at times...

At times my pace is slower than usual,

other times I feel like I'll never catch up with what I need to.

At times I feel like what I give is enough,

other times I feel like I could never do enough for the suffering here.

At times I feel the need to understand the way God is working,

other times I fully know that I will never be able to wrap my mind around the fullness of Him.

At times I just want life to be easy and comfortable,

other times I realize the hardships we go through ultimately teach us very necessary lessons.

This morning we as a household took some time and talked about what it really means to suffer for Christ. What is looks like for us personally where we're at in life right now, as well as what it looks like for those that we love on every day in La Limonada. It was a very needed reminder for me of why God has called us here at this time...

1 peter 3:17

"It is better, if it is God's will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil."

romans 8:18

"I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us."

the excitement of a new season...

Greetings from Guatemala!

Wow, I really can't believe it's the middle of October already! In the states I know it's fall with pumpkins, cooler weather, leaves changing, the smell of campfires in the air, and the excitement of a new season coming on. I can say that I feel that here, the excitement of a new season coming on, just with Central American weather instead of cooler weather, and YES I do miss fall in the states. :)

The summer months brought many teams from many different places, which meant many new friends, and many awesome hearts pouring into the children and community of La Limonada. Hosting teams has been such an awesome privilege to serve alongside those who are willing to sacrifice their time, comfort, and finances and give everything they've got for the time they're here. I fully know the feeling of having your heart broken for La Limonada and leaving a BIG part of yourself here. It happened to me almost exactly 5 years ago on my first short-term missions trip here.

With the teams slowing down a bit now in these months, it has given me more time to focus on the Child Sponsorship program that I'm in charge of here in Guatemala. I've spent the last 8 months getting that up and running while updating sponsors with what's going on with their child, through recent photos and prayer needs. With over 350 children between both of our schools in La Limonada it's proven to be a BIG job! I can't say enough just how much it means to these children to know that someone cares about them, is praying for them, and takes the time to write to them. It gives them hope, when so many of them live in what feels like hopeless situations at times.

When the decision to come back here in the beginning of 2009 was made, I really felt pulled to commit to at least a year in being here, with an open-ended ticket. As the end of the year is approaching, I have been spending much time praying and seeking guidance about where God wants me, and when he wants me there. I do feel like there will be a time to be back in the states to continue to be the main contact liaison for Child Sponsorship, as well as raise awareness in various outlets for the work being done here in La Limonada. I also believe it's important to be able to pour into my relationship with Doug first hand as we're moving forward. Being long distance for this long has been a big challenge, but it has allowed us to grow in ways we might not have seen such a need for, and given us the opportunity to depend on God even more for the strength and base of our relationship. Thank goodness for Skype! :)

At this point I have enough support to be here until the end of January, and I am so blown away and thankful that a full year has been provided for. Your generosity and sacrifice for seeing the value of the work God is doing here in La Limonada, that I am so privileged to be a part of, is something that I am eternally grateful for. I will be going back to the states for the month of December to see family and friends and spend some time refreshing before I come back to Guatemala in the beginning of January. After that at this point, I don't have a return date to the states. I can not tell you how much I appreciate your prayers and encouragement and if supporting me financially as well is something you would like to consider, you can do that in the following way on our secure Lemonade donation page:

https://app.etapestry.com/hosted/LemonadeInternational/OnlineDonation.html
Under the "Fund" button you can select
"Support a team member" and then click on my name.

For those who are supporting me monthly and would consider to do so even after the year commitment so I can continue this work, know that I am deeply grateful. Above any financial donations, your prayers are THE most important thing and I am SO thankful for you. I continue to believe that God will provide for the work that he has called me to. I can't begin to go into the depths of what God is doing here through email, so I hope to one day talk to you about it in person! When I have the time I am continuing to update my blog as well as the Lemonade blog with recent stories and photos, sort of like a living newsletter. Check back for updates!
http://www.lemonadeinternational.org/blog/

Thank you for your love, support, prayers and encouragement. It means so much!

Such a medicine is Love,
Leah

some time with mi madre...

My mom has now been here for a week and today is her birthday actually! (I won't tell you how old she is. ;) I know that this time has been so purposeful for both of us...

Here are a few pictures from the the volcano "Pacaya" that we all hiked together on Saturday.

Grateful...

Sometimes I feel like God allows really big things to be put on my heart that I need to pray for, and I think that's a very necessary thing, to dream BIG. But in dreaming big, sometimes I forget to pray for what seems like little things, even though they're not little, they're just different. 2 things lately have reminded me that God gives such great gifts exactly when He knows we need them...

