Video Link

Below is a link to the 2017 video that Pierce Boelke produced. It's a great wrap-up of the amazing ministry that happened in June. Thanks for your service, energy and commitment to God's kingdom!

Please pray for the student ministries team as we recruit leaders and students for Guatemala 2018. You can share your story with potential students to inspire them to take a step of faith towards Guatemala 2018.

Watch the video here

Headed home!

We are leaving Guatemala today.

So many memories.

Such a faithful God.

We are sending an email this morning with the flight information!

Please have at least one family member at the airport tonight!

Thanks for praying for us!

See you soon!

Mark

Some pictures

Here are a few pics from the last 48 hours!

Solola Revival!

Yesterday we left San Marcos and traveled to Solola to an orphanage called Eagle's Nest.  Their are about 45 orphans who live here, they have a feeding program for the community along with a school and church connected to this beautiful place.  

We served for half a day.  The sports and drama team played football and soccer with the older kids.  The mime and children teams performed for the last time.  (tear!)  The med team saw several kids and families from the community and the service team moved a bunch of wood with wheel barrows. 

In the evening we went to their Wednesday night church service on the property of the orphanage.  

Then we met as a team and started sharing individually how God had touched our lives on this trip.  It turned into a 2.5 hour worship and prayer revival.  I'll share more when we arrive to Santiago. 

We are doing great.  Everyone is healthy.  But mostly our hearts are overwhelmed by what Jesus did in us and through us last night.

We love you and can't wait to share how great our God is!

Mark

Leaving San Marcos

Yesterday was our last day in San Marcos and our last full service day as a team.  (We will do a half day with the orphans in Solola, because there are only about 40 of them).

The sports and drama team went to a military school and played soccer on a much larger field.  We were about to start the drama presentation and you could see the rain rolling in.  There was a large room about 2 blocks away that they told us we could use.  I have never seen 300 high school students move so quickly and orderly!  (Remember it’s a military school!) Peter shared his story and his heart with this group and the drama continues to touch people’s lives.  We saw almost 20 students say yes to Jesus for the very first time.

In the afternoon the children’s team went to a church and when we showed up there were only 12 kids there. Over the next 10 minutes they streamed in.  More and more.  We had to set up more chairs.  Over 230 kids heard about the love of Christ through Pierce’s testimony (all in Spanish!), through the songs, through the puppets, and through the way these amazing Wooddale students have poured themselves out for this generation!

The service team served in the same location helping a family by building a kitchen.  For years they have used an open fire inside their house for cooking.  All of their eyes have been negatively affected by the smoke.  We bought a brand new stove with proper roof ventilation.  It literally changed this family’s life.  So many tears.  Wow!

in the evening, Victor, one of our translators from El Salvador preached about the importance of reading the Word everyday!

The church of San Marcos laid hands and prayed over each student before the night was over.  They gave each of us a little wood church as a souvenir! 

We are off to one of my favorite places in the world, the orphanage in Solola!

The team is doing great.  This may be a record for the least number of students getting sick.  Don’t stop praying, ha!

Mark

God is a healer!

We are settling into beautiful San Marcos and finished our second day of serving and partnering with Rey Eterno Church.  (Eternal King Church)

The service team worked near the church moving dirt and leveling the property.  They also are building a kitchen!

Both Caroline M and David C shared their faith stories during the mime presentations and one of our translators said that their stories really connected with the audience.   Many students made commitments for Christ.

The children’s team performed in a church and school yesterday.  Lydia and Elizabeth shared their faith stories!  They have made so many balloon animals they have run out of balloons!  We are buying more today!

Our sports and drama team performed 3 times.  One place was a school for farming!  (They are really good soccer players too! Ha!)

I went with the medical team or as they call themselves, “The Scrub Squad.”  The leaders of the church each invited 10 of their non-Christian neighbors or friends who needed medical attention to the clinic on Monday.  180 people showed up.  The students and leaders have become a well-oiled mini pop-up hospital.  It’s amazing to see them serve and minister to the people of Guatemala.

