In conclusion...

After alot of fundraising...praying...and packing...I flew....and flew...and reached Miami to meet 40 new people that were on my team and countless others...not knowing what to expect...I experienced a experience many will never be able to...i seen poverty, tin houses, broken people, i reached out with the love that Christ first showed me and showed Guatemalan people/children a type of love that i don't think many of them had ever felt or seen before. Stickers, bubbles, and pencils where small gifts but brought smiles to their faces like nothing else. Older men/women/ and children were saved because my team travelled from all over North America just to show people, in a foreign country, with a different language, culture, and lifestyles Jesus Christs' love! Matthew 25:40 says "...I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me." We truly were living this verse. My pastor had a sermon this morning that talked on being ready for when Jesus comes back. I can't presume that I'll have tomorrow to do things...to live my faith out. I can't procrastinate anything because I may very easily not have tomorrow. This trip was a huge leap in many ways. It probably isn't recommend by many to leave your home country to travel to a foreign one when you have been diagnosed with a chronic illness. But since I wanted to live life...never be the same....have an experience like no other... and to seriously be the hands and feet of Jesus, my King, I went to Guatemala and came back a changed person!

After much intense drama training in Fort Lauderdale....

We took our newly found drama talent elsewhere....

to a country that is broken...

...with history of a serious civil war...rundown homes...garbage...

...and most of all people, real people, Guatemalans who don't know him, or haven't even heard of him at all!

So here we were...with a wonderful opportunity...to share Jesus Christ with hundreds..

...and we performed our evangelistic mime drama that explains the gospel....

...in Spanish...

and about 14 teams...totaling over 600 teens and LIT's (leaders in training) and leaders lead over 4000 Guatemala people to Christ!!

...we also did much needed work projects...

...and we bonded with the children...laughed/smiled/hugged/played...for many planting seeds in them and showing them God's love...

..it brought smiles to their faces...and sincere joy to our hearts...

...

after a long days work we were exhausted...

....then we woke up to experience a little more...

phenomenal worship and speakers...

after that it was curfew...well sort of ....

..running on adrenaline and overtired-ness

Rachael (Ontario), Danni (Colorado), Tasha (Alberta) , and Mary Lou (Texas)

This trip was a great opportunity not only for outreach but to meet new people, from all over!

I have so many new friends and you'd be surprised how close you get with the people that you meet and are with for 2 weeks.

Love you roomies!!!

After many ministry days, work projects, speakers, worship times, and memories it was time to say goodbye and all head in our own directions.

I would like to thank you all for all the support I received. I had health that was well and did not hinder me in my work at all. God was definitely watching over me the entire time. Your prayers have meant so much. Despite being sad to leave Guatemala and all the new friends I made, I'm excited to be home and use what I've learned to be an example here at home. I've learned so much, expanded my horizons, grew spiritually, made new friends from all over the world, and now the test comes to live out what I've seen and learnt. This trip lead me to give everything over to God. EVERYTHING. My problems, my victories... I can honestly tell you when you have something that is seriously burdening you and you give it over to God 100% you feel such a peace.

Spiritually there are so many things that I have learned...it is seriously important to read you Bible and it can honestly bring you closer to God. The Bible isn't all just a bunch on words/sentences/paragraphs. Its actually put together quite nicely and if you read it with your whole heart, it tends to make actual sense and it can come alive for you. I've also come to learn to depend completely on God, "For I know the plans I have for you...prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." (Jeremiah 29:11) Everything is his. This trip wasn't mine. It was his, he gave it to me, just like he gave his son, as a gift to me. How much love is that?? He gave me it, the experience, so that I could fulfill his plan for me and glorify him.

Basically that sums everything up. I'll be presenting in my church on Sunday feel free to come and see/hear more~

Tasha Klassen

The trip is over but my journey is not...

