January 29 – February 3, 2102
Good Goers/James Fund Combo Trip

Praise God for our trip to Chichicastenango, Guatemala. Our team, consisting of Good Goers, Family Christian employees and Payless Shoes employees, was focused on building four widows’ homes and install ten stoves for widows, and … loving on the
kids. Our trip also included a zip line adventure through the forest. The visual sights were unbelievable as all of us completed the zip line run. God’s creation is such a beauty!

It was heart warming to meet the widows who would receive our houses and stoves. We played with the young and older kids. The women on our team painted the girls’ fingernails. We shared songs and had fun playing ball with the kids. Many shoes and socks were donated and we were able to give them to the children as we washed their feet. We served meals to the children at the feeding center as they came to play and hear Bible teachings. Many children took portions of their meals home to other family members. We were blessed to spend time with these children who often are isolated and unable to play like other kids do. We shared candy with the children throughout the villages. Market Day is a place of many colors, textures, and goods. This is a day when the entire city comes to town.

We completed our goal of building the four homes and installing the ten stoves with the team of Manos de Jesus. So the question we had as we left… “How is God going to use this experience?” We were the drop; God will create the ripples. Let our Guatemala Team encourage you to participate in mission trips as well.

While most of the team arrived safely to Oklahoma, three were stranded in Houston, Texas.  That did not stop them from laughter, prayer, and vibrant discussion life, God, and delayed flights.  God’s grace was given to the hurried workers as they took excellent care of the three stranded missionaries.  Meanwhile the rest of the team had the opportunity to listen to Indian stories, eat out, and enjoy Joni’s guided tour of Oklahoma.  For a first day it was a great time of travel and fellowship.

Tuesday began the work week for the team.  Broken up into three teams, we quickly got to work.  One team was to build new bunk beds.  The second team began to build a greenhouse by constructing the foundation.  There was the laundry team that had a mountain of clothes to wash, dry, and fold.  The last team ‘merchandised’ the rummage room that housed all the clothing donations.  While the bunk, laundry, and merchandise team were nestled inside for the most part, the greenhouse team stayed outside.  It started to rain, and became very cold.   Regardless of the leaders suggestions to work on other projects, they drove right on through and kept working.  It was a great time of sweat and laughter.  Our reward was the smiling faces that arrived home from school.  We met in the dining room.  It was a time to learn about each other and share common interests.  Each of the team members got to begin a relationship with each child.  We got to serve, talk, play, and eat with Jesus.  After dinner came the girls’ basketball team from the local high school.  I’m proud to announce that they won.  We were elated.

Wednesday was play day! Can I say that Will Rogers is a hoot?  What an amazing guy to bring such humor and truth to the world in a very dark time.  He reminds me of Andy Andrews in the energy that he had.  We toured the museum and learned all about this cowboy and how he grew to be a great influencer.  After Will Rogers, we headed off to the Native American Museum.  There we learned about the building in which they lived in during the early 18^th century, types of food that they ate, and the games that they played.   The most renowned and still played game was stick ball.  The most impactful part of the museum was the Trail of Tears.  It was tough to hear about the forced expulsions from their homelands in Georgia and Florida to Oklahoma.  If America could take back a piece of her past we were sure this would be one of them.  After the museum we headed back to Oaks.  Laughter and joy of all the kids back at the mission was a great treat.  It was decided that a party needed to be thrown.  We needed something that would tell a princess that she is a princess. That something was Spa night.  All the women on the team prepped the recreation room and began to beautify all the girls.  It was such a sight to see all the little girls being treated as God’s wonderful creation.  The love in the room was powerful.  One girl made the comment that she never felt as pretty as she did that night.  God’s grace reached these little hearts.

