Winding Down

Today was our last work day, and a half day to boot. I was part of this morning's stove crew, Mom (Michele), John, Brad, and me. We went to the same village, down as far as the road would take us, and then some. It was a ways away from the road, but thankfully not too steep. The family we were serving helped us carry the materials to the house and were very friendly. John noticed as one sister came up the hill the other came back to take one of the cinderblocks from her, to lighten her load. He also noticed other simple interactions between these sisters. 

The five sisters and their mother :)

As they sat coloring pages from the activity books we brought one was using the only orange crayon and the other just sat and waited for her sister to finish, not prodding or begging, just sitting. John described it as "watching Grace in motion." Small courtesies, I feel, are often lost in our lives. If there's one thing I'd say about the Guatemalan people it's that they are very genial. From every person you pass by you'll hear, "Buenos Dias." (Literally 'Good Day,' a customary greeting). People don't always do this for each other back home. We get so caught up in our daily lives that sometimes we forget about each other. We don't see people. in my time here in Guatemala I've been reminded how a simple greeting can positively change my affect. I know, moving forward that I will try to keep this in  my mind.

After lunch we returned to the school for a presentation from the staff. They thanked us for our hard work and said they would get a lot of use out of the new office. As a show of thanks they gave each of us a slice of cake and a can of coke. To us this seems like a small snack, something we would have at a birthday party, but to them it was a very big deal. I remember Tom telling is the first day about how if we were given cake that it was a HUGE deal. It must have cost them a lot to give all of us both cake and coke, yet another example of the generosity I have witnessed here.

I'd like to leave you with a sort of parable I was told this week. The work we do is to plant a seed. We are only here for a short time. We will not necessarily get to see the fruits of our seed. We plant the seed, and nurture it. Over time it will grow and produce fruit and seed of it's own. God will work through what we have done this week. I pray that the school will prosper, and the teachers will be blessed and now may do their jobs even more effectively, in turn shaping the lives of their students and allowing them brighter futures. I pray that the families who received stoves would breathe better and eat better now that they have a means for safe, efficient cooking over fire. I pray that Mission Guatemala will continue to bless the people of this country and that the staff (Tom, Dave, Angel, Ivan, Angelina, Delia, Werner, Elmar, Alejandra, Mara Lee, to name a few) would remain safe and secure, knowing they are doing what God wants.

I hope that we will continue to support Mission Guatemala, like with Donna's CD. I think that is wonderful.