Guatemala

Building in very muddy conditions.

The crew

The most snuggly boys--Tomas and Mesaise.

Heading out to a build site--standing up in the back of the truck the whole way--not allowed in the U.S. for sure!

Boys--Miguel and Tomas. The second family we built a house for.

Maria Victoria and her kids--the first family we built a house for.

Jorge, Sergio and Pedro--loved them!

At the feeding program

Washing feet

Wow, did the Lord do some amazing things in Chichicastenango, Guatemala through the work of Pray America! It was such a wonderful opportunity and privilege to serve the Lord's people and carry out His mission in that remote area.

This is a land that has experienced a long civil war in this century and, as a result, there are many widows and orphans. Pray America's mission is to build houses for these widows, feed children in the area and teach them about Jesus. This is a Mayan culture that was conquered at one time by the Spanish; therefore, in general the people practice a twisted religion that's part Catholicm, part Mayan idol worship. It is common still today to conduct sacrifices (both animal and human, though human is rare from what I understand).

Comments and reflections:

• On Sunday, our first day there, we shopped in the largest open air market in Central America. In fact, when we stepped outside the front door of Manos de Jesus, the home where we stayed, we stepped into someone's booth! Kids Rylie's age and younger, were like mobile street vendors, following us around aggressively selling their touristy wares.


• That same day was the finals of the World Cup soccer tournament. As we shopped, we happen to stop in a shop, look up at the TV, and see the one and only score of the game. The Guatemalans were thrilled for Espana.


• From Monday to Wednesday, we built 6 houses. Due to a recent deadly mudslide, many residents lost their homes so in addition to building homes for widows, we built homes for those victims. As we drove along the mountainside, we saw several homes that had been washed out with the owner's belongings strewn all over the washout area.


• It costs about $1400 to build one of these houses and they wouldn't look like more than a backyard 12x12 shed to you and me, but they are pretty nice for the people there and it is a big deal to have a concrete floor rather than dirt and a lock and key.
  
• On Monday night, we participated in a feeding program in which kids from neighboring villages come for an evening to sing and hear a message about Jesus, then are treated to probably the only good meal they will have all week. I was shocked to see that they would only take a few bites of their spaghetti and hotdog, then they'd put the rest into a small plastic bag or container to take home to their family.
  
• On Wednesday, we created a small street festival in the town of Chichi complete with music, a message delivered by a local minister, face painting, balloon animals (I learned how to make a dog!), and coloring. What was striking about this event was how rarely these kids get to experience the simple pleasures of being a kid that our children seem to take for granted. They just wanted to be told that the picture they colored was pretty and have every inch of available skin covered in temporary tattoos and face paints. Some of the kids were shoe shine boys and got in trouble by their boss (an older man) for stopping to hang out with us for a little bit and not trying to sell us a shoe shine.


• On Thursday, we were treated to a break and we went to Lake Atitlan which is a beautiful lake surrounded by volcanoes. We took a boat ride, ate an awesome meal by the water and enjoyed the shopping that seems to be everywhere with locals selling their wares. It is pretty hard to pass up $5 bracelets, $10 necklaces, $10 homemade purses, $5-10 original paintings. It is helping the local economy, right.


• On Friday, I was humbled to participate in one of the most impactful experiences of my life. We visited the families for which we built homes and took them new shoes from Pray America's new shoe factory. But first, we read John 12 where Jesus washes the disciples feet and then we washed their feet and placed new socks and shoes on them. This was important for two reasons in my mind: 1) the kids need the type of shoes we gave them in order to be able to go to school; 2) in this culture, these people are looked down upon and we gave them the opportunity to be served. This was the first time that a mission group had ever done that and it was very special.
  
• There's much more to share, but I will end here. Thank you to all of you who helped financially and with prayer support!