This photo is from a garden in front of a house that Chris and Donna took us to deliver food. It is hand dug by the men.

Walking in the Garden
Chapter 6
By: Tara Rye
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Matthew 5:8

There is nothing more enjoyable than walking through a garden with your loved one or with one precious to you. Somehow, their presence enhances the experience. It is the shared joy of celebrating the planting or harvest together. I recently went on a field trip with my son touring Lauritzen’s Gardens. Grant and I both could not wait to take Greg and Mikayla to see the mini replica garden of Omaha made out of twigs and leaves. We think nothing of asking another to come along and celebrate a garden’s beauty, but what if the garden held danger like risky terrain or snakes in the grass? Would we still be willing to invite another to come along? In many respects, a missionary is the one who takes another by the hand to walk them through a particular garden to cultivate what has already been sowed by another or to reap the planting. Often their places of service—their garden is dangerous or risky at best. Missionaries Chris and Donna Mooney of Bethel Ministries International takes about fifteen teams a year by the hand to walk them through the garden in Guatemala. They do not stop at just walking the people through. They hand each person a tool and say, Get to work! Plants don’t grow by just looking at them. It takes love and hard work to cultivate a rich and bountiful harvest! In the summer of 2008, a team from our church had the privilege of being taken by the hand to walk and serve in the garden with the Mooney’s. One afternoon while our team dug out the ground to lay a house, Chris picked up an old fashioned pick and hoe combination and started to give us a sermon while he broke hard chunks of earth. “You know this hoe and pick is a lot like the LORD. He has to break up the hardness in us to make us soft for planting.” I paused in my labor to ponder what he said and without thinking I blurted out our theme verse, Sow for yourselves righteousness, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the LORD, until he comes and showers righteousness on you. Hosea 10:12 (NIV). Chris turned and looked at me and laughed! I discovered as the days unfolded I was going to love that laugh as we toured the garden with this couple because the LORD reminded me that the purest laughter often comes from great depths of pain. Through the simplicity and purity of their ministry in a land scarcely loved by man our team saw Jesus in Guatemala.

This morning as I sat through the worship service in church my heart and mind saw Jesus in Guatemala. Scenes from our mission trip rolled as a movie scene across my mind. One day Molly said that the music playing in the background made her feel like she was in a movie scene. In my mind I replayed the movie on my personal DVR. This reminded me of the verse in Malachi 3:16 that says, "Then those who feared the LORD spoke to one another , and the LORD listened and heard them; So a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the LORD and who meditate on His name."

I read this verse in the airport in Guatemala as we waited for our plane to leave. We spent nine days together talking of the LORD, praising the LORD, serving the LORD, and submitting to one another for the LORD's sake. He watched us and listened. He heard all we said and did. He will not forget. He has written His own book of remembrance because we meditated on Him. What a sweet God we have!

As we communicate and gather we remember. Remembrance is so valuable. It is crucial. We must not forget! In the days and weeks to come, we need to remember the GLORY of the LORD and how we met Him in Guatemala.

I read this verse yesterday morning and thought this is Chris, Donna, and Dick. "A bruised reed He will not break and smoking flax He will not quench..."Matthew 12:20 The Father allowed us to learn how to love through acts of service in such a way that Jesus was the center.

Father, we ask YOU now to reveal to us how we can go and serve in love sacrificially and through prayer. Encourage us to motivate one another in love and acts of service that demonstrate that YOU first loved us. We saw this in Chris, Donna, Benny, Cindy, Saul, Hannah, and Dick. We can only pray that others will see this in us here as well.

Help us to never forget. As YOU read YOUR scroll of remembrance help us to read ours too! Let us be Jesus in such a way that when we see someone with smoldering hope that we seek to ignite them in the fullness of Your All Consuming fire! In Jesus' Name, AMEN!

I love you all so much! Thank YOU Father such a rich experience!

Jesus digs in Guatemala...

As we drive through the incredibly lush mountain side I am astounded at the hard work that surrounds our view. Es una vista muy bonita... it is a pretty view. The mountains are covered with a patch work quilt of crops. Some precariously posed on steep slopes. How might a man, woman, or yes even child stand to work the land? How do they do get water to it? How do they get their crops back up and then down? Hard work! The Guatemalan people we met may be poor financially in our American eyes, but they are rich in industry and work ethics.

