Hi Folks

Happy New Year

We will be going to Mega Frater for about an hour of their 3 hour New Years Celebrations and then head home to host a small get together with a family. The main feature will be a spectacular fireworks display located almost everywhere in Guatemala City.

Tomorrow we move and are not sure if we will have access to the internet initially so if you cannot reach us for a time that will be why.

We are contemplating assisting in the starting of a new Church work in an old church building close to where we have been living. This would meet a heart felt need that I have had to try to interact more in the proclamation of the Gospel. This would be a private ministry in addition to our Calling but since we are all called to witness for Christ this could be a vital activity in our walks here in Guatemala.

Strategic partnerships are always developed based on friendship relationships first. We are building friendship relationships with 2 families from the USA and there is the possibility that both could be involved in the fund raising ideas I have been working on. This moves the fund raising into a far greater field numbers wise. Please pray for us that we will make good choices for the support of the William COrnelius Vocational Training Centre and advancement of the Gospel.

Sheila and I would just like to thank you for reading our BLOG and wish you the very best in 2008.

Yours In Christ
Tim

FELIZ NAVIDAD

Hi

Well 2 weeks at language school is over, fluency around the 10 year corner.

Had a lizard in the kitchen today and when we got home the lot next door was burning so we rushed to get the clothes off the line... but it was too late, everything smells like a nice camping trip.

Out for cell group supper on Friday. Christmas is coming and the tortillas are hot!

Saw an advertizment for Christmas. It showed 2 girls in swim suit tops, one in bright red and one in green.

Here is a picture or two to contemplate as the cold rushes into your kitchen when you open the door way up there in Canada!

Missing you all
Tim

So posting videos down here does not work.
Here is a nice picture of a sweety!

This is my second attempt at posting a one minute test video. Tim

Hi
Today was an interesting day. It is the day they burn the devil. Fires outside of many homes are lit and a effigy of the devil is burned. The thought is that by burning the devil evil spirits are chased away for the Christmas season. There are a lot of fireworks and the whole city seemed to be full of smoke. We could see fireworks everywhere and hear them. Here are a few pictures of the effigys.

We will be trying a test video on this site soon.

All the Best
Tim

Hi Folks

Over the last year we have been quite frank about what we are feeling and seeing. Frank to the point that our readers may think we are ready to pack it in. I can assure you that this is not the case. This is no picnic and we can sure see why some missionaries last for a year and leave but our plans are to maintain the course. Help where we can at the WVCVTC and build a ministry here. That said here are a few thoughts for you and a picture taken yesterday at a fun day.

They have better juice here than in Canada.
The local beef is terrible, but the chicken is great.
Just when you think you know where to find something in the store, they change it around. AND, things are not always where you would find them at home. Eggs are not in the fridge, and the cranberry sauce is in the baking aisle.

They shoot off more fireworks this time of the year every night than Thunder in the Valley or the Calgary Stampede. Sometimes we can see 6 sites at once letting off the big fireworks and the cannons. Camperos Chicken will launch a massive display from every restaurant in Guate in the next 2 weeks (not sure which day).

The worship service at MegaFrater would match any service in the world including Hillsprings.

Language is acquired over a longer period than one would think. The old adage "if you want to learn a new language, move to where it is spoken and stay there as long as you can" Is true.

The Trees for Global Renewal Web page is nearing completion and could be launched by February.

The crazy driving is a reflection of the difficulty of doing anything down here (according to Hoyle).

This is a country of lack of trust and is rather dangerous. One has to watch where they go and when.

Yesterday the lawn mower started up next door and woke us up. We started to laugh thinking about snow blowers in Canada.

Good weather does not rate that high when you are lonely.

Cultural differences are significant and compounded by language and cannot be discounted because the lack of meaningful relationships pushes one to seek fellowship with English speaking people which works against language acquisition.

We are starting to sell some coffee and are hopeful that this will take off in the next 3 years as a great fund raiser opportunity for school grad classes, churches and other groups.

Here is a picture.

Off to sing carols at the church!

Tim