Mashimon

One of the most interesting conversations I've had since being here was with my teacher Merle. Over breakfast the other day, I told my Guatemalan parents which pueblo (town) she lived in and they told me to ask her about "Mashimon". They both had a smurk on their face so I was anxious to ask her what they were talking about.

Apparently some of the people in her town, along with many others in Guatemala, believe and worship a spirit called Mashimon. From what I gather, this is not a pleasant spirit, and most people pray to him for bad things to happen against their enemies. Or, they pray for lots of money, and according to Merle, many receive once they ask. Merle is a Christian and doesn't worship Mashimon; however, she doesn't speak badly about him out loud because she has known people who have and their house has burned down. Some believe that he is the devil, but Merle believes he's only working for him and if you don't have Jesus in your heart and it is empty, it can be overtaken by the spirit.

There is a church for Mashimon in her town. She's been twice with people who were curious, and said she felt bizarro. Her heart was beating fast and it was a really bad presence. It also smelled terrible. On days where they have festivals for Mashimon in her town, there are really drunk men and prostitutes all around. Mashimon figures are sold and he looks like an indian with a sombrero and cigar hanging out of his mouth. It is believed that Mashimon's dress changes every day, and so the "Mashimon fraternity" will dress in the clothes that they believe he is wearing.

Another interesting fact is that the biggest celebration for Mashimon is on October 28th, which is Judas Iscariot's birthday. So, it is thought by some that he is Mashimon, though there is no specific person identified. The date of the celebration might be a coincidence, but it might not. I just can't believe that Merle experiences this all the time and this kind of worship goes on right in front of her. She said she prays that God won't destroy her town because of what they're doing - I respect that kind of fear and I hope that won't happen as well because obviously there are children of God where she lives.

I was told that the spiritual battlefield is different and more intense in poorer and third world countries - places where evil doesn't hide in material things, but is more out in the open. I am just fascinated to hear about it from people who have really experienced it. Darby has spent time in the mountains of Chichicastenango, which is a few hours from Antigua. She visited a "church" and felt the exact same feelings that Merle did when she went in to the "church" where Mashimon is worshiped. They both described the same symptoms.

There is good and evil in this world and it's becoming more prevalent to me as I spend time here in Guatemala. I wanted to share about Mashimon because I think it's fascinating and got me thinking about how we are always worshiping something, whether we realize it or not. Also, that there is a power, certainly not the most powerful, but a power that is evil and has consumed people around the world. Sometimes it's more prevalent in a physical sense, and other times it's hidden, but I look forward to the day when an end will be put against it.

New Places - New People

During this experience, I have been reminded of how many new people, places and experiences come up on an almost a daily basis when you go abroad. I studied abroad in college, so had a taste of this, but not quite at this level. One thing I did not expect at all was to travel during my time here in Guatemala. I know that sounds strange, but if you know me well, it probably does not surprise you that I didn't research one thing about the country or make a plan in regards to my time here before I came. It has made it a lot more fun though because God has had a lot of surprises in store for me.

Darby and I have traveled the past two weekends - last weekend to Semuc Champey and this weekend to Copan in Honduras. I absolutely loved checking out the Mayan ruins there and learning a lot about how they lived and what they believed. Although interesting, hearing about their beliefs definitely made me have an even a stronger stance and belief in Christ. Also, I saw one of the most beautiful, natural places I've ever seen. I'll say it again - no human could come close to creating what God did at the beginning of time. He must love the color green because that was all I could see from the back of a pick up truck in Copan this past weekend; every single shade of green, and almost any type of plant or tree imaginable - so beautiful.

During our travels, Darby and I have met a lot of people - some who know Christ and many who do not. The ones who don't seem to be the ones God has put most prominent in our life here. I wouldn't say that is the norm for a lot of the students or missionaries studying at our school from what I can tell. It has been interesting talking to several people who seem to have a view that Christians and specifically missionaries are not interested in hanging out with anyone who does not believe what they believe. I know this is certainly not true for everyone, but a couple "apathetic" or unsure people have told me that Darby and I are some of the only Christians they've met interested in spending time with them. One non-Christian girl at my school actually told me she didn't think those who neglected people who do not share their beliefs were doing a very good job at "spreading their religion". I would have to agree with her. It really has given me a lot to think about in regards to how I represent Christ when I say I'm going to be a missionary.

