Grace Like Rain

The rainy season is starting here in Guatemala, and I am falling in love with the rain. As someone who has lived most of my life outside of Seattle I never thought I’d say that, but it is truly beautiful to have afternoon showers where the rain just POURS and lightning bolts illuminate the sky. The rain has been sorely missed by the people here, especially during a year that has had record highs around Xela and other parts of the country. There was talk for awhile that Guatemala was entering into a drought, which would be devastating for a country in which the large majority of the population rely on their crops of corn and beans to survive. No rain means no food… simple when you think about it, but mindboggling to those of us who live in a society of supermarkets and don’t need to think of where our food comes from for the next meal.
Although the rain was late, it finally came- and in grand style. One afternoon, the skies darkened and it just started to pour. It continued raining throughout the night, and I fell asleep to the rain tinkling on the tin roof above. When I woke up the next morning, I was greeted with a brilliant green- a treasure that had been there all along, but hidden underneath layers of dust. All of the corn shoots that have started to come up in Pachaj were vibrant, celebrating the new life of the rain, and the leaves were still adorned with jewels of dew from the downpour. I was amazed by the beauty of it all, and so thankful to God for this beautiful creation and the wonder of life and rejuvenation that He provides.

It was such a beautiful reminder to know that those gifts are still present, even though sometimes to recieve them we have to pass through dry spells and difficult times when we question if the rain will ever come.  My life in Guatemala has in some ways been like the corn. Through some of the trials that have happened recently, I sometimes feel that I’m also coated with layers of dust and suffocating from heat and lack of water. Although I’m grateful to have the jobs that I have here, the work can sometimes be frustrating when I feel like my Spanish has hit a wall and when nothing I do will control a room of 11 toddlers. Sometimes I question if my skills and passions could be better used in other ways, and then feel frustrated and guilty for thinking that. However, God has shown me grace through these trials and I am so incredibly grateful for that.
While before I was never extremely passionate about my work in the health center, God has renewed my joy there. I deeply love, admire and respect my host mom, and something she said made me realize that my work in the health center is important even when I can feel like I’m not doing too much. She told me that she is so grateful that I’m there, since it allows her to do other work in the community (with water, health, women’s rights / empowerment, etc.) without worrying about what is going on in the health center. Hearing how much it means to her to have me there gave me new love for my work, rooted in my love and respect for my host mom. The work there really isn’t about me at all- it’s about serving others and loving them as I can, even if that love manifests itself in ways that I don’t expect. God has also blessed me with blossoming friendships with the nurse and the doctor, which I am so grateful for! In a culture when most social circles revolve around the family and people at church, it can sometimes be difficult to form friendships in other places. However, God is blessing me with friendships with these two women, and I am so so grateful for that! Even moreso I am beginning to get more joy out of the work itself, which is an amazing blessing as well. I never thought that I’d be able to help hold down a patient while a nurse and doctor cleaned an open wound, but when a little girl with Downs Syndrome came into the health center with a lesion on her leg, God helped me see His face in hers. The sight, the smell, everything went into the background, and I just looked into her tear-filled eyes and saw the eyes of Jesus. Holding down that little girl’s leg while the nurse was cleaning it reminded me of Jesus’ call for us to be servants and foot-washers, and in that moment God showed his immense love by allowing me to serve and love others in the small ways that I can. That experience was incredibly beautiful, and it is one that I will never forget.
There have also been trials in my work at the daycare, but once again God is showing His abundant and amazing grace. Work there started up again in mid-January after about a month-long break in December, but we went for months without a teacher (even though people from the office arrived on various occasions with promises that a teacher would come soon!). This situation was frustrating and worrying at times, and I began to doubt if a teacher would ever come. Aside from that, there were some worrisome situations that surfaced in the daycare regarding some personal struggles of some of the kids there. These situations seemed beyond my control, and one afternoon I arrived at a friend/ mentor’s house crying because I just didn’t know what to do to help. However, she just sat and listened to me, gave me words of wisdom and prayed with me, reminding me that God has me there for a reason (even if I don’t have all of the answers or help that these kids need). She also encouraged me to pray for guidance from the Holy Spirit and that I could be a vessel of God’s love to the children there. Her words rang true, and I was reminded that the most important thing these kids need is a loving example- something that I can continue to try and work towards each and every day. After praying this prayer, I have felt an abundance of love for these kids and know that it is God who is helping me love them better. I am so grateful for this, but also very humbled, because I know that through my own strength and effort it never would have happened as it is- when I tried on my own, I would only feel frustrated, exhausted and tired. Although the kids are still feisty and rambunctious, I know that I’m not working on my own and take great comfort and solace from this fact. As continued answers to prayer, the psychologist from the health center will also be working with the kids a little bit each Friday, and just today our teacher came! She’ll be coming daily- a huge blessing and help to doña Consuelo, and a great help to me too
Going through these struggles, I’ve realized that they’ve just made me more dependent upon God and so amazed by the ways in which he provides grace. I’ve also realized that my struggles are incredibly small in light of what others go through, and this has been a humbling and eye-opening experience (and a very necessary one!). I’ve come to realize that we are all like the corn; we all go through struggles and dry spells, and we all need that sweet, rejuvenating, life-giving grace that God provides. Right now my host mom Juana Herlinda is facing intense struggles with her health (ovarian cists, stomach and back pain, hemorraghes, etc…), and although it is not serious enough for an immediate surgery, it is still a struggle for everyone in the family and is worrisome to not know exactly what is going on in her body. However, throughout all of this she is holding fast to the Lord, and is confident that He will heal her (whether through prayers, a miracle, medicine or a surgery). There are so many other stories of people’s struggles, as well as their faith, and through it all it is amazing to see God’s fingerprints of grace upon their- and all of our- lives.
For this, I love the rain. It is a tangible reminder of the grace that we all need, and no matter what happens we can never, ever get enough.