Each patient receives medicine by the time they get through the clinic, but we believe in the power of prayer and love partnering with the church to pray with each patient.   Freddy is a member and leader of the church and prayed in our prayer circle all day.  (8-9 hours)

In the prayer and teaching station God healed a woman who was deaf in her right ear.  We prayed that her ear would “open up” and it did!  There was a 16 year old named Elizabeth who had extreme back pain.  She said when we prayed she felt her back get warm.  The teenager’s pain went from an 8 to a 0!  We saw 6 healings today!  We thank God for all of the ways that He is displaying his power on this trip!

I want to challenge all of you reading the blog to pray with the next person that comes into your life with physical pain.  They may be one prayer away from being healed.  Be bold and ask, “Can I pray for you?”

We ended the night celebrating Micah’s birthday and hearing a testimony from Aly about how God had touched her life and answered her prayer!

God is so faithful!

Check out some of the notes from the students below!

Until tomorrow,

Mark

Happy Father's Day (part 2)

Hi Family! Happy Late Fathers Day Dad. I hope you had a great day celebrating. We have had lots of fun here on Scrub Squad and I can’t wait to tell you guys all about it! #Q6H
Love, Marissa

Hello to my family :) First of all happy late fathers day dad! I love you so much and can’t wait to celebrate with you when I get back home. I love love love serving on the scrub squad, I cant wait to share with you everything that I’ve seen and witnessed. Love you all #pharmfarm #amoxicillin250

 – love you all Annaka

Hi family! Happy late fathers day to the best dad in the world! I hoped you liked my cardJ Miss you tons dad! Mom, miss you and cant wait for our time together in Antigua, plus your notes are something that I look forward to opening every day! I LOVE being on the scrub squad- It has affirmed my initial idea of going into the medical field! Cant wait to see you soon! #Sulfamethoxazole-Trimethoprim -Lilly

Hey Mom and Dad! Miss you lots, in a bit of a pickle, please email my boss Kate Reider that I can’t work the first week of July, 15^th-16^th, Wednesdays and Mondays, and any other day I can’t. I love you and miss you. Thank you. Your thankful daughter, Lauren V

Mom! Dad (Happy late Father’s Day)! Guatemala is so beautiful. God is doing incredible things in and through the Med team! Let’s just say – bingewatching Grey’s Anatomy for 36 hours straight has DEFINITELY prepared me for being in the clinic. Anyway, I am so thankful for your love and support to me going on this trip. Both of you, Mom and Dad, are helping me become the young woman that God is calling me to be. Love, Bo

Hey Fam Bam!! Feliz dia del padre (happy father’s day).  I’ve  been having an amazing time here in Guatemala, it’s so gorgeous I don’t even have words to explain it. Scrub squad has been treating me well, yesterday I got to hear a heart murmur! The guy, Juan Lopez has an issue with his aorta valve which causes it to shrink; making the noise.  I miss y’all so much and can’t wait to see y’all! Also I have grown so much in my relationship with Christ and can’t wait to tell you about it!! Love y’all bunches!

-Love Katrina

Flag waving!

Sunday was a great day!

It was our first full day of service in San Marcos (our 5^th day of service).

I had the chance to accompany the Sports/Drama team.  In the morning we went to a covered open air turf field and played a group of guys that are led by an amazing coach and pastor.  Some of the teenage Guatemalan boys have a relationship with Christ and some don’t.  Our students presented the Gospel through the drama and I preached the Gospel through the Word of God.

After the game and presentation we went to the coach/pastor’s church.  It probably is only a church of about 15-20 people in a small room.  So we almost doubled their attendance.  We worshiped to 6-7 Spanish songs played from a computer.  The pastor led the singing.  We jumped and danced.  I also had the privilege to share the Word of God with this wonderful congregation.  I taught from Acts 3 and challenged all of us to not forget that we have the Spirit of God in us to do the works and mission of God.

In the afternoon we went to another field to play and share the gospel.  4 first time decisions and 10 recommitments to Christ.  This group of soccer players is also overseen and mentored by a local pastor.  This is where the follow-up will start or continue!  We are grateful to God for these Guatemalan pastors and coaches who have been planting seeds for months and years in these teenagers lives.

