FLIGHT PLAN

Dear family and friends,

Here is the flight plan. We can't wait to see everyone and share what the Lord has been doing in our lives! Thank you for your prayers for our safe travels home.

We leave Thursday morning from Guatemala City @ 8:00am
United Airlines flight 808
Arrive LAX 10:56 am
Leave LAX United flight 6477 @ 12:45pm
Arrive SMF @ 2:10pm

Merry Christmas to you all! We hope you have a very blessed time with your family!
Thank you for all your prayers for our team!

San Pedro - Indian Nose

This was taken sideways of coarse from our hotel here in San Pedro. The view here is spectacular. It has been sunny and beautiful every day.

VBS - Pastor Antonio's church

All week we have had a "VBS" here in Pastor Antonio's church. Over 1oo kids have shown up in this small Church to hear about the Love of God. During each service Julie and John lead the children in songs, then we have a lesson and crafts. These children are very precious and as a team we all feel blessed to be here and love on them. They shower us with affection - they are so hungry for attention.
After the "VBS" we have a service for the parents. A time of worship, testimonies and bible teachings. Each service is shared in English, then translated into Spanish and then translated to Tsutuhil.

Children wait in line for Marrianne to face paint!

Marianne, Kaitlyan, and Jessica face paint for over 100 excited children.

John doing his magic! The kids here love him! No matter where we go, within minutes the kids have surrounded him and are laughing.

Pastor Antonio and his family.

Thank you for your prayers for this amazing family!

During the first night here in San Pedro, on James and Dawn's 14th wedding anniversary they gave their testimony of what the Lord has done in their lives over the past few years. They have a powerful testimony of God’s love and faithfulness as God healed a broken marriage, and a life dependant on self. 8 people gave their hearts to the Lord during the alter call. What a way to celebrate! Praise the Lord!

The view from San Pedro.

Thank you for your patience for the updates. While in Guatemala City we had limited internet access. I will be catching you up as soon as possible.

The team is doing very well in San Pedro. We appreciate all of your prayers for our journey here. The journey was incredible… four hours on a “chicken bus”. The ride was bumpy but praise the Lord only one of us had motion sickness, unfortunately it was me!

Arriving here was very exciting as we drove down the mountain with a spectacular view of the lake. We are pleasantly surprised with our accommodations, we are blessed.

The village here is beautiful, breathtaking actually. It is easy to fall in love with the locals and the country. The village is filled with hippies; beautiful, unique, friendly and ‘lost’ people. Marijuana plants are growing wild everywhere. The ‘party’ scene is big.

The local indigenous people humble us. They are hard workers for such little pay; they are warm and loving towards us. We are blessed to be here and learn from them! I am sure we will learn more from them then they could from us.

We are working with Pastor Antonio and his church. He is an amazing man. I am in awe of his heart for his people, and his heart for God.

Please be praying for Pastor Antonio.

Some prayer requests for his ministry are:

- More workers for his ministry. His church is rapidly growing. PTL
- Pastor Antonio resently bought a small, humble lot for his church. They are needing a bigger location for his church. There are 2 lots around the church that they are interested in buying.
- Financial blessings for his ministry and for his family.
- Pastor Antonio's daugher is having some health problems please be praying for her.

If you are interested in helping Pastor Antonio financially please email
Bruce Ahlberg at brutcho@hotmail.com

After a long morning of picking up trash in Guatemala City. Jessica and Mindy relax with some of the children.

Pat sharing a story with the children at a park in Guatemala City. Pat does such an excellent job - and the children swarm her to hear what the Lord has put into her heart to share.

Baby weighing in Guatemala City

YWAM - Guatemala City comes each week to weigh the children in the area to make sure that they are of 'average weight'. The mothers then get a bag of formula for the child for participating in this program.

The "Clark" family at Casa Shalom. They didn't know until they were at Casa Shalom that their church back home made these blankets for the children.

John and Julie lead the worship for the team and at the churches we visit. They have really blessed the team with gifts that the Lord has given them.

Guatemala City

Bill and Pat at Casa Shalom

James at Casa Shalom

This picture was taken of most of our team from CDTS and the Guatemala City YWAM team, while visiting an orphange outside of Guatemala City called Casa Shalom. This is an amazing orphange. The children are well taken care of, yet they are short staffed of house parents. Please keep this need in your prayers. There are over 70 children at this orphange.

This picture was taken from our home here San Miguel Escobar, outside Antigua.

We are in beautiful, sunny Guatemala. Thank you for all your prayers to get us here! Our journey went smoothly. We arrived Wednesday in Guatemala City and drove to Antigua. The team was very excited even with such little sleep from the journey. We are all pleased and very blessed by our accommodations here in Antigua.

The YWAM base in Antigua is beautifully surrounded by mountains and active volcanos. You can hear Guatemalan music flooding the streets – at all hours. People here are friendly and approachable. Houses are painted soft colors of yellow, red, orange and teal. Church bells ring upon each hour. It is lovely here. On the surface it is all very attractive. When you look past the excitement of the ‘newness’ of the culture, you can see the need of Christ in the hearts of his people.

Teams from Chico have gone out, DTS and CDTS, to witness to the locals. Yesterday a homeless woman’s crippled arm was instantly healed when a few students prayed over her. Last night’s ‘Soul Patrol’ in Central Park’ brought four people to the Lord. Christ is moving not only in the locals but in our hearts as well. It is our prayer that God will do a miracle in our hearts as we learn to love as He does.

We leave Monday for Guatemala City for two weeks. We will keep you posted on prayer needs and answered prayers. Thank you all for your continued prayers.