Day 7: Guatemala City and Philippians 4:8-9

Trinity, overwhelming Libny, a Trinity sponsored high school student in Guatemala City

Bruce and Groundwork nurse, Ana

César's devotion this morning reminded each of us that God put the good in each of us. Philippians 4: 8-9 was the basis of his message. We simply recognized one strength in each of us; it was an uplifting way to start the day.

This morning we went in three different directions: the Mayan ruins down the street, The Goday Coffee roaster to pick up coffee for all of you, and cleaning and cutting crafts for children next week. This afternoon we once again taught our lessons to the adults, teens, and children from a variety of locations in Guatemala City.  Many of those attending come from the areas surrounding the Guatemala City Garbage Dump including La Libertad and Sandra Colon. It was one more chance to meet and establish relationships with these incredibly fine people, and meet more of the students Trinity sponsors and of course give them a pep talk about the value of an education in changing the course of their futures; thank you Gordy for leaning on the boys. All of our females leaned on the girls as most girls never graduate from high school but instead get pregnant and begin the life of a single mother in extreme poverty at age 14 or 15.

Again, I will tell the story with photos.  I have included as many photos as I can before the blog pushes back.  It is an evening busy with tears, packing, and good-byes. Tomorrow we head to Antigua, Guatemala.

The mayan ruins located down the street.

Olivia and missionary, Sandra

Becker and Kara blowing bubbles 

Abby and Marina

Adult lesson in the garage of the Mission House.

Yes is it Saul, a.k.a. Nate with Harry Potter glasses... if you know Nate, you won't even question it!

I think this might be a hint from the resident comedian and American missionary, Kevin Holmes.

Amanda and missionary, Aracely

Day Six: Amatitlán

Please forgive the apparent lack of organization today.  I am having trouble moving things around and will give up for the evening. The text is in the middle with photos on either side.

Bruce is a rock star after the adult lesson. He literally bends in half to give the women each a hug. The other photos is Emily and Victor with Sally and Joel savoring their time together.

Lake Amatitlán

Today was another great day.  Carlos led devotions and after we each recited Psalm 91:14-16 to the person next to us after inserting their name, we were a little weepy but ready to set off for a day in Amatitlán.

It is about an hour drive to the third ministry site. Amatitlán appears to be a smallish, poor city situated next to Lake Amatitlán, possibly one of the most picturesque, polluted lakes I have even seen/smelled.  It was an extraordinary day for all of us, but again for those of us with sponsored children, it was incredibly meaningful.

So many organizations provide opportunities to sponsor children around the world, but this is a unique situation.  Our team from Trinity can meet and talk with the many students Trinity church and school sponsors, but also visit the homes of the students some of us personally sponsor,  Today, Kelsey, Hannah, Emily, Lauren and I had that opportunity.  Emily and I sponsor brothers and their mother invited us into their humble but loving home and served us Salvadorian pupusas to thank us for sponsoring her children. Normally, we would not eat food away from the mission house, but apparently I do, because I am two for two. It is amazing to watch children grow each year and in a very small way make such a big difference for their families by supporting the expense of sending them to school.  It was extremely touching for all of us.  I was present when Hannah met one of her two new "children," when Kelsey was reunited with Karen, and when Emily lost it when Victor gave her the biggest hug ever! (He reminded her of her brother, Adam.) Their mothers are thanking God for us, the whole time we are thanking God for them opportunity to help them.  It is clear every day that "Mothers" (biological and sponsor mothers) and children are the same everywhere.

Our lessons today were interrupted by a bit of tropical rain, but there were about 400 women and children in Gonzales Park.  There is nothing green in Gonzales Park; it is just a slab of crumbling concrete, but when Groundwork pulls up, everything comes alive. I hope the photos do our day justice. It was a wonderful day with new and old friends... and many faith lessons planned and unplanned.

One last thought... the frustrating thing about blogging with photos from Guatemala is the country and the people are so beautiful. The photos never capture what we are seeing and experiencing because of its beauty.  So many of  people are extremely poor, hungry, sick, and living at constant risk of violence, but the photos rarely capture that.  We love it here; however, it is not an easy place to live.  The air pollution is staggering, the government corrupt, and in Guatemala City, we are surrounded by urban chaos.  However, I think that is what makes the experience so powerful. The American and Guatemalan missionaries here are fearless, and we are blessed each day to walk with them. They reach out in places you could never imagine. We witness and participate with them only because of their willingness to lead us into situations our faith walks likely would never go without them.  Again, today we are blessed.

