1

TEAM BOOKLET June 26-July 3, 2014

HILLCREST CHURCH Hudsonville, MI

2

Welcome

What an awesome privilege and a responsibility that God has placed in front of each of us. We are going out as Christ's Servants to a group of people that not only need physical care, but who also need to discover the care that Jesus offers. I hope that you are ready to be used by God in the next seven days and that you are ready to use the power that God has en-trusted to us through his Holy Spirit. The money has been raised, the bags packed, our shots taken, our pass-port is in hand, and now we are off to a challenge that will impact us to our very core. Through out the next seven days we will be digging not only into the ground of Guatemala, but also into our hearts to learn how to give God our Lives. Through our daily devotions, team challenges and small group discus-sions we will be focusing on growing in our "Passion For God". It is our passion that God longs for and it is in our passions that we often invest our energy and time and ultimately our lives. In this Guatemala booklet you will find devotionals and discussion guides for your small group time. Every day you will be given some personal time to be with God. Take this time to spend listening and talking with God. This will be the energizer that you need to make it through the week. Once a day we will also spend time as a whole team and in small groups for Team "Praise, Share & Prayer" [PSP]. These devotion times will be focused on a variety of topics. You may wish to also include discussion about these topics in your small groups. Let us keep team spirit and encouragement on our minds and lips and ac-tions for this entire week. Welcome to "Putting Hands and Feet to our Faith in Guatemala 2014"!

3

Thursday In Atlanta June 26

Welcome to the last step before Guatemala. There is nothing more for you to remem-ber to pack, if you forgot something -you will have to borrow it from someone on the team -hopefully you remembered enough underwear. The next stop is Guatemala and a very busy week of serving God. Use this lay over as a time to prepare for what is ahead. SMALL GROUP TIME: This is your small group team. Over the next week you will be spending a lot of time together opening up your lives to each other. Take some time in your small group to get to know one another. Go around the group and share the following: -5 interesting things about you. -An embarrassing moment in your life. -What made you want to go to Guatemala. -What you hope to see happen this next week. Spend some time in your small group in prayer for: -Travel -Families -Dan & Heidi -People in Guatemala -The other missionaries -Our Work -Going through Customs -The weather -Health -And what ever else is on your heart!

4

Thursday Small Group Time June 26

Wow we made it here. Even though it’s late, let's start off the night singing and giving God our praise. Try to let go of the things around you and just focus on God. SMALL GROUP TIME GROUND ZERO -Read Poem "The Road of Life" [ next page of booklet] This week you will be challenged to open up with each other and share things that are personal and can be difficult. The more you are willing to open up this week , the more God will be able to work in your life. Please try and take some risks with your team and be as honest as you can. Also, please keep in mind that things that are shared in your small group should remain in your small group. SHARE: In your Small Groups spend time with the following discus-sion questions: -Try to describe your relationship with Christ. If you were to put yourself into the poem "The Road of Life" where would you be at right now? -Where would you like your relationship to go this week? -It seems like there are always so many things getting in the way of our relationship with God. What are some of the obstacles that are keeping you from the relationship you would like to have? PRAYER: Spend time in your Small Groups Praying for each other and for our project this week. Pray for good weather for the whole week!!!!

5

Poem -The Road of Life

THE ROAD OF LIFE

At first, I saw God as my observer, my judge, Keeping track of the things I did wrong,

So as to know whether I merited heaven or hell when I die. He was out there sort of like a president.

I recognized His picture when I saw it, but I really didn’t know him. But later on when I met Christ,

It seemed as though life were rather like a bike ride, But it was a tandem bike,

And I noticed that Christ was in the back helping me pedal. I don’t know just when it was that He suggested we change places,

But life has not been the same since. When I had control, I knew the way.

It was rather boring, but predictable… It was the shortest distance between two points.

But when He took the lead, He knew the delightful cuts, Up mountains and through rock places at breakneck speeds,

It was all I could do to hang on! Even though it looked like madness, He said, “Pedal!”

