Bittersweet Goodbyes.

Title done by Ethan :)

Well we have come upon our last night here in Guatemala [well most of us anyway] and we are all having mixed emotions about leaving. Many of us miss our families and are ready to get back to Michigan and begin changes in our lives. But there are also many of us who could stay here longer to serve and love on these kids.
God has done great things while here at Casa Bernabe. We have all grown close to at least one special child and we have all seen God work in marvelous ways. Not only have hearts been changed, but lives have also been changed.

Today was a great way to end our time here at Casa Bernabe because we were able to spend most of our time with the kids and sharing special moments with them. The work on the sewer line is at a great point for us to leave and those who are still here including the SBU team and some other members of our team will be able to continue work on it. The women in the kitchen prepared us a great meal to end our stay with rice and beans...a very traditional meal here in Guatemala. After dinner they threw us a desperdito [a farewell party] where a group from each house of children performed something and said goodbye. It was a great, but very emotoinal, time for us to say goodbye to our new friends and tell them that we will see them soon.

As six of us prepare to reenter the U.S. we ask that you would continue to pray for us as we have a great transition to make. There are things in our lives that need to be changed and the different culture will be a great shock for a while. We ask that you pray for God to be with us and that we would be prepared to serve back at home. We also ask that you pray for those who are staying longer here at Casa Bernabe; that God would be with them and His Spirit would guide them in their service.

God is good and we know that he is doing great things here at Casa Bernabe and in the U.S.. We challenge you to go out of your comfort zone and to be a servant and be willing to sacrifice those things that will make you a better servant.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than we can ask or imagine. Gracias a Dios.