Participant Blogs

After 2 days of travel, delayed flights, Egypt's elections, Spain's airport strikes and being stuck in peak traffic in Guatemala City, we made our way to Panajachel! It's been an interesting journey this far.  God's been preparing us and binding the team unity and love.  We are all looking forward to the time here in Panajachel and what the Lord will be doing in and through us.  In the next few weeks we will be involved in various projects, helping the local congregation and the surrounding community who had a rough year marked by natural disasters and ongoing mudslides.  We...

  During the past 2 weeks, God drew my attention to this power and the effect it has.  It started on our Luke 10 in Hawaii, when Johannes and I got to spend 3 days with two lovely people (Julie and her daughter Jana).  I believe that it was God’s divine appointment for us to meet Julie ‘randomly’ at a laundromat, starting a conversation about wi-fi.  This all led to her offering us food, a lift back to our tents, breakfast the next morning and to stay at their place (something she would never do with strangers).  During the time...

Debrief in Hawaii made me think about all that happened the 1st forty days of our journey, more specifically in which ways God has been busy with me.  It is easy for me to become so focused on others, that when asked what God has been doing in my life, I really have to think about it.  Not that He has not done something, I just become so focused on what He is doing in others, that I overlook His working in my life.  I’m very thankful for a team leader who makes me think about these things… Since Egypt,...

Before we knew what happened, Ettienne, Nicholas and me got the surprise of our life…  We were on a different flight than the rest of the team and would have had to wait on Madrid airport for about 20 hours before boarding our flight to Portugal.  Anticipating the same procedures as the previous time, we prepared ourselves for the “duty free shopping area” (almost like no man’s land on the airport) and getting some sleep.  But this time things were a bit different and before we understood what’s going on we were at border control and got a stamp in...

  I once heard someone say that one should be careful before putting a world map on your wall, because you don’t know where God will take you.   What can I say, not only did I not listen…I have three of them!   And God’s been taking me all over the world.   Looking at the world map, following the route we’ll be going on during the upcoming 80 days, I found myself bewildered.   I am privileged to have visited a few countries, yet compared to the rest of the world, it’s only a few dots.   The...

I've only been in Egypt a few days and it's been enough to make me ask various questions and draw me  deep into God's word.  And I've heard so many say “I don't understand” - in conversations, expressions of their minds and in prayer.   On our arrival in Cairo we had the privilege of seeing the city from the air at night.  Thousands of lights of all sorts.  Then we noticed all the green ones standing out... hundreds of them.  As we drew closer to the ground we recognized the towers from which these green lights came...hundreds of mosques. ...

I know, it's been a really long time since the last blog in New Zealand!  And now, I'm going to try and summarize the experiences of the 2 months that followed into one blog!    After New Zealand we passed through the USA on our way to Guatemala.  There we had 2 days in Guatemala City and then took a chicken bus to Panajachel.  During this month (until 18 August)  we worked in Panajachel and the surrounding area.  It was a time in which God challenged me on various areas and  further opened my eyes to the reality of the spiritual war we are engaged in. ...

Looking back on our time in New Zealand, this has been the most difficult country for me to be in.  The contrast compared to what I've experienced in India, is significant.  On first sight, this country looks perfect.  There's no sign of poverty or people struggling to keep head above water.  Everyone's got all they need and more.  And this was one of the things that hit me the moment we arrived.  Driving towards our destination a sadness overwhelmed me.  The kind of sadness that accompanies the sight of people who have all they want, who's lives are going well...

During our time in the orphanage in a town south of Delhi, I've learned so much from the children.  It's interesting how it always turns out that one's blessed hundred times more when you think you're going out to bless others.  In the end we've all been a great blessing to each other.   All of this happened while praying, playing and loving each other. Painting the school First of all I want to praise God for his provision.  We've trusted Him to provide funds in order to bless the orphanage and help with some projects.  We were also challaenged to...