How Does One...? August 6, 2016
P.s. Check out the latest blog post here, about giving and relationships and things.
P.s. We just put up a new "Projects" page on TEAM Guatemala's website...give it a look to get a picture of some of the pieces that make up what we're doing together her.
On Monday afternoon, a dozen kids became enamored with a Vortex football (the ones with the tail and the whistle), and we spent 2 hours making up and playing a ultimate-frisbee-soccer-like game, with all the objections and complaints of 8-year-olds included.
On Tuesday, I talked at length with David over some picado de carne, about women, [lack of] work, church, God, and his alcoholism. And in the afternoon I met the guy who runs the community room and he said he'd let us use it for a business class we're going to start.
On Wednesday, I waited for none of the five to show up at the morning mentoring/tutoring program, and in the afternoon program taught the kids (who did show up) to make cookies, made dough for 200 cookies for an event the next day, and baked 50 cookies in church oven that probably didn't eclipse 250°F. They turned out the worst and I was...undone. I looked at an apartment for rent in Bethania; we're thinking and praying to see if God wants us to live there sometime. Then I went home baked 150 more that turned out great. With the help of a great wife.
On Thursday, I made some flyers to get the word out about the business class and spent some time at the Global Soccer Ministries academies in Bethania. They had a parent meeting and a celebration of all the birthdays in the last 6 months (hence the cookies, which have been henceforth consumed by many-a-mouth.
How does one "do community development"? It's a perplexing question, really, and I won't write a book here about the philosophical side of it. But, having been planted in Bethania for a few months now, God's brought a few things to our attention that could create opportunities for good things.
1) Mentorship: Abdiel and I invited 5 teenagers from 2 different GSM academies to participate in this pilot program, meeting twice a week for a couple hours. We want to hang out with them, teach them practical life/job skills (learn to change oil, learn to cut hair, bake cookies), help them with the classes they're struggling in, and dig deeper into faith and prayer and the Bible with them. So a little church (like real little) called Celula Familiar gave us keys to their place, which is a big deal because 1) Guatemalan churches rarely work together and 2) it's in a really good geographical spot. So thank God for that, even though the oven is a little...in need.
2) Business Class: One day Rodrigo (the Toros left tackle) and I had lunch in Bethania, and we came upon the idea for a class to help teach basic business principles to Bethanians, where there's loads of miniature, sell-out-of-your-house or on the street businesses, unemployment, semi-employment, and really no one producing things that go out of the Bethania peninsula. Like the biggest business (besides schools and churches) that I've seen is a restaurant that seats maybe 60-70 folks? Anyway, starting August 15, we're starting a weekly course that we'll teach with the help of some others covering business idea development, marketing, legal processes, logistics, spiritual principles and more to help people grow their business or start a new one. We're excited about the possibility of a) doing 1-on-1 "consultations" during the week with people who want to develop their ideas more or have questions, and that could be such a cool window into their life! and b) if we sense some good ideas brewing, having a business launch or growth plan presentation competition, where the top presenters get a cash prize to invest in starting/growing their business. (side note: if this excites you and you (and/or your buddy) want to add to said start-up prizes, let me know, we can talk) I would love your prayers for this, there's so many cool things that could happen out of this, should God will it.
3) Global Soccer Ministries: I mean, they've been in the community for 12 years now, they've walked with a lot of kids and families. We're happy to keep supporting them and giving kids and families a little extra attention than what the coaches can with all their responsibilities. It was more or less my favorite thing when Da Hood! boys came down and went to the academy in the morning and then we rented a nice turf field that night and played a real game against some kids from the Bethania academy. There was a lot of trash talk, but Da Hood! prevailed, 8-5. They were so excited to play against us though.
4) Perusing: One of the things that has challenged me most in Bethania is the lack of structure we have had. #1 and #2 didn't exist until this week. Which grinds on a task-oriented person like me, but it has ground me well to understand and experience listening for God's Spirit (and also plenty of not listening for God's Spirit, if I'm honest), to encounter all kinds of people. Mothers of schoolchildren, career weed-smokers, businessmen, sellers of fruits, alcoholics, and lots of people who have been to the States or want to go to the States or know someone who lives in Los Angeles. The thing about Bethania is that thousands of people are OUT and they are also ABOUT. All the time. So you don't walk or bike places and not see people. Anyway, not all the conversations get around to unpacking the gospel, but a number of them have landed in the quarters of "I believe in God but don't go to a church" which gets us into what that belief really means to them and off we go. Also I've kind of got my eyes and ears out for people who are or could be really helpful to their own community in some way. Even if they're just smokin' weed right now, or takin' care of kids. God, show me where to go, and who you're putting in my path. Help me to trust you completely and to listen intently!
