Short Term Trip Long Term Impact

 New Life New Day Christian Church joined us in Guatemala for a week of serving in any way asked of them. It was an amazing time!

Ariana, a participant, shares about her experience...

"Hi everyone, my name is Ariana Conley, and I had the privilege to go on a mission trip with my church to Guatemala. I didn’t exactly know what to expect, but I knew it would most likely be out of my comfort zone. I was willing to try it anyways. Words cannot describe how glad I am that I went! Spending those 9 days in another country has changed me forever.

One day our team was split up into two teams; my team did what is called ATL (Ask the Lord) first. Before we went out into the streets Gabe, one of the Adventures Guatemala missionaries,  told us to close our eyes and share if we had some kind of vision or impression. While everyone was explaining what they saw, the first thing that came to mind was teenagers between the ages of fifteen and nineteen. At the time I thought it was just my own voice telling me to say teenagers and the specific age group.

Before we headed out, Gabe said he felt we needed to go the cemetery. We get there and before me are 50 teenagers between the ages of 15-19 everywhere. I think it took me a few minutes to register what was going on. I said to myself, “Wait a minute, this isn’t a coincidence.” Right then and there I realized that God had spoken to me the specific age group that we needed to minister to.

These teenagers were there because one of their classmates who was 17 years old had just died. So we also got to watch a Guatemalan/Catholic funeral. It was amazing because we got the opportunity to pull the teenagers to the side and Pastor Logan prayed for them and they all accepted Jesus into their heart. It still blows my mind how a Catholic funeral was transformed into 50 young people getting saved.

This day was the turning point for my trip and a revelation for me personally. Of course I knew God was real and He was a good God, but I didn’t really know why. Now I know why. He chose to speak to me and give our group the purpose of going to the cemetery, and it was to minister to those young people. He also ministered to me that day. I believe you have to have your own personal encounter with God to really grasp how good He is and how real and unconditional His love is.

I am more than glad I went on this mission trip, it has literally changed my life forever."