Wow. I’m still in awe that I’m here in Chichi. How did I raise enough money to get here? How did I take a month off of work? How did I leave my precious kitten?? All I know is I’m so happy I did! I’ve been on two short term mission trips out of the country, but Chichicastenango feels like home. I feel like I know the community, I know the places to go to drink coffee, I know how to get to the grocery store and my favorite street quesadilla place (seriously the best in the world) without asking, but yet I also feel like I have so much more to learn from the people of this small town. Today I was in a tuk tuk (a small taxi) and I told the driver to take me to “la casa de los gringos” and he took us straight there, no directions needed. That’s pretty wild to me that literally everyone in this town knows that we are here and also where we live.. I guess there is 27 of us “gringos” here; you can’t really miss us.
This trip has definitely not been easy. I’ve had to push myself further in my faith than I ever have before. I have prayed myself to sleep almost every night asking God for his protection because hearing loud booms and dogs fighting at night is pretty scary when you sleep outside. Some days I’m so tired that I have to rely on the Lord’s strength to get me through the end of the day. On the (few) days I take a shower, I have to remind myself that I don’t need hot water. And sometimes being with 26 other Americans all day every day is really tough.
I wouldn’t trade it for the world though. I have grown deeper in my faith. I have learned to trust God with literally everything. I have learned that a community of Christian brothers and sisters is better than I could have ever imagined. I’ve learned that the shower is only cold if you think it’s cold, and filling up the back of the toilet every time I want to flush it is really not that bad. And most of all, I’ve learned that I’m not serving for myself, but for the people of Chichi and for the Lord.
Two weeks people! That’s all we have left, and I don’t want to think about that. I’m not ready to go back to my scheduled life in America. I’m not ready to go back to a place where people are never satisfied. I’ve seen more of our Father here than I ever have before, and it’s going to be extremely hard to leave this place. We have two more weeks to make a difference, to serve the Lord. Let’s do it!
