Gautemala – Day 6: It’s Monday and after a day off we head back to the center to see the kids. The routine begins with bathing and dressing the kids to play. Today is a hard day for most of our team as it will be their last day to see the kids, and then they will fly back home in the morning. All around the center I saw team members trying to soak up the final moments. They were holding the kids more, holding more kids, doing crafts and activities with them, dancing (yes, I said dancing – it’s in the Bible!) playing ball, chasing them around, endless pictures, and again…holding them as much as they could. It’s funny how these cute little guys and gals play with your emotions. It’s hard to imagine what it’s like before you get here. But once you’ve experienced their open arms raised high, or their little bodies turned around and backing into your lap so that you will hold them, or their endless invitation to a tickle-fight, or their repeated “hola!” 's in only a way that their precious little kiddy-voices can say it…you’re hooked. You want to see them again. You want to take them home. You don’t want to leave.
Nonetheless, that’s what we have to do. We have our families and our jobs to return to. The center will go on and wait for the next team to arrive the week after Christmas. How they do it without all the help we provide is beyond comprehension. All I can say is that the center’s workers are a very special, hard-working, and loving people. I cannot speak Spanish very well, but I understand a little bit. Today and yesterday, one of the elderly lady workers at the center expressed such gratitude to LeeAnn and I (and I know they have to others) for coming to help her. She said that it made things so much easier for her to feed, change, and take care of the little ones she loves. She hugged us many times and said that she thanked God for our team coming and that she prayed for His blessings on us. It was an emotional and uplifting moment to know that what we have done has brought Christ glory through others heart-felt thanksgiving.
As we departed the center today, the children and the workers came out to see us off. As they waved good-bye, blew kisses at us, and shouted “adios!,” our hearts melted, tears fell, and for some…silence was all that could be mustered.
Tonight we had our last dinner together and our last WOW time together. We shared with each other how much we have changed each other’s lives in this short time we have had together. We also shared how much this ministry has meant to us. One comment in particular was Pat’s story about a conversation she had with some of the cooks at the center. She told the cooks that if they ever got to come to Orlando that she wanted them to come to her house so she could cook for THEM. She followed that by saying that she was not sure when or if she would get to come back to Guatemala because of how expensive the trip is. Then one of the ladies asked her to imagine how much harder it would be for them to come to see her. Now that puts what we do into perspective. Finally, Greg shared with us that when we think about what the kids, their families, and the workers need, to think not about what ‘things’ they need or how much money they need. They do not need our things or our money, they ‘need’ our Savior. We closed our time together sharing contacts and giving invitations to visit each other. I personally am looking forward to visiting these great friends and getting to know them better.
I can’t think of a better way to spend the holidays than to serve like this. I look forward to doing this for many years to come. But first, there are five of us from Llano, TX, (now known as the "Texas 5") who will remain in Guatemala for an extra day. We will travel back to the center tomorrow and spend the day in the nursery. One of our team members has been blessed to be with these babies since we arrived. We are all looking forward to a change of pace and getting to hold those tiny cuties. I learned this week that there is a set of twins in the nursery that are up for adoption. I have only seen the girl (the other is a boy). She is so adorable! I want to take her home! Am I nuts with seven kids already?!
I learned of a story about our translator today. She is a young lady, maybe in her early 20’s. Her name is Keren. Keren lost her dad 3 years ago. She said that this group has been the most meaningful group to her since her dad died because there was a man on our team who looked and acted goofy just like him. She said this of Lynn. Lynn is tall and is 50-something going on 12. He loves to be silly. He is always trying to lift someone’s spirit. He’s a hoot and so much fun to be around. Keren says that the only thing different about Lynn is that he is about 3 shades lighter than her dad was. Funny how God uses you in ways that you would never know and could never plan.
In closing, I want to share a moment we had during lunch today. A mother was visiting the center and carrying a bag full of items on her head (as is a custom here in Guatemala). Several of our ladies wanted to give it a try and she let them. They could get the bag on their heads (and noted that it was heavy), but none could balance it. One nearly fell down trying! These mothers who carry these bags up and down hills, across rugged terrain, carrying a baby on their back, and holding children’s hands are quite an impressive sight! Tonight, Greg challenged Bette Sue to learn how to balance the bag. If she mastered it, he said he would fly her from Texas out to Florida to use her during a sermon that he would title “How to live a balanced life”. She would, however, have to balance it for the duration of the sermon. Bette Sue issued the challenge back to Greg saying he should learn to do it so he could be the example of a balance life! What fun this group is…it all started at the airport a week ago…and I am looking forward to where it will go!
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