What it means to serve...

I feel like I cheated on our last day of ministry. The morning was spent at the orphanage, completing home visits, and helping with a small project at the ministry home. At the orphanage, their is also a school for the local community. Half of the group took the teachers to lunch and talk about recognizing signs of abuse in the kids that they teach. While the other half of us managed the organized chaos that was the student body. In my classroom, it was more chaos than organized. Organizing games and activities proved to be difficult with the language barrier. The half an hour we planned to stay turned into an hour and a half, and while I was sad to say good bye to the kids at the orphanage, I was ready to hand over my second grade class to more capable hands. 

Again, half the group went on home visits while the other half helped wash sheets for a group that had stayed at the ministry house. During the home visits we  spent time with a family dealing with cancer. The mother of two boys has ceased medical treatment for her cancer. Her mother is taking care of her. She was not feeling up for visitors so we spoke and prayed with her mother and her her two children. This visit broke me as the family endures this suffering without Christ for comfort, without hope for what comes after physical death in this world. They will stay in my heart and in my prayers long after we leave Guatemala. 

Our last day of ministry concluded with lunch with all the pastors and missionaries we worked with throughout our stay. It was fun and festive with steak for the meal and mango ice cream cones with chocolate drizzle for dessert.   Then the pastors shared with us how important the work we did was. They saw fruit already as there were more men in church the week we came then there ever had been before. They saw men interacting and playing with their children, outwardly expressing love. They thanked us for giving them more work to disciple and minister to those who had accepted Christ as their savior that week. 

And then they washed our feet. As they washed our feet they prayed and sang over us. It was uncomfortable and humbling for me to have a 73 year man kneel at my feet, washing the dirt and sweat away. They kept repeating how grateful they were that we would sacrifice our time and resources to come visit them, leaving the comfort of our homes and families to be with them and serve their congregation. But honestly, I felt as if I should be the one thanking them as I have taken away more then I've given. I guess love is like that, the more you give the more you receive in return. So maybe I didn't cheat on the last day of ministry, but instead surrendered to the beautiful design God has for us to love and serve one another. 

We arrived safely in Antigua and are looking forward to a day of rest and exploring the city. The hotel is gorgeous with more gardens, fountains and flowers. Flat Cathy enjoyed hanging out with our neighbor. 

We do need to rally the troops for one more prayer battle before we return to the U.S.  Because of implications that the president is involved in a bribery scandal, the people of Guatemala are calling for his resignation. It is taking the form of protests, planned and unplanned. Please pray that the protests planned for tomorrow do not shut down roads and transportation, blocking our way to the airport. We have really enjoyed our time but it will be good to go home as planned. Thank you so much for all your prayer support warriors! Have a great day!