The service team was moving dirt all morning, but the rain has been more than we have ever seen in past years.  Moving mud is quite difficult so we sent the service team with the children’s team in the afternoon and the boys enjoyed the time with kids.  The children’s team and program keeps getting better and better.

The mime performed once in the morning and once in the afternoon.  In the middle of the day they went to a school and jumped into the English class!  The kids loved it!

The medical team had another full day of patients.  They saw over 100! The church here (Rey Eterno Church)  has a team of prayer warriors who assist our team in praying for healing!

At night there was a massive youth event at the church.  Multiple bands played and led worship.  Our mime and drama team performed.  Pastor Nery who has hosted our teams in San Marcos for the last 10 years shared a message about walking out a pure life.

There was a point during the worship where a pastor from the church grabbed a huge US flag and waved it and danced around the sanctuary.  Then Miles Kelly grabbed a Guatemala flag and waved it back at the Guatemalan pastor.  The place went nuts!  What a scene to worship and celebrate Jesus and how he has brought our cultures together to worship Him.  (For me it was one of my highlights over the last 8 years.)

Check out some of the Father’s day notes from the students.  See below.  More to come.

Blessings to you and your family!

We are doing great!

Mark

Happy Father's Day from the kids! (part 1)

Happy Father’s Day Dad! I love and miss you and the rest of the family, can’t wait to see you soon.  I hope all is well as it is for me! – Caroline Holt

Happy Father’s Day Dad and Grandpa!!I hope you had a great time in Philly dad! I am having so much fun here and the kiddos are soooo cute! I hope you guys had a great day and I miss you and everyone else so much! Make sure to tell Grandma I say happy birthday and to give her a hug from me! Love you all so much!! – Josie Brill

Hey fam! Huge shout out to you dad J I’m sorry that I can’t be with you to celebrate today because you deserve to be celebrated. I admire the way that you are always there for me, fear the Lord, and are able to positively influence those around you. You are a person that I always can count on and others can too. You also continually show your grace and care to everyone! I miss you guys all so much, and I hope that everything is going well. Love y’all <3 Elizabeth Guimont

Hi everyone!!! I miss you all, but hope all is well in Minnesota! Guatemala is so great, and I can’t wait to tell you about all the adventures!! Happy Father’s Day, and I hope this is a special day for you dad. I love you more than you could ever imagine, and I’m sorry that I can’t celebrate with you today. I can’t wait to spend time with the fam and you when I get home!! Have a good vacation J-camryn

Hey guys, hope you are all doing well! I am having a lot of fun here. Can’t wait to get home and tell you guys all about it. I miss all of you and Happy Father’s Day dad!! I love all of you and I’ll see you soon.

 – Miles Kelly

Sup Fam on Fleek! Hope all is going well at home I miss you guys, but not as much as Koda and Tori!! I am having an awesome time here hanging with the kids and can’t wait to be home and tell you all about it! Happy Father’s Day Diggy, hope everyone is treating you well today! Miss you guys!!!  -Parker Halling

Hola fam!  I miss you guys so much I’m so very excited to tell you guys some amazing stories.  I am having such an incredible time here.  Happy Father’s Day Dad I hope you have an incredible day I love you so much!! So pumped to see everyone when I get back :)

-Olivia LaLuzerne

Hello family,

Happy father’s day dadifer! I miss you all so much, mainly Haylee and mom’s cooking. Guatemala has been so amazing and eye opening. I can’t wait to share with you my experiences.

-Max Scholz

Hello world! As we embark on the second week we’re all feeling a little bit tired and run down – but so grateful we have another whole week to serve and learn. Special hello to my family – Josh, I’m so glad you had fun in Canada; I can’t wait to hear all about it! Kate, I don’t know if you’d be proud of my Spanish or embarrassed…I’m so excited to see all the progress you’ve made since I left. Mom and Dad – I can’t wait to tell you all about my trip! Love you and miss you tons. Happy Father’s Day dad!!! -Kenz­

Hi Mom, Dad, Noah, Gabriella, Jonah, Alec, and all the other loved ones back home! These last 9 days have been a whirlwind – there is no amount of training that could have prepared me for this trip. It’s pushed me way out of my comfort zone, been stressful and scary at times, but I’ve learned so much more than I ever could any other way. This has been the greatest opportunity to expand my Spanish skills and I get to use it all day every day, which has been awesome (I even got to give my testimony in Spanish yesterday and have been able to serve as a translator several times). I love the people and culture of Guatemala and I’m having a great time, but I’ve been thinking of you all a lot lately. I miss you guys so much and am very excited to see you when I get back home! I hope all is going well in Minnesota. I can’t wait to share some crazy stories with you guys when I get back, but until then, just remember that I love and miss you all more than you know.

