Hello church family! First of all, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for keeping our team in your prayers! God is definitely working here in Guatemala and we love your support!
I have had the blessing of working at a hospital in Antigua called Hermano Pedro. This hospital services hundreds of patients, some with very severe disabilities. There are many patients with Cerebral Palsey and Down syndrome who reside at the hospital. While the staff does an amazing job with limited resources, their time is limited to the necessary feedings and medical treatment. That's where volunteers come in. We have been entertaining patients, giving them much needed human contact, feeding them, and showing them God's love the best way we know how.
Of course, this comes with several challenges. For me personally, my love language is not physical touch. The people here seem to have that love language. They are constantly kissing cheeks, hugging, rubbing people's backs. The patients at Hermano Pedro don't speak English, so sometimes this is the only form of communication. Guatemala is going to turn me into a hugger.
Friday was an amazing day, yet a tough one. It was one of those days where you wake up tired and no amount of coffee helps. We met a lot of the Hermano Pedro patients at Central Park in Antigua. There I met a new friend, Byron. Byron is a nine-year-old boy with cerebral palsey. He is unable to speak but understands Spanish (the joke's on me for taking French in high school). I took him for a walk around the park and as I returned to the group, he put his feet down, stopping the wheelchair, and pointed to the direction he wanted to go. This continued the majority of the time at the park. It was so much fun as I got him dancing to the live music at the park and laughing as we raced Brett and her friend she was walking. Taking them back to Hermano Pedro was a challenge. It was only two blocks or so, but pushing wheelchairs over cobblestone roads with huge potholes and large, deep gaps in between each stone was no easy task. I must admit, it was scary as pedestrians do not get the right of way here! (I learned a new phrase: Lo siento.) The day as a whole was a challenge, but every smile, dance, and moment of comprehension made it worth it.
The children we have been working with are so amazing! They are in incredibly difficult circumstances, yet they have so much joy! God is definitely at work in Hermano Pedro. Even through trying times, you can see how much He loves his children.
Thank you so much for keeping us in your prayers! Here are some ways you can continue to pray for our team and the people of Guatemala:
1. That we will continue to get out of our comfort zones when He asks
2. The staff at Hermano Pedro. Their jobs are not easy. Pray that they will get much needed rest and that their desire for their work will stay strong
3. That we will remember to not drink the water and stay healthy!
God bless you, church family! We miss you already and will see you in a week!