Ivanrest Impact Ministries – Guatemala

Monday Morning -5:45 AM.

Once again God proved to be amazing and showed his presence to us in so many powerful ways that words will not be able to describe what took place yesterday.  The village we traveled to was again at the end of the road where few gringos have ever been.  The village was considered the poorest of all the villages that will be visited this year but they were really the richest when it comes to the things that really matter.  Only a few children were even present when we arrived and as always they had fears that needed to be broken down so they could receive the love that we were bringing.  Quickly your team of “missionaries” did what they do best.  They began loving and building relationships and trust.  Tennis balls, soccer balls, marbles, helicopter shooters, crayons, finger nail polish, Frisbees, jump ropes, dulce “candy”, the meds in the clinic and simply the words of love all worked beautifully together and the walls that separated us not only crumbled but they vanished.  What began as an evening of strangers meeting for the first time ended last night after 5 hours as a farewell of life long friends. 

Saturday Night God gave us a huge lesson on fear.  At each village we as a group go up infront of the people and sing some songs and then share personal testimonies of what God has done in our lives.  Sunday night as the call to share came, like a deer in the head light the team froze and gave into their fears.  Only one of the team after a short time came forward and gave their words.  This night I believe will prove to be the pivotal point in many of the teams lives as they realized that there is so much that they are holding back and afraid to step out in faith with. 

Sunday morning the personal devotion that was put together in the devotional booklet weeks ago was on the very topic of fear.  The group devotions yesterday were also on fear and how our fears keep us from following and trusting.  God knew that we were going to give in on Saturday in that moment so we could learn something about ourselves that we dared not admit, that through our actions we often show the appearance of being ashamed of God and afraid of standing up for him.  I think of Peter as he also in a moment of weakness denied his one true love.  But through that painful lesson he also discovered how to give his greatest weakness over to God and became one of the most passionate followers of Christ even giving his life to stand for Christ. 

Last night as the call to share personal words of a relationship with Christ, you would have thought the team was fighting for the mic and that many who denied Christ the day before had completely given over their fears and faced them head on.  What is in store for those who are able to set there fears aside and trust God with everything?  What is in store is a life of “Sold Out” passionate love that will be expressed each moment of life.

I believe that God has just powerfully commissioned many of this team with a new spirit.  A “spirit not of timidity and fear, but a spirit of power and love” [2 Timothy 1:7].  There are still others on this team that this fear is still too real, still too strong and today we need your prayers and God has much to do with all of us as we for one more day seek the answers to becoming “Sold Out” for God.

Today we will first travel to Antigua for a short time in the market.  If all goes as planned I will be using my shopping time to update the web page and down load more pictures.  [I am so disappointedJ]  After having lunch there we will visit Estuardo and spend time praying for this man of God who has paid a painful price for being “Sold Out” for his savior. 

We will then travel to the new base in the mountains that is near completion.  There we will have our last personal devotion time.  We will also stop at one or two villages from previous years and bring some gifts and let them know that they are still loved and prayed for. 

Tonight we will conclude with a final Team devotion and a challenge for us to give everything over to God and return home with an attitude of being “Sold Out”.    Please pray for this moment that will begin at 10:PM Michigan time. 

In the morning at 3:00 am we will need to leave for the Airport for another long day of travel back to our families and should arrive back at Ivanrest church around 8:30 PM.

This team has had to work hard and do it with very little sleep.  There is no way that this team should be functioning the way they are.  It has been a week of push, push, push like never before.  I know that their reward will and already has been great.  It is through your prayers that we have been sustained to make it through.  Continue to pray us through today and tomorrow.

Yesterday, Nate and I were able to down load all the posts that you have sent and the team has been able to read them.  We are very sorry that we could not make things more personal, but I think this too has been part of God’s plan for us.  This team has really come together and bonded and not having any thing to divide our attention has increased that.

Pray too for travel as we still may encounter adventures.  Last night your prayers carried us through as one of the van’s brakes completely went out going  down the mountain out and the driver through God drove off the road in the only place that would have even been a possibility.   God is so evident in every step we take down here and we rely and trust in that fact.  Oh, the stories you will hear when we returnJ.

I can’t thank you enough for all the ways you have supported us through this week.  Your family member or friend that is here will surely not return the same and that is our prayer that God will change us so we change others.

God bless you as God works in your life and you too live a “Sold Out” life for him.

In His Grip,                  Kevin