So grateful for so many blessings

Wow… the past few months have been incredible, and it’s really hard to figure out where to begin. First of all, I am just incredibly grateful for God and all of his blessings and provision. It is amazing to see how much God continues to teach me here, and I feel extremely blessed and grateful for everything that has happened. Here are some of the highlights from the past few months:
In the middle of February, one of my very best dear friends Jillian Abendroth came to visit me in Xela. She is spending this year working in Guatemala City in the International Justice Mission office, and so we’ve both been able to visit one another a bit since we’ve been here. It’s always a blessing to spend time with her and get to share with one another about our experiences, thoughts, and feelings (and also share a lot of laughs and goofiness too!). Her faith, joy, and love of the Lord inspire me, and it is a blessing to count her as a friend and sister in Christ. While she was here, she also got to meet some of my InnerCHANGE friends in Xela which was amazing as well. The InnerCHANGE team has been a part of my life since I first met them in January of 2010, and their lives, faith and love are also inspirations to me. I value their friendship and guidance so much, and it was wonderful for everyone to meet and make connections Since Jill was visiting during Lent, there were also special weekend celebrations throughout Xela to celebrate the coming of Easter. Different parts of the city were set up like carnivals, with rows and rows of food stands, flowers, and games for the little ones. We got to walk through the streets and take everything in, and it was amazing to be reminded of the joy of Easter in such a tangible way. Afterwards we entered a cathedral which was bedecked in purple cloth and had an image of the suffering Christ at the very front. While we were inside, people were constantly streaming in to pray, light candles and leave flowers. It was beautiful to see both sides of people’s devotion, faith and love in these two contrasting but deeply connected environments, and in the church I was just struck by the amazing love, faithfulness and grace of our Lord.

The end of February also marked the end of my 6 month period of being in Guatemala. I can’t believe how fast the time is flying here! For our 6 months, we had to leave the country for a few days in order to renew our visas so our group of YAVs went to Belize. It was amazing to see how different it is there, even though it’s only about 10 hours by bus and boat from Guatemala City. At least in the part of Belize where we visited, there is much more of a Carribbean influence in the culture and we heard very little Spanish being spoken. It was kind of funny for me to experience a bit of culture shock just by going to our neighboring country, but it was a wonderful time to take a step back, rest, and see God’s beauty in a different way. My very favorite part of our time there was a day that we took to go snorkeling… it was absolutely incredible, and something I will never forget! There was an entirely new world beneath those blue waters, and seeing the incredible beauty and the wonders of creation was truly a spiritual experience. We got to swim among fish, past corals, sea urchins and sea stars, and over sharks, sea turtles and sting rays. There were probably hundreds of creatures that I didn’t know, and it was humbling and amazing to think that this was just the edge of the vast ocean…. how much more is there that we don’t know, and never will discover? It was so beautiful to get a small glimpse into the incredible, creative mind of God, and I am so grateful for that experience.
Even after a few days in Belize I was eager to get back to Guatemala, where I feel that my heart is more and more at home. As soon as we arrived in Guatemala again, March Madness began! (sorry basketball fans, I’m not talking about that… ) March was one of the busiest months that I’ve had here, but also one of the greatest. I spent a few days at Jill’s house this time, and it was great to see her again so soon after she had left Pachaj. One of the days that I was there I also got to visit the IJM office, which was a huge blessing. I was really impressed with how Christ-centered their work is, and how much all of their interns and employees seem to love the Lord. Each and every morning they start the day with a half hour of silence, to read the Bible, pray, journal… whatever people need. After that time they come together to reflect on a few verses and share prayer requests, struggles and joys in a corporate time of prayer. It was a blessing to get to be a part of that, and the day just continued to get better! As it turned out, the day that I visited was a special Hero Pin day. The main work of the IJM office in Guatemala is to help victims of sexual violence and abuse, and most of these victims are children or young teenage mothers. IJM helps to provide their clients with counseling, legal support, and a variety of other services, all through the love of Christ. Every few months, once clients have successfully passed through all of their legal processes, there are these special Hero Pin days when clients and their families come to the office for a celebration. At the office, all of the children and young women who testified in court recieve a pin that says “I’m a Hero,” and all of the staff and interns celebrate their success and their process of healing with a party just for them. We had pie and punch, and many of the kids came dressed up in their very best clothes to celebrate the occasion. Lots of pictures were taken, and lots of hugs, smiles and congratulations were exchanged. It was such a blessing for me to see, as an outsider, how much of a difference IJM is making in the lives of people here and how God’s love is being so tangibly shared through their work.

 

After the short time with Jill, I went to meet a group of students and leaders from Queens University in Charlotte, North Carolina, to accompany them for 9 days as a translator. The Queens group was absolutely AWESOME, and the 9 days that I spent with them were incredibly blessed. I’ve never been in a group like that before that was so open and vulnerable with one another from the very beginning. It was truly incredible, and they made me feel like one of them right away. The students were great, and I felt as though they would have been my friends had I gone to school with them in North Carolina . They were fun, funny, sincere, and very interested in learning as much as they could about Guatemala and engaging fully with the culture while they were here. Our schedule was full of a variety of activities, but each and every day was full of great lessons and experiences. The trip, partnered with CEDEPCA, was a mixture of learning, work and immersion. We spent the first few days in Guatemala City, where we learned about some of the problems facing Guatemala today (femicide, natural disasters, poverty, lack of education, etc.), as well as some of the struggles that the Guatemalans faced during their brutal 36 year-long civil war. We were also blessed to be able to meet Shorty, an incredible man of God who lives in La Limonada, one of the poorest slums/ neighborhoods in Guatemala City that is located right next to the city dump. Shorty encouraged and inspired us all with his testimony, and it was truly a blessing to have met him (if you’d like to learn more about La Limonada, Shorty, and other amazing work that is going on in Guatemala City around the dump, I highly recommend the documentary ‘Reparando‘. You won’t be disappointed!). On our way out of the city, we stopped by the cemetary and saw a glimpse of the dump- a highly impactful experience for us all. After that, we made our way to Corazón de la Mujer, a cooperative that was created by Mayan women who were all affected by the war. These women make beautiful products and weavings, primarily to support their children in order to provide them with better opportunities for the future. One of the women, Dora, shared her story with our group, and after a delicious lunch we got to help paint the building where the women work and sell their products. My friend Rachel works with the women, and it was great to see her too and see how much she is at home among them! Speaking of homes, that night our group split up for homestays with the women and their families, which was a highlight of the trip for many people. I loved to see how much the group loved their families, and it made my heart so joyful that they got to experience part of the amazing love and hospitality that I have experienced in my year up to this point. The last part of the trip included some work days in San Lucas Tolimán, a town on the edge of Lake Atitlan, and ended with some time to see tourist sites such as Panajachel and the market in Chichicastenango. The whole week was truly an amazing experience, and my heart was heavy when it was time to say goodbye to the group. However, now I know that if I ever find myself in Charlotte, I have lots of friends I could stay with!

