Guatemala: Pre-Orphan Care

"Orphans are easier to ignore before you know their names. They are easier to ignore before you see their faces. It is easier to pretend they're not real before you hold them in your arms. But once you do, everything changes.”  -David Platt

Far above Lake Atitlan, overlooking majestic volcanoes,

sits the Eagle's Nest Orphanage.

On our last morning in Guatemala,
I had the opportunity to love on kids.

As beautiful as the setting was,

inside there was a room full of the fatherless.   

So we loved.   

We held.  We read.  We played train. 

As a mom of a child who once lived in an orphanage,

a morning of loving was worth the whole trip. 

Hugs, smiles and playing matter. 

Ending our trip in this way,

helped bring our work full circle. 

Redeemer's House

works to prevent children from ending up in orphanages,

by working with single mothers like Lucia. 

This sweet, and very tiny lady, sells souvenirs. 
Carrying a large cloth sack
full of her wares, she finds an open spot on the street.

Laying out her goods, she can only hope to draw

the attention of a shopper. 

She lives on the edge of survival, 

hoping each day to feed her children.

A sickness, storm or slow selling season threatens

her ability to care for her kids. 

All over the world, there are mothers and fathers

who face decisions beyond our comprehension. 

Due to poverty, family expectations, and a host of other reasons,

children are abandoned and relinquished. 

When you see poverty, as we did, you understand a bit more

how this happens.  As much as my heart feels called
to care for orphans, my head tells me to also support ministries
like Redeemer's House, who work to prevent a few
more children from becoming orphans.

Thank you, Radford family, for giving us this opportunity. 
It was a game changer. 

Guatemala: Serving vs. Fixing

God was very gracious to give me the opportunity to serve in
Guatemala alongside Redeemer's House International. 

I didn't plan to go on another mission trip this year. 

It didn't seem appropriate.

It didn't seem wise.

The calendar is full,

so it didn't seem practical. 
Not going to serve orphans,

it didn't fit my plan. 

With the first nudge felt to go,

I questioned and prayed.
Alongside my reasons to not go,
I needed to evaluate my reasons TO go.

You see, I love to travel, love anything cross-cultural,
love the feeling of serving, and also love me some adventure. 

As things often are with God,

it just didn't make sense,

Still, I felt the stir to go. 

When I evaluated my reasons for not going,

they were me-focused and me-reasoned.

Truly this was a trip of the heart. 

God had things to show me. 
My heart, heavy with memories of other trips, have been processing serving without hurting, and I needed to see it in action.   

Redeemer's House works to restore, redeem and release people in poverty in Panajachel, Guatemala. 

How? 
Carefully, intentionally, and prayerfully.

They aren't seeking to bring America to Guatemala.

Much of their work (in addition to working with a local school) involves building relationships with single mothers.  Each afternoon during our trip, small groups of us visited these families.  With a small bag of rice, beans, fruit and veggies in hand, we visited as friends.

Walking into homes where three kids slept on a stack of cardboard boxes, where rain poured in through cracks in ceilings,
where there was no electricity and no water, and
we simply talked, laughed, and connected.

Though everything in us wanted to start making shopping lists and organizing building teams,
we simply connected.

We honored their lives and their homes. 
We fought the urge to make them dependent on us,
to be the saviour,
to create competition between families and neighbors,
to put local businesses out of jobs by bringing suitcases of clothes,
shoes and gifts,
to make them somehow think that WE were what they needed. 

Did we help?  Yes. 
We brought some food, a water filter and raised some money for a doctor's visit. 
But our help?  It is short term.  Material.  Surface-level.

Our hope was that they see God as provider,
as healer, and Jesus as their hope.  
Our hope was to serve only in ways that were sustainable and
God-focused. 

"Our relationship with the materially poor should be one in which we recognize that both of us are broken and that both of us need the blessing of reconciliation.  Our perspective should be less about how we are going to fix the materially poor and more about how we can walk together, asking God to fix us both. "
-from When Helping Hurts

Guat-venture

Wearing a plastic helmet, gloves and a harness,
you climb a mountain,
anticipating how you'll travel back down. 

