This month our ministry has involved a lot of hard but joy-filled manual labor. We have been serving with a ministry called DarParaDar or GiveToGive. Monday through Friday, my team and I stay in a place called Prayer Mountain. While there, we are helping with manual labor preparing this mountain to be a retreat area for families to get away from the distractions of life and connect with the presence of the living God. This has involved LOTS of dirt—digging, leveling, filling in holes, planting grass, painting, sanding, sawing, cleaning, carrying hoses up/down the mountain for water, moving hundreds of logs and cinder blocks to build homes in the villages, etc. it’s been a lot of character-growing work!
Additionally, on Fridays, we hike to a local village to help out with PE sports, telling/acting out Bible stories and building relationships with sweet kids at an elementary school. A couple weeks ago, we got to celebrate International Girls’ Day here in Guatemala with the kids at the school! All the girls made signs and paper hearts with affirmations about who God says they are, then we had the opportunity to join them in a parade around the village.
On Fridays we also participate in house visits where we help deliver and maintain clean water filtration systems to families in need while building relationships and praying with them as well.
Over the weekends, we pack up our belongings and travel an hour back to the beautiful city of Antigua. Here we participate in a house of prayer biweekly and a prayer worship room within a coffee shop every Monday before heading back to the mountain. Before our first week, I thought it was impressive that the prayer/worship sessions were 3 hours long but now that time flies by and leaves me yearning for more! We have been learning how to pray scriptures and intercede for our brothers and sisters in Christ near and far. We have been especially focused on praying for our church family in Israel this month.
The country of Guatemala and its people are beautiful. The sunsets and sunrises with the view on Prayer Mountain especially are unmatched.
My teammates are hilarious and deeply caring. Our ministry hosts are incredible. Chako, Kelsey and their sweet family are some of the most loving, humble, hardworking, peace-giving, Jesus-filled people I’ve ever met. I have learned from every ministry partner we’ve served alongside this month as they have been an encouragement in my personal walk with Christ in addition to teammates and instructors in many new challenging tasks. One of the things I appreciate most about Chako and Kelsey are their hearts for the Lord. From the beginning, Chako emphasized the importance of resting in God’s presence and growing with Him first before anything else. That it matters less what we are accomplishing and more who/what we are serving for. If we are serving out of fear, anger, or a solely task-orientated mentality—basically anything besides for the love of God and His glory, then we need to take a break and re-center our focus because we have lost sight of our true purpose. “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” Colossians 3:23-24 NIV
As you may have guessed, growth of any kind requires challenge and this month has had its fair share of those too. Some of the struggles include; tenting on the mountain during rainy season, rats and dogs coming after our food, no Wi-Fi/cell signal on the mountain, no showers until the weekend and struggles sleeping throughout the night. Through these experiences, God has taught me the power of prayer and relying on Him and the community He’s placed me in for strength and joy. I’ve grown more in love with God, His creation, my team, this mountain, each person we’ve interacted with and even the hard work itself. Safe to say, Guate has taken a part of my heart and I’ll be sad to leave soon.
A few internal battles have been won this month too. I struggle with nightmares, plenty of fears in general, and fear regarding increasing spiritual warfare. Through testimony sharing with our team early on, I was able to open up about these fears with my team and they were able to pray and speak freedom over me. I started reading aloud the Armor of God described in Ephesians 6, praying over our team’s dreams and sleep, and playing worship music as my tent roommate and I fall asleep. I HAVE NOT HAD A NIGHTMARE SINCE. I may get nightmares in the future but over the past few weeks, all of my dreams have either been lighthearted or at least ended in victory and NO FEAR. I had a dream of casting out demons by speaking the name of Jesus and teaching others about the authority we have to cast out their own too. A dream about being caught up in the distractions of the world and unable to recognize the spiritual warfare going on around/within me and though it’s uncomfortable at times to be more aware now, being so thankful to no longer be living in ignorance. I still rarely sleep all the way through the night but rather than being frustrated by the restlessness now, it has become a time to ask God who/what He wants me to pray for. Waking up sleep-deprived but prayer-filled is something I can happily live with. I still have plenty of other fears but I’m learning to lay them all down at the feet of the Father daily. Resting knowing that I don’t have to fear failure in front of a God who is already well-pleased with me as His daughter. All my life for His glory and not my own comfort or control. I repent for every time I have lost sight and worshipped comfort, creation, myself or God’s gifts over the Lord Himself. Life’s too short not to serve God and others. He is the highest of highs, all things were created in Him, through Him and for Him and He is beyond worthy to be exalted. “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.”
Revelation 4:11 NIV
Thank you all for your prayers and encouragement. The Lord is alive and working here in Guatemala, in the United States, in Israel and everywhere else. There is power in prayer.
