Goodbye Guatemala

We left Guatemala this month and entered our next country, Honduras. As I sit here, excited to see how God uses us this month, I can’t help but be incredibly grateful for what He has done so far. Guatemala was good to us and I know that I will probably be writing about that country for a long time to come, but for now, here are some highlights from our events in Guate.

We had some great events this month. The Lord provided so much for us through these events. He made a way for the rent to come through so that we would have a church to host them in, He made a way for chairs and tables to be donated. He gave us volunteers and translators willing to work for free. He gave us a budget out of thin air for supplies and cakes. He brought the people to fill the seats and He for sure showed up throughout. 

We had two children’s events and two women’s conferences. For the children’s event split up the kids into two groups by age. I had the older group of 7-12 year olds along with Caitlyn and Brittany. The first event, we did an interactive lesson on the paralyzed man with his four friends who brought him to Jesus. Then we shared with the kids how they could bring their friends to Jesus as well. The event went well and was pure joy! I had the absolute best day of jumping on the trampoline, playing tag, and singing Spanish VBS songs. What a dream. 

The second time we did a children’s event was great as well. We split the kids up the same way and my group spoke on how God sees us. We started by having the kids draw a self portrait. Then I sat next to my favorite kid (favoritism is so real but shhhh). I started talking about him to the group. “This is my friend Marcos. When we look at Marcos we can see that his hair is brown, his eyes are brown, and he has a big smile. I can only see Marcos on the outside, but God sees the inside. God sees his heart.” Then went on to talk about how God sees him. Brittany prayed for God to speak to the kids and we were silent for a minute or two. Then we told them to draw how God sees them. Marcos leaned over to me and whispered in his sweet little voice, “Thank you for telling me God sees my heart.” I melted. 

The kids were drawing but it didn’t seem like they got it. My team asked if we should just end it since it clearly didn’t work or they clearly didn’t understand. But I was not ready to give up. I asked the translator how to ask “How does God see you?” and I went one by one asking each kid. Some said words like “beautiful” or “his child”, one even said “I am the sheep and He is my shepherd”. One said, “good, even though sometimes I am bad”. They got it. Sometimes we discount kids and assume what is too much for their little brains. I definitely did going into this. But they got it. Each person had their own answer. God showed them how He sees them and I pray they will keep those drawings so they can remember. 

At the first women’s event we each had a different topic to share. Mine was chosen for me: the woman at the well and shame. I spoke and was so surprised when people actually seemed to get it. Women were crying and letting go of their shame left and right. My awkward teaching skills didn’t get in the Lord’s way. He wanted to free them from their shame and He was going to do it no matter how I butchered the lesson. I am so grateful that He chose to use me in this. There was not a dry eye in the house by the end and 7 women gave their lives to Christ that night.

Afterwards, Pastor Alex told us some of these women’s stories. One was the leader of an extortion ring, 3 had just given themselves abortions in their homes, some were living on the streets, some had been raped, some lost their children, some were even sex workers. But Alex chose to tell us afterwards so that it was a testament to what God had done instead of a lense to see them through. He believes strongly that all people should be seen equally, regardless of their background. He taught us how to live that out. 

The second event, we didn’t know what to expect. It ended up being mainly the same 35 women as before. We talked about identity in Christ and how God sees us. I was given the topic of forgiveness. I know what you’re thinking, who would let me speak about forgiveness? *shrug* I don’t know, I just do what I’m told. Lauren is our coordinator for these events and she said however vulnerable we are willing to be, is how vulnerable they will feel comfortable being. So I got reeeeeal vulnerable.

I wasn’t going to let me fear of vulnerability be what stopped these women from experiencing restoration. I talked about my dad, how hard it was to forgive him, and what that process looked like. They were staring at me like, “Wait what? You don’t seem like you went through that.” Then I asked them to draw a picture of a situation where they still needed to forgive, even if it was forgiving themselves for the choices they had made in the past. The women were silent. They were just staring at me. I felt like I had failed. This lesson had the power to help them so much, but I must have said it wrong  or something. I felt defeated.

I asked Makalah to come up to the front with me and we prayed over them, loudly. We prayed with outstretched arms for their ears to be opened, for the Lord to speak to them, and for their pride to be lowered enough to forgive. We prayed for a hot minute. When I opened my eyes again, they were all drawing. The plan was for them to burn their drawings at the end, burning away all of the bitterness, resentment, and unforgiveness in their hearts. But when I practiced lighting mine on fire, it barely even frayed the edges. There was no way it would work. The paper wouldn’t light. I considered scrapping the whole idea. But we didn’t.

I felt like they would think it was lame and no one would even come up, so I did mine first as an example and Lauren was going to go second to start the crowd. Mine wouldn’t light, in front of all of them. How humiliating. I said it was just for symbolism so it was okay that it barely lit. But on the inside I was getting worried. Lauren’s didn’t light either. I was freaking out.

I didn’t think anyone would come up, but after Lauren the whole crowd swarmed. Again I was thinking, this has the ability to be powerful if only it would work. The first woman who came up was crying, I stared into her eyes and could see the hurt. I prayed out loud, “God. She. Needs. This.” Fwooop. The paper lit. The flame was huge. Her whole drawing was ash in less than a minute, as was every drawing after. The women were sobbing and each one went to one of our leaders for prayer. The entire bucket was engulfed in flames. It was more than I could have expected. It was exactly what they needed. One woman spoke of taking her husband out of the hospital for one last day at the beach, when he died that day she was never able to forgive herself, until now. 

One woman came up to me and I quickly ushered a translator over. I mean, I can understand Spanish, but through those sobs, I had no idea what she was saying. She began telling us of her cousin who tried to rape her 30 years ago and how she has never forgiven him. She tried to tell her mother, but she didn’t believe her. She didn’t think she could ever forgive either of them, she didn’t know how to live without that hatred in her heart, she didn’t know if she wanted to. We prayed over her for a long time and put her in touch with Clarita, Pastor Alex’s wife. They talked for a long time more and the next day Clarita told us that the woman had finally forgiven them both and found healing through it all.

Everyone was crying that night and every person got prayer. Again, there were exactly 7 women who gave their lives to Christ. God used it. I was silly for thinking I could mess up God’s plan. I am so grateful that He was able to use my story. I am so grateful that He brought restoration to so many hearts in Mixco. God changed the hearts of these women, thus changing their homes and their families forever. We saw so much change and restoration happen in Mixco, it was hard to leave. It helps to know that God is not done with these women yet. Thank You, God, for the work that You did in Mixco. Thank You, God, that You didn’t leave when we did.

Thank You, God, for Your heart for the broken, like them, like me. 

-K