Crossroads: Excited about Missions	by Peter Slayton, Missionary Recruiter	Peter@LBT.org
"Gringo! Gringo!" the children shouted excitedly as we made our way along the bumpy, dusty mountain road to Las Pacayas. We were using the tradtional transportation—the bed of a pickup—and many of the children had never seen so many white people together, much less in the back of a dirty pickup. It was an experience quite unlike anthing most of the participants had ever encountered, and though it might sound a bit rustic to some, it was nothing compared to how the McMillans, an LBT translation team, first traveled to Las Pacayas 30 years ago—by mule!
So what did we do this year on Crossroads Guatemala, other than ride in the back of a pickup? We slept in the homes of national Uspanteco friends; we sanded and painted benches for the Uspantec Center; we got to know the translation and literacy team; we explored the village of Las Pacayas; we experienced missionary life in the village; and we became a family. Staying in the local homes was the most important part of the experience. "I don't believe I would have left Guatemala with the true sense of what it's like for missionaries to adapt to the new lifestyle, the language, and all the changes without staying in an Uspanteco's home," participant Amda Pfizenmaier commented later. To sleep like the local people for two nights, with a chicken clucking softly in a basket by her head, on a dirt floor with a thatched roof, with the rest of the family on beds nearby is an adventure she will cherish and not easily forget. "This experience has given me a good picture of what mission work, particularly Bible translation, would be like. It was a good chance for me to get excited about mission work." "Excellent, exciting, rewarding!" And there you have it. If you want to know more about what goes on during a Crossroads event, please call me (1-800-532-4253) or send me an e-mail. Crossroads is held every year and is specifically geared towards those individuals who are interested in serving on the mission field and want to find out if LBT is the place for them.
Topic Threads Last Post This feature currently contains no content