Guatemala Short-term Missions trip

Day 6

It was a good thing that we sought the Lord’s direction this morning, and not our own. We might  have tried many things that ultimately didn’t work. But the Lord knew what we needed and He provided in every way. Today, that looked like the team splitting into two groups early. One group went to do home visits with Guatemalan families. The other group tried to get back to our original job site to finish a home build.

The home visit team was successful. They were able to visit two different homes, and meet with people in both physical and spiritual need. That group heard about daily life in Guatemala and the specific needs of those families. They also witnessed first hand what it means for those families to have less: access to water and power, food, hope. Ben Mooney shared that as he was describing Christ’s unconditional love to one of the women they visited, it became evident that she was in need of that love. Ben said that her demeanor changed, she opened up, and became real about her need for the gospel. This came about because of God’s provision.

The house build team had a less successful morning - if the standard of success was arriving on time. The high waters and washed out road that kept us from getting to the house build yesterday were still a factor today. So, the team tried to take a long detour around the washed-out road. Eventually, after about 3 hours of driving, that long route was successful. But though the team was finally in the right place, it seemed likely that they wouldn’t get the house built before dark. And there was still the return trip to navigate.

But God provided again. The house visit team figured out that they could park their van near the washed-out river and use a bridge that was still under construction to get across the water. This left us short on vehicles on one side of the river, but with a full team at our job site on the far side. Everyone got to work then, and another house was raised in short order. Another family was blessed. And our team was blessed to be able to participate in that awesome gift.

God then provided more. He enabled us all to get back across that same unfinished bridge. He provided help in the form of a driver to take us back to our hotel. He even provided a faster route back for our missionary partners, Ben and Nick, who took the long road home with the two trucks that had gotten to the job site the long way around in the morning. 

After dinner, Ben and Nick and Emily and Izzi confirmed that this Grace trip has been like no other. We have had more hiccups and delays and changed plans than expected - even by third world standards! But through all of it we have seen Jesus. We have seen Him in people we’ve loved, and in how people have loved us. We have seen Him in giving and sharing. We have seen Him in the peace that comes from knowing that He has made all of this week both possible and beneficial. 

Hallelujah!