LIVING life. -by Cecilia

Have faith by taking God’s hand and LIVING life.

My feelings about my new school, Intellego, and my return back to the States have changed recently.  I used to be afraid of returning to the States. I thought it would feel like a dream, familiar but strange at the same time, probably because I’ve had several dreams about it already. I talked to one of my friends who’s lived in Guatemala for over a year. She said there weren’t any strange feelings when she visited the States. I guess I thought that my dreams would be a reality.

Before I moved to Guatemala, I had a horrible dream about someone coming into our home and stealing everything. I tried to forget about the dream. But now that I look back on it, I know that my dreams are nothing but thoughts.  And that bad dreams like the one I had, don’t come from God… or the outcome of my dream, feeling scared of Guatemala, is not from Him.

Now I feel excited about going back to visit. I always thought I had two “lives”, one in the States and one in Guatemala. But that is not true either. I have one life. I am just in another part of the world. That humbles me. Being in another part of the world, shows me how “small” the earth is compared to what I had imagined and learned about it before. It shows me how big God is because in this country, I see so many more little details, little pieces of God’s masterpiece, and then I realize that I am just a stroke in God’s beautiful painting.

I used to be a lot more scared about moving to a new school too.  Not just because it’s another big change and that I will have to adjust and make new friends, because I love that part but it will all be in Spanish!  I was skyping with my Grandma today.  I practiced my Spanish with her.  She encouraged me.  She was so proud of all the Spanish spoke.  Although I have a lot of Spanish to learn, I have accomplished so much. I need to focus and be thankful about what I have, and keep going rather than dwelling on how far I have to go, and worry about what I am lacking.

God has taught me so much recently.  He has taught me to have faith, trust, peace and love.  If I have these qualities in my life, I can let go and let God take care of the rest. When I go back to Colorado, and to Intellego, I will be equipped on how to handle things.  Love God by loving my friends and classmates.  Have peace by humbling myself before God, and being calm in all situations.  Trust in God that He will protect the way.  And have faith by taking God’s hand and LIVING life.

It's almost time to move!

It's almost time to move and I’m a little nervous.

In June we will be moving again. We were shaken and rattled when we moved here...we are going to shake and rattle again. 

I don't have a lack of faith, just a nervous ponder. I see three big hurdles ahead. I know this move encompasses many more. However three surface again and again as I prepare myself to embrace the change.

We are moving out of Guatemala City to a town called San Lucas. Why? Well, it’s much closer to El Rosario and it has a good Guatemalan school for our kids.

Hurdle 1 (in no particular order).
The new house. We have found a house to rent :) One we like with just enough space. However it has so much less than the one we’re in now. Our current house is furnished....with everything from a coffee maker and dishes to bed sheets. It was move-in ready. It was nice to arrive and have everything set up, but honestly it has too much stuff.  Less stuff will be nice, but...
The new place is unfurnished. It has nothing.  NOTHING.  Not even appliances. No beds, no sheets, nothing. In Guatemala unfurnished means no stove or refrigerator. So there are things we will need to buy. Things we will call our own. I think we’ll start with a coffee pot :)  The challenge or hurdle is that things cost more here. Fruits & vegetables cost less... household items big & small, cost more. The good news is we've learned to live with less & we are ok with used. 

Hurdle 2
Tuition. Our kids will be going to a Colegio, a private Guatemalan school.  I have had the pleasure of teaching at their current school which is for missionary kids. I do not get paid, however my kids receive free tuition because I teach there. It has been an amazing blessing.

Why private? Well, public education in Guatemala will not prepare our kids to go to college and more importantly it would not be safe for our little "gringos". They may look a bit Guatemalan... but they would be potential targets at a public school. 

Hurdle 3
Submersion. Guatemalan schools started in January. Their calendar school year runs January through October. Our kids finish this school year on the American calendar in May. They will have a few weeks for summer break and then start school mid-term in July at the Guatemalan school. They are ready and they are brave. It’s a Spanish speaking school. It will be a long rough semester. PLEASE pray for their strength and endurance. It will be complete language submersion. It's going to be tough. 

So as spring fever is coming...this first year of school in Guatemala will be over before we know it... and then we will be on to our next challenge as we continue down this missionary road.  If you are reading this and you know our story, please pray for these hurdles... and the many others we will face with this new move!

