughtered 3 days earlier. It was delicious.
So, Guatemala and Pastor Jorge's team really embraced our team as we partnered in Christ. We will be working with them for the next couple of days, it appears. It's awesome!
Guatemala is embracing the Father's love!!!!!!
We did some dramas last night and then prayed for a bunch of people. It was raining hard the entire time, and at one point during our meeting with Pastor Jorge, the power went out, but he didn't seem phased by it at all and kept on talking. A short while later, the power came back on.
This morning, Sunday, was awesome as well. Pastor Linda spoke about the Father's love and then we prayed for more people, releasing more of His love and more fire!!! Mas Amor, mas fuego!!!
Tonight was even cooler. They held an outdoor meeting and we set up chairs for about 150 people. It started to rain, so we prayed and spoke to the heavens to hold up the rain until the meeting was over. The staff and volunteers even built us a small stage that attached to the raised sidewalk for us to perform our drama's. They were quick and efficient. Our bus sprung a fuel leak on the way, But the driver, Josh David, and Shane got it fixed and we got there on time.
After service we were treated to dinner at Pastor Jorge's home, where his wife and other prepared us a very good chicken dinner with mashed potatoes and carrots. The chickens had just been slaughtered 3 days earlier. It was delicious.
So, Guatemala and Pastor Jorge's team really embraced our team as we partnered in Christ. We will be working with them for the next couple of days, it appears. It's awesome!
Guatemala is embracing the Father's love!!!!!!
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Wakey Wakey!
Saturday morning. Ahhh. The fresh air, the birds singing. Okay, the birds are loud and obnoxious this morning. I heard some calls that I'm not sure were even from birds! LOL
Our hostal is pretty nice and the people here are treating us very nicely. The beds are comfortable and I slept really well last night. No air conditioning, but the weather here is such that you really don't need it. Warm during the day, and it cools off quickly in the evening. And the bugs aren't bad at all. We have been blessed with our accommodations.
Today, we will have our first ministry experience. Breakfast and drama run through's this morning, and then this afternoon and evening with a local pastor and their youth group. Don't have a lot of details yet, but I'l update after the fact. Please keep this ministry time in prayer, as the youth we will love on are from rough stock. Gangs and slums.
My shower head is interesting. It has an on demand hot water heater right on the shower head. And it sprays in many directions. I was trying to adjust it yesterday and felt a moderate stinging sensation, as the electrical current ran through me. I was awake after that!
I am posting photos from yesterday and you can see them here
http://www.flickr.com/photos/64223545@N06/
Bless Ya!
Steve
Our hostal is pretty nice and the people here are treating us very nicely. The beds are comfortable and I slept really well last night. No air conditioning, but the weather here is such that you really don't need it. Warm during the day, and it cools off quickly in the evening. And the bugs aren't bad at all. We have been blessed with our accommodations.
Today, we will have our first ministry experience. Breakfast and drama run through's this morning, and then this afternoon and evening with a local pastor and their youth group. Don't have a lot of details yet, but I'l update after the fact. Please keep this ministry time in prayer, as the youth we will love on are from rough stock. Gangs and slums.
My shower head is interesting. It has an on demand hot water heater right on the shower head. And it sprays in many directions. I was trying to adjust it yesterday and felt a moderate stinging sensation, as the electrical current ran through me. I was awake after that!
I am posting photos from yesterday and you can see them here
http://www.flickr.com/photos/64223545@N06/
Bless Ya!
Steve
Friday, June 17, 2011
We Have Arrived
Just wanted to let everyone know we have arrived in Guateamala and we made it easily cleanly - no delays!!! Praise God! We are staying in a nice hostel - Hostal Villa Toscana. If you see some funny mistakes in my typing - well more than usual, it´s because I haven´t been able to connect with my laptop and am bloggin gfrom the hostal´s machine, and the keyboard is not an Englist standard keyboard!
This one will be short, as we are preparing for dinner and we are getting upacked and stowed. Dinner and then some drama practice tonight - should be fun.
The team is in good shape and very excited about what God has planned for Guateamala!
Adios Amigos and Amigas
Steve
This one will be short, as we are preparing for dinner and we are getting upacked and stowed. Dinner and then some drama practice tonight - should be fun.
The team is in good shape and very excited about what God has planned for Guateamala!
Adios Amigos and Amigas
Steve
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Bon Voyage!
Well, here we are on the eve of our departure. Bags are packed, new strings on the guitar, and I am tired and wired! And that's without coffee, even. I'm going to try and make it an early night tonight. Not sure if that's going to work, but we're going to try and go to sleep early. I did take the day off and got the yard work done - hopefully it won't need too much attention while we're gone.
Well, packing the bags is always fun (?). I'm pretty sure we are keeping ziploc in business again, as I bagged everything and then sat and/or laid on it to squeeze every last bit of air out of my clothes. Definitely helps fit more in, but it also makes the bag really heavy.
Something feels different about this trip already, at least for me. I feel like we are really going to take the Father's Love anointing with us as we minister. And it's going to be awesome. I think we've been seeing that manifest in our church for a few weeks now, pretty much when we walked into the awesome things of God on June 1st. More authority and more of the Father's Love pouring out. Amazing.
Well, short night tonight. I'll try to take some photos of our trip tomorrow as we travel. Airport pic's are always interesting.
Love and Blessings to all tonight.
Oh yeah - follow me on the blog. it's okay, it won't hurt. Go ahead. You know you want to.
Steve
Well, packing the bags is always fun (?). I'm pretty sure we are keeping ziploc in business again, as I bagged everything and then sat and/or laid on it to squeeze every last bit of air out of my clothes. Definitely helps fit more in, but it also makes the bag really heavy.
