Snapshots from Guatemala
*Healing and Miracles:
Becky, one of the missionaries who started Life Unlimited here in Guatemala met with us one evening to share some wisdom with us. Two of the main things she taught about were healing and speaking in tongues. She is currently writing a book on healing, and told us about some of her experiences abroad where people were healed from incredible ailments. Some people were blind, others deaf, and some deformed. I feel like we read the New Testament and see all these miracles and things happen, and then wonder why they don’t today. The thing is miraculous things still occur everyday… maybe we just believe in them less or believe less that they are possible. Whatever the case, her stories were amazing and got me excited for what is to come. I’ll admit that I am a skeptic about a lot of things, but I can’t wait for the time when a miracle is staring at me straight in the face and all I can do is gape and marvel at God’s strength. We hear stories from other teams out on the race all the time who pray for people to be healed and it happens! Maybe we all just need to believe more, not only that these things can happen, but that they will happen. Anyways, the whole talk with Becky was awesome and our team was definitely blessed by it.
*Our first experience preaching at a church service:
Unfortunately our entire team wasn’t able to make the 2 hour trek to the little church in the town that I never learned the name of, but 5 out of 7 of us loaded in a van with 12 of the older boys, and Javier’s family of 4. We weren’t given much instruction, but what we did know was that some of us would share testimonies and also lead worship for the church. We arrived to the location a little early and the boys played a little soccer in the courtyard before the service began. Cody, Danielle, and Amber led worship with a guitar and it sounded beautiful. Afterwards, Cody, Amber, and Christine shared their testimonies with the group and Christine translated a lot of it. In a lot of situations, we don’t really know what’s going on, but we’ve learned that we just have to give a lot of things to God. For instance, I have no idea who the people in the crowd were that night. I don’t know if they regularly attended this church, if they wandered in off the street, or how our message was received. I do know but we tried to be faithful to what God was asking us to share, and that’s all that matters.
After Javier spoke and at the end of the service, we were asked to go to the front of the church and everyone prayed for us. Then every person in the church got in a line and cycled through and personally thanked and blessed us for coming. I hardly understood a word, but it was a great blessing and gesture nonetheless.
On the way home we were all exhausted and I fell asleep for a bit. I awoke as we neared the compound to find someone’s jacket draped over me. I looked around and realized it was Rodrigo’s (one of the boys from Life Unlimited). It was such a sweet gesture to me, I couldn’t help but smile that we were becoming part of their family.
After Javier spoke and at the end of the service, we were asked to go to the front of the church and everyone prayed for us. Then every person in the church got in a line and cycled through and personally thanked and blessed us for coming. I hardly understood a word, but it was a great blessing and gesture nonetheless.
On the way home we were all exhausted and I fell asleep for a bit. I awoke as we neared the compound to find someone’s jacket draped over me. I looked around and realized it was Rodrigo’s (one of the boys from Life Unlimited). It was such a sweet gesture to me, I couldn’t help but smile that we were becoming part of their family.
*Tantrums:
As we started taking over some of the houses at the children’s home more (many of the staff were going on vacation or would need to leave the compound on trips to town), our team began to realize that our authority would be challenged a little and our roles were being changed from friend to more of a parent at times. One of the days that Janee, Christina, and I were in charge of the girls house, one of the girls decided to throw a giant tantrum. It was so tough because we didn’t know if this was normal or not, but we couldn’t get her to obey. We needed all the kids to go outside since no one would be in the house, but she refused. Then Christine decided to stay in the house with her but she wouldn’t go to her room. She was trying to go out the window and even ran outside and tried to run away down the hill (where the girls are not allowed to go alone). I left to go watch the other girls, but when I came back I learned that she had been scratching, kicking, screamed, and generally making a huge scene. I talked to her for a little while and we even had Scotty come down to talk to her. After a while she calmed down and stayed in her room. Later though, when she wasn’t allowed to watch a movie with the other girls, the screaming recommenced. Since we had recently been talking to Becky about the power of prayer I suggested to Janee and Christine, who were sitting by her room, to pray. They started praying and I could see their spirits calming. When they looked up and the little girl was still screaming and crying I suggested they put their hands on her and just start praying for peace and understanding of the situation to come to her. Christina started praying in Spanish and then switched to English. As they prayed, the girl’s crying subsided to a whimper, and then stopped completely. She walked back to her bed, turned off the light, and we didn’t hear a peep the rest of the night. Coincidence? I think not.
