Yesterday was a day of Mountain Top Xperiences! (I use the spelling for experiences as Xperience, because we are currently leading our second Xposure Xperience here in Guatemala!) Praise God for His great faithfulness!
The day started with an intense climb up a huge exploded volcano, La Muela/The Molar (aka Cerra Quemado/Burned Hill), that has become a prayer mountain not only for Christians, but also for Mayans, mystics, and many other faiths as well. Our elevation as we reached the top was around 9,300 feet above sea level! Everywhere up and around on the mountain different families, churches, and groups were singing praise, preaching, and praying. Our group (seen in the picture) spent some time atop the mountain praying for the work of innerCHANGE here in Xela. This hike and prayer time was to be the first of three “mountain top” Xperiences for us.
The second “mountain top” Xperience also took place on top of a mountain/hill! Abogar’s team had been invited to come to a private Christian English speaking school, and give testimony to God’s work in our lives. The school is literally based the top of a large hill that overlooks the city of Quetzaltenango (Xela)! As I was able to share my testimony with two different groups (the high school students, and then the middle school students) I also had the privilege and opportunity to lead more than 20 students to accept Jesus Christ as their Savior, and more than 40 to surrender to His Lordship with their whole hearts and lives! Praise God!! The numbers do not really matter, but the decisions made really do! I know that many of these children experienced “mountain top” moments yesterday! Praise God! Please pray for the decisions and commitments that were made; that the youth will remain committed and that God will grow, bless, and lead their lives for His glory!
The third “mountain top” Xperience happened last night, as I am my teammate, Don, were invited to share a meal with a man, George, whom we had met on our bus ride this past Monday from the capital city to here in Xela. He is a quite a character and very friendly and smart. He is native Guatemalan from Xela but speaks very good English. While Don and I were both excited for the chance to see him again, and meet his wife, and fellowship around the table with them, there was a little apprehension because we really had no way to be certain that it was safe to go off by ourselves with him. One of the family members where we are staying was able to meet him though, and felt it should be safe. As we got into his car, we saw that his wife was with him and things seemed pretty good that we would have a safe and good fellowship with them over supper. When we arrived at his house, he called his daughter to come meet us and her daughter as well. Wouldn’t you know it to be just like God to do so, but who would walk in the door but one of the very students from the school today! And her mom is the secretary of that very same school where I got to share my testimony today! Praise God for such a small world. The dinner was marvelous and the whole time really was another “mountain top” Xperience!
I praise God that serving Him often leads us to these Xperiences, and am excited to continue to see how God uses us to impact the lives of these children here! May more and more come to know Him as Lord and Savior, and may they too be able to give testimony of their own “mountain top” Xperiences!
Jesse, I really liked what you said as we were coming down the mountain! Too bad you didn’t put it in here. Something along the lines of “it is so much easier to find the way when you follow someone who knows the way. Jesus said, “I am the Way.”