I get a much more honest and real reaction when I tell people what I'm doing here than back home. People are very open about what they do and don't believe and it has been refreshing actually, and incredibly interesting and fun to get to know these people. The only thing is that most people we meet are only here for a short time, so you generally say hello and goodbye within a few weeks.

Spanish is going really well. I am practicing patience, and realizing that the best way to learn is to try to speak it and constantly mess up... which I do almost every time. Once you mess up words like "hombre" (man) and "hambre" (hungry), you won't make that mistake again. It ends up being a great way to improve! It's strange because it's only been a few weeks, but I am really getting used to Antigua and life here. I know that as soon as I feel really settled I'll have to leave. Asi es la vida (such is life :) ).

Thank you so much to those who have prayed. I am so thankful for God's protection and guidance that I have received every day. He is teaching me a lot right now. With everything going on, I'm having to learn how to balance school/new friends/new places and keep my relationship with Him #1. I have not been doing a great job lately to be honest. But I know through Lamentations 3:22,23... Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is His faithfulness.

Looking forward to my last few weeks here in this beautiful, friendly country. :)

Semuc Champey

So, I visited quite possibly the most beautiful place I've ever seen this past weekend: Semuc Champey. It is basically the jungle here in Guatemala - totally natural and "rustic", as many locals call it. At any point, you can look around and see every shade of green and every shape that exists in this world. Praise God that there are still places like this where nature reigns, and man-made buildings do not exist. I love not being able to see the end of something - when places look almost eternal. Semuc Champey is like that.



While riding with my 9 companions, all from different parts of the world, and staring out at the majestic countryside, I kept thinking about God and how I can't think of any other explanation for what I saw. There is no way the beauty we experienced was not created, and created by a magnificent, intentional Being.



Our weekend was filled with driving and seeing the country, which I love, and lots of adventure. We explored a cave on Saturday that was filled with water, and bats as I was told. The only light we had was candles and we climbed up and down steep ladders to get around. It was definitely the coolest thing I've ever done. We also hiked around Semuc Champey, got an aerial view of the natural pools, and then hiked down to swim in them. The water was crystal and felt so clean. I feel like I'm being introduced to this side of me that loves nature and exploring different habitats... who woulda thunk it!?



I'm still really enjoying my time in Antigua. I do experience different emotions all the time though, and I still feel as though I am in the midst of a huge transition. Praise the Lord for this transition though and this taste of change before my "real" change takes place. I can feel Him preparing me all the time, even if I'm not sure what for. In the following weeks, I'm hoping for an opportunity to visit the Kids Alive site here. Darby also has friends in a place called Chi Chi, where it is really impoverished, but holds one of the most famous markets in the world. I would love to be able to go to these places and serve. There are opportunities everywhere for volunteers, and it seems like almost everyone I meet is interested in "world change". Maybe people down here just have more time for it, or maybe I just wasn't putting myself in enough situations back home where there are real needs. I know they exist everywhere and I think in some places they are just more visual and common in your day to day life.


Praying as I begin "Grado B" in school, I really start to connect with the language, and am able to carry on conversations past "Hi, how are you?" :) Patience, patience, patience - not the easiest thing in the world, but necessary when learning anything new. I have about 40 new verbs to learn for homework, and I think there are about 501 in the language. Totally on my way...


Until next time .... Phil 1:27.

