Impact.

Coming home is never easy. It's never fun either.

But they say home is where the heart is. . . Well my heart is in a Guatemalan village 10,000 feet in the mountains. Does that make Guatemala home? Maybe I'm just a nomad. Lost and confused.

I returned from a 10 day trip to Guatemala. This was my second time and it was great. The first trip was life changing - the greatest trip of my life. This trip didn't disappoint. Still changed me. Still great! :)

There is something so special about your first time in a new place. The first time you meet the people there, taste the food, see the sights, get bit by the bugs. . .

HOWEVER, nothing can compare to returning to the same village and seeing the same children and people that I met last year. The second I stepped out of the van, my 9 year old friend, Ruth, RAN up to me and embraced me with all she had. You just can't describe those moments. It's moments like those that made this trip. Reconnecting with old friends. Seeing the smiles on the faces of the people you met a year earlier.  All that was going through my mind was "they remember."

My Ruth is the one in the light green jacket giggling to herself ;)

Oftentimes I come across people who question the impact of short term missions. Trust me, I get it. It used to be hard for me to hear these people out because I have such a heart for missions and have been on 5 trips myself. But I really do understand their concern. But it's the little moments like THAT - Ruth running up and embracing me with the biggest smile I've ever seen. Laughter in the air; music to my ears. They remember! We bring joy and encouragement to these people. We build relationships and love them like Jesus loves them.

We had a sermon in church today on James 1:27. "Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world."  That's what we're doing in this village. THAT is what short term missions is all about.

If you read my posts from last year's trip or talked to me at all, you may remember that last year we laid the block for the church in the village. We built the first story. Finished all the block work. I was so excited to see how much further they had gotten in a year's time. I was saddened to see there was little to no progress on the church since our last day in the village last year. This also solidifies my belief that we are making an impact. WE are building this church in Guatemala. Literally building the church.

Working hard on the re-bar

This year we did all of the re-bar work for them to lay the ceiling of the first story/floor of the second story and begin to build up. Re-bar work is very tedious and time consuming. It was so awesome to see how excited and overjoyed all of the people in the village were just to have us there. Our presence lit up their faces. Their smiles are so bright and bring tears to my eyes. I've never seen such beautiful smiles.

I know that we made a difference being there. We made a difference in the village physically by building the church building. We made a difference in the church spiritually by helping build the church body and bringing believers to their community. We made a difference personally by continuing relationships that were made and built last year. Not only is this village being impacted, but so am I. I can't help but be impacted by their joy, excitement, and unconditional love for everyone around them. They have nothing but are more than content. They are so generous. I definitely learn from them each time I interact - language barriers don't stop love and joy. Some things are universal.

Their smiles are more beautiful than anything I've seen.
Their laughter is music to my ears.

XOXO

Mission Minded 2013

Dearest friends and family,

As you may know, I spent some time last summer doing mission work in Guatemala.  I was blessed by the Lord in ways that transformed my life and made me mission-minded.  This trip truly changed my life.  I saw for the first time what love really means.  I experienced medical missions for the first time – a dream come true for me!  I fell in love with a country and its people: GUATEMALA.

This summer I will return.  Guatemala is number four in the world for starvation and malnutrition.  I will be working alongside Doctor Gomez in a medical clinic, as well as loving the community and helping out with water purification projects.  My team and I will be digging wells and educating the public on how to minimize infection and the little things to do in order to remain healthy.

Being a part of a medical mission has always been a dream of mine; something the Lord laid on my heart years ago.  More recently, this dream has exploded inside of me.  I am so excited to see what the Lord does in and through me during this trip.  I cannot wait to learn even more from Dr. Gomez this time around and be the Lord’s healing hands in Guatemala!

I am going with a team of 8 people from Bethany Bible Church and we leave Thursday, June 13 and return Saturday, June 22.  We need your help in this mission!  We can’t do it without you.  I ask that you would pray for my team as we prepare for this trip and prepare our hearts and minds for the work we will be doing in Guatemala.  Each team member is to raise $2,075.  If you can’t give financially, please pray; prayer is so, so powerful.  But if you can give financially, know that your money is going to a great cause and that we are ever so thankful for your gift.

XOXO

The Love.

