Greetings this Monday evening. Most of the team is on the third floor relaxing, reading or connecting with others. God has once again put together an amazing team. Stories are being shared, prayers lifted together and praises to God are declared.

Tonight Maria lead our evening devotion based on the story of Joseph in the book of Genesis. She spoke on the trials he went through as God led him to the place where he would lead his people and preserve them through the years of drought. As Joseph finally met his brothers years later he told them "What you meant for evil God planned for good."

Maria talked about our journey this week among the Guatemalan people and how God has brought us to this place for a purpose. We may not fully understand the whys and the hows of what we do this week but we know that for us this is the time to be used by God for his glory and the blessing of others.

Our team theme for this week is, "I will never be the same again" sung by Hillsong. I have heard that said by a number of people who have come down here to work with Groundwork Guatemala. In fact just a year ago I myself said it. "I am forever changed, I'll never the same again. Already I am seeing that in some of our team members.

Today we began with a stop at "Only a Child." Many of you have heard about George and how he came to Guatemala in 1994 to minister to the street children. He provides opportunity for work, school, a Christian environment and a loving home watched over by a caring Guatemalan couple. George emphasized today that it's not about helping a large number at one time. Through his Godly example and by working with 10 or 12 young men at a time the change will take place as these young men grow to be Christian husbands and fathers.

Our next stop was the dump. Again many have seen the pictures and heard the stories. The smell is horrendous but even more unbelievable is to see the people who daily work in the dump trying to find enough just to survive. We met Rosa this afternoon whose fourteen year old son is the only one who brings any income to the family and he does it by digging through the trash for whatever he can find. It seems hopeless yet today we saw what Groundwork and other mission groups can do even here. Ruth is one of the Guatemalan missionaries for Groundwork. She spent a number of years working in that very same dump. She still lives in a house that sits on what once was a part of that dump. Through support from loving families in the States she has been taking classes to become a nurse. Today at the entrance of the dump she stood in her white nurses outfit with the dump in the background. A picture of what God can do when we think nothing can be done.

In the afternoon we made home visits. Each family lives on a day to day existence. Large numbers of children along with a mom and sometimes a dad share spaces we would not begin to think were not big enough for a room let alone a whole family to live in. We heard many heartbreaking stories today. We listened, we shared scripture with them and lifted them in prayer. Some are receiving assistance in some form or another from Groundwork. It was heartwarming to see the smiles on their faces as we prayed with them and shared hugs and laughter. As we left each place we were able to see that in spite of the poverty they live in it was a home touched by God.

We are doing good and are looking forward to tomorrow. We head to Amatilan and begin our teaching and crafts with the kids and the teaching with the adults. More adventures and God experiences await us as we continue our journey knowing that at the end of it, we will never be the same again.

God's love to you all. - Mark