The last few days have been kind of challenging for me. I have had some kind of respiratory/sinus infection, and it has kept me from fully being able to engage in ministry and team/squad activities. Liz (one of the nurses on our squad) recommended that I get on an antibiotic that has a really long complicated name that I can't remember, and so I am starting to feel better. (Sidenote: I got the antibiotics at the pharmacy around the corner from where we are staying for 40 quetzales, or $5. Five dollars. I was so excited about that.)
This week, we are staying in Patzibal, at the medical clinic that we are helping at. Although we have been pretty cold (staying outside and in a little unfurnished room without heat), our ministry contacts have taken great care of us, by providing us with a gas stove to cook on, a fire bowl, dishes, and even internet!
A couple of days ago, we rode in the back of a couple of trucks, up super muddy, pot holey roads, to another ministry that is about 15 or 20 minutes away in Monte Flor. It is a ministry called Manos de Jesus, and the land is absolutely beautiful. It has all been provided to the ministry in crazy ways.
Our objective for the day was to plant 100 macadameia trees on the side of the hill above the buildings, to help with the land erosion. At first, I was really excited about it. I had never had the opportunity to plant a tree before, and what better way to do it than on the side of a mountain in Guatemala?
We loaded the trees up in the back of a truck, and each grabbed two and started up the hill. When we left the clinic, I forgot to change out of my flip flops and into my hiking sandals, so that combined with the fact that it is rainy season in Guatemala, did not make for an easy scale up the mountain. I have also been having some chest congestion, making it difficult to breathe in strenuous situations.
I saw everyone else around me, finding the pre-dug holes, planting their trees, and having a good time. And I hadn't even made it halfway up the hill. I ditched one of my trees, hoping that it would make it easier, but I was still struggling. I got to a point where I was so frustrated, that I sat down where I was, set my tree down, and started crying.
I was frustrated that, because of my illness, and because I had forgotten to change my shoes, I was not able to participate. Just when I was feeling really sorry for myself, my friend Carly totally biffed it in the mud right in front of me, and slid down a few feet. And I couldn't help but laugh.
Jesus totally gave me a peace after that, and somebody climbed/slid past me and recommended that I ditch my shoes. So I decided to go for it. And it was SO much easier. I felt like Spiderman, scaling the hill, my feet sploshing in the mud, and I found a hole to plant my tree.
I planted a few more, and then I decided to go all the way to the top, sit on a tree stump, and take in the view. We could see down to Chi Chi from there, and it was just a really great feeling.
Afterward, we went back down to the house, had an amazing lunch, and got to hang out and relax. The rain held off while we were planting, but started to come down while we were eating. The temperature also went down, so we were a little wet and cold by that point.
We gathered in the living room, around the fire, snuggled up with blankets, drank hot tea and coffee, and listened to the amazing testimony of Ron, one of the guys who works with Manos de Jesus. I think I told Emily a few times that this was my favorite. It reminded me of snuggling up with a blanket and warm drink at home, one of my favorite fall/winter activities.
During his story, I felt like God was asking me to trust Him with our student loan debt. It's been weighing on my mind alot lately. I was getting down about the idea of spending 10 or more years in the States while trying to get them paid off. I felt like He was telling me that He is going to do some crazy things in that area.
After we heard Ron's story, we headed up to the chapel on the property (which is a small room with some benches, and a side cut out so you can see out over the mountains), and prayed over the city, and over the mountain next to us, where there is a statue of a Mayan god.
We headed down from the chapel, and went up to a school, where they host a feeding program that is funded by Manos de Jesus. I think they do it a few times a week, and the children come from all over the area. They do songs, Bible verses, and probably some other stuff, but it was all in Spanish, so I'm not sure what else, haha. Then the children eat dinner, and many of them take their food home in plastic bags to share with their families. We didn't help serve the food, like many of us thought we would, but basically just hung out with the kids.
During the Bible study part, a little girl named Zelda captured my heart. I saw her sitting by herself, and there was an empty chair next to her. I smiled at her and moved to sit next to her, but she got nervous and went to the chair in the next row. So I sat by myself, and tried to make eye contact and smile at her. Angela was able to sit next to her, but Zelda wasn't really engaging in what was going on. She ended up falling asleep sitting up in her chair, but her head was bobbing forward, so I came over, scooped her up, and let her sleep on my lap. Soon, it was time to eat, so Angela, me, and some of the other kids tried to wake her up to tell her it was time to eat. It took quite a bit to wake her, but soon she ran off to eat. She had snotted on my jacket while sleeping, but I was glad that I could hold her for a little while. I don't know what her life is like to be that tired, but it was awesome to be a part of her life, if only for a few minutes.
I have no doubt that this is what I am supposed to do with my life, and Josh feels the same way. It is such a great feeling to be living your dream. Something that one of the speakers at lauch said really resonated with me. He said that we never actually reach our destiny in life. It isn't something that you work towards, and one day you are there. It is a constant moving, growing, and learning process. I like to think of it as my life is a "dot dot dot". I think if we operate in this way, rather than thinking, "If I can only make it to [insert desired thing here] in life, then I will have succeeded", our lives will be so much more fulfilling and joyful.
Thank you so much for praying for us, donating to us, and for following our story! Today, we are going to head to the school in town to teach English, and then head back to Quiche where the rest of our squad is staying. Then, we leave tomorrow for our mid-month retreat with L Squad at Lake Atitlan. Please pray that we can rest up this weekend, as many of the squad is sick with the same thing I had, and that we can finish out the month in Guatemala strong.
Love and Peace.
