Eleven days into our trip (officially my longest mission trip) and enough stories, emotions, and God-moments to overwhelm 1,000 blogs, I have learned more than I thought possible in five weeks.
Admittedly, before boarding my plane, I was quite nervous about our group and the dynamics that would help or hinder our effectiveness. The eight people (soon to be nine) that God placed around me are incredible. Awkward sometimes? Sure. Hilarious? Absolutely. Jesus loving? Unquantifiably so. Our team has bonded over puréed black beans, pitch dark bathrooms, gallons of sweat, and potentially Zika-carrying mosquitoes. Some are musically talented, some work well with kids. Others know how to wield a shovel and tow a wheelbarrow while kept focused by those that never complain and stay Kingdom-driven. In just a short week and a half, these eight strangers have grown to be like family. They make me stronger and remind me of the passion many young students like me have for pursuing a life of missions or ministry.
Our group has traveled to three different areas of Guatemala, spanning the country from east to west and bouncing over hundreds of miles of "gravel" roads (if only we were so lucky). Rio Dulce (the hottest town on the planet I'm convinced) was home to Pastor Hugo and his small congregation. As Chad posted about previously, we had planned on working on a building for a church plant from Pastor Hugo's church. However, because things are never quite simple in Guatemala, plans fell through. We had the opportunity to pray with people from this neighbor town of Esmeralda and encourage them with scripture on persevering in their faith. One woman, meaning nothing but the best, kindly dipped us out some yellow water (I don't exaggerate) and quickly added green Kool-aid powder. Guatemalans, and Latinos in general, are very hospitable and this woman held a child-like smile as she proudly distributed a full glass of this death-drink to our group. As Chad and several other groups members prayed and continued to read scripture, I took the opportunity to pour out an appropriate amount of the drink, appearing to have enjoyed it quite a lot. (Some may say I'm heartless, but my stomach thanks me.) An evening of worship with Hugo's congregation left us exhausted and ready for God to smite every mosquito in existence. We worked extremely hard the next day cleaning up the church yard, moving dirt, and allowing Pastor Hugo to focus on pastoral duties instead of aesthetics.
After a hot and miserable several days in Rio Dulce, our team drove seven hours to Semuc Champey. We stayed in a hostel fully equipped with a ping pong table, wifi, and nightly buffets. In Semuc Champey we swam through caves, jumped off giant rope swings, tubed down the river, and swam through seven natural turquoise pools.
The next day, our team drove over 11 hours (only spanning 186 miles) to Totonicapan. Pastor Julio greeted us and his wife and family graciously stayed up late to fix us dinner after our long drive. Sunday brought a local market, playing with kids at the church, and an evening church service in which our team boldly spoke Spanish in front of the congregation to introduce our team. Monday brought pancakes(!!!) and our first day of painting the church. Church members worked alongside us to apply two coats of paints throughout the church, including the vaulted ceilings. Our next day brought more painting and banning together to hold a rope for the church worship leader as he hung from the side of the building to paint the front. Needless to say, us gringos were terrified. No worries mom, I didn't volunteer. Each evening our team visited the hot springs to bathe, as the entire town is without running water (it is 8500 feet above sea level). The locals laughed at our reactions to the steaming hot and mysteriously pulpy water.
Today, our team traveled back to Guatemala City for a rest day tomorrow. In the midst of encountering faithful pastors that boldly lead their small congregations to reach their communities, the Lord has challenged me. I encountered a man with badly deformed legs, desperate for surgery. I received a disappointing MCAT score that only brings more nerves about my future career and what this next year may hold. Our team found a woman laying in the streets, seizing and in desperate need of help when receiving none from those walking past her. On my sixth international mission trip, the Lord has taught me that I am only as effective as he allows me to be. Desperate to help the sick and impaired we meet, the Lord reminds me that I will only do so in his timing and not a second before.
As I felt sorry for myself after receiving my MCAT score, the Lord has continued to humble me as I work through 2 Corinthians (that's 2nd Corinthians, Donald). I have been encouraged and challenged by my team members in our evening devotions, crushed by the help this country so desperately needs, and learned to love more purely than ever before. God's plan is never easy, fun, or expected. I rejoice in the unknown and what the Lord has in store for me and a career in medicine, missions, or whatever he wants! With three and a half weeks left in our Emmaus journey, I remain focused on the words Paul tells the church in Corinth:
"But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us, but life in you." - 2 Corinthians 4:7-12 ESV
Pray with me that much will be made of Jesus' name in Guatemala. Pray for our team as we carry the Gospel to the least of these. The Lord does not need us, but is gracious enough to use us.
In His Service,
Vince
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