Monday's Blessings

Hola from Guatemala City, Guatemala!  What a fantastic day it's been!  We started the day bright and early by gathering at 7:00 AM for a delicious breakfast of pancakes and fresh fruit. We had devotions at 8:00, which were lead by Julian and translated by Oscar.  Julian spoke about forgiveness, and reminded us how important it is to forgive those who sin against us.  Of course Christ displayed the ultimate act of forgiveness by dying on the cross for us, and as redeemed children of God, we are called to forgive others. 

Immediately following devotions, we departed from the house and went to meet George Leger, who has a ministry called Only a Child.  He mentors and supports young men and helps them to succeed by reminding them how important and loved they are, and making sure they stay focused in their studies.  He felt called to come to Guatemala around 20 years ago to start this ministry, and has been leading it ever since.  He introduced the young men there today, and told us a little about each of them.  Most of them didn't have a positive and supportive father figure before coming to Only a Child, and once they got there, they really turned their lives around for the better.  I had goosebumps when he was saying all that they were accomplishing and what they were becoming.  George provides them with the opportunity to make wooden boxes in the wood shop, and these boxes are amazing!  We got to watch one of the young men make one, which was really neat. 

After the wood shop, we went to the cemetery and dump in Guatemala City.  The dump is a pretty large area in Guatemala City, and to get there, we walked through a cemetery.  The path was beaten and we had to watch out for broken glass, odd footing, and the multiple set of different steps.  Kevin lead the way, and once we got to the area which overlooked the dump, he told us a lot of different facts about it.  Many people living in Guatemala City have economic ties to the dump, even if they themselves don't actually live there.  Kevin reminded us that what people throw away, such as a doll with one arm missing or a glass bottle with a few sips left, are treasures for people in the dump.  Oh, how much I take for granted!  What an eye-opener, and such a reminder to pray for those who really have nothing.

After we went to the dump, we came back for lunch- we had an authentic Guatemalan meal.  Homemade guacamole, beans, rice, and tortillas.  The Guatemalan missionaries had lunch with us at the house, and we had great conversations with them.  It has been a blessing getting to know them!  After some down time after lunch, we left mid-afternoon to go on house visits.  We talked to a mother of elementary school aged children, and also her niece and mother.  The boys had some medical problems, and she said that even though she needed to work, she wanted to wait until her boys were well enough.  They all told us their favorite Bible passage and what it meant to them, and we also shared some verses with them.  After we prayed for them, we visted another home.  One of the things that touched my heart was when a mom was telling us through tears how overjoyed and thankful she was that her daughter is doing so well in school.  She is almost done with high school, and wants to study to become a doctor.   We prayed for her, as well as for her daughter, and for another mom and daughter who were there.  We said goodbye, thanked them for allowing us to come into their home to talk and pray with them, and then left to come back to the house for dinner.

We had a relaxing evening, and are ready for the day tomorrow.  We feel so blessed to be here, and we're thankful for your prayers and support.  May God bless you!

God's peace,
Rachel