Guatemala Mission - Day 1

Hi everyone, and thank you for following me on my 1st mission trip. My interest in this particular trip came about when I met Myra Smith about 6 years ago (give or take a few years). As I'm writing this, the biggest bug I've ever seen just walked across the floor of my hotel room. Sigh. Anyway, Myra came to visit our church (Healthy Choice Ministries) to talk about the mission she runs for women and children. I knew then that it was a trip I wanted to take to work at the mission, but I had no immediate plans to do so. Last year, when Myra came again to share about her mission, I knew that it wouldn't be too long before I would be working with her to serve at her mission.

I guess anyone who knows me knows how much I love children and that my gift is in the area of helps. So for me, this was a natural progression and just one of many mission trips I plan to take. A friend of mine mentioned recently that my life seemed like it was taking a turn in a different direction. For me it's not a turn, it's a continuation on a path that was already set, and everything I've experienced up to this point has prepared me for this moment. I can't help but wonder what's next. Whatever it is, I'm open.

As far as my travels today, my day started around 2 am when the Super Shuttle picked me up to take me to Dulles. I met up with Myra, Kelly, and Lisa (two ladies from a church in Virginia who were traveling back with Myra as well) at the airport. We arrived in Guatemala City at about 12:30pm (1:30 pm EST). The flight from Atlanta to Guatemala was roughly 3 hours; however, the ride from Guatemala City to Chiquimula felt even longer. We had a private bus drive us to the marketplace from the airport so that we could pick up some little gifts. Then we rode for what felt like hours (for some reason the traffic was heavy) to Sarita's Restaurant e', a cute little place about half way to Chiquimula. The food there was delicious and worth the wait.

Once we arrived at Myra's house, we met her family who was anxiously awaiting her return. Her grandchildren were so excited to have her back home. The women gathered around the kitchen for coffee, cake and conversation while the kids played with new toys Lisa and Kelly brought with them.

As Myra got caught up on the goings on in her absence, we started to hear stories that sound very similar to the ones we heard back home. One of the stories was about two young girls who were being touched inappropriately by their father, and their mother is afraid to leave because she's not sure she can make it on her own. The conversation then changed quickly to solution mode as they discussed the new building project Kelly and Lisa's church is helping to support and how it can be used to house school aged girls in the aforementioned or similar situations. If the new building contained a few rooms or apartments, girls can continue to go to school or work and have a safe place to stay while they continue in the program.

Some of you asked before I left what my role would be here, and to be honest with you, at the moment I don't have all of the answers. The good thing is, I don't need to have all of the answers. Whatever skills I have that can be used to help the ministry here will be used whether it's office work or spending time with the children who are served by the ministry; any and every gift, talent and skill is needed.

On our agenda for this weekend is to have a Christmas party for the kids serviced by the ministry and then a separate party on Sunday for the women. What I'm looking forward to the most will take place tomorrow. Tomorrow, we go up into the mountains to make home visits and pray with some single mothers and their children and other families. Myra will translate for me.

I hope you enjoyed reading my blog entry. Feel free to send me questions or comments. I need to go now and prepare for tomorrow, and I have a bug to catch before he gets in my luggage.

Buenas noches.