Vanessa in Guate

Sometimes difficult situations spring up and we sit crying and praying before 8:30 am, like today. I'm writing this message to you all, because I just want to be open with all of you as supporters and share a piece of my heart for this ministry, for these girls, and the hope we have in the Lord. Conducting this “missionary life” and seeking God’s will in this place can be challenging. I absolutely love that we get to share the word of God with these girls, and that we get to be a part of them first starting a relationship with God if they haven’t done so yet. I love telling them of the grace - that is free to us - but that Jesus paid for with His life. He died and three days later was raised again, because death and sin had no power over Him. I know there are situations that occur far too often for our "comfort," but the reality is that some of these girls live in this pain and discomfort, some of them live in unpleasant situations. There are times that we don’t even

Hello and Happy New Year! I just want you all to know that when I reflect on 2017 I recognize the huge blessings that God has provided through each one of your financial commitments and gifts, through your prayer, and through your support. I am thankful for you all and thankful for the team at Proximos Pasos. I love serving here, but it's not always easy so I want you to know that I'm grateful for you! As 2018 begins and a new school year at Proximos Pasos commences, I would like to ask you all to join me in prayer! Pray that I would have courage to be obedient to the things that God calls me to - obedience even in scary or seemingly impossible situations. I want to continue to see God's work carried out in Guatemala. It’s possible that God wants me here for this year only, and I hope that I’d be courageous in the way that I respond to the things He reveals throughout 2018. I know He makes things known to us so that we can follow out His will in whatever the sit

Hey! I just wanted to check in to say Merry Christmas and Happy New Years to you all! I hope your December has been a good one! It's so crazy that 2017 is almost over and I've almost been serving in Guatemala for a year! Thank you all for the continued support. I've received hand-written, machine-scanned letters from my small group in Anaheim, and it melted my heart! Let it be known that I truly appreciate being in your thoughts and I appreciate so much when you all take time to send me a little smoke signal. ;) For now, I'm preparing for the 2018 school year that starts next month. During the 2018 school year, I'll be teaching 3 Bible classes (woohoo!) and 3 English classes, as well as continuing to develop and better the Home Visit program! I was invited to spend Christmas with my Guatemalan friend's family - they celebrate on the 24th, and apparently late into the night. I'm excited to experience this holiday with them and so thankful for the invitatio

Hello! I have three things to tell ya! and three prayer requests for you :) One-on-Ones The school’s psychologist and I started one-on-ones with the students a few weeks ago. We are meeting with students that the teachers have concerns about. Concerns range from grades, missing school, family support, and/or behavioral changes/issues. We are finishing up the last of the interviews, then moving forward to visiting the families in their homes. Please be praying that God would continue to guide us in wisdom and strength as we work together with the students and their families to offer more support and see that they are thriving both in their relationship with God and in their education. Youth Group in Santa María This week I went to youth group in Santa María de Jesús – I am going to continue to volunteer with the youth. This is a great opportunity to invite the middle school students to church. Some of them have expressed that they are nervous to go, because they don’t know anyone or th

Mission Impact has been serving in Santa María de Jesús through the ministry of Próximos Pasos for 14 years. Próximos Pasos exists to educate, meet basic needs, and share the hope found in Christ with Santa María girls and their families. Próximos Pasos had its first school year in 2003 with a total of 29 students in 1st through 4th grade. This year, there are 206 students in 1st through 9th grade! Glory to God! Another praise is that the parents of the students are more involved now than ever before, and students are leading devotionals and prayers. Guatemala's history would suggest that females are second-class citizens. Guatemala is very much a male dominated country, and the usual mindset is that if girls attend school, they will go until 3rd or 4th grade so that they can read and write. After learning to read and write, they can stay home, clean, raise the family, and begin selling produce and artisanal goods. Girls make up a majority of the Guatemalan children that do not a

Santa María de Jesús is the little town where Proximos Pasos, Mission Impact 's all-girls school, is located. This region is home to an agricultural community; it consists of men who are primarily farmers and field workers, and women who are homemakers as well as vendors of the harvest and their own handmade goods. When I make my way through the town at 6:45am there are small boys, young men, and older men who are probably grandpas who head out with their machetes, rain boots, and empty nets for a day of work. There are some boys and girls who go into the center of town to collect water from the public water reservoir (I guess you can call it?) because their home has no running water. There are women carrying baskets of food/produce/product on their heads to the market to sell for the day. Sometimes they carry their product to the microbús (big vans) to ride into the more populated city in order to sell to a larger population. This is the way that the community fun