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Life Through My Eyes- Guatemala!

I have been in Guatemala for 2 weeks! The Lord has been moving powerfully in me and around me. I am excited to fill you in on ALL of it, but I felt it was necessary to simply explain my day to day first. 


Weekly Schedule (ish)

 

*During the week breakfast and dinner are provided for us at the base, and we pack our lunches. We have two amazing cooks from Guatemala!!

 

Mondays: 

8:30-10:30- English lessons at Jerusalem of Antigua church in Hoka. I am teaching the 11 to 12 year old age group. 

10:30-1- head back to base, eat lunch, and then get ready to leave for a different ministry. 

1-4- We go to the village Chimechoy. It is on the top of a mountain. The view is amazing, and sometimes we are literally in the clouds. In this village we stop in at different houses to just to say hello and grow relationships. Last week we colored with some little boys as we visited with a family, and then we played “Cat and Rat” with a group of kids in town. 

 

Tuesdays: 

8:30-12- We are back at Jerusalem of Antigua church for women’s group. During this time someone on my team gives a message over the Holy Spirit, we spend about 30 minutes in prayer, and then we sing until we feel led to stop. This time has been incredible. The women pour their hearts out in prayer and are so loving to us. 

12—5- We do not have a set ministry during this time. We have spent this time planning for future ministry or we stumble across a different ministry opportunity. Next week we are going to a woman’s home to cook with her (EEK!). 

6-8- Youth group at Jerusalem of Antigua. Every couple of weeks someone on my team gives the message. I gave the message last week and Liz translated for me! I love this time. It is very obvious that the Lord is moving during youth nights.

 

Wednesdays: 

Wednesday mornings are open for my team. We plan English lessons and prepare sermons. We also have intentional team time and run errands if necessary. 

2-5- We go to a different village with Aderkee, a local that works for AIM here at the Guatemala base. The view is incredible…like I always feel like I am in a movie. At this village Aderkee is very close with one family. We visit with them, teach them English, play soccer, and build connections with other families.

5-7- We go to church in the same village. The first time we were there they asked us to go and pray over the pastor because he was sick. We walked to his house, prayed over him, and he shared no one was able to teach at the church. We volunteered to lead Wednesday nights, and he agreed. This church is very traditional, so it is amazing that they allowed us to not only go but to also preach. Go God! 

 

Thursdays:

Activation Days!

Every Thursday we have a time of worship, a message, time to process message with the Lord, and then we go out into different villages and activate the message we were just taught. We literally go out and just do the thing! It easy to sit through a message on Sunday morning and then leave church and never act on what you were just taught. Thursdays are a set day to simply seek the Lord and grow in boldness. We call these times where we have no agenda and just follow the Lord, ATL (ask the Lord) times. We practice ATL in every day life. Always in a posture of asking the Lord what He is doing so we can partner with Him. I LOVE IT. 

 

Fridays:

8:30-10:30- English lessons at Jerusalem of Antigua again!

10:30-3:30- ATL time. We ask the Lord what He wants us to look for or do and we go. Sometimes this looks like doing things we need to do or want to do, but being interruptible by what God is saying. For example, we went to get coffee and felt the Lord asked us to sit with this man and his nephew on the sidewalk, and eventually we prayed over them. ATL is something we are learning to put into practice in our every day life. 

4-5- We clean Jerusalem of Antigua. 

 

Saturdays and Sundays

Completely free. I usually go to Antigua, walk around a bit, and find a coffee shop to relax in. I use these days to rest and process. I have journaled an incredible amount since being on the race.  

 


FUN THINGS

 

Transportation- Chicken buses are our main transportation. This is the public way to get around in Guatemala. I wish all of you could experience riding on a chicken bus just once in your life. What is a chicken bus you ask? It is basically like a school bus from the US just painted very extravagantly. To get on a chicken bus, you stand on the side of road and wait…and wait…and wait…and when you see one coming, you throw your hand out, and the bus pulls over/stops in the middle of the road. You HURRY ON and HOLD ON because the second you are in the bus it starts moving again! Most of the time the buses are very full. Sometimes there is an empty seat, sometimes you squeeze three people onto a seat (easier if the seat across from you is squeezing three also because then the two that are half on the seat can lean against each other in the aisle), and sometimes you stand and hold on very tightly. I could go on and on about this. Just ask me to tell you more if you would like to know 🙂

 

Culture- Guatemalans are very generous and live out great hospitality. It amazes me how much they do for us. I have been given many trinkets from kids, a lot of pop, and many meals. I have also watched many people in need give very generously to people that are in greater need. It is such a beautiful thing. It is very loud here and the buses are very fast pace, but over than that the culture is slow and very intentional. Aderkee (grew up here) always stops and talks to the people he knows. Always, even if we are driving, we pull over to not only say hello, but to have an entire conversation. I love this. I want to be this intentional and loving, I am done being too focus on my to-do-list that I am not intentional with the people around me. The women are still oppressed. It is not normal for them to teach or drive. They are expected to wear dresses or skirts, cook, clean, and have kids. In some villages this isn’t as prevalent, but it is still very real. A lot of the man work all day, every day. A lot of sons, husbands, and dads have left to find better paying jobs in the US or Canada. Many families are heartbroken about this because they haven’t seen or heard form their men in years. They deeply miss them, and they struggle to stay afloat without them. In most homes, there is a lot extended family living together. 

