Feliz Navidad my faithful friends.  It's Christmas Eve, and we'll be headed out to Immanual Baptist Church, where we have been serving, for a worship service and meal of various traditional tamalies.  We have been filling our time during these holidays serving famlies in need, and it has been good.  It is still rough, though, not being with your kids and loved ones.  (Other loved ones, that is..) We're planning, Lord willing, to be home next year, to celebrate our grandson's first Christmas.

We celebrated with our staff here this afternoon, and with a really needy family yesterday.  We managed to have three gifts for each of their four kids (thanks to several of you)...and dad Noe said ti was the first real Christmas their kids had ever had. Diana got the idea to do it up right for this family as she was asking their 8 yr. old about what she was wanting for Christmas, and she said..."We don't get Christmas presents."  Anyone know Diana would know that started the ball rolling!

Unlike most of the churches in the U.S., much more of the social community centers around the church, as evidenced by services four nights a week, apart from other smaller meetings.  In many ways it is resultant from poverty and lack of other diversions.  In some ways, however, there is a downside, as it frequently leads to legalism, and members are often looked down on if they are not at all services. In our men's meeting, I try to drive home that family should take precidence..

Hmmm...gotta go now... church starts in about 20 minutes...!

By the way, thanks to all for keeping up with our woork and lives, and for the consistant prayer and support.  Thanks also for the comments to this blog, too.  love, niel. 

...THE COFFEE IS RIPE, AND THE AVOCADOS ARE PLENTEOUS,
IT'S CHRISTMAS TIME IN GUATEMALA!

 I wrote this update twice now, and lost it somehow when software problems raised their ugly heads.  Praying that this will get through.   We will be forwarding this on to you as an update, request for prayer, and thanks for all your support.

We have been on the field six months now, and we hope we have been half the blessing to those we serve as they have been to us.  The last six weeks at Las Buenas Nuevas have been really busy, and  our service workload has increased.  Additionally, we are in the midst of Vacation Bible School at the little local church we go to.  Diana recently completed teaching a very successful course of E.S.L., then we were set apart to help with this.  Translated, we provided curriculum and handwork materials for over two hundred kids, much of it with your help, and they do thank you!  Special thanks to Mitchell Road Christian Academy  for all the stuff their students sent down.

The men's discipleship study was kicked off in October, and we have a real good core of guys attending.  I do my best struggling to communicate, but our format of Q and A helps me hide my linguistic inadequacies.  We really see as primary the need for leading folks, especially men, toward a deeper understanding of who God is and of their purpose.

Since September we have ministered to 250 pastors, missionaries, and families.  Many of the indigenous pastors are especially appreciative as many of the places they serve are very primitive and difficult.  We also seem to be a favorite stopover for honeymooners.  They have obviously heard of  the warm and lasting love of myself and Diana, and want to start their journey close to us!

We will be in the U.S. beginning 2 Feb. initially to attend the Center for International Training in N.C. for four weeks.  We will also be visiting some of our supporters and a couple churches during Missions conferences.  We are somewhat behind on monthly support, so we will additionally be making presentations  to remedy the situation, Lord willing.  We shall also prepare our house for rental, and be there for the birth of our first grandchild!  Please put these items on your prayer lists on our behalf.

    Let us know how we can pray for you as well. We are so aware and humbled  in God's plan of using us in Guatemala, and for how He uses you in  the critical role of resource and prayer support.
Our God is so good!  
Serving for His Glory
Niel & Diana  I Cor. 10:31

Please forgive us if you recognize the above.  It was suggested we pur a recent mass e-mail to our partners to the blog.  

Just spent a couple days in Guat city for a meeting w/ other missionaries, and to advance the paperwork toward our permanent visa, with a lawyer.  Wow!  What a task, and expensive, too...but necessary.  Did our monthly shopping, too.  Should do it til Jan. now.

Will write again soon.  Please let us know if this is being read!  Thanks....niel. 

Multiple blessings from above!

    We are so grateful for God's continued provision, blessing, guidance and love for us!  Thanksgiving Day we drove up the mountain to celebrate God's goodness with 70 other CAM missionaries at Philippi's casa in Antigua.  Regular turkey fare, but all the tables were set outside in the beautiful Guatemalan sunshine and cool air.  After dinner, we all met to sing traditional Thanksgiving hymns and hear testimonies of how God is at work, not only in Guatemala, but also in the families of our fellow missionaries. It was a very good day!