We are still looking for a few people who would be willing to pray about supporting our mission monthly.  If you would like to support what God is doing through us in Guatemala, click here.
If you are praying about support and have questions and would like to Skype or talk on the phone, do not hesitate to contact me directly. You can email me at vondasisneros@gmail.com or call our Magic Jack number in Guatemala, 970-449-9449 (local call for you). I would love to hear from you! And we would love to tell you all about our ministry in Guatemala.

Follow our journey and read George's blog  at www.GodCalledUs.com

The Blog I did not Post. "Our American Bubble"

As I spoke to a good friend on the phone, she said "your life seems so American there!" It was an uncomfortable statement for me. I said, "It does! We are in a bit of an American bubble." I often wonder what friends and family back home think. I didn't know how to answer and had a hard time explaining, because I know it can seem that way.

Yes, we could replace your American lives here. It's possible. If you want American fast food, it's here. If you want the latest electronic item, it's here. If you want to work out and take Zumba, yes, it's here too. I have been asked to sell Mary Kay! How American is that?? It's almsot all her and if we have not seen it yet, I'm betting we could find it (except for brown sugar!)

In so many ways our lives seem and could be very American and at some level you must remember, we are Americans! So as I sit and reconsider the statement “your lives seem so American there.” I have to ask...

Is having 10 ft. concrete walls around your yard wrapped with razor wire, American? Are you kidding me? In Colorado walls with razor wire are called prisons, not homes. Razor wire is used to keep the bad guys in, not keep them out!

We do not live in an American bubble. We live in a suburb of Guatemala City. We find the American school a huge blessing, and the “American” things a comfort amidst the radical change we have been through this past year.

In Guatemala we purchase non-refrigerated eggs off the shelf and milk in a box. That’s not American. In Guatemala we do not flush toilet paper. Most people here do not drink the tap water and those who do, shouldn’t! Traffic laws here are optional and pedestrians do not have the right of way. Men, women and children walk along the big busy dangerous highways late into the night begging or selling everything from fresh flowers to pirated movies. In Guatemala it is normal to have guards with shot guns or automatic weapons at every store. The meat is mostly just scary!

We can drive just over a block from our home and see smoke billowing out of the doors and windows of many tiny homes, a reminder of American blessings and of this countries need. When it rains we know that most of our friends in the village of El Rosario are just a few of the many people in Guatemala who will have another cold night sleeping in the mud (my eyes water at these realities.)

We drive past the entrance to an orphanage everyday on our way to school. It is one of many orphanages that are filled with babies and children whose parents are missing or just don’t care. The children in these mostly understaffed orphanages are blessed. In Guatemala, adoptions have been frozen for over 5 years so even an understaffed orphanage is better than the streets.

At every corner there is someone with needs. We have a choice to run to the rescue of so many and actually do very little because we would be spread so thin. Or watch and pray and put all our efforts exactly where God is asking us. We will take our time. We will go deep. We will find comfort in the familiar things. We will grow familiar with the Guatemalan things. We will continue to serve the Lord daily with all we do. This is not an American bubble, I misspoke, this is our mission field.

If you would like to support what God is doing through us in Guatemala, click here. Follow our journey at www.GodCalledUs.com

If you have questions or just want to catch up, do not hesitate to contact me directly. You can email me at vondasisneros@gmail.com or call our Magic Jack number in Guatemala, 970-449-9449 (local call for you). I would love to hear from you!

Carjacking

This evening we were at the video store, picking out a new movie for a family night. The kids and I got bored as Dad and Demar continued to look through all the movies, so I grabbed the keys and headed out the door to our van. The kids and I hopped in and I quickly asked each of them to lock the doors. I double checked and asked them again and tucked the keys under my thigh so that no one would know I had them.

It’s crazy, but I play the carjacking scenario in my mind every time we are stopped in the car and George is not with us. My thought is that if the doors are locked and I don’t have the keys (I usually ask George to take them with him) then the carjacker has few options. Without keys the poor carjacker has picked the wrong car. The truth is, I could care less about the car, it’s my precious cargo. My kids. Whatever it takes, no one will easily take my kids.

So as we wait, I play the scenario again in my head. The kids know why we lock the doors, but they do not know how often I plan the escape or how my mind wonders. I was regretting having the keys with me as I looked at the strange men visiting the tiendas next to the movie store.