Thank you for your beautiful letter. I ask Nate and your mom about you every week. I am so impressed with you, Fran. Miss seeing you at church. I will continue to lift you up in my prayers.
God bless you,
Jo Ann Simpson
Thank you so much, Jo Ann! I appreciate you and your prayers! Miss you! ♥️
Fran… this was one of the most moving, most powerful, most deep message I have ever read. I know God is working in you and in every single person you come across. You are encouraging and touching the lives of those around you and those back home. I am so honored I get to say that I know you, and I cannot wait to hear more about the amazing things you are doing. You are in my prayers!!
Lots of Love, Quincy Bettencourt
Aww Quincy!! Wow! Thank you so much! I am thankful for you and your prayers and so incredibly proud of you and the life you’re living wholeheartedly for Jesus! I miss seeing you and your joyful face but excited to catch up on everything someday soon! Love you lots! 💕
Beautiful pictures and description of the challenges and victories you have faced. Wow!!! Hearing your story helps me know how to pray. When you press through and overcome hard things, you gain internal strength that no one can take away. David Smith’s sermon yesterday was about suffering. When we walk through the fire Jesus is beside us (like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abindego). We come out spiritually promoted . . . at a new level. Fran, know that we love and miss you but are VERY excited about what you are overcoming!!!
Thank you so much, Patsy! Your words and godly wisdom are such an encouragement to me and I appreciate your prayers! Miss you and love you! Thankful to be serving and growing with the same God even a few countries apart from each other! ♥️
Praise God for your growth, commitment, and service.
Thank you, Melissa! ♥️
Blessings over you and your team!
“The LORD your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior, who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love, he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing. “ Zep 3:17. Prayers for peace and protection!!
Thank you, Diana!! I so appreciate your prayers, blessing and shared scripture! ♥️
Fran,
It’s so cool to see God shift your nightmares filled with fear to dreams filled with victory and power over the enemy! Continue to let Him draw you into more love and more rest in Him. I’m praying that your rest in Him enables you to sleep through the night!
Thank you, Perry!! I am so grateful for you and Joy and the opportunity to learn from you both! Thank you for your prayers over my sleep as well! Excited to continue to grow together with God at debrief this week!
Fran,
I have been praying for you consistently during this time, and I am so thankful for how God is working in your life and those around you. I love you dearly and am so proud of you and how you are surrendering to the Lord.
Thank you, Matthew! You and Danielle have been such an encouragement to me. Thank you for the example you’ve set in walking with the Lord daily, all your advice and prayers over the years and now. I’m blessed to have you as my brother. Love you so much. Praying for you and the fam. ♥️
Fran!! Such beautiful words! Think about you so often. Can wait to read more of your experiences and stories.
Love and miss you! ❤️
Fran
Your testimony is very encouraging and inspiring.
We miss you but are so proud of you.
Love you Brenda
Thank you so much, Brenda! I love and miss you and am simultaneously so grateful for all the Lord is doing through this year apart! I think about and pray for you and our coworkers/patients all the time! ♥️
Thanks for sharing the testimony of what the Lord has been doing in and around you and your team this past month. May He continue to bless and grow you; may His Spirit continue to illuminate the word to you, and that you may know the fullness of the power that is actively at work in you – the same power that raised Christ Jesus from the dead (Ephesians 1). I can’t wait to hear all that He will teach you this year.
Also, I wonder if you guys crossed paths with the Gap group that’s working with DarParaDar. My friend, Kara is the SQL for that group.
Thanks so much, Kirsten!! I appreciate your words of blessing for my team and I! Wow!🙌🏻🥹♥️ We did cross paths with Kara and her gap squad team! They came and joined us this week on the mountain and at house of prayer! They are amazing! we were all so impressed and refreshed by their readiness to jump in and hearts for the Lord! Praying for you and your team!
Fran you are an amazing woman of God! I am writing from Guatemala for debrief and we just left the pizza shop!! Thank you for sharing your heart and your life with this country.
Thank you, Joy! I am so thankful for you and Perry, your hearts for God and the time we are blessed to have together! Can’t wait to embrace this debrief and grow with you!
Amazing work with such meaning. You have so much support and love from afar and with you throughout your journey!
Thank you, Sadra!! Love you and so thankful for you!🥹😄♥️
Happy birthday, Fran! You are a blessing to those you’re working with and serving. Your blog is also a blessing to your many readers. Thank you for sharing God’s love and faithfulness! Love you!
This is so encouraging! I have felt so loved and celebrated today. I am beyond blessed by God and each incredible person He’s placed in my life—including you! Thank you, Aunt Sharon!! Love you! ♥️