Following the weekend, we were visited by our son, Aaron, and three of his compatriots from Mitchell Road Christian Academy in Greenville, S.C.  They only had a short stay, but their main mission was to meet with the school board members from the Patzun Alfa  & Omega Christian School about forming a partnership with them.  I think they left there with a vision for how they can be of benefit to them and how MRCA students can be involved in ministry.  Of course, it was great to see Aaron even for a short time, and he brought us an ultrasound picture of our first grandson!  What a joy!                                                                                                                    The group brought with them a multitude of items that our little CAM church here needed for VBS.  We bagged up the items by class (glue, scissors, crayons, markers, prizes, etc.) and took them with us to our VBS meeting this past Tuesday. The church people were thrilled!  After we put out all the stuff on the tables, the pastor had a special time of prayer just to thank the Lord for the help that He had sent.  Then, everyone took their turn and came to hug each of us. Honestly, without these items, they would have nothing.  I don't know how they would have put on a VBS at all.  I also donated some items that other friends and family have brought down with them during our stay here and Niel and I donated the curriculum.

 A great big "Thank You" to our supporters, who made it possible for us to donate the curriculum by their consistent monthly giving.  Please pray for this VBS, as it is the biggest evangelistic event of the year for this church and the opportunity to present the gospel to many kids in Panajachel who are either unchurched or Catholic.  Especially for the kids who sell indigenous crafts on the street.  They are heavily influenced by gangs, drug users, and mean tourists. And several of them have promised me that they will come. They may just come for the food and to steal whatever they can, but God can still touch their hearts.

We will take lots of pictures and post them on our next blog.

Diana 

“One motivator of Jesus to go to the cross was for the joy He received in the restoration of His relationship with the Father.”

Guess who’s quote!  I’ve been chewing on that since I listened to Pipers message via DVD yesterday while working on some stuff for one of our casitas here at LBN.  Of late we have had most of our accomodations full, so there has beem more work for us in the houses. 

This in addition to the upcoming construction we expect to start soon gives me more work and challenges in several areas.  We graduated our first class of EFL (English as a Foreign Language) this week and 25 folks got certificates of completion. (Most learned our scripture verse in English word perfect!) We cut it off a bit early after 4 months of bi-weekly classes.  This helps us concentrate on Vacation Bible School in which Diana is heavily involved.  We are buying (and many of you!  Thanks..) most of the material, with church members contributing as well.  Over two hundred kids are expected, and the school runs for five (5!) hours daily beginning early December.  Summer vacation here is Nov.- Dec. 

Kicked off a small group for men yesterday, seven in attendance.  It was really an encouragement and blessing to me, particularly as they actually understood my discussion questions.  I wish I had understood their answers as well as they understood the questiions.   Such a group for men only is rare here, and I pray It fill a void.  There are many for women, but the men work hard and long, and they often neglect, therefore, basic needs for fellowship, personal devotions, discipleship, accountability, etc.  This leads to the mother in families taking over spiritual ledadership in the home and alienates ol' dad.  Not unlkie many in the U.S.  At any rate, we see this as a critical need here, as past missionaries have focused on evangelism, and very little on discipleship.  Pray for me to lead out in this regard, and to increase languageability toward that end.

Gotta go now...folks in one of our casitas need some kind of help.  Will publish more real soon.  Blessing to all, anf thank you!  niel. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

Good Saturday afternoon, everyone!  About two hours til Bulldog kickoff this sunny Saturday, and Praise God it's on the network we actually get here!  Plus, Sarah, (our daughter), an ardent 'Dawg fan, is here visiting.  We went into the city (Guat City) to do our monthly shopping and to pick her up at the airport.  We stayed with missionary friends in Antigua Thursday night to show her Antigua before coming to Panajachael.  On the way we stopped at the school in Patzun to show her one place we're helping.  They are nearing completion of banos which were severly needed. This is the beginning of "summer vacation" here.

Good news...got word that our digital projector has been repaired and forwarded to CAM, so we're praying that soon someone will be coming to the area from Dallas and bring it into the country for us.  Then we'll be able to continue and expand our ministry in presenting inspirational evangelistgic videos.

Got an anticipated call from our son, Aaron who with Ruth had just been to the O.B. guy for a sonagram..and the baby is doing excellant!  Such a blessing to know.  The excitement builds!  By the way, they are going to have a .....hmmmm...maybe I'd bestg let them share the sex of my grandchild to be!

