"Gifts" from Guatemala

CULTURAL ADVENTURE

This last week has been interesting. I accompanied Rev. Jafet Pat on a journey to attend an Education Conference at STN, Seminario Theologico Nazareno, in Guatemala. I am REALLY glad that he took me. I did not know what was being said most of the time which was not so bad in the meetings as he translated or I read most of what was in print (I could figure that part out)

However, listening to the people speak is a whole 'nother ballgame! (Which brings up another point in itself, they play and watch a lot of futbol...but it's not the football we think of, it is what the rest of the world calls futbol - or soccer, to us Norte Americanos)

I was so glad to simply be following my friend and not having to understand what everyone was saying when we got on and off buses, went through customs to get out of Belize and then into Guatemala, exchanging money with men I could hardly catch a word of ...trying to understand something about what bus? where? when? what cost? oooohhhh mmmyyyyyyyy....

SO much easier to say, Jafet, how much? Where now? OK, thanks or ah, gracias!

OUTSIDER PERSPECTIVE

Seriously though, it was great to be the outsider, the one who could not understand what people were saying but still know they were talking about me. When they asked Jafet about me, very few would even look at me and he did not ask me to respond, so I was often just an observer, of quickly spoken words of a different language, head nods and an occasional smile.

I enjoyed this, not because it was comfortable but because it gave me the rare chance to see what is is like for someone visiting the US but unable to converse clearly in English. My

 horizons have been expanded by how we can simply ignore, shy away or sit awkwardly among those we cannot easily talk to. I quickly became thankful and appreciative of those who tried to speak to me, in either language.

GENEROSITY

This educational conference focused largely on how we need to be continuing to develop further ways to reach out to those who need to be taught and not just wait for them to meet our expectations. The people we met in Guatemala were from a few of the neighboring Central American countries. One common thread, in addition to a love for their food, and easy laughter, was that they were so willing to offer help. Jafet and I talked of this as offer's continued to come - in the way of encouragement, help in developing online courses, other offering to come teach in Southern Belize, and English books for a much needed library for the pastors.

It was so refreshing to receive offer after offer. None of these came because we had money to give them, in fact the offers come at their own expense. The generous 'gifts' came because they showed us generous hearts, willing attitudes and hearts for the lost and those needed training in the things 

of the Lord.

We both came away refreshed and encouraged by these other brothers and sisters who are already working hard in their own countries but had such freely offered they support. It seemed like a living NT letter being spoken aloud in real time instead of being read from a historical perspective.

PRAYER WINS AGAIN

Can I say "Thank You" again to those who prayed for our safe travel. The 2 overnight bus rides did not prove uneventful but were quite safe, despite lightning and rain and cows running alongside our bus this morning and crowded narrow city streets and winding, windy, twisty, curvy mountain roads.

HEY JERSEY!

I saw a man at the bus stop in Guatemala City wearing a Cape May Bird Observatory tshirt...! Did I just hear Carl break into that lovable song, "It's a Small World After All!"? (sorry, just had to !)

2 MORE SMALL FLASH FLOODS

Mullins temporary bridge is gone again. I guess the last couple of nights here have experienced pretty serious rains and the culvert bridge is no more...until they come fix it ...again...

I went to see for myself and got on site just after a young boy in a canoe had dropped off a man and his bicycle on this side of the river and headed back across to where a group of others awaited transport.

     

NEW CHURCH ?!

I gave a man a ride today here on Coastal Highway, which for those who don't know, is nothing more than an improved dirt / gravel / rock road. We spoke about the most recent little flood and the major one too. He had dog paddled / swam on a 5 gallon bucket for more than 2 hours to get past the little creek here on our road that floods, in order to get to the other side to go check on his mother. She had already lost everything in the big flood and he was concerned her so he took a very dangerous journey through murky water to go see about her safety. He definitely put his safety to the challenge in the process.

He also told me that in the big flood, he had lost 6 pigs, 9 sheep and 4 ACRES of Haberno peppers which he was growing to sell to a local company. His lost was quite large, all he had, but he was so matter of fact in saying, "I will start over." "We're all alive, that's what is important, so we thank God and I will just start over."

He asked what I was doing here and when I told him, he asked me to start a church here in this area, explaining that he thought people would come to it, especially if we offered rides as many people walk. He said it is really needed here and it would be great if I would do that. I told him that if I did I would come looking for him to help. He agreed.    hhmmmm....

LORD, Lead on!!

Ray