We made it home safely!

Hi all,

We made it home safely today from Guatemala.  We had such an amazing and blessed time on this trip.  Thank you to all of you for your prayers and support throughout our journey.  Please listen to Radio Shine this coming Tuesday for our all-day, on-air Radio Shine/FH Guatemala child sponsorship promotion day.  We will be sharing so much with all of the listeners about our trip, and it will be a blessed time.  Again, thanks so much for your prayers.  Jesus really kept us safe and opened our eyes to the love of the people of Campat!!

Talk soon and God bless you all!

The Radio Shine Team

Finished up in the Community

Wow, What an experience of God´s Love. From the FH Guatemala staff taking detailed care of us to the welcoming Campat community we saw evidence of God´s Hand at work. We have been so blessed to see the love of Christ in the hearts of everyone in Campat.

The community gave a closing ceremony today and we spent extra time with the children along with one home visit. Saying good bye to the community was very difficult as so many relationships were built through this trip.

God´s hand is upon this community and we learned that even in the farthest places of the world, it is never out of the reach of Christ.

Micah

GREAT 3rd day in Campat!!

Here is Olivia and Micah meeting for the first time during today´s home visit.  Olivia is Radio Shine´s sponsored girl.

Micah was able to visit with Olivia and her family to share gifts.

      



Here is Micah with Oliva and some of her family members.                                      

Another awesome and amazing day doing VBS with the children of Campat.

Archie and Casey enjoying blowing up ballons for the children during VBS.  

Bella was joining in on the balloon fun as well. 

Chris was hard at work pushing around cement mix for the classroom building project. 

Kathy is having an awesome time with all of the children here in the community.  

Patrick is blowing bubbles for the children, as Kresta watches and plays with the children.  

This was our view as we were leaving the community tonight.  God´s light was shining on Campat.  

 Archie was playing praise songs during his and Casey´s home visit today with their sponsored child. 

Archie and Casey with their sponsored girl, Leticia, during the home visit. 

Some of today´s pictures of our adventure in Campat...

Hey everyone,

We were able to figure out the computer system here at the hotel we are staying at and are now able to show you some of our pictures from our trip.  These were taken today in Campat.  We hope you enjoy them and there will be more to come.  God bless you!

The Radio Shine Team

We had an amazing 2nd day in Campat...

Hi everyone,

The team is back safe and soundly from an amazing 2nd day in Campat.  We started our day with devotions and prayer time, and then we headed off. 

Our first stop was at an FH facilitated health clinic in the community.  We watched little children get weighed and given immunizations.  We visited with members of the community, and then the Radio Shine team led a worship time with the people there at the clinic.  Patrick and Heather Eddolls led the team in worship with great vocals and guitar, and we just all worshipped the Lord together.  It was such a wonderful and blessed time. 

We then did VBS with about 150 of the children of Campat.  The team was doing animal balloons with the kiddos, and then we worshipped together.  The children of Campat all raised their hands and sang out to Jesus.  It was truly an awesome time. 

We made good progress in the classroom construction and the cement is poored and the forms are set.  It starting to take shape for sure.  This entire team is truly receiving blessings from above and we are witnessing God at work right in front of our eyes.  Thank you for your prayers.  Now we are cleaning up and going to eat some dinner soon.  Talk to you soon.

The Radio Shine team!!

Ready for day 2 on the mission field!

Good morning all,

We are looking forward to what today will have for us.  We will be visiting a clinic where they help mothers learn how to be healthy with their children.  Malnutrition is a major problem here, and we are seeing it everyday.  We are asking the ages of the children because a 7 year old here in Campat is like the size of my 4 year old Caleb.  This is not because of genetics, it is because lack of nutrition especially under 2 will stunt growth of the body.  These people don´t know this. What I love most about FH is the fact that they educate communities to know what to do and how to change these habits.  They do so with a God world view. 

We will also be going to a farm training.  FH teaches the men how to grow a garden, with vegtables that will bless their families.  I am excited to see and be apart of giving them the tools to help them serve their families and their communities for years to come. 
Heather Eddolls

Day 1 was amazing...

Hey everyone,

A quick check in.  The team is doing wonderful.  We were absolutely blessed today and had such a wonderful time visiting with the community members of Campat.  We started construction on a classroom at the school.  We played with the beautiful children and there were so many smiles and laughter filled the air.  We were able to go with team member Kathy Sweeney to visit her sponsored child, Lydia, at her home.  It was a wondeful visit with her and her family, and it was really special to see Kathy spend one on one time with Lydia.  We wish we could upload photos, but we are having troubles doing that with the computer here at our hotel.  Hopefully we can figure out how to fix that.  Well, we are back at the hotel and preparing to clean up and have dinner.  Thanks for your continued prayers.  Will check in soon.  Blessings!

Ryan and all of the Radio Shine Team

We are ready to go to Campat today!

Good morning everyone,

Our team is doing great this morning.  We are all feeling well and got a good night´s sleep.  We had a really wonderful day yesterday.  We started our morning visiting with Victor Cortez in Guatemala City.  After that, we departed on our road trip.  Half way, we stopped and had a good lunch and then we also visited one of the Guatemala national parks.  The team took a hike along a mountain path, and we snapped some amazing photos of the beautiful Guatemalan mountains and forest.  We arrived safely last night in Coban, which is where we stayed.

After a good night´s sleep, we are preparing for breakfast and our devotions, and then we´ll be taking our 1 hour drive into the community of Campat!  Praise the Lord!  We are so excited to see what God has in store for all of us during this time.  Today, we will be doing some construction work on a school repair and also we´ll be helping to construct a soccer field.  We´ll also be doing a couple home visits of children that some of our team members sponsor. 

