My last week of Guatemala, my mom and dad were invited out to come do what I do and see what I see, with me. We held something called Parent Vision Trip, or PVT, which invites the parents of the racers to come out to the field for a few days to see their kids and partner with them in ministry. So me, my parents, all the other people on my squad and their parents, stayed in a hostel in Antigua, Guatemala together about two and a half weeks ago.
The whole week of PVT I heard things like,
“You and your dad have the same sense of humor!”
“You are your mom’s twin!”
“Shad makes really good chocolate chip cookies.”
[my dad baked one-hundred fifty of his highly regarded chocolate chip cookies, brought them on the plane with him, and shared them with this crowd of people. Jesus broke bread for miracles, my dad brought his cookies.]
My personal favorite thing said about my mom and I happened on the final day of PVT as my mom and dad were pulling away in a van filled with other parents, and my friend Jacob yelled to my mom, “Woah, you guys have the same nose scrunch when you smile!” We both laughed. Cue the nose scrunch.
It was really good to have my parents here to share with me in what my team and I have been laboring in for the Kingdom here in Guate. In my last blog I talked about my ministry host Logan, and how I helped out at his school teaching English. We continued working with Logan throughout our time in Guatemala, but it was shortened to only two mornings a week after we transitioned to helping with another ministry team called One Way in the beginning of January.
One Way is a ministry started by a man named Bilsan. He’s 26, and he is an anointed man and visionary for helping children and their families in a low-income community called San Lorenzo. During the duration of our stay, San Lorenzo was my team’s community. Since January, we had been going there every afternoon during the week and some mornings, to help with tutoring children, visiting homes, and bringing the presence of God with every new step we took there. San Lorenzo is a community waking up to Heaven all around, and we got to see and be a part of that.
During PVT, my parents witnessed my goodbyes to Logan and the One Way team. They got to see how impacted I have been by this nation and the relationships I’ve built here. I asked my mom and dad to write down their thoughts of all that they experienced from the week that they spent with me in Antigua, Guatemala, and that is shared here:
First, through my mother’s eyes-
What initially comes to my mind is the scripture in First Timothy about not letting others look down on you because you are young, which may seem really cliche, but when I looked it up it just confirmed what I was seeing even on the very first night-
“For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance (and for this we labor and strive) that we have our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, and especially of those who believe. Command and teach these things. Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity. Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of scripture, to preaching and teaching.”
-1 Timothy 4:8-14
Even before I saw anyone on your team interact in the ministries you’ve been serving in, the reality of this verse for all of you struck me. It stuck me as I was watching racers stepping up during worship and sharing when a word came to them, being bold and free in praise, and interceding over the whole group of us. Here we are with our ‘children’, being led by them and learning from them, and it is a beautiful thing.
This passage was further established on my heart when we met the One Way Community leaders. Another example of young people living out their lives for the kingdom, who are leaders in their community for the spreading of the gospel.
I also love how you all live in the spirit of the early church. Sharing what you have, and being enmeshed with the villages you serve. I was touched by the family in San Lorenzo who has opened their home for the pre-k age kids to have their class in, and even allowing their bathroom to be used by all of the children that One Way works with. Such practical offerings are an important part of making ministries like this possible.
The friendships you have made these past three months are so obviously founded in the faith and love of Jesus. The genuine encouragement and affirmation you bestow on one another when one of you is vulnerable and shares openly- thank you for extending this grace to us parents during our visit.
It was so fun going around the different cities with you and seeing how comfortable you are in the culture. I so enjoyed getting to spend time with you. Love you.
My Father’s eyes:
I thought it was a great week. We loved seeing you. Without a doubt, that was the highlight. We have missed you much, and it was such a blessing to see you again. And icing on the cake is that you have joy here, and you are full here. Nothing makes us happier.
Sometimes people ask me if I’ve seen any miracles on the mission trips I’ve taken. The answer is yes, but not in the way they think. I’ve never seen a blind man receive sight or a lame person get up and walk. What I’ve seen is the Spirit of God at work changing lives, transforming hearts, and telling people they are loved.
In a way, the Great Commission is a misnomer. It doesn’t mean you’re supposed to be doing something epic. It’s a call to participate. It’s an ask to get involved. How’s this for a miracle – our incredibly creative Creator’s best plan was to use us to change the world. Say what?! But that’s what I saw at PVT- people who have been changed by Jesus being used to change the world.
So this week the gospel was playing games in the hot sun with neighborhood kids. It was running an art class for 4 to 8 year olds at a local school. And it was sharing a meal with an elderly couple who prepared it for us with their precious, few resources. It was love in action and it was Jesus at work.
One of the things Jesus said was that we need to have a child-like faith. After witnessing PVT, I’d say I’d like to have the kind of faith that our children displayed in the way they worshiped, in the way they served, and in the way they loved. It was that epic.
We got to see you do what you love. That was probably what filled my heart the most. I imagine when the Father looks down on us and we are flourishing, there is a great, big smile on His face. I’m pretty sure I experienced something like that this week.
Keep doing the things that God made you to do.
__
Thank you dearly, Mom and Dad. It was really amazing for you to experience this with me.
I absolutely thrived during my time in Guatemala. I’m not saying I didn’t have hard days, but my soul felt deeply in love with God and awake to life. Guatemala is not just a place that I’ve visited- life has happened here for me. Real, authentic, joy-filled life. Laughter became another form of prayer; laughter is a praise to God for the gifts that bring joy, hope, and light.
In San Lorenzo, I did have the opportunity to see miracles. I did see the lame walk, and I saw hearing restored. I hope to tell you these stories in full one day- the laying of hands is incredibly powerful. It is like God to heal. It is like God to restore. A prayer for healing is a plea for God to be true to Himself.
I am so grateful for my time spent here. Perhaps a better title for this is not Guatemala’s goodbyes, but Guatemala’s see you laters.
I’ll see you again, Guatemala. Later.
