viernes: Home, Sweet Guatemala City, Home

This was somewhat of a different day.  Instead of hitting the road again, after devotions we went to George Leger’s ministry, Only a Child, also located in Guatemala City.  Many Trinity folks have received boxes made by George’s boys as gifts over the years.  About a year ago, Only a Child moved their carpentry shop because of the increasing danger close to the dump. It was fun to see the new facility and to hear the story of how the ministry started almost 17 hears ago as well as how it has changed over the years. Only a Child serves street boys who want to make life altering changes.  Now that may sound like a no-brainer to us, but to a kid who has grown up on the streets, not so much.  We met George’s kids and had a chance to introduce ourselves and learn more about each of them and their struggles to reinvent their lives.  The boys also showed us how the boxes are made, and our kids had a chance to hang out a bit.  George shared his concern with us for the increasing deterioration of life in the City and Guatemala in general. It was a sobering conversation.  One of my passions in teaching has been to share with kids the difference between developing nations and what we use to call the third world.  George is convinced that Guatemala is no longer a developing nation, but rather quickly becoming again, a third world country.  Incredibly interesting stuff.

After lunch, Julian made many trips to the park delivering the sponsored children so we could spend the afternoon together there. (The sponsored kids are those who have made a commitment to work hard in school and attend the weekly ministry worship, and for the most part have sponsors back in the states; in return Groundwork sends them to school as long as they keep their grades up.) This trip to the park was a big treat for all, as we cannot be outside in Guatemala City otherwise, and the sponsored kids don’t get many opportunities to play safely outside.  We had a shortened lesson and songs, and then we got to the serious business of soccer…in the rain.  No one even blinks an eye around here when it starts raining, because after all, it is the rainy season and it is the tropics.  We started in ponchos (not the boys, they forgot to bring them…no comment) but quickly ditched them, so as not to look like the gringos/wimps that we were.  We have decided the international language of adults and children is sports.  It was tons of fun and our Kara-led soccer team was respectable.  Keep in mind we are almost twice their size, so basically Kara was the respectable one and they rest of us just took up more space.  The kids seem starved for fun, and that is apparently our specialty.  Thank God, and I really mean that.  Upon our return, several tearful good-byes took place with Guatemalan ministry workers who attend school on Saturday and will not be with us again before we leave.  (It was not a pretty picture.)

After a thrilling dinner of pizza that arrived on a motorcycle, we met to debrief about our experiences this week with Ginny and Kevin.  Ginny asked each of us to identify what frustrated us the most this week.  Most of us felt it was the inability to speak the language well enough to say what we truly wanted to say to the Guatemalans we were working with as well as the children and adults we visited and played with.  She also asked us what surprised us most this week.  Our answers seemed to focus on how we are all more alike than different and what all people want is just to be liked, loved and cared for.  When asked what we learned about ourselves while we were here, the answers were varied and slower to surface…turned out that was pretty personal stuff.  And finally she asked for one image in which we had each seen God.  That was a tough question for all of us because we had seen God so many places: in shanties, in the faces of children, in dark rooms, in tears shed during home visits, on soccer fields, and most definately in the work of the long-term Americans and Guatemalans serving as Groundwork Guatemala.  What they do everyday, day after day, can only be accomplished with a love for God and a passion to share it; it could not be done any other way.  It is for the chance to witness this faith and commitment, that we are most grateful for this experience.  It was an emotional day.

Thank you families, friends, and most especially Trinity for your support and for this opportunity.

Blessings,

All of us!

 This is Marvin demonstrating how the boxes are made.

Ruth and sponsored student at the park.  Below is serious soccer, not.

Julian, his wife, Lucy and their two year old daughter, Hayse.  Trinity now sponsors Julian and his work at the ministry.  Julian is the exception in Guatemala... a loving husband and devoted father.

This is on the roof of the mission house.  Anyone who is not familar is one of the Guatemalan ministry leaders who went to great lengths to keep us safe while enabling us to meet their people where they live. Front left to right, Manuel, Oscar, Center, Ulie (not even close to the real spelling), Back, Sandra, Ruth, and Caesar.