My oh my! This month has already flown by. In a short 9 days, we’ll be heading to Guatemala. I can’t believe it! This month has been so good. Full of play and laughter. I want to start by giving you a quick summary of the ministry and the ways we have been supporting them this month.
We are at a ministry called Heart of Christ. This ministry is run by the sweetest couple. They have been so good to us. The ministry itself is heavily focused on justice ministry in the area. They work a lot with victims of abuse. They also take in women who have been victims, including women who have become pregnant through rape. The ministry provides a safe haven for these women. Sometimes, the women decide to leave but don’t take their children with them. Heart of Christ takes care of these kids – provides them with food, clothes, a place to sleep, education, and a loving environment to grow up in. There are currently 13 kids staying at the ministry.
Our role in supporting the ministry this month can be explained in 4 areas. Each day, the two (now three) teams that are here split up so that there are a few people helping out in each area. The areas are the following:
- Housing
Some of us each day are on housing. We help wash the dishes, clean the bathrooms, etc. Having 19 extra people at the ministry adds a lot of work, so we help to lessen the load.
- Christmas
Heart of Christ does a lot of outreach in the neighbouring communities, especially during Christmastime. Gifts are donated to the ministry, and then the ministry partners with churches and organizations to help distribute the Christmas gifts to kids who may not be getting much, if anything, else for Christmas. We help put the gifts together and then give them out on distribution days.
- Kids
As I mentioned, there are 13 kids currently at Heart of Christ. We help by joining each age group for the day during school hours. We help in the classroom and play with the kids on the playground during their breaks. It’s a lot of fun! There are also two girls with special needs at HOC that we get to hang out with for the day.
- Construction
Heart of Christ is currently building a new Children’s Home to accommodate for more people. Each day, some of us join the two construction guys and help them out however we can. We’ve done everything from digging holes to mixing cement to cutting wood for the frames.
My favourite part of this ministry is the kids. I love kids and being around them brings me so much joy. What gets me though is the joy that these kids have. Their stories are really sad. Some of them have been through things I can’t even imagine. One of the little girls was raped as a baby. One girl was found on in the woods just after being born with the placenta still attached. Some of their fathers are also their grandfathers. It’s tough stuff.
And yet, they are all smiles.
Heart of Christ is doing great things. These kids know that they are loved. These kids are taken good care of. These kids are being taught how much God loves them. And they are filled with joy. Yes, there is the occasional meltdown that all kids have – but in general, they are so happy. Their laughs are contagious.
I’m having such a great time getting to know each of them. It’s going to be so hard to leave. But I am so, so grateful for the time we’ve had here this month.