*Taking over the houses:
It felt really nice to have responsibility over the houses while the staff went on vacation. We had been living at Life Unlimited for maybe two weeks when the staff started having off days. Since Danielle and Amber had to take over the little boys more often, I became the ambassador. I stayed with the girls’ house more, but would make trips upstairs to hand with D and A and play with the sweet little babies and boys. For the first time in my life I started feeling like a mom. Literally there were actually several moments when I felt like I really was their mom and I loved it. The one thing that became hard for our team with taking over the houses was that we couldn’t spend a lot of time as a team. Our nightly feedback sessions weren’t always possible and neither were our Bible Study times together. One of the days all the staff went on a retreat and we were literally the only “authorities” on the entire compound. Overall, the entire experience was very growing and wonderful in so many ways. We grew to love those kids so much, like they were our own…
*Normal life in Guatemala:
1. Driving home from church in a 12 passenger van, filled with 27 people and stopping to pick up #28 on the side of the rode. Normal ☺
I loved some of these car rides with everyone sitting on each others laps or sprawling over bags. On this particular outing I had one little boy named Tamar sitting on my lap and his nephew, Wellington (seriously- and yes they are the same age and absolute best friends), fast asleep in my arms as well.
Later this same night I had total déjà vu with Javier’s son Javier Pedro sleeping in one arm with another boy, Marcos squirming around and sleeping in my lap.
I loved some of these car rides with everyone sitting on each others laps or sprawling over bags. On this particular outing I had one little boy named Tamar sitting on my lap and his nephew, Wellington (seriously- and yes they are the same age and absolute best friends), fast asleep in my arms as well.
Later this same night I had total déjà vu with Javier’s son Javier Pedro sleeping in one arm with another boy, Marcos squirming around and sleeping in my lap.
2. Going to see the Mayan ruins in Chimaltenango, and when they are closed, playing with the boys for 2+ hours on the side of a highway, flying kites and exploring a creek.
3. The incredible number of Tiendas in this country (walk 50 feet and you will probably be at the next one). There is one next to the compound and about 10 others on the way down the dirt road before you even reach highway. Bought 15 bananas one day for less than a dollar from one of the Tiendas in the “backwood”. PS a tienda is a mini store/ market (more like a hole in a wall where people sell you snacks and things).
Christine Palmer with Jenny and Juli
*One of my favorite days:
One of the best memories I have f Guatemala happened just a few days before I left. I had really been wanting to run all month, but it was hard while staying in the confines of the compound. I finally asked one of our contacts, Javier, and he said I could go running down the road if I got one of the boys to go with me. Melvin, one of the older boys (16), said he’d go with me and I excitedly grabbed my shoes and changed. I met him outside in exactly what he had been wearing before- his jean shorts and casual shoes. I started wondering what kind of run he was expecting. Soon enough though, I realized this kid really had some speed. We were cruising down the road together, getting funny looks from some of the locals, when we ran into a few of the other boys from LIFE. They had all gone down the road in the van to watch a bike race, and were walking back. They decided to join up with Melvin and I and we ran back the way they had come until we met up with Jesus (the staff in charge of them that day) and the rest of the boys. Jesus let some of the older boys run with me the rest of the way and two brought bikes.
The run was absolutely incredible. I felt like I saw more of Guatemala during that run than I had that whole month. It was exactly what I wanted to experience. We ran, walked, and biked for over an hour over hills, through small communities, farms, etc. The sights were incredibly breathtaking and unforgettable. We passed all kinds of people on the way and instead of taking me back on the same road I had seen several times, they showed me a new way to get back to the compound. I loved the adventure of it and running free with the boys. They laughed as I struggled with my limited Spanish, but I think in the end they had a certain respect and affection for me. I absolutely loved spending that time with them running free and feeling so alive. Sheer happiness.
Later that day, all the boys convinced me once again to take them on an adventure. The language barrier prevented me from really understanding what I was getting myself into. I thought I was walking with them down the road to some fruit tree, but 2 hours later, we had crawled and climbed through a muddy creek, hiked a hill, wandered past fields of corn, amassed unreasonable amounts of avocados, and gazed at beautiful vistas. ☺ What a wonderful day to experience near the end of my stay. Though I was absolutely exhausted, I felt so blessed to have had such a day and spend more time with some of the older boys that I had come to love like family.
The run was absolutely incredible. I felt like I saw more of Guatemala during that run than I had that whole month. It was exactly what I wanted to experience. We ran, walked, and biked for over an hour over hills, through small communities, farms, etc. The sights were incredibly breathtaking and unforgettable. We passed all kinds of people on the way and instead of taking me back on the same road I had seen several times, they showed me a new way to get back to the compound. I loved the adventure of it and running free with the boys. They laughed as I struggled with my limited Spanish, but I think in the end they had a certain respect and affection for me. I absolutely loved spending that time with them running free and feeling so alive. Sheer happiness.
Later that day, all the boys convinced me once again to take them on an adventure. The language barrier prevented me from really understanding what I was getting myself into. I thought I was walking with them down the road to some fruit tree, but 2 hours later, we had crawled and climbed through a muddy creek, hiked a hill, wandered past fields of corn, amassed unreasonable amounts of avocados, and gazed at beautiful vistas. ☺ What a wonderful day to experience near the end of my stay. Though I was absolutely exhausted, I felt so blessed to have had such a day and spend more time with some of the older boys that I had come to love like family.
