How do you pray for a woman who has just lost five members of her family in a mudslide? How do you sing a worship song at a nine year-old’s funeral? How do you comfort a man who has been sitting by a morgue for six days just to hear a name?
I was finishing my third week here in Guatemala like any other. I got switched from construction (praise the Lord) and was put in a first grade classroom of beautiful children whom I already adore. We were looking forward to an exciting weekend including discipleship class that night, a celebration for Dia de los Ninos and an Enrique Iglesias concert.
Life changes fast though. One of our translators for discipleship is named Gustavo. He is fifteen and is amazingly fluent in english, hilarious, and sweet. His nine year-old sister, Natalia, drowned on a school field trip Friday morning. Instead of getting ready for Discipleship that night, we dressed for a funeral.
As the casket went by all I could think was it’s so small. We were asked to sing a song, and although I felt I had no place to sing or even cry at the funeral I couldn’t help myself. After we sang the father gave a few words. He said that although this day was excruciating for them, he was blessed and humbled that they were able to have her on earth for nine years. He said his daughter taught those around her that sometimes actions aren’t enough. That you need to tell the people closest to you that you love them every day.
Some of you may also have heard of the mudslide in Guatemala. We drove about an hour and a half to Guatemala City to join the relief efforts. I’m going to try and construct this scene for you, but I know I won’t do it justice. The relief efforts were awesome to say the least. There was water being handed out everywhere, hot food being served, and clothes and other things being sorted in every available space. Some of my team started organizing clothes and relief packages while me and a few others headed toward the morgue.
I don’t know what I was expecting, but I certainly wasn’t prepared. We were given full permission to talk about God and the plan was to approach people with our translator and ask if we could pray with them. I started to hear their stories. Four hundred and sixty people are still missing. Two hundred and and forty have been pronounced dead. There were three tents and six port-o-potties set up outside the morgue and you could smell the dead bodies every time the door opened. When one was identified, the name was read to the waiting family and they could claim the body. People had been eating, sleeping, and mourning in these tents for days. They didn’t have hope anymore. They were just waiting for the name.
I looked into one man’s eyes who had been waiting to hear the name of his cousin for six days and honestly I had to looks away because of all the sorrow that was there. There were people who were angry at God and there were people who only had the Lord to lean on. No matter their circumstance, every person’s story was heartbreaking and trying to bring them comfort was the most challenging thing I’ve ever done. I am endlessly thankful God steps in and is glorified in our weakness.
Although my Instagram and Facebook may make it seem as though my trip so far has been magical, it’s been a tough week. But as we say here: there’s no such thing as a bad day. There are only tragic things, learning opportunities, and bad attitudes.
Here’s what I learned this week from the hundreds dead and the nine year-old girl I never met in Guatemala:
1.) Tell the people closest to your heart you love them.
2.) Life is too short to be anchored in one place.
3.) Never say “In a couple years I could…” when you can today.
4.) Stay positive. There are no bad days.
5.) Don’t let the sun go down on your anger.
6.) Don’t let the years pass without an adventure.
7.) Don’t think you’re in charge of your life. God is sovereign.
After this week it’s settled. I refuse to work in a meaningless nine to five job for the rest of my life and chase “success.” I will fight for the things I believe in while I’m on earth and and I will never take a breath for granted. James says in his book that we are like a “mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.” If my life is only water vapor and God is light, then I’m going to be a rainbow. I will bring light to people who are in darkness and I will love in impossible situations.
And to all those who are still sitting in that tent waiting for a name and for everyone reading this who has recently lost someone, I pray this will give peace. Revelations 7: 16-17:
Never again will they hunger;
never again will they thirst.
The sun will not beat upon them,
nor any scorching heat.
For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd;
he will lead them to springs of living water.
And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.
Amen. God is still good. Thanks for the prayers and love this week, fam.
