Introducing the Westhoff family!

Today we have a guest post from my sister, Dawn Westhoff. She, her husband Erich, and sons, Hunter and Max are all part of Team Guatemala. Dawn writes:

Guatemala.  When Norm asked the youth group what their goal was, that was the answer he received.  This will be Hunter’s fourth mission trip and Max’s third, and they wanted to experience another culture.  Having Tony at Casa Bernabé made it a natural choice.  Unfortunately for them, Hunter’s track record meant mom and dad were going to tag along.  You may remember a trip a couple of years ago to an Indian reservation in Oklahoma that resulted in a broken leg, surgery and two pins in a leg forever.  Typical teenagers, they may look at us funny, but really I think they are glad we get to go as a family.  Erich and I are excited to see them in action, since they know what to expect when we get there. The mom part of me knows they will also bless those they go there to serve.  I know they bring their hearts ready to work, play and share of themselves for the good all of us.  Previous mission trips made changes in attitude, introduced them to different types of people and reinforced some of the lessons and values Erich and I have tried to instill in them.  We are so proud of Hunter and Max that they see a bigger world out there and are motivated to use their time and talents to bless others.

 I have to admit there is a part of me that hopes they come home with a different appreciation for the life we have provided them.  Another part knows they will come home with blessings that will affect the rest of their lives.  I go hoping to share my love of quilting/sewing possibly be able to teach those interested so they gain skills that improve their lives

This experience has been a bit of test to my faith. When I ran out of steam to create fundraisers I had to go on faith that others would see the value of the mission and support it just for the sake of supporting, not in exchange for goods or services.  As a local business owner we daily get asked to give to a wide variety of good causes and I struggle to be the one asking.  I can only thank my many friends and family that did not have to be asked; just found a way to be supportive.  From sewing machines, fabric and supplies that just kind of showed up; to the checks that were filled out and mailed in; to coming to the harvest dinner, donating a silent auction item or participating in the basket class.  I feel very blessed to have such wonderful friends and family.  I can’t wait to get there, except for the bug thing I have recently been informed about.  Oh and the NEED for Immodium.  Okay, so there are a few things on my mind so pray for me; that I may have patience, wisdom, physical and mental strength for the challenges we face on the trip.  I promise to take some pictures and let you know how it goes.  You’ll probably have to ask me to stop talking about it……

9 Days and Counting!

Last week someone asked me if I had started packing yet. The answer at that time was "no, not yet." However, if they asked me today I would be able to say "Yes!" Today we reach single digits in the countdown, and the excitement is building! We are still accepting donations to take with us to Guatemala - some to meet specific needs that they have at the orphanage and some to help us with the sewing projects we have in mind. Several donations of fabric came in last Sunday at church, for which we are very grateful. We also have a commitment for one iron, and are hoping for at least one more. A couple of the houses at the orphanage listed irons and ironing boards on their needs lists, and we will also need them when we are working on our sewing projects. Another piece of great news - we have commitments for nearly $4000 towards the gardening project. The guys better start lifting weights if they are going to be ready to sling concrete block!

Re-terracing the Garden - what does that look like?

Those of you who have been around farming very much are probably already familiar with terracing, but if you don't spend much time in the country or on a farm, you may not be. Lucky me. When I was in 6th grade I had to do a project that included making a model of a farm, and it had to include terracing. Terracing is what some farmers choose to do if their land is hilly. The objective is to keep the good black top-soil from eroding down the hillside. The soil underneath the top-soil is typically harder and more stony, so plants don't grow as well in it, so it's important to keep the top-soil where it belongs. So - if you see a hillside that looks like it has giant stair-steps - that is because it has been terraced. [If you know more about gardening than I do, and that is entirely possible, and can give a better explanation, feel free to leave it in the comments.]

To the right you can see a picture of the terraced garden at Casa Bernabé. If you look closely, you can see that the upper terraces, all except the lowest one, are made of wood. Because of the moisture in the climate of Guatemala the wood terracing rots out quickly, so a lot of time is put into maintaining and replacing the terracing. If you look closely at the lowest terrace, you will see that it is made of concrete block and rebar. This was done as an experiment to see if it would be more durable. So far, that has proved to be the case, so now our friend, Tony, would like to replace ALL of the terracing with concrete block and rebar. Part of the objective is to free up the time that has been spent maintaining the terracing so Tony can work on other improvements at Casa Bernabé.   This is the big project that the men on our team are hoping to accomplish while we are in Guatemala. Tony has estimated that it will cost about $6,600 to complete the job (remember - the garden is 2 acres!). We are still in the fundraising process, so any funds you choose to designate for this purpose would be a great help!

And now...introducing Mary Jackson!

Q: What is your motivation for going to Guatemala?

A: I've longed to go to Guatemala for years. I want to travel out of the country, see new places, spend time with you all, and make a difference in children's lives.

