December 31st, 2010
Happy New Year! I can’t imagine a better way to spend New Year’s Eve than with a fantastic group of brothers and sisters in Christ on a mission trip in colorful Antigua, Guatemala. What an amazing day it has been, too. We began the day by walking the few blocks to the bustling marketplace filled with brilliantly colored goods where we shopped for souvenirs for loved ones back home. We met several shop owners who were Christians and were encouraged to patronize their shops, which we did. The native Guatemalans are such a colorful and friendly people and we have so enjoyed being immersed in their culture. After lunch we had an amazing adventure zip-lining on the mountainside of a beautiful coffee plantation. As one of our group remarked, we were able to see God in all his creative glory in the beautiful mountain vistas and treetop canopies. And again…the sight of that enormous volcano is ever-present here reminding us of our smallness and vulnerability in light of God’s power. A very special moment for me occurred while several of us were waiting for part of our group to finish zip-lining. The young Guatemalan guide who had been helping us soar from tree to tree asked us if we were all Christians. We began to talk to him about the Lord. He spoke a little English and told us he did own a Bible but didn’t read it very much. Later, when Howie Hooper arrived, he shared with him in Spanish about having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. We are praying that the seed that was planted will grow and flourish and that this young man and his family will come to know the Lord. God is so awesome in the way that he sets up these divine appointments where you least expect them…on the side of a mountain on a Guatemalan coffee plantation. We ended the day with a small celebration complete with a cake, party hats and noisemakers and then turned in to get a few hours sleep before our early morning airport ride. Those of us who were in Guatemala with Orphan’s Heart for the first time have already decided that we must come again. Not only have we fallen in love with the children at the malnutrition center, but we have seen the great need that is there in so many areas. We want to do more and to spread the word so that others might give of their time, money and resources to help in this small little corner of the world. We will never be the same and as one of our group shared at devotions this morning…going back to our ordinary, insulated lives will never again be sufficient. Thank you God for an incredible, life-changing mission’s adventure! (the first of many)
Beth Blamick
Mt Dora, Florida
No comments:
Post a Comment