This is truly a journey. This past month has been one of the hardest for me. Following Jesus is difficult. God has been using just about everything to grow me closer towards Him. He is making me into a man after His own Heart. He is pulling strength out of me. He is testing my faith. Today I have really felt The Joy of the Lord. It has been a hard month of sadness and sorrow, but now I can feel the hand of God pulling me out into a new season. Now I know The Joy of the Lord will never leave me. I’m learning a lot of things about God and myself.
God is the God of order. He finishes what He starts, and I’m a committed son and I’m going to finish The World Race!
Walking into my room and seeing my backpack, rain jacket and all my other gear sprawled out I thought, “Wow, this is my life right now… I live in Guatemala! How crazy is that?” Monday through Friday I wake up and go to construction and some days I also teach English in a town called San Lucas. Construction is going to be over soon and I have an opportunity to volunteer at a hospital. It’s a Catholic Hospital where they care for Cerebral Palsy patients. They house and care for the elderly, women and children that have Cerebral Palsy. There are also patients there that do not have Cerebral Palsy, but a majority of them do. The hospital also has a section for children who suffer from malnutrition. The stories that we hear of parents abandoning their children with cerebral palsy and leaving them there make me sick. I don’t know what to do with myself when I see the mangled bodies of the patients. It’s confusing to me when I hear them wail and mumble incomprehensibly. My teammate Jess says God doesn’t make trash. I want to learn that for myself. Being in the hospital and seeing all of the people with Cerebral Palsy makes me feel very uncomfortable, but I think that is where I’m supposed to be next.
I have to be honest, the World Race is challenging, but it is so good. I have never had to rely on God like this. My trust with God is growing. I doubt, and He provides. I question Him, I get angry with Him and I argue with Him as if I knew what were better for my life. He turns my mourning into joy. How insane is it that God turns my mourning into joy? He always comes through. Jesus proves Himself to me time and time again.
Guatemala is growing on me. It really is. At first all I could think about was how we were going to go to Thailand next, then Zambia, then Home. This is my home. Home is where the heart is… I didn’t know what that meant until now. Lately I’ve been learning how to not worry or be preoccupied with the future or with my problems. I’ve been learning how to live here in Guatemala and not in Missouri where my friends and family are. My heart is here now. It’s with the people I live with. It’s with the people I serve. My heart is where God is and Guatemala is my new home.
This is the view from the roof of our house
Armaria and Ana (Part of the family we are building a house for)
Having some fun during construction!
Sam, my squad mate Rae, Bryan and I on our way home from construction:
My Amigo Melvin and I. He’s my Guatemalan Bro!
Melvin took my team to go climb a mountain in his hometown Magdalena, and this is the view:
I’m so thankful that God brought me here, I’m on a journey with Him.
