Easter, Communion, Good Bye Fido!

Well its been a busy weekend here in Guatemala.

Friday I got to go to Antigua with the team. We took the brand new 15 passenger Toyota Van. This thing is really nice, or at least it was. On the way to Antigua we were cruising along at about 60mph when out of no where a dog comes running onto the road. Sam only had enough time to take his foot of the gas before he hit the dog with the front right fender. Well that little stray mutt did a couple hundred dollars in damage. He shattered the air filter casing, and the the secondary air intake for the engine. Well it is a relief that the car still ran fine, and that no one was hurt.

The rest of the journey to Antigua was not nearly as event full. We expected to run into all sorts of traffic since it was Good Friday. But we really didn't have any trouble till we actually got into the city. But Antigua was so packed. Catholics here celebrate the death of Christ with these huge processions. They carry this giant floats with figures of Christ 'virgin' Mary, and other 'saints'. The procession then walks through the streets over alfombras which are carpets made out of colored saw dust (pictures on photobucket). But despite all the huge festivities for the death of Christ you would think that their would be HUGE celebrations for his resurrection, nope, nothing. This give you a really good window onto the Idolatry that plagues the Catholic Church.

Besides the massive amount of crowds Antigua was nice. I bought some flip flops, a hat, and some sunglasses in the Market. And I guided a couple of the team members around translating for them. I figure that maybe I should come back next year and hire myself out as tour guide for all the tourist that come down from the states. I also got the meet up with Dana, the guy that I met while I was studying in Antigua. We had a coffee and then spent some time catching up and sharing stories of our ministries.

After we had our fill of Antigua we loaded up into the van and headed to they city where we where staying that night. We stayed in the airport guest house, which is a house that has been converted into a hotel. We had been inside for about 20 minutes when we heard the car alarm going off. Peter looked out the window and said that he saw someone inside the van. Well the door was looked from the inside and needed a key to get out of the hotel. So after about 30 seconds of trying to get out the girl finally came and unlocked the door. So in that 30 seconds this happened. The guy jammed a screwdriver into the door lock, breaking the lock trying to open it (dumb), then he took the screwdriver and broke threw the window on the sliding door. He then opened the door and got in, he took the faceplate for the radio, and then left. So he caused a lot of damage for a faceplate that wont even work without the radio. So Sam and Pete were pretty ticked that on the first trip to the city with the van all this had happened. But the team felt really bad about it too, so they are going to pay for all of the repairs, which is really nice of them.

No much else happened on Friday. We went to a nice dinner for the teams last meal. Then we went back to the hotel and had a debriefing time and a time for the team to share what this trip taught them.

Saturday after seeing the team off Sam and I went to go do some shopping. I went to a mall and bought a new pair of shoes. They were so expensive. They were about double the price that I would have paid in the states. But I wanted a good quality pair of shoes that would last me awhile through whatever I put them through. We got back to Zacapa around 2 and I spent the rest of the day with the Wadells in house one. We celebrated Davids 5th birthday. He got a bike that he just rode around and around the basketball court. And he only wiped out once but got right back up and kept going.

Sunday I spent most of Easter with the house one kids. We made Easter eggs, then had an Easter egg hunt for the little kids. Then they gave Easter presents to the kids. there was even a little present for me! I got a pencil and a stuffed bear. Actually they were for their eldest Son Buddy, but since he is at college they gave them to me. Then we just sat around til about 3 when we went out for Easter dinner. We went to El Establo steak house with all of House of Hope. It was really, really good steak. We even took communion with grape soda and bits of stale bread. Then we came back and watched the Passion of the Christ. It was in Spanish subtitles and since I didn't want to spend the whole time trying to read them I came back up to my house and cleaned. Then Jason came over and we just hung out, and then he spent the night. So overall it was a good Easter away from home.

Your Brother in Christ
-Justin Friel
1st Timothy 4:12

Yes I am still alive.

It has been a very, very busy week here is Guatemala. So this really is the first time I have had a chance to sit down at a computer and write this. So here has what has happened in Guatemala over the last week.

The team that was here when I got here did construction on Friday and then left on Saturday. In the few days that I had with this team I made some really good friendships. That is something that I am not going to like about my internship is meeting these awesome people and only having a week to share with them. But even though our time together is so, so short this is all the more reason to just pour and pour into their lives. But in a since it still bites.

So Saturday was really busy. The team left in the morning and the next team was going to be arriving at around 6 Saturday evening. So Michelle and all of the house 1 girls came over to clean the team house. So after it was already clean, Michelle looks over at the wall where all the donated clothes are and all the sheets and towels, and says "lets organize all that". So we spent the next few hours shorting through all of the clothes, shoes, sleeping bags, and towels that had been left here over the summer to separate what was going to stay here and what was going to go up to the mountain ministry.