I was worried and anxious and asked, “Where are you taking me?” He laughed and didn’t answer, and I started to learn to trust.

I forgot my boring life and entered into the adventure. And when I’d say, “I’m scared,” He’d lean back and touch my hand.

He took me to people with gifts that I needed, Gifts of healing, acceptance and joy.

They gave me gifts to take on my journey, my Lord’s and mine. And we were off again.

He said, “Give the gifts away, they’re extra baggage, too much weight.” So I did, to the people we met,

And I found that in giving I received, and still our burden was light. I did not trust Him at first, in control of my life.

I thought He’d wreck it; but He knows bike secrets, Knows how to make it bend to take sharp corners,

Knows how to jump to clear high rocks, Knows how to fly to shorten scary passages.

And I am learning to shut up and pedal in the strangest places, And I’m beginning to enjoy the view and the cool breeze on my face

With my delightful constant companion, Jesus Christ. And when I’m sure I just can’t do anymore,

He just smiles and says… “Pedal.” - Author unknown

(As written in Holy Sweat by Tim Hansel)

6

Friday Morning June 27 PERSONAL DEVOTIONS:

You may have brought your own devotional materials along with you. That's great, but please spend some time with these devotions each day as well.

Yesterday was a huge day. You have been preparing for it, planning for it, packing for it, and thinking about it for a long time. Now, here you are thousands of miles from home and with a group of people who you will spend the next 7 days working, playing, laughing, crying, eating, sleeping, talking, and praying. There will undoubtedly be some difficult and some very wonder-ful moments in the week ahead.

This morning you will have your first chance since we left Grand Rapids to sit by yourself and spend some time with God. This is going to be one of the most important parts of this entire trip. This is your refuel time. Time to plug into the power source and time to focus on your own personal relationship with Christ.

The Devotions this week are going to last about 20-30 minutes and will include a time to write in your journal, a thought to ponder on, a scripture to reflect upon and time for you to talk to God.

JOURNAL: This morning, take some time with your journal and try to describe your relationship with Jesus Christ where it is at right now. Start in your journal: "My rela-tionship with Jesus right now is like..." The image of a tandem bike from last night I think is a good one. Where is Christ when it comes to your bike? -Then take some time and write down how you would like it to be. SCRIPTURE: Read Romans 12:1-3 THOUGHT TO PONDER: There are often things in our lives that keep us from the re-lationship that we want to have with Christ. It is hard to share these things that are per-sonal and sometimes embarrassing. Often we want others to think that we have it all together so we put on a show and make it seem that everything is great. But if we peel away all the layers, there are things that aren't right. The first thing that God calls us to do to have a passionate relationship with him is to transform our minds. The world has so much power over us, we often don't even realize how powerful it is. It is like floating down a river, you don't realize how strong the current is until you try to go up stream. God wants us to stop floating and start swimming up stream. God calls us to stop con-forming to the world and be transformed by the renewing of our minds. PRAYER: Take some time right now, don't hurry--slow down..., and confess the things that are holding you back from God. Go back to your journal and read to God how you see your relationship with him is like right now and then ask him to give you a relation-ship like... [read the one that you wrote about how you would like it to be]. This could be the biggest week of your life if you let God take over the controls!

7

Friday Small Group Time June 27

The first day is a historical fact now. Can you believe it? Tonight we have a lot on our hearts and a lot we need to lift to God. Small Group Time: Share highlights over the past day. Chasing Our Passions SHARE: [In your Small Groups spend time with the following questions.]

-How can you tell when someone is passionate about something? -What are some things in life that you are passionate about? -If one of your good friends were asked to describe you, what do you think they would say are the things you are most passionate about? -Read Matt 6:25-34 -What should we be Passionate for? What are we seeking for in life? -How can we let go of our passion for the things of the world and de-velop a passion for the things that are eternal? PRAYER: Spend time in your Small Groups Praying for each other and for the families that we are building a home for. Our goal is not just to help them with a home here in Guatemala, but to bring them to a home in Heaven. Pray for good weather for the whole week!!!!

