Our Cowboy Experience....in Guatemala!

My parents were just here for a couple weeks and we were able to do some fun and different things with them. One of those experiences we had was a Cowboy Event. It was about 10 minutes from our house on the outskirts of town where many farmers live. As we headed for the place we heard the event would take place, I wondered to myself, "What is this going to be like?". As we pulled up to a large property we were greeted right away by a local pastor, an American (who does Cowboy Ministries throughout Guatemala), and one of the organizers from another city in Guatemala. They were so welcoming and kind to my parents, our friends and the kids. There were about 10 cowboys on their horses and nothing really happened for about 30 minutes, which is kind of common here. Then people just kept coming, from who knows where, and more and more cowboys too. There was probably around 15 cowboys when it really began. They started the event with sharing about Christ and how you can be a cowboy and know Christ as Lord and Savior. Then there were some kids relay races and they had a chance to try lasoo a barrel too. Elijah, Noah and Rachel all ran in a relay- so fun for them! Then the cowboys did some competitions, which we so neat to watch. During all this time my dad was taking pictures from all parts of the property. At one point the owner of the property's son came riding his huge horse and asked if any kids wanted to try. This kid was not 12 or 13 but 5 years old and incredible on this huge horse. Noah was thrilled, got on right away, and rode with the other little boy for at least 10 minutes. Elijah had a turn too! So fun to do things like this with our kids and my parents! We ended up being there watching different races and competitions for at least 2 hours. Each person we met was so kind and friendly. Who would of thought we would be at a cowboy event in Guatemala with my parents and my kids! You never know what life will throw at ya! Enjoy each moment and savor the memories!

The Roof....

About a month ago, Steve was able to see one of his dreams come true. It all began a year ago, when Steve and I were in Guatemala and we went to visit a place that was in need of some food, as they were in a major drought. The House Dads had been looking for places that were really affected by the drought and found this place, called Flor del Cafe. It was a village made up of about 12-15 families. They were given food provisions and we got to be a part of it! The village really impacted us because the people were so organized with the way they layed out their homes and the land they lived on. We loved to be there with the people and had an amazing experience.
Last July, we went there again with our kids, handed out some clothing, food, and did a few crafts with all the kids. I loved to be able to see my kids first hand just playing and loving on the kids from this village. A kid is a kid, no matter where you are from or what your upbringing is like. So great! On this visit, we found out that the village had a teacher that would come and teach all their kids, but they didn't have anywhere to meet. Steve felt led to find a way to help. The leader of Flor del Cafe told us they could build the building(out of clay/dirt bricks dried in the sun), but they were not able to get the roof. They had even approached the Mayor of the area and he was not able to assist them in any way. Steve found out it would only be a few hundred dollars to get the metal roof. He said he would get them the roof once they built the building.
Well, the building was completed just over a month ago and Steve and some of the house Dad's were able to go help and put the roof on. It was amazing to see the pictures afterward. To see how a village did what they could and then we were able to come along side them and see something they wanted for their kids happen. Now Flor del Cafe has a school building and the teacher can come teach their children. There is already a group of Guatemalan youth that will be going and helping with school supplies and doing a Vacation Bible School with all the kids(about 40 or so). So beautiful to see all of us working together and loving each other.

The Crazy Bug!

Well today we had a fun discovery! We went to say hello to some friends here and they told us to come in. They also told us they wanted to show us something. We had no idea what it was and then we saw IT! It was the biggest, oddest, unique insect we have ever seen! Steve and I realized the kids would love to see it, so we returned later with the kids and our camera. Even our friends, who are Guatemalan, had never seen this insect before and didn't know what it was or if it was dangerous.
The kids were amazed and so curious when they saw it! Noah kept going closer and closer and yet we didn't know if it was safe to go close. So I took a ton of photos and the kids and I began investigating, once we were at home. We found out it was a Giant Harlequin Beetle, commonly found in tropical places, living in trees (especially fig trees or dying, decaying trees). It is not supposed to be dangerous or poisonous to humans as it feeds off trees and sap. I have never in my life seen a beetle quite like this one! So fun to learn and live the experience- just part of our adventure here!

Almost three months....update!

