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Josh, I am praying that you will have an amazing time! I know that God has big things planned for you! Listen to His small voice and make a differance. I am so proud of you. Have a great time. Love you…MORE!
Mom
Josh –
I’m so excited that you are heading to Guatemala to share your love for Jesus!
I’ll be praying for you & the team & am anxious to see the pictures, read the updates, and hear your stories when you return safely home.
Blessings,
Karen
Josh,
What an awesome opportunity for you! May God use you in a powerful way this week.
Josh, What a blessing to be able to share this trip with your dad. I pray that you will be amazed by the things you experience as God shows you his wisdom, power, and love as you serve this week in Guatemala. We are lifting you up in prayer
Connie Stegeman (Olivia’s mom)
Josh!!! I’m praying for you and I know that God will use you and your whole team for His glory in Guatemala. Your light shines bright!
Good morning Josh,
I am praying for smooth travels and quick customs. Love you tons,
Right now you are on the plane awaiting for it to takeoff! I have been praying for you, Dad and the rest of the team since 6:02 am. (You know how I love getting up early!)
Big hugs,
Mom
Josh
We are so excited for you as you take this trip. Although it was not expected God knew that you were going and had everything in his control. Just as your Dad always says ” When things seem to be going wrong, they are really going just right” We pray that you will be blessed by what you see and do and know that God will be with you each step of the way. Lean on Jesus to give you his strength and put your trust in Him.
Bill and Lisa
hey josh how are you, hope you are doing good. we are praying for you and hope you have a great time.
from your bro
chris
oops I put this on Dad’s first!! LOL
Dear Joshua VanderWhyeski,
You’re awesome. Me and the rest of the besties are thinking of you and praying for you. Do good things.
-Jennifer
Hey Josh,
I pray that it all went well as you went through customs and that you are safe at the base. Isn’t the country absolutely beautiful and yet you see the poverty and it breaks your heart. My prayer tonight is that you have a wonderful praise time (this is Pash magnified!), great small group devos and a solid night sleep so you are ready for a day of ministry that will be both exhausting and exhilirating! Chris and Katie say hi, we are watching NCIS and it is just not right without you.
So…”have fun storming the castle”!! Bye Bye
I love you, Mom
Praising God that you have arrived!! Just read Angie blog and saw that her dad posted that he got an email from Heidi that you are safely there. Can’t wait to hear the God sightings! Have an awesome night!
Lvoe you more,
Mom
Josh:
How cool it is that you are in Guatemala. God wanted you there, Josh, because He has great plans for your life, and this is just one of many experiences He is going to use to mold you, shape you, and make you into the Godly man that He can use to do great things. You are an amazing guy, Josh, and God knows about the sincere love which you have for Him … and the people He loves – in Guatemala and in Michigan. I am praying this week that you will hear the Lord’s voice as Samuel did, trust Him completely with your life, and that you will desire to serve Him where ever He asks you to go. God has provided you with a wonderful example to follow, in the person of your father. Seek his advice, he is a wise and loving man, and a faithful servant of the Lord.
Bill
Josh,
How exciting it was to hear your mother’s voice on the phone last night sharing the good news that you had all made it safely. Her voice sounded as though she had just experienced it herself…..I know it is because she is living each moment through all of you. As sad as she was to let go of her spot on the team — she was equally as joyful that you were able to take her place. You are there for a purpose, Josh and we will pray that God will make each mission this week clear to you. May you go out today in courage and strength …..so that blessings will abound on this day! Change lives and be changed– love and be loved! ~Judy
Good morning buddy! I trust that you slept well and are ready for a fantastic day! Mrs. Holsem is right, I am thrilled that you are there and I know that God had planned exactly for that. You are in for such an amazing adventure and one that is going to change your life. You have been given so many extraordinary gifts and talents, I can’t wait to hear how God is using you to make an impact for Him. Praying that you will stay dry and that the walls go up easy. Have a blast with your small group and keep Senor Al in line!
Praying for you today!
Big hugs and remember what to do when ” there are rocks ahead!”
love you more,
Mom
Hey Josh!
