Meeting God in Guatemala

Hello Old Friend!  I didn’t write that in plural because I’m not sure more than one person will stumble upon this little post after such a long (and unannounced) hiatus. If only I could get my act together! As you can tell, 18 months after adding kiddo #5, I’m still not quite there yet.  I never know where to start after a long break, and so much has occurred, so I’ll just go big and start with the most notable. 🙂  Back in February, I had the awesome opportunity to travel to Guatemala with Food for the Poor. I joined a group of radio and media people from across the country to see first-hand, the work FFP is doing in these destitute regions. An extra bonus blessing, was that I was able to go with my dear friend Jen, who just happens to be fluent in Spanish (whereas my Spanish is limited to Diego, and Dora the Explorer).  The entire journey, start to finish, was amazing. Heartbreaking, beautiful, and life-changing. I will carry with me those who I was privileged enough to meet, and hope to do them justice when we share their stories on the radio in June. We are all pilgrims on a journey in this short life, and it’s always amazing to me how the Lord connects souls across time, space, ethnic backgrounds, social status and religious stripes. We are all sharing in this human experience together, and this journey was another reminder that life is short. And, there are still many blessings to celebrate, no matter how heavy our cross.  Here are just a few pictures from our Guatemala Trip with Food for the Poor.

   On our first day, we traveled to a mountainous region called San Geronimo. We met Sister Marta who tirelessly works on behalf of the community she serves. She runs a school and feeding center. Here are some of the beautiful faces we encountered (the iPhone needs no translation by the way, they loved it)! 

Look at those smiles! The kids were beaming with joy. We visited a kindergarten class where the students serenaded us with prayer and song.. it was magical. The kids love school,  it means they will at least receive one meal that day, and that offers much cause for celebration and prayers of thanksgiving. 

 On our second day, we visit the “Red Zone” of Guatemala City. This is the most dangerous area of the city, and one riddled with crime, gangs and addicts. We walked into the garbage dump, with raw sewage and flies, and into the shack where Hermalinda lives with her children. Her beautiful baby boy did not have a diaper, his fingernails were dirty, and her daughter (in the pink shirt) is already severely stunted due to malnutrition. Would you believe, this young woman is 16 years old? Hermalinda’s husband is in jail for beating his son, so she must provide for her family, alone.  In fact, of all the many families we met, and homes we were welcomed into, it was rare to see a man with his family. A great many of these men succumb to alcoholism, and one priest we encountered told us the men just don’t know how to deal with it, they become depressed, and leave or drink themselves into oblivion. Fatherless homes. This is a great scourge for the people of Guatemala. And really, where isn’t this a problem today?  It was a sobering reminder to pray for the strength of men, that they may be courageous and affirmed, and able to carry the heavy load on their shoulders with faith and grace.

Here is a brief video I took of Hermalinda’s home. My apologies for the poor audio quality (you will have to turn your speakers up to hear the narration). This was a very emotional visit. I kept wishing that I had packed more toys for the children, or worn layers of clothing that I could just peel off and give to her. How can you come face-to-face with another mother with the same heart and hopes for providing for her family, hear her story and then just...walk away?  I wanted to physically pick them up and carry them all out of that place. If it was the US, we would not even allow a dog to live in those kinds of conditions.  It is heart-wrenching. Thankfully, our team leaders from FFP brought food, supplies, and small things for the children as a thank you for graciously opening her home to us. 

After that we traveled back into the mountains, and it was then I discovered, yes, I AM indeed afraid of heights, (especially on hairpin turns on Guatemalan buses)..surprise! I white-knuckled it until we reached the top and provided Jen with a good laugh at my expense (glad to help, girl). We walked a ways and then caught sight of this amazing woman. 

