Final day for RUMC mission work in Pana. Friday July 29th

Today our final day of work was started with another hearty breakfast with French toast and some delicious freshly cut fruit.  Many of us may be eating healthier here than we do back home.

Since it was our last day we were mostly finishing up projects we had started during the week, except for delivering 22 beds that had been put together by an earlier group and the accompanying mattresses to the village of Chuitinamit where the people had been displaced after Hurricane Agatha in 2010.  Although are now living in tin shacks with only four outdoor latrines to serve 150 people, they had been living in tents that were donated for about 11 months.  It is really hard to imagine living in a tent for 11 months and then having the “upgrade” still having a dirt floor.  Because we were delivering the beds and helping the people carry them into their homes, we were able to see how the people there actually live. 

After we finished with the last bed, one of the women came out and gave a short speech thanking us for all that we had done.  After she concluded one of the men came out with cans of juice followed by a woman with cans of soda.  If there was a God moment during this entire week this was it.  When one thinks of all of the things we have prayed for, hope, moments to enrich our faith, acts of kindness, these were all wrapped up together during this 5 to 10 minute we shared with our brothers and sisters from another land.  It was one of those times when you forget who you are and where you came from and just enjoyed a moment with new friends.  What a great way to end our mission trip.

In Christ.

Final day (for this trip) for RUMC of construction of home

Bed Delivery

Stove install

Jenny and Margaret in Pana

Thursday July 28th

Today we started our day in prayer before heading over to the firehouse for what may have been everyone’s favorite breakfast of banana pancakes.  The women who have prepared most of our meals always greet us with a smile and the food has been fantastic.

With our bellies full, we headed up to the clinic where we split up into our smaller groups, one headed up to the building site to haul a load of blocks up the hill, another starting to paint a few of the buildings at the preschool/clinic and another finishing up the 3 rows of shelves for storage of goods that have been donated. Another group had the privilege of installing another stove for a family which includes a ride in the back of a pick-up truck that is just breathtaking

After finishing lunch the painting continued, another group went to install a stove and another headed up to the village of Nueva Esperanza (New Hope) where a community had been relocated from about two hours away after their homes had been destroyed during hurricane Stan.  We went up to take pictures of all of the families and it was something that you have to have been there as words probably won’t do it justice.  These are people who are poor and who not only don’t have the luxury of owning a camera, but many have never had their family pictures taken. This was a major big deal with moms and kids crowding around the photographer and the area where we had the printer.  It is truly amazing how happy these people are.  Not only are the kids full of smiles, but the mothers too.  Each day these people remind us not only how fortunate we are, but also how God shines his light down on all people rich and poor.

So as we reflect back on another day, I think we each know that God has brought us together not only to serve the people here in Guatemala, but each other and perhaps most important to realize that by serving we not only bring hope to the people here, but to ourselves as well.

Family pictures at Nueva Esperanza School.

Construction of house and future new home owners.