What an Opportunity!

I have been given a wonderful opportunity.  A local missionary here in Guatemala has been working with a group in Nepal since a major earthquake struck in April.  About a month ago he shared that he was going back in late October and was looking for individuals to join him.  After much prayer and talking with other ministries I trust and look up to, I have decided to go.

Here's a little information about Nepal:

Nepal is a country in Asia most known for being the home of Mt. Everest.  It is a small, remote country with scores of ethnic groups and languages. It’s literally at the crossroads where the Middle East meets the East. It is both modern and ancient. It is densely populated but also has regions that are desolate and remote. It has frozen tundras and tropical savannas. Where the U.S. has about 81 people per square mile, Nepal has 526 people.  The country is very poor and, after a large earthquake last April, is still rebuilding.

It is 80 percent Hindu, 10 percent Buddhist, 5 percent Muslim, and 1 percent Christian.  Christianity is heavily rejected in this country, with people losing jobs and families disowning them when they convert.

So - what will I be doing in Nepal?

Our group is going to be involved in various aspects of a local ministry, like visiting churches (there are 29 in all, but obviously we won't go to all of them), seeing the results of relief aid after April's 7.8 earthquake, doing children's ministry, helping with human trafficking prevention and recuperation, and attending a pastor's seminar.  Quite a bit to do with only eight days on the ground!

I am excited about this opportunity and to go and see how missions work in other countries, especially in a nation where Christians are persecuted. I am excited to make connections with other missionaries and be a help to them in the work they are doing.  But, the thing I am most excited about is seeing how the human trafficking prevention and recuperation efforts work. This is an issue very close to my heart, and to be able to see how it's done will hopefully give me knowledge and skills I can use later.

The cost for this trip is a little over $3,000 dollars, well over half of which is for airline tickets.

Obviously this is outside of our normal budget, so we are asking for help.  We believe that this trip is an important part of God's plan, so we have already taken a step of faith and paid for the tickets, the fees to the mission company, and other costs. We are now asking you to pray and, if so led, to participate financially in this wonderful and important ministry opportunity.

I will be putting out more blogs as we get closer and I get more details about what is going to happen. For now, I would appreciate your prayers and support. If you'd like to make a financial donation, simply go to

https://www.worldoutreach.org/donate

Click the arrow to reveal a pull-down menu. Select 'Farrier - Mark and Andrea - GUATEMALA'.From there, simply follow directions to complete your donation. Or, if you'd rather, you can make a check out to WOM and write 'Farrier - 251' in the memo section. Checks can be mailed to WOM, PO Box B, Marietta, GA, 30061.

All donations are safe, tax deductible, and oh-so appreciated!

This and That

<sigh>

I went and did it again, didn't I? Left this blog unattended for way too long. Sorry 'bout that.

One of these days I'm going to learn that these posts don't need to be the epic literary masterpieces that they usually are (hah!), and that the occasional, "Hey, folks! Here's what's happening in our corner of Guatemala" will suffice. I guess I'll give it a try. Here goes:

• Year two is infinitely better and easier than year one on the mission field. Like, in every conceivable way. Things are less scary. More familiar. There is more sense of purpose to each and every day, and there are fewer moments of sheer panic during which the cry of, "What on EARTH am I doing here!?!" leaps to your throat. It's nice, really. We are thoroughly enjoying being second year missionaries, and praying that God will make us ever more useful for His purpose, kingdom, and glory with each passing day.
• It's really fun not being the new kids on the block, especially if that means getting to assist the even newer kids on the block. We are so very far from being experts, but it's fun to watch people who are even less expert than we are trying to acclimate to, well, everything. It's even more fun that we get to help. There are several new people and families in town, and we're grateful that God is allowing us to come along side and be a blessing to them just as so many others did for us during our first year.
• The longer we're here, the more God is clarifying our purposes. I (Andrea) really feel like I'm called to be a blessing and support to my fellow teachers as much as to my students. So, our family started a Bible study on Friday nights for my colleagues. It has been awesome! We eat too much. Laugh a whole lot. Get to know each other better. And, best of all, we get to really dig into the Word of God together. I am praying that these times will help us all be closer to one another, and especially to Christ!
• I'm going to Bogota, Colombia, in early October! Woot Woot! <Say it with me, now!> Woot woot!!! That's right, my school is sending me away. Already! (That didn't take long.) Actually, I'm going on behalf of my school to a conference about Advanced Placement classes, and I couldn't be more excited. I'm attempting to start our AP program this year with an English class I'm currently offering, but I want to see the program expand as much as possible so our students can take advantage of all the benefits of AP. The conference will be a great chance to learn how to implement the many facets of Advanced Placement at IAS. What a great academic opportunity. (Oh, and it's in BOGOTA, ya'll. So, woot woot all over again!!) 
• God is good. (If that's not the understatement of the millennium, I don't know what is!) Seriously. Like, in all the ways that anyone can be good, times infinity, and then a whole lot more. Each day we learn to trust Him more and more. Each day He proves Himself more faithful, capable, and loving than we ever thought possible. He's always been good, but there's something about being so utterly outside of our comfort zones and abilities to meet our own daily needs that makes us all the more aware of how amazing He is. We are overwhelmed by His goodness! We are so grateful He brought us here! We are so grateful for all the people He uses to bless us, and for all the people He allows us to bless as well. What more can I say? God is just soooooooooooo good.  

Well, I think that's it for now. I mean, it's the rainy season, so we have the daily excitement of finding the latest leaks in the roof. And, I've officially convinced two other teachers to get chickens (if only I was as successful at evangelism!), so we'll be helping them embark on that journey in the weeks to come. And, Guatemala's Independence Day is on Tuesday, which means that Xela is going to be positively inundated for the next week or so as we celebrate and host the country's biggest fair. And, the only bridge to our school is still officially closed, though we (like hundreds of others each day) take the terrifyingexhileratingfaithbuilding drive over the single lane that's still in use. (Hasn't collapsed so far!)  And, I got pied in the face last Thursday at school, but it was at least expected and for a good cause! And, and, and...

I guess this post wasn't exactly an epic literary masterpiece. Still, at least it lets you know some of what's happening in our corner of Guatemala. :)