ESL classes going well...will probably suspend them in a coujple weeks til after Christmas.  So neat....we have challenged the class to learn scripture verses in English, while we learn them in Spanish!  They have REALLY gotten into it, and 17 of our 30 students were able to recite I Cor. 10:31 word perfect!  Also, one of our newer guys recently graduated for a branch of SECTECA, our seminary, and I've been working with him to lead out in our mens group to, hopefully begin next week.  Pray for Oliver in that regard.

We've had a couple of circumstances that could be discouraging, much of it having to do with the way things are here in a third world country.  Diana and I are praying for our Saviour to keep us uplifted through these circumstances and rely solely on Him for our joy.  

Sarah and Diana are exploring the local market this morning, as we are really enjoying her visit.  Will blog again soon...

Pray also for the Vacation Bible School we will be helping with in early December, as we expect over 250 kids, many  from catholic nonevangelized home.  Fantastic oportunity!

Praise to our Soverign Saviour.  niel.  I Cor. 10:31 

 

Good evening, everyone!  It was pointed ou to me that its been awhile since I've updated this page.  Sorry!  Maybe partially because some not so great stuff has occured that I need to report on.

    As beautiful as this place is, Guatemala does have an underbelly we'd really like to ignore.  All the more reason to be here ministering as God leads to make impact at the individual level.  

Diana's sister (see previous blog) was on her way to the airport in Guatemala City via professional shuttle when they were pulled over with 5 other vehicles by a group of professional "banditos" with guns and masks and were fully robbed.  Money, watches, jewlery, cameras, etc.   Noone was hurt..at least physically.  Linda, Di's sister, was able to to help other passengers due to her dependance on our Lord.  We have learned that police sometimes join the "other team" on their days off.  Playing "cops and robbers" is a childrens game in the states...here, it's a vocation.  This on top of Diana's  being pick-pocketed the week before....

We have a run-off election here in November between a couple of guys for President..neither of which are very desireable. One would greatly increase military presence throughout the country, approaching marshal law.  The other has a history of new-age, satanic involvement.  well, at least we don't have Hillary to worry about. 

Been raining alot...sorry we can't refer some of it to Georgia!  Supposed to soon be int the dry season, though.  Once we have a few days looking so we can do some major roofing work.

Pray  for guys interested in doing a men's study I am organizing.  It's classically been a tough sell here, but much needed. 

We continue to be blessed in many ways here, and it is good to know yhou are in God's will in your life and vocation.  Was out jogging this morning while counting the many blessings.  I'll concentrate on relaying those to you nest session.  Thanks for your prayers and support.  niel. 

                                                 

I am Diana's sister and I am just completing a two week stay here in Panajachel. It has been a wonderful experience of the Mayan Guatemalan culture. The people here are very warm and accepting. While here, Diana and I took a boat across the lake and visited the town of Santiago Atitlan. It was a little different Mayan culture. We also visited two schools in nearby towns. Another day trip was to the National Reserve here in Pana and I walked up the mountain and came down on five different zip lines. That was quite an experience to say the least.  I would not have made it up to the first zip line if it weren't for Carlos, my guide. He was a young man and very nice to me. I have also enjoyed shopping and feel I have contributed to the Guatemalan economy. I am bringing home a suitcase full of souvenirs. I am really feeling sad about leaving and am looking forward to coming back.                           -Linda Driesen

Good afternoon, everyone. Here doing e-mails in that I cannot get ANY UGA feeds from radio or anyplace else due to the capacity of the internet hear.  Also, we frequently lose power for a couple hours at a time and that further messes things up.  BUT..the weather is nice!  It has been raining daily in the afternoons, though.  We have enjoyed our duties here, and many of the skills Ecolab taught me have come in real handy.  We have pretty good water softening and filtration systems at our facility which I monitor and upkeep.  We have a 300 foot well that provides water at over 90 degrees due to the local volcanic activity.  There are five volcanoes around the lake we are on (Lake Atitlan), but only two are active.  We have some ministries across the lake in some villages there, and I expect soon to provide some water filters there to help not only the local populace, but also the groups that come in to help continuing rebuilding from Hurricane Stan from a couple years ago.  I am organizing a men’s Bible study with locals we have had opportunity to form relationships with, having just received materials in English and Spanish. 

Some of the above has been a repeat I am sure, but for some of our newer readers...there it is.