Our team as well encompassed people that are industrious with incredible work ethics. In fact, astoundingly so. In order for us to build the house we first had to lay the concrete. This became almost like a work dance. Yes... I definately would call laying concrete a dance. It must be perfectly timed and pursued with passion. Chris and his son-in-law Saul showed us how to do the dance. I must confess I stayed away from the mixing. Not because the fear of getting dirty, but because I feared I might mess up such a precious commodity by mixing it wrong! We had to make sure no dirt got within the mixture. This is a little difficult since we are mixing it on top of dirt.

The first step of the dance began with sand thrown with in the frame of the home. Shovel full after shovel full. As our team shoveled the pile grew. The next thing we know Saul, small in stature compared to us Americans because of his Guatemalan descent, put us all to shame. I believe he shoveled about 5 scoops to our one. With power and swiftness he filled the spot fast. The second step required the concrete on top of the sand. More shoveling. ALOT of turn taking. One thing is for certain we are proud of our men! WOW! They were incredible and tireless. There is nothing more respectful than watching men work hard and seeing the joy for the fruit of their labors. Mind you we women did our part too. Some shoveled. Deb, Carley and Tiffany got in when they began to form a volcanoe and helped form a perfect volcanoe for mixing. Over and over the team shoveled sand, concrete, rock, and water to form volcanoes to mix the supplies to form the exact consistency to make concrete. As each time the volcanoe form took shape Rhonda and Robbie would throw water into the volcanoe hole. Then everyone with shovels mixed it up. This was done many times over and over. We were the concrete mixers! At one point they needed more rock. Gina and I picked up the shovels as they counted 48 scoops of rock! Scoop throw! Scoop throw! It was so much fun having them cheers us on. Words of encouragement flowed freely amongst us.

As I think on these moments, I realize the value of the ant. We teased several about being an ant. They never stopped. All of our men definately fit into that category and so did Courtney and Carley! I saw Jesus dig sand, concrete, and rock as our team formed volcanoes! I know Jesus digs that HIS children dug for HIM! I dig HIM, don't you? This is why our team traveled so far to dig in dirt. We know that Jesus digs it when His children serve Him through serving others! Even while digging in sand, concrete, rock and water to build a firm foundation for a simple home about 15x9 in square feet.

July 4, 2008 from Guatemala,

I must share a few JEsus moments that happened on July 2, but I did not put them down. THere were so many that I saved a few for another blog because they deserved special attention.

Did you know JEsus plays soccer? Well... He did in Guatemala. Carley and Steve gathered children in the village and pulled us all into a game of soccer. We had so much fun and so did they. Many came out just to watch us play.


We visited a widow of six months with four preschool children... one only 3 months old. Her husband was hit by a car on the way to work early one morning leaving her to struggle in providing for her family. Her face broken and sad welcomed us to her home. Dick told us of her toddler daughter and how she screamed whenever a gringo came to their home in the past, but now she welcomes them. At one point I caught a glimpse of Pastor Jim carrying this little tyke. Her dirty little face rested only inches from his and the sweetness of her cherubim like cheeks proved too much. I saw Jesus kiss her sweetly twice and hold her with gentle care loving on her as a daddy. AS we left he slowly put her down... not wanting to leave.

Okay, I am going to push the edge and see if I might capture todays moments in Guatemala. We traveled up GODs glorious mountains 6,000 something feet on a dirt road suffering the beating of heavy rains. As Chris gunned the van up the mountain we jerked all over laughing at the roller coaster ride we endure.

At one point I ask Chris about his ministry and while climbing the mountain he looks back, talks to me and keeps driving up as we begin to tease him to drive the van. He is an amazing man. The first snap shot I want you to see today is a man that serves with joy and celebration the people of Guatemala in Jesus Name. Chris leads Bethel ministries here. They build wheelchairs and houses. How about that. Listen up and get ready to find your place of service. There are needs here. BIG prayers needs. There are issues right now with deliveries because of new government. There is a stop on the shipments for the houses. Please pray for the shipments to begin again. They only have four houses left to build a home and then they will have to wait. The stop on shipments will also affect the wheel chair ministry. Please pray the Lord will open the doors swiftly.


We began our day in the wheelchair ministry offices. I have taken pictures of more wheelchairs and parts than we can count. STunned by the sheer numbers of people that will be given freedom as they are given life in a wheel chair. WIthout these some will never leave their ten by ten square home. Or never know the joy of riding to town to work. Powerful indeed. I saw a room filled with the tool the LORD uses to release captives from bondage.

