Well, the road getting to Quiche, Guatemala was an interesting one. I didn't even get out of the country without my phone getting stolen. My phone got lifted in the Atlanta Airport, my checked bag weighed 61 pounds, so I had to put some of my things in one of the other squad mates bags (which was much appreciated), I got a little motion sick on the airplane and once at the Guatemalan airport, I went to use the restroom and slid across the floor and fell really hard. My tailbone was a little bruised but my pride hurt more. After getting out of the airport we took vans to travel to Quiche, the city we would be working in. The trip was only supposed to take 4 hours by van, but because of the heavy rainfall during this time of year in Central America, part of the road was washed out and a few people were killed in the sinkhole. There was a search and rescue team looking for any survivors, but were unsuccessful. While we were stuck in the traffic, there was a local church that we decided to go visit. When we walked in they were singing worship music and so we decided to sit down and worship with them. It was incredible! They were so hospitable and kind. After an hour or two, the vans started to move so we had to leave, but I will never forget that incredible experience. What was supposed to take 4 hours ended up taking 9 hours….I was so car sick. The ministry we are working and staying with is Agape in Action with a wonderful couple, Sally and Irv. After traveling for 15 hours, we were finally at the compound we would be staying at. The plan was for us to sleep in our tents on the soccer field, but because of the rain and the soccer field flooding, we were able to stay in actual rooms with electricity, toilets, and HOT running water. We were starting off our World Race spoiled, and I honestly loved it!
As blessed as we were, I was still having a hard time. After having my phone stolen, falling in the bathroom, my pack weighing 61 pounds, getting car sick and then altitude sick, I was such a grump. I was so frustrated and annoyed and then to top it off, I got a migraine. My World Race experience was not going well, and it was just starting! I wanted to cry, I wanted to scream, I wanted to be alone, (and if you know anything about the world race, it's that you can never be alone…except maybe when you're using the restroom), and that's when the doubt started to creep in. I started thinking about all those people who told me that I shouldn't do this trip, that I wasn't physically healthy enough. I started thinking about when I wanted to join the Peace Corps but they wouldn't accept me because I was on an anti-depressant, they told me I wasn't "emotionally stable to handle a 2 year commitment." I started thinking about how I wanted to join the military and how I spoke to recruiters from the Air Force, Army, and Navy and all 3 said they didn't think I was physically well enough to serve due to the migraines, poor circulation, and degenerative joint disease. All those voices started getting to me and I started to wonder if maybe they were right, maybe I'm not supposed to be going overseas and living in third world countries. I was already hitting rock bottom and it was day two!
After spending some time in prayer and having a good nights sleep, I woke up with an entirely different perspective. I started to think about all of those amazing people who do support me in my mission trip, those people who gave so gave so generously, and how if this was not of the Lord I never would have made it this far. I never would have been accepted to the World Race, I never would have been 100% fully funded, and I wouldn't have had such peace about it, if God was not wanting me to embark on this journey. I know I'm supposed to be exactly where I am at this exact moment, and that's good enough for me.
We've only been in Guatemala a short time, but already I have broken down some of the walls I have built around me. I have learned to ask for help and rely on others, which is something that is very difficult for me. My whole squad has been so generous in allowing me to use their phones to call my family and passing along text messages from them. I've already learned that I can't do this by myself and that needing others does not mean I am weak. If this is the beginning, I can't imagine how the rest of this trip will go! I'm nervous and excited!
Love,
LJ
