Raymond Baptist - Guatemala Trip - Day 3

Today is the first day of ministry, and the team is ready to go.  We began the day with breakfast at 6:30, and devotions immediately following.  Shortly after 7:30 we were on our way to Verbana - the main campus of AMG Guatemala, a school of nearly 900 students. The tasks before us were painting a room and a hallway, and helping the maintenance guys on the second floor of the new building (for AMG's "At Risk No More" ministry).

We arrived at the campus about 8:45 and took a brief tour of the facilities.  Phil educated the team about the background of the ministry of AMG here in Guatemala, he showed them the medical, dental, educational and office facilities.  He introduced them to the maintenance crew, and finished the tour with an overview of the ravine behind the school.  Thousands of people live in the ravine behind the school, and the students in the school come from these homes.  The poverty and hopelessness they come from is balanced by the truth of God's word shared with them at the school.  The team really enjoyed seeing the facilities, and it was obvious that they were impacted by the vision of the conditions that these children come from.

It was time to work, and work they did.  The guys got to work mixing concrete, moving block, passing buckets of concrete to the second floor, and it was hard work.  The ladies started working on the painting by prepping the walls for the paint, pulling nails, cleaning walls, etc.  They were ready to go and they got a lot done very quickly.

About 10:30, the guys were pulled off physical labor and were asked to help with the physical education class.  Their first job... standing in the middle of the field with their legs spread wide so the kids could run through their legs.  It was hilarious watching the guys try to keep from getting hit by the kids as they ran, crawled, and jumped through the guys legs. The pictures of this even are hilarious.  Eventually we ended up playing soccer against the 30+ kids out there.  It was fun to be a part of.  I know the team enjoyed it.

Soon we were back to work, and eventually it was lunch time.  We took our lunch break to eat, drink and talk about the morning.  I love listening to the individuals reflect on what they are seeing and how they are moved by the workers, the children and the teachers.

After lunch, the maintenance guys were still on break, so the guys ended up playing a variety of games against the kids - soccer, keep away, football, etc.  The kids love playing with the team.  One class came to the gym area and challenged the team to a basketball game.  Six of us against 10 of them.  It was like a David vs Goliath game as the 3+ foot high kids ran around the much larger team members.  The whole team participated, and it was fun.  The team doesn't realize the impact they are having on the kids as they love them by talking with them, playing with them, laughing with them...  Only God knows what the long term effects of their involvement will be.

Eventually we finished working on the second floor (although there is much to do tomorrow) and the ladies finished the first coat of paint on both the room and the hallway they were assigned to.  It was a great day of working, playing and interacting with the kids.  I anticipate even more interaction with the kids as the week progresses.

We returned to Thelma's around 5:30 (after a brief stop at Pop's - the ice cream shop).  Some of the kids went swimming in the cold pool, while others rested and prepared for dinner.  I put all of the pictures on the computer and began a slide show.  We all sat around and laughed and talked about the pictures.  We had our evening re-cap and rehearsed the things we have seen and done today. I loved listening to the things they were sharing. It has been a great day.

Tomorrow is more of the same - we are going to need to get some rest for another hard day of work.

Thought for the day:  As we were driving home, we passed a man who was obviously addicted to glue fumes as he was walking around with a tube of glue held up to his nose.  He was dirty, had filthy clothes, and his hair was a mess.  He was stumbling into traffic and seemed rather aimless as he was walking around.  Phil informed us that many of the people who begin "sniffing" this and other things usually begin because the effects keep them from being hungry.

I was thinking, "I have never been that hungry."  Seriously, I have never been so hungry I would do anything to relieve my hunger.  Which leads me to two different trains of thought.

1 - Thankfulness.  I am so thankful for the fact that I have never been hungry.
2 - Compassion. I know my loving Father loves these people as well, but for some reason (and some might have to do with their own choices) He has allowed them to be hungry and needy.  They are needy physically, but even more, they are needy spiritually.  I pray that God continues to use us and the ministry of AMG to meet the physical needs of these people, but especially their need to know Jesus Christ.

God help us be aware of the people around us that have physical needs, and help us be moved with compassion to meet those needs.  But even more importantly, God help us to be aware of the spiritual needs of the people around us and be compelled to share the truth of Jesus with them.