Greetings from Guatemala!!
What a wonderful third day! This morning we enjoyed breakfast sandwiches, bananas, and melon (Thank you Ginny!) before gathering for a devotion led by our Guatemalan missionary, César. After the devotion, we headed out to El Rincón, the designated area for house visits and faith lessons today. El Rincón is just outside the city of Amatitlán, where we will be going Thursday.
Upon our arrival, us 'gringos' were led by Kevin to talk to Carlos, a man the missionaries have known for many years and have given assistance to over time. The house visits then took place, before lunch; our team split into two groups to share God's Word. The team I was a part of went to two houses where Jennifer and Andy from our team met their sponsored students and had the privilege of learning more about their personal lives. In general, these house visits are especially meaningful because they allow us to communicate with the Guatemalan people and give direct comfort based on their individual needs. Frequently, there are cases where people experience financial struggle, depression, loneliness, and general concern for their given living conditions. However, what always amazes me is the immense amount of love and compassion these people share. They are always ready with a smile, hug, and kiss! It is so inspiring to see that despite the small amounts these people have, they ability to give is exponential.
After the house visits, we ate lunch (a fancy PB and J with chips and cookies!!) before the slew of Guatemalans arrived for the faith lessons. The adults were with the Guatemalan missionary, Carlos, the whole time, participating in their own bible study. The children were entrusted in our team's care, all 100 or so of them! We started our portion with singing, clapping, and in some instances, shouting. All praises to God, of course! The rest of our lesson consisted of a memory verse, a skit (created and performed by our team), a question and answer time about the lesson and skit, craft, and snack. The whole experience was quite chaotic, and we're told it will only get worse, as the number of children in attendance the next few days will expand rapidly. The more, the merrier, ¿verdad? During the question/answer portion and craft, the youth were split from the younger children so their needs could be more easily addressed. Fun was had by all!
I personally worked with the kids, and it was such a blessing for me to see them so energetic and enthusiastic about God and what we had to teach them concerning His undying love. Despite the language barriers many of us experience in some variation, love and compassion transcend all these frustrations.This graciously allows us as a team to (hopefully) impact their lives as much as they, in turn, change ours.
The time thus far in Guatemala has been one of surprises, humbling feelings, excitement, and a joy for sharing God's Word. It would seem the rest of the week promises to have similar wonderful experiences in store!
Buenos Noches,
Evelyn Yee
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