Guatemala- God’s Handiwork

How can you put down in word’s the works of the Father? How can you show His hand moving in lives and circumstances on paper so that the person not experiencing it can get a glimpse? I will feebly try because the last few weeks have been the workings of our Loving God who still works and moves and does miracles every  moment.

He put a desire in my heart a long time ago to not just know Him, to not just love Him but to GO. Go ye therefore… I never knew the therefore but I knew some day I would. From the moment I saw the first pair of eyes and saw the work He was doing there ~ I knew this was my time.  I felt the stir one Saturday morning in August and from that moment knew that God would make the way. I got my passport, I got my plane ticket  ( thanks to a loving husband –although he did not really want me to go, he was very reluctant to let me, but who can mess with God’s plan?).

In the month before leaving  when I realized one of the things we would do was provide them a pair of shoes, I made it my goal to see that happen. I thought about my own grandchildren and thought of how much they have. How much we all have. I thought about how every shopping trip to anywhere in the past 8+ years –if I saw something that I wanted for them I got it. If I had the means to buy 100 pairs of crocs on my own I would have done it. So  I did the next best thing -I went to friends- I put on Facebook the need –I shared at church- I told friends.  I did not procure the money for every pair – Crocs gave us some and others collected money. We got the shoes we needed. This was just one of the ways God provided even more than we could ask for. He touched hearts who gave and we filled needs -even more than shoes- financially. We saw our very need met before the trip and knew that God does make a way.

In the weeks before and especially days before leaving, I shared my fear of flying with others. Others who promised to pray.  I can tell you on this flight, probably one of my longest ever -I felt the presence of God and I did not cry. Usually I’m so anxious I cannot help it, tears come and I am afraid. But this time I felt the prayers and was almost surprised at how well I did.

Sunday –when the plane touched down and we were greeted at the airport- I did not fully know what to expect. I was surprised to drive down the street and see places just like here. Texaco- McDonalds- Lowes and the list goes on and on. The place was different, they spoke a different language, the people look different. The city does not seem as clean and efficient as ours does. It seemed like the city was almost a sepia color compared to America. As we drove from the big city to Antigua –where we were staying we drove through beauty- natural green mountains. That’s where I started to see God’s handiwork in all its beauty.

Antigua is a town of beauty-comfort and old handiwork. The streets are cobblestone

and all homes, and dwellings are built in a compound format. You drive up to a wall with a gate and enter into a secure area that houses everything. As I entered the gate where we were staying I was surprised and almost in awe of how beautiful our accommodations were – it seemed like such a paradox to what we had come for.

The place we stayed was called Casa Santa Rosa. It was a beautiful, comfortable, safe and secure place to stay. A place to come home to and rest to go back out and do the part we came for. I’m sure that many mission trips are more in the field environment than what we experienced. I know after the time we spent there that our accommodations were  made for our safety and our health more than anything. The fact that they were beautiful and comfortable were just how God gives- more than we could ever imagine or ask for.

Tomorrow- I will share the real handiwork- the hard stuff- the best stuff. The meat and potatoes- this was just the appetizer. 

Be blessed!