Mas Fotos!

Soccer Drills

The girls receive soccer training in the morning to help them win their games in the afternoon.  Because Guatemala doesn't have an organized soccer league for the youth, for a lot of the girls, this is the first time they are receiving any training to help them control their moves and kicks.  It was funny to watch some of the girls do headers for the first time...they were not used to the impact of the ball hitting their heads; you would see them laughing and rubbing their foreheads after each hit.

During this drill, the girls had to control their soccers balls and maneuver around each other.  After some time to practice, the USA team would try to kick their balls off the court, and the last girl on the court with her ball was the winner.  The girls really enjoyed this drill!

Team Bonding

Some of the campers listening intently to their mentors.

Waiting anxiously to be called to get some food.

Cheering their team on from the sidelines.

Team bonding and resting in the much needed shade while the other teams played.

Goofing Around 

Got sunscreen?  The sun is so direct down here in Guatemala even the natives need to cover up from the sun.  The Americans have been doing pretty well in our battle against the sun, but some of us definitely have pink skin at this point in the week--did anyone pack any aloe?

Jumping to cheer on some of the other teams.

Aren't we at a soccer camp?  Why are you doing a cheerleading pyramid?

In order to entertain themselves while not playing, one of the groups decided that they would start throwing people up in the air.  The person being thrown would lay down on the ground, and the girls would surround the victim and grab arms, legs, and shirts...anything that would help.  They then would count to three and lift/throw the person up in the air around 3 or 4 times.  Speaking from experience, it was so much fun; it felt like a miniature version of the "Drop Zone" at a theme park.

Let it Rain! Let it Rain!

As we mentioned, we have been dealing with some rain this week.  We thought that in order for you to really appreciate the level of rain that we have been forced to deal with on more than one occasion, you needed a picture.  Enjoy!

Medical Support

A lot of the girls are having issues with strains/sprains from the increased level of physical activity this week.  The guys on the USA team have been more than willing to carry the girls around.  I like to think of it as a win-win situation: The guys get to be manly by carrying around one of the girls, and the girls get to be carried around by a strong American male.  My hero!

Don Tortrix helping out on the medical team.  From strains and sprains to attacks by fire ants as well as heat exhaustion, the medical team has been quite busy this week!

Rockin' Out for Jesus

The girls love running up to the stage during praise and worship time at the beginning and end of the service.  It's so amazing to see the girls worship God!  Their excitement leads them to chant "Otra vez! Otra vez!" (Again!) or "Tomalo!" (the favorite song) each night.  A couple of the nights, the worship team ran out of songs practiced for the service and had to repeat the songs they already sang.  

Testimonies

Last night, we took the girls down to the beach and the dock as part of the service.  This part of the week is so amazing because standing there by the water, the girls can see the ocean and all of the stars in the sky.  The theme of the message is simple:  The God who created all of this beauty. The God who created all of the stars in the sky.  The God who created the entire universe where Earth is just a tiny, tiny piece in that universe.  That God wants a personal relationship with you.  That God loves you and wants good things for you.  That God has great plans for you.  That God can take away your pain and your burdens.  All you have to do is accept Jesus as the son of God who came to save us from ourselves so that we could spend eternity with our Father, the God of the universe.  

This message then leads into a break out by all of the groups with their mentors and the USA team members assigned to each team.  This is a time of reflection and a time for the girls to open up and share their testimonies with each other and with us.  We are all so proud of and honored by the girls who shared their testimonies.  Their stories are tough, and the strength that they needed to share those stories was something that only God could have provided them.  Some of the stories involved parents who passed away or parents who had abandoned them.  Other stories included situations where the girls had been physically or sexually abused by a family member, a friend, or even a stranger.  Other girls shared that they had been or were active gang members, or that they used drugs and/or drank alcohol.  Some of the girls here shared that they are alcoholics that are going through withdrawal this week.  Other girls shared that they were cutters who hurt themselves to deal with the pain of their circumstances.  The experiences of these girls are absolutely heart wrenching because no girl should have to experience what these girls have had to experience.  Additionally, some of the girls have not yet had the strength to share their testimony, but we can see that they are comforted by God's love coming through us to them and by God's promises for them.  We continue to pray for those girls that as the week ends and they return home that God would continue to provide them strength and support to process their hurts and help them move forward.

One of the themes that we have shared this week with the girls is that God can take away your pain and burdens, and God can still use you regardless of your past and future circumstances.  God has a perfect plan for each one of them, and as long as they seek God and listen to His promptings, they will do great things to build the body of Christ.