Hope you are having an AWESOME time serving God in Guatemala! So sorry I couldn’t go to the going-away party at church. I’m praying for you and I miss our random conversations with Amanda! Can’t wait to hear all the stories!
-Ally-WHOOPS! I mean Um.
hey josh how are? hope you are good, have fun building a house. we have been praying for you.
see you when you get back
bye
Dear Ur.
Ally and I will miss you this week sunday. I hope you guys are having a great time. Our play is going wonderful, you will have to watch the video soon
B-R-A-B-E-
Josh, your first day of building is done! Even though the rain came I am sure that all was good. I pray that the houses got done and nothing got damaged from the rain. Praying that tonight’s small group goes awesome!! Make sure you write on here once in awhile.
I love you and miss you. Keep praising God! Your love of Jesus simply shines through and even though you can’t speak the language your joy will!
Have a great night sleep!
Love you more,
Mom
ps we went and saw Karate Kid today and it was fun! then to Katie’s softball game and Chris’ base ball game. They both won!
Josh, Grandma and I are so proud of you. We are praying for you as God uses you and the others to impact lives in Guatemala. It will be neat to hear your stories. Keep being the neat person you are for the people in that country as well. Blessings, Josh. Grandpa
Hey Josh!
I trust your pre-trip jitters have evaporated by now (but if not check out Phil. 4:6-7)
I just wanted to let you know that I have been praying continuously each day that God would give you strength, passion, and patience, and that He would fill you with the joy that only comes through serving Him.
I also pray that you will find this verse to be true as you fight for God this week:
“For God did NOT give us a spirit of TiMiDiTy, but a spirit of POWER, of LOVE and of SELF-DISCIPLINE. So do NOT be ashamed to testify about our Lord.” 2 Tim 1:7,8
Talk to you soon–I can’t wait to hear about all that God is up to!
-Jordan
Good morning Josh! It sounds like you are having an incredible time! What was the best part of your day yesterday? How is it working with Al?
I am sure you two are laughing most of the time, try to get some work done too! 
Praying that you have a fantastic day! Enjoy the stucco, it is a lot of fun.
“bye bye boys…”
Love you more,
Mom
Good morning Josh –
Praying that you have a great day today & that the rain holds off so you can stucco the houses in that lovely salmon color
Stay healthy & strong!
Blessings,
Karen
Josh! It sounds like things are going great! I am glad that you have this opportunity to go! God will do great things through your willing heart and passion for him! Work hard buddy!
Jason
Hey everyone,
I am having a blast here!!! Thank you all for the prayers and I just can’t wait to tell you all how this trip has gone. It has been amazing to see God in so many ways. On the flight out here I couldn’t stop thinking about how amazing and great our God is. I thought this because of the clouds outside the plane and the people that just carried on their everyday life. I found out that most of us are so focussed on ourselves in the airport that we don’t even say hi or ackowledge that someone was there. This made me sad and lead me to think if I do that. I do, I am not proud of it,but I do. This is one thing that I want to change and hopefully this week I will. When we arrived in Guatemala I was so glad that we made it through customs smoothly. The villages were insane. It was awesome to see and hear the kids as we came down the street. They were all yelling “Dulce” (candy). It was awesome to know that this organization has helped so many people and will continue for the rest of its existence. The first working day was awesome!!! My group built a house for a widow and her hurting children. They were so unhappy. Dan even said that the widow has not smiled for a long time. After a while it wass phenominal to see heractually smile!!! Her kids were shy at first, but then we started talking to them and taking their pictures. We had an awesome time. Back at the base we had amazing smallgroup time and singing. You were right mom, It was PASH taken up to 11. Today (the second work day) I had so much fun with the kids. Handing out dulce, playing with bubbles, and giving piggyback rides made those relationships worth while. I can’t wait to go back tomorrow!!! On a completely different topic, The food here is AMAZING!!! I am so becoming a fan on facebook when I get home. Thank you all for your prayers. I am having an amazing journey here. I hope to see you all this summer and tell you all how amazing this experience has been. –Josh Van Wyhe
Hey Josh, glad to hear things are going well despite the rain which fell yesterday. Hopefully today was better and you were able to stucco. We are praying for the whole team this week. Thanks for keeping us informed. Enjoy the food!
