Fotos

Hey everyone! My wifi went out last week so I wasn't able to upload pictures, but I wanted to post some before my next blog. So here you go :)

This little girl is named Beverley. She is a preschooler at an elementary school that we were able to minister to here. She brought some much needed joy to a very dark day for me several weeks ago, during which we were asked to minister to a woman who had been unlawfully thrown in prison for a debt that wasn't her own. Praise God for how He can show love through a small child when I was intended to show love to her.

This photo is from one of the most eye-opening days of my life. This is the landfill outside of Puerto Barrios, a dump of trash from all the people in the city. And this is the home of many families. Mothers live here with their children because they can't find jobs; they instead find their sustenance in the garbage. I can't begin to really talk about this, but I hope that I will be able to soon. Please understand that this is reality. Pray for the people who are forced to live here because they have no other opportunity.

This is baby Maria from the orphanage.

This is baby Rosia from the orphanage, with her stunning little black curls.

Please continue to pray for our team and ministries! Love to you all!

Caught in His Infinite Embrace

I’ve had the opportunity to meet some very precious individuals over the last week, and I want to take this time to introduce you to their stories.

Yesterday, we met a lovely little old lady named Elisa. She was about 90 years old, four feet tall, and nothing but skin and bones. She approached us with two of her grandchildren (both toddlers) during street ministry. We became quick friends. Like most people in this culture, she was apt to share her life with me. And I was blessed by what I learned. She is the only Christian in her family, but she is very passionate about the Lord. She deeply desires for her grandchildren to come to know Him as they grow up, but she doesn’t know that she will be alive long enough to aid them in their walk. And so she devotes much of her time to singing to them songs about her beloved Father, in the hope that they will one day remember the lyrics and long for His affection. What a beautiful heart this woman has!

On Monday, we ministered at the city garbage dump. Dozens of people take up residence in the landfill, finding their physical sustenance in filth and garbage. It was the most heartbreaking thing I have ever encountered. To stare so blatantly in the face of poverty is painfully overwhelming. Mothers live there with their small children because jobs are so scarce; it’s the only way they can survive. One particular girl pricked my heart. She is 17 years old and living in the dump. Upon meeting her, we noticed a little bump on her belly. We soon learned that she is four months pregnant and has no where to go. She was very reserved, but was grateful for the small offering of crackers and bananas that we brought to her. I hope to have the opportunity to spend more time with her in the future. As a team, we have decided to purchase prenatal vitamins and baby supplies for her. Several girls are also trying to arrange an appointment with an obstetrician so that her baby will be born healthy, despite the horrific circumstances. Please lift up our dear friend and her child in prayer. Though the situation seems hopeless, we serve a God who is an infinite provider of life, love, and freedom. So we are asking that His abundance will overflow into these beloved people.

On Tuesday, we had the blessed opportunity to spend time with children at a Catholic orphanage. This is a rare occasion in Guatemala: there is great division between Catholics and Protestants, so they often do not allow non-Catholics into the orphanage. But we serve the same God and He moved in their hearts to allow us to love on their kids. And love we did! We made a fool of ourselves dancing, performing skits, and singing with the 15 or so children. They were enthralled; though this orphanage was very inviting and loving, it was a special treat for them to have crazy Americans come to play just with each one of them. After the program, we played “duck, duck, goose,” painted faces, tossed around balls…generally just showed them the love and enthusiasm their Daddy has for them. Two babies brought a significant amount of light to my overwhelming week. One little girl named Maria was only about two months old. Just holding her reminded me of God’s comforting embrace. Her mother had left her at the orphanage shortly after her birth. While this breaks my heart, I know that God has beautiful plans of hope and prosperity for Maria’s life. The other little girl was a curly-headed 10 month old named Rosia. I couldn’t resist a smile at just the sight of her. Her face lit up when she was held in the loving embrace of smelly, sweaty American women. She found a significant amount of amusement in my wristwatch. She was teething and the strap of my watch apparently is soothing to the gums. Once this precious baby was held safely in my arms, it was nearly impossible to let her go back into a world of uncertainty and darkness. Of two things I am convinced: nothing in this frightening world can separate her from the love of her Father, and also there is a portion of my heart that will never let go of my dear Rosia.

The final story I have to tell is of a woman who works in a bar downtown. I am not entirely sure of her profession, but I could see in her eyes that she was hopeless and broken-hearted. By spending just a few hours in prostitute ministry, I easily caught a glimpse of why she felt this way. Darkness permeates in that place. I have no other words to describe it. The only moment during the conversation that brought a smile to her face was when we asked if she had any children. The answer was a simple “Si, se llama Jose.” She also informed us that he is one year old and that he stays with her mother while she works at night to provide for him. How deep her love is for her son, that she would submit herself into that darkness in order to earn money to sustain him. The wonderful fact is that “…even the darkness is not dark to You. The night shines like the day; darkness and light are alike to You.”

I hope these stories will provide a glimpse for you of what I am experiencing here in Guatemala. I ask that you would be in fervent prayer for these people, this place, and our team. I’m learning more and more how powerful prayer is, and so I cannot express to you how grateful I am for your continued support in intercession.

Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than we could ever ask or think,

Meg

Walking by Faith

I'm presently sitting on the floor of my home for the summer, a small house owned by missionary residents of Puerto Barrios, Guatemala. I have no idea how to write about anything that has occurred these past 13 days. Honestly, I'm in awe that it's only been 13 days; it seems like my life began in Guatemala. Everything prior to that seems like a dream.