Hannah and Daryln

Missionary, Aracely. Karen and Kelsey

Team photo at Lake Amatitlán

Lauren and Maria at Gonzales Park

Again, the photos are uploading in random spots and it is messing with my head, so I will stop for now.  (I will add more photos tomorrow and edit the rough spots.) We continue to be happy and healthy and grateful beyond words.

Blessings and good night,

Nate, Amanda, Kara, Kelsey, Bruce, Jim, Gordy, Meredith, Hannah, Emily, Olivia, Abby, Savannah, Lauren, Sally, and Delainie

Day Five: Buena Vista, Xaya, Coconuts, Volcanoes, and Filipenses 4: 6-7

Today we spent the day in Buena Vista and Xaya (Shy-ya). I suspect there has only been a small number of Americans that have been to either location, and I also suspect they have all been with Groundwork.  Right now (or at least when I was writing this in my journal in the van) I am looking at Fuego with a plume of smoke coming from the top and Aqua to its right. Everywhere I look I can see volcanoes, rubber trees, sugar cane and corn.  Beinvenidos a Guatemala.

There are no words for our experiences today. For that reason the blog will be predominately photos.

The view on the way to Buena Vista

The reception committee in Buena Vista

Children in Guatemala travel tied around their mothers.

School in Xaya

Main Street Buena Vista

The coconuts were harvested and then cut open with a machete. We were trying to drink the coconut milk without touching the edge that had been cut by the machete.  I know, dumb!

Buena Vista

The teen lesson with Jim, Gordy, Hannah, and Savannah

The children's lesson.  In Buena Vista there were about 140 children.

We gave the children each a pair of glasses to help them SEE God when they are worried.

Our annual team picture at "the tree" in Buena Vista
with the Guatemalan missionaries.  They are extraordinary folks.

Day Four: El Rincoln

El Rincon

Before I get started, I wanted you to know I just posted pictures on yesterday's blog.  It is hard to pull off the blog in the evening, but here goes.

Today, we were up early after devotions and out the door for El Rincon. El Rincon, The Corner, is an extraordinary destination about an hour from Guatemala City.   I may be able to go back and add more text later, but for tonight, I will post photos with captions.  We had a great day of lessons, house visits, and relationship building.  I hope the photos will tell the story today.  By the way, we watched bright red flowing lava roll down the side of Pacaya, the local, active volcano near El Rincon. Great stuff!

Pacaya blowing its top!

Vacas on the way to a house visit.

Abby in el bano in El Rincon.

Olivia and friends.

Gordy's sponsored "son" Mario in the bright blue shirt.

Bruce's sponsored "daughter" Kendy and family in the center.

Jim and sponsored son, Nery.  

Meredith reading before the children's lesson.

These are teens Trinity sponsors in El Rincon.

Day Three: The Lord is a warrior; the Lord is his name.

The post title is Exodus 15:3. In a home visit today (a visit to a shanty in an area outside the Guatemala City garbage dump) a seven year old boy told a group of us that his favorite Bible verse was Exodus 15:3. At first, it struck us as an odd verse for a young child, and then he explained why he liked it. He said it reminded him that God was like the head of a family and the head of the family would always protect him.  Folks here need a warrior; we all do, but in Guatemala the need for warriors is painfully acute. We witness God as a warrior in many places today.

We had a full, eye-opening day today. Our days begin with devotions led by the Guatemalan missionaries.  Today it was Ana's turn and again, like aways, the Guatemalans are outstanding worship leaders.  Her lesson was based in Jesus's words, "I am the living bread," and as usual, we found examples of her message throughout the day. After devotions we visited Only a Child Ministry.  It is a ministry that reaches out to homeless boys who need adult males to care about them, and Guatemala is in no short supply of boys who need father figures. Unfortunately, drugs and gangs have more appeal to increasing numbers of homeless boys in the city. George Leger's ministry embraces those who desire a path for a future through education, employment, and faith. His boys are the ones who make the boxes that eighth graders receive each year at Trinity's eighth grade graduation. George took the time to again to tell our Trinity team about his faith walk and calling to Guatemala, and gave us a chance to get to know the boys and the boys to get to know us. George, his boys, and the ministry are an inspiration.

