Rachel, my team leader and former roommate, and little Juan
Our tour guide around Casa and friend Jose Estuardo Cu
My desire to go to Guatemala came from my joyous time at camp last summer and spending time with the children and families, pouring into them, serving them, and just having fun with them! Many of the other GO trips offered here at Union focus on college students, visiting campuses in Illinois, Paris, Germany or the Ukraine – but this kind of trip intimidated me. Talk to other students my own age from a different country about the gospel? I was much more comfortable with children and serving on a team of familiar American, Union students.
Surprisingly, one of the most gracious changes the Lord worked out in me was an interest in getting to know the many college students living at Casa. Most students travel daily into Guatemala City, about an hour’s journey both ways, for class in the afternoon until later that evening. They spend their mornings doing homework or their numerous duties around Casa. It is not an easy transition for many of them to go from the safe walls of Casa, which functions as a completely independent and self-sustaining little village, to the busy, harsh outside world of Guatemala City. In fact, lately students have been having problems with robberies; several have even been held up at gunpoint and robbed. But despite these difficulties, they have such joy.
My desire to go to Guatemala came from my joyous time at camp last summer and spending time with the children and families, pouring into them, serving them, and just having fun with them! Many of the other GO trips offered here at Union focus on college students, visiting campuses in Illinois, Paris, Germany or the Ukraine – but this kind of trip intimidated me. Talk to other students my own age from a different country about the gospel? I was much more comfortable with children and serving on a team of familiar American, Union students.
Surprisingly, one of the most gracious changes the Lord worked out in me was an interest in getting to know the many college students living at Casa. Most students travel daily into Guatemala City, about an hour’s journey both ways, for class in the afternoon until later that evening. They spend their mornings doing homework or their numerous duties around Casa. It is not an easy transition for many of them to go from the safe walls of Casa, which functions as a completely independent and self-sustaining little village, to the busy, harsh outside world of Guatemala City. In fact, lately students have been having problems with robberies; several have even been held up at gunpoint and robbed. But despite these difficulties, they have such joy.
One of our many activities (and my idea) at Casa was tie-dying with the high-school and college girls. I saw lots of creative designs that day!
Some of the girls showing off their successful tie-dying.
Josea (like "Hosea") helps Rachel read the Spanish headlines in their local newspaper.
The difference in our ministry to Casa is that it is a Christian environment, unlike most other Union GO trips. Of course not everyone there is living and abiding in Christ as their Savior - many have wounds that still need His healing (and please pray for them to that end), but the students who have been set free and redeemed? What a love, what a passion, what a complete reliance on the Lord!
I had the opportunity to spend time with some college students and hear more about them. Johnny is studying to be an engineer, having already finished his accounting studies. When I asked him what he likes about engineering and why he decided to pursue that study he said, “I just want to be able to help people.”
Johnny was one of two college students to join us for our day in Antigua. He helped us navigate the market and the bartering system, as well as provide humor and tease us constantly about our Spanish :)
Bubba is also studying engineering, but told me he is praying about serving in Africa. Though he’s not sure where he’ll end up, he is seeking hard after God’s will for his life.
Marta is studying psychology and Raquel is studying criminal justice. Cu (with me in the photo earlier) is learning to be a computer programmer. Though the choices of studies are limited, these students are still dedicated and hardworking to not only pursue excellence in their field but excellence for their Savior.
Friends, I discovered God’s Church. God’s Church is not Union. It is not America. God is raising up for Himself believers all across the world, and working in their hearts to spread His glory there just as He is here. What a blessing to see! I loved meeting these brothers and sisters in Christ and seeing the hearts they had for the Lord. Because of the hope we all have stored up in the gospel, our hearts are filled with mutual faith in Christ and love for all His people – I with love for the Guatemalans, and they with love for us Americans. And this love for the people of God, whether next door or around the world, causes me to pray for them continually that they might be filled with all the knowledge of God's will through the gift of the Holy Spirit by whom we can know God, obey God and abide in Him. I ask that you would pray for them to this end too.
But my favorite thing about these students, the reason I have such great love for them and joy in our new friendships?
These students love the gospel.
The difference in our ministry to Casa is that it is a Christian environment, unlike most other Union GO trips. Of course not everyone there is living and abiding in Christ as their Savior - many have wounds that still need His healing (and please pray for them to that end), but the students who have been set free and redeemed? What a love, what a passion, what a complete reliance on the Lord!
I had the opportunity to spend time with some college students and hear more about them. Johnny is studying to be an engineer, having already finished his accounting studies. When I asked him what he likes about engineering and why he decided to pursue that study he said, “I just want to be able to help people.”
Bubba is also studying engineering, but told me he is praying about serving in Africa. Though he’s not sure where he’ll end up, he is seeking hard after God’s will for his life.
Bubba, left, with my teammate David tried to go through the window to retrieve a key for a locked-out young woman.
A 6-yr-old helped us out in the end!
A 6-yr-old helped us out in the end!
Marta is studying psychology and Raquel is studying criminal justice. Cu (with me in the photo earlier) is learning to be a computer programmer. Though the choices of studies are limited, these students are still dedicated and hardworking to not only pursue excellence in their field but excellence for their Savior.
Marta and I pose with a drawing I helped her with for her homework.
This is what happens when people find out you’re an art major :)
This is what happens when people find out you’re an art major :)
My teammate Tabitha helped Raquel, left, translate some of her homework to English for class as we were hanging out together after a breakfast we hosted for the college students (below)
I had flown to another part of the world only to find people like me, passionate for the gospel, seeking God’s will and willing to serve Him wherever He leads.Friends, I discovered God’s Church. God’s Church is not Union. It is not America. God is raising up for Himself believers all across the world, and working in their hearts to spread His glory there just as He is here. What a blessing to see! I loved meeting these brothers and sisters in Christ and seeing the hearts they had for the Lord. Because of the hope we all have stored up in the gospel, our hearts are filled with mutual faith in Christ and love for all His people – I with love for the Guatemalans, and they with love for us Americans. And this love for the people of God, whether next door or around the world, causes me to pray for them continually that they might be filled with all the knowledge of God's will through the gift of the Holy Spirit by whom we can know God, obey God and abide in Him. I ask that you would pray for them to this end too.
We therefore preach Christ on our lips and hands and feet, speaking and serving and going for the sake of His name to receive all the glory and to bring the hope of the world to peoples everywhere.
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