Thursday… back to work!  The rummage team finished Tuesday and began to paint the dining room trim and walls.  It was way too cold and snowy so the greenhouse team moved indoors to begin cleaning other buildings on the mission.  Bunk team kept on building bunks.  The laundry team finished up the laundry and was able to move on to cleaning and repairing other pieces of the property.  While in the dining room, the cook, Arlene, was shown some Christian charity.  Instead of her serving us, some of the team members decided to serve her.  Washing dishes, prepping food, and serving the hungry team members and kids were in this package of love that we gave her.  Sharing Jesus’ love extended beyond the kids and to every person at the mission.  After a long day of work we began the joy of a long night of love for the children.  It was game night.  We played basketball, board games, foosball, pool, air hockey, and many others.  During the games we shared our stories and God’s story to the kids.  After the game we had time to discuss our thoughts about the day, just as we had been doing all week.  But this night was special.  There was a fire in our bellies.  Each of us had a verse that originated from another team member. We were to meditate on that verse and bring ideas to the team later that night.  Discussions about where we saw God erupted. Some of them were convicting and challenging.  Our greatest challenge came from one of our trip leaders–  In a world filled with pure evil what are we doing to combat it?  How are we stopping human trafficking, gangs from murdering each other, poverty, and kids going hungry at night?  We were challenged and knew the problems of the world, but we also knew the God that we served.  Because at that moment thousands of Christians around the world were also on mission trips, organizations like IJM and Project AK-47 were stopping the trafficking of kids, and World Vision was building communities and sharing the gospel.  God is alive through the people and organizations that stand up against injustice!

Friday was the last day of work.  All the teams finished their assignments.  A basement was waterproofed, the bunk beds were built, the greenhouse base completed, and multiple other cleaning and repair projects were finished.  We walked around the surrounding area on a small hike to learn more about Oaks Indian Mission.  Along the way kids played, pictures were taken, and arrow heads were discovered.  We celebrated our time at the mission with an ice cream party.  We played until it was time for the kids to go to bed.  Then in our debrief time we worshiped.  Our group filled the room with prayers, songs, and liturgy as we celebrated the last supper on the last day.  As we reminisced about our Lord’s death and resurrection, we were comforted by God’s presence.  We knew that our time was done at Oaks, but that God would continue to take care of His children.  After worship we discussed how God has changed us and how we would change some of the things that we do back at home and in our respective workplaces.

Saturday was a mixture of joy and sadness.  It was time for us to say goodbye to our new friends.  All of them had touched our lives, and we hoped that we touched theirs as well.  We were met at the vans by our friends, took some last minute photos, and said goodbye.  We saw Jesus in the faces of the kids that we served.  I find no coincidence in the scripture that the devotional that was given to each of us: “May his glory fill the whole earth.” (Psalm 72:19) and “Go into all the world and proclaim the good news to the whole creation.” (Mark 16:5)  It is as if we were going there to learn and grow in Christ, and then to be sent back to share the Good News. For if you ask us, we would say that God’s Kingdom was alive and strong at Oaks Indian Mission.

And all God’s people said, AMEN!

It appears her community is also excited about what the team is doing.

Just imagine how well Thomasa will sleep tonight in her own home! Team, what we do is essential.

Live passionately!

This first trip was initiated by a hearty Good Goers team of nine. Right away it was apparent that this team was ready to serve, do hard work, and push themselves. I really saw Romans 12:1 lived out by this team; “In view of God’s mercy, offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship.”

Monday: Travel, orientation, team building and prep for the week. We enjoyed our beautiful compound which overlooks the city and serves as a place of respite for tired bones.

Tuesday: We got right into the work of service. The first order of business was to refresh and clean up the campus and church property we stay at. The campus and was about to celebrate the first anniversary of being in ministry. The upcoming weekend would see hundreds of folks stopping in for worship, festival and ceremony. So our job was to make it sparkle. Fresh paint, new flowers, mowed grass, cleaning, and landscaping were the agenda for the day. We were able to get the campus in shape by mid afternoon and still had time to make our way to the first of two orphanages we would serve at this week.

Tuesday, late afternoon we arrived at Pueblito, a state run orphanage that serves nearly one hundred orphans. The team was able to spend lots of time in play with the kids as well as get some serious painting done in the recreation center. The recreation center is the main area of activity for the campus and children, so being able to put our mark on it was important to us. The work we got done is able to serve a marker to the children and staff that Jesus is real, that because of our love for Him, we can extend love to this place and these people.

Wednesday: It was a less physical day, bit very intense emotionally. This day would give each of us a new perspective on poverty in Costa Rica. It would show us brokenness, pain, and need. It would also show us that God is reaching into broken places; redeeming lives and calling out lives to hope and a future. We distributed food and prayed with widows and their families in a ghetto called Alajuelita. The ghetto is as poor as I have ever seen. Yet God’s people are there serving in His name. We were there serving in His name.

We distributed several weeks of food to twelve widows and their families. Each family so grateful and stunned by this gift. We also had the great joy of praying over each family. Each team member took the lead in praying over a family calling down on them God’s protection, healing power, and His very real hope that is beyond every circumstance. This time of prayer was very emotional for the families and team. While our time with each family was too short, God used it to transform each of us and to leave His imprint on each family.