 

The other highlight in March was most definitely the arrival of my mom, dad and sister in Guatemala for Holy Week. It was so wonderful to have them here, and for them to finally see my heart home of Guatemala. The timing of their visit was really special too since the celebration of Holy Week is probably the biggest and most important of the entire year! We spent the first few days of their time here in Antigua, which is known for its beautiful carpets and processions during Semana Santa. The carpets are made of flowers, colored saw dust and salts, woodchips, and a variety of other materials, and the designs are beautiful and elaborate. It was amazing to walk through the streets and see the carpets that people had lovingly and painstakingly created in preparation for celebrating the death and resurrection of our Lord. When the processions passed, the streets filled with hundreds and hundreds of people who came either to watch or participate in the celebration. 

After spending a few days in Antigua, we made our way to Lake Atitlan for a day and then continued on to Xela, where my two families finally got to meet! The days that we spent in Pachaj were by far my favorites of the trip. The family welcomed us with open arms, lots of smiles and lots of delicious food. It was so wonderful to have these two worlds of mine come together, and it was an incredible blessing to see how my two moms especially connected right away. Despite the language barrier, it was a wonderful time together that just continued to get better over the course of those 4 days! We shared stories, laughter, and tears, and had times of worship together at the church as well as a blow-out birthday party for my mom, complete with a delicious traditional meal called estofado (beef stew with vegetables, served over rice), birthday cake, candles, prayers and songs. My sister and I both wore traje típico, and my mom wore one too for the sunrise service on Easter Sunday Another HUGE highlight of the time in Pachaj was when my family could meet the family of our sponsored child, Danilo. Danilo and his family also live in Pachaj and he goes to the Compassion International Student Center that is run out of the church that I attend here. We got to spend a beautiful morning and afternoon with Danilo and his sister, brother, mom and dad. Their family is so wonderful, and it was amazing to hear them talk so freely of God’s blessings and how now God has blessed them with an even bigger family- us. They ended up giving us an amazing gift as well; a traditional weaving from Cantel, that had my mom and dad’s names embroidered into it, as well as Danilo’s. When we saw their incredible generosity all of us started to cry. It was truly a blessed time, and it was so wonderful to be together as one family of brothers and sisters in Christ. Lesly, Danilo’s sister, clung onto Gracie and I, all smiles, and said that she had never had sisters before but now she does. We all got to play and run around outside with a soccer ball, and we enjoyed a delicious lunch together as a family. We departed in prayer, feeling incredibly blessed for Danilo and his family and so grateful that they are truly a part of our own.
I am constantly reminded by all of the blessings that I’ve truly experienced here so far, and all of the ways in which the people here have opened their hearts and homes to me and let me into their lives. I feel as though I really do have family here in Pachaj- with Juana Herlinda (my host mom) and all of the family there, Danilo and his family, and my friends, brothers and sisters in the church and the community. I cannot even put into words how full my heart was during these few days, when my families could meet one another and share time together just being in one another’s presence. I’ve never quite experienced anything like it, but it was a rich blessing and I am so grateful that God gave us all that opportunity. He has continued to pour out his blessings throughout the time here- both very difficult circumstances and incredibly joyful ones- and I continue to stand amazed at everything that God is doing. Life is blessed, and I am so grateful for everyone here and all up North as well!
Love,
Annie

Faithfulness in All Circumstances

Well, in all honesty I meant to write this post about a month ago, but time slipped away from me (as it seems to be doing more and more, recently!). Many more things have happened since, but I wanted to devote a post just to the month of January since it was pretty amazing. So, another post should (hopefully!) be coming soon, but here’s a little glimpse back into the first month of 2013

“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.

“Estén siempre alegres, oren sin cesar, den gracias a Dios en toda situación, porque esta es su voluntad para ustedes en Cristo Jesús.” 1 Tesalonicences 5:16-18

That was the verse on my calendar for the month of January, and it is certainly something that I witnessed throughout the month and am striving to work on more and more in my own life. This verse captures beautifully the way that I’ve seen people live here; obviously we are all humans and all have shortcomings, but I am amazed again and again by the faith, hope and joy of my family (and so many other people I’ve met!), even in the midst of really difficult circumstances. The month of January has been one of my favorites in Guatemala so far. It was filled with many wonderful things, but some pretty hard ones too. Even through the midst of the difficulties, God has been helping me to learn to rely more and more on his strength and to give thanks in all situations. As my host mom Juana Herlinda tells me, “you never know how the things that you’re experiencing now will help you in the future. Maybe it’s happening so that you can have more compassion for other people, or maybe it’s happening to draw you closer to God and help you to grow in faith. No matter what God can work through the good and the bad times, and we can always trust him. He is good!” That’s what I’m seeing and living here each and every day, and I am so grateful for these experiences that are helping me to learn and grow!

One of the things that made January an extremely special month was the fact that we had prayer services with the brothers and sisters of the congregation every single night of the week. This has been a long-standing tradition in my church here, as a way of remembering to start out the new year by dedicating it to God and spending more time in intentional prayer and community. Each night the service would be in a different house, and the hosts would willingly open their doors to everyone who came. It was such a gift to enter into so many different homes for these times of prayer and worship and to feel more and more a part of the church family. The services would also be directed by a different person each night, which was wonderful as well since everyone had an active part in making them happen. Every night we would share in times of worship and corporate and individual prayer, including prayers of thanksgiving, confession, illumination, and blessings. There were also scripture readings and a message, as well as a time for sharing our prayer requests and taking an offering. Each night would end with a snack provided by the host family, and time to just sit and enjoy the food and one another’s company. Seeing this example of faith and community, and getting the opportunity to participate in it, was a huge blessing and helped me grow both closer to my church family here and to God. This month of prayer was especially timely in terms of things happening with my family both in Guatemala and back in the US, and throughout it all I was reminded to give all of my burdens to God and rejoice in my circumstances, knowing that God is faithful and good. I really felt him carrying me throughout this month and reminding me of his faithfulness, and looking back I can see how the good times and the harder times were all full of blessings.