Diana's sister is wrapping up a visit, and we expect our daughter Sarah in a couple weeks.  An acquaintance visited two weeks ago we knew from our ELS classes in Georgia, bringing with him a hundred or so CD's he'd make and hoped we could help him sell.  Kinda Christian Mariachi music..(interesting concept)...(Nah...)

That's it for now.  Will update this again soon.  Thanks for tuning in!  Blessings to all!  niel.

P.S. to Eric and Megan....send us a direct e-mail so we can communicat about your requset.  I'm sure we can be of assistance.   (?Wanna buy a CD?)   nthomas@caminternational.org

 

 

 

Good morning, everyone.  It's a beautiful morning in Guatemala, but in a few hours it will start raining again and continue through much of the night.  That's been the pattern the last six weeks.  We are told that it will be this way thru much of October, then it will begin to dry out and wind will pick up.  We ned a couple of dry days to retile half the roof of one of our casitas we bought the materials for.  The other casas roofs are holding up well, praise God.but this one needs help!  I'll soon be able to add "roofing" to my experience list.

I started thinking through the many ways God has used multiples of partners to help us in our ministry here. Example...our projector bulb died, and a partner who was schedueled to come down to do a mission thing at a nearby city orphanage went to the trouble to just days before he left the U.S. to have two lamp assemblies rushed to him to bring to us and have us up and running in under two weeks of the burnout!  What a guy! What a God!  Similar helps have come from MANY of you....and you know who you are!  Our monitary support partners who are so integral conitue to be a blessing as well.  Thanks to you all!

Diana went up to a market in nearby Solala, and in the very crowded conditions was relieved of her wallet and money, including crfedit card and liscense.  It hard to feel "violated"in such a way, and to try to make all the calls  & cancellations needed.  I have thought of giving her a bag full of scorpions or something nasty and going back to the market....

We stopped with Di's sister at the school in Patzun on our way home from Guat City (had to go o some VISA work, do our monthly shopping, and pick her up at the airport) and gave all the kids toothbrushes and paste that she had brought down.   Also, some materials and supplies for the teachers ...allwas much appreciated.  Thanks, Linda!  We will be taking a small group from son Aaron's Greenville school there for the preparation of a longer term helps committment with educational materials, building groups & supplies, as God provides..

For us....still much to do in upkeep/upgrade of our facility, and we have expanded our ancillary ministries to helping a "colegio" (high school) in San Andres.  One of our ESL students is headmaster there.

More real soon.  Hope to be able to post more pictures soon.

Blessing to yhou all.  Thank you for keeping up with us! Niel.

"Good morning, my friends...do you love my Jesu, too?"  These were the radio words of Dr. Michalson as he sarted his daily radio broadcast from Chester, Pa. as I remember as a child.

"Even EVIL exists  to make the Glory of God shine more brightly."  explains John Piper in the message I've downloaded this morning.

God is in control, and uses our life experience for His glory.  My submission to His will...even the ability to do so, has resulted in sevice to Him..that is, to be a pipeline of grace, and I pray daily to remember that purpose.

As part of that service, I cannot attend the local church we have been going to due to responsabilities at LBN.  Thus I listen to preaching on-line..so please forgive my preaching to you! 

Had about twenty folks here, locals of Kachekal Indian heritage, for a Movie Nite, and showed 'Narnia" with which they were fasinated and blessed, but not as much as we were in showing it and giving devotional concerning the picture of Christ's work represented there. BUT...half way through, the bulb burned out!  However, a group here we were hosting had a projector,so we were able to switch out and finish!   Now shopping for a new bulb...and those things are expensive!  Over $250., and unavailable in this country.  Will be shopping on line later...

Tried to listen to Georgia Football on the internet, but for some reason was unable to get connected.  Real dissappointing, but it looks like Mark Richt and the boy were able to gain victory without my

help!

Please pray for our paperwork floating around the Guat Counsulate in Atlanta.  It's, supposively, been in process for a month now, and I'm told we should have gotten some kind of response by now.  Laboring hard at the Spanish as well...and it's no coincidence I mention it in the "pray for" section of this blog...

By the way, Diana and I have been praying for you guys, and all our partners and churches we have visited during our "Partner Raising" earlier this year.  We are praying by name for 1/7th of our partners per day, and also pray thatg you all are lifting us up at least weekly.  Thank you.

More real soon.  So grateful to have the opprtunity to serve here, and encouraged by many affirmations of God's will for us being here!  niel.