GUATEMALA Family Reunion

Team members' reflections on the day:

--I was “having a moment” crying when we first came in this morning, and a sweet young lady in our group named Kathy Jo asked to pray with me.

--It felt like a family reunion to have the sponsored children who have gone home to return to the Center today to receive their medical check-up and their food basket!  So many familiar faces, hugs and smiles, joy and laughter!

--We again had a team who visited the nursing home.  The people there cheered when we came in.  They were so excited.  We took a hairdresser to cut the men’s hair.  We sang and had crafts and bingo for them.  When we left, we promised we’d be back manana.  They hugged us as they said, “Manana! Manana!”

 

 

--When we walked to the Senior Citizen Center, they were all grinning and clapping and yelling to us. It was very heartwarming. The ones who got their hair cut were beaming when they came out! God is so good!

--With such a big team, we are able to reach out in ways we haven't been able to before, in addition to getting lots done at the Center.  We have had a group working with the siblings of the children in the Center.  A special craft, singing and playing, a Bible story and a sack lunch made for a very special day!

--Karina was admitted yesterday to the Center.  I could write a whole story on “When Karina Smiles.”  She is such a happy girl.

--I am on the crafts team, and we rotate to each of the groups of children; but going to the different groups we seemed to keep running into timing issues! But I realized when I let go and put it in God’s hand it worked out.  Then when in Dolphins, I hung out with Mario.  As I was preparing to leave, Katrina jumped in my arms and I almost fell over.

--One night at devotion they asked us to pick a child from the list of children to pray for.  I picked Eduardo.  The following day, forgetting who I picked, I connected with a little boy named Edward. Only when I arrived home did my wife remind me that was the little one I had prayed for!  I had chosen him, and he chose me!

-- I had the blessing of watching the last few ladies take their very heavy bags of food from the sponsors.  They were so grateful!

--Little Jorge is such a charmer, he blows kisses and grabs you and hugs you and it melts your heart!

--Billy came back to the Center today! He is getting so big! He had his picture taken with his mom, received a new pair of shoes, and never stopped smiling!

--Maurecio learned a new song and went around singing it to everyone he saw!

--Some of our team gave manicures to the staff to make them feel special and appreciated.

--I had the opportunity to spend time with my sponsored child and his mother.  What a blessing!

--I was blessed to be able to provide shoes and some medicine to the sponsored children and their siblings.

--Thanks to all the generosity of all our home churches, the shelves overflow with clothes, shoes, diapers, and other needed supplies!  We've blessed to be a blessing, and so many at home have been a blessing to these children and to this country without ever having been here!