So in the midst of all the cleaning my shoes which where outside drying got thrown away or packed away for mountain ministry. So I have been doing everything in my hiking boots since.
Well the new team arrived about 2 hours late, and went to sleep pretty soon after that. Sunday woke up and had a service here with the team. Then Sunday afternoon I went with Jason and Laura to help out at Mission Zoe. That was really fun being part of that service and seeing the passion the Mission Zoe team have for the youth. That night was a pool party at Danny, the long term Mission Zoe missionary, for the church. So I was also able to spend most of the evening with the youth. Since Jason and I were the only Gringos in the pool the Guatemalatecas had fun rough housing with us and hitting us with the balls.

Monday was another work day. This team is made up mainly of middle age men. So they are all really hard workers. And also all of the kids are out of school because this is their spring break week so a lot of the older guys were out their helping us. We got a lot done on Monday. I spent the morning working on tamping down cement in the walls we were filling. Then the afternoon was using the pick axe to break up a dirt pile we were using to level out on of the terraces at the new team house.

Tuesday was a hike up to the village of San Francisco. The hike was about 2 hours I think. It was a pretty easy hike. This was an actual trail, instead of a road like Plan Del Morro. However I got a little sick going up, but felt fine after I had rested for a while. The team did some work with the kids. I spent the afternoon talking to the pastor and his family. The pastor is a really funny guy. One of the guys on our team is a little heavy, and so the pastor asked us is he was doing okay coming up the mountain, or if we need to send a donkey down for him.

Wednesday we hiked down the mountain. Then the team and the entire orphanage went. It was a really fun afternoon. That night while we were having dinner Sam came in and told us that someone from Plan del Morro had gotten sick and that Baltezar (the pastor) had come down and needed a ride up the mountains so that he didnt have to spend the night in Zacapa. So some of us loaded into the back of the pickup and rode up to Plan del Morro. We found out that it was his daughter and that she was in labor. We also learned that she had been taken down to the base of the mountain on the back of a motorcycle, and then the fire department took her the rest of the way.

Friday was the last day of work. And I was literally working a pickaxe most of the day. We were digging a trench to the footing for the foundation of a retaining wall. We went down about an inch and started hitting rock. So I got to swing a pickaxe and break these rocks up.

Tomorrow I get to go to Antigua with the team. Antigua is going to be PACKED!!! Its a good thing we are staying in the city.

Hey if you are reading this leave me a comment. I really appreciate any contact I get from home.

In Christ
Justin Friel
1st Timothy 4:12

Week One!

Hey Everyone,

Well I survived my first week on the job, and I am LOVING IT. I am so passionate about these kids and this place even though I have only been here for a week. Well I have a blog about my first week up and ready to go. And another thing, I would apreciate some e-mails from people, I am wanting any contact with home.

Your Brother in Christ
-Justin Friel 1st Timothy 4:12



Check out my blogs

Myspace -http://www.myspace.com/thinkingman14
BlogSpot- http://justinfriel.blogspot.com

If you no longer wish to recieve these updates please e-mail me and notify. If you would like to have a friend recieve these, forward this to them and have them e-mail me. Thanks -Justin

Mountain Update

Hey everyone I got back from the mountains Early Thursday Morning. We did a dental clinic in the village of Plan del morro. It was an amazign exprience. However I forgot to take my camea with me but I wrote a new blog about it. So go read it!!!

Your Brother in Christ
-Justin Friel 1st Timothy 4:12



Check out my blogs

Myspace - http://www.myspace.com/thinkingman14
BlogSpot- http://justinfriel.blogspot.com/

If you no longer wish to recieve these updates please e-mail me and notify. If you would like to have a friend recieve these, forward this to them and have them e-mail me. Thanks -Justin

Triage 3500 Feet up

Well on Wensday I got to have my first hike up into the mountains of Guatemala. And this was no cake walk. It was a farely dificult climb for about 1.5 hours. And the mountains are not beutiful like Costa Rica. This part of Guatemala is a desert in every since of the word.

So once we got up to the village of Plan del Morro. We set up the clinic. The team that is here now is a mainly dental team. So since I knew some spanish then I got put in Triage. I got the patients name, and which teeth hurt. Then they went in to have the teeth pulled. So after a while of doing that I got to go in to the clinic and help out. First I was cleaning and santizing the instruments. Then I was put in charge of preeping the patients. I woudl sit them down, put the bib on them. Then i would prep the syringe with novacane, and get all the tools for the dentist ready.