I've been putting this off. This last post about Guatemala. I don't want it to end. I know it's silly for me to hold it in and not express my emotions, my feelings, my experiences with THE LOVE. But part of me felt like writing the last post, meant that it was really over.

But it's not.

It's not over. It will never be over in my heart. My life was forever changed by this trip. My view on love was forever changed by this trip. I was forever changed by this trip.

So here we go. To talk about love. A love few have ever experienced. Few will ever experience. And I was blessed enough to see that love in action. And to be right smack dab in the middle of it.

From day one working in the village, high on that mountain, among the clouds, I felt something unlike anything I had ever felt before. It was a warm fuzzy feeling. A feeling that tore down all the walls I built up around myself. Broke through all my insecurities and uncomfortable-ness (I realize this is not a real word. Don't care). Made me forget all of the bad things in the world, and simply see the beauty all around. This feeling was amazing. And happy. And forgiving. Not afraid. Not judgmental. Boundless. Unconditional. Unending.

This was love in its purest form.

I felt loved like never before by people that didn't even know me! And I shared this love for them as well - people I had met 5 minutes prior. I was absolutely in love with them. These children. These adults. These Guatemalan people who wore the brightest, biggest smiles I had ever seen. People who were more generous than anyone I had ever met even though they had much less "stuff" than anyone I know.

These new loves of mine understood life. They understood that LOVE in its purest form is above all else. Love never fails. Love never gives up. Love covers a multitude of sins. LOVE CONQUERS.

This love was contagious. I saw it in the eyes of Ruth. I saw it in the eyes of Raul. In the eyes of Dr. Gomez. Hugo. Marvin. Everyone! This love filled my heart with a joy I could not contain. This love filled my eyes with tears because I had never seen or felt or experienced something so beautiful.

Loves

This love made me forget all of the bad in the world. This love made me focus on the good in everyone and everything. This love was REAL. No words can describe it. Just writing about it fills my heart and my eyes the way it did each day I saw my Guatemalan friends.

It's impossible for me not to smile at this one :)

It hurts my heart knowing they are far away. But are they really? They all left fingerprints on my heart. They each have a special place in my heart forever. There's not a day that goes by that I don't think about my loves in Guatemala - especially with the earthquake that struck not too long ago. I pray that the Lord protects them as I know He will.

I miss my girls

My Guatemalan friends showed me what love really means. They showed me the true meaning and the true image of love. In its purest form. And even though I know no earthly love can even compare to the Father's love for us, their love was the closest I have ever seen or experienced to God's love.

<3 most loving sibling in the world

Their love was joyful and patient and kind. There love was generous and pure and honest. Their love was gentle and peaceful and good. Their love was selfless and faithful and indescribable. I wish everyone could experience a love like this. It's so special to me and all who experienced it.

Pure joy

I want to love like them. A love that lasts. A love that endures. A love that never fails, never gives up, and had no bounds.

I love you <3 - Raul

XOXO

The Work.

Once again, apologies for the ridiculous chunks of time that pass between my posts.

It's late September and I'm still trying to wrap up some posts on a June mission trip!

But as we all know, life gets crazy sometimes - and NOW is that time for me.

The Work.

The work we did in Guatemala was far greater than any other mission trip I have been a part of. It was also the first trip where I could physically SEE the difference we were making. I could SEE the progress and mark we were leaving on this village. And it never ceases to fill my heart with warmth and love as well as fill my eyes with tears of joy and blessing.

What my team and I did in Guatemala was build a new church for the people of this small (in land) but large (in population and love) village. SO COOL. Being a part of this work was amazing. Never in my life did I expect to be a part of a construction team or project. I mean look at me. Think about it. . . People like myself aren't really cut out for this kind of work. But as one of my favorite quotations states "God doesn't call the qualified; He qualifies the called."

It was so obvious to me that I was being called to be a part of this team, this mission, this work. I heard the Lord loud and clear. I felt Him tugging on my heart strings like never before. I NEEDED to do this. And boy am I glad I listened to His call.

I have never experienced God the way I did on this trip. I was in a tiny village I had never heard of before, being the hands and feet of Jesus to people who loved Him like I had never seen.

Talk about CRAZY LOVE!

It's still amazing to think I was a part of building something that the body of Christ will gather in and praise His name! Day after day. I know it's not about me. But it's such an incredible feeling to know that I am the most unlikely person to do this sort of work, but God qualified me for the job - and I did it! Not in my power, but in His.

