When we first got to Guatemala, one of the visions we had for our village was unity among the women and in the community.
Community is so important. People to celebrate with you, cry with you. People to call you higher and people to laugh with. People to just do life with! Once starting ministry here about 3 months ago, we quickly realized that these women didn’t seem to have a strong community, even in such a small place. Separate families kept to themselves, other than the kids, and no one asked each other for help. Over the last 3 months we have constantly prayed unity over Llano and spoke life over this community.
Last week, as we start to wrap up our time in Guatemala, we held an event at the base where we live and invited every single woman we had met and her family. We wanted to get get the community together, focusing on the women, and empower them to build unity among each other with Jesus at the core. We cleaned up our living room/kitchen/dining room and decorated with flowers. Soon, 40+ women arrived and they brought all of their children, who ran and played in our big field out front.
We started the event with Spanish worship ( That’s right, 3 months sure teaches you a lot of Spanish! ) and then talked about who we are in Christ and who He says we are. Each woman drew on a piece of paper with any color crayon or marker how Christ viewed her. We got drawings of women with their kids, flowers, sunshine, and even just self-portraits! Each one spoke life and Truth over who these women were in Jesus— loving, beautiful, radiant, unique, worthy. Afterwards, we invited people to share what their drawings meant to each of them, which was a little outside the comfort zones of many, but outside of the comfort zone is where growth happens! We shared cookies and coffee with everyone as we talked, and got to spend more and more time in conversation.
Towards the end of our event, Camille, another girl on my team, and I both stood up and shared parts of our testimony. As part of my testimony, I shared how I used to let other people define me and tell me what I was worth. I shared how after building a relationship with Jesus and learning the Father’s character and His heart that I now know my worth and identity lies with Him. I shared the sweet words I heard Him speak, “ You are loved. You are worthy. You are a daughter. No one can take that away.” And I told the women that God was telling each of them this as well. It’s who they truly are!
Isaiah 61 says:
“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn;
to grant to those who mourn in Zion— to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified.
They shall build up the ancient ruins; they shall repair the ruined cities, the devastation of many generations.
Strangers shall stand and tend your flocks; foreigners shall be your plowmen and vinedressers;
but you shall be called the priests of the Lord; they shall speak of you as the ministers of our God; you shall eat the wealth of nations, and in their glory you shall boast.
Instead of your shame shall there shall be a double portion; instead of dishonor they shall rejoice in their lot; there fore in their land they shall possess a double portion; they shall have everlasting joy.
For I the Lord love justice; I hate robbery and wrong; I will faithfully give them their recompense, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.
Their offspring shall be known among the nations, and their descendants in the midst of the peoples; all who see them shall acknowledge them, that they are an offspring the Lord has blessed.
I will greatly rejoice in the Lord; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
For as the earth brings forth its sprouts, and as a garden causes what is sown to sprout up, so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise, to sprout up before all the nations”
We believe that God is going to give these women community instead of isolation. Friendship instead of hatred. Freedom instead of lies. Unity instead of separation. We believe He is going to give this place and its people everlasting joy; a double portion of everything good instead of anything that contradicts Himself or His character.
We believe that this event started planting seeds. Maybe one woman sat with another who she had never met. Maybe a few women shared part of their story only to find out another woman has dealt with the same thing and that she isn’t alone. But either way, we believe that this is just the very beginning for this community and the beginning of the work the Lord has started in their hearts.
What a BLESSING is has been to be just a small part of it!
– haven