Anyway, just wanted to give ya'll a glumpdate (glimpse + update) on what's going on in Bethania these days, in the day to day Vortex games and the bigger picture...and ask for your prayers for these things that are starting. How does one do community development? Well, I can't develop much, but we lean on God knowing He can. We want to see God move!!!
We really do love ya, ya know, and we miss you (most of you...). Thanks for sharing in the journey!
-AJ & Alaina
thewestys.weebly.com
guatemala.team.org
P.S. Things We're Into Lately
1) Show: Dexter. Alaina is currently viewing it with eyes wide open and audible verbal remarks.
2) Life Changing Friends: Da Hood! They came here for a week. We climbed volcanos, got sick, won soccer games, built houses, played games, had church at Sigo Vivo in the rain and also ate deliciously.
3) Places: The Beach. We went with 2 couples from church to Puerto San Jose, it was beautiful, and a good breath.
4) State of Water: Ice. One thing about the beach is that when Alaina dives into a wave and AJ is forcefully pushed towards shore by the subsequent wave, one of their forearms has a high likelihood of crashing into the other's nose and breaking said nose. Yup. Sorry about that one babe. Fortunately we were at the beach with a hospital administrator, and fortunately the X-rays showed fractured cartilage but no broken bones. Phew. Also we fortunately escaped the water before the raging sharks of the Pacific caught the smell of Alaina's sweet blood in the water...
5) Book: In My Father's House by Corrie TenBoom. Ya gotta read something when traffic isn't moving, and this one Alaina happens to like quite a bit. Bought it at the Herrick Library Book Sale. I hope ya'll in Holland voted to keep that library millage around. Place is LEGIT.
6) Under-appreciated Item: Backpack. I (AJ) have stored an innumerable amount of things in my posteriorly-mounted maroon carrying module going to and from Bethania on bicycle. Waterbottles, bike locks, strawberries, bread, jackets, notebooks, footballs, papers and even eggs have made safe journeys in its bosom, while keeping everything quickly accessible should the situation call for rapid extraction of any of the above items. Its utility is unmistakable.
P.s. We just put up a new "Projects" page on TEAM Guatemala's website...give it a look to get a picture of some of the pieces that make up what we're doing together her.
On Monday afternoon, a dozen kids became enamored with a Vortex football (the ones with the tail and the whistle), and we spent 2 hours making up and playing a ultimate-frisbee-soccer-like game, with all the objections and complaints of 8-year-olds included.
On Tuesday, I talked at length with David over some picado de carne, about women, [lack of] work, church, God, and his alcoholism. And in the afternoon I met the guy who runs the community room and he said he'd let us use it for a business class we're going to start.
On Wednesday, I waited for none of the five to show up at the morning mentoring/tutoring program, and in the afternoon program taught the kids (who did show up) to make cookies, made dough for 200 cookies for an event the next day, and baked 50 cookies in church oven that probably didn't eclipse 250°F. They turned out the worst and I was...undone. I looked at an apartment for rent in Bethania; we're thinking and praying to see if God wants us to live there sometime. Then I went home baked 150 more that turned out great. With the help of a great wife.
On Thursday, I made some flyers to get the word out about the business class and spent some time at the Global Soccer Ministries academies in Bethania. They had a parent meeting and a celebration of all the birthdays in the last 6 months (hence the cookies, which have been henceforth consumed by many-a-mouth.
How does one "do community development"? It's a perplexing question, really, and I won't write a book here about the philosophical side of it. But, having been planted in Bethania for a few months now, God's brought a few things to our attention that could create opportunities for good things.
1) Mentorship: Abdiel and I invited 5 teenagers from 2 different GSM academies to participate in this pilot program, meeting twice a week for a couple hours. We want to hang out with them, teach them practical life/job skills (learn to change oil, learn to cut hair, bake cookies), help them with the classes they're struggling in, and dig deeper into faith and prayer and the Bible with them. So a little church (like real little) called Celula Familiar gave us keys to their place, which is a big deal because 1) Guatemalan churches rarely work together and 2) it's in a really good geographical spot. So thank God for that, even though the oven is a little...in need.