Q.What do you hope to accomplish while you are in Guatemala?

A: I want to reconnect with God. I've been struggling with a lot of unsettling questions about God and Christianity, and I've been praying that He leads me to a place where I can leave all that behind. I want to rediscover what I loved about God in the first place.

Q: What else would you like people to know about you?

A: When I was six years old, I was convinced I was Spanish because I was born in California. "Never mind my blonde hair and blue eyes, you may call me Maria."

Prayer request of the day:

Pray that we will have enough space to carry all of the donations that are coming in. Donations are a very good thing - we just don't want to leave anything behind due to lack of space.

Introducing...Norm and Donna Bucholtz

We are Norm and Donna Bucholtz. Norm is, by default, the team lead and I, Donna, am his better half. In an effort to help you know a little about each of us, we will answer just a few questions about ourselves.

First - Norm!

1. What is your motivation for going to Guatemala?

My motivation for going to Guatemala has changed since we first started planning this trip.  Back in January of 2012, it was to lead a team of our youth to Guatemala.  Over time, we opened the door for anyone who was interested to go to Guatemala, not just youth.  My motivation changed from leading a youth missions trip to leading a team. Then, my motivation became to build a team spirit among our team.  In reality, I was not motivated to go to Guatemala as much as I wanted to help a team go to Guatemala.  

2. What do you hope to accomplish while you are there?

 Now it is my desire to be available to serve at Casa Bernabe in whatever capacity I am asked to serve.  I won't know until I get there how that might be.  

 
3. What else would you like to tell people about yourself?
As much as our team may be willing to serve, we will probably receive more than we can give. I hope to help direct our team in how they might serve, in the future, as a result of their experience in Guatemala, so my vision doesn't end when we return from Guatemala. I also hope our team members will learn to trust God for his provision.  We could not go to Guatemala without His help.  These last few weeks before our departure have been very exciting watching how God has provided.  He deserves all the glory!

Now Donna (me!)
1. What is your motivation for going to Guatemala?
Ever since Monona Oaks Community Church started sending short-term missions groups to Guatemala I have wanted to go. Up until now, I have not had peace that I should, but this time when the opportunity came up I had a very clear sense that it is now time for me to go. I'm thrilled by this, as I get to be part of the same team that my sister and her family (who you will meet later) are.

2. What do you hope to accomplish while you are there?

One thing that was recommended to us it to go without expectations, so I'm trying to be open to whatever possibilities come up. However - that being said - I am an inveterate planner, and a lot of details have come together in ways that lead me to believe that a big part of what I will be doing probably involves a sewing machine. We have had 3 donated to take with us, along with sewing supplies, fabric, batting, etc, so the possibilities just in terms of sewing are wide open to us.

3. What else would you like to tell people about yourself?

I would like to tell you that I love the Lord, I love life, and I'm really, really, really excited about going on this trip! Also, please keep our entire team in your prayers. We have organizing to do to be prepared to leave our jobs to go on this trip, we ask for good health for all of us through the duration of the trip, safe travel and for the final phase of fund-raising as we near our departure date. Thank-you!

Seventeen Days to departure!

Getting ready for this trip to Guatemala has already been an adventure, and we haven't even boarded the plane, yet! What started with the expectation of being a youth missions trip has expanded to include several adults, and the team has now become sixteen people who have worked together, met together, and prayed together for this trip. Part of our hope is that we will be able to serve the people at Casa Bernabe and be a blessing to them. Fund-raising has also been part of the adventure. Each member has been responsible for the funds for their own passports and immunizations. Beyond that, we have been like the 3 musketeers - all for one and one for all. Using a combination of fund-raising activities, letter writing, and keeping our churches informed of our progress, we have so far raised about $13,200 toward the cost of our trip. We are still short about $1900 toward the total amount needed to cover flight tickets, room and board at Casa Bernabe, and one night in a hotel to account for an overnight layover on our flight home. We also hope to raise funds to contribute toward the project of re-terracing the 2 acre garden that our friend and missionary, Tony Breunig has worked so diligently to install. Additionally, we have had some very exciting events in the past several months. Several of the ladies on our team are knowledgeable at sewing, so were very happy when three sewing machines were donated along with fabric, quilt batting and fiberfill, and sewing supplies. We are allowed 2 pieces of checked luggage for this trip, and we have all committed to reserve at least one piece of checked luggage for the donations that we will take. We have several projects in mind, including quilts, bags, and pillowcase dresses that we are looking forward to.

If you follow our blog, in the next several days the members of the team will be introduced. We will also let you know about specific needs as we become aware of them. As our trip commences, and if the internet holds out, we will try to keep you up to date with our current happenings. We also ask your on-going prayers for health, spiritual growth, and for the needed funds to make this trip happen. If you feel led to help contribute, gifts can be sent to:

Monona Oaks Community Church
Attn: Team Guatemala
6200 Monona Drive
Madison, WI 53716