Guatemala Mission - Day 3

Today, there was a big Christmas party for the kids. We were up late last night stuffing Christmas stockings for the kids and their mothers. We celebrate the moms tomorrow; today was all about the kids. It had to be about one hundred kids there today. The party started at 10a.m. although, some kids were there by 8:30 a.m.and so filled with excitement.

This ministry is such a blessings to these kids, who literally have almost nothing. Every kid had some type of gift when they left: soccer balls for the boys and stuffed animals for the girls. They thoroughly enjoyed the arts and crafts and even got pumped up singing songs with the pastor.

Late this evening, we went back up into the mountains to take a doctor friend of Myra's to see a little girl who was badly burned when she was playing with some matches she found. We noticed the burns yesterday and went to the pharmacy to get some cream earlier today. Normally, I don't even walk in my neighborhood late at night. So, you can kind of figure how we felt walking through a mountain with one little flashlight to help little Lidia. We each whispered a prayer for protection and proceeded to walk up the hill to Lidia's house. We did go above and beyond, but sometimes it's about sacrificing our comforts to possibly save someone elses life. I would've loved to stay in the house and have a cup of tea before retiring for the evening, but it wasn't about me and there is no way I would've had any peace. It was about loving this little girl enough to see that she got medical attention before her situation got any worse. I'm convinced that you don't have to walk around sounding like a King James clone to show the love of God.

Day 2

We went up into the mountains yesterday to do house visits with Myra and the pastor. The only houses we stopped at were the ones that belonged to the program. Honestly, I didn't even need Myra to tell me which houses belonged to the program . I could tell by the look in people's eyes whether they were involved or not. The families that Mrya services had the look of hope in their eyes and joy and belief in their heart that God has not forgotten them. They welcomed us into their homes and were happy to update Myra with any concerns or needs.

A few of the families we visited had an ill family member. We made a circle around them and the pastor prayed for their healing and the well being of their families. Though we visited several houses; I can't seem to get Olga off of my mind. She was probably in her early to mid thirties with 7 kids. She had a 2 month old baby that looked much healthier than her other children. We took turns holding him and playing with him. When it was my turn to hold him, he sat quietly on my lap as I cuddled him, and the next thing we know he fell asleep peacefully in my arms and then started laughing in his sleep. Meanwhile, Olga was telling us that after she was released from the hospital, she came home to find that her husband was gone. Sadness filled her eyes a little, but vacated when she found out that the ministry would help her with some of her basic needs. As we did with the other families we visited, we gathered around her in a circle and prayed for her and her family. Some of the children came to join in. I made a point to touch and hug and kiss every child even the grandchildren (yes, her teenage daughter has a child). All it takes is a touch to heal and to wipe away any trace of sadness.

We went all through the mountains up one side and down the other. For me, it was like a hiking trip with perks along the way. The perks of course were being able to touch the lives of others with love, a smile and a prayer. Seeing the living conditions of those families wasn't a new experience for me, but I'm always inspired by how much they trust God and have faith that their every need will be met and they don't complain about their circumstances. They simply keep pressing and praying knowing that God will answer.