Mission Guatemala brings health, hope, and faith to impoverished community
By Donna Sekijima
From August 16 through August 24, our Blaine mission team (19 from Blaine Memorial and 3 from Mt. Vernon First UMC) traveled to Panajachel, Guatemala in Central America, working with a UMC related organization, Mission Guatemala. They are a faith-based non-profit organization that serves the indigenous Mayan people and currently provides a medical clinic, pharmacy, and on-site lab in the San Andres Semetebaj area.
Through Mission Guatemala, we learned about Guatemala’s history, the Mayan culture and some of the difficulties Guatemala still face. More than 50% of rural Guatemalan children suffer from chronic malnutrition, which ranks 6th in the world in child malnutrition. The Guatemalan government only provides education up to 6th grade, and the costs of and access to middle school (average $25/month) and high school (average $50/month) are out of reach for most rural indigenous families. Mission Guatemala is trying to combat this by running a scholarship program for middle and high school students, a nutritional support program for chronically malnourished children, and other community health and vocational training programs.
Our construction project was to help build a second floor kitchen at a middle school in Godinez so they can prepare and serve nutritious snacks and meals to the students. Since we were just the second team working on this project, it was more of a deconstruction! Some of our team jack hammered and pickaxed a layer of defective cement from the rooftop (which will be the kitchen floor), some collected the concrete debris into buckets and sifted sand from it (to be used later), and some created holes in the outside walls and inserted steel floor support beams (to be re-cemented in later). Other team members wire tied rebar together, creating rectangular columns for supporting the walls. Although construction was physically hard work (with lots of water breaks), at the end it was very rewarding to see the progress we made in four working days.
Our team dentists worked at the Mission Guatemala medical clinic on the scholarship students who needed dental care. Some of our team helped with instrument sterilization, assisting the dentists, administering fluoride treatments, interpreting in Spanish and giving patients oral hygiene instructions.
The majority of our construction team took two afternoons off to conduct a Vacation Bible School in Chuisajcap. Around 30 children sang, listened to Bible stories, colored pictures, took photos, folded origami, blew bubbles, played Frisbee, played soccer and ran around outside on the sport court that our 2019 Guatemala mission team helped build. Most of all, there were smiles, laughter and fun!
Many of us on our Blaine mission team didn’t know each other well before the trip, but everyone worked together, supported each other, laughed, ate and sweated together and became more than just teammates – we became a family. We had a wonderful experience, knowing in our own small way, that we are loving our neighbor as Jesus taught us, and trying to “do all the good you can.”
We are so thankful for Mission Guatemala’s great care of our team with amazing staff, comfortable and beautifully landscaped accommodations and deliciously prepared meals and coffee!
Thank you, Blaine community, for all your prayers and support!
Team Members: Anne Arakaki-Lock, Joshua Akiyama, Milo Choe, Nina Choe, Judy Kuo, Laura Gilbert, Kenji Guess, Alice Ikeda, Howard Nakase, Jill Nishi, Katelyn Nakase, Zachary Nakase, Janet Sekijima, Margaret Sekijima, Bob Sekijima, Donna Sekijima, Lourdes Tifre, Pastor Zulma Tifre, Stacy Lopez, Martin Yagi, Teresa Yagi, Pearl Yamamoto
Announcements
Prayers and Coffee on Zoom • Wednesdays at 9am
Join Rev. Karen for prayer and community on Wednesdays at 9:00 AM on Zoom. Our time together consists of brief check-ins, devotionals, and prayers. This is a great way to start your morning, clear and center your mind, all while connecting with God and your prayer community. Feel free to bring a cup of coffee, tea, and a bite to eat. Hope to see you on Wednesday.
Read about Mission Guatemala in the latest Beacon!
Bazaar 2024 is coming! Mark your calendars for this awesome event! Pre-order your favorite foods by clicking on the image above!
Blaine Memorial Bazaar and Mission Guatemala
A portion of the proceeds will benefit Mission Guatemala. Mission Guatemala helps meet the basic needs and improve the quality of life of underserved Guatemalan people through health, education, and nutrition initiatives and meaningful missionary service. Together, we can make a difference!
Bazaar: Volunteers Needed!
We cannot do this without our trusted volunteers to help out at Bazaar! We need help grilling, cooking, making ohagi, selling baked goods, etc. Please sign up in the Social Hall.
Please contact Lesley Okura (okura5@aol.com) if you have any questions.
Volunteer Pie-Makers Needed!
We are in GREAT need for many volunteers, at least 30 people for Pie Making, on October 3 at 10:00AM! We will be working in the LAC to make and bake pies for the Bazaar!
Baked Goods Also Needed!
Do you love to bake? We need baked goods donations for our Bake Goods booth at the Bazaar! We’re seeking donations of baked mochi, manju, brownies and cookies. Please bring them in on Saturday, October 5 before 10:00AM!
Purchase Anniversary Aprons, October 5!
Wow, we are so grateful and excited to see the many rice bags that were generously donated to us recently by Jean Okazaki! Jean’s daughter, Kathleen, read of Blaine’s need for more rice bags and responded! Now our capable and hard working sewers are busy making more of our special 120th Anniversary Aprons.
They will be available for sale at our upcoming Bazaar on October 5th or through the church office. They are $40 and we are happy to accept more; the additional dollars would be considered a donation.
Fall Book Study: “Context: Putting Scripture in Its Place”
You’re invited to join Rev. Dr. John Miyahara (UMC Navy Chaplain), Rev. Brian Lee (Simpson UMC in Arvada, CO), and congregation members of the Japanese American United Methodist Caucus in a 6-week book study. We will be reading Context: Putting Scripture in its Place. Please note that reading the book isn’t required!
Books are available in the Church Office for $17.00. The study will begin on Tuesday, October 1, 2024 from 6:30-8:00 PM. The Zoom link will be sent out closer to the beginning of the book study date. Please contact Rev. Karen will any questions.
Asian Camp 50th Anniversary Event (Southern California) • October 12
Calling all Asian Camp campers, counselors, directors, past and present! RSVP for this years AC 50th anniversary event on October 12! RSVPs & ticket purchasing is due by August 20th, 2024.
- Visit withjoy.com/asiancamp
- Ticket purchasing will be done through PayPal found at njaumccamps.org/50th OR checks made out to NJAUMC Camping Ministries, sent to our Camping Board Finance Chair Carol Tondo at 2313 Pacific Avenue, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266.
In addition, the Sunday following (10/13), we will be having a joint gathering/service at Centenary UMC at 2PM. Join us in continuing to fellowship together as we celebrate 50 years of camp! Please contact Rev. Karen if you have any questions.
Afghanistan and Ukrainian Refugee Donation Ministry
Items being collected: At this time, we have an abundance of some items and so we are NOT in need of clothing or children’s toys. Especially needed items include women’s products, toothpaste, personal care items, rice cookers, blenders, mixing bowls, microwave ovens, toasters, mixers, irons, dish sets, towels, and blankets.
Blaine Memorial UMC Collection Hours: Collection items can be dropped off at the Blaine Memorial Social Hall from Tuesday-Friday between 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM. Please call the Church Office at (206) 723-1536 prior to dropping off your items.
South King County Response Center Collection Volunteer Hours: The Donation Center is open on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays from 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM, same time as the Tukwila Pantry at 3118 S. 140th St. Seattle. Please text Kim Parks at (206) 683-1707 when you would like to help. Please wear a mask and bring a marking pen and measuring tape if possible. Other Questions? Please contact Donna Sekijima or Anne Arakaki-Lock.
View the October 2024 Calendar
