“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor, he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound” Isaiah 61:1
Guatemala is a place of contrasts. The lake and mountains surrounding us are gloriously beautiful, but the concrete houses and trash-lined streets that make up everyday life here in San Pedro present a very different view. Even though many of the people here live in what Americans would consider extreme poverty they still have smiles on their faces and words of welcome on their lips. The mornings and afternoons present opposites as well. We wake up to warm sunlight, but by the afternoon the sun has usually been replaced by rolling clouds and steady rain.
We’ve been in Guatemala for a week now, and God has been working in us and through us everyday. He’s been teaching us all patience, especially during meal times because the Latin American pace of life is not as hurried as we are used to. During the mornings we usually lead kids programs at local churches and we have time for ministry preparation in the afternoons. We have had lots of opportunities to spend time with the kids who live near the churches, lead them in both Spanish and English songs, perform dramas for them, and also read through Spanish tracts with them which explain how people receive the gift of eternal life.
The children we’re interacting with either speak the native Mayan language or Spanish so there is a language barrier present. However, there are team members who know enough Spanish to help the rest of us communicate with the kids. Even if we don’t always know the right words to say or we end up pronouncing something terribly wrong we have all been able to communicate God’s love to the kids through hugs, smiles, and laughter.
Please pray for our team and also for the people we’re meeting and interacting with here in Guatemala. Many members of the team have been fighting off illness and especially upset stomachs, but everyone who is sick is looking forward to being healthy so they can have more energy to do ministry. God is truly blessing each one of us on this trip and is teaching us so much as we work together as a team and experience a new culture as well as challenges and trials. Thank you to everyone who supported us financially and through prayer on this trip!
