What I Learned in Guatemala

I recently spent 8 days serving with a missionary in Guatemala. I was a small part of a team of 21 wonderful people from Surrey Hills Baptist Church in Yukon, OK. We had an incredible time and it was amazing to be a part of God’s work of loving the world to Jesus Christ. Here are a few thoughts on what I experienced and learned while in Guatemala.

1. Poverty in the U.S. is not real poverty. Now don’t get me wrong I know there are people in the U.S. hurting and suffering right now, but let’s face it there are very few people living on dirt floors lucky to have a sheet of metal over their head. The U.S. is the only country in the world where people drive to the poor house talking on their cell phones.

We worked with some local workers who were paid $50 per week and they were the ones with a job and glad to have it. That is an annual income of roughly $2,500. In fact the per capita income for Guatemala is $2,662. We are blessed in the United States.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.” Matt. 5:3

2. People can be joyful in any circumstance. We visited one of the poorest neighborhoods in Guatemala City and encountered people with a love and smile that you would certainly not expect because of their living conditions. Many on our team including myself experienced children coming up to us and just giving us a big hug with a huge smile on their face.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy…” Gal. 5:22

3. Hard work is not as hard when you have a purpose. We worked very hard with just hand tools, moving dirt, removing trees and clearing the way for a road. We had many say they were able to work harder and longer because of the boys who we knew we were providing a safe home. We had experienced the depths and the poverty so we were able to press on for those in need. We completed the task because we were working for God’s purpose.

“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” Rom. 8:28

4. All people are beautiful to God. God has an amazing universe he has created for people to enjoy and wonder about Him. He has created people of all different tongues and tribes and shapes and colors and sizes. He loves all people no matter their station in life. We must learn to love all people as well.

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Acts 1:8

5. Missionaries meet people where they are and love them. Nathan Hardeman is a wonderful man of God who has been called to love the poorest of the poor in Guatemala City. He has a mandate from God to “Help troubled youth become mighty men!” Please visit his website www.geberderek.org While there I encourage you to read about his vision and pray about supporting Nathan in his work.

One of the things our team learned from watching and hearing Nathan was what it really means to be a missionary. Nathan didn’t say to those he is reaching out to that they must change before he will love them. He didn’t say they must change their language or their clothes or clean off their face. He just says that he loves them and God has a purpose for them. We will be much more effective in reaching our part of the world if we live that way in the United States.

“Love is patient and kind…it does not insist on its own way…” 1 Cor. 13:4,5

6. Some are not going to make it. A statistic that jumped out at our team was the life expectancy of those in gangs in Guatemala City, 24 years of age. Nathan shared with us many stories of boys he tried to reach that are now dead. The tragedy of life is not death, but death without a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. We do not know who is going to make it or who is not going to make it so we must tell everyone that God leads us to reach while there is still time.

“The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9

Rejoice Evermore!

I recently read the biography of John Adams by David McCullough. It is a wonderful book that I would highly recommend. I feel as if I know John Adams, one of the most important figures of the American Independence, better than most public figures of the present day.

John Adams’ later years in retirement stuck out to me as very enlightening. Even after the loss of 3 children and some of his grandchildren to premature deaths and the death of his “dearest friend” his wife Abigail he still had a love for life. He told his son, John Quincy Adams, late in life, “The perfectibility of man is to rejoice evermore.” He did not mean that man can be perfected in this life. What he meant was that to rejoice in everything is a quality that may be developed and it is a quality for which we, all people, should strive. Even though he compared his life to the life of Job of the Old Testament because of all the sufferings he had gone through he made a commitment to rejoice always. “Rejoice always!” is a direct quote from Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians chapter 5 verse 16.

John Adams lived to be 90 years old and he had a wisdom in his old age that many people of higher age have. I would challenge you to spend more time with those of advanced age. I spend 30 minutes every Sunday morning with a group of people that live in an assisted living center. We worship together and I see in them a joy that is hard to explain. Most of them have lost loved ones, most of them have many physical pains and illnesses all of them have lost their homes and yet they love to worship and hear God’s Word. It is a joy they have and display that can not be explained by things we see in this world. It is a joy that can only come from God. You see no matter the condition of their physical body, the spiritual body is as strong as ever. These people that I worship with love the Lord and they have made a commitment of their entire life to Jesus Christ. That is the only way we can “rejoice always.”

John Adams would applaud these wonderful people because of their rejoicing and I do too. It is my goal to learn from them and to live my entire life rejoicing because of what God has done.