I'm home

hey everybody
I just wanted to let people know that I'm home. I arrived home at 12:30 A.M on Monday evening after a couple planes, 4 countries, and tons of walking.
There's been alot of thinking, sleeping, eating, sleeping and some more sleeping going on in the past days. I promise to do a more detailed post in the next couple days. For now though, I'm catching up on some zzzzzzzzz's.
Thanks for all the thoughts and prayers.
love always,

July 7th & 8th

Hey everybody,

so i apología for not updating as regularly. there is alot going on and sometimes it has proven difficult to explain things on the computer and i don't have spell check cause the the spell check is in SPANISH, so i pre-apoligize.

tomorrow is our last ministry day. wow. the time has gone by super fast and i can't believe that it is almost over. we have visited orphanages, schools, parks. and done the drama at all. up until today it has basically just been ministering to children.

we went to an orphanage and got a tour....some of the room held up to 22 beds.

yesterday we went to a school and i got my stickers and bandandas out and they were gone in like minutes. it was crazy. there was one little boy and i blew him a balloon and we played in the hot sun for like ever! i now it doesn't sound like much but he was so excited.

then in the afternoon we did the drama for the older kids and then after we split into groups. we played this clapping game, then we split into smaller groups, eventually it was me and a couple of girls.they taught me all these hand games and it was so intense. all i did was laugh, hug them, try to understand the language, and SMILE alot!

at the end (abrutly it was time to go) i was almost on the bus when this throng of giggling girls rushes up to me.and start babbilng i grabbed a translater and discovered they wanted 'something' to remember me by. i almost cryed. like all i did was clap their hands. so i rushed to the bus and got my tiny 2 pacs of stickers. when i handed sheets out there were hands everywhere! then i just gave out the whole thing and told them to share. oh their smiles.

today we went to 2 parks and a school= 3 dramas. i really haven't felt like i've made a tremendous difference down here, i know i have in ways, but we've just been seeing children, not that they aren't important but sometimes you wonder how serious they are. you know? i'm not one to judge though. i guess i really wanted to 'see' the difference. see an adult change almost.

today there were 3 people sitting on the corner. they were a husband/wife/friend they live on the street and a poor job in a cemetary and had accepted christ after our drama. when we were leaving we gave them a bible. they wanted one so bad. then they repeatedly thanked us for what we had done, that we had touched their hearts ect. and the husband was so excited that he started to cry. we (or mary) prayed over them then we had to go. amazing.

yesterday we had an aeishya woods concert and crazy hair evening.

today our bus almost ran into a man pushing pineapples in a wheelbarrow then the police stopped us and the driver got a ticket. i feel like i have more to say but that is all for now...

by the way...HAPPY 17TH BIRTHDAY MICHAELA!!

wednesday

so i will try to be quick with limited spelling mistakes...haha mom.... love ya...miss ya...its wednesday... we leave soon. our minisitry days have been going well. we've mostly gone to schools and orphanages to perform our drama. we had a shorterr day today. just got back from the market. pretty sweet.

bonding with the girls at the school yesterday was amazing. so amazing i can't really explain it on the computer.

it's been super hot and super tough. we had to walk and travel alot lately. and guess what?? i burned my ears.! i know! how weird. and only my ears!! they hurt so bad. o well.

i got like 60 seconds so i'll update more later. supper soon.

ministry days

okay so have so much to say and so little time unless iu want to keep paying a buck and getting another 15 minutes. ha. they are definetly making money. i have so many pictures. so excting. we went to an orphanage today and a school-church yesterday. painting, interacting, doing our drama ect.
language is a barrier. my roomates are cool, little crazy.
umm picked up garbage. tons of bugs. like ew. but i´m doing it for the people.
whole bunch of kiids accepted christ today it was tear jerking
a miricle happened in one team. a guy in a wheelchair didni´t have a knee cap, they prayed, he all the sudden had a knee cap, got out of his chair and with help, started to walk praise god. for he is sooo good.
the orpahnage was so filthy but the kids where beautiful.
we have amazing speakers and worship. jamie jamgochigen is super amazing .look her up on youtube!! and suzie shellenburger def encouages us. had some down time today. to think about htings.
decided to lay everything down to jesus, ms and all. everything. let him do and use me in the way that he wants. i am definetly already changed.
love always,