We were warned before hand of the culture shock that we were going to experience in Guatemala. I did not go into country with too many expectations but it was funny to see how many of my expectations were completely unmet. Everyday I was shocked and taken back by something new and unexpected. I would like to share some of those experiences with you all as a means of reflecting God's provision and goodness for my team and how blessed we were when overseas.
Uno: Cold Showers!
I went into country expecting cold showers. I was amazing that of the three and a half weeks we were there, I took a total of 2 cold showers. TWO! And those two experiences were pretty funny in itself. We were spoiled with such great living spaces and people that would open their home to us under such late notice. God truly blessed my team this year with an unbelievable provision for comfort and humility as we were provided with so much more than what we deserved.
Dos: Hospitality
One of the big cultural differences that my team noticed about Guatemala was how nice everyone is. From people on the street to the people we worked with, there was an incredible desire to serve each other. They welcomed us and treated us like family. I never once felt unsafe there. They always wanted to serve and made sure we had everything we needed. At first it was uncomfortable for me to be this comfortable on a missions trip but I realize how it was all God's blessing that we are able to have the things that we had and share our time with such an amazing group of people. It was also a learning experience for me. If people with so little to offer can give all they have, what is stopping me from giving?
Tres: Relationships
Back in the states, we were warned of something called Guatemalan time. The Guatemalan culture places a high value on building relationships which means talking to people and mingling was more important than everything else, like playing a concert or being on time. It was evident how much they valued relationships, when our contact would encourage us after every concert (even when we had to rush to our next concert) to talk to the kids and people there. He would rather us talk to the kids for 5 mins and then tear down our equipment in 5 mins than take 10 mins to tear down. Although 5 mins doesn't seem like a lot, I can tell that to our audience, it met a lot and it showed that we cared about them and validated the messaged of the Gospel that we were sharing with them.
Cuatro: Story Time!
So at this point I can continue to list different aspects of the culture that stood out to me, but that would only result in an exceedingly long list that would not be fun to read so I have decided to change it up and tell you all a story that pretty much captures everything I wanted to share. Ready? Set! GO!
Day 12 in country
Today we went to a school. It was different from all the other schools we visited. We met the principal of the school and he explained to us the situation that the kids of the school struggled with. The families of these kids survive off digging through the nearby dump sites, finding anything they could to sell. The kids get sponsored by "godparents" who give the school money so that they can provide an education for the kids. At this point, the principal stops and says, "If the kids come up to you and hugs you or kisses you, don't me alarmed because they think that you ARE their godparents and you are the ones supporting them to go to school." As he said that, from around the corner two little girls walk up to me and one of my teammates and hugged and kissed us. For me, it was super unexpected and heart breaking. I was immediately taken back and as we kept walking around and learning more of these kids, it was difficult for me not to feel moved to want to help these kids. Of the 800 kids in the school, many of them are sexually abused at home by their families. The school, therefore acts as more than just a place to learn but a place of help and security. They have doctors, teachers, and psychiatrist on site to help these kids. The school also pays families with older kids who are forced to work at the dump sites, so that they school. We met two older kids who academically were suppose to be in the grade 1 level but because of their age difference, are given a different opportunity to get schooling while also getting paid to helping out around the school. One of the last things I remember the principal sharing with us that got me a little made was this: where we are from, we would imagine the government doing more to help these kids, but here, the government simply doesn't care. That hit me really hard because I am a person who truly believes in the importance of education and one who believes that the government should be always playing a role in providing for children. It was unbelievable to me how so many kids have been left abandoned and it was only because of a few that decided to act, that they have this opportunity to go to school.
Next it was time for lunch and as we walk into their cafeteria, the principal explains that we will be eating the same foods that the kids eat. This was to show the kids that we are equal to them and that we were all the same. We had a plate of spaghetti, hotdogs, and tortilla. While we were eating, I noticed that no one from my team was talking. We were all in a state of awe and shock. It was a big reality check for us and truly a humbling experience. It was uncomfortable for some of us us to be there with so much, but it was a much needed experience to put in perspective the work that God was doing in Guatemala.
By the time we got to setting up our concert, we were really excited and ready to have a really fun time. As we were setting up, a lot of the kids were already there and the craziest part was that they were coming up to us asking how they can help. They grabbed the box that I was holding and brought it to the front of the stage for me. We were all so taken back that for a moment, we did not know how to respond. These kids were so willing and giving. All they wanted to do was help and show up what they learned in school. It was the cutest thing in the world.
We started the concert soon after and that was a crazy experience all on its own. I was expecting these kids to be excited and smiling and super energetic but I was met with confused looks, discomfort, and weird stares. It didn't click in my head until after the concert that these kids have never seen or been to a concert before. What we did was totally new for me and therefore, they did not know how to react to it. Were they suppose to clap? dance? sing along? They were confused and uncomfortable.
The reality that these kids knew was so far from the world that we came from. It was heart breaking to see kids as young as 3 struggling the way that they did and so many people turning their backs on them. It was incredible to see the amount of work and love put into these kids everyday. It was humbling to see the work that God has been doing in the lives of the kids, the school, and the people who have dedicated their lives to bring these kids a sense of hope. In every aspect of the school, it is evident that God is at work. The hope that we brought to the kids was the Gospel of Jesus Christ. There is hope and power in His name. It was a great reminder for my team and I of how broken we all are, one way or another and we are all in need of a Savior.
The story that I shared on just a story but the reality of so many kids only a few miles away. It is evident in the lives of people in Guatemala that they are all in desperate need for hope. They are all yearning for something that will satisfy that emptiness they have. For the past 6 weeks, my team and I have carried that message of hope in Christ and it is my prayer that the few we were able to minister to will come to realize this hope and love.
"Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. You see, at just the right time,when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him! For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation." Romans 5:1-11
His servant,
Charlie
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