So we are half way through month 2 of the World Race, and I realized I never posted a blog about everything we did during month 1 in Guatemala. So this blog is going to be a recap of my ministry, challenges, adventures, and blessings in Guatemala.
Ministry and Challenges
So for month number one in Guatemala, my team and I served at Casa de Sabiduria, which is a Christian school for grades K-6th. We thought we would be doing teaching and devotions with the kids, but the Lord had a different work for us to do. We spent most of our month doing a lot of manual labor and construction. We painted the entire outside of the school. We then got to be part of a vision that the Pastor and his family had for the future of their school. They had a big plot of land next to their school that they felt like God has asked them to build a high school on. The school can only accommodate kids up to 6th grade currently due to lack of space. So for our ministry for the month, my team and I plowed the plot of land next to the school to start fulfilling that vision. We shoveled and pic-axed all of the roots and uneven land. Then we spread out dirt and sand over the lot in order to create a solid space for the foundation for the high school. Lastly, we dug a huge trench on the very edge of the lot in order for concrete to be poured in for the exterior walls.
It was so much hard work, but it was so fulfilling. The Lord taught me a lot about perseverance in month 1 of the race through this ministry. Some days, it would be extremely hot outside (also we were at 7000ft elevation). We worked from 7:30am to about 4pm Monday to Friday, so I was so tired a lot of the time. The sun and the construction wore me out. On top of that, I was going through a lot of spiritual and emotional challenges, so that exhausted me as well. In Guatemala, the Lord taught me the power and necessity of perseverance. In my life, I realized I have run away every time things have gotten hard. The Lord revealed that many times I will try and take the easy way out of things. I have learned that if I challenge myself to persevere through the weariness and the hardships, I will be able to fully experience all that God has for me as His daughter. There are beautiful blessings that you can only receive if you allow yourself to embrace the pain and the struggle in its entirety.
“Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” Romans 5:3-5
It really was a blessing getting to be apart of the construction of the high school. We might not be able to ever see the fruit of our work. But I rest in the fact that it is the Lord’s work, and He will be glorified. It was beautiful to press in to the long days and hard work at the school. There is so much joy in working for the Lord, no matter how difficult or tiring it seems to be.
“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men.” Colossians 3:23
Adventures and Blessings
Jesus really blessed me the first month with many adventures. I didn’t want to take for granted the opportunity that I had to be in Guatemala. It is a beautiful country with so much to be explored. This is an epic life, so I sought out epic adventures with my squad mates while in the country.
I got to take two trips to two different locations in Guatemala during my days off. One was to Lake Atitlan and the other was to Antigua. They were amazing! I got to hike a beautiful waterfall on Lake Atitlan. I love seeing Jesus in nature, so it was the perfect opportunity to worship the Lord by enjoying the beautiful world He created for me. Also on the lake, there are two huge volcanoes that we got to see along with beautiful mountain landscapes. Antigua on the other hand is a town that is rich in history and culture with many historical buildings and parks. It was a very relaxing trip. We even got to hike up to a cross that sits on top of a mountain that overlooks the entire city. It was incredible.
My adventures weren’t just on the weekend though. The Lord gave me blessings while in Santa Cruz del Quiche (our ministry town). One cool thing I got to do was to walk in the Independence Day Parade through the entire town with the kids from the school. That was awesome. There were so many people watching, and so much culture that I got to experience. Another cool thing was my squad and I got to go to a pizza party at the local orphanage (Casa de Mi Padre). These kids go to the school I was doing ministry at, so it was cool to go over to their home and have fun with them there. We ate pizza and played games. Then the kids put on this adorable show for us with songs and dances. It was so cool to watch them worship Jesus. It was such a blessing and probably one of my favorite things I did that first month.
One last blessing before I go…. The Lopez family who run the school I worked at for the month blessed my team and I with handmade bags. Each one was different and tailored to our personalities. My bag is multicolored and absolutely perfect for me. I love it so much. This bag was made with the two things I learned the most about in Guatemala: perseverance and love. And what I admire even more is that it came from the most humble family who spend their life serving Jesus by loving on others (like myself). I hope one day I can become the type of servant-hearted follower of Jesus that these people are. I am so thankful for my work and adventures in Guatemala.
Next time I write, I will tell you all about what I have been doing here in Nicaragua. Jesus just keeps getting sweeter and sweeter, my friends.