Overall it was a very exciting and enjoyable exprience. Even when the kids mauled me becuase i was blowing up ballons.And i kept on trying to tell the kids to wait and on little smart alec keept on repeating what i said to his friend and laughing because i was making a mistake. Or well so is the life of beginner spanish student

Well i am super tired and am getting ready to go to the pool. Peace out

Justin Friel
1st timothy 4:12

Zacapa at Last (Mass Mailing Update)

Well I finally made it to Zacapa. I was suppose to arrive yesterday, but the car broke down and will not be fixed until tommorow. So I caught a bus here with my cousin, and another intern, and left Danny in the City with the car. I am literally diving right into ministry here. There is already a team here, so I go up to the mountains with them tommorow. I wrote a blog about all of it, so go check it out. Love you all and I write when I return from the mountains.


Your Brother in Christ
-Justin Friel
1st Timothy 4:12



Check out my blogs

Myspace -http://www.myspace.com/thinkingman14
BlogSpot- http://justinfriel.blogspot.com

If you no longer wish to recieve these updates please e-mail me and notify. If you would like to have a friend recieve these, forward this to them and have them e-mail me. Thanks -Justin

Dive right in

Well 24 hours and two bus rides latter I have finally made it to Zacapa! I was suppose to be in Zacapa around 7 on Monday the 3rd, but the gods of auto problems decided to interven. We where sitting in traffic when the engine of the mini van started smoking. We took the car into the gas station and popped the hood to see the radiator literally boiling water and coolant out. So after about 30 minutes of cooling the car off with water we limped into a bilingual mechanic that Danny knew. Then we got the bad news that it would be tommorow before they could fix the broken fan in the motor. So we decided to get a hotel in Guatemala City. So we get a pretty nice hotel room and chill for the night. So we get up the next morning and do some of the stuff that they had to come to the capitol to do and then went back to the mechanic and found out that he would not be able to fix the car today either. So Danny decided that Jason, Laura, and I need to be in Zacapa Tuesday night. So we took a $10 taxi to the bus station and got onto a bus boud eventually to Zacapa.

The bus luckly was not a chicken bus, but it was an old charter bus from the states. So the drive took about 4 hours up and down windy mountain roads. And in case you didn't know in central america they don't follow the traffic laws. And therefore the bus driver in and effort to save time thought it would be a good idea to pass semis several at a time while coming up on a blind curve. well it was quite the expreince one that I am not in any hurry to relieve.
So that brings me up to around the current time. I arrive in Zacapa, and after seeing the house that my cousin lives in I got to come over to Houses of Hope. There are 5 houses and only two have children in them. House 4 is the designated house team until we get down buliding the new one. And so when i got here i was under the impression that I would be living with other people. Well I am right and wrong on that. The interns (which I am one) live in house 4 with or whithout teams there. So that kinda sucks in a way because i am the only intern until mid may. However there is a team here this week and next week. So I got to meet everyone tonight, even thought i wont remeber half of their names by the time I wake up in the morning. So I also found out that I will partaking in the two hour hike up into the mountains tommorow. So that will be fun kinda of. yet not considering all of my bags are in Guatemala City with the Car. So i only have a change on shorts. Well good thing my cousin lives in the same town as me so that he can bring stuff over. So its also good that he is going up tommorow.

Well I am very suprised that I am not going to have any sort of getting my feet wet and getting use to the area. I am literally diving in, I guess the proper phrase would be getting pushed into, my internship. Well I guess that is the best way to learn to sink or swim.

Well I am very overwelmed and therefore very tired. So I will write whenever I can next which will be a few days. Love you all. PEACE!!

Wow a month already?

Hey everyone!

Its Justin Friel writing from Guatemala. It is so hard to believe that I have already been here for a month. This months has flown by so fast! It literally seems like a few days agon that I was getting off the plane. So much has happened in this week and I know so much is going to continue to happen. For more regular updates check out my blogs at the bottom of the page. And to see some pictures go to http://s47.photobucket.com/albums/f172/thinkingman14/.

I passed grade B of school and studied some of Grade C, enough to get my book. I also got a fancy little diploma that sayed I completed through Grade B and studied for 4 week a total of 105 hours. I have learned so much through school, I just have to work a lot on my spoken Spanish and gaing the confidence to speak it with people in the street.

This month has been hard, I have had to deal with a lot of homsickness, frustration, and attacks from Satan. But through all that I still have an overall since of peace about me and what I am doing. Throug all of this I have grown so close to God and have moved to a closer walk with Christ.

I move to Zacapa on Monday Aril 3rd. It going to be wierd moving again. Antigua and my house have become home away from home. It going to be fun though being in a new place and finally being able to get into ministry.

I appreciate your thoughts and prayers. Most of you will recieve my March newsletter Somtime next week. I have typed it up and emailed it to my Mom. She will be putting it in the mail on Monday. If you don´t recieve on or would like one send me and e-mail and I will send it to you as a file on E-mail. Love you all, can´t wait to see you all again until then,

Your Brother in Christ
-Justin Friel 1st Timothy 4:12

Check out my blogs

Myspace -http://www.myspace.com/thinkingman14
BlogSpot- http://justinfriel.blogspot.com

Well...

