Monday, October 31, 2011

Sent out by the Holy Spirit

Oct 31, 2011
We met with Amalia Tuc today. She was our translator for the MTI trip in June 2010. She works for Food for the Hungry, speaks excellent English and has a real love for the Lord. We really enjoyed her company. Amalia is going to connect us with a few other FH people. I have learned from past vision trips when someone says “you ought to meet this person” then you better listen. Actually, you should more than listen – you should set up some time on the calendar. When you pray for the leading of the Holy Spirit – those directions often flow through others. Lead us Holy Spirit.
I have been thinking a lot about a few innocent words in Acts 13. Saul (Paul) and team are being sent to the mission field. Their home church in Antioch prays over them and sends them out. It says they were “sent off on their new assignment by the Holy Spirit”. I doubt they just showed up at the port and randomly selected Cyprus as their first stop. I am thinking that some one knew someone who had invited them to come. There was some sort of connection. So they felt God tug them toward Cyprus. They followed the bread crumbs – keenly aware of the leading of the Holy Spirit. They remained open to where the Spirit would lead them.
On trips like the one we are on right now – I try to become extra sensitive to Gods leading. It requires a slower pace. It requires much more prayer. It certainly requires more attentive listening. As we talked with Amalia, in conversation she mentioned these people who she thought it might be beneficial to meet. As she talked about why, I could feel the Holy Spirit radar go off. So we will follow these bread crumbs.
Here is the deal - I wish the Holy Spirit would audibly speak to me. I wish I could record and play back that conversation. But I truly believe that the Holy Spirit speaks to us through other people. We just need to be attentive and then responsive to that leading. That obedience most likely will cause us to be sent off on a journey of a lifetime.
Rich

Sunday, October 30, 2011

Antigua, Guatemala

October 30, 2011
When the unexpected makes you smile. After an uneventful trip to Antigua yesterday -everything went as planned and we arrived at the hotel around 8:30 last night. We stepped out of our hotel – Pasada La Merced – and only walked a few paces when we ran into Mario Morales and Nathan from Agros. Mario and his family had come to Antigua to dine with the Horencia Uno team before they fly back today.
What a “coincidence” to run into them within moments of our arrival. From this encounter we learned that the roads up to the Ixil are in good shape and the road to Cajixay is passable. Nathan’s team had to pass through Cajixay on their daily trek to Horencia Uno. This is great news for our end of the week plans. We had not expected to have knowledge of the roads until we got to Nebaj.
We also talked to Mario about Jordan helping out in January and he said “no problema” (typical Mario fashion) regarding having Agros staff give Jordan a ride to Nabaj.
It is good to be back in Antigua. We are excited to see how the Lord provides and leads us today, this week and during our month long stay in Guatemala.  
Rich