 

Hard Things-

There are two very obvious strong holds (big areas the enemy is working in) in Guatemala: alcoholism and lust. It is not uncommon to see men very obviously drunk at any point of the day or even passed out in the middle of town. The effects of lust is everywhere. Women are viewed like meat, and this drives me absolutely insane. Women get cat called at every corner even by men driving by. There are lingerie stores everywhere, and lustful pictures, art, and advertisement of women everywhere. Most families live in poverty. 

The language difference is very hard for me. A lot of our ministry is relational based, and all I want to do is have a conversation with someone, but I can’t. We have translators some times, I am learning some Spanish, but the Lord is really teaching me how to make an impact beyond words. I will explain more about that later. 

 

Food- Dang. The food here is pretty great. We have two amazing Guatemalan cooks. I have been able to eat a lot of traditional food and also find food I am use to and comfortable with. Fun fact: Fast food places like McDonalds, Wendy’s, etc. are extravagant here. They are like the nice places to go out and eat at. I am a huge fan of McDonald’s…yikes, I know. 

 

How we are received-

We always draw people’s attention simply because we are white, and to them we all have “blonde” hair. I hate being stared at, but I am getting use to it. I also hate getting cat called, and I refuse to get used to that, but I am getting better at standing on truth and letting it go. I never leave base in a tank top or shorts. Other than that we are received fairly well. When they hear why we are here they are thankful and typically are very generous or ask us to pray for them. Most people welcome us into their homes, and the kids always come running. I have learned that everywhere I go the enemy is going to try and tell me to prove myself; however, I am learning a lot about standing firm in my identity whether people see me for who I am or not. I wasn’t created to please people or prove myself in any way, so I refuse to get caught in the enemy’s trap. I know who I am because I know what my Father says about me. 

 

Being in Guatemala is challenging in the best way possible. The people here are teaching me so much. I am more grateful, intentional, and joyful than I have ever been. I am so thankful to be in this country. 

 

This was a long blog, but I haven’t updated you all in a hot minute (so sorry)! In these last two weeks, the Lord has taught me so much. I am going to write a few blogs about big things the Lord is doing; however, if you have ANY questions, big or small, please ask in the comments! I love sharing about what the Lord is doing. 

 

Love you all! God Bless!

 

  • Abigail Grace Criqui

 

8 Comments

  1. Thank you so much for taking the time to share all this! I love hearing what you’re doing and learning!! Sending love and prayers!!!

  2. Your blogs are just what I need. I learn so much, feel such a part of what you are doing and love watching God at work. I love your heart. Thanks for sharing all this with us. So questions….you know me! I have several. haha
    Where do you do your laundry? Do you have showers/bathrooms in your rooms or are they communal? Is it just your team at base? When you all cooked together for Thanksgiving – did you get to shop for your food? Any of it American or traditional Thanksgiving food? What did you fix? I know….I could go on but this is plenty for now. Know that we are all praying for you, sending you love and hugs and watching to see how God continues to use you in His mighty way. All my love forever, Nana.

  3. I am so proud of you and the amazing life you are leading. Thank you for letting us see a little glimpse through your eyes. Be safe we’re praying for your faith and safety.

  4. Hi! It was so good to read about what you have been doing! I look forward to reading more. ?? Be careful-I pray for you everyday!
    Tiffany & Budke family

  5. Hey Precious Girl…you sound AMAZING! I LOVE hearing and see pictures of the kiddos. I bet you are a breath of fresh air for them. So thankful God answered our prayers about you being able to eat! Yipppppeee….Go GOD!

    SO thankful you don’t leave base without dressing modestly to avoid tempting inappropriate eyes!!

    Also very grateful God is using you in such a mighty way. May you continue to shine and serve Him WHOLE HEARTILY in ways that are HONORING TO HIM. LOVE YOU BUNCHES…

  6. I love reading your blogs! I pray God continues to give you bold courage to live out loud for Him. May He open doors of opportuinty for you to reach those who are dear to His heart. I pray the love of Jesus you carry is so strong, it will transend the language barrier. Keep doing hard things, Abby! You are stronger than you think you are! Love you!!

  7. I love these questions!

    – we hand wash our laundry at base. We have these big concrete basins that are made to wash clothes in and, then we hang clothes to dry. I enjoy it most times.
    – the entire squad is at one base, and each team has their own room. Each room has a bathroom, and then there are also four communal bathrooms with just toilets and sinks.
    – For Thanksgiving we pulled things together super quick! Every time shopped on their own and cooked on their own. Everything was American(Ish) food! It was as normal as we could make it. We had a lot of food: chicken, mashed potatoes, Mac and cheese, tons of sides, and tons of desserts.

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