The last weekend in February we always attend the Intermissions Conference. It takes place in Panajachel, Guatemala. The Intermissions community is for all English-speaking Evangelical missionaries living and working all throughout Guatemala. The conference is an annual time for all of us to get together for fellowship, worship, and fun.
This year there were seventy-seven family units in attendance. There were 130 adults and 85 MK's.
Volunteer teams come down from the U.S. to lead in all aspects of the conference. This year we had a total of thirty- seven volunteers come to serve. Our guest speakers, worship team, and youth team came from Clayton King Ministries in Anderson, South Carolina. A team from Scottsdale Bible Church in Scottsdale, Arizona came to work with the preschool and children. A counseling and life coach team came from Green Acres Baptist Church in Tyler, Texas and FBC Canyon, Texas. These volunteers did a fantastic job, and we are grateful to them for their willingness to come and serve all of us.
This year's theme was "Anchored" taken from Hebrews 6:19-20.
On Saturday afternoon we have breakout sessions. Sometimes these are led by missionaries and sometimes by the volunteers. This year's breakout topics were:
* Managing My Moods
* Marriage Awareness 101
* Marriage Awareness 202
* Partnering for Purpose: Mastering Fundraising and Building Strong Bonds that Last
* Discovering Relational Wisdom
* Engaging Youth Today: Culture & Context
Another fun part of the conference is the free book exchange. It is a yearly time to clean out your books and pick up some new ones. I especially love browsing through the book tables throughout the weekend.
I told myself I was going to do better at taking photos this year. I took more than normal but still did not take as many as I would have liked. Here are some random ones I took throughout the weekend.
Friday evening sunset view
Most every room at the hotel has a balcony that overlooks the lake and volcanoes. The views are always breathtaking!!!
Saturday morning view
enjoying the view together
Saturday evening sunset
Saturday evening
David, Mark, and Mark enjoying coffee and fellowship
Cruz with some of his friends
Ben with some of his friends
Betsy and Josue enjoying breakfast.
Saturday afternoon swim time
David with the Stones
me and Ms. Barbara
She has been serving here longer than I have been alive. She is such an inspiration to all who know her. We got to know her best many years ago when we lived in Sayaxche, Guatemala. It is always fun to see her again every year at the conference.
me and Laurie ready for worship
my sweet friend Sara
It was her family's first time at the conference, and we were so glad they came!
On Sunday of the conference I celebrated my birthday. Many years it falls during the conference. I love that I get to celebrate it in such a beautiful place surrounded by many of my friends. It is always special to me. If you would like to read about my birthday click HERE.
Overall, the conference was fantastic! The worship times and messages each spoke to my heart and challenged me to grow. I think most everyone left feeling encouraged, refreshed, and eager to continue in the ministries that God has called each of us to.
This was one of our theme songs. We sang it in all four services.
We are already looking forward to the 2025 conference!! If you serve in Guatemala and have not been attending, please consider going next year. The dates are February 21-23, 2025. We would love to see you there!!
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