Soon it is time, and your heart pounds.

A man, who doesn't speak your language,
clips you onto a cable and gives you a stern nod.

Still protected by trees and a guide,
you take a few steps into open air.

Your breath taken as you find yourself
zinging at warp speed into the wide open,

you careen above the tree line from one mountain to another. 

Zip-lining, baby!

Zip-lining amongst water falls and tropical landscape?

Be still, my bucket-list. 

After zipping back and forth above the tree-tops,

we were all feeling good.  Proud, gutsy and extreme. 

Until this. 
This was an instrument of torture. 

Zip-lining ain't got nothin' on this swing set.   

This, friends, was a challenge. 

Result?  Swing set 1, me 0. 

Check out the video, not taken by our team,
but on the same course. 
Holy moly!

In the end, we conquered.

Please add to my credentials a diploma in extreme sports. 

(Thanks to Beth and Denise for the photos!)

Guatemala: Coke and Spicy Chips

She lives down by the river in a house nicer than most.

Her husband earns a hard wage crushing rock to make
concrete on the riverbed. 

Maria's smile is kind. 

Her faith not dependent on circumstances. 

Despite the harsh reality of her life,

despite the fear of possibly losing her sight.

on this afternoon with us,

she was a joyful hostess. 

We all sat on the three beds that fill her home.

Her kids smiled wide while we noticed the sparseness
of their home.  Though we saw no stored food
for themselves, she sent for a 2 liter of Coke and some
spicy ships to share with her guests. 

Her faith is deep,
which makes her home, her family peaceful.

This woman is a beauty. 
A shining example of a woman of faith

impacting her family and her world. 

Guatemala: Rinse Cycle

Our luxury washer and dryer set has its very own room in our home. 

It is electric and uses piped in clean water. 
We can wash AND dry lots of clothing at one time

while we sit on the couch and watch TV. 

They are not fancy.

They load old-school style.

They are middle of the line, sturdy, long-lasting

LUXURIES

that I take for granted every day. 

This family in Guatemala also has a laundry luxury

(in comparison to many other families).

This little boy,

who did laundry by himself for over an hour

while I watched a soccer game,

also has a luxury laundry machine.

My family is blessed, 

and I don't want to forget it.   

Guatemala: Science Camp

Rockets, magnets, gak, plants, cooking and sound vibrations. 

Guatey science camp had all the makings of seriously lively scientific fun. 

While in Guatemala, we had the joy of teaching a science camp at a small, private Christian school.  As part of the Redeemer's House's ministry, the Radford family hosts an after-school program there.   The educational system of Guatemala is struggling.  Kids of all different ages are in various grades, and teaching just the basics is challenging.  Knowing that hands on science experiments are a luxury, our camp was a great way for the Redeemer's House to support the school and and meet the needs of the kids in a relational way. 

Each morning, greeted with smiles and hugs, we entered the little school loaded with bags of supplies.  Stations were set up in a small, outdoor area on tables or on the concrete floor.  After an intro to the area of science that we'd be exploring that day, kids received mini magnifying glasses with colored ribbons that signified their learning team. 

Planting seeds with eight groups of kids from 5-16 in their adorable school uniforms filled one of my mornings.  As we read about how seeds grow and planted them in plastic cups, their level of engagement was such a joy to experience.  None of these materials or experiences were taken for granted, each genuinely appreciated. 

For four days, we made leaf prints, erupted volcanoes, experienced chemical reactions and listened to kazoos. 

The highlight of my week was the film canister rockets. 
Possibly slightly more entertained than the kids, we squealed, screamed and "Opa"-ed with every explosion. 

Read Angel Radford's post about our crazy science fun!

A million thanks to Denise P., who is a science camp planning rock star.

