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