I can't believe I haven't written in so long and that we have almost been here three months. The time sure has escaped us as we have been very busy here. It is exciting to see how we have settled in to a routine, found friends, have our favorite spots, and we are already looking forward more great experiences.
In our first three months we have learned a lot of important things about this country, culture, ourselves, and the place we are serving in. So often it seems when we think we have it all together, God brings change, and we have to rely on Him, ask Him for help and guidance. It is such a good thing to have change in our lives, even when it is challenging or hard at times. I am so thankful for the changes in our lives that God has brought about and the changes we have experienced here so far. We still have a ton to learn.
There are so many fun and great things about living in Guatemala. I will list some off as there are so many that I can think of right now: 1 pound of fresh strawberries for less than a dollar, sunshine everyday, kind people, learning a new language, kids playing soccer outside with the neighbour kids, cheap yummy icecream often, eating every meal together as a family, going to the pool in town for free, enjoying fruit from our backyard, and most of all feeling God leading us everyday. We are in the place God wants us and it is so fullfilling to be here, serve and love the people!
If you are reading this and wondering where God wants you or if He is asking something of you, look to Him, read the Bible, and pray! He will show you, guide you, and be with you every step of the way- no matter how old you are, what stage of life you are in, or where you are at financially- God's plan is perfect and He wants to use you! That is exciting! We hope our lives will encourage you to obey God, serve Him, and follow His call- it can be to reach out to your neighbour, your family memebers, your boss, or to another place.... He first loved us that we would extend that love to others. We love you all and pray you will be encouraged today!

15th Birthday Party....

We just had a big weekend with the Quinceaneras Party (when girls turn 15) with over 180 people at Shadow of His Wings... and 8 girls to celebrate their special birthday. It is a huge deal here in Guatemala and for many of the girls they did not think they would ever have a celebration like they had, because of their circumstances before coming to the project.
They were so excited about their big day, getting to pick out their dresses, shoes, and they got to have their hair done, toes painted and make-up too. I was thrilled to be able to put together a video of the girls, full of pictures of them over the years and put it to music. It was fun to learn something new and be a part of it all.... it went well and the girls liked it. The night began with the house parents walking in their daugther, the mother then changed the girls shoes as a sign of not being a little girl anymore, and then they sat at a head table. Later on in the night the house father gave his daugther a ring as a symbol of purity and that she is precious. There was live music and worship by band from a nearby town. We got to enjoy dinner and dessert, which is when the video played. It was such a touching and special night!
Right now we are doing a lot of things as a family and the party was no excetion. Throughout the party Steve and I kept switching Noah from one lap to the other and chasing, watching or trying to distract him and that's when the quote came "life without a sitter". Yep, no sitter here yet, and no real time away from our kids, pretty much 24/7 between the two of us. The kids did great and liked the food and dessert too. One of the girls we sponsor turned 15 which was so special for us too... she looked beautiful and so grown-up.... a young woman now.
I feel honored to be a part of these girls lives and thankful to God to be able to be available, help, support in whatever way I can to help them become women who love God, love others and love who they are!

Adventures.....

It is crazy to think we have been here almost a month already! There have been some amazing experiences and some challenging ones too. So far we have been able to visit some rural villages, spend time with house parents and their kids, show my mom around town and get acquainted with a new town. The challenges we have faced have been small and large, but we have gotten through most of them..... others will be a process, but are part of the journey!
Some fun things about living here- hanging laundry out and it is dry in less than an hour; meeting new people all the time who are very friendly; driving on the other side of the road if necessary and no one bats an eye; garbage collection three times a week; starting to understand more and more spanish; seeing the kids learn another language; kids rollerblading in the house; cows and horses walking along the streets; discovering things in the market that I didn't think they had here; plants/trees in our backyard that I never imagined I would ever have (almond tree, mango, papaya, lime, lemon, cilantro, and palm trees)!
Some big hurdles/challenges we've faced- Elijah waking up with croup in the middle of the night- it was really bad and scary, but thankfully I remembered what to do; all-over body rash on Noah and not sure what from; feelings of being overwhelmed with leaning a new language; figuring out how to do things in a new country & culture; challenged by homeschooling for the first time and not feeling very confident; Steve discovering a hole in a tooth- needing a root canal; a couple of the kids freaking out about going to school here.... but through all these things, we know we are where we are supposed to be.
I have been reminded through all these things, hard and challenging, good and fun, that God is with us every step of the way. If we continue to look to Christ for wisdom, direction, and strength when we are weak, we can do anything through him! Steve and I (and the kids) know that God has something for us to do here. I am honored and privaledged to serve at Shadow of His Wings and be a part of a beautiful place full of beautiful people. What is life without helping others, living through hardships, and coming through it all to know we've done what the Creator of this world has asked us to do....nothing can compare. We have to remind ourselves daily that God will be our strength and to stay focussed on why we are here, not what is trying to get in the way and distract us from His plan.
Finally, I am so happy that we have experienced some breakthroughs. Our kids are feeling more and more at home here and making friends too. Today after picking them up from school, they all said they loved it and it wasn't too hard. I am so thankful for that! It is hard to see your kids struggle, but when you know they are safe, surrounded by great teachers and kids, and it is such a gift to learn another language, it is a relief when they begin to enjoy it and feel more comfortable! The kids are healthy again and Steve really likes the Dentist (which is a good thing with a few more appointments to come to fix his tooth... root canal this monday)! So, thanks for all the prayers many of you have sent our way- we can't do this without all of you too.... you are a part of our adventure and we are so thankful we are not alone!
Love you all, The Lindbergs

First Week In Guatemala!