All of a sudden I feel very philosphical and deep. I have had to learn so much about relationships while I have been down here. And friendship suddenly makes so much since. I always used time as an excuse to not get close and not enter into a relationship, but that is just ignorance. I mean yeah time is a factor but it is stupid to not open up to someone simply because you only have a certain amount of time with them. I realized here how incredibly esscential friendship is. Without friendship we drift through life not expriencing the joy of having someone that knows everything about you yet still excepts you and loves you like a brother or sister in Christ. yeah i know that this is one of the purposes of a spouse, yet for those of us who are single for whatever reason friendship fills that void. That is the one thing that I have missed most about being down here; the utter lack of someone to talk to, someone to be my friend. Yeah I made friends in the house, yet they are a differnt type of friend. Right now as I type this I miss my friends so much. And the most simple things will trigger homesickness. For instance i was listening to a song last night and it made me want to be singing it in my car with David like we did so many times last summer. Or there is just looking at the LA trip pictures and wishing I could of gone. This homesickness and nostalgia is not a sign of weakness or a sign that satan is trying to attack me, it is a sign that I am human, that I miss something that I took for granted. So I guess i am saying go for that friendship, the time you share with that friend will teach you so much and you will grow so much, wither that friendship last a week, a month, a year you will grow, you will change, you will be scared, hopefully all in a good way. Trust me I know, I have learned that.

Well now on to some more news, I will try not to go off on a tangent.

On Saturday I had lunch with my friend Dana. I shared with him my story from before becoming a Christian to now. It was a powerfully spritual experience, it always is when I share my testimony. And then on Sunday we sayed our goodbyes. On sunday he left for a two week outreach trip to a town completley wiped out in December. So by the time he gets back I will be in Zacapa. But we definently felt that it is in Gods plan for both of us to see eachother again and work together somehow for the kingdom of God.

On Sunday I had my first substantial portion of beef, it was a double quarter pounder with cheese for McDonalds. And for those few moment (second) I was devoring that burger I was in heaven. Also I found out I have lost 10lbs since I have been down here. So that is good because I could definently loose a lot more weight.

I guess sunday was just a sad day in general. I had to say goodbye to Dana and two of the guys that live in our house. I thought that saying goodbye to people back home was hard... But when i say goodbye to these people there is a very good chance that i will NEVER see them again. And true thier is not nearly as much emotional attachment to these people as there is to my friend and family back home, but there still is that bond. It is wierd after spending a month everyday, eating all of our meals together that they aren´t there anymore, yet life goes on, it has too.

On Tuesday I got to go and visit my compassion child. His name is Brayan. We spent the day at the zoo. He is so smart, and so full of questions. My translator told me that she was only going to translate if i could absolutely not get it. So most of the time she would translate the question and I would answer in Spanish. It was so fullfilling to get to vist brayan. Now when I write that check every month to support him I know for a fact that it goes to a person, not a picture. it made my sponsorship real.

Wensday I took and passed my Grade B test. So i will start a Grade C on Thursday. So I will have a few days of Studying and will get a book that I can study for the rest of the summer.

Well that is all the news I can think of.

In Christ
Justin

Plantanos (plan-TA-nos)

Yes, today was the first day I had plantanos in Guatemala . And for those of you who dont know what that implies here it goes. Plantanos are a banna like fruit they can be cooked two ways, boiled they are simmilar to a patato, or fried they are like a fried banna a little sweeter similar texture. Well most people cant stand the things but personaally I love them. But again that is just me.

I guess I might as well tell you about my diet down here. Probably 75% my diet is carbs. Bread, pasta and Rice. 34% probably fruit and vegetables and 1% meat. That is really hard only getting a little meat. Since I LOVE MEAT it is really hard. Right now I am craving a really big thick burger with a lot of cheese and some chocolate. Maybe this weekend I will go get a burger somewhere. The food is really good, the only thing that I havent liked is Pacaya wich is a really bitter vegtable. But i have liked everything else.

School is going really well. I am taking 6 hours right now. I go from 8-12, then 2-4 with a 30 minute break at 10. It is so hard. Most of the days when i get done I jsut want to ram my head into a brick wall. My brain is slowly turning to mush. Dont get me wrong I love it and I am learning a lot. I can just physicially feel my brain ache from so much knowledge. I mean I have the same amount of time as people in high school, but i am just learning spanish. But I love it and wish I coudl do it for another month.

Well I need to be going, Love you all, Miss you all.
Until We see eachother again, pray for me and the people of Guatemala
Your Brother in Christ
Justin