Love, Soraya

San Marcos!

Happy Father's Day!

We traveled yesterday from Tejutla to San Marcos.
It was a well needed rest as we have hit the halfway point!

We made it safely to San Marcos and were welcomed by the churches marimba players!

We met our final home stay families and were in bed by 10pm.
We have a full day of service today and a huge youth event tonight at Rey Eterno Church!

I'm grateful for the investment that all of you dads have made in  your kids lives.  It is inspiring for me as I pour into my kids!

Thanks for all of your prayers,

Mark

Changing a community

We just wrapped up our last day (4th service day) in Tejutla.  

They are amazing hosts.  This church is remarkable.

I had the privilege going with our service team.  These guys are strong, motivated and fun to serve with!  A farming family with 10 kids had been struggling and two of their children are malnourished.  Social services contacted the church and asked if they could help support this family!  We had the honor of putting in a clothes washing tub, painting the whole house white (check out the before and after pics), and laying concrete.  The family said they felt so blessed.  

How amazing that the government feels like they can contact "the church" to solve the needs and problems of the families in this community.  Praise God!

Our medical team saw over 200 patients today.  The final patient went through at 7:30pm.  It was a long day for the med team, but their attitude and compassion for the Guatemalans is second to none!  

Mime, children, and sports/drama team each had one performance in the morning and one in the afternoon.  I was happy that the mime only had 2 today since they had 5 yesterday.

Tomorrow we make our way to San Marcos!  We will stop at some hot springs as a fun half-way point activity!  The kids are excited!

These Wooddale students are doing so well.  No major sicknesses.  Prayer is their first response. Serving is a joy. They love being here...can you see it on their faces?  There is nothing like seeing God work through you!

Blessings to all of you!

Mark

Pray for our Chicago team right now!  They are driving back Saturday morning!

Prayer Team in the clinic

It was Kari's Birthday!

Jason K (sports leader) taught a master class with the marching band at 6am!

BEFORE

AFTER!!!!

Talking to Carly and the Chicago Team!

Let it rain!

We had another great day!

I went with the mime team and they set up in the town square. They performed while it was raining and did a great job.  

While Pastor William was sharing the Gospel after the mime performed, a 25 year old man walked toward him and knelt down beside him. William felt led to pray and ask God to cast out a demon from this man.  See the picture below! When he went over and sat down next to one of our translators he told Victor, "Something left me."   We praise God for his power!

The night ended with a huge youth event outdoors.  The rain held off during the worship but started up during the mime presentation.  (The mime team performed 5 times today.  They are champs!)  

We turned the stage around so the people could sit under the roof and finished the mime and drama performances.  I preached from Matthew 4 and challenged the Americans and the youth from Tejutla to follow Christ in every area of their lives!

God is at work in these students lives in miraculous ways.  Keep praying for them.  I can see transformation happening right in front of my eyes!  Praise God!

We have another full service day tomorrow!

Blessing from Tejutla,

Mark

We made it to Tejutla!

We made it safely to Tejutla!

Bethesda Church welcomed us with a marching band playing songs by Chris Tomlin and Hillsong!
The people had made signs with our individual names on them!
We loaded in all the bags and supplies and had a great spaghetti dinner!

Tomorrow is our first service day in Tejutla.
We have a big prayer request.
Tomorrow night is a huge youth event called: Reloaded.  They have been praying that we could have the event outside in the park.  Pray for great weather!

Thanks for praying for us!

Travel Day Today!

Quick update as the team heads out this morning.

We are healthy and safe and headed out for a long travel day. Thanks for all of your prayers. It's always hard to say goodbye to our ministry partners and wonderful host families.