Segunda Semana

Readers,

I apologize for the possible disorganization of the following post. I haven't blogged in almost a week here in Antigua and a lot has happened. I will often think, 'I need to blog about that!'. Alas, my time online is not as frequent as it is in the States, and I am also trying my darndest to be a better student now than I was in college. Our (meaning me and Darby) new friend Emilio says we are taking it too seriously, but his first language is Spanish, so I am going to continue to be a nerd and work hard at my Spanish studies :)

Praise God that I still really like my family and teacher. I honestly have looked forward to school every day just to spend time with Merle. She has such a light and fun spirit. I am going to continue to study hard though. My first test was today. I did fairly well, but for some reason was not entirely pleased with myself and felt pretty frustrated after. I am praying that I continue to stay positive about it though and just do the best I can in the upcoming weeks.

One of the most interesting parts of chatting with mi maestra is hearing about all that goes on in Guatemala. Currently they are preparing for a presidential election to take place on Sept. 11th (one day after I leave!). The current president's wife actually divorced him in the past year so that she would be able to run. Only a few days ago did Congress eliminate her from the running due to false motives; it has been quite the scandal. Also, Merle is from a small town outside of Antigua and tells me a lot about her family life. They pretty much all live in the same house, and she talks about some of her relatives who leave their children to go to the States - illegally and legally - and they will be gone for 5 years or longer, marrying new women/men and only occasionally sending their kids a toy or some money. She says it's a really sad situation to watch, and I'm just amazed as I listen to what goes on right inside of her house. Being here makes me stop and praise God more often for certain things, and also pray that I am changed to be different at the same time. I guess there is good and bad to each country and culture.

Darby and I have had a really great week though, and continue to grow closer. We have both agreed that school has taken over so much of our time that we can feel ourselves losing some of that crucial, lengthy alone time with God. Please pray that we can find the balance between learning this new language, adjusting to the changes, and keeping our time with the unchangeable God our #1 priority. We did find a great church on Sunday though. The Lord really guided our steps that morning and just when we (with our friend Lindsey) thought we weren't going to find it, it appeared! And the people standing out front seemed to know we were looking for it when they invited us in - it's a bilingual, missionary church right near our school. So perfect and the worship music was wonderful. Also a plus that while trying to find it, or any evangelical church, we stumbled into the most beautiful hotel I've ever seen. It was absolutely gorgeous. Picture below where they hold mass.

We are headed to Semuc Champey this weekend for our first venture out of Antigua. It is supposed to be gorgeous and I can't wait to share pictures. Please pray for our safety though. There are a lot of adventures involved tomorrow and I just hope we will stay safe! Definitely working on my "adventurous side" when it comes to the outdoors. Also, pray for good energy. I have started to feel a bit weary the past few days with everything that's happened.

Thank you so much for your support and I will be posting again soon. Feliz fin de semana!

Cena con mi familia

I have been in Antigua for one week now. It kind of feels unbelievable. After preparing and talking about this journey for almost a year, it seems surreal that it has become a reality. My life has already changed so drastically and the realization I'm having to get most used to is it's not going to go back to the way it was - not after six weeks or the next couple of years. I am really focusing on embracing that and praying that the thoughts and feelings I have during the day are from the LORD only.

Antigua is such a nice place! I really like the people, and just love how each calle (street) looks like a rainbow with each house or building being a different color. Antigua actually means "old" as mi maestra told me, and there is so much of this town that holds that meaning. There are ruins and beautiful old cathedrals that I'm looking forward to checkin' out during the next couple days - mi primer fin de semana aqui!

Darby and I are really getting along well. God is so awesome. She is from South Carolina, and is in language school because she will begin her journey as a missionary at an orphange here in Guatemala starting in September. Perfect! We have had lots to talk about, and she is definitely a woman persuing the Lord and His hand in her life - someone I certainly want to spend time with.

