Life in Guatemala!

Hi everyone! So much has been happening on the race and I am excited to fill you in on what life looks like here in Guatemala!! My squad and I have been here for about 4 weeks now. Time is FLYING!! It is crazy how things that were once so foreign have become a part of normal life: sharing a room with 6 others girls, riding a chicken bus or a van everywhere, navigating our way through Chimaltenango and Antigua, the list goes on!! 

My squad and I are staying at the Adventures in Missions base here, it is so beautiful! The staff here is absolutely incredible, always serving from an outflow of their relationships with the Lord. It is an honor to be able to get to know them and be poured into by them!! I am sharing a room here with my team, AhavaSelah! Although 7 people in one room sounds like a lot, it truly is a joy to live in such close quarters with these women. Some of the sweetest moments I have had with my team has been sitting on one bed just talking about life!! Another thing I have fallen in love with about life here are the views! Guatemala is absolutely beautiful, I am in constant awe of my Creator each time I am outside.

Now for a look into what ministry is like for my team and I here:

On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, my team partners with a ministry called Lugar de Promesas. These days have not quite been what we expected walking into this ministry, with no set routine and never really knowing if we will have a translator(our ministry host does not speak English)! However, through the clothing sales, painting, cleaning, etc. the Lord is still so present, and gives many opportunities to see Him moving. We have had the chance to go to a couple houses and begin to build relationships with the homeowners, which has been so special, and are also in the process of beginning a weekly kids ministry for English class, games and bible stories!

Tuesdays we partner with Birdhouse Ministry, where my team and I travel to a village called Los Planos, which is right below the volcano Acetenango. Tuesdays consist of two hours of house visits in the morning, followed by a few hours of children’s ministry that involves English class, kids games, and soccer! We partner with a church in the village, led by four incredible woman who have taught me so much about having a personal and passionate relationship with the Lord. 

On Thursdays we do something called Activation, which is a unique practice at the Adventures Guatemala base. In the morning, we have worship and a lesson done by one of the staff members, followed by time to let the Lord speak into what we learned, and then our teams are split up in different areas to follow out this teaching. We spend a couple hours in whatever location we are sent to, and just ask the Lord who He wants us to go speak to, what He wants us to say, etc. It is a scheduled time to practice leaning into the Lord’s voice, with the goal of making this type of ministry a part of our everyday lives. This day has taught me a lot about being intentional to what the Holy Spirit wants to do through me in any given moment. It is definitely challenging when I have not grown up invested in this part of my relationship with the Lord, but it has already brought so much intimacy with Him that I really did not know was possible. It has helped me to bring conversations with the Lord beyond designated times throughout my day. 

Life here is Guatemala is such a gift, and the Lord is growing me in ways I did not even realize I needed refinement in. Days get hard with homesickness, a language barrier, tiredness, and little alone time but the Father is patient, kind and consistent through both the good and hard moments! I am so excited for what the next month of life here is going to look like! 

Ella