I am going to attempt to list the many things the group accomplished during a 6 day mission trip. They cooked and fed breakfast to 100 people in church, baptized 5 people, served Christmas dinner to 575 people, cooked and fed breakfast to 110 kids, took 110 kids to Chuck E. Cheese, painted the entire feeding center, fitted all the kids for uniforms, prepared all school supplies for upcoming year, help with activities at the feeding center, took and developed 110 family photos, had a wellness check for all the kids at the center, started a garden with the kids, built 6 shelters at the Chimaltenango dump, gave 110 Christmas baskets to families, passed out Christmas gifts to the feeding center kids, passed out Christmas gifts to the kids at the dump, hosted two days of soccer clinic, cooked and fed vegetable soup to 60 people at the dump, fed another 75 needy people, passed out “Christmas” food baskets to 30 families at the dump, watched a Christmas performance in English by the kids at the center, hosted a pizza party for 25 youth, hosted a baby shower for Teresita, deep cleaned the feeding center, cleaned and organized parts of the mission house, made repairs on the intern apartment, added additional lights under the awning at the center, had four meetings about the future school, finalized architectural plans for the school…. I think that’s all!
When you have a group of people willing to serve in any capacity needed a lot can be accomplished. This group definitely had the “I will do whatever it takes mentality”. They were extremely flexible when plans had to change. This group also had no vans so they had to be flexible with transportation. They had a great attitude!
I listed a lot great things the group accomplished, but none of these things compare to the greatness of being able to share the Gospel with all of the precious people. The families from the feeding center were divided into 5 different groups. The feeding center children presented the Christmas story along with several songs. The children were very proud and their parents were even prouder.
However, the most important thing to happen at the Christmas dinners was each night the Gospel was shared to every person. The children told about how Jesus was born of a virgin, lived a perfect, sinless life, died on a cross for our sins, He was buried, and He rose again, so we can have eternal life. The children summarized the Gospel and a person from the team followed them by sharing the need to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. 575 people heard a clear presentation of the Gospel–Every penny spent, every hour of preparation, every vacation day taken from work, every prayer from people at home–It is worth it ALL!
By the way, this morning when the team left Audrey went outside in her pajamas, flip flops, arms filled with toys and looked for the team. She was pretty upset when she realized they left her in Guatemala. She said, “They just left me and I want to go to Alabama!” Only four more days Audrey…
Photo Credit to Michelle Thomas, Heidi Butler, and Soy!
This is a picture of the temporary shelter at the dump. The team built laminate houses with concrete floors to serve as a shelter for the families during the day. The people have to bring their children to the dump with them so they will now be better protected from the weather.
We had a youth party, but I am pretty sure the team members had as much fun as the youth!
The children had so much fun riding the escalator!
Shining Light Abroad Ministries 