 She is Mayan, and clearly has had a lifetime of experience carrying bundles like this one, on her head. We couldn’t help but notice that seemed to be the preferred method of transport for just about everything. And just in case you aren’t impressed yet, let me show you the pièce de résistance:

Can you see it? Not only is she carrying a tub on her head and a baby in a sling, but she’s breastfeeding at the same time! Wow, now that is one multi-tasking mama! R-e-s-p-e-c-t. Remind me of this the next time I’m grumbling as I walk down the stairs with my baby and my laundry basket to my electric washer and dryer. How quickly I forget how good I have it!

In the mountains, near the side of a cliff (quite literally) lives Mary Trinity Wheat Hernandez with her five children. Her daughter was born with a turned-in foot, something that could’ve been easily corrected with medical intervention. However, here in this region of Guatemala, health care is virtually non-exsistant. Which means that her foot is permanently crippled and she will never walk. She is either carried by her mother or a sibling, or drags herself along the ground. I wanted to scream “This is not right.”  “This is not fair.”  What is altogether remarkable about Mary Trinity though, is despite the pain of hunger, her daughter’s health, and a leaky shack, she smiles; and she thanks God. This is not a superficial faith. This is a faith that is tested daily, sometimes hourly, and one that Mary says sustains her and God gives her joy.  Oh, what the world could learn from Mary, and Hermalinda, and Luisa, and so many others like her that we met, and that shared the same amazing grace. It is a reminder to all of us that this is the real world. Those images piped into our living rooms through reality TV of “Real Housewives” or “Sweet 16” parties are a gross distortion of the life that really exists for most of the planet. A reminder of the words of Jesus on the Sermon on the Mount:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, 
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 
Blessed are they who mourn, 
for they shall be comforted. 
Blessed are the meek, 
for they shall inherit the earth.”

 One interesting observation to note, is that in places where poverty was the most severe, those areas are very quiet. There is a heavy blanket of silence as people just do not have the strength to be “bustling” about.  So that’s why it was instantly obvious when we approached a laundry station, the sounds were different. Laughing, conversation, water, kids playing and splashing! This is one of the fruits of your donations to Food for the Poor. A fully functioning laundry area with 25 washing stations and running water!

Her joyful spirit reminded me of the Proverbs 31 woman:

She is clothed with strength and dignity;

    she can laugh at the days to come.

On our last day, we visited a “Nutritional Triage.” 71 children are currently being treated here, and are among the most malnourished. From the moment I walked in the doors, I was in flashback mode. From the pictures on the wall to the color of the paint, it was eerily similar to Karolina’s orphanage in Poland. I wasn’t ready for that one.  I still think of the children at Karolina’s orphanage. I see them at night, and I worry and wonder where they are. So, to be in Guatemala, and be transported to Poland..was more than my heart could quite endure. All my tissues in my fanny pack were gone in no time. The great thing though, is that fortunately we were able to hold the children!  Jen and I (and all of us in the group for that matter) when on a baby-holding binge. It was magnificent.

This little guy held on to Jen for so long. And she held right back! Instant love.

 This is the Executive Director of Food for the Poor, Angel Aloma. A finer man, I have not met. It is due to his ceaseless perseverance on behalf of the poor, that I will forever support and donate to FFP.

It’s impossible to fully articulate the enormity of this  journey, not just from a need standpoint, but also from a beauty standpoint. There were many, many life lessons to be learned about treasuring family, simplicity, and rejecting the things of this world that do not endure.  To use the time we have on this earth to help one another, and to support ministries like Food for the Poor who are moving mountains (with your help and the Holy Spirit)!  I encourage you to visit their website to find out more (you will be amazed) and keep us in prayer in June when we share these stories on the radio to raise funds for FFP.

“If we pray, we will believe; If we believe, we will love; If we love, we will serve.” -Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta

Believe it or not, I actually have about 1oo more pictures and dozens more stories, but, seeing as how this is the longest post I think I have ever written already, I best wrap it up for tonight. Thank you for reading, and please be gentle with me, after what I am sure will be a record number of grammar and format errors (I just know it)l!:) I’m a little rusty. Happy (belated) Easter, my friend. God bless you.