Mon, July 7th Earthquate Update

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Dear family, friends and mission supporters:

For those who heard about the earthquake in Guatemala today, rest assured that we are all safe and sound. Although most of us did feel the tremor around 5:25am local time, it was not strong enough to employ our earthquake evacuation plan. Most of us didn't even get out of bed. Although of note for most of us on our team, it was quite a mild tremor for Guatemala standards (they have several tremors and quakes each year).

Please pray for those who lost property and some loved ones in the far northern part of Guatemala near the Mexican border.

Please check back soon for our daily blog, photo, and audio podcast updates.

God's Peace,

Brother Shawn

Shawn Smith
Director, Now is the Time for Missions

Paso a Paso - Day 6 Blog

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Paso a Paso - Day 6 Blog

I did not want to come to Guatemala. As Shawn Smith says, "There is never a good time to go." For many reasons this statement was very true for me this year. I had to come to terms with the fact that this trip is not about me or the things at home that could trump my decision to go. The reason I came was for the children. 

This is my second year coming to Guatemala with Now Is The Time. Both years my primary motivation in coming was...

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Paso a Paso - Day 5 Blog

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Paso a Paso - Day 5 Blog

by Garland Peabody

This is my first trip to Guatemala and I really didn't know what to expect. I was put on a floor team for the week where we would go to a family home and lay concrete on a dirt floor in a room at there home. The day started with breakfast at 6am, a van ride to Paso A Paso where we get our wheel barrows, hoes, shovels and start for the first home. Most of the rooms were about 12' x 12' and all the concrete was mixed by hand on the ground and moved to the room. I have never been so...

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NIT 013- Paso a Paso - VBS Crew [Podcast]

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To listen to the episode, click on the player above.

Shawn Smith interviews members of VBS Crew from Week 2 at Paso a Paso from June 22-29, 2014.

VBS Crew Includes: 
Hannah Markquart
Jairo Serrato
Tasha Rehm
Bella Bevilacqua
Katie Nice
Jendy Nice
Christina Nice
Mo Tejada
Andrew Phillips
Brook Fonceca
Clayton Fonceca
Lydia Fonceca
Anna Tyler

Click here for Paso a Paso Photos

More about Paso a Paso

Paso a Paso - Day 4 Blog

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Paso a Paso - Day 4 Blog

by Natasha Rehm

Hello,  My name is Natasha and I come from Oregon, WI.  I’m 27 years old.

The idea for this trip actually came from my mom - she has had some good ideas, but this was probably her best one.  I had no idea what to expect in coming to Guatemala.  I’ve never been outside of the country much less volunteered for any sort of mission trip.  I knew I would be out of my comfort zone due to not speaking much Spanish and not coming from a religious background. The best thing about this trip is that...

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Paso a Paso - Day 3 Blog

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Paso a Paso - Day 3 Blog

by Anna Tyler

Our first night here in Guatemala, at service, we discussed how this work and this mission isn’t about us. I believe it was Damaris who in particular said that God would still show up whether we were here or not. I took this to mean that we are merely the tools that God is choosing to use for the short time that we are here. I fully understood this message today. 

Last night I went to bed feeling like I wasn’t enough (I know very little Spanish) and wondering if the women I am teaching are...

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Paso a Paso - Day 2 Blog

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Paso a Paso - Day 2 Blog

by Dave Tousley

Today started early 5:20 am.  I am not a morning person, but I was up without an alarm at 5:20.  Breakfast at 6:00 am and out at our rides to Paso A Paso at 6:30 am.  Truth be told I am not usually out of bed until 7 at home.  On our way to Paso A Paso we pass by some coffee fields that seem to go on for as far as I can see.  As we left Paso A Paso on our way out to install a stove I saw a man at the back of a moped with a big canister strapped to the back.  He was scooping out fresh milk into a jar for a family.  I never really thought about not having a refrigerator to store milk and needing it delivered to me daily.  Most of the families we are serving here don’t have...

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Paso a Paso - Day 1 Blog

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Paso a Paso - Day 1 Blog

by Melody LaPierre

What do corrugated aluminum, dried cornstalks, and cement blocks, possibly have in common? Nothing, you say? Add perhaps a strand or two of various thicknesses of wire, a couple well seasoned four by fours (and I’m not talking bandages for those of you who may know I am a nurse)....toss in (why not?) a wing and a prayer, add a healthy dash of faith coupled with a willingness to exert some serious manual labor and you have...

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