For a few years I've been having lower back pain, sometimes it's bearable, sometimes I have to grit my teeth just to get through the day, refusing to let back pain stop me from picking up so many children that need to be hugged. Lately, it has gotten pretty severe and while stretching as much as possible and praying for the pain to be eased, nothing seemed to be helping. So a new mattress has been purchased, and while that may usually not seem like a big deal, it has brought much needed relief to my tired body. Good thing we bought the mattress when we did, because that day some type of virus wrecked havoc on my body and I spent 3 straight days in bed in extreme pain. I joked with Tita, that if I was going to die, at least it would be on a comfortable mattress. :)

Before I left to come here last January I was able to get my teeth cleaned only to find out I had 4 cavities that needed to be filled, costing over $1,000 that I just could not afford. My dentist kept encouraging me to come back to get them filled, and I told him, I'm sorry, I just don't have that kind of money right now. Since then, it has crossed my mind a few times and I'll say a short prayer "God it's important for me to keep my body healthy, please provide at some point in one way or another for me to get this taken care of." The other day for some reason Tita and I were talking about our teeth and I mentioned that and she told me "Oh, there's a dentist coming to work with us in 2 weeks, and I'm going to tell him that you're going to be the first person to get their teeth worked on, and not only is it not $1,000, it's FREE!" I had to laugh at how God provides in ways I would have never thought...

The part I was most excited about though was telling the woman on the street Julia (a few posts below) that she can now get her rotten teeth pulled because the dentist she asked for is coming...

Mi Mama!

My mom is coming here to visit on Monday for 2 weeks and I'm super excited!!! I'm a bit nervous for her since this is her first time traveling out of the country alone, but I gave her as much info as I could about everything that she needs to do to go through customs etc. so I'm assuming everything will go smoothly. At least that's what I'm praying for! :)

I'm very thankful that we'll have this time together and I think it'll be really good for her to jump into life here with us for those 2 weeks. There's always something to do in the household as well and I know she really enjoys helping. Kids to play with, dogs to pet, walks to take...all things I know she enjoys. I have to remember to take a break and sloooooooooooow down and really soak in this time with her.

I'm going to try to take a few days off so we can do some things together like Antigua and Pana Jachel, but the thing I'm most excited about is the fact that she gets to see and be a part of the work God is doing in La Limonada. Keep her in your prayers and I'll make sure to post some pictures when she's here!

It's not enough just to talk about love...

On the norm I would say I'm a pretty joyful person. I laugh A LOT and usually pretty loudly. Just ask anyone who's spent about 5 minutes with me. There's not much I can't find some type of joy in...but some days, like today, it just feels like too much. The burden deep in my heart for this community...

Today Tita and I were painting in Mandarina, putting the finishing coat on to protect the beautiful mural; a lot of the time we were painting in silence, thinking...praying...interceding for this community. I was thinking of all the children that I love so very deeply here, and how lately I feel like more and more that light in their soul that I once saw is dimming, or even burning out. The injustice here, for these children at times is so overwhelming, almost crippling to even think about. The years and cycles of abuse that they endure because their parents endured it, because their grandparents endured it...sometimes I just get so angry that this is what they have to grow up in, it's so unfair for them. They didn't choose this kind of life, but they have to endure so much pain.

You won't often hear me say "God said this or that to me" because I believe he speaks to me softly, but today this conversation with him was just to overpowering for me not to write it down...

"God DO something about this injustice. I know you can!"

"I am.

You are my hands and feet."

"Rescue these children, protect them, redeem the light in their souls from what they've already been through, it's so painful to watch. I want to be able to do more, I just can't."

"You have NO idea of the eternal impact that is happening there.

TRUST that I feel this pain.

TRUST that I have a plan.

TRUST that it's worth what I have called your life to."

I am painfully and humbly reminded that I may never see the full impact of what God is doing in La Limonada, of what he is using us for, but I do TRUST him. Even in days that feel so unjust for this community. I know there are many that have come here, felt the burden for this community, left a part of their heart here, and continue to pray for those here. So in knowing that, that's what I'm asking for...it's the most powerful thing you could do.

"Let us not become weary in doing good,

for at the proper time we will reap

a harvest if we do not give up."

gal. 6:9

A theme verse for my life...

"Leah! Un foto!"

We've joked lately that "un foto" is my last name because everywhere I walk in La Limonada that's what we hear, "Leah! Un foto!" I'm known as the gringa with the big smile who always has her camera. And I'm completely ok with that...

Walking the streets, playing with the kids...

I think I get as excited as the kids do when they get letters from their sponsors and get to write back...

There's something about the sky here, the clouds seem bigger and it's just more blue...

We pass this grandma everyday who's always sitting on the stoop...

The photos that are captured when kids run at your camera...

Julia who stopped me on the street asking me when another dentist team is coming. She wants her rotten teeth pulled...

Kids are kids anywhere you go...

Capturing a reading moment...

Her smile lights up my day...

Sisters...

On our way home after a long day...