Josh,
I can just hear your smile and joy through your words. You’re so right that the food is AWESOME!!! I love the rice! 
Praying for your family and the mom especially. Thank you for being so willing to live out your faith. I am very proud of you and love you tons!!
Thank you so much for writing!
love you more,
Mom
Josh,
I am so enjoying the posts, blog and photos of your team in action. I see the children of Guatemala so anxious to help, I love how the photos show them bringing you guys stucco. Looks like some of you might see pink stucco in your sleep tonight! It is so obvious that God is at work and that you are putting hands and feet to your faith. Makes me think of Toby Macs song :God of this City-Greater things are yet to come and greater things are still to be done in Guatemala! Praying for you and the team!
Mrs. Stegeman
Hi Josh
It is so great to read your experience there in Guatemala. You had not even left the ground yet and you were seeing life through fresh eyes. God is going to give you awesome experiences and I cannot wait to hear about them…May the Lord bless you tomorrow as you dedicate your homes.
Josh,
praying for you and the team today as you dedicate the houses. Can’t wait to hear how the day went, and how God has worked in the lives of the families, and in the team as well!
Good morning Josh! Praying that today is another incredible day filled with God Sightings! I can’t wait to hear even more how God is using you to further His kingdom. Make sure you take pictures of the painting you do. Looking forward to seeing even more pictures! Big hugs,
Love you,
Mom
Hi Josh,
I miss you and can’t wait to see you. Love, katie
We went to see karate Kid the other day and it was awesome! I mean Shwasham!
Hi Buddy,
Looking forward to seeing more pictures and hear from you what you have been doing. Love you tons,
I pray that today went well! I thought about you all day long, knowing that today is such a big day! What was your favorite part? What did your team paint on the inside of your home? How many kids are in your house? Now you start shifting your focus to the medical clinics. Tomorrow will be a long day. I am praying that you are staying healthy. Keep washing your hands and using the anti-bacterial.
Mom
Josh:
We just know that you are loving everything about Guatemala–you have waited SO long to have the opportunity to go and experience firsthand all that your parents have spoken about. We’re sure you are listening, watching, learning, being renewed, and growing–and also reflecting God’s love and hope to all those around you. How exciting to bring a smile to someone who has been hurting for so long. It’s cool that God chose YOU to do that for Him!!!! Heard a song on the way to work today; just wanted to share it; the words probably say more when you you sing it down in Guat’.
Lord I come to You
Let my heart be changed, renewed
Flowing from the grace
That I’ve found in You
And Lord I’ve come to know
The weaknesses I see in me
Will be stripped away
By the power of Your love
Hold me close
Let Your love surround me
Bring me near
Draw me to your side
And as I wait
I’ll rise up with the eagle
And I will soar with you
Your Spirit leads me on
In the power of Your love
Lord unveil my eyes
Let me see you face to face
The knowledge of Your love
As you live in me
Lord renew my mind
As your will unfolds in my life
In living every day
In the power of Your love
Serve in His power, Josh!
The Dooleys
Dear Josh
(Sorry Josh, that is the second time I have done that) Great to hear from you as it is the highlight of our day back home to read these updates. We can tell that you are having an amazing time and that God is making this experience a very deep and meanigful one. You will never forget this time in your life and we are so thankful that you were able to go. Praying that the Lord will continue to allow you to use your gifts to serve him.
Blessings to you, Bill and Lisa
Josh, wow you look like you are having the time of your life in those pictures! I am so very proud of you. Last night I tried walking Nana & Papa through getting onto the site, I think they got it, so hopefully they will be posting to you soon. Isn’t it so powerful when you are all crowded into the little home and are watching Dan present the gospel and then Hermano Jesus talk with them? Hands down…my favorite part of the trip…ALWAYS!! Knowing the rest of the team is surrounding your family with prayers and that the even larger team back here in Michigan, are storming the gates of Heaven with prayer for you, your family and the team!!
