The ancient Mayans were very religious people.  Their entire life was focused on pleasing their gods.  From building enormous pyramids to even the games the people played, their end desire was to please their god.

Last evening we attended a cultural musical presentation.  A part of the evening was a group of men playing of the ancient ball games. They would race to the hall sacrificing bruises and scrapes on their bodies to hit the ball with their hip.  Using only their hips, they bounced the ball off of the walls of the arena and eventually through a goal. 

He had marble black eyes with hair that matched.  His beautiful tanned face held a kind smile, and his hands held a rosary. Jose’ was one of the many children we met today.  As the puppets presented the gospel message he listened intently.  After the puppet show Philip and Bobby shared the gospel message with Jose’ and his friends.  
 
While the other children ran to claim trinkets and candy, Jose’ stayed to look at the evangelism cube and ask questions. Philip and Bobby gave Jose’ the cube if he promise to share the message with others.  Even as he left, Jose’ was telling his friends the story of Jesus.

Mission trips all vary.  Most people will tell you that on the most important word on any mission adventure is flexibility. Today we experienced that anew.  In the past we have driven the two hour trek to Chan Chen n the jungle of the Mayan Zone, carried out the activities planned then drove back in one day.  Doug decided to do it differently this year so we traveled to Coba, another Mayan village about twenty minutes from Chan Chen and spent the day there.
 
Many of our team members climbed to the top of a 24,000 meter pyramid built around 780 AD by the Mayans.  We walked through jungle paths seeing other ruins from the once great civilization.  Many in the group attached themselves to a cable and zip lined across crocodile infested waters.  Of course we shopped and invested in the local economy.  You may be thinking that sounds more like vacation that missions, but each step along the way we had opportunity to tell the people why we were there and what Christ has done in our lives and what He can do in theirs. 

The ladies were still buzzing today about the conference we experienced yesterday.  Life change happened for many people.  One lady ran to one of our team members today saying God spoke to her so powerfully yesterday.   She grew up knowing God, but it wasn’t until a couple of years ago that she met Jesus.  She described herself as a rebel who did things her own way.  But when she met Jesus her life changed.  

 

Doug baptized her some time back and no she has been in the ladies Bible study at the church.  She is returning home in August to the U.S.where her family is.  She hasn’t been home in 14 years and she has-been burdened about how she could witness to them and show them that she has changed and to lead them to a relationship with Jesus. She determined yesterday how God wanted her to do that and now she can’t wait to share not only with her family in Pennsylvania, but also friends here how grace has changed her life.