My walk with Christ: Guatemala 2011

I can’t even begin to put into words the feelings Guatemala left me with. I never in a million years could have predicted the impact these Children had on me.

I have to be honest, when I first arrived at Casa I thought “what on earth am I doing here…I can’t talk to these kids. I’m not gonna have an impact on them, I have no idea what they have been through” I was right about one thing…I may not have had an impact on them… they had one on me!!!

I left my heart in Guatemala with the kids, particularly one boy… his name was Danni David Roca Lopez. I met him half way through the week. I was getting attached to so many of the kids, but God kept putting David on my heart. He was sort of stand offish, which a lot of the kids there are…they have so many groups come in and out, why would they open up to someone, only to be left a week later?

When he played cards with us he kept cheating & putting the cards in his pockets. I called him the hustler of the group! Everytime you asked him a question he would roll his eyes and go “pssshhh” if you asked him his name, he would lie & say “Jose’” or “Carlos” anything but his real name, and would crack up laughing. I started asking him about his rings as he had on two. They werern’t really rings, they were plumbing tube rings but he wore them all the time. When I finally got him talking he told me that he wanted to get rings on every finger. I felt led to give David my ring. It was my John 15 ring that I swore I would never give away. It made my heart happy to give that to him. He sat and looked at it for ages & said “for me!?” he seemed surprised that someone would give HIM something. From that point on, he was totally different with me. He hated having his photo taken, but he would let me take it. He would never smile if in a photo, and he would smile if I asked him to…towards the end of the week, I didn’t even have to ask, he just did…it was amazing to see him open up so much more than when I first met him. He even gave me hugs every once in a while! We spent a lot of time together & I finally told him that I was going to sponsor him…I had never seen him smile so big all week. I can’t explain the way it made me feel to see him show some kind of emotion. It made me happy to see him happy.

God really worked in my heart on this trip. He broke my heart for what breaks His. When I think about the children at Casa, I cry. Partially happy tears because they are in a great place, partially sad tears because of what they have been through to end up there. I’m so grateful for the life that I have been given. These kids have nothing, they don’t have anybody to tell them that they are loved, they don’t have parents, or someone to pour into them constantly, they have ripped shoes & clothes, they literally have nothing but one another, yet they have so much joy. The smiles on some of their faces are unforgettable.

There was a boy named Jose who had just arrived at Casa, he had the most amazing heart. Unlike David, he was very affectionate. He would be smiling all the time & come running to give you a hug as soon as he saw you. The day we left, I cried & he walked up to me, gave me a huge hug & rubbed my back…it made me laugh that a 10 yr old was consoling me. He is such a sweet boy & I hope life doesn’t change that.

This trip made me walk away with the realization that life is too short to be busy “doing” all the time… Yes we should love to serve…but we also need to take time to “savor” (thank you Kristi) each blessing God puts in our life. I left Casa thinking that if these kids that have been through so much in their lives can have joy & smile because they are alive, no longer being abused & know Jesus. Then why can’t we smile all the time…we have SO much to be thankful for! It goes to show, stuff really doesn’t bring you happiness. If anything, it takes happiness away.
To see the way these kids live their lives, showed me that Jesus can heal more than I could ever imagine! Learn to love one another, fully. Savor each moment. Endure hard times with joy & keep your eyes on Jesus. He is our source…no one or nothing can fulfill & heal us the way He can.