I Left My Heart in Guatemala

When I went to Ireland, I blogged daily and I loved it.  In Guatemala, I was unable to do that.  Since I returned I've been thinking how on earth I am going to put into words all that God did in that one week.  There's just SO much!  I'll do my best to convey everything that happened.

Let me preface this blog with telling you that I knew God had huge plans for me and for the team on this trip.  I faced some CRAZY opposition and spiritual attacks in the 3 or so months before this trip.  I also had it affirmed in other circumstances and through friends that they felt something huge was going to be happening.  The day we left I was so sick I seriously considered backing out at the last minute...but I didn't.  I would have regretted it the rest of my life had I done that.

Each night of the trip I sat in the rocking chair out on the balcony of the house where we stayed and journaled and reflected on the day.  I'll use highlights from my journal to compose this blog. 

The balcony was my favorite spot in the team house where we stayed.  It overlooked a street of the town of Monjas.  The sky in the evening was so big and so clear and the stars so bright.  You could hear the sounds of the crickets, the frogs and other animals in the night.  The streets were generally quiet but every night I would see men coming home from work  either on foot or bike with their machetes swinging from their sides.  During the day you would see cars and tuk tuks traveling down.  You could see the mountains in the distance all around you, and their would be children on the dirt street below playing soccer and laughing and joking in Spanish.  In the mornings our team would gather together on the balcony and listen to worship music and pray individually.  Then we would come together and pray as a group for our day.  Those times together will stay with me forever as it built our team unity and drew us closer to God and each other.  The balcony was a very special place.

Sunday, June 3 Journal Entry
Lord why you chose me to serve here in Guatemala is beyond me but I am so blessed and so unworthy. Thank you for taking me from my comfort zone and opening my eyes to what is happening around the world, yet again.
God break my heart for what breaks yours. OPen my eyees ot what you see.  May I be aware of the needs around me.  God help break the language barrier. 
Lord I know there is something here for me.  I'm scared to pray this, but God may I be willing to accept whatever it is.  I am your hands nad feet.  May I not shy away from opening my heart to these beautiful children. 

Highlights of the day:
1.  Meeting Joanne & Carroll, founders of the orphanage. These are two incredible saints of God.  They are true world changers.  I'm so excited to get to know them.
2.  The sweet children I met today:  Lila, Wendy Fabiola, Erica, Catty and the house parents. 
3.  Going to the transition house where girls go when they turn 17.  What an AWESOME way to help these girls transition into the world!  These girls have so many giftings that they will use for God.
4.  Team meeting- Learned the history of a few of the girls.  Heart breaking, yet so incredibly miraculous how God has transformed their lives and given them joy in the midst of their horrific life events. 

Monday, June 4 Journal Entry
Today Bryon, Heidi and I did a short teacher training clinic for the teachers at the school (at the orphanage).  This is my HEART!  I LOVE doing this and know this is what God has called me to do at some point in my life.   Tonight I sat with Joanne at dinner and shared my heart with her.  You came down right there in the midst of dinner and shared with us both a plan to use my gifts from the states here in Guatemala.  God I am so humbled and excited to see a part of my dreams begin to come true!  Lord may your hand direct and guide my path.  As Joanne says, it's one step at a time!  I am so overwhelmed and blessed you have chosen me.  I know that teaching and education can open so many doors for these girls.  Gloria a Dios! 

Highlights of the day:
1.  Teacher training at the school. The assistant prinicpal says "You have given us keys to unlock the minds of our students."  WOW!
2.  Charlene- Teaches ESL and works with special needs kids.  She has a passion for her job!  Her students are praying for the Spirit of God to fall on Guatemala.  WOW!
3.  Spending time with the little kids!  I love them already!  Sara, Lucia, Angel, Lila, Lubia, Alfredo and Pablo
4.  While the rest of the team was conducting a basketball camp with the older girls, God called me to go work and play with the little kids.  It was so much fun teaching them Duck Duck Goose...when they already knew how.  I learned their way of Pato Pato Gonzo (spelling?). 
5.  Talking with Joanne about the idea of a teacher training program at the school.
6.  Trying to play Uno with the little kids and laughing so hard!
7.  Team Meeting- Singing the spanish songs for VBS and learned how to make balloon animals.
8.   Had a scary moment with my insulin pump.  The adhesive wouldn't stick to my skin b/c it's so hot.  Prayed about it and Victor (our translator) took me to the farmacia and we found a special tape.  Praying it stays on until Wednesday.
9.  Had a fun late night talk on the balcony with Heidi and Deborah. 

