What is Missions Like?

Recently we received an email from a college student who had been diagnosed with severe depression and after some counseling realized that they were depressed because they were "resisting the call to the mission field" and wrote us to ask what being a missionary is like. Here is my response. By the way, one of my pet peeves is when people talk about suffering and the mission field as if they are one in the same. Missions is not miserable... I'll talk more about this in a later post.

H-----,

Missions is the most exciting and fun thing you could ever do with your life. Each day there are new opportunities for ministry and to my wife and I there is nothing we would rather be doing. The best thing about missions is that God wants to use whatever you are good at. He gave us gifts for a reason and wants us to use those specific gifts for Him.

Having said that, each day there is also a new set of challenges. These challenges can be just normal cultural, frustrating things, or sometimes they can be life-threatening. In each of these situations the missionary has to be very sure of his/her calling to be where they are. This is not something you can do just because you want to. There must be a definite call on your life to cross cultural boundaries and take Jesus where He hasn't been. It is only a certainty in that call that will help you through the hard frustrating times, and give you peace in the terrifying times. It is the sureness you have that you are exactly where God wants you to be that gives you the strength.

I pray that you find God's best for your life. Don't force it, but look for the opportunities God gives you to minister, in the ways that you enjoy, using the gifts He gave you. God's calling is not a punishment, or a banishment, or a life-sentence of suffering. It is the most fulfilling, joy-filled life you could ever experience.

Striving to make heaven a little more crowded,

I also directed them to visit our blogs to see a day to day synopsis of our lives.

Wipers While You Wait?

The rainy season has started in some parts of Guatemala, but here in Petén we've just had miserably hot days waiting for it to finally rain. There have been a couple days of storms, but it's been a while now. Because it is so dry for so long, you can forget about your windshield wipers. Mine had not been replaced since buying the Micro. Even when you pay for it at the service places, you don't always get them (that's happened to me twice) and you will wait a few extra hours while they find it from somebody else, get it delivered and then figure out how much to charge you for it.

Another option is to find these car door to car door salesmen. I found this guy at a Pollo Campero about 2 hours outside of Guate. He had two wipers the right size and installed them while I went inside and ordered. Total cost= $10. We hit our first rain 30 minutes later.

The stuff draped over his arms is a door sealer. It is way overpriced and the guys will put on twice as much as needed and then try and charge you per foot instead of per yard. Don't let them get away with it.

A Whole Meal!

So I got a couple zucchinis the other day that weren't worm infested. By this time we had a stockpile in the freezer, so I decided to make a meal out of things from the garden.

I did cheat and use one onion from the store.

Here are the green beans frying. Notice the bacon? They're southern style...

And here is my second attempt at fried okra. Shelley said they were like eating candy.

Here's the other two sides with some baked chicken fingers. When Shelley lets me cook, I have to make it count. Usually the kitchen is such a mess that it is easier for her to cook and clean up after herself than just do the cleaning after I'm done. At least it tasted good!

Jimmy Who?

A year ago we had the transmission rebuilt for our Blazer. I had to ride a tow truck 8 hours to Guate to drop it off, then catch a flight home, then Shelley and I flew back 10 days later to pick it up. The mechanic's name was Hugo and he has his own shop. I found him through a knowledgeable Guatemalan friend here in Petén who had had USA made vehicles worked on by this guy.

Hugo met me on the side of the road to guide us to his shop and I spent over $1,000 on Blazer repairs. We talked quite often and he assured me that he knew what he was doing and that everything was on time. I was actually happy for the first time with a mechanic here. The best part was his 2 year guarantee on the transmission.

I am used to people remembering me. There aren't very many Gringos from Petén, and especially if I spend a lot of money somewhere, people remember who I am. So yesterday I called up Hugo to see if he could help a friend with his Mercedes. I was expecting a cheery greeting but instead the guy drew a blank. I explained further, "You worked on my transmission a year ago...I'm the gringo from Petén who you met in the tow truck..." He still acted dumbfounded. Then he said, "I don't work on transmissions." I said, "Yes you do. I have a receipt here with your name on it and your address and even a guarantee for 2 years." "No, you must be mistaken. You have to have special tools to work on an automatic transmission and I don't have those," he replied.