Some other special moments that happened in January included reunions with friends from Whitworth (a group of students coming to study in Xela, as well as some friends visiting in Sololá) and also some more consistent interactions and encounters with my friends from InnerCHANGE. All of these times reminded me of the wonderful communities that I have around me, and I’m so grateful for the opportunity to invest in their lives and be filled with their love and friendship as well. Another highlight was our YAV retreat to Monterrico on the Pacific coast. On the retreat we had the opportunity to go on a boat trip through a mangrove forest at sunrise, where we got to see an amazing habitat with an abundance of beautiful and foreign plants and animals. We also were able to release baby sea turtles into the ocean at sunset, which was another unforgettable experience. All of these moments were testaments to me of God’s faithfulness and love, and it was incredible to be able to rejoice in the beauty of creation.

Along with the many moments of beauty and joy, there were also moments of great difficulty. My family here has been struggling economically, among other things, but throughout all of the uncertainty they maintain such a strong faith in God and give thanks for everything they have. They rely so much on his faithfulness that even their struggles are an amazing testament to me of how faith can look in our lives. Towards the middle and end of the month, I also started to struggle with health problems- a muscle injury in my arm from all of the paperwork I’d been doing at the health center, and then later a stomach infection that resulted from some parasites and bacteria left in my stomach from the month before.  Fortunately with a few days of rest my arm injury went away relatively quickly, and the stomach infection was also resolved within about a week and a half after taking medicine, antibiotics and probiotics. Getting sick was a humbling experience, because it put a lot of things in perspective; just getting a receipt from the health center to buy some of my medicine made me think about all of the people who come in every day and don’t even have the resources to buy the medicine they need. I realized that it’s a blessing that I can buy medicine when necessary, and that I’m surrounded by people near and far who love and care for me. It’s a huge blessing to live in that reality, when daily life is so drastically different for so many people around the world. Realizing this was heartbreaking, but also gave me no reason for self-pity; even through sickness God was showing me his goodness and provision, and gave me every reason to praise. This whole month I felt like was a lesson about how to live in the way that 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 directs us to live: “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” Living this way, despite surrounding circumstances, is choosing a lifestyle full of richness and blessings. While I still so often fail to do this, the people here – and most especially God – are teaching me how to live more faithfully to this call of Christ, and I am incredibly grateful for it all.

A Very K’iche’ Christmas and a Happy Bak’tun!

Hola todos, y feliz Navidad!

I can’t believe that Christmas has already passed and that I have already been in Guatemala for just over 4 months. My, how time is flying! Things have been going really well here, and aside from perhaps enjoying the food a bit too much, I couldn’t be happier. This December was significant in a number of ways: it was the first Christmas I spent away from my family, but also the first Christmas I spent in a foreign country; although I missed my family back home, I feel blessed to have been able to experience some Guatemalan traditions and to have shared in Christmas celebrations with my Guatemalan family here! Also, believe it or not Chrismtas music has been playing since about the beginning of the month, there are Christmas trees set up in various places around Xela, and I’ve even seen a few Santa Clauses meandering around. I don’t know whether to be happy or sad about that, since US culture seems to be permeating so many places around the globe, but I have to admit that it did do my soul some good to get glimpses of some of my own Christmas traditions here in Guate

 

Celebrating Christmas with my Guatemalan family was something that I’ll never forget. First of all, at my church here they take Chrismtas celebrations VERY seriously! At the church there is a tradition of dividing the congregation into 2 groups and having each group come up with a 30 – 45 minute participation event for the Christmas Eve service. Even before the start of Advent, the groups had started meeting – in secret of course, because the other group CAN’T know what’s going on! This year, the group that I was in decided to do something that they had never done before: do the whole participation for the service in K’iche’. Sadly, Mayan languages around Guatemala are slowly dying out, and the people in my group wanted to use the Christmas Eve participation not only to celebrate the birth of our Savior but also celebrate their language and culture in the process. We decided to do a rendering of the Nativity story and sing three Christmas carols in K’iche’, also wearing the traje típico (traditional dress) of our region of Cantel. 

 

Even though it was an ambitious plan, everyone excitedly hopped on board. We even decided to sing two of the Christmas songs with marimba background music, which is the national instrument of Guatemala. I never in my life imagined that I would sing ‘The Little Drummer Boy’ in K’iche’ with a marimba soundtrack (let alone ‘White Christmas’ or ‘Silent Night,’ for that matter), but it was one of the most beautiful and joyful Christmas experiences of my life. Our choir was far from professional – consistently off beat and out of tune, even to the night of the performance – but joining in song with my brothers and sisters in celebration of their rich culture and the good news of the incarnation was absolutely incredible. Probably the thing that I love most about my church here is that people just belt out the songs with all the gusto they can muster. It doesn’t matter if they sing in tune or on beat, because they are singing for God. They just sing from their hearts, and it is a beautiful thing. So, as we were singing on stage, I just got a goofy grin across my face from the joy of it all, celebrating the best news that we could ever receive: that our Lord came down to us. Wearing the traje típico and speaking in K’iche’ was also a profound reminder of what the incarnation really means; Jesus met us (and meets us) exactly where we are. He ‘pitched his tent’ among us and just came to live as we do, out of his great love for the entire world. THAT is a pretty incredible gift!

 

On Christmas day I wore my traje again and celebrated with the family. There was no gift exchange – just the gift of one another’s company. We ate a big lunch together, complete with meat from a pig that had been slaughtered the day before, and then enjoyed some cake and hot chocolate later in the day. The floor of the room where we ate was covered in pine needles, which made it smell divine! The little ones were playing and laughing, and we all shared a lot of laughs together. I also shared some tears, but mostly tears of joy, as I tried to tell the family how grateful I was for their love and care for me, how grateful my family is back home knowing that I’m in good hands here, and how much of a blessing it is to be in their family. It was an incredible Christmas, and I was just sad that my loved ones back home couldn’t share in that experience with me. However, I know that the lasting gifts of Christmas are also the bonds that last over miles and years – faith, hope, love, joy, peace – and those can never be taken away.

