Getting Settled...

I have been here over two weeks now and it feels like I have lived here for half of my life. Things are going really well and I seemed to easily fall into the flow of things around here. Most of my time during the week is spent doing ministries with children but I also have some time in the kitchen and have put in some hours cleaning up around the base.

I have been adjusting fairly well so far. I did have a hard day last Thursday because my baby sister Sara graduated from high school and I was not there to see her. I know that this is just one of the many things I will miss living a missionary life, but that does not make it any easier. The bright side is that I get to go home in about a week and see everyone again.

I had not planned this trip home so soon after I arrived on purpose but after I bought my ticket and planned my return to Guatemala in May I found out that one of my very best friends, Erin O'Daniel, is getting married in June. I could NOT miss the wedding so I decided to make a trip home. I am excited to see everyone again, even if it will be for a very very short week. I already have a list of things I want to bring back with me when I return- especially certain snacks that I am already missing. It will for sure be a great time of celebration!!!

When I first arrived here I was put in a room with a girl named Aury who is from here, but they told me not to unpack everything because I would be moving as soon as another staff member left. Well that staff member left and now I am semi-settled into my new room. I now share a room with Ale, another Guatemalan girl, who is planning on leaving the base soon as well to move on to other things. For now I have the top bunk, but hopefully after she moves out I will be able to move myself down to the more accessible bottom! It is a very nice room, though, with enough space for all my things.



Some things you can be praying for specifically are:

-That I would continue to adjust well to my new home

-That my stomach would adjust to the food...again

-God's passions to continue to be made known to our base

-For the children that come to our weekly ministries

-For my Spanish to continue improving (I am one of the only English speakers here!)


Thank you all so very much!

LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!

Update on Guatmala City

It has been pretty crazy around here the past few days. I posted the pictures of the sand storm in my last blog. I think I still have some sand in my hair and there is definitely sand all over still. After the sand rained down it began to rain actual water. We were glad at first because we thought that we wouldn't have to clean much sand up since the water would wash it away. Then it kept raining and raining and raining. It rained for at least 2 days without stopping. We are not talking a little bit of rain here and a sprinkle there, either. I went outside on Saturday night and began looking for Noah and the ark because the streets were just flooded.

As a result of the sand and the rain there have been many people in need. We went out to a village on the outside of Guatemala City and walked around looking for problems and ways we could help. We found a woman named Leslie who lost her husband about a year ago. After he died she took over his work as a carpenter to support her young family. The problem was their business and home were built on a hill that was not sturdy to say the least. When the sand came down and the water flooded it caused the building where she does her carpentry work to collapse completely and she lost all of her tools. Her house that was build next to the building survived but has part of it hanging very precariously off the side of the hill. The problem is that she doesn't want to move too far away from the area because that is where all of her business comes from and it is also where her family lives. We are going to do our best to help her out in whatever way we can as she tries to get back on her feet again.

Another tragedy that happened because of the storm actually happened to one of our own Youth with a Mission staff families. They live in a house off the base and as the sand feel it put extra weight on their roof. Then the water began to flood in and the roof could not handle all the weight so their house began to flood. Thankfully we have extra room here on the base and they were able to stay with us until the roof was fixed. There are so many other families, though, who are dealing with problems like these. It is overwhelming to see and to just imagine losing your loved ones and house to rain and floods.

Thankfully it is sunny and warm now so the process of restoration can begin but it is still rainy season- and just the beginning at that- here in Guatemala. I know that God is in control so we just have to trust in Him. Please keep everyone who was affected in your prayers. Thank you!!!

Rainy Season

So I knew coming back to Guatemala that I would be here right at the start of rainy season. It rained almost everyday this week and today it rained ALL day without letting up. I love the rain and so I have been enjoying it to the fullest. I was not prepared, however, for the rain that fell tonight. Apparently one of the volcanoes here in Guatemala has not erupted but "exploded" (I don't really know what the difference is but just go with me on this one) and created a sand cloud that is now pouring down all over the city. It is pretty amazing to see the street just COVERED in sand. It is all black sand much like the beaches that are a few hours away from the city. I have never seen anything like it. I took some pictures but I don't think they do the situation justice...