8

Saturday Morning June 28

PERSONAL DEVOTIONS: After two days of craziness and lots of physical activity, you will probably be very tired and you will want nothing more than to catch a few more moments of sleep while you are doing your devotions this morning. Say a quick prayer and ask God to help keep you awake and to be able to spend some quality time with Him. Today we prepare to do battle again in the medical mission clinics. It’s going to be a great day. JOURNAL: Spend 5-10 minutes writing down the things that impacted you the most over the last 24 hours. -The work, the people, your small group, the team Devotions, Personal devotions, what ever comes to your mind that has impacted you. SCRIPTURE: Go back to Matthew 6:25-34 and spend some time reading that again. Also read Matthew 13:44-45. THOUGHT TO PONDER: What would your friends say are the things you are most passionate about? This is a tough question! We know what the right answer should be, but in reality very few of us would probably have others describe us as passionate about God. Maybe it's soccer, or work, or our boy friend or getting more stuff or... -you name it. The things we are passionate about are the things we will spend our life pur-suing. Our passions are what define us. Our passions are the things that give others a window into our deepest self, into our hearts. They are the things that give us mean-ing in life and give us joy. But - what if we are living a lie? What if the things that we find meaning in are mean-ingless? In Ecclesiastes 2:11 it describes many of the things that we strive for as "meaningless - a chasing after the wind". The world will tell us that pursuing sports, money, popularity, power, pleasure or things - will give us Joy. Jesus simply tells us to seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and then all the other things will be given to us as well.

The parable of the hidden treasure challenges us to look at what really matters in our life. What is it that you would be willing to sell everything for? Do you seek after the kingdom with passion?

What is it that you are seeking after in Life? PRAYER: Spend some time asking God to help you seek the things of His King-dom. Ask him to show you what he wants others to see in you! Pray for the team and all that needs to be done today.

9

Saturday Small Group Time June 28

We are on our third day already. The time is flying by! Today we are off to the first clinic! Can’t wait to see what God has in store for us tonight.

Small Group Time: God's Passion For us SHARE: In your Small Groups spend time with the following ques-tions. -Why is it often difficult to spend time with God each day? -What if you found this letter in your mail box: My Dear Child, I love you. I desire to spend as much time with you as possible. I took great Joy in being part of your creation and your salvation. I consider My sacrifice for you as a sign of my significant love for you. My child, I want the best for you. I believe in you. I look forward to our daily times to-gether. It gives me great pleasure to spend time with you. Don't forget, I'm with you always. Love -God -How would you feel? What decisions would you want to make about your time with God? Why is it important for us to spend time with God? -A wise pastor once asked, "what is so important that you can't spend 15 minutes a day with God?" -What is your answer? -How can you turn your devotional life into a passionate time that you look forward to? PRAYER: Write your names on a small piece of paper and put them in a hat. Each of you should pick out a name and pray for that person that they will find Joy in their alone time with God. As a small group focus also on any other needs or concerns that are a part of the group. Pray for good weather the whole week!!!!