Then I smiled and remembered a blog I never posted. The blog was about how a friend made the comment that our lives here in Guatemala seem so American. As I’m remembering her statement, my mind flutters to the thought “I think this is the same place the music teacher was driving as gunfire surrounded her car.”

My mind quickly goes back to the strange men… perhaps they are Christians; maybe they would be the good Samaritans who would run to our rescue if someone threatened us. Or is one of them drunk and desperate. Desperate enough to harm us.

My mind snaps back to the truth…I could plan scenarios, I could continue profiling the strange men or I could do as I always end up doing…I could trust God.

You know, it’s interesting. I never hid the keys or sent them in with George in Colorado. But here or there, we are called to trust. Trust the one God who saves!



If you would like to support what God is doing through us in Guatemala, click here. Follow our journey at www.GodCalledUs.com.

If you have questions or just want to catch up, do not hesitate to contact me directly. You can email me at vondasisneros@gmail.com or call our Magic Jack number in Guatemala, 970-449-9449 (local call for you). I would love to hear from you!

Deep and Wide are the Prayers that cover us.

My parents were visiting. Their first time to Guatemala. I could tell my
mom was looking for stories, things to tell all the friends and families
back home.

As she looked at me with eager eyes, I said “Mom, tell them to not
grow weary in prayer.” We are doing well and things are as they
should be. “We do not take this for granted. We see the covering...
we feel it.” I held my hands up and apart... “if I listed the blessings,
the provision and the protection we see it would be about this thick... it
is good and it is comforting. But what I know is that the blessings, the
provision and the protection is SOOO much thicker than we see or
feel. We don’t even know how deep it goes... but God does.”

The story is not new... but it is true as ever. Someday in heaven
someone from Guatemala will walk up to you who have prayed for us
and say “thank you for praying for the Sisneros’ family. Their strength
and obedience came from God because you prayed. I am here
because you prayed!”

If you pray for us, please do not grow weary. We are so thankful, and
know that battles are being fought on our behalf.

Our requests are simple at this point.

Pray for Guatemala. The people, the children, the small town of El
Rosario, the hungry, the homeless, the corruption.... Pray as the Holy
spirit leads.

Pray for discernment. We have a lot of decisions to make. Decisions
that concern our family and decisions about our ministry... what
exactly it will look like. How is God specifically equipping us to
minister? We want HIS place, and HIS time. We pray that each
choice we make pleases God.

Pray for continued confirmation. We are so human... always wanting
to be reminded that we are on the right path :)

Pray for our marriage. We are strong and in love... but we know that
our marriage is worth protecting at all times.

Pray for our children. As we move forward in ministry... we pray that
our kids hearts confirm the calling and that they know they are right
where God wants them. Doing his will.

Pray for protection and health. We know that our lives are in Gods
hands... it seems so much clearer here that we must rely on Him to
“live and move and have our being”. Nature and humans can destroy
it all so quickly.

We want to pray for you too...not growing weary goes both ways. Our
family wants to know your requests and we will pray!

Love,

Vonda

If you would like to support what God is doing through us in
Guatemala, go to www.GodCalledUs.com and click on the link
“Support this mission”.

If you have questions or just want to catch up, do not hesitate to
contact me directly. You can email me at vondasisneros@gmail.com
or call our Magic Jack number in Guatemala (local call for
you) 970-449-9449.

Dreaming in Spanish!

A few days ago I woke to a sweet voice telling her dad “I dreamed in Spanish and I understood what I was saying”.

I knew my kids would learn Spanish faster than me. It was my goal to keep up with them.  I can no longer keep up with them.  In less than 4 months their little young brains are just so much spongier than mine.  

I have now resolved to learn Spanish like I run.  Steady and slow.  Continue to train... stick to the schedule, make it a priority and just watch my body or in this case brain adjust to the ability it has.  I will receive no award, but I will become strong and I will finish the race. I will learn Spanish.  

I too will dream in Spanish!

We are here but we have not arrived!

