Teams Wreckless and Genesis have been working in Guatcupita for over a week. We now have a consistent schedule with our ministry and are working hard! One of our main focuses is trenching a canal to combat the rainwater that easily builds in the slum during down pours and causes flooding. This not only floods their shacks but breeds disease, amoebas and mosquitoes. No bueno. We have morning and afternoon shifts with a 45 minute walk each way – we are averaging about 10 miles a day on foot, just getting to and from our ministry site, not including runs to the market or internet.
The other areas of ministry we feel led to focus on are bible school sessions (VBS) with the children, and home visits with the adults to pour life into them. We have combined the 11 members of both teams to best utilize our strengths and maximize the time we have in Guatcupita. There is always a team laboring in the trench, and a team either planning VBS, implementing it, holding a sports camp for the children, prayer walking around the slum, or visiting in homes with the adults to build our relationships.
For the most part we are accepted here. Once we began work on the trench we were met with some skepticism and chastising. I suppose a group of Americanos digging up a local’s front yard would seem sketch. We have been praying that our purpose is understood once the heavy rains come and trash and disease are able to be better managed. We have about a week and half left in Guatcupita, then one of the teams on our squad that are currently in Haiti will take over our ministry here. It is encouraging to know the ball will not be dropped once we are gone, and are praying the relationships will also continue to be built up.
The children are quite familiar with us now and are a great bridge to building relationships with their parents! On a prayer walk through the slum the other day I was stopped by two ladies, Ana and Maria, who were telling us their kids won’t stop talking about the Americanos in town. I have learned on missions that sometimes the color of your skin can be your best advertisement. It certainly comes with a hand full of challenges also – we’ll save those for another blog. This excitement helps us gather children for VBS’s and curiosity opens doors for us to spend time with their parents.
After serving God in the Ukraine, Russia, China, India and the U.S. I can honestly say I have never seen a place like Guatcupita and will not forget it. ‘Shacks’, various kinds livestock a muck in the streets, infected people and animals everywhere, joy in the eyes of the people who live there when we ask if we can pray for them. I am saying ‘Amen’, to things my eyes see and the emotions my heart feel.
Trench work
We are working towards 4 feet wide by 3 feet deep. Once we level, concrete can be poured.
