“never believe that a few caring people can’t change the world, for indeed, that’s all who ever have”

quoted by margaret mead

new Guatemalan friends

i met many people in guatemala, and many had an impact on me... i'll share two of them with you here.

this woman was helping with the clean up after we served lunches to the children.  i don't know why but I felt the tugging to go and talk to her... despite the fact that I know 0 spanish... and... she spoke no english!  so that made for an interesting attempt at speaking with each other... nonetheless sometimes all it takes is just being present and giving people dignity by making eye contact and touching their shoulder or giving that hug.  a staff member saw me and was wondering what i was doing... they knew i knew no spanish and they probably saw me flailing my arms as i tried to explain things using whatever hand motions and facial expressions i could pull.  anyhow at the end of the animated "conversation", she said, translated through the staff member... "thank you for wanting to talk to me even though I am poor…"  wow... it made me so sad to think that she would have expected anything else from me... of course...why would i NOT want to talk to you... who cares if you're poor or rich... but isn't that the reality?  oftentimes we are so good at blocking people out of our view and moving forward with our oh so busy lives... God open our eyes to what you see...

then this little girl and her grandma... we vistied her grandma's 'home'..  what a testimony she had... won't share it in detail now, but she makes bags (out of plastic bags!) and jewelry and sells them.  i loved this woman's faith and perseverance to move forward after a devastating accident that physically hurt her and depressed her. what little she had was now gone.  but through this organization, she was able to get back on her feet... literally... and is now growing her business... her daguther is helping and her precious granddaughter helps care for her grandma.  i don't know why but i really felt a specail connection with this little girl... once again another example of how God can speak without words... she made me a little bracelet... so i made her one in exchange.  beautiful family.

a competition for survival - vultures vs. dogs vs. rats vs. humans

I was in Guatemala with one of our partner organizations who are working to love, care, and serve individuals and families who live and work in and around the garbage dump.  an amazing ministry for sure... i have much more to write about the ministry but that will have to wait another time.  These pictures give a sense for the community they are working in... a place where vultures, dogs, rats, humans, and who knows whatever else is hiding in there... compete… fighting for trash.  Pray for these people and their families... it's tough and dangerous work. Pray for the ministry working so hard every day to care for and love and serve these people... people they call Treasures... because they are God's Treasures...