By God's grace we returned home safely early Sunday morning. I drove into my driveway in Pocomoke at 3:15 a.m. Needeless to say I was extremely tired! Since returning I have been catching up on many things, such as REST and SLEEP, and spending time with my lovely wife. I have spent a little time with Jenny, Phil, Ryleigh, and Tatum, and have talked with Melanie and Amy by phone. I hope to see Melanie tonight. Not sure when I will see Amy, as she lives in Orange County, California!
There is so much to process. You can view photos and videos of third world countries and imagine what things are like, but until you experience it, you will not completley understand. At least that is how it has been with me. When we first arrived in Guatemala I stated to my fellow team members that what I was seeing was pretty much what I expected. But once we actually began our mission work and began to interact with the people we came to minister to I soon realized that my preconceptions were not on target. There is so much need both physically and spiritually. The people, from the small children to the adults, embraced us with love, acceptance, and respect. I was amazed at the courtesy and manners displayed by the children. North Americans have so much and they have so little, yet they showed no signs of greed when we would give them toys, candy, gum, food, whatever. . . Not only did they thank us for these small gifts, they were content with them and in many cases would go to share what we gave to them with other children.
In my heart and mind are many, many stories of my experiences. Every time I share them with friends and co-workers I become extremely emotional. God was in the midst of every day, every minute, every thought, and every experience we had. While He was blessing the people of Guatemala through our efforts to serve, He was blessing all of us immeasureably! I am so thankful that Soul Discovery has partnered with the Hope of Life Mission and that we go to Guatemala every year. We have built, and are building, personal relationships that will last lifetimes. To see the people, especially the children, remember those of the team who have been before was nothing short of amazing! Those of us who were "first timers" bonded with several children and adults, and so look forward to seeing them again. What I witnessed, and was part of, was love in action at it's purest form. The Mission is on a mountain with the Orphanage being all the way to the top. The roads we walked on to get to various venues on the mountain are steep to say the least. Every time we went up the mountain to spend time with the children, they would begin shouting, "Americanos! Gringos!" as soon as they could see the tops of our heads coming up the road! We had such fun playing with the children! They loved the "shoulder rides" and "futbol".
I want to thank ALL of the "veteran" team members who helped this "rookie". Their assurances took away any anxiety that I had. Brenna, you and Danny are to be commended for the great job you did as our leaders! Throughout the week I witnessed the love of Jesus in all of the team! I intend to write more later and include some of the specific experiences that impacted me. Like I said, I am processing. Please continue to pray for the people of Guatemala, Hope of Life Mission, and for the Soul Discovery Mission Team. Seek how God wants you to contribute to this ministry, whether it be to join the team, provide money, or simply pray.
There is so much to process. You can view photos and videos of third world countries and imagine what things are like, but until you experience it, you will not completley understand. At least that is how it has been with me. When we first arrived in Guatemala I stated to my fellow team members that what I was seeing was pretty much what I expected. But once we actually began our mission work and began to interact with the people we came to minister to I soon realized that my preconceptions were not on target. There is so much need both physically and spiritually. The people, from the small children to the adults, embraced us with love, acceptance, and respect. I was amazed at the courtesy and manners displayed by the children. North Americans have so much and they have so little, yet they showed no signs of greed when we would give them toys, candy, gum, food, whatever. . . Not only did they thank us for these small gifts, they were content with them and in many cases would go to share what we gave to them with other children.
In my heart and mind are many, many stories of my experiences. Every time I share them with friends and co-workers I become extremely emotional. God was in the midst of every day, every minute, every thought, and every experience we had. While He was blessing the people of Guatemala through our efforts to serve, He was blessing all of us immeasureably! I am so thankful that Soul Discovery has partnered with the Hope of Life Mission and that we go to Guatemala every year. We have built, and are building, personal relationships that will last lifetimes. To see the people, especially the children, remember those of the team who have been before was nothing short of amazing! Those of us who were "first timers" bonded with several children and adults, and so look forward to seeing them again. What I witnessed, and was part of, was love in action at it's purest form. The Mission is on a mountain with the Orphanage being all the way to the top. The roads we walked on to get to various venues on the mountain are steep to say the least. Every time we went up the mountain to spend time with the children, they would begin shouting, "Americanos! Gringos!" as soon as they could see the tops of our heads coming up the road! We had such fun playing with the children! They loved the "shoulder rides" and "futbol".
I want to thank ALL of the "veteran" team members who helped this "rookie". Their assurances took away any anxiety that I had. Brenna, you and Danny are to be commended for the great job you did as our leaders! Throughout the week I witnessed the love of Jesus in all of the team! I intend to write more later and include some of the specific experiences that impacted me. Like I said, I am processing. Please continue to pray for the people of Guatemala, Hope of Life Mission, and for the Soul Discovery Mission Team. Seek how God wants you to contribute to this ministry, whether it be to join the team, provide money, or simply pray.
1 comment:
Amen Jim!
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