Well we have now been here one week! Where to begin..... hard to say. It has been a full week of setting up the house we rented. We landed in Guatemala City last Monday night and then tuesday we searched through some stores in the city to pick up some essentials that you might not find in Monjas (the town we are living in now). We also picked up the furniture that we were able to preorder in the city with a milk truck that friends of friends in Monjas arranged for us! We were quite the site- tired, five buggies full of stuff in the Guatemalan Walmart, 16 hockey bags, a loaded milk truck, ect. We then drove 2 1/2 hours to our new town- thankfully Noah fell asleep- and we went to see our new rental house and unloaded some of the hockey bags, furniture, and looked around. The adventure truely began our first day here!
The next day we went to a nearby town, more like a city, and picked up some groceries and basics for the house and everyday life.... most things we were able to find, but they just look different. I was pleasantly surprised to find things that I thought we wouldn't be able to get here! Steve also stopped at a hardware store to get some shower curtain rods, and random tools that he wasn't able to fit in a hockey bag. It was nice to have our friend Julia help us find things and translate for us- she is Guatemalan and serves as a translator at the oprphanage and is now living with us here!
Day 3 was full of cleaning our house, getting around town in a tuc tuc (a little three-wheeled taxi), trying to figure out how to connect a heater for the shower (called a Widow Maker as you can be electricuted if you touch it while showering), and writing lists of things we still need to get to get our house in order.... meanwhile everything around us is in another language- wow- we can only speak a little and basics so it has some challenges, but it is exciting to try to pick out words and we are ready to learn more! We all felt really tired this day and wondering when we would feel settled! We were still sleeping at the team house at this point as we still didn't have a fridge or stove and we still had to put together beds for the kids.
Day 4- In the morning we got to bring the kids to visit the school at Shadow of His Wings, called Liberty Christian School, where they will be going in the mornings (7:30-12). It was so great and encouraging to be with the kids there and see all the girls and boys playing together and just being at S.O.H.W. I just love being there and it was my mom's first time meeting the kids from the orphanage! We then went back to the team house, cleaned up, and moved our stuff from there to the rental house (just our things we had been using) and Julia's stuff as she had been living at the team house for the last 8 months she has been working at Shadow of His Wings. It took a couple trips with a pick-up that a friend at the orphanage lent us over lunch break. The rest of the day was full of organizing and figuring out details of life here.... good but just a bit overwhelming so far. Steve went to find a vehicle to rent from a friend of a friend of ours here and an hour later he came back with a nice truck that we are able to rent on a day-by-day basis, so we can get around here. We then treated ourselves to dinner out at a really great restaurant in town called Carolina's, whose owner used to live in North Carolina! Good food, not expensive, and nice to relax and just chat!
Day 5- Saturday we were able to go with some of the girls from S.O.H.W. and two house dads to pick up 40 chickens that people from our church, Christian Life Assembly, donated money to buy to give to needy families in this area- they were egg-laying chickens with feed for each. It was a great experience and I am so thankful that we got to be a part of it! A blessing beyond words to some of those families and to a nursing home in Monjas too. One woman told us that she had prayed that someone would come in a truck and pray with her.... an answer to her prayers and the blessing of continual food from the chicken- amazing! Thank you Jesus for letting us be a part of your plan here and for those at CLA who wanted to help people here have food to eat! There were so many more incredible people we got to meet and it was amazing to be able to pray for them, their families and ailments.
Day 6 Sunday we got up and went to church at the project... my mom's first time and our first time as regulars. It was great to be back and the kids all went to sunday school. I like the passion and enthusiasm that Guatemalan's have when they preach and yet they are humble and honest. It was a simple yet impacting service. At one point, the house dad who was preaching shared about something that we had been talking about just the night before at our house with Julia and my mom... I love it when that happens. After the service we visited briefly and then headed home, only to find out we had locked ourselves out of the house. It took almost two hours for the landlord to come with a garage door opener to let us in (which we now have all the time).... so off to Carolina's for lunch and thankfully they were open. Not too many places are open on Sundays here. It all worked out and the rest of the day the kids relaxed, played, rollerbladed in the garage and storeroom in the house and the rest of us puttered and got stuff done around the house.
Day Seven Monday- Got up at 6am and got the kids up at 6:30 to get ready for their first day of school. A big adjustment from home: new school, only spanish, and different routines. They were nervous but excited. We got there right at 7:30 and they met their teachers and in they went to their seperate classes without a hitch. I was so proud of how they just walked right in and joined their classmates. The kids are so kind and friendly, which helped a ton. Steve and I had a meeting with Carroll, who is the Executive Director at S.O.H.W and it went really well. We then walked around the grounds to check out some things Steve will be working on and then it was time to pick up the kids. They said they liked it but it was hard too.
I am thanking God that the kids have adjusted well so far and that we all see that God wants us here and He will help us stay focused, figure out the details of everyday life, and sustain us through it all.