LEE NOBBS -  GUATEMALA MISSION 2009

A group of seven made our way down to Guatemala November 2009.  We were met by another dental from Regina, and two Doctors one from Costa Rica the other from Guatemala.  From the moment we were to board the airplane in Calgary, God had his hand on us.  Although there were delays in the airport, a burnt out starter on one plane, and a short sprint to catch the next connection, all of our supplies and luggage made it there safely with us.  Even hurricane Ida wasn’t able to keep us from a safe and successful arrival.

Fe Viva World Missions is a very welcoming place and after a number of years of dedication by a number of different groups led by Marge and Dana Bailey, is an excellent facility for medical and dental patients.  With things nicely in place it didn’t take long to be up and running and seeing the first patients.  There was only a small glitch with the sterilizing equipment, nothing that a weeks worth of scrubbing didn’t take care of. 

The children from the orphanage Casa Esperanza (House of Hope)  (HYPERLINK http://feviva.org/guatemala/casa-esperanza) were the first seen.  All of the children in this orphanage are rescue children, meaning the government has stepped in and taken the children away from their care givers.  In Guatemala the tolerance for mistreating children is a lot higher then Canada, so you know these children had to have been in a very rough situation prior.  Despite the past, the children always had beautiful smiles and hearts full of love.  The odd child would be quite apprehensive due to previous dental work where no anesthetic was used (prior to this outreach).  Soon though they realized this wouldn’t be a painful experience and their joy and big beautiful smiles returned!

One evening we were able to see the work Steve and Karla Stoffelsen have been doing down there, Casa de Refugio (House of Refuge)  (HYPERLINK http://feviva.org/guatemala/casa-de-refugio). We were able to go first hand in to the streets with them to bring the men suffering from alcohol abuse back to the house for a warm meal and a message of hope and love!  The ladies of the evening we met with in the bars/brothels and invited them to a breakfast.  Their employers only allow them 1 hour off of work so this breakfast was from 9-10 on Friday morning.  We met with the ladies and prayed with them, and encouraged them for a hope in their future!

God is moving in Guatemala!  The music is alive the young people dance and are free to express themselves.  There are churches every couple of blocks with action packed services nightly.  Strategies for answered prayers are given shortly after being prayed about.  The children are so full of hope, life and love.  It was such a blessing to be there and I’m looking forward to going back down!

DON & CONNIE BROWN - MISSIONS TO NORTHERN SASKATCHEWAN AND GUATEMALA

We have been on several mission trips with Kindersley Christian Fellowship and what we find has touched our hearts the most is the relationships formed. We feel more alive than we’ve ever been! In this materialistic world, we focus on the exterior things that we believe will make us happy but, what’s really important is family, friends and a relationship with our Risen Lord Jesus Christ. People don’t realize how God has blessed us as a nation. We are so rich financially, yet we’re too “busy” to take time for each other. We have so much to offer by reaching out to others with His love. In a period of one year, the Lord blessed us by sending us to Guatemala, La Loche, and Big River, and with every experience, He made a way financially for us to be a part of these missions. We’ve learned that God will always make a way where there seems to be no way. God knows the desires of your heart and He can make a way for you too. 
It requires only one thing – trusting in Him.

RANDY VAN BASTEN - GUATEMALA TRIPS

In late October 2005, I along with several local individuals embarked on a mission trip to Guatemala. There had been much planning. We were going to assist with construction projects. Enter one tropical storm! Everything changed! Unpack the hammers and saws, pack rubber boots! We were now on a relief mission. People had been flooded out and had lost what little they had. Our mission was to assist in distributing food and medical supplies to the needy. We packaged a small grocery bag with basic staples; there were black beans, rice, coffee, pasta, soap, etc. In our wasteful society, this package may have lasted 3-4 days – it was to last them 10-12 days! The most memorable point was when I had just given three adults a supply of groceries and one of them said with tears in his eyes, “But we have nothing to give you”. They had nothing, it had all been washed away in the flood. Throughout the planning of this trip, GOD was there, providing the financing, getting me through problem areas, such as being told three weeks before I left that I was laid off of work as of our date of return. This trip was a very life-changing experience! I do not complain nearly as much as I used to, all I have to do is think about how well off I am in comparison to what they’ve gone through (and the Lord did provide another job for me on my return). We were back for about two weeks, I was sitting in church, when GOD in His gentle way prodded me, the words “I am going back” going through my mind. GOD has managed to keep Guatemala on the front burner ever since! On Thanksgiving Sunday (2006) he prompted me to start preparing to return to Guatemala! My wife Terry agreed to accompany me. We both went to Guatemala in November 2007!

The 2007 trip to GUATEMALA was my second and my wife, Terry’s first mission trip. Before we left, I told God I EXPECTED to see miracles. After an eventful trip down, with a delayed flight, lost luggage, and a very late arrival, [seemed like it was almost breakfast time] the day got off to a running start. God wasted no time with a miracle! The first evening a Guatemalan family visited to thank Felix [our guide] for his prayers. Felix and others had held a medical clinic just prior to our arrival. This family had brought a very sick young daughter to the clinic. The attending Doctor asked Felix to rush her to the hospital. He carried her into the hospital, the doctor there said, ”There is nothing we can do”, proceeding to write up the death papers. Felix said “I am not a doctor, I am a pastor, I want to pray over her” After several minutes God gave her back! She had been brought back from the dead! God had worked a miracle!!

During our stay in Guatemala, Terry and I filled in wherever we were needed, Terry in the dental clinic, and I wherever an extra pair of hands were needed. Towards the end of the mission we toured one of the worst prisons in Central America. It is named after Canada [La Canada] because of the large amount of funding the Canadian Government contributed to rebuilding the country after years of civil unrest. FeViva World Missions was allowed to build a prison bible school offering a two year bible course. This school was built as money was raised in stages. It still had a gravel floor. As I walked around the building, the question came to mind- How much to finish the floor? After receiving several numbers, God put a $5000.00 price tag in mind, and it seemed like He wanted me to raise it. Our church body brought in $5500 and we sent it away. We had no response for some time, then a thank-you note but nothing as to whether it was enough, etc. I began to feel as though I had not accomplished much. Finally the end of July, we got word the floor was being installed! I now know why God sent us to Guatemala; He wanted the floor finished in His house! This was a very worthwhile project, as the re-offending rate among the prisoners at large is extremely high; however, it is very low amongst those taking Bible study at Canada Prison, to the point that the Guatemalan Justice Department has asked FeViva to set up in several more prisons. GOD DOES WORK MIRACLES!!