A day in the life; Guatemala.

Hey Blog,

So we are officially a week into ministry. The dust has settled, hallelujah! The uncertainty is over, and there is now space to discover.

The name of the ministry my team is serving with is called Hope Worship Room, located here in San Antonio! (No, not Texas). But to say I love it and everyone that’s apart of it, would be an understatement. Being here in this ministry and around the people who are apart of it has completely changed my life!

Basically, to break down the week.—- Every other day, my team and I help serve with children after school programs, including VBS, music classes, teaching English, ministry, and futbol!

We love that the kids are starting to get familiar with us, like remember our names, and trust us in their space. Today we watched them play soccer in their FCA tournament and the joy that lit up on their faces when they saw us made us feel so loved!

With Hope Worship Room we help plan and host a worship night on Thursdays at Serve Hope, a beloved Coffee shop in Antigua. In the future, we may even get to be on the worship team itself interceding, playing piano, guitar, drums, or singing.

It’s such a pure time where the Holy Spirit guides us all in worshiping the Lord and the sound of praise invites people in from all over the world.

(Pictured is serve Hope Coffee Shop)

The Lord has placed so many new Guatemalan friends in my life these past few days in such unexpected ways! And each and every one of them are so unique, beautiful, and kind.

So here’s what a week in my life looks like right now.——-

Mondays we start the days early with breakfast at 6:15am and then hop on a chicken bus——Wait have I explained what a chicken bus is? It’s Guatemalas public transport system..—Well, it’s a glorified American school bus that has been refurbished and painted in extravagant colors! And the name chicken bus derives from the fact that you are packed in like chickens.

But back to what I was saying——-

by 7:15 to head to Antigua for worship room. After spending a few hours of the morning praying, interceding, and singing to the Lord we take a break and then reconvene for training. We have learned about the importance of the structure of the early church, what is intercession and how to hear the voice of the Lord, how simple the Lord intended worship to be, and how to worship led by the Holy Spirit.

Once we finish up training we head back to San Antonio for teaching English classes with the children of Hope Garden. On the way back we eat our packed lunch made by our host momma!

Mireyda and I are teaching level 2, which is the middle aged kids and we have 19 students in our class! It’s really such a pleasure serving along side of Mireyda, she has the sweetest heart and possesses the skills from the Lord to work so gently and effectively with children.

(pictured is Miranda receiving prayer from the children, as she leaves for a mission trip to Honduras on Tuesday.)

After ministry we head back home tired from the day and wash up for dinner which is earlier than the other days because when that’s over we have the option of coming back to Antigua for vision night with the Hope Ministry.

It’s a pretty long day but in the end I go to bed feeling very fulfilled!

Tuesdays we can sleep in a little bit and enjoy breakfast at 8:30 and then we walk to Hope garden for Bible study and worship followed by house visits! After house visits we eat lunch and prepare for VBS with the kids in the afternoon!

(Pictures from a house visit. I was in absolute awe of the talent and intricacy of the ladies art. Also, Jose, the little boy, is apart of our children’s ministry!)

Wednesdays girls and boys are split for morning Bible study. Just last week we had the sweet honor of celebrating the women’s groups three year anniversary! We go back home after Bible study and then head to ministry where we’re divided between music classes with the kids, house visits, and women’s ministry.

(Prepared tostadas with Bri for the third year anniversary of the Women’s ministry, prayed together, fellowship, and Mireyda!)

Thursdays are similar to Mondays where we wake up early to go to Antigua for worship and prayer over Israel. This time has changed my heart in the sense of urgency that we need to be concerned and active with the way we pray and read the word over Israel.

After we spend time in the prayer room we hang out in Antigua until Worship Room at 4:30. Worship Room officially starts at 7:30 and lasts until 9pm. Afterwards, we have a team debrief, take down the sound equipment, and then everybody goes out for street food!

And Fridays are all about —-futbol!!!

I just feel so incredibly blessed to spend several hours every Friday playing soccer with my friends and the children. The Lord has blessed me with Hope ministry.

Saturdays are “adventure days” which means they’re open to discovering and exploring Guatemala. So far I’ve been too exhausted to do any extensive hikes up the volcanos or really do anything other than walk around and get more familiar with San Antonio. This weekend was so much fun, we spent the night at one of our friend’s houses and she took us to the market the next day. And as I’m writing this, I’m just reflecting on the day. It’s Sunday which is our sabbath— I’m on a chicken bus on my way home from a day of watching the kids plays soccer in their tournament with FCA I just feel so in awe that this is how the Lord has blessed me with this life.

Things Guatemala has taught me so far:

1. Less is more.
2. It’s ok to be deep—-all the time. It’s actually a really beautiful thing and adds so much value to life.
3. Community enhances life.
4. He deserves all the glory.
5. Here in Guatemala we’re not training for activities, we’re preparing for the Lords return.