Tonight is going to be another big night! You have a long ride but great joy waiting for you. Today I am praying for safe travel. Keep Psalm 121:8 in the forefront of your heart today, “the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.” Praying that you connect with a few boys in the village tonight, by playing ball or whatever, so that when they watch the Jesus video you can be there with them. Be BOLD with your faith and praying that if the Holy Spirit leads you to share your testimony and your love for these people, that you do.
Praying for another amazing day!
Big hugs and “have fun storming the castle!”
Mom
Josh,
“Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith, and in purity.”
I pray that being a first timer and one of the younger team members will not stop you from being a spiritual leader on this trip.
Praying for you continually,
Jordan
Hi Josh,
Looks like you are having a great time and quite a spiritual enlightening experience. What a cool thing to be able to experience this trip with your dad. He is such an awesome man. Continue to let your light shine the next few days and know we are all praying for you!
Brenda Goodyke
Hi Buddy,
I just finished praying for you and the team, while I was on the back deck, looking up at the sky. There were only a few clouds, so mostly the sky was clear and I could see the stars. As I was looking up, I knew you were under the same sky but you could actually see the millions of stars. Here with all the lights and distractions, I can only see the brightest ones but there with so few lights around, the stars are endless! You are being a light to all the people you meet. My prayer is that you continue shining when you get home. There are so many distractions here, that the light needs to be even brighter. I am so proud of you! I can’t wait to sit up with you and listen to all your stories. Thank you for being such an incredible young man! I love you more! More! MORE!
Mom
Hi Josh,
I have just caught up with all your news on Grandpa’s computer. We are in South Dakota in a motel. You and your Dad are making us feel so humbly proud. There is nothing that makes a Grandma or Mom happier than to have children and grandchildren follow Jesus wholeheartedly. So, Josh, know that we are very proud and grateful to God for you, for who you are and for how you will live your life for Him in the future.
I understand that tonight you are having an evegelistic service. May that be a highlight for all. I pray that many people will come to know Jesus and that you and all the team will be impacted by God and His power as well.
We love you very much.
Grandma
Good morning Josh,
and have fun playing with the kids!
Sounds like last night was awesome!! I can just picture it! I am so glad that you are there with Dad on father’s day. You are going to have to give him a giant hug from all of us! This will be a special day that you will be remember forever. Praying that you are feeling ok and that you have a safe ride out to the coast. Drink lots of water (the good stuff!
i love you so much! I am off to church!
Mom
Dear Mom, Chris, and Katie,
Thank you all so much for the posts. It has been great to read them. Also thank you for the cards, they have really helped a lot. Thank you all so much for giving me this wonderful experience through the posts. I cant wait to tell you all about this trip and how God has impacted me so much. The dedication was amazing. Our family was the first one and the holy spirit flowed into that house and overflowed into the team surrounding the house. The father actually cried, which is rare because male adults don’t cry that much. The entire family gave their lives to christ. It was awesome, i cried quite a bit. The next day at the med clinic i had so much fun with the kids. At night was amazing, although their were no stars, I witnessed God flowing through the entire village. There were these four “cool” guys of the village that i was especially praying for and hanging out with them. The great thing is that they gave their lives to christ. There were so many people that gave their lives to christ that i couldnt even count them!!! I also prayed that GOd’s spirit would fall on this place and then it started to sprinkel! It wasn’t so much rain that we wouldn’t be able to make it back to the base, but it was enough to glorify God and impact me greatly. It is amazing to witness this trip first hand. I hope you all have a great week and i will see you all later. Love you all.
-Josh
P.S. I am so jealous that you guys saw karate kid. This is Yoshie signing off!!! LOL
Josh
I am so sorry that I did not figure this out earlier. I loved keeping up with your posts and praying for you. Papa and I are having a quiet Lord’s Day after a hectic week. We had a sale last Saturday and things having been going downhill ever since. This moving is really a nightmare! You sound like you had an awsome time in Guatamala. I know the Lord used you in a mighty way. He is always giving us the greatest blessings when we follow His will. And giving us His Son is the greatest blessing of all. To be able to see that he loves us all, the people of every nation,color,language,etc. Sometime I think we are so full of pride that we think He loves only us, But we need to fall on our knees and repent of this sin. We have become such a sinful nation, I wonder how He can love us at all. Josh, we are so proud of you and pray that God will continue to use you and that you will be open to His will each and every day.Have a safe trip home! We’ll see you in about a month. Give your family our love.
