Americans are busy.
Always moving, always doing. In the words of my mother “There are LITERALLY a
million things to do!” It seems like our to-do lists are never ending and we’re
always rushing around trying doing this that and the other. We invest our time and energy trying to get
ahead.
But here in Guatemala, things are different, and let me tell
you: it’s hard to get used to, but I like it! People here invest in people. They invest their time in
relationships. And despite being a hard adjustment sometimes, it’s really
refreshing!
For example, mealtimes in Guatemala are seen as a time of
rest and a time to have fellowship. We literally sit at the table for upwards
of an hour after eating. Sometimes, when our ministry contact, Maureen, is
here, we sit for three hours and just talk. The first few days, we were so
quick to jump up and get a head start on the dishes and other chores, but we
are beginning to learn to sit, relax and just invest in those around us. It’s a
tradition I might be bringing back to the states.
Also, the people here are just SO HAPPY that we are here. We went to a local medical clinic and
painted the building one day, and the man who owned it was simply thrilled we
were there. He went and brought his mother and his daughter to meet us, and
quickly ran out and bought drinks and snacks for us. (Again, it was a little
difficult to take a break from painting for an hour and just have a snack and
sit and relax, but that’s what they do here).
Another example of the emphasis on relationships was
demonstrated to me in church today. Ok, so you know how in church in America,
the pastor typically pauses for a solid 10 seconds to allow you to say hello to
those around you? Right? 10 seconds is just about as much as we can stand… it’s
enough for a quick handshake, a quick hello, and then back to our own little
personal bubble. Well, in church in Guatemala, this process took a solid twenty
minutes, and every person in the entire church came up to me individually, and
hugged me, kissed my cheek and in their best English told me they were so happy
I was there and that they loved me. It warmed my heart!
Another relationship that they take very seriously here is
their relationship with God. In America, an hour-long church service on Sunday
and a quick, 30-second prayer every night and before dinner is a lot to ask
for. But here, we have three, one-hour long prayer sessions a day (think
singing Spanish hymns), and church services are 3-4 hours long. Here, they don’t fit church into their busy
lives; they schedule life around church.
Yes, it’s hard to adjust to after my 24 years in America,
but it just makes me wonder: What would America look like if we took the time to invest
in others and in God instead of our to do lists?