Thank you for your continued prayers.  We´ll keep you posted with more.  Blessings to you all and have an awesomely blessed day.  Talk soon.

Ryan

One beautiful morning in Guatemala...

Hi all,

Well, we are rising up to a beautiful morning outside here in Guatemala.  The weather is clear and cool, and the landscape is so green and plush.  It is wonderful.  We are going to have breakfast and devotions in about 45 mins.  Then we will be visitng with Victor Cortez, who is our FH Regional Director over our Latin American offices.  Victor is such an amazing person, and we can´t wait to spend some good time with him.  Well, please pray for continued safe travel for us today.  We will be making our 4 to 5 hour road trip today to the community of Campat, where we´ll be staying for most of the rest our trip.  Can´t wait to report more.  Talk very soon.  God bless you today.

Ryan

We are HERE... made it to Guatemala safely!!

Hey everyone,

Quick blog entry... we are HERE safe and sound in Guatemala!  Thank you, Jesus!  Everyone on the team is doing great.  We just ate dinner and are winding down for the night.  Thanks so much to everyone for your prayers.  We´ll keep checking in with the latest. 

Until next blog...

The Radio Shine mission team 

TODAY IS THE DAY!!

TODAY IS THE DAY!!  Praise God!  In a couple short hours, our team will be meeting at the airport to depart for our journey to Guatemala.  I can't believe the time is here.  This is so amazing.  I know the entire team is so excited to see what the Lord has in store for us.  Everything has come together so well, and I really feel the peace of the Lord upon our team members.  Please continue to pray for us, that we will have a super-blessed, safe, sick-free, fun-filled trip!  We'll check in with updated blogs as we can.  Hopefully we'll get some good pics posted as well.  Alrighty, that's all for now... GUATEMALA... HERE WE COME!  WOO HOO!

Dreams from the past, Hope for the Future

Is this truly  happening??? Today I am struck with humility as I reflect on the true goodness of God and His faithfulness. He is a God who gives us the desires of our heart, the DREAMS of our heart.

I woke up this morning around 4 a.m.  Typcially at that time of day I am sleepy and can't bear the thought of getting out of bed, today was a different story! I wrestled thinking maybe if I just laid here, surely I would be able to go back to sleep. By 4:30 I decided to just get up. And it was during that time that God revealed Himself to me.

When I was in 3rd grade I remember being on an airplane sitting next to my pops and writing a letter to a missionary nurse in Tanzania. I remember then deciding when I grew up I wanted to be a missionary nurse. (I smile when I think of that, God knowing everything about me, knew even in 3rd grade that Biology would not be my strong suit. He must've laughed and thought to Himself, "Daughter if you only knew truly what I have in store for you.") Long story short, I never did become a missionary nurse, but one of the dreams of my heart has been to become a missionary.

What God revealed to me this morning as I reflected, questioning "Why at almost 37 am I just now getting a stamp in my passport and having the true opportunity to be a missionary?" And you know what I heard Him speak to my spirit? I heard Him say "Now that you are empty, I can fill you". In Toby Mac's words I've been emptied of all my 'junk'.
Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you says the Lord, plans to prosper you and not harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future."


I am ready to receive what He has. I am ready to see what He does in others. I am ready to fill my cleaned up heart with the fulfillment of dreams from the past and the plantation of new dreams, with a fresh hope for the future.

In Christ alone,

Kresta

2 short days away.. WOO HOO!!

Hey all, we are only 2 short days away from departing for the Radio Shine mission trip to Guatemala.  We have a total of 10 people on our team, many of whom have never been out of country.  You can imagine the levels of excitement and anticipation building up for the team members. 

We would love to have as many prayers prayed over us during the time we are in Guatemala.  Please pray for safety, for comfort away from our families, and for God to really bless the hearts of the team members in a supernatural way.  May God bless and pour His favor upon the communities and families that we are so blessed and privileged to visit soon. 

We will try to keep you as up to date as possible with our trip in this blog.  As we hopefully have access, we will also try to post pictures along the way.  Thanks for supporting all of us.  Talk soon!

Enjoying Jesus,

Ryan

Can't wait for the worship time in Guatemala

We are so honored that Patrick and Heather Eddolls from the band Covenant 31 will not only be on our team to Guatemala, but they will also be leading worship there.  What an awesome and blessed opportunity we'll have to gather with community members and families to sing songs of worship to our Lord Jesus Christ.  CAN'T WAIT for this!! :)  Will keep postin' as we go.  God bless!

Ryan

Verse to Share as We Go

Hey Guys,

I thought I'd share with everyone a verse that I heard on the Radio today that encouraged me as I prepare to go somewhere I've never been.

^{Acts 1: 7} He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. ⁸ But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”   ⁹ And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight.

God really is going to do amazing things with this Team.  From those who labored  to set everything in place to our team and those who are praying, we are so thankful.

I pray that He continues to give a Spirit of Love and Power as we go.

Micah

22 days away and counting!

Wow, here we are just 22 days away and counting until our team takes off for our trip to Guatemala!  We have a total of 10 team members going, many of whom is going on their very first ever mission trip.  It will be so exciting to be with them from beginning to end.

During our trip, we are actually going to be visiting a radio station in Guatemala called 'Radio Illuminia (Shine)'!!  Isn't that amazing?!  Radio Shine USA networking and building relationships with Radio Shine Guatemala.  God is SO good!

Three of our team members will also be visiting their sponsored children, and that is going to be such a blessed time and experience for all.

Well, I just wanted to take a minute to share how excited I am and can't wait for this trip.  Until next time...

Ryan