Super Exciting Update!

Remember my oh so long ago post about going to Mexico? Katie and I had about given up on going anywhere for short term mission work. We felt like little orphans who no one wanted....=)

Our missionary friends in Mexico are in the process of moving. Katie's friends in Panama are going to be on deputation. We got no response from the Dominican Republic. Guatemala wrote us back but the missionary said he wasn't sure...etc. etc. It took us a while (foooorever!) to hear back from each one of these countries.

So, Katie and I had just about given up hope. Her school semester starts this Monday so we had to hear something before then. If we didn't, well...it would be a definite no and we would just go back to planning normal stuff.

Since we had to hear something before Monday, today, I decided just to check back with the Missionary in Guatemala. I asked how high he thought the possibility of them needing us is. And whaddya know...I got an email back an hour later!!!

Amber and Katie,

Greetings from Guatemala!

I completely understand the situation you are in and apologize for making you wait
for an answer.

The other missionaries and I have discussed
the possibility of you coming on AIM and think it is a great idea. You
need to get to work on that AIM application ASAP so that we can get everything
processed.

You will actually be coming at a very good
time. We have several groups visiting us during your stay and that means
you will get to see lots of the country with them as well. We also have
lots of work that you can help me with, as we come up to our General Assembly in
April. Also, our big Convention is the first week-end of May. You won't
want to miss that.

My suggestion would be to plan your arrival some time the week of the 11 - 15th of February. I will be in Honduras until the 11th for an International Sunday School Seminar. The week after your arrival we will be hosting a group from Bro. Chester Wrights church. ( I think you will thoroughly enjoy that) In May, we have 2
groups coming besides the Convention. You could stay until the very end of
the month, when the last group leaves or leave sometime in the
middle. Whatever works best for you.

Please feel free to ask anything you want to know. Guatemala City is really quite
modern. We have McDonalds, Burger King, Taco Bell, etc. and even
Walmart owns a huge percentage of a grocery store chain here. So, . . .we
are really coming up in the world. You can pretty much get anything you
want here now. When you leave the city, it is quite different.
:-)

Since I live alone, it works out best for single ladies
to stay with me. It is safer that way. The only down side is that you will
have to share my guest room. Please let me know if that is a problem.


Looking forward to having you here in
Guatemala.

Sis. Lynne

YOUR Missionary to Guatemala

WOOOHOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! How exciting is that? My mind is going in so many different directions....I don't know where to start! I looked at flights...and it looks like I will have enough skymiles to pay for mine! We are looking at leaving on Feb 13 and returning on May 13.

What I've learned so far -

• The weather averages in the upper 70s for the highs and lower 60s for the lows (I'm digging that).
• Guatemala is on the same time zone as Alabama! Isn't that cool?
• The currency there is the Quetzal (GTQ) and it is currently trading at 7.6 GTQ to 1 USD
• We won't need a visa unless we end up staying for more than 90 days.
• Spanish is the official language and is spoken by only 60% of the population. The rest speak different local Mayan languages.
• The Average Life Span is 69 years.
• It will cost $1.99/minute to use my cell! Yikes!! Text messages are only 15 cents...yall get your fingers in shape. =)
• As far as I can tell, I won't need a power converter for my laptop (maybe one for the plug though)

That's all for now....I've got a lot to get done in the next month. I'm going to make an emergency run to Books a Million to buy every book on Spanish and Guatemala I can get my hands on. Katie is coming over to work on some stuff tonight. One month and 10 days....wow!

I'm so stinking excited...'08 is going to be the best year ever! =)

Oh, and did I mention that Katie and I were both praying and fasting about this situation this week....God's so awesome! =)