10

Sunday Morning June 29

PERSONAL DEVOTIONS: Again, start off with a short prayer asking God to help keep you focused. You are probably very tired. Yesterday in your small group you focused on God's passion to be with us. To understand that God wants to spend time with us is a transforming thought. This morning you will be looking at your own personal time with God. JOURNAL: Take some time to jot down some of the things that have impacted you over the last 24 hours. Then jot down a paragraph or so that describes your personal time with God before you came to Guatemala. Try to be specific about your feelings towards that time as well. Then write a paragraph describing what you would like it to be like. SCRIPTURE: Take time to read John 15:1-17. This passage talks about the need for us to stay plugged into God. Stay focused on the aspects that relate to our need for staying connected with God. THOUGHT TO PONDER: We depend on electricity in a huge way here in Guatemala. Each night we charge the batteries for our tools in order to be able to use them the fol-lowing day. What a huge problem we would have on our hands if we forgot to charge the batteries for just one night. Building the homes would become nearly impossible for us to complete. We would be stuck. We are like a battery that runs on the power of the Holy Spirit. We too need to charge our batteries daily. In fact God created us for that very purpose, to connect with him. If we don't, soon we will lose our energy to perform the tasks that God has in store for us. -This week you will have the time made for you to spend time with God. Think about how you can make it a priority when you return home. Remember that Christ bought you at a great price and He wants to spend time with him. He proved his love for you by taking your cross for himself. "Greater Love has no one than this -that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command" vs 13&14. Christ is your friend, he has proven it to you. Why not spend time with him like a friend and talk to him as your friend. PRAYER: This morning take some time to tell God what you wrote in your journal about how your time with him has been like. Then read to him how you would like that time to be like and ask him for help. Spend some time praying for those in your small group as well. There are many needs in our team. Keep them in your prayers.

11

Sunday Small Group Time June 29

Wow done with one clinic now just one to go!

Small Group Time: Created For a Purpose -God has give us our passions for a purpose SHARE: In your Small Groups spend time with the following questions -Each of us are wired very differently. We all have unique things that we are passionate about. Use the following questions to help you explore what kinds of things you are passionate about. -If I could snap my fingers and know I couldn't fail, what would I do? -At the end of my life, I'd love to be able to look back and know that I did something about: -What were the things that you said your friends would describe you as passionate about? -What conversation would keep you talking late into the night? -How can you use your passions to serve the Kingdom? [Spend some time on this one - share ideas how others might be able to use their passions to serve the kingdom] PRAYER: Spend time in your Small Groups thanking God for the gifts he has given you. Seek his wisdom on how you can best use these gifts. Again pray for each other and any other needs! Pray for the families that received new homes this week and start praying for the people we will see in the Village Impact.

12

Monday Morning June 30

PERSONAL DEVOTIONS: Today we head back to the homes we began building on Friday. Begin your devotions again today with a short prayer asking God to bless your time together. JOURNAL: Write down the main things that have impacted you over the past 24 hours. Also take some time to write out the things that you are passionate about, es-pecially the things that others would say you are passionate about. Jot down some of the ways that you might be able to use the God given passions you have to serve the Kingdom. Also write down how you felt about the medical clinic days. SCRIPTURE: Read through Ephesians 2:1-10 THOUGHT TO PONDER: [Look at verse 10] God has created us to do something here on earth. In fact God has also prepared the things we are supposed to do. The problem is that we don't come with an instruction manual and we have to discover what we were created for. I believe our passions help us learn what we are here for. As we discover the answer to what we were created for we can begin to look for where we are meant to be. A flashlight is made to produce light when we find our self in a dark place. There is nothing you wouldn't trade for even a crappie flashlight that worked if you were lost in the dark. But in the middle of the day, even the best flashlight isn't going to be worth anything. When we discover our purpose, the WHAT? I am here for. Then we also need to find out the WHERE? am I supposed to be. When we are able to put both of those together then we will find true meaning and true joy in life. Maybe you are feeling as if your passions aren't significant, that what you have to offer isn't as important as something someone else has. Remember, that in the dark even a crappie flashlight can do amazing things. What is it the God has created you to do? and Where does he want to use you?

PRAYER: Spend some time talking to God and sharing with him what you see are your weaknesses. Ask him to help you use the gifts he has given you. Even if we feel we don't have an important gift, God tells us that we still have just as an important role in the kingdom as anyone else does. Continue to pray for the team, the people we are working with, and the weather!

13

Monday Small Group Time June 30

Tomorrow is dedication day. It is going to be power day and hopefully a day where we see lives changed for eternity. Let's start our time again with singing. Small Group Time: THE FEAR FACTOR Read Matthew 14:22-33 SHARE: In your Small Groups spend time with the following questions

-What are some things that you are afraid of in life? -How do those fears effect us? -What are some ways that we get scared about being passionate for God and his Kingdom? -Why are we often afraid to trust God with our lives?

