Oh, the adventures we've had in the past couple of weeks! We spent the time up to the day of departure from Guatemala packing, repacking, packing, sorting...trying to get gifts for family and friends, 30 lbs of coffee, and needed clothes and bike gear for 10 weeks was a PAIN! But it was accomplished, and we came back to the US for furlough with 2 computer cases, 2 carry-ons and 3 suitcases. I plan on taking the same amount back.

The day we left Guatemala, our favorite volcano, Fuego, erupted quite violently, and it has continued since. These are pics borrowed from friends in Antigua, about 8 miles from Fuego. Our house in San Lucas is about 20 miles away.

Pretty wild! Along with the rainy season beginning, it seems as though Guatemala is really active right now.

As for us, we are actually sitting still for a day, and it seems so weird. Since we hit the States last Saturday, we haven't slept in the same bed more than 1 time in 8 days. We started with arrival in UT, went to NV to take care of some business, to Twin Falls, ID to see our families, to Pocatello to pick up some of our stuff, to Georgetown to retrieve Bill's motorcycle and that's where we ended up staying for 2 nights because someone told Mother Nature that Memorial weekend was coming and she provided snow for entertainment! We decided that riding over Fish Creek Summit outside Lava Hot Springs wasn't a good idea when it was 34 degrees and snowing. So we put things off for a day, and returned to Pocatello on Friday. Yesterday, we rode in the pouring rain from Pocatello to Twin Falls. It rained hard on us until we hit the I-84/86 split. Boy was I cold!!

We've spent the last 24 hours with friends, and helping my brother while my niece's soccer (futbol) club is in tournament play in Boise. Tonight, we presented to the Eastside Baptist Church in Twin Falls. Pastor Paul Thompson and his church are amazing. We felt right at home there, and spent about 45 minutes sharing with them about our mission and what has happened in the last nine months.

Tuesday, we'll head to Boise to see more families and friends. Then it's back to Eastern Idaho for the weekend and another church presentation. This one is at Blazing Grace in Pocatello. For those of you not familiar with Blazing Grace, it's the "biker" church. Great people, and we can't wait to see them. Then it's back to TF to help my brother paint his house, and Father's Day weekend brings the Elko Jamboree!

Thank you all for believing in us, for praying for us, and for providing support, whether financial, prayer, or just plain love!  Without you, this mission wouldn't be possible.

God Bless y'all!

Lisa and Bill

2 weeks and counting....

At this time two weeks from now, we'll be having an early dinner at Texas Roadhouse in Houston with our friends Steve and Launa Barrett. I've missed Roadhouse! Launa also makes fantastic cakes, and I've heard that she is going to have some for us. Woohoo!! I have to say that cakes and pastries definitely are different here in Guatemala. Not bad, just different. You can get some of the best chocolate here though. :)

It looks as though we have firmed up our schedule for furlough. Rather than us try to see all of you, I thought I'd list out the places we're going to be, and hopefully you can come see us! Our intention is to fund/friend raise during our furlough by sharing about our mission work here in Guatemala.

We are arriving in the US on the 19th. On the 21st, we have meetings in NV. We'll return to Twin Falls that night, and then go on to Pocatello. We'll spend the  22nd-25th in Pocatello, returning to Twin the afternoon of the 26th. Friends are throwing a get-together for us that night. Then on Sunday, May 27th, we have two presentations at  Eastside Baptist Church in Twin Falls. We will be at both the morning and evening services.

We'll be in Twin Falls and Boise through June 14 except for a trip back to Pocatello for a presentation June 3 at Blazing Grace Pocatello. June 15-17 means Father's Day weekend, and our annual trip to the Elko Jamboree. From Elko, we are riding to Mena, Arkansas and the CMA nationals June 19-23. I'm really looking forward to seeing Iron Mountain!  We then return to Twin Falls, and our next stop will be June 29-30 at the Mackay Bike Rodeo. July 1 we will be presenting at Calvary Chapel Salmon.

We are returning to Pocatello from Salmon, and we will present at both services at Calvary Chapel Pocatello on July 8.  I think we will be in Pocatello most of the week of July 9, and then we will head to Price, UT for the CMA UT rally July 13-15. We will return to Twin Falls when we leave Price, and then go to Cascade for the  CMA ID rally July 20-22. One more stop in Twin Falls, and then back to Pocatello for the  POW-MIA rally on July 27-29. We  will fly to Denver on July 29, spend a day with my sister and brother-in-law in Blackhawk, and fly back to Guatemala on July 31.

If you want to see us, we'll be on FB and Skype. Please message us and let us know how to contact you so we can set up a time.

God Bless y'all!
Lisa

Wow....time flies when you're living in Guatemala!

It really has flown, and we're quickly approaching our time to return to the US for furlough. This isn't a vacation furlough, this is a hard work furlough. We have to increase our financial support if we want to stay on the field in Guatemala. So, 4 churches and 6 rallies means every weekend is booked. Time during the week will be spent meeting with people and riding from place to place. We no longer have a vehicle, and so we will ride. Bill's bike and a bike a friend is graciously loaning to me for the summer.

What have we been up to the past couple of weeks? Hmmm....we built a firepit and it was tested last weekend by a youth group from Guatemala City. Great kids who came up for a retreat. It was fun hearing young voices, and watching the pranks they pulled on each other. The weather was beautiful, and so water balloons and dodgeball were a part of their breaks. I think the kids must have spent at least 4 hours by the fire on Saturday night.

The mission house is a wonderful place to rest, relax and reach the Lord. We love it here. We've been doing maintenance before rainy season, with help from our Guatemalan friends. The garage roof was replaced, and then sealed, and the outer walls are being sealed with a waterproof material. This will stop the infiltration of the water through the blocks and keep the whole house healthier!

The driveway between the second and third lots is also under repair. The massive amount of rain we received last year caused several landslides, and the driveway was quickly becoming impassable. After the prolonged waiting period to get a permit to clear and widen the drive, work began in earnest today.  One of the lessons we have learned here in Guatemala is that it happens on Guatemalan time, not US time. If someone says they will be a certain place at a certain time in the US, unless there's a major catastrophe, they are usually there. Here in Guatemala, someone might say they'll be there at a certain time and place, but they might not get there for days.

The other issue is not getting your panties in a twist over paperwork delays. The gentleman doing the construction tried for a month to get the permit. He kept returning to the Muni office, but...  :) The same goes for our passports. Since we left the country in February, that gave us 90 days as "tourists". After that, you have to go to the Immigration office and get your passport stamped for another 90 days. We took the passports into the city, to the Immigration office, and were told to return in 1 week to pick them up. So....we went back to the city last Friday, and wouldn't you know it, Immigration was closed. Argh! We have to return to the city next Monday, so we'll try to pick them up then.  Poco a poco...step by step.

Hopefully, we'll see some of you in the States. If not, keep reading. I'll try to do a weekly blog while we're gone.

God Bless y'all!

Lisa