"Guatemaltecans"

This is the term used for people who live in Guatemala.  That will soon be what we call ourselves as well.  Yup, that's right - sometime next summer we will be moving to Jocotillo, Guatemala.  

Needless to say, we had a great time on our recent trip there.  God is doing amazing things and we believe He wants us to be a part of what is going on.  It's a long story, but we'll try to make it short(er).  Basically, there is a large greenhouse business there that has donated land for World Reach (Rusty Price's organization, see last post) to build tomato greenhouses on.  The income from those greenhouses goes directly to World Reach and the work in Guatemala.  Two of the greenhouses are built and already generating funds, which are at the moment funding two pastors in the northern part of the country.  The greenhouses are southeast of Guatemala City, a short distance from the El Salvador border.  World Reach wants to purchase additional land for more greenhouses, as well as a "Hub."  The Hub is where we fit in.  While there are many dreams and plans for The Hub, the current priorities are our home and a church/multi-purpose structure.  Other plans/ideas include:  a school (currently the school system in Jocotillo only goes to 6th grade), a pastor training center, short-term housing for medical/mission teams, and a medical clinic.  We are dreaming of an orphanage as well.  The idea of the Hub is to create something sustainable that can be reproduced in other areas of Guatemala as well as other parts of Latin America.  There is so much potential for the Kingdom of God to be worked out in that community.

So, our next steps are:  1) finish language school in early December; 2) return to California and begin fundraising, as well as celebrate the holidays with family and friends; 3) move to Charlotte, NC in early January for 6 months for training with World Reach; 4) head to Guatemala sometime in early summer of 2009.

We are thrilled about the future.  To be honest, it is really hard to stay here in Guadalajara, because we are ready to get going with these next steps!  But, now more than ever we know that we need to finish language school.  So, with that said - off to more studying!  

Lots of love, Jake, Renee and Gracie

Gracie and Renee on the greenhouse property.

Gracie with her Pollo Campero crown - the most popular restaurant chain in Guatemala!

The tomatoes.

Jake and Gracie with our friend Mario, who went to Reedley College through the CASS program, but now works in Jocotillo - right across from where we are going to be living - a God-sized miracle in itself!

Our new home