ACTION TEAM VISION TRIP MARCH 2024 Sololá, Guatemala
¡HOLA! THIS IS AMAZING
A bunch of kids in Guatemala think Victor’s name is “Thizisa Mazing.” Victor, who is on the Action Team, often remarks: “This is amazing!” so now when kids see him, they wave and call out his “name.” It has kind of become our Action Team motto: This Is Amazing!
Afteranenvigoratingboatride acrossLakeAtitlán,wewere greetedbyBillywhoisthefirstof twovolunteerleadersinSanJuan LaLaguna
YenerhasbeentrainingBilly andOsmaninthebasicsofYL ministry.Theirtestimoniesand storyofhowtheygotconnectedto YLis somethingonlyGodcould orchestrate “coincidentally” meetingaUSvisitorwithtiestoYL and well,we’llletBilly sharehis storyonanActionTeamcallinthe future. Youwon’twanttomissit! (Thisisamazing!)
What we saw with our own eyes on this recent trip truly is amazing. And because you have a heart for the people of Guatemala, we want to share a few snapshots and stories that we hope will inspire and encourage you.
If you are receiving this, you have helped bring the Good News of the Gospel to the people of Guatemala and we want to thank you! Some of you have specifically helped grow the ministry of Young Life in Guatemala. You need to know that the seeds you have sown are yielding a harvest! Teenagers are trusting Jesus as Lord and Savior. They are being discipled. They are growing. They are multiplying ministry. Thank you for being part of this amazing story.
This year’s Young Life’s international conference theme was “1YL” One Body. One Mission. As representatives of the Guatemala Action Team, we’re ON MISSION AS ONE ... each one of us contributing in our own way – through prayer, financial support, encouragement, participation – but all for ONE purpose – that Jesus is known by the people of Guatemala.
Thank you for being part of the ONE.
& SAN JUAN LA LAGUNA
GUATEMALA
“Cuando tú decides dejar tu comodidad y vienes a pasar días con nosotros, nos recuerda la manera como Jesús dejó su reino para venir al mundo y juntos compartir el amor de Jesús con otros.
Es como un poco de combustible de fe para encender corazones
Es como saber que somos hermanos buscando a Jesús el uno al otro
Es como saber que la vida es más linda viviendo en los pies, en los techos, en la mesa de otros.”
– Yener Lopez, Director, YL Guatemala in Guatemala City
TRANSLATION:“Whenyoudecidetoleaveyour comfortandcometospenddayswithus,it remindsusofthewayJesuslefthiskingdomto comeintotheworldandtogethersharetheloveof Jesuswithothers.
It'slikealittlefueloffaithtolighthearts.
It'slikeknowingthatwearebrothersandsisters seekingJesusforeachother
Itislikeknowingthatlifeismorebeautifulliving inthefeet,undertheroofs,atthetablesofothers”
MeetOlgaSantosandStacyHenning. OlgaisaDGLstudentbeingmentoredby Stacy fromtheU S whoisservingonYL staffinGuatemala Olgaisstudying graphicdesignandmarketing while overseeingthreelocalareaYLclubsin Guatemala City.
MEET DANY, JONATHAN, & OLGA
GUATEMALA’S 3 YL DEVELOPING GLOBAL LEADERS
YenerandOneydaLopez,originallyfrom Nicaragua,havebeeninGuatemalasince 2014.Theyhave grownYLfromahandful ofvolunteerstonowexpandingbeyond thecapitalcityintotheregionofSololá.
YoungLifeDevelopingGlobalLeaders(DGL)studentsaresponsored bygenerousfriendsofYLwhoprovideafull-rideuniversityscholarship tohigh-potentialyoungpeoplelikeDany,Jonathan,andOlga.
DuringourfirstmealstogetherinAntigua, JonathanandDany presentedtheirleadershiptreesanddreammapstotheActionTeam, sharingtheirgoalsforexpandingYoungLifethroughoutthecapital city. Olga stayedbackinGuatemalaCitytocarryonregularly scheduledYLactivities.