 

Another very significant thing that happened this December was the Trece Bak’tun, the end of the 12th cycle of the Mayan calendar and the start of the new era on Dec. 21, 2012. Since these cycles only come around every 5,200 something years, it was pretty awesome to experience it in Guatemala! In the afternoon I went into Xela’s Parque Central and met up with another volunteer to see the activities. Stages were set up all over, and different groups were speaking, playing marimba, dancing, and practicing religious ceremonies. There were also vendors everywhere, selling food and different goods. One of my favorite parts was hearing what people had to say about the ceremonies and the meaning of the bak’tun. In a ceremony that I saw later in the evening, the priest was talking about how the bak’tun is the beginning of a new era of hope for the world. He talked about how we should hope and pray for a world with less violence, less hunger, less sickness; a world where children don’t work on the streets, where people aren’t shot, where people don’t starve, where we don’t pollute our earth. He talked about a world in which we care for one another and for our earth, which is our home. It was all very beautiful to hear, and very true. Instead of being a day of destruction as so many had feared, the bak’tun really was a day of hope and renewal for the future. After saying these things, the priest invited us all to lift up our eyes to the heavens and pray to the Creator God. While I was doing this, looking at the stars among the Christmas lights in Parque Central and the firelight of the ceremony, two Mayan elders raised conch shells to the sky and blew through them. Standing there praying, listening to the conches and looking at the stars was also an incredible moment that I will never forget. There was a sense of unity amongst all those standing in the circle, and I felt that this kind of unity is what God longs for for all of his people.

 

The bak’tun also marked my reunion with my InnerCHANGE friends, which was another incredibly rich blessing. It was wonderful to share with them about how my time has been here so far, and it was great to hear about how they have all been as well. I felt a bit of a homecoming, but in sharing some of the things that have happened to me so far and the ways that God has been so clearly present in Pachaj, I was also reminded that I have another wonderful home in Guatemala. Right now I feel as though I am exactly where God intends for me to be, and it was so neat to be reminded of that. 

 

As the new year is fast-approaching, I pray that we can enter into it with a sense of hope and renewal. I pray that we all work towards a world filled with more hope, peace, love, joy, health and well-being; in short, a world that is a brighter reflection of God’s kingdom. May you feel God’s blessings in this Christmas season and throughout the New Year! Or, as the song goes, ¡Feliz Navidad, Próspero Año y Felicidad!

 

Wishing you much love and joy from Guatemala, 

Annie

Maíz, Medicina y Milagros

Hola todos! My, it has been a long time since I’ve posted so I appologize for that. I’ve been busy with my family and my jobs here and just falling into the rhythm of life in Pachaj, and time has absolutely flown by (which I take as a good sign ) It feels very fitting that I’m writing this post over Thanksgiving weekend, because I couldn’t feel more grateful for the things that God has blessed me with and has been teaching me here. I have an extremely loving family, and although I was hit with a wave of homesickness spending my first Thanksgiving away from home and missing my dad’s birthday, it is such a blessing to be surrounded by such kind and loving people at my home in Pachaj. I am reminded each day of the strength of the bonds of love between family and friends, and although I can’t always communicate with my loved ones back in the States, it makes me so grateful to have wonderful people in my life both here in Guatemala and around the globe.

 Well, after almost 2 months of living in Pachaj there is TONS to update about. But, to keep things relatively compact I’ll just touch on a few of them here. The first that came to my mind is corn, believe it or not. There are cornfields everywhere in Pachaj, and they have turned into a common sight for me as I’ve adjusted to life here. Corn makes up the base of life for people in Guatemala, since tortillas or tamalitos are eaten with every meal each and every day (No, I’m not sick of them yet (I actually like them!), and yes, I can now make a decently round tortilla and fold the corn leaves for tamalitos! ). It’s now the time for harvesting the corn, which the families here will use for their food supply for the coming year. It’s been fascinating for me to learn more about this process and to see just how much the people depend on the crop. Since corn is a lifeline, many people that I’ve met and talked with have a deeply strong bond with their land, which I find very beautiful. They are also proud of the land they have, and it is almost a part of their identity. However, it becomes very difficult for families who have fewer economic resources, because many people are not able to afford plots of land to cultivate their corn. That means that they have to buy corn flower, which has fewer nutrients and also ends up being a more expensive investment in the long run. However, since these families do not have to pay it all upfront like they would for land, they are able to afford payments in smaller bits for bags of flour. The corn harvest is also intertwined with the weather, and my family has told me that the climate changes that have been happening can have big effects on the harvest. Once the corn is harvested and shucked, it needs to dry out in the sun before it can be stored for the year. However, if it rains consistently while the corn is outside, the corn can become moldy and the crop can be ruined. Usually the rainy season stops at the end of October in Guatemala and the corn is harvested in mid-November. However, this year it continued to rain into the first week of November, which worried the family. They’ve told me that they’ve noticed changing weather patterns in Guatemala, and sometimes wonder how it will continue to affect their lives. This just makes me reminded all the more of the importance of caring for our earth, especially for people whose very lives are so strongly tied to the land.

 Another theme that has been coming up again is medicine, and how much of a difference it makes in people’s lives. My job at the health center has taught me a lot about medicine, and the importance of health education in general. Although I don’t really feel called into a medical profession, I am so grateful to be here and to be learning about these things. Health is a basic right of every person, and it has been heart-wrenching to meet mothers who can’t even afford to give their children food with enough nutrients to ensure their healthy development. All of the medicine and supplies that are given out at the health center are free for the people who come, which seems like a good and necessary idea in a place that has people with fewer (if any) resources available. However, the supply at the center is limited, and whenever the doctor or nurse prescribes a medication to buy at a pharmacy it is doubtful if the family can afford it. Partly as a result of this, one of the main focuses of the health center is on preventative medicinea and health education. The idea is that with more education, the families will be able to learn simple methods that they can use at home to lead healthier lifestyles (drinking purified / boiled water, eating more fruits and vegetables, practicing family planning, etc.) and hopefully not have to rely on the health center only after they need medical attention.

