Now in… Guatemala!
Hey friends and family!! It’s about time I posted an update on life here in Guatemala now that I’ve been here for a month! A lot has happened, so I’ll start back when I first arrived…
Parent Vision Trip and Debrief!!
About a week after my squad arrived, our parents came to visit! It was such a sweet week, not only to spend time with them but also to do ministry together. I loved watching them get thrown into what’s been my world for the past 7 months and experience it for themselves. They got to join us in everything, from manual labor on Prayer Mountain to meals, worship, and teachings with the whole squad. It was definitely a little chaotic (with everyone’s parents here, my team of 8 turned into about 30 total) but I had a blast. We said our goodbyes on Sunday morning, then packed up and left right away for a week of debrief at Lake Atitlán. Debrief was much-needed after all the craziness—leaving Albania, the wild travel, and then our parents visiting in the same week. It’s always refreshing to have some space to just seek the Lord’s face without the chaos of a busy schedule and so much change. But after debrief I was so excited to return to our ministry in Antigua!
Ministry!! Wooo!!
So, our ministry here in Guatemala is a little bit of everything 😂 but I absolutely love it! We’re partnering with a ministry called “Dar para Dar,” which translates to “Give to Give.” They’ve been based in Guatemala for over 15 years and are really focused on seeking the Lord’s heart for this country. A typical week of ministry here looks like 2 days at the House of Prayer, 1 day doing labor on Prayer Mountain, and 1 or 2 days doing house visits. So I’ll break each of those down for you guys:
Antigua House of Prayer:
So, fun fact—the House of Prayer isn’t actually in someone’s home; it’s based out of a coffee shop here in Antigua. The idea is rooted in Isaiah 56:7, which says, “For My house will be called a house of Prayer for all the nations.” The space is dedicated to worship and intercession, and it’s a place where we can minister to God’s heart. At first, I’ll admit, it was a little hard to settle in. Our days there are almost completely set aside for intercession, and I struggled to not let my mind wander or get bored. But now, it’s honestly one of my favorite days of the week. I’ve realized how important and impactful intercession is. It’s so easy, especially for us Americans, to fall into the mindset that spending a whole day praying is a waste of time because we don’t “feel” like we’re doing anything. But how many times in Scripture does God move miraculously because someone prayed? God is Almighty, and He can do more than we can ask or imagine, so why not pray for Him to move in every area of our lives and in the world? So, when we’re at the prayer house, we’re praying for all kinds of things—Guatemala, Israel, our families, the nations—but ultimately, we’re seeking His face and ministering to Him with our worship because He deserves all the glory!!
P.S. one of my favorite parts of House of Prayer is that, since it’s in a coffee shop, customers and tourists always get curious when they hear the worship coming from the side room. So, often we have random strangers walk in and sit for 15 minutes to half an hour. I love it!
Prayer Mountain:
Once a week, we get to drive 45 minutes up to Prayer Mountain! There’s currently one cabin built on the mountain, but the goal is to eventually have 7 cabins where people can get away and spend time seeking the Lord. We’re helping with the building process, which usually means digging trenches for pipes or carrying materials up and down the mountain. It’s hard work, but I love the opportunity to move my body in ministry! When my parents were here in Guatemala, they got to come up and help for a day, which was epic 🙂
House Visits:
And last but definitely not least—house visits! Dar para Dar understands that while spiritual needs are important, there are also many physical needs in the communities here. Over the past year, they’ve been going into rural villages and installing bathrooms and stoves for families who don’t have them. To do this efficiently, they need to know the specific needs of each household, so that’s where my team and I come in! We spend a day or two each week knocking on doors, explaining how the ministry wants to help, and then touring the house to assess their needs. After that, we create profiles for each family, which are sent to donors so that they can receive help as soon as funding comes through. If you would be interested in funding a family let me know! I’d be more than happy to get you connected.
So ya! That’s the basics of our ministry here in Guate, I’ll be writing more about how the Lord is moving in my next blog but for now I wanted to give you guys the basic rundown so you know what my life has looked like! Thanks for keeping up with me and praying for us. If you want to hear more, or if you have any specific prayer requests of your own, please reach out and let me know!
Prayer Requests:
– A lot of people are sick (some with parasites), so please pray for quick and full recovery!
– Pray against discouragement or complacency on our squad. We have about six more weeks of ministry here, and it can be tempting to just focus on going home instead of staying fully engaged in what God has for us here.
– Pray for direction as we move forward. A lot of us, myself included, are unsure of what the next season holds, so we need discernment and obedience to God’s calling, even when it’s hard.
-Pray for the Guatemalan families in the villages that Dar para Dar is trying to reach. Pray that the Lord would provide the funds for us to to help them.
-Pray for my fundraising! I’m currently 82% funded which is incredible but I still need $3,100 to be fully funded. If you feel led to support me you can use the tax-deductible link below or Venmo @Isabella-Orme. You Can Donate Here!
Thank you for the endless prayers and support!!
Until next time 🙂
– Bella
It’s wonderful reading about what you are doing, Bella! I’m so glad you could spend time with your parents visiting, too. Reading about how you take time to just sit and worship, and pray, reminded me that I need to stop being so busy and make that more of a priority, too. Thank you for sharing your amazing trip!
Awww Izzy it’s been so amazing to be able to hear all the different ways The Lord has used your team around the world!! You’re such an inspiration to me and I can’t wait to hear about everything!! Love ya and praying for you 🩵