We are officially in Guatemala…
I have to say that I expected to experience an overwhelming amount of culture shock. However, I am not, I am experiencing culture awe. I expected to land on a dirt strip only to be welcomed by a large dump truck that would transit all 45 of us. My initial experience was quite different. The airport in Guatemala City is one of the nicest airports I have ever been in. We made it through customs and to the baggage carousel. The whole squad grabbed all of their gear and we headed outside to catch our ride. We made it outside to find rather nice vans that would transport us on our hour ride to Antigua.
On the ride from the Airport we came across so many familiar things. It was still foreign; all the signs were in another language. It was comforting to see things from home. I saw the largest Taco Bell ever! This monster was two stories tall and had a parking deck. One of the things that surprised me the most is there are very few street signs yet there is little confusion on the roads. I have not seen one yield sign and in Antigua there are no signs that tell you the name of the streets. Fortunately, every street looks identical and getting lost is as easy as walking out of the hostel were staying in.
For the past week we have spent a lot of time together as a squad (50 people) and a team (6 people). We actually hiked an active Volcano!!!! This was amazing because I am a nature lover and have never hiked an active volcano before! It was beautiful there! The landscape was carved by the lava, and there were mountains that were nothing but black ash. Walking on the ash was like walking on sand. We hiked two or three miles and came to a location overlooking the most recent lava flows. The past two eruptions were twenty three years ago and sixteen years ago. We continued hiking and made it to the part of the volcano that was HOT!!! There was no liquid magma, however the rock was so hot it would just crumble and roll down the mountain side. We roasted marshmallows on the volcano. It was insane! Watch this video to get an idea of what I am talking about.
In our time together we are focusing on encouraging one another that they are here for a reason and God is going to use them in a powerful way to speak to the nations. You have to understand that on the first day a lot of people were in shock that they were actually here. We spent so much time getting ready to leave that we forgot we were actually leaving. Some people were standing thinking to themselves, “have I made a mistake.” It is truly an overwhelming experience yet the feeling is so rewarding already. We took a lot of time to speak truth to one another. To tell our team members how much we value and appreciate them and what they offer to our squad and team. We have been spending a lot of time in worship! Not just songs, but engaging our hearts with the God of the universe, talking with Him and being overwhelmed as He talks back. We all believe that God is not dead!!! Moreover, we believe God is alive and earnestly desiring to spend time with His children. We believe that God is so passionate about us that just ONE GLIMPSE from us enraptures His heart. Let me be clear, we worship and serve a living God who delights in who we are.
We have learned that our team gets to stay in Antigua. Erika and I are so excited about that because we have running water, hot water, a market, and a bed. Many of our squad (50 people) members are going out to the jungles of Guatemala to live in tents and bugs. We are thankful we get an easier first month! The hostel we are staying in accommodates our needs. We have internet here (not free) there is a communal kitchen, shower, and instant coffee. We also have a small room 9′ X 15′. It has a queen bed a small desk, patio chair and one end table. It is tight quarters to say the least, yet so cozy! We are really excited about the next month. We have the opportunity to help this city out in some really huge ways. We get to help with a water filtration system here which is huge!!! The water here causes a lot of diseases for tourists and locals. There are some locals here that are sick all the time because of the lack of clean water and sanitation. We will also have the opportunity to help out with premature babies. There is a local clinic that takes care of the premature babies and we will get to feed, change, and love these precious children. I don’t like babies, they scare the crap out of me, but I think it may be a cool opportunity for me to learn something. There is also a dental facility that we will be working in. I have no clue what that will entail because I missed the meeting about most of this stuff cause I was sick. The air here is nasty! All cars emit a lot of junk! All the cars, busses, and motorcycles produce a lot of toxic air. There is no regulatory body on that type of stuff here so I have a mild headache most of the time. Also, the telephone poles which also hold the power lines are aluminum. Yes aluminum, the one that is a conductor for electricity, yes that one!
I am already learning a lot about myself. I am learning that I am capable of overcoming my emotions. I do not have to give into my emotions; I do not have to be a child a throw a fit if I am not getting my way. I am learning that I am a fierce warrior and I refuse to let anyone mess with my wife, my team, my squad, or myself. I just will not tolerate anyone messing with them!
I am so excited to continue learning about myself and drawing closer to God!
