What an exciting second day! We were up bright and early at 7am for another delicious breakfast along with our first clear view of Volcano Agua. The Lord has blessed us with beautiful weather thus far, clear, warm and sunny. After breakfast we met the rest of the Guatemalan mission team: Ana, Carlos, Oscar, Ody and Julian. Ana led us in devotion, reflecting on God's faithfulness despite our circumstances.
We then piled in the van and headed to Only a Child, a ministry for disadvantaged young men. We were able to meet some of the young men that this ministry serves and listen to their stories. They've all made incredible changes for the better in their lives. They now provide for themselves by making beautiful wooden boxes with ornate designs and smooth finishes. This gives them a sense of purpose and is good training for their future in the work force.
After that, we went to the public city cemetery. Unlike American cemeteries, the graves are all above ground in compartment-like structures for rent or for sale. The size of the cemetery itself was shocking, with two-way streets weaving through it. Equally shocking were the graves that were not well-cared for or worse yet, broken into. We were then able to view the city dump, where, sadly, hundreds of men, women and children spend their day scavenging for goods to recycle and sell. This was a sobering sight to see as we stood on the cemetery's cliff, overlooking the depravity below. The surrounding neighborhood is built on the old portion of the dump, without any infrastructure, making it dangerous and susceptible to cave-ins large enough to swallow trucks and large groups of people. Hundreds of people and animals live in or surrounding this dump and use it daily as a source of food, clothing and income.
After lunch we were given the opportunity to go back to that area to visit with some Guatemalans in their home. We were able to bring the Word to them and pray with them, encouraging them to be in the Word and trust in God and His plan for them. It was eye-opening to see the absolute poverty that these people live in. Yet we couldn't help but notice how quick to smile and genuinely happy these people are. We broke in to small groups and so each Guatemalan missionary had a few of us Americans in each home. This made for a very personal connection with each family. Many of the Guatemalans expressed that we were an answer to their prayers. In the end, they were a blessing to us as well. The language barrier can be frustrating for some of us, but we know that God will work through that, using the missionaries who translate.
The rest of our night was spent in fellowship with one another and studying God's word. We can't believe how fast the time is going by and are amazed by the strength of the bonds we've built with each other and our new Guatemalan friends. We can't wait to see what God has in store for our team tomorrow. God is good!
-Rachel y Cassandra
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