Thursday: We spent late Wednesday and all of Thursday at a very special orphanage called Faro. This is private, faith based, orphanage where thirty children live and are cared for. This day and half was rich as worked closely with the staff (and children) painting, repairing, cleaning, and generally improving the facilities. The kids are very special. .Each is home schooled on site and speaks English to some degree. So the great joy of Faro is that we can really build a connection with the kids. The only hard part of this is that we do have to leave at some point, so that stings quite a bit… in a very wonderful way!

Friday: Pure adventure. White water, stunning beauty, and thrills on top of thrills.

Costa Rica is Good Goers at its best. Join us and get ready for impact and adventure on many levels!

What a week of mission, adventure, service and joy – an outstanding Good Goers Mission Adventure trip serving at Oaks Indian Mission in Oaks, Oklahoma.

The team of 12 came from all over the U. S. to impact the lives of the 40 children at Oaks. The week certainly held its share of hard work. There was the cement pour on Monday with everybody pitching in with heavy lifting; lots of physical labor, and the cement pour itself. This project was to build an outdoor worship platform on the edge of a creek in a place used by Native American Tribal Elders as a place of worship for centuries. 

The other half of the team began work to restore and freshen one of the Children’s homes. The paint project would bring a special touch to the home and provide a fresh new look for the teen girls living in the home.

The late afternoons and evenings were filled with lots of time for one-on-one with the children of Oaks. This was the favorite time of all for the team. We could interact with the kids; spend time loving on them, laughing, and making them aware of how special and loved they are. Crafts, sports, and laughter were on the agenda each evening. God favored us with great weather allowing us to pour into the kids lives well after the sun set each evening.

• Other projects included rehabbing and beautifying the picnic tables on the property.
• Organizing and inventory placement in the clothing storage building.
• Landscaping the area near the creek and new worship pad – really bringing it to life.

While the work was important, the best work of the week was spending time with the children of Oaks. Our goal was to let them know that they were special, one-of- kind, loved, and to pour over them as much affection as possible. We wanted them to know that Jesus loves them and is pursuing a relationship with each one of them.

God was very good to us this week. We pray that our impact on the children will encourage them and energize them to deepen their walk with Jesus. We know for certain that God favored us and that the week challenged each of us to serve with vigor, even in the small things. We know that it is not the size of the project, but the purity of the heart that Jesus seeks.

One Good Goer shares a special ending to a special week:

“The second part of my picture didn’t take place during the trip. It was actually on our way home as Hope cried on the airplane and sobbed herself to sleep in her bed because she didn’t want to leave the kids as well as the other team members.  Not only did the kids make an impact on her, but all the team members really touched her heart.”

Our team at Oaks this week was  not only on a mission to complete a large painting project, but also to enter the lives of the staff and kids who live there; to be an encouragement to them.  What a privilege to share Christ’s love – a love that is unconditional and can be trusted.

Kid time – Afternoons and evenings were spent hugging and loving on kids.  We enjoyed meals together, played games, worked on craft projects and even participated in an awesome ‘Back to School’ celebration.  All of the staff and children were in attendance along with Oaks board members, local government officials, local police officers and friends from the community.

One Good Goer was moved by the testimony of a young man who had previously lived at the Oaks Indian Mission…

“During the ‘Back to School’ celebration, a 20 year old student got up and gave a powerful testimony of the work God has done in his life both while living at Oaks and as he has since gone on to college.  He referred to the part of the ceremony where each child was presented with a quilt made especially for them; showing that they were cared about and loved.  Sedrig challenged and pleaded with them to remember their strong Cherokee heritage and claim the promise of love that each of the quilts represented.  He told them not to give up and to work hard to achieve their goals and dreams. He also shared his deep appreciation to the Oaks staff for the time and training they invested into his life.  Most of all he told the kids to remember to live for God who loves them more than anyone they know – the one who will never let them down and will keep His promises.”

Adventure – One morning, we visited the Cherokee Heritage Center and village.  It was awesome to experience a bit of the Cherokee history and culture.  A mom and her son from our team are part Cherokee, so they were able to ask great questions and expand on things that further enriched our experience.

Following lunch, we took a raft trip up the Illinois River.  We realized early on that if we were to make it to our destination, lots of ‘teamwork’ was in order!  Mom and son got out and pushed every time we had less water than land.  At the end some swimming and cold drinks were in order.Work Project – The team project was to complete the process of painting 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms and some hallways in the teen girl’s dorm.  We moved furniture, took posters off the walls and cleaned and vacuumed areas that had not seen sunlight for months!  What an opportunity to provide clean, freshly painted living space for the girls.

