This month at Santa Elena has been a bit confusing.
We started off the month moving more boxes than I thought there could ever be to an upstairs room. This was done using small handcarts, the steepest ramp in the world, and the determination of 7 Americanos. It was through this that we met Renee and the Bodega General staff. There had been water damage in their regular office and were relocating. And boy did they need help. It took over 2 days, but we eventually moved all of their stuff upstairs. We then found out that they were all Christians and made our first set of fantastic Guatemalan friends.
Next we spent a great deal of time in the maternity ward playing with the children I mentioned in the last blog. The joy they had on their faces when we come to play is priceless. I must admit that this particular part of ministry was not exactly my cup of tea. But watching the members of my team interact with the children, the sick and hurting women, and pray for whomever they could brought me a great deal of joy. They were like a well oiled machine in the hospital. Just tonight we went and read the story of the Good Samaritan to one of the girls as a bedtime story. Jessie and Claire made it into a book that they illustrated and translated into Spanish. It was great. A great deal of good was done in that ward. Not just for the kids, but allowing the understaffed nurses a bit of break while we played with the kids.
The ministry that was greatest to me is also the most ironic for me. We then paired up with Ruiz and his crew. Ruiz is the head custodian at Santa Elena. Along with Julio, who is also a pastor, and a quiet fellow named Domingo we set to cleaning the hospital with gusto. This whole week has brought me back to memories of the 3 months that I was a night janitor. This time was a lot more pleasant. We dust mopped, regular mopped, buffed the floors, painted the parking lot, washed the walls, moved boxes, and all manner of things that I rather enjoy doing. The joy for me here was not in the task, but in the fellowship with these 3 men.
Ruiz is a veteran of the Guatemalan army and a former boxer. He is a Christian and an incredibly tender-hearted man. He runs his staff well and is liked by all. Even though he comes up a little past my shoulders I still get the feeling he could take me down. Even when the task is done, Ruiz would stand around and just talk with us. He would talk slow so we could learn more Spanish and ask questions so he could learn some English. The tasks he would have us do are not things that were unique to our skill set. Not things that he particularly needed help doing. You could tell he just enjoyed having us around. Talking with us. We had barely known him when he shared his testimony with us. Had only really known him one day when he brought all of us chocolate-covered, frozen bananas. Ruiz saw what we were about, what we wanted to do and loved it. The joy Ruiz brings to the table is matched by Julio.
Julio is one of the janitors who works for Ruiz. He is also a traveling pastor of sorts. What’s funny about both Ruiz and Julio is that before we started working with them we met them quite on accident. Or at least we thought it was. We were doing a prayer walk through the hospital when we came across Ruiz and started talking. Then he called over Julio and Domingo and we prayed for them. We spoke English, but these men didn’t care. Julio was praying hard right along with us. That moment, whether we knew it or not, Julio was now one of our best friends. He went out of his way every day to shake our hands and say hello, smiling the whole time. He made especially sure to learn my name. Every day he would come up with his hand outstretched for handshake and say “Buenos Dias, Set!” One day we even shared a bro-hug. Julio told us about his favorite parts of the Bible and was always around when we needed help with anything. And was definitely always around to praise and affirm us. He is one of those guys that if he ever stopped smiling you would know something is seriously wrong.
My heart soars a these people. The joy they have. The joy they share. The joy that reveals that God is in them. That God is here. Even in Santa Elena hospital, a place where joy has trouble shining through. There are those among you, I know there are, who have to be wondering if moving boxes and holding kids is the reason I picked up my life and headed to Guatemala.
The answer is yes. That is the reason. Not for the boxes sake, or the cleaning. But for the seeds that are planted through our efforts. Because there’s something a bit memorable about a 6 foot tall red head holding a tiny Guatemalan baby because he feels that God brought him here to do so. About a giant sweaty red headed dude hauling thousands of pounds of boxes up an almost vertical incline because he wants the love of God to be shared to every corner of the Earth. Wouldn’t you remember that? Wouldn’t you remember why? I’d like to think you would. Not just to plant seeds and leave, but to cultivate seeds that have already been planted. To come behind and support those who do the cultivating. To breathe life into Ruiz in Julio. To show them that there are others like them all over the world. That there joy does not go unnoticed.
It is for this reason that my heart soars in Quiche. That it soars in Santa Elena. Because even in the dirtiest, saddest, and harshest places God can still shine through. That seeds can grow in the soil that doesn’t look fertile. That people can still be loved on and helped. Even if it just means carrying their stuff around.
Friends, never underestimate the power of a planted seed. Never think that what you’re doing isn’t worth it. That none of it seems to have a point. I know I will need to come back to this blog in the future. That I will struggle with this. But know that it is the truth. That God can use you in so many ways it will absolutely blow your mind.
Our time here in Quiche is drawing to a close. It’s weird to say that I’m almost done with my first month on the Race. Very weird. But now it’s time for my logistics coordinator role to kick in and make sure we get to Nicaragua. Your prayers, kind words, and everything else mean so much to me. To all of us.
This is only a brief glimpse of what W Squad did in Quiche. Read my whole squad’s blogs to see all of the good things that happened this month.
Until then, keep up the prayers. Keep up the reading.
Adios!
Seth