And I felt the Lord blessing ME while He was blessing these people through my team and I. My heart is so full from this trip. STILL. It literally changed me. These people made a mark on my life that will never go away. My heart is branded by them forever.

And the Lord threw a little something my way on the trip as well. You see, it's always been a dream of mine to do medical missions. And one day of this trip, I was able to work in the medical clinic. That day is forever ingrained into my memory. I don't speak Spanish. Like at all. But the Lord miraculously gave me the words to speak with the doctor and the patients and understand what was going on. I was able to take their vitals and listen to their symptoms and how the doctor diagnosed them. It was heartbreaking hearing the stories of what happened to these people, and even more heartbreaking to hear how much time had passed since their symptoms began. . .

Months, YEARS even. And they never saw a doctor. They don't have that opportunity. And that is exactly what drives my dream of medical missions. People that NEVER get to see a doctor and live with pain and agony from childhood, well into adulthood and live through the pain.

But it was amazing to be a part of this medical experience for them. AMAZING. A dream come true. And I love that my dream came true through helping others. There's nothing like it.

The work we did there was visible, but also personal. I left feeling so full of love, blessing, and that I truly, truly helped. And these people are the warmest, friendliest, and most loving people I have ever met. I want to be like them.

I love her :)

Pressure's on!

My favorite trainer (Marvin) and Frank!

Love these little faces

Before

Nice work ladies!

Dramatic shot

Best teammate ever

Progress

TROUBLE

Is that a smile?
That means we're doing good, right?

Romelia

Little Samuel. Adorable as ever.

Nick work Frank, Seth and Esteban!

Break-time hike

Seth with our unbelievable trainers!

Team Perfection.
Most beautiful walls award goes to. . .
MORGAN AND CARA

Chop that block Ryan!

My Ruth.

Team Awesome.
Ryan, Me, Marvin (our incredible teacher)

Re-bar (?) haha I think

Medical Clinic!
(This is the dentist at work)

The Places.

I promised a post on the different places we went in Guatemala.

And then I realized the lack of pictures. . .

But here we go anyway!

First, the Phoenix airport! DUH.

YAY TEAM!

Next. . . The plane!

What am I looking at? . .

Next. . . Customs in Guatemalan airport!

Helping each other figure out the customs sheets

On to the van we go! For a five hour drive! After 7 hours on a plane! KILL ME.

Tired.

Made it to the hotel!

Good lookin team!

Obnoxious dog at the hotel. . . Trapped in an enclosure on the roof

And man could he bark loud

Off to eat!

Albamar Restaurant

And the city of Quetzaltenango

AKA the city we stayed in

The village we worked in

Village kids playing soccer (futbol)

Great shot.

We were so high up, we were in the clouds! Literally.

The temporary shack church

Dr. Gomez speaking at church on Sunday

What the new church looked like when we arrived

The clouds are among us!

We spent lots of time in the van

Three amigos

It rained. A LOT. And some days the van couldn't make it up the crazy mountain to the village we were working in. . . So we had to ride up in the beds of trucks. I actually enjoyed it :) At least until the temperature dropped significantly and it began to rain. Of course.

Feelin good!

A little chilly

Now a little warm

Just right. Happy camper.

And the boots. Can't get enough of the boots.

Oh boy.

Girls.

FRIENDS!

Morgan :)

Arabian Knight? Or Ninja? Hmm. . . Definitely never saw him

Shopping! For food! In a Wal-Mart owned store!

And now. . . Introducing my favorite place on this planet. . . ANTIGUA!!!!!!!!

Central Park

I adore horse-drawn carriages!

Beatifully artistic architecture

Ancient. WOW.

Hmm. . .

Main Street. El Guapo in the back.
"The Handsome One" volcano

So dang pretty

I love it here

Church!

Best coffee shop ever.

Bible scenes!

Coolest church ever.

Seriously. It doesn't get any better. I could call this place home!

One more shot of Main Street

We ate here one night. So good.

POPS. Ice cream! Best mint chocolate chip ice cream in the world.

Love it.

Beauty.

The cross.

So those are the places I went on my trip! Antigua was seriously amazing. Everyone should go. Starbucks has a coffee plantation there! It's where they get their Antigua blend! MMM.

XOXO