Once the girls were home from school, we got out the rollers and brushes and encouraged them to help us in the hallways.  We got lots of painting done, but more importantly had opportunity to interact and get to know them better.Most of the team left very early, but 2 of us drove into Tahlequah to see the parade and view exhibits at the Cherokee National Festival. We ran into one of the girls from Oaks and she was excited to see us and said, “thank you so much for painting our rooms!”  It was a good reminder of how things we take for granted, are very out of the ordinary and special to them.

The week is over, the continuing work in progress, and lives changed by the relationships built. May this experience challenge us to continue serving orphans  wherever we are … until We Plan It, We Lead It and You Live It again!

Good Goers Chichicastenango, Guatemala Trip Recap: August 1-6, 2011

The week in Guatemala could not have gone any better. We had a much energized group from the time we met at the airport in Guatemala City until the last farewell at departure gates. During the week we constructed four widows’ homes and installed eight cooking stoves, distributed over 100 pair of shoes, loved on kids at the feeding programs, and enjoyed the raw beauty of Guatemala at every turn.

Each of these projects was filled with emotion and joy as we watched the labor of our hands transform the very lives of the widows, families and children we were serving. Every effort on our part was for the good of others and helped improve their quality of life dramatically. We certainly were privileged to provide care for today for widows and the poor, but we are also able to give hope for tomorrow as we shared the good news of Jesus with so many during our week there.

A great benefit of the hard work side by side with others was the development of so many new and deep friendships with folks from all over the country. There was always laughter, always good conversation, always help near by, and always a sweet spirit within the team. God’s favor rested on us and we are changed because of it.

The summary from many of the team members was this: the new perspectives we gained by seeing deep poverty and even evil have increased our boldness to do good and serve. One team member shared that each day here we saw the remnants of evil that were visited on these over the past 3 decades, yet we made a huge impact on families by the good were did. The verse she called out for us to rally around was this: “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” -Romans 12:21.

By God’s grace and in Jesus name we pray that was our legacy this week in Guatemala.

God is good and is at work in Guatemala. What a privilege it was to be a part of the ministry happening in Chichicastenango. Our Good Goers/James Fund team partnered with Pray America to touch many lives. In one week, the team built 4 widow houses, worked 2 feeding stations, installed 10 high efficiency stoves, and had an absolute blast doing it.In the words of one of our team members, Chris Wisener (SM store #35):

“Imagine people from all walks in life serving and caring for other people from the abundance of their hearts. Catholic with Protestant, Lutheran with Baptist, male with female, rich with poor; all with a common purpose of spreading the Good News of the resurrected Christ. There is no strife or disagreement, but fellowship and love for one another. Hungry Children were given food, the homeless are now with a home, the tired and worn out received resting, faith in a God of love and grace was increased, fears were released, hearts were healed, Jesus was served, laughter could be heard all around, the Good News preached, and God was glorified. Perhaps one would call such an image Heaven.In Guatemala that is precisely what happened. God’s love was shown, and the gospel was preached. Family Christian Stores is in the Life-Changing-God-Glorifying business, and on this mission trip all lives involved will never be the same for we saw God at work before us, after us, beyond us, above us, and below us. This is what I saw happen in Guatemala, and I thank God for being apart of it. All glory to the Father, to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. Amen.”

Widow Houses –unbelievable that in one day a house can be built that literally changes the lives of a widow and her kids and/or grandchildren. A place they can finally call their own. And then the “icing on the cake”…having the privilege of dedicating the house to them and praying over them and their new house. Here are some images of the team doing just that.

High Efficiency Stoves – we were the first group to install stoves w/ Pray America. We’re told their old stoves take approximately 5 logs to cook a meal and leave smoke and soot throughout the structure where they cook. These high efficiency stoves take less than one log to cook a meal and vent the smoke outside. Just a huge impact and it really showed on their faces as we showed them how they worked and prayed for them.

Adventure – Lastly, the team had the opportunity to enjoy God’s creation as we zip lined through the mountains overlooking Lake Atitlan.

Thanks for your prayers and the opportunity to represent the James Fund and Good Goers on this life changing trip! One last vision to leave you with. The team on consecutive days had a chance to see a rainbow encircling the sun. A sight none of us had witnessed before, nor something any of the locals we talked w/ said they had ever seen. Absolutely beautiful!