Guatemala, October 11th-17th, 2014

Orchard Hill Community Church, Victory Life Church & Friends

Wow. What an adventure it has been here in Guatemala at the Malnutrition Center. Friends who took the trip last year gave us an idea of what we might experience, but this went way beyond our expectations! Monday morning started in the baño (bathroom) with eleven little "chicks" sitting on a little bowl they call pots. My mom and I thought it was so funny. They sit on those pots and they are so content. The "Chicks" are the toddlers at the center, and they are currently potty training. It is a funny sight to see when they sit on those pots. In the morning when we get them off their pots they take a bath and then we get them ready for the day. 

The other day I was playing with my "non favorite" (as we call our favorites), Anibal. And I said to him,"I love you!" And he said right back to me "I love you!" It was the cutest thing ever. In the lunch room, a little boy came up to me and started climbing on my back. Ever since I gave him a piggy back ride on our first day, each day since then he has come up to me, given me a hug and said,"I love you." He is such a sweetheart. I can't believe I am on this trip loving on these kids. I know that everyone on this trip will go home feeling changed. I know I will! 

There is one thing that I have had a hard time with, and that is the language barrier. I think others have had a hard time with that, too. But God gave us different languages so that we can communicate not just by what we know but what others know too. I realized that you can communicate even though you are from different backgrounds. For example, with the nannies at the center, if a baby needs a diaper change, you don't need to know how to speak Spanish to tell them that. You can (as I have) use hand gestures. 

There is one language we all have in common here and that is Love. LOVE is what these kids need. You can tell the nannies love the kids, but they don't always have enough time to spend quality time with every child. This is why it is important for teams to come down here. God brought us across the world so that these kids could be loved in a special way. God says "Let the children come," which I think means to love them, because they are just as important as you, me or anybody. Any time you have the chance to love on some kids take the opportunity, because it will change your life and your world forever.

- Kensley H.

  (11 yrs. old and and trying to become more like Jesus every day.)