We love you soooo much. Nana and Papa
Hi Josh,
Love you and stay safe.
Tonight I was sitting out on the back porch again, praying for you and the team. It is about the time you start getting ready for themovie, and I am praying that once again you will find open hearts! I love that God answered your prayer that the Holy Spirit would fall on that place, with a light rain. Remind me when you get home for me to tell you about the village and the Holy Spirit that we felt in the form of wind. AMAZING! Can’t wait to see you at church on wed morning, yes I will be there even if it is 3 am!
Good night,
Mom
Hey Josh,
I have been praying for you and your Dad over the past few days. I am really happy you were able to fill your mom’s shoes in her time of need. Thankyou for answering God’s call to go on this trip. Your a good son, Josh! God will bless you for using your gifts on this trip. Make it home safe and I’m looking forward to hearing how God has loved you and his people this past week.
hugs ((()))
Aunt Michelle
Good morning Josh,
Wow! Can you believe the week is almost over? I always thought that this day was so sad because I was never ready to leave. Praying that you have an awesome time with Dad today at the Market, (you know how much he loves shopping, he told me on his blog that he is really looking forward to spending time with YOU! How cool is that?!) Make sure he treats you to a flurry at McDonalds! Look for something that Chris would love, he has been missing you like crazy. I can’t wait to hear all about your trip and the impact it has had on you. So very proud of you and all that you have done. Thanks for being so swashum!
See you soon, Love and great big HUGS,
Mom
Hey big bro,
How are you doing? I just heard this morning that you are going to a city. I hope you have a great time in the city. Looking forward to riding my bike with you to the camp store in Ludington! love you MOOOORRREEEE!! c ya when u come back!
Katie
Josh, It has been great to see the photos of you and your dad right in there serving together. Hope you have had a wonderful week, we are so happy you were able to serve and be used by God. Bob and Carole Pettijohn
Josh, praying for you tonight as you have your last Pash Extreme! Praying that the Spirit is moving through the team as you all go the Cross. Praying for Dan & Dad as they lead the final devos. I am so proud of you and all that you have accomplished this week. You are making an eternal difference in many lives!! Love you and looking forward to giving you a great big hug!
Love,
Mom
Hey Josh. It’s a me, Piersma. I hope everything is going well with your trip. Work hard and know that we’re praying for you.
Get some rest, you look tired.
Hi Josh,
It looks like you have been having an amazing time and it is so neat that you can be right along side your Dad. What a neat experience. Hope you’ve stayed healthy and have a safe trip back tomorrow. You have been in our thoughts and prayers continuously! Anxious for your return.
Mrs. Berens
Josh,
You are on your way to the airport now and soon will be leaving Guatemala. I know that you will not read this until you get home but that is ok. Please know how very proud of you I am. God has been working through you and in you all week. It has been such a priviledge to be able to walk alongside of you this week through the blog. You have impacted countless Guatemalans and many many friends and family here! Never forget what has been accomplished this week and NEVER forget HOW it was made possible…only through PRAYER!! Unending and never-ceasing prayer! I daresay there has been someone praying for you and the team every hour since you have been gone. So many people have mentioned to me that God has woken them up many times and they immediately start praying for protection for the team. That is incredible!
May God continue to bless you as you make the transition back to Grandville. It is very surreal coming home, and I pray that you share with your parents what you are feeling. You will notice all the little things that you have always taken for granted before: being able to put your head under the shower and feel the water on your face and not worry if it gets in your mouth, being able to brush your teeth using the tap water, being able to go barefoot in your back yard, not having to see if a glass is completely dry before grabbing it off the counter to use…. and on-and-on. It is also overwhelming when you sit in your bedroom and realize that your room is the same size as the home you built for your family. I pray that each time you enter your bedroom, you are reminded to pray for your precious little family in Guatemala!
Continue to be bold with your faith! It may be even more difficult here at CC than it was in the village, but I pray that you will remember to rely on Christ to give you the strength! This team has the power to make a HUGE impact on the CC community.
I love you more,
Mom