My first month of the race is over and I can hardly believe it. Some days I feel like I’m at summer camp and I’ll be coming home soon. Other days it hits me that this is my new life and Guatemala is my home for right now. And wow, I am so in love with life here. This whole month has been surreal, sweet, and very, very challenging. Even though the World Race is all about flexibility and being ready for constant change of plans, after a month, we have finally gotten into a rhythm of life as a community and as a church. If you ever have wondered what life is actually like on the field for me, here it is:
Everyday we get up early for breakfast at 7 am. Some days we get pancakes, some days we get yogurt, and some days we have an authentic Guatemalan breakfast of beans, chips, eggs, and plantains (my personal favorite) along with fresh fruit! (If you know me, you KNOW how much I love fruit) After we eat breakfast, we pack our lunch of a sandwich, chips, and an apple or banana for ministry. We also have personal devotional time from 7:45 to 8:30-45 ish everyday, which has been extremely fruitful. Before the race, my devotional time was never as consistent as I wanted it to be. I would also get down on myself every time I didn’t make enough time to pray or read my bible. But since being here, I am realizing how important it is to have intentional time with Jesus. Along with that, I am learning that we have never-ending grace from God and all he wants to do is spend time with us and speak to us. Because how are we supposed to pour into others if we don’t get filled up in the first place? There’s a beautiful exchange that happens when we slow down and receive what God has for us everyday. This spiritual discipline is a life long process and I am so thankful to be here to learn what time with God can look like and how pivotal it is for my daily rhythm.
After devos, my team and I catch a bus to Chimaltenango and another bus to Bola de Oro! We meet Brayan at Josephina’s house almost every morning around 10 am (except for Tuesdays and Thursdays). Brayan is our ministry host who is 17 years old who has truly become a true friend and brother to us crazy gringas. I could literally write a whole other blog about his impact on our lives. I talked a little bit about Josephina in a previous blog and she is amazing! She has truly made her home a safe place for the community. She is known as being the soup lady because she provides soup every week for anyone who wants/needs it. Pastor Jose also drops off other food and clothing for her to distribute to the community. I could also write a whole blog about her impact on our lives. But man, what a privilege it is to spend time with Brayan and Josephina everyday. This time could look like playing uno with Brayan, making tortillas, organizing clothes, or doing anything else Josephina needs done. After that, we have 2 to 4 house visits, depending on what Brayan has planned. And if we don’t have any plans, we pray and ask the Lord where we need to go! Then we eat lunch around noon ish and prepare for the kids to come around la una y media (1:30). On Mondays we teach English to the little ones, Tuesdays we teach English to 10-35 year olds of all different language levels, Wednesdays we do a bible class for the little ones at Josephina’s, Thursdays we have church activation at the base and ATL, and Fridays we go to a big field in Bola and let the kids run free, play soccer, or pick flowers (my favorite pastime). The cool thing about world race life is that everyday looks different. We have a schedule but there is so much room to listen to God and act on what He is telling us to do. We get back home in time everyday to rest for a bit before we have dinner as a squad at 5:30! We get to tell stories of what God did in our villages and in our lives everyday! After dinner we play games together, sing and play guitar together, or just chill out together until quiet hours.
Then the weekend comes. Saturday’s are adventure days where we can go into town to get wifi at a coffee shop, go on hikes, get tattoos (haha, I promise I don’t have one… yet) or simply stay home and chill out. Sunday is our sabbath day. People usually go to church, go to a coffee shop, or stay home, depending on what is restful so we can recharge for the next week. I am also learning the importance of rest because our weeks are so jam-packed.
There’s an inside scoop of my life without internet excess! It is a good life and I am so grateful.
Peace and Blessings,
Hannah Keller
