Having just arrived home two days ago from this trip, my mind is whirling with memories and emotions. There is so much I want to remember; so much I want to share, and it's hard to even know where to begin. So, I've decided to start with something I wrote in my journal on our flight home.
Before I start, here is what inspired that journal entry... On our last day in Guatemala, our children's pastor asked four us, all of whom were on our first foreign mission trip, to give our response on video to this question, "What are you taking home from this trip?" At the time, I was somewhat of a mess as we were preparing to say goodbye to the many children who had touched our hearts on this trip. I wasn't sure I'd even be able to speak. But somehow, with two of my new, sweet friends clinging to my side, I stood before the camera and gave the most honest answer I could at the time (along with a total sob-fest).
Two sweet faces that seldom left my side.
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In preparation for this trip, I had many concerns and
fears. Some of them were legitimate and
some were just kind of silly. But they
were things like; What if I get sick? What will I wear and how will I pack a
weeks worth of clothes only in a carry-on? What will our accommodations be
like and will I have the privacy I desire? Do I really have anything to
offer? And, Can God use me?
I tried not to focus too much on all of my concerns and
half-trusted that God would take care of it all.
Now that the week is over I realize that God truly did take
care of it all. None of us were
sick. Nobody cared what clothes I wore
(not even me). Our accommodations were
fantastic. And God used me and changed
me in more ways than I ever thought possible.
Here is just one of the many lessons that God taught me that
I will never forget.
Most of our time in Guatemala was spent at a church, high in
the mountains, in the village of San Mateo.
This church is a safe place where children come after school to be fed a
healthy meal, receive help with homework, and hear and experience the love of
Christ. While we were there, we added to
the after-school program by providing a mini-VBS (vacation bible school) with a time of bible story,
crafts, and recreation, which is where I participated.
Our rec time got rained out this day
so we played a low-energy game in the basement kitchen.
Before the program began each day, children arrived early. And after the program ended each day,
children lingered around. We often took
advantage of this opportunity to simply play with the kids. We used some games and toys that a few of us
had brought along to share with kids and there was nothing more special than to
see their beautiful faces beaming with delight as we laughed and played
together. We played things like; jump
rope, limbo, monkey-in-the-middle, tickle fights, war with playing cards, and
quite possibly their favorite…52-card pick-up.
Even though I loved every minute of sharing in laughter with them, whether it was over winning a game together or us mangling their language in attempts to communicate, I still questioned God as to how I was making a difference for Christ.
Well, over the course of a few hours, He answered by
reminding me of what we had seen during our time in the village. You see, life is rough for the women of these
children. If they do not work for a wage
during the day, their time is spent working
for their families. They wash
clothes by hand on the side of the road at the community wash pool where they
scrub and rinse, scrub and rinse, one article or two at a time. Then they carry the wet clothes, in a basket
on their heads, sometimes barefoot, back to their homes and hang them all to dry.
These pools are also used for bathing.
Cooking also, is not an easy task. There are no 5-min microwave meals. Not even a 30-min Rachel Ray meal. These women walk to town to buy their food,
most often it’s only the essentials they can afford, like vegetables, beans,
and rice. Although the distance to walk
may not seem far, the altitude is high and the road is steep. It’s so steep that they often walk in a switch-back
pattern up the road in order to minimize the steep ascent. These women cook for their families which
number anywhere between 4-10 people. And
most of the women we spoke with were taking care of their families without the
help of a husband, as men often leave the family or are too consumed by their
alcohol addiction.
Vegetables on her head and a baby on her back.
Life is tough.
As the Lord brought these images to my mind and I recalled
the rigors of daily life for these women, He began to show me how
beneficial an hour or two of play and laughter can be for a child. He revealed that by simply being willing to
serve in whatever way necessary, whether it was praying over a hurting family,
making tortillas for 3 hours to feed 100 kids, or simply playing a game with a
child in need of laughter and a hug, I was bringing glory and honor to the name
of my great God.
Big smiles from my new friends after we spun around in circles.
I pray I never forget these faces.
1 Timothy 1:12
"I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service."
