We’re back from Guatemala and we LOVED our visit! Thanks everyone again for your support and prayers! We’ve committed to blogging about our time there with the hope of giving you a glimpse of life in Guatemala. We hope and pray that reading will give you a better idea of how to pray and support our the team!
First, let me say how much of a blessing it was for David and I to be back in Guatemala together. For those that don’t know, we met on my first trip (and his…80th? kidding, kinda) and our friendship grew much deeper on my second trip. We started dating a few months after we got back. It is so cool to see the Lord’s providence when we look back on our time there. He was stirring us both separately for this type of work and the people and culture of Guatemala – and then BAM, we’re friends, dating, engaged, soon to be married! All of that to say, it was fun to be back where it all began…and cool to dream about the possibilities of what the Lord might have for us there long-term!
Ok, so we got to Guatemala Saturday night and really only had time to run to the mall, grab a bite to eat and head to their house. You: “WHAT? They have MALLS?” Let me explain. There are places in Guatemala that are very remote, no electricity, etc., but the team is serving in the capitol: Guatemala City. The city has very much been influenced by Western culture. From a Guatemalan’s perspective, if someone has moved to/lives in the city, they’ve “made it.” The city has access to malls, fast food restaurants, really anything you would need or want in the states. Ok, so they don’t have 50 different kinds of stationery like they do here, but they’ve got what you need. The thing is, there is hardly a middle class. People in and around the city have either “made it,” or “haven’t made it.” You’ll see what I mean as you keep reading.
So, we ran to the mall, played with the interactive, touch-screen mall directory (seriously) and went straight home. In Guatemala, it really isn’t wise to stay out after dark. Especially if you’re a gringo. So we took our 2 cars of gringos and suitcases and headed to their house.
At home, we stayed up most of the night talking with Susan. She shared stories of transitioning into living there, heart-breaking stories of the kids she works with, and we reminisced on old trips and our engagement story. It was fun! The thing that stood out to me most were all of the stories of the kids, their past, and what their future looks like, apart from the sheer grace of God. I’ll speak a little more about this when I talk about our visit to the orphanage and Operation Rescue.
We headed to bed looking forward to a late wake-up for church!
