ready, set, go...

after a wonderful send-off potluck at madison (thanks to my care groups, my family, and all who came bearing gifts of yummy food, guitar strumming, cards, gifts and last goodbye hugs!)...

and after a quick and wonderful two days in akron, pa at the mcc-us office meeting the faces that corresponded with the email notes and phone voices that have been pulling together all the administrative details...

hello guatemala.

i have been enfolded in the MCC guat/el salvador team family. all bear patiently with with my broken spanish. my MCC country directors calm my fears that i am a bit over my head in all of this. they encourage me to be myself, to pray, to take time to rest, to not be anxious. this week i will set goals and clarify my expectations for the next three years. and they will help me.

i have met my soon to be fellow staff at CASAS program and the Semilla Seminary. God carried me through a full day of individual and group meetings this first week - all in spanish!

soon i will finish my general orientation to the current work and vision of the full MCC Guatemala/El Salvador team, and then leave for Alta Verapaz to begin meeting with fellow MCC-ers outside of the City who are working in a rural Kekchi village in the cooler, greener hills.

next week i will start spanish classes and orientation to my specific assignment with the CASAS program within Semilla. there are histories of hurt that i will be walking into. please pray that i can help ease pain and build bridges. there may be rough waters ahead.

but i am thankful, so thankful for this opportunity. i am eager to grow. to learn. to be changed. to help usher in God's justice, His peace. working in that space that links guatemalans and north americans to one another. thank you for being the Body to me. for helping to carry me to this place.

hasta luego mis amigos, mis hermanos y mis hermanas.

prayers that all is well with you.

-slm