The Profession of a Beggar (Week 1)
It had been weeks since my team did our P.E.T.S (mobile carts) ministry in Quiche, Guatemala (month 2). I walked through the market to buy groceries for our squad and saw 3 out of the 8 men we gave carts to begging again. They were in the same position we had found them days before. On the ground they knelt, bowl in hand signaling those that walked by for money. Had we even made a difference in their lives by giving them the P.E.T.S? We envisioned them riding around on their P.E.T.S being mobile. Finally, the freedom to move and go where they wanted without having to crawl on the ground and ask people for help.
I passed by the one who had smiled in my pictures. He stuck out his bowl towards me, eyes looking else where. I walked passed him and his friend as they began to roll a beer towards each other and laugh. I was frustrated. Was it all for nothing?
I prayed…
"No", God intervened on my thoughts of confusion. "Look at them and realize that this is there profession. This is how they eat, and sleep at night." If they road around on a P.E.T would people place money in their bowl? Would they have that look of desperation? Is the act of kindness pointless if your expectations are not met? What expectations are crippling you?
A simple act of kindness big or small is displaying my love. It's not about you and what your team has done. It's about selflessly loving people regardless of your expectations. You can't save people, in fact, that is not your mission. Your only mission is to love people and lead them to truth.
The Plague of Sickness (Week 3)
Week 2 my team and another team worked at a daycare in Quiche, 60 kids or more. The older kids arrived after their school day ended. 1 year olds to 5th graders, I wasn't sure where to begin to help. Three of us volunteered to go into the baby room while 2 others sets of 3 teammates dispersed into the older kid rooms. How could this place operate without the help of us 13 volunteer racers? One older woman and 20 one year olds? The room three of us entered into was chaos, 20 or more one-year-olds crying, all of their diapers needed to be changed. No toys to entertain the kids and the older woman only spoke Spanish. I felt like I was up a creek without a paddle, so instead of feeling overwhelmed we all dove into help. 15 minutes later the kids were happy eating their snack and had clean diapers. They stared at us "Gringos" like we were aliens, but after awhile they seemed to take to us pretty well. We had our favorite kids and nick names for some. Cookie Monster John was my secret favorite kid. Such a bright smile, holding his hands around the room as he walked was a highlight.
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After two days at the daycare i got sick. The case of the runs again, dehydration and nausea stuck me in bed all the next day. "Their dropping like flies"- a squad leader said. By the first two weeks in Guatemala 14 out 41 C Squad racers were sick. Was working at the day care worth being sick?
At first, I was justified with saying "no" to that question. If the daycare was indeed the source of the virus that swept through the squad like a plague then perhaps we should not go back. Yet, I missed being there with the kids and worried about the lack of help.
Sickness we all avoid. Most of us using preventive measures, flu shots, vaccines, vitamins etc. Yet, somehow through the sickness we are forced to take a "time out" out of our busy lives. I finally had time to relax, read my bible and nap. And through the rest time I realized that the kids were worth getting sick. The joy on their faces and being able to help out the workers was worth it. Do we not help sick people out of fear of getting sick? No, we help regardless.
Sickness can humble us. That "time out" from life can bring us a new perspective outside ourselves. Can we rest with God in the all pain, misery, and frustration? Everyone on the squad eventually recovered. Despite, the three hospitalizations, their experiences in a foreign hospital made for some great laughs and memories. The others that were quarantined to the dorm became closer than ever. The devil didn't triumph like he thought he did and through sickness we learned how to trust and rest with God.
Gauzen' (Week 2)
?We dressed head to toe in the medical get up, ready to perform assist with the surgeries! Instead, we sat for hours making gauze pads for the hospital. I can't say it was a memorable ministry project. However, it did give our team time to have fruitful conversations with each other.
Building a Road (week 4)
The hot sun beat down on us as we tore up a dirt road with our plows and shovels. I had no idea what I was doing. I couldn't even name the tools we were using. Luckily, everyone else on my team seemed to know what they were doing. Perhaps, I should have grown up on a farm or in Midwest and not AZ? Just kidding! Well, sorta… I learned a lot especially when the pastor came to visit us on the last day of building the road. He was the contact of the project. His vision for the road was to provide a pathway to a bible camp he was in the process of building. Years ago he had a dream to build this camp. Looking around we saw a cement structure that looked vacant with trees starting to grow in the places were the kids sanctuary would be. I wondered why it was taking so long to build.
We came to find that he was suffering from horrible stomach pains and his son who was with him was sick with a fever. You would think these symptoms were minor, yet, for him it had been months and his son days with the sicknesses. We prayed for them as a team that the bible camp would be built and that their sicknesses would be gone. You should go to a doctor we told them before we prayed. With the lack a medical insurance the pastor was going to go as a last resort. We prayed for his son who was wearing a winter coat in the heat. A child sick without medical insurance worried me. We prayed for him when suddenly he spoke out loud in the middle of our prayer in Spanish. Kim opened her eyes as we all did and she translated for the child. "I feel like my insides are on fire". Yikes, I thought the fever is getting worse. "I feel like a bull with smoke flowing out of my nose". What? Oh, man he needs a fever reducer. We gave him water and him and the pastor left to go to the doctor. Walking back from the road to catch a bus with the team , I thought about the child's words. Yes, he had a fever but was something else happening with him? Perhaps, something spiritually deeper?
Building a road is humbling when you are building it for others. Building a road to help someone pursue their dreams, well, that's the kingdom of God.
Overall Guatemala was full of life changing experiences.
-Off to El Salvador to work in another orphanage!
This one 5 minutes from the beach with a school on the complex. 
Love love love you all!
-Wendiz