We are so enjoying our family and one of the most interesting times of the day are meals with them, and specifically dinners, where we seem to spend the most time chatting - en espanol! Ellos hablan no mas ingles. Desayuno is at 7 am, almuerzo at 1 pm, and cena at 6:30 pm. We have had some really interesting meals over the past few days. I have enjoyed everything I've eaten, especially pan dulce (sweet bread), which I dip in mi cafe (gotta watch that as I've been doing it several times each day :) ) Desayuno is a pretty normal size, almuerzo is huge, and dinner is small. Very opposite from the US, but I love that I'm practicing what I believe to be a great way to eat meals. One example of an interesting meal we had a couple nights ago was hot dog... with avacado, ketchup, mustard, and mayonnaise all over it. They put ketchup and mayonnaise all over our breakfast sandwiches too. Besides the hotdog, we eat very traditional Guatemalan food here - lots of tortillas, especially at lunch, and beans and rice and fresh veggies many of which come from their garden.

A couple of funny "bloopers" during dinner. Jaime and Silvia spend a lot of the time laughing with us as we try to conquer this language. For example, when trying to tell them that the song on the radio, which plays either 50s/60s American pop music or traditional Spanish music, was not new to me, I told them that the singer was not my boyfriend. They abrupted in laughter. I also was trying telling them that I hoped Darby would stay an extra week with me during language school, and I called her my spouse... which will probably be sort of an accurate description by the end of this.

I'm hoping to post pictures of Darby and the family soon. I keep forgetting to take them and I'm having to really discipline myself to being prompt with posting pictures! As I have never been the "best" at that... Looking forward to another week in Antigua where I can learn lots more espanol and discover more about this awesome city and country! Que te vaya bien!

In the beginning....

I have officially been in Antigua, Guatemala for three days now. For those of you reading who don't know why (which is unlikely), I am spending six weeks here attending language school and being emersed in Central American culture. This is the very beginning of my journey as a short term missonary. I'll be serving children at risk in Jarabacoa, Dominican Republic for two years with Kids Alive International starting in October. After preparing for this experience over the past six months, I am finally at the beginning and it feels good/scary/overwhelming/exciting and maybe a bit unbelievable.

Admittingly, my first day was not the easiest one I've ever had. I did meet my host family upon arriving and immediately felt warmth and hospitality. They are a wonderful family... that speak very little English. Who can complain? I speak hardly any Spanish myself! I was taken into a part of the house I would be living, which is seperate from the rest. There are two bedrooms, a bathroom, and study. The two bedrooms were empty, and my immediate thought was "Am I seriously living by myself over here, without knowing anyone?" Thankfully, I was told that a girl named Darby would be moving in the next day and would be attending CSA as well. Whew - thank you Lord! The thought of her coming really helped me through the next day which was filled with loneliness and uncertainty.

Darby arrived and she is great. We have really clicked and ever since she came bouncing in on Sunday, ready to immediately hit the town, we haven't spent a moment apart. Meals have been one of the most interesting parts of the last few days in the house. Conversation is more of a guessing game than anything else. We spend half the time in the English/Spanish dictionary (our friend as mi mama calls it). The food has been very good and el cafe (coffee) in Guatemala is my favorite ever!

Yet another praise would be mi maestra (teacher). Merle is the most joyful person I have ever been around and her Spirit radiates during our entire time together. Praise God because I am with her five hours straight each day. Yesterday I was pretty sure my head was going to explode with all of the information she was pouring into me. Today was better though and I only have about 50 new words to know by tomorrow! It is intense, but necessary. Being in a place where you can't speak the language truly does humble you and gives you the extra desire to push yourself to know it.

I am overall enjoying my time here in Antigua. I love the cobblestone streets, beautiful mountains that surround the area, and the colorful, old houses. The people are so friendly and it is full of great restaurants, cafes, and shops! These last few days have been "different" than any others in my life, but I know it's going to be great for my transition into the mission field.

When naming this blog, which I have never done before, 2 Timothy 1:7 stuck out in my head because God TELLS us (through Timothy), He did not give us a spirit of timidity, but HIS Spirit, which is full of love and power and self-discipline. I've had to repeat that verse in my head countless times as a reminder and as self encouragement. Thank you Lord for your Word!

I really have to go study now - can't believe I'm a student again. Thank you everyone who has prayed for me - please continue and I would love prayers for perserverance during this time. I will blog again soon and hopefully my skills will improve!! Peace and love and hope and grace to you...