Playing in the Rain!

Hola Todos!

Yesterday was another busy day for everyone! The girls had the routines of the day down and they were ready to go bright and early. We all came together for warm-ups to start our day and after enjoyed another amazing breakfast - french toast (or as the Guatemalan's say it - panqueque)!!

The US team gets together every morning for our own devotions led by our very own KP (Kurtis Parks). We are so encouraged by hearing each others stories and getting to know one another on a deeper and more personal level. With all the heat, sun, rain, soccer, and sweat we all have become very close!! While there have been new friendships that have been formed and old friendships growing stronger we all find that the girls are what have really brought us together.

The girls came together after breakfast to start soccer practice. They are determined to play their best and work hard! We have many soccer coaches on the field to help sharpen their skills. Tuesday was a better day for practice in terms of weather. The sun came out and made it easier to practice on the field; however, by the afternoon the weather changed in typical rain forest fashion.

It poured! But that didn't stop the afternoon games from continuing. One team was left on the field to finish their game and they made warriors of themselves. They didn't care about slipping, sliding, or falling flat on their face. They were ready to win! After the game came chants from all the teams. Some played in the rain, some attempted to stay dry (didn't work), and by the end of the afternoon games, we were all soaked.

The US team had some free time to go down to the lake to swim. We played games in the water and dove off the docks. It was yet another awesome time together as a team.

By the time chapel came we were fed again and ready to worship. The girls wasted no time in rushing to the front and getting their praise on! So far we think the favorite song is Tomalo  (Take It All). They jump up and down and sing their hearts out! After each song they yell, "Uno mas! Uno mas!" Then, after the message, we had another alter call. The girls weren't as shy as they were the night before, but it still took a little time for them to come up. Some of these girls just come to the front and cry. Some search for us to be beside them.

It's amazing to see the walls come down and their hearts and spirits open up to God. Some of us had the opportunity to pray for them. They would wrap their arms around us and hold us...tight. Some would just want to be held. That is what they are longing for. For those of us who don't know much Spanish, it was the best way we communicated last night.

Well, we are off for another great day today! Please pray the rain hold off during games, the girls have a good time, and that US team doesn't get sunburned!

Fotos!

Here are some pictures from the first couple of days at the camp.

Checking in the Girls for the Camp

The pastor of the church where we checked in the girls praying over the USA team prior to heading to Izabal, Guatemala for the camp.

Thankfully, all of the girls receive a name tag upon arrival at the church because it helps us to learn their names at the camp.

Loading up the buses for the long 5 hour drive to Izabal, Guatemala from Guatemala City.

Boat Ride to El Faro from Puerto Barrios, Guatemala

The last leg of the journey included a boat ride from Puerto Barrios to Izabal.  Let's just say trying to load almost 200 people into 25 person boats along with their luggage was a little complicated...

El Faro

El Faro--the location of the camp--is absolutely beautiful.  Here is a look at the scenic views we get to enjoy throughout the week.

Practicing Their Soccer Techniques

Throughout the week, the girls receive soccer training in the mornings and play games against each other in the afternoon.  As previously mentioned, the rain has created quite an interesting challenge for all of us and the girls, i.e. lots and lots of mud.

Altar Call

Last night we had the first altar call of the week...and wow!  After the mosh pit our first night, and this amazing altar call the second night, God is definitely moving in the hearts of these young girls where at least one-third of the girls have already accepted Christ.  At first the girls were very nervous, and no one went up to the front.  But one strong girl, along with the help of her mentor, made her way to the front, and her courage opened the flood gates for more girls to come to the front. During the call, some of the girls simply cried and cried, and you knew that they finally found a peace and a strength that allowed them to be little girls.  They no longer had to be strong and carry their heavy burden because they knew that God loved them and that He was going to protect them and provide for them.  So many of the girls have faced such hardships, it's incredible to see them give all of their burdens to God and surrender to His love and compassion.    

We still have some girls with walls up as a result of always having to put on a strong facade around their friends and family.  However, through your prayer and ours matched with God's awesome power, He can warm the hearts of these girls throughout the week and cause miraculous things to happen.  

Slip N' Slide

Hola Todos!

