Well I know it has been an extremely long time since I've blogged and I am really sorry. I have been extremely busy here in the Capital and just haven't had a lot of time at a computer. This blog post will be long but as full of information as I can get it.
My Work in La Capital
Now that I'm much more settled in to where I'm living and the country itself I've really begun to be able to see what God is doing and am really able to focus on the ministry I am doing here. I have a lot on my plate while working here. My days are usually extremely busy and I'm out and about all day long. We started out by teaching 2 classes of English at the local public school but that changed pretty quickly. After our first class the morning principle asked if we could come also on Wednesdays. That pushed us up to 3 classes a week. After the afternoon principle heard how the classes were going she also decided that she wanted classes in the afternoon on all three days also. This means we are teaching to two different classes, 3 times a week. This has given me a huge ministry opportunity and I am so excited to be working with the kids. I've been teaching basic English and ending with a memory verse for each class. The first day we taught class they were extremely excited. We told that class that we would see them on Friday but after class the principle asked us to come on Wednesday. We returned on Wednesday much to the kids surprise and we immediately asked the kids if they remembered the memory verse. We didn't really expect them to because we were there 2 days earlier than we were supposed to be, but they remembered! It was a huge encouragement to see that God was even working through our English classes. Another huge part of our ministry has been working in our church with a group of kids doing tutoring. It's great to be able to see all the same kids over and over again. It's interesting because I really see the importance of building a relationship with the children and the people here in Guatemala. It seems like I see so many examples of people bringing aid or just coming to work when what these people really want is love and a relationship. I could go on and on about the importance of relationship. I find it extremely encouraging to know that I am making a difference in these kids lives. Christ is being shown through me and that is just so exciting! I love working with the children here in Guatemala it has just been a huge blessing! One week I spent two days accompanying a doctor and traveled to small clinic in Escuintla and also to a public hospital in Chichicastenango (I think). Those were two great days. They definitely helped confirm my calling to the health field. In the clinic I learned how to draw blood on a person and actually practiced on another person! In the hospital I helped in the emergency room and learned how to give a shot and also worked in the lab analyzing medical samples. It was AWESOME. I never thought that I'd find so much enjoyment in helping people with illness. I 100% feel called to work in the health field and I am so excited to start school in the fall.
Atitlan
This past week the team from Tri·Lakes Chapel arrived and I accompanied them on the trip to Lake Atitlan and Paquip.vIt was really amazing to be with the group even though it was a little difficult to be with Americans for so long. We met the group at the airport and went straight to Antigua. We were planning on doing an amazing race to get the team to face some cultural immersion and frustration. We were rained out of it though and were not able to do it which was really a bummer. We spent the night in Antigua and left for Paquip the next day. The instant we arrived in Paquip I felt welcomed. The moment I walked off the bus I saw some kids that I recognized and two of them yelled "Chris!". I couldn't believe that these kids had remembered my name after a whole year of being gone. The following days were full of working on VBS and just building relationships with the people. The second day we were invited to teach English at the public school and that was right down my alley. We got a team together and I helped lead people in teaching in 5 different classes for 1 hour. We split into teams so that all the classes would have the full hour. It was a huge blessing to be working with those kids. One moment that really stuck with me from the trip was the final day that we were doing our VBS. We were playing games and we had just finished giving the kids our extra marshmallows and pretzels. We were all in groups leading games when suddenly I feel someone poking me from behind. I turn around and a boy asks me to hold out my hand. I hold out my hand slightly suspicious that he may just lay a big bug in my hand. He slowly puts two puff chips into my hand and then runs away. He comes back five minutes later and gives me two more chips. Then I watch him walk to all the other leaders and give them portions of the snack that he had brought from home. I was absolutely shocked by what I was seeing. Here was a boy that had just been given so much from us and in turn is giving back to us. I was amazed at how easily he was living what so many of us struggle with. These children were so happy to get these snacks from us and so grateful for them, but seeing this boy give back even after he had been given was amazing. What if we all lived like that? How different would the world be? Leaving Paquip was difficult again like last year and it made me realize how difficult it is going to be leaving the kids here in the Capital after working with them for two months. at our debriefing the last night in Paquip, the main focus was on how we can take what we've seen and experienced here and use it to change our lives. How can we take what we've experienced and in turn make changes in the way we live? This message really stuck with me and I really thought and talked a lot with God about what he wanted me to see and take away from this trip. On our last debrief in Antigua, the night before everyone left, I finally saw what God was trying to show me. I had many frustrations with the team which made me a bit cross the whole trip. Through that God showed me how our expectations can either make or ruin a moment. He showed me my weaknesses and strengths in working with people and the way that I can work on them. He showed me how much of a hindrance pride can be, both in life and in ministry. He showed me how much I need to change in myself and He started a work of healing and processing the things that I have experienced here. This trip was a great way to just deal in small doses what I'm going to deal with back in the US and just in life in general. Watching the team leave today was also quite the experience. Watching so many of my friends and family leave while I stayed was extremely surreal. I'm so happy I get to continue work here and I pray that God will continue to bless it.
Caroline's Promise
Well now I have to make a shout out to a group that had a huge impact on me while they were here. We met a team in the house that we were living that was here for two weeks. The group was from an organization that supports kids, very similar to Compassion. They have a sponsorship program where you can pay for a Guatemalan child to attend a Christian private school in Guatemala City. The public schools in Guatemala City are absolutely horrible so the only real way for a Guatemalan child to break the cycle of poverty is for them to get a real education which is only found in private schools. Not only does the organization support the kids but it also supports the school and even sends teams down to work in the school and to meet their sponsor kids! Staying with this team was a real blessing. The people were amazing and all seemed to have a real heart for God. I was lucky enough to spend one of my free days working with them in the school. They were just a blast to work with. It was amazing to see how God was working through them in enriching the children's lives. Overall it's an amazing organization with amazing leadership and I would love it if you could take a look and spread the word. I will post a link for you all on the bottom of this post and also on my links page.
God Bless You All!
http://carolinespromise.net/
