GUATEMALA - April 13

OUR MISSION HAS JUST BEGUN

On the last day of a mission trip many people question, “What will I do when I get back home?” But tonight, Olivia, our interpreter and my new friend, reminded me that we’ve only just begun. In WOW! time Olivia explained that when we go home we don’t need to think that our mission just ended, but that it just began. Our LIFE should now be a constant mission. Everything we say and do should be intentional about what God would want. God was doing something new with each one of us on this mission trip. He was leading us along His path, sending us all in the direction of the cross, but also leading us to rivers to revive and refresh us before the next mile.

God already had a plan for each of us on this trip, and we were able to see it all fulfilled on this last day. He brought us to the Guatemala Malnutrition Center to prepare us for the Journey ahead. What we thought was us helping Him became God refreshing us for His work.

Today alone we saw miracles at the Malnutrition Center. We were able to see the parents with their children, and that was the most amazing experience yet! These parents love their children and miss them dearly when they have to leave them, but we were able to give them hope and joy from Christ. We got the kids all dressed, ready, and beautified for their parents. Then as the parents arrived the children would run to them with open arms saying “momma” or “papa”. We guided them to the stage area to welcome them and share the love of Christ. Two of our young ladies, Mary Brittain and Courtnee, sang a song to them in Spanish “Ai, Yi, Yi, Yi!” Julie and her team shared a puppet show. Cindy told them an amazing testimony about Jesus’ love for us that sets us free, and Karina shared the plan of salvation with them. We then proceeded to give the parents the baskets of love filled with all the food we had packed earlier in the week. These men and women were amazed and so thankful that they began to pray and cry. It was a sight that all should have the chance to see. Jeanette then presented the families with picture albums of the kids, along with bags made with the children’s’ handprints, and dolls Shannon brought from Ocala.

These parents were so grateful they followed us out of the Center wishing us farewell and thanks. (That’s a first.) This was a blessing all around from God. God blessed us to get these things for the families, we blessed them by the gift, and the parents blessed us with their sincere gratitude. Even little Elias’ dad ran to our buses wanting to shake our hands and give us thanks. Then the staff ran out to thank us and bid Ella a farewell since her 6-week internship ended today. (By the way, Ella is an inspiring girl and amazing with the kids and the workers.) Thank you, Ella for all you have done to help!

Once we pulled away from the Center, draining ourselves of the tears we had stored for this very moment, we headed back to Antigua. Some of the women headed to the market to shop, but the other crazy group headed to the Coffee plantation to zip-line. We can thank God everyone made it across the wire safely, well all but the one who chickened out at the very top (she or I would like to remain nameless.) Dena tried to console me by saying God had a reason for me not going across the zip line, and that was so I could retrieve her camera that flew down the mountain as soon as she took the initial step off the platform. Thanks Dena! And no, I am not ashamed. Even though we had a 10 year old as well as a 72-year-old women go across before me. I asked God if I should go and I clearly felt Him say “No”! However, I did jump in the back of a “Tuk-tuk” the Guatemalan Taxi and that is a ride in itself, you should see the picture I took. It explains it all.

I can honestly say, this mission trip has been a life changing experience, a since of refreshment from God to remind us of His grace and mercy. He revealed to us His plan and His path, and we just had to come along side of what He was already doing. He filled us with all the water we needed from His River of life. We not only grew close to the children at the Center, but we grew closer to one another. We are now life long sisters in Christ. I have made so many new friends on this trip that we will now share a common bond. No matter where they live, if that be South Carolina, Olde Town, Jacksonville, Lakeland, Oviedo, Orlando, Miami, Naples, Tallahassee, Ocala, or Guatemala, we all feel a labor of love that was bonded by Christ alone. This mission trip with Orphan’s Heart to the Guatemala Malnutrition Center now stands as a new memory of a new beginning down the path that will lead us home.

“For I am about to do a brand new thing.

See, I have already begun!

Do you not see it?

I will make a pathway through the wilderness

to bring my people home.

I will create rivers for them in the desert!” Isaiah 43:19.