Tuesday, June 5 Journal Entry

Because of my pump issues I was put to work in the office today instead of working on construction.  I'm kind of bummed becasue I really wanted to be active and physical; yet I know I am being a huge help in the office as well.  It's fun to sit and chat with Anna and Cyndi as well.  They are definitely kindred spirits! 

We had VBS in a rural mountain community called Las Ventanas.  The kids jumped up and down as the van drove down the rocky dirt road to get to the church (those were some scary mountain roads!).  The kids are so different than they are in the US or even at the orphanage.  They were very quiet and reserved.  I'm wondering how many of them have ever actually seen a Gringo before.  This was the first time they've ever had VBS as well.  There were 86 kids that came and many accepted Jesus.  The funniest part of the day was when Bryon and Eric were doing the lesson and there was a lady breast feeding very indiscreetly.  I could see the moment Eric and Bryon both saw it...quite funny.  That's completely normal here...I'm sure it won't be the first time we see that.  LOL. 

Highlights of the day:
1.  Pump has stayed on!
2.  Getting to know Anna while working in the office.
3.  VBS at Las Ventanas-  Learning some of the funny kids songs in Spanish (Sapo Sapo!)
4.  Time at the orphanage with Sara, Marisol, Wendy Fabiola, Angel, Pablo, Lubia and Lucia.  The power went out yet we still found ways to have fun swinging, playing on the trampoline and being silly. LOve that these kids weren't even phased by a power outage. 
5.  Touring Monjas and going to the weekly market.  Love seeing how people live and shop.
6.  Getting to know Jordan C (a team member) better- She's awesome...can't wait to get to know her more.

Wednesday, June 6 Journal Entry
"The more authentic I am, the more authority I have."-  Mark Batterson in Soulprint
"The rest God ofers is the rest of meekness, the blessed relief which comes when we accept ourselves for what we are and cease to pretend." - AW Tozer, quoted by Mark Batterson in Soulprint

Both of those quotes really hit me today.  Today I am wrestling with "me."  It's not about me it's about God.  It's not about Marti's glory...it's about God's glory.  I must put me away and focus on God.  God forgive me for ever trying to make it about me.

Highlights of the day:
1.  More fun in the office working on a mailing for Shadow of His Wings orphanage.
2.  Another great day at Las Ventanas.  We had close to 100 kids today.  They started to warm up today and had a lot of fun. 
3.  We swam in a pool that is spring fed.  There are fish in the bottom.  It's the 3rd cleanest water source in Guatemala so people often go and fill their water jugs up.  It was really cool to see how it works. I didnt swim, just put my feet in, but it was fun.
4.  My pump is still on!
5.  Team meeting-  Praying together in the morning.  Sensing a calling on Jordan's life....God has big plans for her! 
6.  Amazing dinner at Carolina's, a restaurant in Monjas.  Then having the most amazign ice cream ever at a little shop. 
7. Victor, our translastor, is the kind that makes this trip.  His passion for ministry and the girls at the orphanage is crazy.  This man needs to be a pastor. 
8. Amazed at the organization of this ministry and praying for all of those in leadership.
9.  Tomorrow is going to be a HUGE day. 

Thursday, June 7

Today has been QUITE a day!  WOW...We can plan all day long but God laughs and says "I got a better plan..."  Overall, today was the best day of this trip.  It's been terribly exhausting in every possible way...but the best.

The school asked us to pray over the school, teachers and students.  They've had some attacks and want to nip those.  We started out with half of us praying over the classrooms and half over the students.  I chose to pray over the rooms and teachers.  WOW...what a POWERFUL prayer time.  One, hearing Joanne pray just increases my prayers!  That woman can PRAY!  We anointed every door way and desk in the school as well as prayed for many of the teachers.  It was just so incredibly powerful. 

