Guatemala – WOW, let me try to put this mission trip into words.
First, a huge THANK YOU to all who helped make it possible for Morgan and I to go to Guatemala on this mission trip through Paradise Bound Ministries. PBM also gets a huge THANK YOU!! The leaders that were sent to guide us were incredibly knowledgeable and full of compassion. I loved them all! They also have fantastic staff that is from Guatemala and works for PBM they also deserve a huge THANK YOU. They worked so hard behind the scenes making us food, setting up our bunk areas and making sure we had all we needed, they were incredible!
There aren’t words powerful enough to describe this life changing experience. I was so excited to go serve and bless the people of Guatemala but they blessed me beyond anything I could imagine. They have next to nothing and they are the most humble content people I’ve ever met. They had never met us before but they showed us more love than many people in our community/neighborhood that we’ve known for years. They didn’t look at us and judge us in any way. The way they take care of each other and live in community, like God has commanded us to do, is unmatched. Being with this family and building this sweet family a home gave me a new perspective on life.
Our days were filled with a lot of van rides, home building, devotions, worship, fellowship and lots of laughs with people I had never met before who I know consider great friends. I’ve explored my faith during this week and grown in a deeper more personal way with God. I had the privilege of sharing the gospel, building relationships, and seeing that although our cultures can be very different, God loves us all the same. The last day seeing the people of that village was the hardest. We had to say goodbye to the Guatemalan families and the little kids we had grown so attached too and they to us. As we said our goodbyes the mom of the house said to me with tears in her eyes that we would see each other again in Heaven. It brought me so much joy thinking that I will see them again one day.
This mission trip moved me beyond anything I can put into words, I know that God used our amazing group to spread love, plant seeds and impact others for Christ’s Kingdom! The friendships I made on this trip I will cherish forever, praising God for the group of people He allowed Morgan and I to be on mission with. Morgan and I can’t wait to go back, only next time it will be with Kaitlin & Addison too!