Wow. How to explain my time here in Guatemala? To tell you the truth, it’s going to be difficult! So many amazing and wonderful things have been happening here. My ministry is amazing, living with the whole squad is incredible, and every day I grow closer with my new team as well as my squad-mates. However, because I love all of you supporters and readers, and it’s been far too long since I’ve posted a blog I will do my best to fill you in to what my life looks like here in the beautiful country of Guatemala.
I absolutely love my ministry!! My team and the other co-ed team are working with an organization called, “Loving Arms”, a Canadian started “help program” for the area we’re in. To give a little back story, Loving Arms came into Guatemala with the vision to provide basic needs to the community, food, water, shelter, and hygiene until they themselves could self sustain. For example, 8 cows were given to a small village in the area and now, after milk and cheese sales, they have 36. After a while, they had basically filled all of those needs and the people in the villages and surrounding towns were now self sufficient in their basic needs. However, God nudged them and told them that there was another need. Education.
?So, our ministry site, only a 10 minute walk away, works on educating students from Pre-K to 2nd Grade. To begin with, they started teaching 20 pre-schoolers and, while they were being taught throughout the school year, built a Kindergarten room. This process has continued all the way to now, where they are building a 3rd grade class room for the future 2nd graders. Our job while we’re there entails many things. We rotate each week for teaching/teachers aid, carpentry, sorting school supplies and uniforms, painting a fence, and doing whatever else needs to be done.
On weekends, our off days, Guatemala has an unending supply of things to do! As of yet, I’ve experienced “Semana Santa” the holy week between Palm Sunday and Easter, hiked a dormant volcano to watch an active one, and gone to a black sand beach to surf. During the week, our squad will do worship, trivia nights, and bible studies in the evening. Everyday we call each other higher in the Lord and I feel like I’m a little tree, pushing to get my roots even deeper and planted in God.
To finish up, there’s been a term floating around the base saying, where we are is a “thin place”. In the Celtic tradition/religion such places that give an opening into the magnificence and wonder of the presence of God are called “Thin Places.” There is a Celtic saying that heaven and earth are only three feet apart, but in the thin places that distance is even smaller. The veil that separates heaven and earth is extremely thin if not always there. Now, I believe the Lord can be felt wherever you are and you don’t have to go to a “thin place” to feel that but, there’s something different about Guatemala that’s exhilarating and like I’m breathing in a breath of fresh air.
So, that’s what I’ve got for you. Guatemala is amazing and wonderful. Until next time my dear supporters and readers, I’ve got some kingdom work to do!