2) Business Class: One day Rodrigo (the Toros left tackle) and I had lunch in Bethania, and we came upon the idea for a class to help teach basic business principles to Bethanians, where there's loads of miniature, sell-out-of-your-house or on the street businesses, unemployment, semi-employment, and really no one producing things that go out of the Bethania peninsula. Like the biggest business (besides schools and churches) that I've seen is a restaurant that seats maybe 60-70 folks? Anyway, starting August 15, we're starting a weekly course that we'll teach with the help of some others covering business idea development, marketing, legal processes, logistics, spiritual principles and more to help people grow their business or start a new one. We're excited about the possibility of a) doing 1-on-1 "consultations" during the week with people who want to develop their ideas more or have questions, and that could be such a cool window into their life! and b) if we sense some good ideas brewing, having a business launch or growth plan presentation competition, where the top presenters get a cash prize to invest in starting/growing their business. (side note: if this excites you and you (and/or your buddy) want to add to said start-up prizes, let me know, we can talk) I would love your prayers for this, there's so many cool things that could happen out of this, should God will it.
3) Global Soccer Ministries: I mean, they've been in the community for 12 years now, they've walked with a lot of kids and families. We're happy to keep supporting them and giving kids and families a little extra attention than what the coaches can with all their responsibilities. It was more or less my favorite thing when Da Hood! boys came down and went to the academy in the morning and then we rented a nice turf field that night and played a real game against some kids from the Bethania academy. There was a lot of trash talk, but Da Hood! prevailed, 8-5. They were so excited to play against us though.
4) Perusing: One of the things that has challenged me most in Bethania is the lack of structure we have had. #1 and #2 didn't exist until this week. Which grinds on a task-oriented person like me, but it has ground me well to understand and experience listening for God's Spirit (and also plenty of not listening for God's Spirit, if I'm honest), to encounter all kinds of people. Mothers of schoolchildren, career weed-smokers, businessmen, sellers of fruits, alcoholics, and lots of people who have been to the States or want to go to the States or know someone who lives in Los Angeles. The thing about Bethania is that thousands of people are OUT and they are also ABOUT. All the time. So you don't walk or bike places and not see people. Anyway, not all the conversations get around to unpacking the gospel, but a number of them have landed in the quarters of "I believe in God but don't go to a church" which gets us into what that belief really means to them and off we go. Also I've kind of got my eyes and ears out for people who are or could be really helpful to their own community in some way. Even if they're just smokin' weed right now, or takin' care of kids. God, show me where to go, and who you're putting in my path. Help me to trust you completely and to listen intently!
Anyway, just wanted to give ya'll a glumpdate (glimpse + update) on what's going on in Bethania these days, in the day to day Vortex games and the bigger picture...and ask for your prayers for these things that are starting. How does one do community development? Well, I can't develop much, but we lean on God knowing He can. We want to see God move!!!
We really do love ya, ya know, and we miss you (most of you...). Thanks for sharing in the journey!
-AJ & Alaina
thewestys.weebly.com
guatemala.team.org
P.S. Things We're Into Lately
1) Show: Dexter. Alaina is currently viewing it with eyes wide open and audible verbal remarks.
2) Life Changing Friends: Da Hood! They came here for a week. We climbed volcanos, got sick, won soccer games, built houses, played games, had church at Sigo Vivo in the rain and also ate deliciously.
3) Places: The Beach. We went with 2 couples from church to Puerto San Jose, it was beautiful, and a good breath.
4) State of Water: Ice. One thing about the beach is that when Alaina dives into a wave and AJ is forcefully pushed towards shore by the subsequent wave, one of their forearms has a high likelihood of crashing into the other's nose and breaking said nose. Yup. Sorry about that one babe. Fortunately we were at the beach with a hospital administrator, and fortunately the X-rays showed fractured cartilage but no broken bones. Phew. Also we fortunately escaped the water before the raging sharks of the Pacific caught the smell of Alaina's sweet blood in the water...
5) Book: In My Father's House by Corrie TenBoom. Ya gotta read something when traffic isn't moving, and this one Alaina happens to like quite a bit. Bought it at the Herrick Library Book Sale. I hope ya'll in Holland voted to keep that library millage around. Place is LEGIT.
6) Under-appreciated Item: Backpack. I (AJ) have stored an innumerable amount of things in my posteriorly-mounted maroon carrying module going to and from Bethania on bicycle. Waterbottles, bike locks, strawberries, bread, jackets, notebooks, footballs, papers and even eggs have made safe journeys in its bosom, while keeping everything quickly accessible should the situation call for rapid extraction of any of the above items. Its utility is unmistakable.