Yes ladies and gentlemen, it’s been over one week since I first arrived here in Guatemala. And I can say that I definitely love this country. It’s very different than America in several different ways, yet similar to America in several different ways. To be honest, I have no idea where to start in explaining what has happened this past week, so I’m just going to vomit some words all over this blog, and hope it makes sense. So, here we go…
Let’s start with America vs Guatemala… And then I’ll go into what ministry life looks like..
One major noticeable Difference:
When it comes to traffic and transportation, you could say that there are pretty much no traffic violations. Yes, that sign does say “One Way”… However, for Guatemalans, one way means two ways, and two ways means two ways, and whatever else kind of “way” there is, it doesn’t matter. They’ll drive wherever they want to. They have tons of “Chicken Buses” here, and these things are awesome.. and no, they don’t have chickens in them. This is probably the most known and used form of transportation, of course besides dirt-bikes, motorcycles, and scooters. In America, these buses could hold about 60-80 some people legally (They are old school buses that are now all decked out with cool paint jobs and some cool fancy designs on them). Trust me, I would know, my mom is a school bus driver.. However, in Guatemala, they can hold up to any amount that fits. Let’s say, 120 for example. Three-four to a seat, 20-40 people in the middle isle, and 10-15 people hanging out the doors, not to mention, there’s probably a capacity of like 30 more people that could fit on top of the bus. Sound pretty cool? Well, it is. And if you want a ride, it costs only 1.50 Quetzales…
One major noticeable Similarity:
Food. You probably weren’t expecting that were you… Here in Guatemala, they got all the foods that we got in America. Of course, it’s a lil bit different because of what they have here, but yes. They have McDonalds, Burger King, Wendy’s, Subway, and other fast foods. They also have Little Caesars. And by the way, their Little Caesars is mucho better here than in the States. It’s better than Pizza Hut and Papa Johns by a land slide!.. But of course they do have some authentic Guatemalan food here that we don’t have in the States. Like, their coffee is the bomb.com. Actually, Guatemalan coffee has been voted some of the best coffee in the world. Also, their avocadoes here are legit. They have the best guacamole that I’ve ever had! So be jealous… lol
So, there’s just a lil bit of some things to imagine here in the culture of Guatemala. Now to our ministry.
As you may know, there are seven teams in our one squad. Each team with about 6-7 people. Here in Antigua, Guatemala, there are two other teams with our team. We live in a house with running water, warm showers, a kitchen, a living room, a balcony, and have access to a washing machine. We are definitely blessed, but this is how people live here. Of course, not everybody. In the community that we live in though, yes. It’s a very safe and protective community, with walls surrounding people’s homes. However, our main ministry isn’t in this little community. It’s actually throughout Antigua, and even outside of Antigua. So here’s wassup.
First, our contact/host here is awesome. His name is Luis, and he has a heart for the youth here in Guatemala. His main ministry is Nueva Generacion (New Generation). He has access to over 25 different schools that he goes to and talks about moral subjects, yet brings it back to the bible and Jesus. So there’s a little info on our awesome host. And here’s what we’re doing, through Luis’s ministry.
Out of the three teams, one team is doing construction, one is teaching English in schools, and one is teaching about some moral subjects. My team is, for now, teaching about moral subjects in schools. For instance, drugs. We’re also going over pornography soon as well. And I’m sure there might be some other moral subjects too, but for now, those are the two things we are going over. And it’s mainly our testimonies and stories that we know of, that we can share with the students. And yes, this is our opportunity to share how Christ has impacted our lives and how he has changed who we are today. But, I was first assigned to construction. In construction, we plastered some cement on some cement block walls, to smooth it out and make it ready to paint. We dug some holes for plumbing, and also smoothed out some of the rough spots on the walls. Which, in one room, it was the whole room. That. Kicked. My. Butt… But it was good. And as we had some people standing around because there’s not always a job for 20 people to do something, we’d go around the little community the house is in, and do some prayer walks.
So, that’s just a jist of what we’ve doing, and what our main ministry looks like. However, there’s already been ministry done through ATL, and there will be more to come (ATL is “Ask The Lord”). It’s just listening to the Holy Spirit, and seeing what He wants done. And there has been some things I believe God is speaking to me about, however, that will be for another blog. But, God is definitely moving here.
One more thing about this past week…
This past week was the celebration for Independence. Tuesday was their actual Independence day, but the past weekend was crazy. We got to run around part of Antigua with the Guatemalan flag and a lit torch. How cool is that! Plus, I don’t think a lot of people know this, but their president is in troooouble. He stole millions of money from Guatemala, and they are currently getting ready to elect another president. So, we will be here in Guatemala when they elect a new president! So, that’s pretty cool.
Of course there’s more going on here then what I just wrote, but that’s a solid amount of what’s been going on. I didn’t even mention the volcanoes that are right in front of and beside us, and how beautiful this country is, but don’t worry, that deserves a blog all in of itself!
Keep being in prayer for our teams and for Guatemala! Pray in a sense of urgency and of love for the people that are around us. God is moving. Let our prayers explode God’s movement here in Guatemala!