Dear Katarina, (Guatamala Day One)

Dear Katarina,
      Helping you move challenged me.  You see we are moving too.  Our house is for sale, and the process has pushed me to see some excess and  ingratitude in my life.  We often find ourselves believing that stuff doesn't matter to us, that we've moved away from a focus on material things. The truth is that through our move, and your move, God has shown me that we have much to learn.

Moving you and your children into your new home was our first project in Guatemala.  Your belongings fit in a truck bed, and I wondered what you would think of the massive truck that will someday show up to move our family. 

Your few bags of personal possessions challenged my notion of
need vs. want.

Your sweet Debra reminded me that children don't need things to be happy.  Maybe if we bought our girls fewer things, they might crawl around in the grass and pretend more.  Maybe they'd have to get creative. 

 
When asked to make a video for the sale of our home,
I must admit hesitation. Doubtfully questioning what our home could possibly offer in comparison to other larger homes with more upgrades, I felt uncomfortable. In my brick four bedroom house, with electricity, running water,  two full refrigerators, a playroom, dining room, and basement, I felt embarrassed about our house.  I got caught up in comparison, and missed our blessings.

I've been on mission trips before,
and seen many houses like yours,
but the lesson of gratitude doesn't seem to stick.  I get back home, get comfy, walk through stores with alluring things and live in a society that worships always having more.
I forget, and start moving back to the middle.   

Your bathroom, your yard, your struggle to provide food for your family,
challenges me again. 
My prayer is that this time the gratitude will stick. 

Guatemala Day One (Prayer Walk & Home Church)

Day one initiation into our time in Panajachel was a prayer
walk.  Taking in the sights as we walked along the river wall,
we asked God to give us hearts for the city, to bless the work of Redeemer's House, and to sew seeds of hope during our time there.   

Seeing both the rich culture

and the poverty,

we trusted that the Lord had big plans

for our time as we dug deeper into the ministry of
Redeemer's House. 

Later that night, with hearts already broken by what we had seen,

home church was the needed comfort and refocusing.

Each week, our missionary hosts, the Radford family, does church at home.  No parking lots, sound systems, pews or lighting,
just people and God. 
Good stuff I tell ya. 

Sitting with this sweet team,

making music and listening to a David Platt sermon

was the the perfect kick-off for our week.

The Beauty of Guatemala

poverty, yes, but beauty too 

tropically green and lush

shacks and waterfalls

cascading flowers

bright, Mayan dress
culture not lost

volcanoes overlooking desparation

futball and community

Productive? Successful? Fun?

Five days home from Guatamala,
these are the common questions people have asked about my mission trip experience...

Was it productive? Successful? Fun?

And occassionaly, "How was the weather?"

And I answer...

Productive? 

God's productivity isn't measured in our terms, but He always accomplishs His purposes.  One of our hopes for our time in Guatemala was to bless those who we would encounter.  We wanted to enter their world and bring some hope.  We wanted to encourage the missionaries, the Radford family, and be community for them.  The truth is that instead of being the givers of blessing, we were the receivers.  We'll never know if we blessed anyone, but we now know that God had a specific personal purpose and blessing for each of us who travelled there.   

Successful? 

The Lord calls us to love one another earnestly from a pure heart. (1 Peter 1:22). And so we went to Guatemala to love. To experience it, to show it and to be it. Each afternoon, as we entered into the tiny, dark shanty homes of single mothers living in extreme poverty, we loved. We listened, we smiled, we played with kids, we offered rice and beans, and we prayed. Though we didn't change the living conditions for these fatherless families, we trust that they felt the Father's love. 

Fun?
Measured in smiles, giggles, hugs, and eyes wide with fascination, our science camp was indeed fun. Given the opportunity to teach science at a local school, our suitcases were filled with materials for hands-on learning.  Huddled in small groups, we watched kids marvel at chemical reactions and be amazed at the power of magnets.   And when they wondered if it was all magic, we reminded them that, "It is He who made the earth by his power, who established the world by his wisdom, and by his understanding stretched out the heavens." (Jeremiah 51:15)

And the weather? 

Rainy, but beautiful. 

 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God,
and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 
1 John 4:7