New

During our time at the lake, our team spent a lot of time with the cooks, Claudio and Alida. They are a married couple who own a small restaurant in Antigua and are good friends with the long term team. Our team loved every moment we got to spend learning from them in the kitchen. 

On our second to last day in San Juan, an announcement was made that Claudio and Alida wanted to be baptized at the lake with all of us there. 

And the crowd went wild. 

Bursts of claps, screams, hollers, and cheers, came from the group of seventy. Jonathan then said that if anyone else felt lead to be baptized it would be a perfect time. "The Lord has called me personally to be baptized two or three times. Sometimes just because I'm entering a new season." 

I thought about it all night. I wanted to be baptized in Guatemala with my new family. 

The next morning Claudio and Alida were baptized. 

WAHOOOOOOOOOOOO.  

New life!!

Because of their boldness, this happened:

And this: 

And then, this: 

It went on for two hours. 

There were so many beautiful stories of why people were choosing to be baptized. Each person was washing something different off and rising into something new. 

For me, I was washing off a lot. Most of all, the fear of this ending. This season, in Guatemala, has been incredible. The kids at the hospital, our students at school, and the grandpas at the old folks home, made our ministry days so fun. The nights spent in worship at the base were refreshing and powerful. Our team time was valuable, sometimes hard, but always good. We learned more Spanish, tried new foods, went to the beach, stayed at the lake, hiked a volcano, and met everyday people. In the past three months I also heard the Lord's voice more clearly than ever, saw Jesus in children who can't speak, captured a bigger glimpse of the heart of the Father, had fears of eternity calmed by a two year old, watched an old man dance over receiving his first whole bible, experienced a deeper community, had my views changed on what church is, and fell more deeply in love with my creator. 

This season was incredible, but it's over. It's time for new beginnings, new lessons, miracles, trials, revelations, and encounters. 

It's time for a new season. 

When deciding to to get baptized I had all these things in mind. I washed away the fear of what this new season holds. I also released the tight grip I had on the season spent here in Guatemala. I came up into peace and freedom. I came out of the water ready for what's next. 

I love Guatemala deeply but I'm being called back to the states. I'm being called into a new season.