When you completely surrender and give your life to Christ… the truth is He will do AMAZING things.  The other truth is that we are still human and we often fail to recognize what He is doing. We fail to recognize truly how amazing He is.  Many factors play in to the reality that what He is doing or has done does not match up in our minds and hearts.  Sometimes it is time that causes the equation to fail, sometimes it is health, it may be hunger, other times it is circumstances or even a lack of sleep.  I’ve come to realize that it is always combined with our feelings.  Those stinking feelings… I also know that Christ is not limited by any of these things!

We had some training and we read several books before we left.  I was ready to tackle the “culture shock” head on.  It reminds me of when I found out I was pregnant.  When I make big choices or find myself in big circumstances. I do my best to go into every situation with my eyes wide open.  I would feel like a fool if I didn’t look at both sides of the coin… if I had not prepared myself for all possibilities.  So three months in I can say this… just like having a baby and reading all the books, as wide as I open my eyes I always find out I missed something.  I will not go into details about what I missed while preparing for mother hood.  However I can tell you that as far as moving to another country… only one book slightly mentioned the words “culture fatigue” and I read that book the first week we were here.  I had no idea… I think it took its biggest toil on me. The kids are resilient, and George well he takes it like a man.  I however have been exhausted. Honestly I cannot think past this moment.

Many of you know I am serving at the Christian school that our kids attend here in Guatemala.  This is a blessing because I get to spend the day in the same halls as my kids.  However it has been a huge challenge to go back to work after 12 years of being a mom and homemaker.  This I know we no longer do what looks good and feels good.  We now do what Christ asks of us or least we try!  

George has been studying Spanish, seeking God, and visiting small outlying villages. We are ministering to those we meet and have come to know, but we also realize deep in our core that we are not with the people group that God intends us to serve. We are here but we have not arrived. Our plan was for George to visit many villages.  However circumstances out of our control… but in God’s have allowed George to visit one small village of about 1000 people 5 times.  Yesterday was my first time.  Oh my goodness.  Words cannot describe how I felt, what I saw and what I know.  As I sat on a stool on a dirt floor amidst six to eight little buildings made of brick and corn stock.  I felt like I was on a survivor TV set.  Who lives like this? I grew up with much less than anyone I know, yet so much more than anyone here. A great grandmother was sitting over in the shade while the Grandma and her five daughters sat around talking to George and I.  Their 22 children giggled and smiled and repeated every English word I said.  All the men were at work.  They pick and plant black berries I think.  They have no cars; they have no means to go far.  The town has a little packed out school house that serves the kids k-6^th.  The school house is a reflection of the corruption of a nation.  Each little building that surrounded us belonged to a portion of this large extended family.  Each little building had just one or two rooms.  Each room was either a “kitchen” or campfire in my eyes, or a bedroom.  Each bedroom had one or two beds. Each bed held three to four people.  None of these were double beds and none of these had box springs. There were ropes hung in the corners with clothes hug over them, a makeshift closet to hold the few extras they had.  It was like survivor… only the participants knew nothing else, no one is watching them, and no one is getting voted off. There is no prize at the end of a season.  This is life and this is living.  This may be the people group we will serve.  (The reality is more than half of the people in Guatemala live in similar conditions.)

It is strange and difficult.  It is obvious that new roofs and running water would make life better, but these people are not asking for anything, at least not for themselves.  However they are hungry. They are hungry for physical food and for spiritual food.  They are lost. They are stuck. They are surviving. They are not thriving.  What is the difference between surviving and thriving? It is what I said in the beginning.  Thriving begins with surrender…..

“When you completely surrender and give your life to Christ… the truth is He will do AMAZING things.  The other truth is that we are still human and we often fail to recognize what he is doing. We fail to recognize truly how amazing He is.  Many factors play in to the reality that what He is doing or has done does not match up in our minds and hearts.  Sometimes it is time that causes the equation to fail, sometimes it is health, it may be hunger, other times it is circumstances or even a lack of sleep.  I’ve come to realize that it is always combined with our feelings.  Those stinking feelings… ”  Just as we need to understand that Christ loves us right where we are in spite of our circumstances or feelings.  So do the people and children of Guatemala.

Please pray for us. We need the Lord to confirm this community, make it clear that this is where He want us!  We need support and discernment.  At what point do we move into to this little village? What will this look like for us and our children?  How will we ever show these people  the lover of their souls?  How could we walk away and not invest our lives... the truth of Christ's life into a group of people who have no way out? Please pray for us!

^{"How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent?" Romans 10:14,15}