After that, we went to the store and with donated money loaded up on groceries and supplies to donate to the local nursing home.  It is a donation based nursing home and they don't receive any assistance.  I dont know for sure, but I think the residents don't pay (but I could be wrong!).  When we arrived there was a school bus filled with students from a boarding school.  We were kind of bummed because it was going to take away from our time with the patients.  We unloaded our groceries and they brought the residents in to a large room.  The place was sad.  The conditions are less than ideal as they all sleep in one big room on small beds.  The care is less than ideal becasue they dont have much to work with.  We did a short service where Heidi spoke.  The students from the local school were all in there as well.  When Heidi was done, we thought our time there was over...but God fell!  Anna began speaking and then Eric got up and preached probably one of the best off the cuff anointed sermons I've ever heard.  In the end, around 20 students and a few of the residents accepted Jesus as their savior. We had a tremendous prayer time with them.  Then a little elderly lady (when I say little...she's MAYBE 4 ft tall!) stood up and began singing songs (in Spanish).  Then another man sang.  The last man to sing was very old and looked close to death.  He didnt' stand, but sat and sang the most incredible song I've ever heard.  I have no clue what he sang ,but the place from which he sang it was incredible.  It came from so deep within his soul that i felt it came straight from the throne of heaven.  No one sang with him.  There was not a dry eye in the room when he was done.  Everyone was captivated but his voice.  I recorded it but even that will not do it justice.  What a glorious moment that I will never forget...

After lunch, I met with Joanne and Anna and we began developing the teacher training program that we will be implementing into the school.  I won't go in to all the logistics and it's still a work in progress, but it's so exciting!  In a nutshell, there are 2-3 teams that come from the US and Canada a month to work there at the project (orphanage and school).  I will be finding teachers on those teams and coordinating with them and the school to do teacher training while they are down there.  This won't be starting until January but we'll be working to get it all together in the next few months.  It was a great meeting and God was with us.  We ended in a time of prayer that just gave me an incredible peace for what God is going to do through this.  I'm so humbled; yet excited, to have this opportunity. 

In the afternoon we had the opportunity to have a basketball camp and assembly at the local public junior high.  There were around 400 kids there plus several standing outside the fence watching.  The camp itself went great.  While we were a little disapointed during the message, we are trusting that seeds were planted in the lives of those young people.  In addition to those 400 that heard the message, 200 more heard it in elementary next store as well as those standing outside the fence.  We'll never know how many truly heard the message and had seeds planted.  22 students did come back for prayer after so that was also positive. It was a really fun afternoon.

In the evening we met for one last time at the orphanage to see the kids and say goodbye.  It was a tough time.  The girls there put on a show for us and we had so much fun. They involved us and had us up on stage dancing and being silly.  I sat with Angel and Sara and had fun with them.  It's hard to say goodbye but I know these kids are in amazing hands at the orphanage and more importantly they are in God's hands.  I will continue to pray for those kids year round and look forward to seeing htem next year.

It's been a long, yet quick, extremely emotional day.  My mind is now shifting towards getting ready to go home.  It's going to be hard but I will be back here and will keep in touch with the leaders.  They are amazing people. 

Lord I am so thankful to be chosen to experience this.  I'm amazed and overwhelmed by your "bigger" plan.  Thank you for allowing me to be a part of this.

Oh, and I didn't have to change my pump until tonight!  God is good! 

Friday, June 8

Today we said goodbye to Monjas.  This morning we gathered on the balcony one last time while worshipping to "Rooftops" from Jesus Culture one last time.  It was an emotional morning with lots of tears.  *sigh*

We drove to Antigua and spent the afternoon sight seeing and shopping.  It's a beautiful old colonial city with lots of good markets. We had fun in the markets.  I suck at negotiating prices so Deborah did it for me.  She is WAY better than me!  haha.  It was fun.  We stayed at Los Lagos (a hostal) in Guatemala City.  It was fun staying up and having a last night with some of the younger memebers of the team.  We had some good laughs and deep conversations.  God ordained for each person to be there and he unified us from the beginning as a team anointed by Him.  I definitely feel like we are a family and it will be hard to say goodbye knowing I won't see them much.  What a week.... *sigh*