It was then that I understood that he thought I was calling about the guarantee. I explained, "I just need a phone number for somebody who can work on a Mercedes transmission. My transmission is fine."

"Oh, well yeah I have a phone number and address right here. How's everything going in Petén? Do you still have the Blazer? ...well if you need anything give me a call..."

At least I got the information I wanted. Not sure that I would trust it. Sorry Mark.

The Excited Plumber

In Santa Elena we had a plumber who was excellent. He really knew his stuff, such as how quickly to add acid to a pipe so that it wouldn't eat the pipe. He was also very slow, but he learned this during his day job working for the local government's water department.

He was amazed at every little advancement in technology and especially anything remotely "Gringo." For example, one day he asked to borrow my plunger while working on a drain problem. When he returned it to me, he said, "You brought this from the States didn't you?" "I knew it, you just can't buy plungers like that one here. It's high quality." It is actually the normal wood and rubber one you can buy cheap anywhere in the States, but he loved it. Anybody want to start a plunger import business?

Another day, after taking him to the hardware store to buy some necessary parts, I hit the garage door opener. This was the only house here we'd been in that had one. He saw me hit the button and then saw the door start to swing out. His response (in a very excited tone) : "Isn't technology wonderful? We've come so far as a country. Now you can just hit a button and the door opens just like that. Imagine that."

Take joy in the little things...

Another One Bites The Dust... Instead Of The Children

I was sitting on the sofa eating supper while watching a movie with Shelley tonight. Both boys were asleep and we were enjoying the time together. All of a sudden next to my ear I hear a loud thump as if something heavy fell on the sofa. I turned my head and didn't see anything and looked at Shelley who had a concerned look on her face. She had seen something dark fall and hit the sofa as well, but with her glasses instead of contacts she can't focus on her periphery. A search of the area found this guy under the end table:

He fell out of the plant on the wall to the left of the sofa. He's the second scorpion in the living room we've killed in as many days. I hear only the little ones are dangerous, so yippee, this one's not so bad...

Maybe it's the rainy season starting that has sent them indoors?

Petén Garden Update 2

It's been a while since I've talked about the garden. We have had a few snacks to whet our appetite, but no huge harvest to keep us eating for weeks. The worms came back to the zuchinis, but we have had a few to eat such as these: (I planted three varieties)Here are some sugar snap peas. These are the first ones which we ate raw. I have three plants and am freezing what I get from them (about three pods a little bigger than this every three days) until we have enough for a meal. I'm happy to get anything because they are supposed to a cool weather crop (of which we are not) although I got a variety that is withstands higher temps.
My first tomatoes will be ready any day now. They are Better Boy, so they get bigger than any variety I've seen here for sale and should be wonderful on a BLT. All six plants have at least one set of clusters, so I should get a nice steady progression starting next week.
Okra was made for Petén. Here's a plant that'll be ready tomorrow. Since it just started I am only getting two pods every other day, so I am blanching and then breading them before freezing so that when we want them we can drop them right in the oil from the freezer. I used Paula Dean's recipe for the breading so we'll see if Southern Shelley approves or not very soon.
And here are my first Jalapeños growing.

Of course I'm only showing you the highlights. I don't have pictures yet of my green beans, but they are Shelley's favorite thing we have growing. I am getting a handful every 4 days if there is not temp over 95 (causes all the flowers to fall off.) It is another thing being frozen. We have enough now for 1.5 meals.

I'm learning a lot and realizing that there are a lot of possibilities for our friends to grow. I show weekly pictures at the Bible Study to a very impressed group of old men who are asking for seeds. Once we get enough frozen, we plan to fix it and take as a snack so they'll be motivated to harvest on time and then eat it.