Upon entering the village the sites overwhelm you. Gracious people welcoming us with buenos dias. The family smiled graciously as the crew of nineteen entered their small space. Their current home is built with cane poles or corn stalks with a tin roof to block out the nightly rains. The hands of Jesus went to work immediately. Rick and Courtney our father,daughter duo went to work on relocating the electrical pole. Chris just mentioned this must be done and they did it. No questions asked just faithful obedience to serve. There is something tremendous watching a father and daughter serve hand and hand in hard labor for the glory of the LORD.

Steve, Rhonda, and Carly move wiht gusto and laughter in all they do. Proving without a doubt that the joy of the LORD is our strength. I think we could play a game in Guatemala called WHEREs STEVE? One moment he was using an shovel and then I looked up and he was on the roof. Then the dirt with a trowel. The next thing I know I hear that he went down to the school. The children were lined up in two lines and he ran up took the ball and kicked in and out doing soccer drills. Much to the surprise of the children. I keep waiting for them to shout THERE ARE GIANTS IN THE LAND. We are so tall. They are so small.

Gina and Tiffany were not afraid to pick up the shovels and rake the dirt. I think the most amazing thing of all is that all were so willing. So hard working. When one got tired another swiftly picked up. I let you know the labor side, because MEN hear this... YOU NEED TO BE HERE TOO! The need more muscles.

At one point Pastor Juan and Saul were working tirelessly when the ladies brought out a bend for us to sit on. Crazy...WE had to sit. We could not sit, they brought it. So they worked and we sat for a few. Pastor laughed when I cracked a joke that we were resting while they slaved away. THat is when I realized he knew english.

The group is separating food right now for us to go deliver to the people.

This has been incredible. We have had the privilege of being Jesus hand and feet. We have worked and labored to give a strong foundation for a home. The mother and girls watched our every move. Can you imagine?

We also were able to hand out candy in the streets. Robbie celebrated this privilege.

I will sign off for now.

I love you and all is well on the mission field in Guatemala.

I will try to do this as much as possible.
in Jesus.

Kodak moments from Guatemala. It always amazes me when I must sit down and write a few notes to let my people at home know all that God has accomplished in such a short time. It is impossible. In fact, I must begin with that it is a personal prayer goal of mine for me and Cultivating Hearts ministries to go on one international trip a year... Why? GOD radically meets you in the face and shows you what is most important.

Here are just a few faces I want you see that will forever be snapshots emblazoned in my heart and mind as I reflect upon Guatemala.

My first face is Mikaylas. (Forget punctuation and grammar I dont know how to use this computer.) Anyhow, in the airplane as we were about to lift off she was so excited she could have flown the plane just with the joy bubbling out of her. SHe knows the power of God working in her and the love she has for the people here. To live it one more time made her squeal with a delight that makes my nose burn. There is nothing like doing the will of GOD.

My second snap shot is off Pastor Jim in the Houston airport as we borded the shuttle. The doors shut on him. His hand lifted to stop the door and his face registered a look of complete shock. I lost my team already and we are only in Houston.

My third and now most precious is of Robbie. She has wanted to on a mission trip for as long as I have known her. At the airpórt Pastor Julio, Lily, Genesis, Denise, and Wanda came with Pat to welcome us with love from Guatemala. As I introduced Robbie to the family she prayed for as she packed the bags every prayer burst out in tears so full that the well proved to run deep. Only the God of deep could bring forth such love so intense. Robbie found release for a longing finally answered. I am weeping now as I write this. Father, I pray I am allowed the privilege to not only lead teams someday but to always bring along a first timer.

My fourth face is the face Leo. Mare and Leo opened their home the first day to feed us lunch in a ten minute notice. Their hosipitality shames us in America. We stayed with them in November. LEo has cancer and it has mastestisized. Forget the spelling. You get the idea. Anyhow Jim and Pat gathered us in their living room and Leo knelt on the floor as we prayed. The snap shot I want you to receive is Leo kneeling on the floor as we prayed over him. HIs head bowed and when Pastor Jim finished praying he said, to God be the glory. This is our first day!

A day to renew old friendships and begin new. O yeah we did go the mall with Chris the missionary and his son at night. We ate icecream. This is so important. You must try icecream in the new country. Tomorrow our ministry begins full swing and we will start building the house. I cant wait.

Hasta Luego mi amigos. A Dios Gloria!