Four Words

If I would have to describe Guatemala in four words?:
Simple,
Kind,
Fractured, and
Inspiring.
Now let me tell you why I picked these words.
Simple:
I say simple for many reasons. The first is because I found the relationships I had here in Guatemala were that very thing. The language barrier was a challenge but eventually I learned that didn’t have to stop me from having a relationship with others. Most of the time I couldn’t understand the entirety of what I was being told by someone or a conversation would take three times longer because of google translate. But I found that sometimes little is more. Even if I can’t say all I want to the kids I worked with I can still say a few simple words I know in Spanish and they still respond as if I said the most funny or the most encouraging thing. I will miss the relationships that mostly relied on simple conversations.

Kind:
Guatemala was kind to me. Coming into Guatemala I found such a warm, kind hospitality and is not found in every culture. Admittedly there were a few people I wished were a little less friendly but for the most part I was honored to be graced with the cultural’s kindness. Anywhere you go people want to make sure you are comfortable and fed and have the proper amount of coffee; Even those who had little to give still gave. Sometimes I get a chance to do home visits in Santa Marta and every house we tried to bless with food or prayer would invite us in and offer us a place to sit. Most of the time they didn’t even have enough stools for us but they would search their house until they found a crate or something for us to sit on. We would go to their house to comfort them and they would make us coffee and send their children out to buy us bread to eat. The ones who seemed to have the least gave the most. I will miss that kindness when I’m gone.

Fractured:
Despite the kindness I found here in Guatemala there was still brokenness. The most evident way I witnessed this fractured state was through alcoholism. It was heartbreaking to see how common alcoholism is where I was for the last two months. Most know the symptoms of alcohol use: significant problematic behavior or psychological changes as well as things like slurred speech, incoordination, unsteady gait, nystagmus, impairment in attention or memory, stupor or coma. I saw people in this state almost every day I went outside. I am so glad I ended up on a team that push me to minister to these people, leading by example and doing such a great job at ministering to these people themselves. However trying to help the drunk people in the streets proved to be the most challenging. They would swear up and down that they wanted to stop drinking with a bottle of boos in their hand behind their back. My team struggled with that because most of the these people we met had families that had kicked them out or they had left, that seemed like enough motivation to stop drinking. The fact that we found was that alcohol withdrawal is a stronger motivator to keep on drinking. Alcohol withdrawal symptoms include: sweating or high pulse rate, increased hand tremor, nausea or vomiting, visual, tactile or auditory hallucinations or illusions, psychomotor agitation, anxiety, and seizures. A lot of which my team and I witnessed happening to people. It was hard to see but it was a reality for so many.

Inspiring:
Wow the people I have been working with for the last 8 weeks have inspired me and put me into a state of awe. I am so impressed and quite possibly confused by their work. The ministry I worked with, Reindom, was full of people who volunteered for no other reason or motivation other than their work was for God’s glory. We fed kids and homeless drunk people and worked so hard to make those people feel seen. Reindom didn’t have any reason to care about the people they care for, they weren’t getting payed or getting a grade for helping out but they still dedicated so much to it. They decided their entire life to fundraiser to pay to feed those less fortunate than them and taking food to those people and teaching them, worshipping, praying with them, playing and having fun with them. Reindom have so much to people they knew could probably never repay them. Reindom was a clear picture of the love God gave us and wants us to give to each other. I will miss Reindom and their Christ like love for others.

So there you go. There is my time here in Guatemala in four words. I am sad to leave but also so excited for what God has next for me in the next place. Adiós Guate!! Until next time.