I’m Back!

I got back late Saturday after a week long mission’s trip to Guatemala with my church.

I’m still processing the trip as it has really marked my life.  My husband and I lived there for about 3 years as newlyweds, but I haven’t been back in about 15 years!

Needless to say I’ve fallen in love with the country and the people all over again.

Tomorrow I’ll back by with cards, but for today I’d like to share a little bit of what I was up to.

Guatemala is a beautiful country, with poverty according to our standards and yet so rich in ways that as Americans we could only hope to understand.

In San Jose Pinula, where we worked, the kids are mostly poor, wearing tattered clothes  and shoes that have clearly been passed down one too many times, and yet there’s a joy and peace about them.  They smile, sometimes revealing missing teeth or cavity filled mouths, and the kids just want to be loved on.

We went to work with Cross Culture Jesus Ministries and let me tell you they are doing an incredible work down there.  They offer feeding centers, where many times it’s the only meal a child will receive for the day, as well as Bible teaching and help with school work.

They receive a healthy, well-balanced lunch, food for the body, which is followed by a Biblical teaching, food for the soul.

Over the course of the week we went to a number of different schools where we had a special presentation prepared for the kids.  The picture below was taken at a remote school up in the mountains where the principal said the kids had been waiting for weeks for us to come.

I speak Spanish so I was able to converse with the children and translate for the team which is always fun!

We set aside time each day to do family visits, where we gave a bag of provisions of food for reach family, as well as a special soccer ball which had a gospel message on it.

Families eagerly welcomed us into their home and I couldn’t help but think how as Americans we aren’t so eager to do the same.  The hospitality the Guatemalans show is an example to us all!

On Wednesday we held a special event for mothers, youth, and children for Valentine’s Day.  The mothers were able to relax, eat lunch, make a craft, and receive a special message just for them.  Over 50 women came along with their kids.

We finished off our trip with a day off in Antigua, the original capital of Latin America before it was divided up.  Surrounded by a volcano, the city is marked by buildings built in the 1500s made for generals and countesses.

Thanks for checking out some photos from my trip.  It was nothing short of amazing!

I’ll be back with a card for tomorrow, but for now – Chao!

5 thoughts on “I’m Back!”

  1. Thank you for sharing. What a wonderful experience. They may not have much in the way that money can buy, but they sure can teach us about hospitality and love. Such beautiful smiles on all of the faces.

    Reply
  2. Than you for sharing your pictures and work with us. Looks like a rewarding experience for you and the ones you visited. Thak you for your ministry.

    Reply

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