First Week Back at YWAM

This week has been really good. Everyone here keeps on asking me how I am doing and if the transition from student to staff has been hard. I feel like I know it should be a difficult transition, but I had already kind of prepared myself before I came back.

I knew that my classmates from the DTS would not be here, which has probably been the hardest part. I knew that I would have more responsibilities as a staff member. I knew that I would have to "put myself out there" and get to know people that are here better than I already did. I knew I would still have to share a room and a bathroom. I had already thought and prayed about all of these things before I came and so thankfully this week has not been too difficult for me- so far.

I am currently in a room with a girl from Guatemala named Aury but tomorrow I will move to a more permanent room with another girl from Guatemala named Ale. Ale was a staff member of my DTS so it will be good to be with her since we know each other well. I think after I get all of my things put away and settled in that more will start sinking in but for now I am living this lifestyle as if it were the only one I have ever known.

This week has been a busy one, which has also helped in the adjusting period. Monday we had a meeting in the morning with worship and a devotional. After the meeting I met with the base director to get a brief idea of what my schedule would look like. After that I unpacked my things a bit more in my room and then had lunch which led into a pretty uneventful afternoon and evening. Tuesday we had intercession and then I got to go to a daycare with some other staff members and play with the kids there. It was a great time and since it is a weekly ministry I plan on going back and will post pictures later. Today we went to the market in the morning to buy food for the kitchen. Let me tell you when you go buy food for a whole base it is not your average shopping trip. 5 hours and a van full of food later we returned to the base with just enough time to eat lunch and run to the next ministry which is the Ronald McDonald House.


(If you click on the picture it will get bigger and show the full view of the Ronald McDonald House)

The Ronald McDonald house provides housing for the families of children with diseases. Most of the families that come to the Ronald McDonald house here in Guatemala City are staying in a place that is waaaay more nice than their home. The rooms each have a theme and they are all decorated in bright, cheery colors. The families of the children are affected just as much, if not more than the children who are actually battling the illnesses and so when we go we have a program for the children but we also pray with the adults and have some quality time with them. Today I got to hang out with a boy named Emerson. He traveled over 8 hours to get to the hospital and so for his family being able to stay at the Ronald McDonald house was a huge blessing. He is 8 years old and I found out from another staff member who spoke with his mom that he has a tumor. I did not spend much time with him and we just talked a bit and colored a page together but I know that even an hour and a half can make a huge difference in his life. I look forward to going back next week and seeing the smiling faces that will greet us.

So that is a little bit about my first week. I am super excited to be here and I know without a doubt that this is exactly where God wants me to be because I feel such a peace about being here. I was talking to someone who knows me pretty well and they asked me how I was doing and I said that I was doing really well and that I hadn't even cried yet and they were shocked because they know me and know how emotional I get. Honestly though I feel like this is where I belong.

First Class Trip

This is an example of what my seat was like on my way to Guatemala. It was quite the adventure getting out the door for my 1:45 AM flight but my mom, sister Becky and I left the house around our expected departure time. We did not have many hang ups on the way to LAX, which was nice, and arrived around 10:30. I went to check in and the line was loooooooong. I don't know why but it seemed like I was the last one in line. I was not late by very much and I was not worried about it either. I was flying with TACA/LACSA airlines and they do not assign seats until you get there. So as I was approaching the front desk and checking in, the kind sir behind the counter informed me that the flight was full. I had already waited about an hour to get the front counter and I was ready to be done lugging my hiking backpack and HUGE suitcase around the airport with me. I tried my best not to freak out as I began processing what I would do. Then he told me that since the flight was full in the back, the airline would give me complimentary upgrade to business class- also known as FIRST CLASS! I wish you could have seen the look on my face! You see, I made a list of dreams in life that I want to accomplish and flying first class was on that list. This was literally a dream come true!!! The rest of the check in went without problems and soon I was sitting in the FRONT ROW of the airplane. It was hard for me to keep my pride under control as people would walk past and make comments about how they wished they were in first class. The flight was wonderful and between the extra stretching room and the free toot bag I was one happy girl!

I got to Guatemala safely and was welcomed by some of my very close YWAM friends and even some flowers. It is good to be back, although I can already sense the challenges that might lie ahead. I will keep you updated as this first week gets underway. Thank you very much for your prayers!!!

Back to Guatemala!!!

