Reflections from the team...
“The second part of yesterday [Tuesday] was spent doing a Bible story, crafts and games with the kids of the local village Chituc. When we started, there were just a handful of children. However, as we were getting started, more and more kids appeared, until there were about 20. As we started with the song “I’ve Got the Joy” in Spanish, Mrs Palarca handed one of the boys a sign with a sun on it to represent joy. Everyone got really confused and started singing “Yo tengo sol, sol, sol” (I’ve got the sun, sun, sun). It was a quite comical scene when we realized that our song wasn't quite right. We all laughed together. Then the Palarcas told the story of the resurrection eggs, and the book of gospel colors. Our craft was bracelets made with leather and colorful beads. Instead of a formal game, we threw around a football (American :-)) and kicked a soccer ball. Soon one of the little girls, Ashley, started a game of hot potato, and literally dragged most of the team into the game. After two hours of time spent in these activities, we drove back to Village of Hope, ate dinner, and got ready to go to Antigua to feed the homeless. -Alle”
“Last night [Tuesday] we experienced an incredible divine appointment. God by His great faithfulness brings about divine appointments for a specific purpose. Before I share our divine appointment I need to share some background information. Last year here at VOH, I met a teenage boy (name purposefully left out), who, like most here, has gone through many hard challenges in his young life. God gave me a wonderful connection with him. He struggled with certain things in his life. This summer he needed to move on to another place where He could receive more help with his struggles. This past year, God caused me to pray fervently for this teenage boy. For this trip, I expressed I would really like to see him again, tell him I'm praying for him. Now for divine appointment.
Last night we pulled up to the dump on our last stop to pass out soup, tortillas and Christ's love. Trash was overflowing from the entrance and I was trying to get over the stench. As I was waiting for my cup of soup to hand out, there he walked right in front of me, the teenage boy that I was longing to see this year. Our divine appointment. I quietly exclaimed to Christine, "Christine, it's ...." and exclaimed it again. We ran over and gave huge hugs. For the next several minutes we all were able to talk about last year, see how he was, point him to Christ, and to pray for him. During the prayer time, he was sobbing. He told us that he was living at the dump now. Our time was over and we needed to get going, we all hugged again and said our goodbyes. Unbelievable divine appointment. God had this appointment as part of his incredible plan. This teenage boy still needs to yield his life fully to God, not by His terms but by God's. He needs to go and get the help he needs. The great Shepherd is after him. If you are lead, please pray for him. God brought this divine appointment for him and for me. Matthew 18:10-14 ~Shelly”
“As I reflect on the past few days here in Guatemala, two words come to mind…
Amazing
I have come to realize that my qualifications for amazing have been far too weak. Prior to coming to Guatemala, fried chicken was amazing… A really comfortable pair of shoes were amazing… Leaving work a little early felt amazing… Buying a shirt that’s on sale and finding out there’s an extra 50% off when I go to pay for it was amazing… While these are all reasons to smile and be thankful, I can’t help but admit how insignificant they are in the light of God’s idea of amazement.
Seeing a 16-day-old baby girl come home after brain surgery, that is amazing. Hearing children from a tiny village sing songs about the joy of Jesus in their heart, that is amazing. Listening to a young man recall stories of his time spent with some of our team members from a trip that took place last year, that is amazing. Hearing God being praised in a different nation from different people in a different tongue, that is amazing.
After sharing this with a fellow team member, she submitted, “It’s because we don’t pray enough that God would do amazing things.” - I agree because I know I’m guilty of only asking small things of a big God. I ask for daily strength, patience, and sustenance - again, all good things. I sometimes don’t have enough faith to ask that God would move mountains. I’m too timid to ask God to do something amazing with my life. So unless I start seeing God as something bigger than the prayer requests I’m too scared to lift up, I will always be amazed by mere meals and good deals.
Tension
There are certain points of tension that God places us in. Places where we know polar opposites exist, but are somehow reconciled in the vastness of God’s wisdom. God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility. God’s wrath and God’s love. Christ’s sacrifice for the World and the soundness of predestination. Today I found myself seated in the uncomfortable position between Spiritual Truth and physical reality.
We arrived at a local dumpster - a square, cinder block structure that stood about 30 feet high and 45 feet wide on all sides. Within these stone walls, covering about half of the floor were piles of trash almost as tall as the walls. Parked outside of the walls, I sat inside a 15-passenger van with my eyes fixed on two boys digging through the abyss of garbage. As I watch them rummage through discarded food, old styrofoam containers and an assortment of rotten fruits and vegetables, I try to remind myself that God has purpose for their sifting. Though it may not be discovered, I have to believe that God’s goodness is underneath the garbage heap.
I walked through a dark alley with nothing but a cup of soup and a desire to pray for whoever is hungry enough to accept this small meal. I meet Luis - a middle-aged man in a tattered army jacket and jeans full of holes. He lives under a makeshift canopy made up of six, four foot wooden posts and garbage bags. We prayed for his son Adres, the pain he’s been feeling in his stomach, and his desire to rid himself of alcoholism. After our prayer, Luis insists I give it to one of his ‘neighbors.’ As the words coming out of my mouth reflected desperation and a plea for hope, my heart couldn’t help but wonder where Luis fits in God’s perfect plan.
This trip, so far, hasn’t provided any concrete answers or practical applications on how to live in the tension and that’s ok. I know God holds both ends of the spectrum and every square inch in between. Now, it’s just a matter of becoming comfortable with the mystery.
Of course, there is the beautiful possibility of these two words and ideas working in perfect harmony. The hope of God’s faithfulness ringing true, so long as I rest in His promises amidst the outworking of his plan. The hope of God’s love being found among the rubble. The hope of God’s mercy healing and saving a homeless alcoholic. And in the grand scheme of His sovereignty, the hope of God doing something utterly amazing in the tension.”
And this is our day in Antigua...
Tomorrow [Thursday] is our last day at Village of Hope. We get to spend the day with the kids and have lunch in San Lucas.
We are thankful for your prayers as always. Please feel free to leave a comment or send us a message at pureundefiledreligionexpressed@gmail.com.
~Christine and team
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