Guatemala Serving Day #4

Today was a very interesting day. We started out with some very delicious breakfast sandwiches and an oatmeal/horchata drink that I DID burn my mouth on. After that we set out for Cruz Blanca and after some crazy 20- point turns and getting stuck on a hill, we realized that there was a parade in town and traffic was at a standstill for at least the next hour. So we waited on the bus and everyone tried to make the most of it. Even if you weren’t in the mood for anything (speaking from experience) it was still nice to listen to everyone else. We got going eventually and even got a glimpse of the parade, (thank the Lord for silver linings) and reached the school about an hour and a half late. We decided to do a large group condensed VBS, so the rest of the team “finally got to see the skit”. Afterwards we played with the kids as they waited to get picked up. 

Lunch was ham and cheese sandwiches, which is my personal preferred sandwich, though peanut butter is also good. We heard Jessica’s testimony, which was very impactful and eye opening. The afternoon looked quite similar so I’ll spare you the details, but let’s just say it was another condensed VBS with some rotation-action thrown in at the end. We then played with the kids some more, their particular favorite activity was to be picked up by the hands and spun around. As you can imagine, that gets a bit dizzying, but apparently none of them speak Spanish when you ask for uno momento por favor. 

We ended the day at Cruz Blanca with a Community Walk, where we split into two groups and visited the home of one of the school families. 

I can’t speak for the other group, but we were met with the happy squeals of the little girls we just saw. We got to sit with the family and learn more about their lives and what they do, which was a very enriching experience. I did tear up a little when the little girl sitting on my lap told me, “tu eres mi amiga favorita” (you are my favorite friend). And one of them might have asked for my necklace but I don’t speak enough Spanish to know.

The traffic on the bus ride home was also very congested, so it took us a short while to get back. We had some very delicious quesadillas for dinner, had a lovely debrief in which we got to hear four testimonies, and called it an early night. 

Overall, we have been able to see God move in this tight-knit community that’s so unlike our own. There has been a fair share of sickness on this trip (don’t worry Cale) but this team has been flexible and engaged regardless.

That’s all for now.

- Lilly S.