Intermissions Feb. 25-27

I have now gone to my first missionary conference here in Guatemala.  I wasn't sure what to expect, and was even less sure I really wanted to go, but my friend Judy Kerschner encouraged me to, so I thought I'd give it a try. Intermissions is designed to be a spiritual retreat as well as an opportunity for networking for missionaries whose first language is English and who have come from outside of Guatemala. It was all it said it would be and more!

I traveled to Panajachel, on Lake Atitlan, with Judy, and two younger friends, Amy (who is an occupational therapist who works with Judy at New Life School) and Naomi (who works in a children's home in Parramos, near Antigua). The ride was a great opportunity for me to finally meet these two young women who I had heard so much about. We even had time for lunch on the lake before going to the hotel to check in for the conference.

We were lucky to get rooms in the main hotel, Porta Hotel del Lago, a high rise hotel right on the lake.  We were only on the third floor, but the view was astounding. The rooms were bright and comfortable, and the shower was the best I've experienced in ANY country.  I (almost) felt guilty living in such luxury while so many so near to us were starving. I really struggled with this throughout the weekend.

I surely would not have paid for this opulence, but the conference was subsidized by donations from the servant teams who supported the conference. This was where they had chosen. I decided to accept it as the gift it was and quit over-thinking the whole thing. I guess Jesus did dine in the homes of the rich as well as the poor, but it was a little hard to get used to.

After the first evening session, though, I knew I'd made the right decision in coming. The main speaker was Pastor Paul Taylor from Liberty Church in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. His topic for the weekend was to look at what The Lord's Prayer teaches us about what Jesus knew/believed about God. The theme for the weekend was God is: Present, Purposeful, Provider, Powerful.

It was good to reflect for a time on each of these attributes of God, not just in the abstract, but as to how they impact my life as a missionary here in Guatemala. I discovered that I had no trouble experiencing God as present and purposeful. This weekend challenged me, though, to more fully surrender to Him, in His power and His ability to provide for all I need. I can say honestly that I don't worry about my support, or my ability to carry out what He has called me to do. Too often, though, I allow "what if's" (such as what if the economy gets worse; what if my health gets worse; even what if there's an earthquake here) to distract me from praising Him for all He has done and provided.

See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 
 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.

So it was a good weekend to consider these things, and grow to trust Him more deeply, not just for my daily bread, but with my future. I was reminded that God only allowed the Israelites to gather enough manna for a single day (except for the Sabbath) to keep their eyes firmly focused on Him as provider. I think He is asking me to do the same.