After Only a Child, we went directly to the cemetery the overlooks the Guatemala City garbage dump. For veteran, Guatemala team members, you cannot begin to image the changes that have taken place in the 12 years we have been going to Guatemala.  And for those of you on the team last year, you would still be stunned by the changes that occurred this past year.  In places the garbage is higher than the cemetery which use to be a promontory overlooking a network of deep ravines which make up the dump.  It was stunning.  Because the dump is as high as the cemetery, the vultures are closer. Delainie probably put it best when she described the scene as surreal. People picking through the garbage use to look like the size of ants a few years back; now they are just feet away.
And this is all relevant because of the hardship it represents and because Groundwork serves the people who live and work in the dump.

This afternoon we divided into three groups to visit and pray with Guatemalans in their homes. My group went back to an area outside the dump called La Liberad. I had the privilege of visiting a woman I had first visited 12 years ago; it was her son who selected the Exodus verse above.  There is so much I could share about these home visits but for tonight I just want to share one quick story.  Ana, the woman we visited this afternoon, was the woman 12 years ago that had had a baby kidnapped from her shanty about 10 months prior. At the time, American adoptions of Guatemalan children were common.  However, the adoptions were ended in part after unscrupulous individuals stole children and sold them into the legitimate adoption system. We talked at length tonight about the suffering that has taken place at the hands of these criminals... the families that were left to mourn the loss of children, the children left without families, and the families that never had the opportunity to adopt children from Guatemala. Our eyes were opened at every turn today.

I would like to write more, but I need to get the light out; the mosquitoes are hunting and my roommates and I do not wish to be dinner.

We are all well and blessed to have this time in Guatemala with Groundwork and with each other.  Thank you for your continued prayers and interest in our faith walk this week.

Blessings,
Meredith, Hannah, Kelsey, Emily, Bruce, Jim, Nate, Gordy, Amanda, Lauren, Delainie, Kara, Savannah, Olivia, Abby and Sally

P.S. I added photos to yesterday's blog this afternoon.  I will try to upload a few for today now, but it is taking an exceptionally long time.  If it takes too long, I will do it tomorrow. Thanks for your patience.

Guatemala City Garbage Dump

The Vultures, ICK!

Only a Child Ministry

The Little guy with his arms around his sister is the one who selected the Exodus verse.
Notice, all kids wear uniforms to school.

More Home Visits

Guatemalan Missionary Sandra's Family with Trinity

Day Two: Abre Mis Ojos Cristo

Everything about Guatemala is eye-opening. Everyday is another window into a world we are truly privileged to see and experience, and today we settle into a routine of sorts. For example, how do I brush my teeth with a water bottle, how do I flush without flushing the TP, how do I adjust to life without technology, and when did a bunk bed with an air mattress become a significant source of comfort?  In other words, how to you get comfortable in a world where the "rules" are foreign and the customs confusing?

Groundwork provides a bridge between what we know, or think we know, and what we are experiencing.  The first bridge was built this morning as we headed off to worship at Ministerios Sendero de la Cruz, a open, store front church in the neighborhood in which the mission house is located in Guatemala City. Worship here can be emotional; I associate it with that of many African American churches in the United States.  It is passionate. The music is contemporary and accompanied by young liturgical dancers that have different moves for every song.  Younger girls copy dancers' moves at their seats.  There is clapping, singing and lots of handshakes and Jesus. Music and the message rule the morning.  I would guess there were at least 10 songs and everyone stood and sang for an hour.  Then came the message and today it was given by Leo the Lion. That is what he called himself; he is a lay preacher but it was a well suited name.  Of course, we missed most of what was being said in Spanish but could get the gist by following along with the Biblical references. Just experiencing their worship customs was a message unto itself. (By the way, if you think Pastor Brian can get on a roll, he may have met his match in Pastor Leo.)

This afternoon, we unpacked, sorted, counted, and put away the supplies we brought to Guatemala thanks to all of you.  Bruce and Kelsey ran this operation military style; they are veterans. We followed that with counting and bagging thousands of children's chewable "vitamins." Thank you for that, too. After dinner Emily attempted to whip our voices into shape... good luck with that! And we finished up the day trial running a craft that was not as advertised which means Abby and the creative ones are going to have to get, creative!

We are well and well blessed.
Sally

Sorry for the delay with photos... a technical problem, me.

Savannah and Hannah

Abby

Amanda and Nate

Gordy

Emily

Delainie

Lauren

Sorry, Jim!