-How can we overcome our fears and give God everything? -What is one way that your team can pray for you to over come a fear of following God?

PRAYER: Spend some time praying for each other. Pray that God will help take our fears away. Pray that God will give each person the strength to overcome and jump out of the boat. Continue for the people and Pray for good weather for the rest of the week!!!!

14

Tuesday Morning July 1

PERSONAL DEVOTIONS: Here we are on our last work day. Today we finish up the homes. Paint them with love and dedicate them and the families to God’s care. JOURNAL: Write down the main things that have impacted you over the past 24 hours. Also write down the fears in your life that you are struggling with that keep you from giving God everything. Also write down how you feel your small group is con-necting with each other. SCRIPTURE: Read Luke 6:20-26, 1 Peter 4:12-13 and 1 John 2:15-17 THOUGHT TO PONDER: One of the biggest fears many of us have is the fear of what others are going to think or what others are going to say about us. We don't want people to think we are weird or different. The problem is that we should be weird and different. The man who is the center of our lives was seen as different and weird. In fact he was seen as so weird and different that he was put on a cross. The message that we have been given and the message that we are called to give is not easy. It has a lot of risks attached to it. We risk loosing our comforts in life. We risk the world hating us. But that is where faith comes in. In vs 23 God says that we should actually "rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven". The key to overcoming fears is knowing that at the end things will be okay. A couple summers ago I went with a group to Cedar Point. One of the 8th grade girls was afraid to go on the wicked twister. In fact she was terrified. I convinced her to get in line. While in-line the fear was obvious on her face. As she neared the front of the line, her body stiffened and she started to walk away. I managed to coax her into her seat and the safety bar closed down. The tears began to flow. She thought she was going to die. After screaming her head off with fear, the roller coaster came to a stop. In an excited voice she said "That was awesome! Thanks for making me go!" God has a ride for us that is guaranteed to drop us and throw us around. But he has a safety bar around us that will never let you fall. He also has an unbelievable reward for us to expect from him when the ride is over. That reward is eternity with him.

PRAYER: Spend some time sharing with God what you are afraid of. Ask him to help you overcome those fears and be willing to jump out of the boat. Continue to pray for any special needs in the team, for the people, and for the weather.

15

Tuesday Small Group Time July 1

This is in some ways almost the end of our long journey as far as the tasks we have come to do. But God still has a lot in store for you if you let him. Small Group Time: Living With An Attitude -2 Corinthians 4:7 & Philippians 2:3-11 SHARE: In your Small Groups spend time with the following questions -With all the successful people around us, it is easy to compare our-selves to them and feel that we don't measure up. What are some ways that you feel this? -How do you struggle with these feelings? -Why is it that everyone tries to make it seem that they have it all to-gether? -What does knowing that God made you just the way he wanted you to be, do for those thoughts of not measuring up? -How does having the Christ like attitude of a servant effect the way we see ourselves? -How does being passionate about others connect to our passion for God? PRAYER: Pray for each person in your group for God to help them overcome feeling inadequate. Spend time praying for the last two days. Thank God for all that he has done so far. Continue to pray for the peo-ple and for each team member.

