More Than A Mission

                December 31, 2012 – January 12, 2013 I was given the opportunity to serve in Guatemala on a mission trip.  My mission team from Gordon College boarded the plane to Guatemala early New Year’s Eve; I was so excited and nervous at the same time.  I was extremely excited to be indulged in another culture and to be given the opportunity to minister to others not only through words but through actions.  At the same time, the idea of being thrown into an unfamiliar culture was extremely nerve racking – knowing little to no Spanish somewhat scared me.  Also, this was my first time ever being out of the US so I tried to be mentally prepared for the culture shock.  Prior to our departure I told myself, I wanted to grow spiritually during this trip – I wanted to encounter God in a way I’ve never been able to in my usual comfort zones.  I really wanted to learn to stop thinking so far ahead and appreciate wherever I am in life at that point in time.  I wanted to stop complaining and begin to see the present as an irreplaceable gift.  The first day on the worksite in San Marcos, Catarina changed my life forever.  It was the beginning of an incredible journey with some unforgettable people.  I was greeted by such joyful and sweet spirited ladies in the morning – we called them Hermana.  The hermanas would come to the worksite around 5:00am every morning to prepare breakfast for us – that alone was admirable.  After breakfast we headed up the road to the church which we were doing construction on.  We were working on the second floor of a church; we mixed cement from scratch, filled pillars, and had fellowship with the hermanos.  The brothers from the church worked fiercely in the boiling sun – they made mixing cement look like child’s play.  They worked in flip flops and pushed through the burning sensation of cement on their legs and feet.  I could not believe how dedicated and willing they were; nothing seemed to stop them or bring them down.  The best part of the trip was their worship services.  They would go for hours just singing and worshiping God – I mean praising Him non-stop!  It convicted me a lot because back home it takes so much for us to just get up one day out of the week and dedicate a few hours to God, while the Mayans sat in the Lord’s presence EVERY night for hours.  There is NO clean water in Guatemala – if you want fresh water you have to buy it.  Imagine that!  Access to clean water is a luxury there, yet people still find a reason to praise the Lord!  Being with the native people showed me how to appreciate life and live in the moment because that is what they do.  They do not worry about tomorrow because they have no choice but to have faith in God.  As I walked the streets of San Marcos, I saw community and love for one’s neighbor in a way I’ve never seen before.  I cannot explain the impact this trip had on my life in one blog post – it is just too much joy and emotion!  But, I can say that I learned a lot and this experience just makes my passion to help others grow even more.  I do not have to be in a foreign country to pour into the hearts of people – I can do it right here at home!  I am excited to continue working with people so I can learn from them as they learn from me – I am ready to co-create with others to ultimately birth a better world!

"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." - Matthew 6:21