God Is Working!

Post by Cait

Hi Everyone! Outreach Day 2 is completed!! I have been conducting the socio-economic survey for our patients this trip. We are asking questions about their home life – whether they have enough food, access to clean water, the construction of their homes, and their financial status. Yesterday, we had quite a few patients make the trek from Chimaltenango (up in the mountains). Their stories were heartbreaking. They shared stories about their mud homes with no electricity and no water. Monica (my translator) and I had the opportunity to talk with a lady named Maria. She told us about her son, who had made some personal choices that severely impacted their family to the point of eviction and harm. She was telling us how hopeless and helpless she felt with tears falling from her face. She didn’t know how anything could help her situation at home. We got to tell her all about Jesus Christ and the hope we have in HIM! She listened as Monica told her what Jesus had done on the Cross for our sins and she asked us how she could have the joy found in our Savior. We prayed with her and she accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior. Monica and I gave her a Bible (the first one she has ever owned) and were able to highlight some passages for her to read. We also took the opportunity to pray for her son, and that the Lord would do a mighty work in his heart through Maria. She was so excited to receive the Bible and left our room smiling from ear to ear. Please continue to pray for Maria – especially that she is able to learn and grow as a new believer and that she would be able to share this good news with her family. Thanks to you all, we are able to continue this amazing work in Guatemala!

Post by Chesnie

Today was the second day at the medical outreach. It was a good day! I am so glad I made the decision to come! At first I was very hesitant about coming. I am great at worrying (Haha) and I was extremely anxious about what was going to happen. I didn’t know how to feel when my mom told me we were BOTH going, I was excited but scared at the same time. I didn’t remember much about my last trip. I remembered very few details, I just remembered that I had gotten sick and felt a little miserable the way home but I know it was still great. To be honest I was getting pretty worried, but I wish I knew how much I was going to enjoy this! Yes, the part where we woke up at 3am to catch a 7:30 flight was a little hard but its only the second day of outreach and I am having so much fun. I will admit yesterday was super hard on me. It was the first day, I didn’t know how things worked or were going to work, I didn’t know where to go, I didn’t know what to do, I didn’t know anyone and I was just worried about everything. I was a little overwhelmed with everything because all these adorable little kids seemed to be having so much fun just drawing and gluing little eye balls to paper, but I couldn’t understand them! Christian is basically my interpreter; I am so glad he was there and able to help me out. Christian was helping me understand what they were saying but he would still talk and laugh with them and I was just getting restless with me being the Healing Nations girl who gave these poor kids fluoride and could only say “Gracias” It was still ok for the first day. But after talking to everyone and having them explain their day and how awesome it was just made me think “You know, I’m not going to learn Spanish before tomorrow, but I am here for a reason. I am here to help, comfort and love these kids, lets try to do it with a great attitude.” So, I tried my best today and it was an AMAZING day! But I will admit I am so grateful for Google translate! I used that thing all day! I would put it on the conversation mode so if I said something it would say it in Spanish and these cute little kids would laugh or nod their head or just say “Si” with the biggest grin on their face. I am so glad I used it. Today was so much better because this morning I showed up with confidence in myself and everyone around me. I talked and laughed so much more with Christian than I did yesterday and I spoke to a ton of little kids! Yeah, today was a little slow, there weren’t a ton of kids and me and Christian were going a little crazy but I was still so happy by the end of the day. I am so grateful for the wonderful people on this team, for the amazing food and hosts, and I am so grateful that God gave me the confidence this morning and made it possible for me to come on this trip! Love ya team!