The Guatemalan team and "las chicas" were up at 6: 30 a.m. and ready to warm up. We pushed the girls hard right from the get go with a run and stretching session. Before we got into games and stations we enjoyed a typical Guatemalan breakfast; huevos con frijoles or eggs with beans! Yummy :)

Then, it was off to stations. We ran five stations in order to teach the kiddos some basic soccer skills. The chicas learned quickly and had a great time working with us. We could not avoid the wet fields. Apparently, when 110 girls run on a wet field it turns into MUD. The field quickly looked like an oversized slip n' slide!! By the end of our morning session "las chicas" looked like mud monsters. And, so did we. We had mud from head to toe! I'd being lying if I said we didn't enjoy it! How did we solve this problem? We threw the girls into the playa. The afternoon swim was unbelievably refreshing and necessary.

We spent the afternoon playing games on the main field. Today's games did not count towards the competition, but everyone was already in a competitive spirit. Each team proudly represented their "grupo" with chants, songs, and dances. Tomorrow begins the real games!

We are all in shock at how quickly the girls are warming up to us. It is only day two and the girls are already letting down their walls, having girl time by allowing us to paint their nails, and asking to learn English! It is precious to see the girls run to their coaches and give them hugs! The love circulating at El Faro is contagious! So, catch on and catch the love!

Hasta Luego!

First Days and a Mosh Pit

Imagine a  mosh pit. Now imagine a mosh pit with 110 Guatemalan girls singing in a foreign language along with  a group of Americans. One would think there is nothing in common. That one would be wrong. It is who we are singing about that brings us together as one:

Jesus.

Last night we had our first chapel service. After a full day of meetings, packing luggage, unpacking luggage, more meetings, a choppy boat ride, and the first of many encounters with these young girls, we came together to hear a message of encouragement, hope, and finding your identity. The teaching was great...the worship was amazing. These girls wasted no time in showing their enthusiasm to clap, praise, and jump up and down. While we couldn't understand everything being said we knew what the message was about.

The teaching was about David. David had dreams and so do all these girls. They each have something they are dreaming about. What breaks our hearts is now knowing that their past and present circumstances want to hinder those dreams from coming true.

Our first understanding of what these girls have been through came in the form of a video we saw during a team meeting Saturday night. These girls have seen everything from violence, killings, sexual and verbal abuse, and more. It broke all of our hearts...and made us more eager to get to the camp.

Now that we are here and have had a chance to meet the girls. Each with different stories. Each with their own challenges. Our hope and prayer is to plant a seed in their lives one beautiful memory at a time. We can't do it without your prayers and support. So keep it coming! We are stronger together!

Stay tuned...there is much more to come!

We're Here!!!

We all have arrived safely in Guatemala City and are safely at the hotel.  Most of the group is already fast asleep preparing for an early morning starting at 5:30am when we finally get to go meet all of the girls who will be attending the camp!  Tomorrow we travel to Izabal, Guatemala to start the soccer camp.

Pray'N Pak

The Guatemala Team is busy praying and packing! Praying and packing! For some, lists were checked and suit cases were sealed days ago. For others, "to do lists" are just being made. Good luck, procrastinators! Still others, are jumping up and down on their luggage trying to fit that one last pair of soccer cleats. Regardless of the state of our luggage, all of us are settling into the realization that our team is about to embark on a transformative trip. Tomorrow, we will land in Guatemala City ready and expectant to do God's work.

That reality is powerful. So, sure... we have nerves, fears, and worries but mostly we have the LORD on our side and in our hearts. We are an army marching in His honor! And, we are ready!

Until Tomorrow...
Be Not Afraid!

Get Excited for Guatemala 2012!!!

Before we head down to Guatemala, I wanted to post a video highlighting our amazing first trip to Guatemala in June 2011 as a teaser to help build some anticipation for what will be happening during our upcoming trip.  Enjoy!  Click here for video.

Editor's Note: The donation link at the end of the video is no longer active.  If you would like to donate to Champions in Action, please to go its webpage at www.championsinaction.org.

Welcome to our Blog

Welcome to the blog of our missions trip to Guatemala to help with Champions in Actions.  The group consists of approximately 40 people from around the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area and is associated with National Community Church.  Please stay tuned from June 16 through June 24 to hear about the exciting things happening at the camp and the impact that God is having in the hearts of each individual at the camp.  We know that God will be doing some pretty amazing things that you won't want to miss out on.

For more information about National Community Church, please see www.theaterchurch.com.  Also, please see www.championsinaction.org for more information regarding the organization we will be assisting during our trip.

ORDINARY people, EMPOWERED by God's Spirit, DOING what Jesus did, TOGETHER, WHEREVER they are! Acts 1:8