 Another big thing that happened was that a medical mission team came into Pachaj and the neighboring communities for a week in early November. I got to spend the week with them helping out as a translator, and it was an incredible experience. I loved the chance to get to meet the team, and just being with them each day and seeing how grateful the people were when they received medicine was amazing. Many of the people we saw had parasites, and quite a few had diabetes as well. These cases reminded me once again about how important education is; many, though not all, of these cases could have been prevented if people knew more about the importance of drinking purified water and not eating too many foods that are high in carbs and sugar. The week was a mixed blessing, since it felt so good to help people doing the little that we could. However, some had cases that we couldn’t really fix (a lot of people suffered from nerves / nervousness from traumatic experiences in their lives), and most of the medicines, vitamins and parasite bars we did give out were only temporary fixes. I pray that the people we saw, and their families and communities, continue to stay healthy, and I hope that health education can continue in these communities to ensure a better future.

 Last, but certainly not least, are what I can only describe as miracles that have happened since I’ve been here. It has been absolutely amazing to see the way that God is working here, since it is so far beyond my comprehension. I just know that I am humbled and grateful to be here in the midst of it all, even if I don’t know yet exactly what my role is or will be. The two things that come predominantly to mind are the stories of two little boys, Carlos and Danilo. Carlos is 12, and he had an extensive open-heart surgery before I arrived in Pachaj. He lives in a neighboring community with his widowed mother and 3 siblings. Although Carlos had been suffering from heart problems for years, his mother had no way of paying for a surgery for him. Last January, a medical team (many of the same people who I worked with!) met Carlos and wanted to do something for him. They, along with a group from a US Presbytery, helped to pay for the costs of his surgery in a hospital in Guatemala City, which never would have been possible otherwise. I got to meet Carlitos and his mom Rosa earlier this month, and immediately fell in love with them both. Carlos has the most heart-warming smile, and seeing him sitting there it was hard for me to imagine what he looked like a few months earlier – completely blue from lack of circulation. He is now a healthy and healing boy, still unable to run and play with his friends, but grateful to be alive and on the mend. We had a scare with him though, because he had a recent development of a little protrusion on his chest right after his checkup visit at the hospital in Guate. A little bump is visible right above his ribcage, and we didn’t know if he was in any danger because of it. We took him immediately to the hospital in Xela for an x-ray, and all of the internal things with his implant came back normal. When the medical team saw him a few days later, the doctors also said that the protrusion is ok, and that sometimes the sutures shift slightly while the chest bone is mending back together. It was so wonderful to see the reunion of Carlos and the medical team, since they could see him before and after his surgery and see how much of a difference that had made in his life. One of the most impactful parts of that week with the medical team for me was translating a message from an emergency pediatric nurse to Carlos’ mom. Susan has worked in emergency pediatric medicine for years, and she wanted to tell Carlos’ mom Rosa how brave she was, to bless and encourage her in this process and thank her for the way that she loves and cares for Carlitos. She passed along the message to me, and then I said it in Spanish to my host mom, Juana Herlinda. She then translated it into K’iche’ for Rosa, who spoke back to Juana, then me, and then Susan. Seeing the bonds of love between doctors and patients, mothers and children, and women of two very different cultures was incredibly moving experience, and as we all finished the conversation and gave one another hugs, we had tears of appreciation and understanding in our eyes.

 The other little boy, Danilo, has a story that is perhaps even more intertwined with my own. Before leaving for Guatemala, my family decided to sponsor some children through Compassion International specifically from Guatemala, with the idea that I would take on one of the children as his or her sponsor upon my return. One afternoon my mom and I picked 3 kids from the Compassion website. One of them, Danilo, had been waiting for over 6 months for a sponsor and also needed special medical attention for a vision problem. He seemed like a  natural choice. After we had made the jump and decided to sponsor these kids, we looked more closely at their information. Danilo’s description said that he lived in Pachaj. My jaw dropped and I called mom over; I had already received my placement information, and knew that I would be living in Pachaj! However, I didn’t want to get my hopes up too much, since I had already looked at a map of Guatemala and discovered that there is another Pachaj about 2 hours away from where I’m living. When I arrived here and got settled in, I honestly have to admit that Danilo had slipped my mind. I was busy learning about my new jobs and getting into the rythym of everything around me, but obviously thoughts of Danilo hadn’t left my mom. One day on the phone she said, ‘Annie, I just keep getting this feeling that you are going to meet Danilo someday. Do you know if he lives there or not?’ I said I didn’t, but would ask my host mom. The next day, I was working at the daycare, which is my other work placement in Pachaj. When I came back for the afternoon, some of the kids had left and my boss told me that it was because they went to the Compassion center. I almost lost it, and asked her if the center was here in Pachaj. She said yes, just up the road! That afternoon as soon as I got home, I told my host mom the whole story and asked if she knew of a little boy named Danilo. She was amazed and laughed with joy, saying she would ask her sister (who works at the center!) if she knew of a Danilo with vision impairments. The next day, I got my answer. ‘Yes, there is a Danilo with visual needs who goes to the center! In fact, there are two. Which one do you sponsor?’ I was in utter amazement and disbelief to find out that one of those little boys was our new little brother. My host mom and aunt laughed, and we all agreed that this was obviously the work of God. I got to meet Danilo, his mom, sister and brother a few days later at the Compassion center (which, even more amazingly is at the church my family goes to here!). They are such a sweet family, and I almost cried on numerous occasions that afternoon from all of the different emotions spinning around in my head and heart. While the medical team was visiting Pachaj, Danilo and his family came one day with other kids from the Compassion center. There was an optimologist with the group who was able to see Danilo, and he daignosed his problem. Danilo has strabismis, which, Dave explained to me, basically means that the muscles in his left eye don’t cooperate with the muscles in his right. He needs surgery to correct it, and if done right away Danilo can recuperate some of the vision that he’s lost because of this impairment. I was blown away, and so grateful once again that little Danilo could see an optomotrist who could diagnose exactly what he needs. I’m also so grateful that I am living so close to him, and that I’ve met his family. They are a part of my life here now, and I know that God brought me here for a reason (and probably many!). I don’t know as of yet exactly what role my family and I will play in Danilo’s story, but I am without a doubt that he is my little brother here and that we’ll try to do whatever we can as appropriate to help him and his family. In just the two times that I’ve spent time with them I’ve felt incredibly blessed by their love and generosity, and feel that I’m receiving so much more from them than they know. 

