Early one morning, I was spent time with the Lord and prayed that “today will be my best day yet.” I don’t know why I waited until the last week of ministry in Guatemala to ask the King of kings for such a day. “You have not because you ask not,” says His word. Ministry has been great but asking for my best day yet was specific to me. Thank you, Jesus. So here’s my favorite Watermelon (Guatemalan) moment. 🙂
We loaded the passenger van with as many racers as possible. M Squad was ready for the Widow’s Reunion in Santa Maria, a neighboring town of Xenacoj (where we stayed). I get to sit shotgun sometimes (so grateful for squad mates who prefer me for such winding car rides, thank you all!). German, our ministry contact hands me his camera from the passenger side. “You take photos,” he said. I took the camera and immediately passed it behind me to whoever would take it. I knew my strengths and figuring out the settings of that camera was not one of them. Leah ended up with the camera (and rightfully so, she’s a copy editor back home).
We arrived in Santa Maria and unloaded at the Mayor’s building. After setting up chairs and greeting the widows, I didn’t know what to do with myself. There was a group preparing bags of food for the widows at the corner of the room. I walked over and asked if they needed help. “Nope, we got it!” Right. ::Sigh:: Now what?
Shortly after, German handed a basket and a bible to Betsy and he mentioned something in Spanish to her. Then she turns to me and the conversation went something like…
Betsy: Charis, do you want to come help?
Me: Yes!
Finally, a project! We walked over to a group of widows in a semi straight line. But what are we doing?
Betsy: We’re handing out glasses.
Not asked but answered.
Me: Great! You know what to do right?
Betsy: No. That’s why I asked you to come help.
Me: Oh!!! Duh, Charis.
You see, in my early twenties, I used to work for an eye doctor’s office. The skills I learned over a decade ago surfaced quickly as Betsy handed me the basket of reading glasses. After organizing the glasses by grade, we proceeded with fitting each widow for a pair. I turned the bible to Salmo 23 (Psalm 23) for the “eye exam.” Every time I heard “Salmo” uttered from a widow’s lips after placing a pair of reading glasses on her beautiful face, my heart would skip a beat. Some of the widows couldn’t read. Thank God Mollie was around as she was able to get us Amanda’s children’s picture bible. “Un pollito!” I heard from a widow after trying on a pair of glasses. The excitement in her voice was music to my soul.
“…the Lord gives sight to the blind, the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down, the Lord loves the righteous.” -Psalm 146:8
Afterwards, Betsy and I were completely overwhelmed with all sorts of emotions. Almost all of the widows went home with a pair of spectacles. The others that we weren’t able to help needed surgery. To some people, glasses are for seeing something blurry become clear. But to some of the widows of Santa Maria, the glasses represent God’s love and provision over them. That they are not forgotten. That God knows their names.