I can't exactly say that these days have been the best of my life, or even close. In fact, they have been quite challenging. This city is spiritually a very dark place and needs a lot of prayer. My spirit is heavy within me and ministries are exhausting. Even praying over people is difficult. I'm not sure that I'll ever be able to adequately explain what is occurring here, but (hopefully in the near future) I will try. Though I do want yall to know that I'm certainly still enjoying myself here (newfound meaning to "the joy of the Lord is my strength"). The Lord is refining my faith through the fire. The process may be somewhat painful, but I know what remains will be beautiful and everlasting.

Here are some of the ministries we have done so far:

• played with kids at an orphanage
• built relationships with villagers in the mountains (and I learned how to make some awesome corn tortillas!)
• prayed over vendors in the open air market
• presented programs for kids in a village, at a school, and at a children's hospital
• spent time with the elderly at an infirmary
• reached out to our neighbors through doing household chores and just spending time with them

I know there's more than that, but I can't remember all of it right now. And even if I could, I'm not particularly fond of keeping things confined to lists. It makes each memory much less personal or endearing. Yet time is a constraint that I can't combat, and so the list is the most effective form of sharing at the moment.

Hopefully, I'll be able to update this blog in more detail on our next free day. In the meantime, please remember me, my team, and the Guatemalans in your prayers. We need them more than words can convey.

With all love,
Meg

PS: Here are some pictures from ministry this past week :)

This is Faviola. She's a 3 year old from a village in the mountains. I had been drinking from a coconut before our children's program, and she came up to me and said "Quiero coco!" Who can resist a face like that? It was so entertaining to watch; the coconut was about the size of her body. We became fast friends from this little bonding experience. Keep her and her family in your prayers!

This picture is from the elementary school we visited yesterday. This little girl refused to leave my side almost the entire time we were there. I gotta say I was pretty flattered by her kindhearted and easily amused devotion. Please keep the school, its students, and its teachers in your prayers.

"So then, does God supply you with the Spirit and work miracles among you by the works of the law or by hearing with faith?" Galatians 3:5

Praise God for the gift of faith! And I pray that your's will be deepened day by day.

Let's Fly Away

So in less than 30 minutes, I'll be boarding a plane to Miami for a brief layover and then I'm off to Guatemala. I can't believe this time has already come! Training camp was incredibly intense and opened my eyes to some of the challenges I'll be experiencing this summer. I'll be sure to update when I can. In the meantime, please be praying for my team! 


Here's our theme verse for the summer:


"Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think,  according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen." Ephesians 3:20-21

Show Me Your Glory

Glory (n):

1. exaltation, praise, or honour
2. something that is worthy of praise
3. pomp, splendour
4. radiant beauty; resplendence

"'[Moses speaking] You said, 'I know you by name, and you have also found favor in My sight.' Now if I have indeed found favor in Your sight, please teach me Your ways, and I will know You and find favor in Your sight. Now consider that this nation is Your people.'

Then He replied, 'My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.'

'If Your presence does not go,' Moses responded to Him, 'don't make us go up from here. How will it be known that I and Your people have found favor in Your sight unless You go with us? I and Your people will be distinguished by this from all the other people on the face of the earth.'

The Lord answered Moses, 'I will do this very thing you have asked, for you have found favor in My sight, and I know you by name.'

Then Moses said, 'Please, let me see Your glory.'"

--Exodus 33:13-18

The Lord revealed these verses to me last week while I was searching my Bible for something else. I never found that something else, but that's perfectly fine. These verses captivated me and have become my heart for Guatemala. 

I trust that the Lord is going ahead of our team, preparing not only our hearts but also those of the people we will encounter there. I also believe that He has a grand plan for this trip, though I'm not yet privy to what that entails (not that I am ready for any such details anyways). I'm excited for what He has in store and I am trusting that He has already gone and still is going ahead of us. I would not have any inclination to go if that was not the case (you know, the whole "apart from Me you can do nothing" thing). 

Also, I like the reminder that God knows us by name. While He is speaking directly to Moses here, there are plenty of other verses that back that fact up as well (John 1:12, anyone? I'm grateful to be His daughter!). Wow--can you believe the living God, the One who created everything, from the depths of the oceans to the loveliest and most delicate flower, knows you and me by name? And even more than that, He was executed so that you could know Him too. Pretty amazing and humbling, huh? 

My greatest interest of these verses, though, is Moses' bold request: 'Please, let me see Your glory.' I love it. I love that Moses asked that of our God. Based on the above definition (I defined it because glory is one of those Bible words we throw around without really knowing the meaning), we see that Moses is asking to see God's radiant beauty, His splendor. I can't even begin to fathom that. But if you continue reading, you will see that God grants that request by passing in front of him. He even had to protect him while He did so (He explains that no one can see His face and live). And Moses' face shone radiantly after this encounter with the God of the universe.

While I am not expecting that kind of face-to-face encounter with my Father (though there's no reason to rule it out, either; I mean, He's God. He can do whatever He wants), I am praying that His glory will be revealed on this trip. I desire for His Spirit to fill each of us and send us out to minister to His people. I don't have a clue what that ministry will look like or how He plans on using us, but I pray that His glory will resound in that place as a result of what He's doing there. I'm honored to be a part of it.

Today, I will be joining with my other teammates in Chattanooga to begin training for our summer in Guatemala. In just a few short hours, I will be saying good bye to the last of my biological family and hello to my sisters and brothers in Christ who will make up my team, people who I have not actually met yet. And honestly, I am a bit nervous. But I know that the Lord has called these people on this trip, that He has assembled this team by His will and desire; I have faith that the relationships He forms between us will have beautiful, unbreakable bonds. 

We fly out of Atlanta on Tuesday. I probably will not be able to update the blog again until I'm in Guatemala, but I ask that you would continue to cover our team in prayers. I look forward to sharing with yall the details of our first few days. Thanks for reading and praying! Know that I am lifting you up as well.

May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

Your sister,

Meg