Something feels different about this trip already, at least for me. I feel like we are really going to take the Father's Love anointing with us as we minister. And it's going to be awesome. I think we've been seeing that manifest in our church for a few weeks now, pretty much when we walked into the awesome things of God on June 1st. More authority and more of the Father's Love pouring out. Amazing.
Well, short night tonight. I'll try to take some photos of our trip tomorrow as we travel. Airport pic's are always interesting.
Love and Blessings to all tonight.
Oh yeah - follow me on the blog. it's okay, it won't hurt. Go ahead. You know you want to.
Steve
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Shopping...and shopping...and more shopping...
Did some shopping last night for trip items and got pretty close to getting everything I needed. I think we hit up three stores last night to get the necessities. It's definitely not like shopping for a vacation. My mind wanted to go to the "fun" aisles, but there wasn't any time for that I guess. "Just stay focused and you can get through this", was my mantra.
It wasn't really as bad as I thought it would be. Kind of like grocery shopping every other week. Just a different list, that's all.
We're trying to bring some technology along with us this trip - an international phone and a laptop or netbook. Still shopping for the netbook. If you have one and want to sell it cheap to me, please let me know. We want to blog, but our main focus will be ministry to the nation.
Please keep praying for us as we prepare to travel. The team needs coverage for the trip as well as during our stay in Guatemala.
Prayer points:
Flights - on time and all connections made
Team - proper preparation and adjustment to the climate
Hotel - all reservations good, no room issues, comfortable rooms and beds
Team - attitudes checked at the gate prior to boarding - humility and servanthood abound
Team - proper adjustment to the food
Team - proper rest
Ministry time - HS filled and Spirit led
Dramas - that we perform with excellence and unity
Contacts - organized and spirit led
Translators - friendly and competent
I am sure there is more. Please pray as the Lord leads you. We need all the prayer we can get. Amazing things are going to happen and God is just going to open up hearts and minds to the things that He has!
Blessings and Restauración for Guatemala,
Steve
Monday, June 13, 2011
Update T Minus 4 Days
This is the first blog entry for the Gatemala trip and I hope to have updates throughout the trip - hopefully most of them with photos.We are now 4 days away from our departure. This blog will be my personal view and experiences of the trip, but I will try to incorporate as many group experiences along the way as I can.
Last minute shopping is in progress, at least for me, and I am still trying to get through the packing list to make sure I don't forget anything. Preparations for an international trip can be daunting and intimidating, but I found that if I just take it one list at a time I can do quite well.
As far as packing goes, I am a checklist person. I like to lay my items out in a certain area as I go and check the items off of the list as I place them in the area. That way I know what I have left to find and pack. It can be a little frustrating, however, if I am still laundering some of the items I need to take or they are currently in use - razor, deodorant, etc. You get the idea.
I am also an advanced level packer/organizer. I have this gift of being able to rearrange items to fit the greatest number of objects into any given space. This really comes in handy when loading the dishwasher, packing luggage, playing Scrabble, etc. :)
Well, the team is getting ready for our trip to Guatemala, and we are getting excited! Last Saturday, 6/4/11, we spent all day learning and perfecting the dramas that we'll be performing in Guatemala City and the surrounding area when we are there.
We also had the Commissioning Dinner this past Saturday, the 11th, and got to have our families and loved ones who are sending us off in attendance. Dinner was awesome, and I think we all ate our fill. There was sooo much good food!!!
After dinner, we worshiped for a bit and then had a really neat time of prayer. The team received prayer from our families and those who are sending us off, and the tables were turned and we got to pray for them! We are thankful for those who have been praying and interceding for the trip and for our safety as well.
I think that will suffice for now. Please keep the team in your prayers and remember to pray for Guatemala as well. The leadership of OBF is on the trip, and there will be awesome guest speakers coming - Rich Marshall and Doug Addison! Go see them and let God sow into your life through them!
Adios, amigos!
Steve
Last minute shopping is in progress, at least for me, and I am still trying to get through the packing list to make sure I don't forget anything. Preparations for an international trip can be daunting and intimidating, but I found that if I just take it one list at a time I can do quite well.
As far as packing goes, I am a checklist person. I like to lay my items out in a certain area as I go and check the items off of the list as I place them in the area. That way I know what I have left to find and pack. It can be a little frustrating, however, if I am still laundering some of the items I need to take or they are currently in use - razor, deodorant, etc. You get the idea.
I am also an advanced level packer/organizer. I have this gift of being able to rearrange items to fit the greatest number of objects into any given space. This really comes in handy when loading the dishwasher, packing luggage, playing Scrabble, etc. :)
Well, the team is getting ready for our trip to Guatemala, and we are getting excited! Last Saturday, 6/4/11, we spent all day learning and perfecting the dramas that we'll be performing in Guatemala City and the surrounding area when we are there.
We also had the Commissioning Dinner this past Saturday, the 11th, and got to have our families and loved ones who are sending us off in attendance. Dinner was awesome, and I think we all ate our fill. There was sooo much good food!!!
After dinner, we worshiped for a bit and then had a really neat time of prayer. The team received prayer from our families and those who are sending us off, and the tables were turned and we got to pray for them! We are thankful for those who have been praying and interceding for the trip and for our safety as well.
I think that will suffice for now. Please keep the team in your prayers and remember to pray for Guatemala as well. The leadership of OBF is on the trip, and there will be awesome guest speakers coming - Rich Marshall and Doug Addison! Go see them and let God sow into your life through them!
Adios, amigos!
Steve
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