Let’s play the positive game.
It’s where you’ve been at a Guatemalan bus stop for 45 minutes after a long day and finally finally the bus comes for your stop. Guatemalan buses don’t have a real schedule and you’re relieved to see the big, yellow, glorified school bus pull up. But of course it’s full up. So you get to wait for the next bus. What do you do?
The answer in the States would likely be to grumble and complain for awhile. On the Race, however, we sat in a circle and said all the things we were thankful for that day. There were many things to be thankful for. God had brought us safely to Guatemala, given us an incredible ministry contact, and blessed us in infinite other ways since our arrival.
After probably another half an hour, the bus came. Finally! As we entered our second experience on the bus our eyes went wide. Was it even possible to fit more people? We certainly wouldn’t be able to sit down, as everyone was already three and even four to a seat. Saying we were like sardines in the aisle is an understatement. I didn’t even have to hold onto anything because I know if the bus made a sudden lurch I would be able to stand straight because of how tightly packed I was. It got worse though.
Someone had to get off the bus. How could they possibly fit through the aisle? Basically we had to lay on the poor Guatemalans sitting down so the man could get through to the door. Somehow it was so funny I actually started crying (which hasn’t happened in years.) I looked at the women next to me on the bus and they caught my laughter. Soon a handful of people all around me were laughing hysterically at the situation. I sat down a few stops later when there was a space next to them and asked in broken Spanish if this kind of bus ride was normal and told them it was very fun. They laughed again and confirmed it was normal and told me I was very beautiful. I told them they were beautiful as well and one of the women responded, “Gracias. Amigas ahora.” Which mean, “Thank you. Friends now.”
It lifted my heart to the stars. I could have entered that bus ride tired and negative, but instead I went in focused on how good God was. I was joyful and peaceful, and the people on the bus found those things infectious. Until that point I had been dejected, feeling it was hard to build relationships with people I couldn’t speak fluently with and feeling insecure about starting conversations because of it.
I now realize the fruits of the Holy Spirit are the universal language. When you exhibit them people will nearly always respond in a positive light, and in the mere ten days I’ve been here I’ve felt I’m beginning to make very real and meaningful relationships with those I’m serving.
Fun Updates: My team is working in construction on two different houses so needless to say I’m getting ripped and tan. The work is hard, but the causes are awesome. We’ve been cooking our own food every day and it’s incredibly eye-opening living on under $4 a day. It definitely brings to light the things you want and the things you need. Also, we got to be here for Guatemalan Independence Day! We ran a torch with some of the children from our discipleship class into the square of Antigua and back to our house, dressed in blue and blowing whistles the whole way. What pride these people have in their country! Also, almost my whole team got lice from playing with some of the kids near our construction sight and almost every boy shaved their head. We’ve had a couple cases of bronchitis, a lot of colds, and some other sicknesses so keep my team in your prayers! Even through that though, the environment here is incredible. We eat together, pray together, laugh, talk, argue about the meaning of scriptures, share everything, and simply love each other. God is good.
