PART TWO

[Wrote this last Friday and am just now able to get it up and running! Much has happened since this day, so I'll be updating more as soon as I can. Thanks for reading!]

Zach and I flew into Guatemala City on Wednesday evening, greeted by Richard and Melissa Jefferson, our sweet American southern-accented host couple for this semester. We loaded our bags into a big white 15-passenger van that belongs to the school, and drove through crazy Guatemalan traffic about 45 minutes to our new home with them on the Christian Academy of Guatemala (CAG)’s campus.

Here’s a few shots of the campus that I took the following evening. It’s like a little oasis!

the soccer field with Volcano Agua in the distance

front view of campus buildings

garden on the side of our home

the Jefferson's 4 month old french poodle Lola!

what you'd see if you'd walk out our door

and here's the front door!

The weather is absolutely perfect. We were just trekking on snow and ice in Nebraska a few short days ago, and now we throw on sandals and t-shirts every morning before we head out the door. We’re surrounded by palm trees, flowers of every color you can imagine, and volcanoes in the distance. Beautiful dark-skinned Guatemalans offer shy smiles more easily here than the Spaniards did Spain. Rich and Melissa drove us around a bit yesterday (we live in a suburb-like area outside of the ‘City’) and my heart leapt at seeing women in brightly-colored traditional Mayan dresses carrying baskets full of who knows what on top of their heads! I love that. I’m so excited to see more of this whenever we get the chance to venture out into the smaller villages. My heart has almost immediately connected to this place; just the way I felt during my month in Ecuador 3 years ago.

We have quickly learned that as much beauty as this part of the world holds, there is also much darkness and pain. We have heard stories of the poverty, of the crime, of the evil that corrupts the police system and the government. Of the civil war that happened here not too long ago (ended only in ’96) that gave way to senseless slaughter of innocent men, women, and children of the indigenous communities. Of the closed adoption system here that prevents anyone but Guatemalans to adopt the many thousands of orphaned or abandoned babies and children. Of the families that live in the city’s dump and scrounge for recyclable items and food to eat and where the children don’t go to school. Of the children who start sniffing glue as young as age 4 or 5 to make them forget about their hunger. Yesterday we visited the orphanage Melissa serves at twice a week, and as I pushed back wisps of black hair from her face, I looked into the wary eyes of one of the newer girls, a precious 4-year old whose father had raped her before she was brought to the home.

Although there is a lot of things like these that make me want to just sit down and weep or clench my fists in anger, I know that Light is here among us. In the short 48 hours we’ve been here, I’ve heard so many good stories. Of children getting to go to school for the first time because somebody from the States has given their money. Of babies left on doorsteps but now safely in the arms of a couple who started a children’s home. Of a Missions Aviation group that sends planes with medicine to the more remote villages in the country. Of the quickly-growing Deaf Ministry at a church where the Gospel is preached in Spanish and translated into Guatemalan sign language so that the deaf, too ,can know Jesus.

It’s incredible how massive the need is in this country, but it is so exciting and encouraging to see the Lord moving in different ways here. I want to be part of that movement.  I need to be part of that movement. Something rises up in me just thinking about all the ways I could use this short time that I’ve been given to be here. I am delighted by the array of serving opportunities that have been presented to me, because in Spain it wasn’t so simple to find somewhere to volunteer. Now, just about everyone we’ve met so far works with a different organization and has told me that if I was interested in joining them, ‘We’d love to have you!’ I joked with my dad on the phone that it feels like high school all over again with all the fun extracurricular activities—how in the world do you choose?! The big lesson I learned during those years was this: learn to say ‘no’ and don’t spread yourself too thin. Pick one or two things you’re passionate about and dive wholeheartedly into it, not forgetting the One you do it for.

As of right now, I'll be working as a nurse in a clinic alongside a Guatemalan doctor a couple afternoons a week at Prince of Peace, a home for girls. And some mornings I'll be joining Melissa at another orphanage to teach and play with the children there. I also might be of use as a nurse here at the school. Can't wait to start all of this!! Zachary starts student-teaching on the 9th, so prayers for him would be so appreciated. We've heard lots of good things about the teacher he's paired with, so we're excited! He's gonna do amazing.

Muchísimas gracias for joining us on our journey to Guatemala, friends! We love you so much!

K&Z