 So, on this sunny Saturday in Xela I am thankful for many things: love, family, friendships, health, medicine, miracles, the beauty of the earth, and all of the ups, downs and complexities that this life gives us. Most of all, I am so grateful for God’s grace, sovereignty, provision, faithfulness and love, and the ways in which he is present in the journies that we all face. Happy Thanksgiving, all! There truly is so much to be thankful for, and I’m glad to be able to share just some of those things with you.

Many blessings and all of my love,

Annie

Amigas, Amoebas, Aventuras y Más

Well, these past few weeks have been very full, challenging, but wonderful all the same. We had the opportunity to make visits to all of the communities and families where we’ll be living for the year, and it was so exciting to see where everyone will be living and working! All of the placements and families are very different, but I think they all fit our personalities well. It was so cool to see how everyone loved their placements, and was excited to start working. I can’t wait to find out what we’ll all learn and see, and how we’ll all grow and be stretched through these experiences. Here’s a quick run-down of our placements:

Comolapa, where Rachel will live, is known for its art and paintings. Murals are painted on many walls throughout the town, and Rachel is by far the most artistic of the bunch She’ll be working at a tri-lingual school, where students are taught in Spanish, English, and the Mayan language of Kaquikchel. We got to visit the school as well, and the kids are so wonderful! I think it will be a great experience for her there.

Kate is our warm-hearted people person, and both of her jobs in Xela seem like they’ll be a great fit for her. She’ll be working at a shelter (Nuevos Horizontes) for young moms and their children who have suffered from domestic violence, as well as in a lunch program for elderly people that is sponsored by an Episcopal church in town.

Jensen will also be working at a school, but this one has a much different environment than Rachel’s Jensen’s school, Ceipa, is made for children and adolescents who have had to work and have gotten too old for their grade level to continue in the public schools. The school is right in the middle of the huge market in Xela, and most of the students there are teenagers. Jensen is excited for the craziness of it all, and I think the school will be a great fit for her too!

Finally, Pachaj, where I’ll call home. It is beautiful! Quiet, full of cornfields, little hills, and a much slower pace of life than Xela, even though it is only about 40 minutes outside of town by bus. I’m also looking forward to my work placements there, even though I know they will also challenge me. I’ll be working in the community health clinic 3 days a week (where my host mom works!) and a day care for 2 days a week. I’m not quite sure yet how my jobs will look, but I’m moving in tomorrow and starting work on Monday so I hope to let you know soon I’m excited to have the experience of living a simple life out in the countryside, but I’m also grateful that I can travel into Xela easily if I ever feel homesick for the city!

After visiting the placements over the course of a few days, we spent a week in a rural language school called La Escuela de las Montañas. It was a wonderful experience, since we also got to know some families in the nearby communities and learn more about some of the social and historical contexts of Guatemala. Two communities nearby, Fátima and Nuevo San José, were formed by families who were forced off of coffee fincas because of financial hardships. The workers at the fincas were not paid fair wages, and after a coffee crisis in the late 90s and early 2000s, many families had to leave because they could no longer support themselves through full-time work on the farm. Even now, wages on most farms in Guatemala are unjust; the legal minimum wage in Guatemala is 65 Quetzales a day (unbelievably low compared to American standards, since there are currently about 7.85Q to the dollar), but on coffee fincas it is common for workers to get 25-40Q a day… wages that are almost impossible to support a family on. Sadly, it is also very common for women workers to get paid only half of what men do, meaning that they could receive 13-20Q a day for hard labor. This is just one reason to consider buying fair trade coffee… it really does make a difference in the lives of the workers!

At the school, we all ate three meals a day with a family from one of those communities in order to get to know them a bit. My family was very kind, but also had some hard history. There was now only my host mother, her mother, who was blind, one of her sons, her daughter-in-law and her 5 month old baby girl living in the house together. My mom told me that her husband died many years ago, because he became blind like her mother. Once he was blind, he became very depressed and started drinking excessively. Eventually, he passed away from liver failure, and she had to work to support all of her children as a single mother. Also, her youngest daughter, who is now 25 years old, was taken to the US 13 years ago by a much older man. When she was 15 she had his child, and even though she wanted to return to visit her family he said that if she were to leave the US he would take their daughter. With this threat, the daughter was unable to return to Guatemala since she was afraid to leave her little girl. Now, she is only able to call her family once every 2 years and the mother worries about her daughter’s safety and well-being in the States. This story reminded me of the extremely sad truth about all types of human trafficking that happens around the world, even in our own backyard. It was a good reminder for me to keep all of those people and their families in prayer!

Despite hearing these difficult stories, there was also much to be celebrated. One of the huge blessings of the week was my Spanish teacher, who was also named Annie (Anny in the Spanish version ). We immediately got along amazingly well, and it felt as though she was an old friend. We were able to share many things with one another, including our faith which was a huge blessing. Through sharing our own stories and experiences, we were able to minister to one another throughout the week, support each other and learn from one another. It was absolutely a God-send, and I am so grateful to have met her. On our last day, Anny told me that she is certain that God has a ministry for me here in Guatemala, and that it will be a wonderful experience even if the work is surprising or challenging. Everything she said was so encouraging and affirming, and it was such a gift! I hope we continue to stay in touch this year and beyond… I have a feeling that we will :) God works in such wonderful and surprising ways! On Friday, we also had a big lunch with all of the host families, students, and teachers at the school, and it was nice to be able to spend time in community and give back a bit to all of the people who had given so much to us and opened up their hearts and their homes.

Even though we just spent a week at the school, it quickly became a comfortable place and felt homey. On Wednesday, we even had an adventure into town with our teachers to go to the health clinic… it turned out that 3 students had amoebas! Fortunately, all of the stomachs are on the mend, and it was so kind of our teachers to spend the entire morning and part of the afternoon making sure we were ok

Well, there is so much more floating around in my head right now but our time at the internet cafe is coming to a close. Thank you for letting me share bits and pieces of this experience with you, and thank you so much for your thoughts and prayers. It feels great to be back in Xela, and I can’t wait to go to Pachaj tomorrow and see what awaits me there!

