Emmanuel Church in West Kelowna and Peachland

Monday

08Mar2010

Guatemala Culture

Some interesting facts why missions so vital in Guatemala:

Guatemala is recovering from 10 years of civil unrest
when a NEW government is elected into power; they change ALL the policies and programs... whether it was good or bad. In doing this, unfortantely, they cannot establish economic and political growth and maintain the status quo
Status quo is the NORM in Guatemala... people are content. They aren't driven by materialism as we are.
Family relationships ARE everything. The people are rich in relationships. They may not have much but find significance in their relationships around them
There is NO social net from the government; no medical, no CCP, no child tax... you are on your own. Due to this, much of the poor go without and/or experience unneccessary deaths.

This is why the Church needs to be the Church in Guatemala. Since we have been here with Feviva, we have been working on 3 building projects; building a bridge, painting their Bible College that offers BA and MA degrees, and establishing a well for the Village of Hope (which is a transitional home for orphans from their orphanage; Casa Esperanza). I have preached 3 times in 2 days... our team presented 5 dramas, and prayed blessing on countless of people; churches, homeless, addicted.

We took ALL the kids from the orphanage to the pool yesterday. It was a time where these kids can be kids! We had chicken fights and played keep-away with teens that came from pasts that experienced rape, abuse, and left on their own... To put smiles on their faces was worth the cost!

I will have pictures up soon!

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Saturday

06Mar2010

Guatemala - working projects

Digging a well for the Village of Faith. It is 35ft deep and is DUG by manual labour; one guy is digging, one guy is pulling up the bucket, and another is hauling the dirt away. There is NO machines... they use a bucket, chisel, and a small shovel. This picture is looking down into the well. They make $1US/hr.

This is a bridge project we are working on. The ditch is 12ftx12ft and is used during the rainy season... water races down the trench and this is what they would use to cross. The people also dump their garbage in the ditch and usually ends up in the ocean as the waters carries it down.

This is ALL I can do at the moment as the internet is slow... but it is rewarding helping those in need in practical ways.

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Youth Ministry

Friday

05Mar2010

Guatemala Update

Greetings from Guatemala!

We have arrived safely at the Feviva compound early this morning... and ready to go. FYI, this is what we are planning to do:

Day 1 - tour, work projects (hauling water from a well, organizing donated toys, hauling sand for a walking bridge, and door-to-door ministry), homeless outreach

Day 2 - Children ministry, visiting an orphanage, and sports outreach

Day 3 - services where we are speaking, testimonies, dramas, and prayer. We will also be taking a tour of a prision ministry

Day 4 - prision ministry, working projects, and team ministry

Day 5 - working projects and youth ministry

Day 6 - working projects and house of refuge (homeless ministry)

Day 7 - at the beach for the day

Day 8 - finish working projects (walking bridge)

Day 9 - final ministry with the team and Antiguia

Day 10 - home. We are planning to be at EC approximately 11-midnight on March 15, 2010.

We ask for your support by praying for our young people. They have been serving efficiently and faithfully.

Story:

We went to an orphanage today where I held a 3 yr. old girl (the same age as my Isa). In Guatemala, there is NO social net (ie, Pension, EI benefits, Child tax) and havng babies as a teenager is common... so these teenage girls has to fight for survival... and this is where Feviva comes in. Their desire is to offer a hope and a future to children that otherwise would not. They offer them love, affection, protection, and education. These aspects really DO give a hope and a future that I think you and I take for granted at times.

It was revelatory.

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Youth Ministry

Wednesday

03Mar2010

Empowerment

Empowerment…

Last night, I experienced 23 youth and leaders lead their peers with the greatest message of ALL; how Jesus transforms lives. As I sat back and watched these teens walk out their calling, it was amazing to see their influence at work.

The top 3 influences in youth culture TODAY are:

Media/TV/Internet
Friends
Parents

In the 1960’s, top 3 influences in youth culture were:

Parents
Friends
Teacher/Mentor/Pastor

As you ALREADY know that youth culture has shifted, empowerment is ONE of the best ways to influence adolescents.

As leaders in TODAY’S culture, we got to find fulfillment in empowering others. I think it is something that we are wired to do, but empowerment isn’t easy or a quick fix. Some things I have learnt about empowerment:

You got to build a culture of empowerment
Empowerment brings sustainability in your culture
Empowerment breeds achievement in and through others
Empowerment is to LET GO of power (or the sense of power) and to let others lead
Empowerment takes time, discipleship out of a mentorship role, and ongoing encouragement
Empowerment should push you OUT of a job

I think that empowerment is not ONLY about others as much as YOU and I. Only leaders can create a culture where empowerment can flourish. What hinders empowerment is:

A faulty self –identity that is fed by success, own accomplishments, and/or fame rather than DEEPENING identity in Christ
A lack of TRUST or MISTRUST with those around you
You are not focused with building people AS MUCH AS by being busy accomplishing tasks
LONE RANGER philosophy of leadership/ministry; which isn’t a NT model at all… In fact, I would say it is a worldly model in its entirety.

I hope this helps YOU empower others. Besides, you and I wouldn’t be leading if it wasn’t for the greatest leader of all empowering you and me with the greatest message for all.

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Thursday

18Feb2010

How do you reach your full potential? – Part Three: Personhood

Everyone has a personhood; an identity they see themselves and the world around them. Identity motivates, creates, reveals who we are, and equally importantly, infuses with those that we influence; those we love and lead.

In saying that, people try to find their identity in more than one thing during this lifetime... Here is what I have found:

Success – some people are motivated by sheer success. Now, you have to define what success is to you, but the world we live in defines success by having MORE. More influence, more money, more power… more, more, and much more! However, this identity is vicariously unfulfilling. You have probably heard the phrase: “what goes up must comes down.” Just like success…

Status – some people are motivated by who they know. They believe getting ahead is about being around the right people. This is true… but finding identity in whatever other people think is a hard battle to win. From experience, you and I will NEVER be able to please everyone. Trying to find you through others is a hard life to live. This not only happens in the professional world but our private worlds as well. We try to find identity through family, friends, or even our mate. These people are contributors to identity but cannot give you the whole…

Stash – now… everyone wants to have a BIGGER and FATTER wallet… but again, identity is not found in cash. We have seen the reality of a great recession around the world the last couple of years that truly show that the economy is not reliable for self-worth. Now, people will always look at how fancy your car is or how much square footage you have in your home, but, identity in stash will end in a crash…

Surrender – this might sound strange to you but hear me out. Most of us try to find identity through success, status, and/or stash, but once you surrender those futile ways, you are free and able to find identity… You are able not to be burdened by those things. I think those things are byproducts of truly finding ourselves.

So… we have to ask ourselves, “Where are you finding your identity,” and “how are you GROWING in your identity?”

The Corinth community was going through an identity crisis as much as you and I are experiencing today. They determined identity by success, status, and stashes rather than surrendering to an identity that lasts forever. Paul, in encouragement stated to the Corinth people: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” – 2 Corinthians 5:17.

In the same way, I hope that this is an encouragement to you today.

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Success