In addition to going to university full-time, these outstanding leaders are multiplying ministry by training new leaders who can open YL clubs in several new neighborhoods.
dgl.younglife.org
ThisisJonathan“Jona”DiazandDanyVega,both YoungLifeDevelopingGlobalLeaders(DGL), with ToniMorsefromtheActionTeamwhois onYLstaff with DGL Inadditiontogoingtouniversity,Jona and DanyoverseeseveralareaYLclubsinthe capitalcity Danyisstudyingsystemsengineering andJonathanisstudyingbusinessadministration.
BY THE NUMBERS
14 Clubs
45 Leaders
3 YL Developing Global Leaders (DGL Students)
120 Kids currently in Campaigners
total kids who have been to YL camp in the last 12 months
LEARN MORE:
Sololáisthe firstareaoutsideofthecapitalcity whereYoungLifeisbeingestablished.Panajachel andSanJuanLaLagunaarethefirsttwotowns thathaveYLclubs.
BillyandOsmanarethemain YLvolunteersinSanJuanLaLagunaand Panajachel.Duringourmorningdevotional,theywerebothtaking copiousnotes. Theysaidthisisadisciplinetheyarelearningbecause theywanttobepreparedtoteachonwhatevertheyhavelearned.
Osman(l)andBilly(r) beamedwhentheyreceived YLGuatemalahatsalongwith25copiesofMyFirst 30QuietTimes(Spanish version),aclassicYoung LiferesourcewrittenbyTySaltzgiver
InSanJuan,wewalkedaroundthecommunityinviting kidstoclublaterthatnightandseveralofthemcame forthefirsttime ItwassoencouragingseeingBilly andOsmaninaction,connectingwithlocalteenagers
YoungLifeClubinSanJuanhasbeenatBilly’shousebutwhenwewerethere,we heldclub inthecourtyardofahotel/restaurant.Theownerlikedwhathesawand hasagreedtolet YoungLifehostclubthereeverotherweek! (Hopefullyevery weeksoon!)
SanJuan LaLguna
ThisisAidawithBilly,Osman,andYener She traveledacrossthelakewithustohelpwithclubin Panajachel Itwasherfirsttimeinaboat which meansshehashardlylefthervillageuntilnow and she’sbringingtheGOODNEWS!
“Shine”and“Brillantina”showedupatclub–it wasbrilliant!
WHAT DOES THE ACTION TEAM DO?
Stayinformedofwhat’s happeninginYLministry inGuatemala throughWhatsAppgroupandmonthlyActionTeamcalls
Encourage,support,andprayforstaff,leaders,andthekidsand familiestheyarereachingwiththegoodnewsofJesus
Participateintheannualfund-raiserWalkforHopeinMay (moredetailstocome)
Goandseeforyourselfalltheencouragingthingshappeningin Guatemala.
TODD MORSE
tntmorse61@yahoo.com
WhatsApp 719-331-6062
TONI MORSE
tmorse@sc.younglife.org
WhatsApp 719-650-0819
YoungLifeClubin Panajachelisheldin Parque Muro–partofthehomeofJoe andCindyBetsill(fromTexas) whohavelivedinGuatemalafor over10yearsservinglocal families,widows,andorphans Whenthey builttheirhomeand gatheringareasmanyyearsago, theyenvisionedthespacetobe usedbyYoungLife Nowin2024, that hasbecomeareality!Thisis whatgenerosity,faith, hope, love(andpatience)looklike.
Who’sreadyforthenextadventure? Hopin Troyerand Masonwillseetoitthatyouhaveanepictime Didsomeone say“Let’s hike avolcano ”?
MARKYOURCALENDAR
APRIL 24th 5:30pm (MDT) Next Action Team Call Contact Todd or Toni Morse for a Zoom link.
MAY 1st-15th Walk for Hope (throughout all of Latin America & Caribbean)
SUPPORTYLGUATEMALA