Peace and blessings, Annie

Beautiful Things

Quick(? ha ha) update on some of the things that have happened recently:

 On Tuesday we got to visit the CEDEPCA office in Guatemala City, which is an Christian organization that works throughout Central America and Mexico. Their main focuses are women’s ministry, disaster relief, theological education and cross-cultural exchange and education. Our director Marcia also works there part time in the disaster relief ministry when she’s not running around with YAVs When we arrived in the morning, we got to participate in a time of worship and Bible study with all of the employees, which was so much fun! One of the songs we sang was a version of ‘Go, Tell it on the Mountain!’ that talked about the beattitudes, and was really up-beat and joyful. Our devotion time centered around a verse from Leviticus 19 about welcoming the outsider and the verse from Matthew 25 about loving and welcoming the ‘least of these.’ I was really struck by these verses, especially in light of the boys coming to our house for dinner (they’ve since come back on a few other occasions, and I learned that the mom of one of them also helps our family with cleaning every day. She is an extremely kind woman, and we’ve sort of become friends in the short time that I’ve been here. Sadly, I learned from my host mom that her husband is an abusive alcoholic… something I never would have guessed from our interactions. It is just another testimony to me of the strength of the people here, and it is so inspiring!).

 During our visit to CEDEPCA we also got to learn a little bit about each type of ministry and the work that they’re doing. The employees are so passionate about their work, which is awesome to see. It was also really cool to see how many women worked there, since one of their main focuses is women’s rights, empowerment and well-being. I’ll get to work with CEDEPCA a little bit later on in the year, with a few different groups from the States who will be coming for medical work in my community! I’m really excited to continue to get to know the people at CEDEPCA and get to know the organization a little bit better as a whole.

 On Wednesday I got to go back to the Arms of Jesus school, which was just as wonderful as the first time! We got a wonderful tour of the school, and learned about a few of the other services that they offer to the students. For example, the kids can all get free haircuts there and can even learn how to cut hair Also, there is a workshop where girls can go and learn how to make bags, tapestries, dolls, jewelry, etc. so that they can have a trade if they’re not succeeding academically in school. We also learned that even though the school only goes through 6th grade, the students are still sponsored until they’re 18 so that they can continue to go to school. The staff hope to eventually expand the school to include a colegio (7-12th grade), but are waiting for enough funds and staff to come in. Definitely something to be praying for! I also got to meet the little girl who is sponsored by a woman at my church, and passed along some clothes and a card to her. She was precious and shy, but she was grateful to be receiving the gifts and I was grateful to meet her!

 One of my favorite parts of the day by far was getting to visit the little pre-k room. As soon as we stepped through the door, the kids swarmed us and every single one of them gave us a hug. All of the kids had huge smiles and just radiated love. While we were there, the kids were eating their snack for the day – some soup and bread, which we were told may be their only nutritious meal of the day. While I was watching them eat this meal, an adorable little boy with ruffled curly hair ran up to me and Kate and thrust an apple and some animal crackers towards us. We were taken aback and told him he should keep his own food, but he just smiled and shook his head, saying “No, it’s for you!” We thanked him for the gift and he smiled again and ran back to his seat, not knowing how much of an impact he had just made. I stared at the tiny apple sitting in my hand, wondering if that little one would eat again today, overwhelmed by the joy and generosity that just eminated from him and all of the other little children in the room. It is true that the Kingdom of God is like a little child; there was just pure love in that room, and as we left the director of the school said that it is exactly that love that blesses him every single day he comes to work.

 On Thursday we visited a women’s cooperative in Chimaltenango, a town a little farther outside of Antigua. These women all come from different parts of Guatemala, but had to flee from their own communities during the war. Many of the people who suffered violence during the war were Mayan Guatemalans, who continue to face much oppression and discrimination in Guatemalan society today. All of the women in the cooperative were from various Mayan ethnicities, and all had lost family members during the war. After sharing lunch with them, two of the women told us their stories which were very impactful. Despite their hardships, the women are very strong and are working to create better lives for themselves and their children. Through the sale of their products (textiles, scarves, bags, headbands, bookmarks, etc.), they are able to earn a bit of money to support themselves and their families and ensure that their children have an education and a brighter future. I hope and pray that these women and children can continue to seguir adelante, and that their stories and strength continue to be shared and known.

 On Saturday, I received a wonderful visit from my dear friend Jillian, who is working at the IJM office in Guatemala City this year! It was great to spend the morning with her, catch up and share life (and licuados – fruit smoothies! yum ) together. It is a blessing to also see how present God is in the work of IJM and in Jillian’s life, and I’m excited to continue to share this year with her in Guatemala. Later in the afternoon my family had a big party, because my youngest host brother, Renato, had his confirmation! It was tons of fun; we all crowded around tables in the kitchen, on the patio and in the hallway, sharing delicious food, great conversation and lots of laughter. It reminded me of holiday dinners with my own family at my Grandma’s house, and the family here made me feel right at home. It has been such a blessing to live with them, and it will be sad to leave San Juan del Obispo in just three days! However, I’m also really looking forward to meeting my new host family and seeing where I’ll be living and working in Pachaj, and also seeing where the other girls will be as well.

 The time here has just flown by – almost a month already! – but I still feel very grateful to be here and I can’t wait to start this new stage of the journey. This past week, after having seen and heard hard but beautiful stories, I was reminded of the song “Beautiful Things” by Gomer. Part of the chorus talks about how God is an active healer, present in creation: “You make beautiful things, you make beautiful things out of the dust. You make beautiful things, you make beautiful things out of us.” This is very true, and I know that even amidst the hardships in life God is present and working. I don’t know what exactly lies ahead for me in Pachaj, but I know that I can continue to look for the beautiful things along the way. I’ve been challenged (and challenge you all!) to open my eyes and look around – we might just all be surprised by what we find Thank you for journeying with me and with all of the people here. ¡Que Dios les bendiga!

Annie