16

Wednesday Morning July 2

PERSONAL DEVOTIONS: Just one more day and the task of our trip will be complete. Stay focused! Finish strong! JOURNAL: Write down the main things that have impacted you over the past 24 hours. Write down the ways that you feel ordinary and not successful. SCRIPTURE: Read Philippians 2:3-11 THOUGHT TO PONDER: Our attitude is one of our most powerful tools or our strongest enemies. A couple of summers ago I had the opportunity to coach my son's little league team. At the start of one of the games, the team was all excited about the game before that they had won. They went into this game expecting to win. After the second inning they were down 4 to 0 and they started talking about losing the game. There was no doubt that with this attitude they would ensure their prediction. Any good coach knows that a team with a proper attitude can over come even a bet-ter team. God calls us to go through life with humility and love. Not looking out for our selves but for others. The world would laugh at this recipe for success. But it is not success here on earth that we are trying to find. It is the success in the kingdom. We are taught in the world that pride, strength and looking out for #1 is what will bring us joy and success—but Jesus taught us differently. He came to earth with the full power of God—still he took on the nature of a servant and humbled himself. This is the model that Christ wants us to follow. This week we have been focusing on being passionate about God. In order to truly be passionate for God, we need to turn our passions toward others. That is when our ordinary can become extraordinary. What is your attitude like? How can you become more passionate about loving oth-ers?

PRAYER: Spend some time sharing with God what you wrote in your journal. Ask him to come in and give you the right attitude. Pray for the last devotions tonight. Ask him to give you humility tonight to truly serve those God places before us.

17

Wednesday Night July 2

This is it, tomorrow we go home. The devotions tonight will be a special one for all of us. Pray that the Lord blesses this time. PRAISE: Song Favorites Breaking It Down Luke 23:13-35

TEAM CHALLENGE

If you need to talk or would like me to pray with you. I will drop anything to do that with you tonight.

18

Thursday on the Plane PERSONAL DEVOTIONS: "I'm leaving on a jet plane, don't know when I'll be back, oh Guatemala I hate to Go!" This is the last time we get to be together like this. I hope these devotionals have been helpful this past week. Thanks for making this trip so special. You have been and are a blessing to this team and to the people of Guatemala. JOURNAL: Write down the main things that have impacted you over the past 7 days. Last night the challenge was be broken for God and to share Him with oth-ers. It is truly in our weakness that we become strong Remember this journal is just for you. Don't try to fake yourself out. Write down where you see your relation-ship with Jesus is right now. If you gave him the front seat of the bike you are in for the ride of your life. THOUGHT TO PONDER: The plane ride home is all that stands between you and the life you left behind in west Michigan. Through this week you have probably been challenged in many ways some of which you may not have expected. Now is where the rubber meets the road. Christ calls us to a life of humility, brokenness and passion for Him . He wants us to become selfless and focused on the things of heaven. When you step off the plane, Satan will begin attacking you. "Go back to the way you were. You don't want to do something risky and scary. Just forget about all that stuff that happened. It was fun but it isn't the real world that I live in. Come on stop thinking about all the needs of others, take care of yourself." Satan will speak loud and clear at first and you will quickly see him, if you don't deal with it, you will soon not even notice him and things will be the same as be-fore. If you want to keep growing and continue allowing God to take the front seat of your life, the real work has just begun. Keep the daily times with God. Find an ac-countability partner who can help keep you moving towards God. If you feel that there is something that you should change, it is probably the Holy Spirit talking to you, don't ignore it. If the week has gone anything like I thought it might, we have been with God and we have changed. I hope and pray that you will share with others about your time in Guatemala and challenge those around to grow with you as you continue your journey with God. If at any time you need to talk, my door is always open.

In His Grip, Kevin Van Wyhe

19

Ian Billin, Sara Billin, Kirsten Borst, Hailey Bouwman, Joel Bouwman, Kayla Bouwman, Jackie Bouwman, Ross Bremer,

Jacob Brinks, Abby Brinks, Abby Brummel, Elyse Deur,

Jason DeVries, Kerri DeVries, Kaylee Dykstra, Austin Gruppen,

Catie Luimes, Sarah Quist, Jessica Quist, Presley Scholten,

Colton Schreur, Bryce Schreur, Nichole Schuitema, Noah Schuitema, Grace

Van Dyke, Anthony Van Dyke, Grant Van Haitsma, Joshua Van Wyhe,

Chris Van Wyhe, Kevin Van Wyhe, Nate VanderPloeg, Scott Wesseldyke,

Mason Witte

GUATEMALA IMPACT TEAM 2014