I am going back to Guatemala on May 22nd and I couldn't be more excited!!! Here is an update letter I am sending out...

Last September I had the life-changing experience of doing a Discipleship Training School with Youth with a Mission (YWAM) in Guatemala. While I was there I felt God’s definite call to full time missions. This is something that has been on my heart since I was very young, but the timing had never been right for a full time commitment. Now I feel that it is the time for me to go ahead with this adventure God has for me and I could not be more excited about it.

So after much time in prayer about where and what I should be doing, I have decided to return to Guatemala and work with YWAM. I am looking forward to returning to the ministries I worked with while I was there in the school and I am also looking forward to beginning some new ministries. One of the things I am most excited about is the chance to restart a ministry that has been on hold. It is called Dreamers and I feel like God had this ministry crafted especially for my gifts and talents.

Dreamers, or Soñadores, is a program that gives young children in Guatemala who have a high potential for learning the opportunity for an education that they would otherwise not have the chance to receive. The program gives them more than that, though, it gives them the chance to dream and be passionate about the very things God created them to do. I, along with a few other staff members, will be working directly with the program and basically restarting it as a permanent ministry. We will do all the “business” to get it running and then we will be directly involved with the students after the program begins. We will meet with them frequently to love, tutor, mentor, keep them accountable, and most of all show them how to dream.

I cannot express on paper how excited I am for this opportunity. I know that God has brought me to this place in my life and I am experiencing the sheer joy that comes from being exactly where He wants me to be. As a full time missionary with YWAM, I need to raise support to allow me to complete all of these wonderful plans. I have been so blessed by the faithful way God has shown Himself to me through many financial supporters and prayerful people and I have the faith that He will continue to provide. My goal is to raise around $600 a month to cover all my expenses in Guatemala. I would ask you to please pray and ask God if you are to be a part of my support team. It does not matter if you are called to give a one time donation, make a monthly commitment, or give support through prayer, God can use you to be a part of reaching His people. If you would like to donate, there are two different ways:

-Write a tax deductable check made out to Youth With a Mission (please DO NOT put my name anywhere on the check) and add a note stating that the money is for Susan Fidler in Guatemala and send it to:

Youth With a Mission
15850 Richardson Springs Rd
Chico CA 95973

-Write a non-tax deductable check made out to Susan Fidler and send it to:

9624 Ravenwood Dr

Bakersfield, CA 93312

Thank you so much for helping share God’s love!

Much needed update...

So I have been home for a little over a month now and I figured it is time to give you an update...

First of all the transition from Guatemala to Bakersfield has been interesting. I found myself wondering if I should put my toilet paper in the toilet or trash. I also found myself sleeping every chance I got. It turns out that going nonstop for 6 months really wears a girl out. After washing all the clothes I had worn in the last 6 months in warm water and putting them through the dryer I began to go through all the things I left behind. It is a lot easier to get rid of stuff when you haven't used it for half a year. I must say that for my pack rat history I have done a good job of downsizing and a yard sale will be on the calendar for April.I have been able to jump right back into helping out with the youth group at church and I even got the chance to spend the last week in Los Angeles on their inner city mission trip. I was excited to go and we had a great time serving God's people. I had mentioned to a few people that I was excited to be able to speak in English while talking to people about God but wouldn't you know that one day we were asked to take a homeless person to lunch and our group chose Carlos, a man from Nicaragua who only spoke Spanish. I fell very easily back in to my role as translator and we ended up having a good time of conversation with Carlos.

Our serving team in LA

Now I have the daunting task of figuring out what I will need for the next 2+ years of my life and packing it into 2 suitcases under the airline weight limits. I will be returning to Guatemala on May 22nd. I am so excited to go back and I am cherishing the time I have here with my family and friends. Speaking of which, one of my best friends, Erin, is getting married in June. I will be back for a week for the wedding (yes, it will be expensive but I wouldn't miss my girl's wedding for the world!) so I will be able to see everyone again during that time and I will be able to bring back another 2 suitcases of my stuff.

All I have to say is what a life!!! While I was in LA with the youth group I was trying to explain to some of the students that it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks you should do with your life. What does matter is following what God has for your life. That is where you will find the most joy and be the most content. I can honestly say that is where I am right now with my life and it feels so good!!!MY GIRLS!!!