Last Day in Guatemala!

After a fun but emotional last night with the kids in Huehuetenango, the Samford crew got up early to drive back to Guatemala City in order to return home. However, we did make a pit stop at Lake Atitlan to see the sights and purchase some of those wonderful souvenirs for our loved ones. While attempting to sleep on the winding roads of the Guatemalan country side, we all began to process the past two incredible weeks at the orphanage.

We had a wonderful breakfast overlooking the lake, and then proceeded to ride a carter boat across the lake to another village to shop. The boat ride over was filled with laughter, music, and mosquitos. It was nice to be together to share stories and continue to talk about God's work. In Santiago we were able to shop and enjoy Guatemalan culture. Our wonderful translators showed us around the shops and the village. After another relaxing boat ride back to the other side of the lake, we were able to enjoy lunch at a local hotel. After some last minute gifts were purchased, we were able to return to the bus headed for the city.

Despite the notorious Guatemalan traffic, we arrived safely and cleaned up for a wonderful dinner. At dinner, we were able to capstone our trip by talking about all the inside jokes, fun stories, and the incredible power of God. It was a perfect way to end the trip before leaving for home tomorrow morning. It also gave the team a little more time to process all that we have experienced before returning home to our lives and families. We have appreciated your prayers for us during these past two weeks. We will continue to look for ways to service in our daily lives.

Made Me Glad

Hi, my name is Rebecca Price and I am from Samford University traveling with Buckner International to Huehuetenango, Guatemala. As most of the followers of this blog know, today was our last day at the Fundacion Salvacion - and can probably guess that today was an emotionally exhausting day. When we arrived at the orphanage today, we did our normal routine of singing warm up songs with the kids, of course doing "Bear Hunt," their favorite song. After singing we broke into our VBS groups, as we do on a typical day. I, along with Rachel and our translator Paulina, work with the 12 to 14 year old kids. Throughout the time we have been at the orphanage we challenged the kids to memorize several Bible verses, and they have readily accepted our challenge. Though I am admittedly a pacifist, I must say that I enjoy watching the kids argue over whether or not the other one was saying the memory verse correctly. After our usual time of practicing, saying, and arguing about the Bible verse (which today was 1 John 4:20) we began our lesson which was about Salvation and the price that Christ paid for us on the cross. Throughout VBS we have stressed the fact that God loves the kids and that no matter if they feel sad or lonely, they are always loved and cared for by God. Though none of the kids came forward and said they were ready to accept Christ as their personal Savior, I feel that Rachel, Paulina, and I - as led by the Holy Spirit- have offered a different way for the kids to look at their faith. We emphasized that it is not just about knowing the stories, but believing in them and taking that next step to recieve God's love that is waiting for them. I hope that what we talked about during the week is not something that is forgotten when we leave, but rather is furthered by communication and personal study and thought that will ultimately lead to a personal relationship with Christ for each of them.

However, enough about my group because I am sure that the readers are interested to hear how the rest of the day went. After lunch and grocery shopping, we returned to the orphanage and had a pep rally/fiesta for the kids. There were games, prizes, face painting, cheering (which they did not really get), and a hot dog supper to celebrate our final night. As the dinner came to a close, the time that we were all dreading - saying good-bye to the kids- was quickly approaching. Much to our surprise, the kids had prepared a farewell ceremony in which they performed many different dances for us. At the end, they had us all stand up and receive gifts, a pen and key chain, from some of the kids. Then after they passed everything out and prayed over us they told the kids to come up to us and tell us good-bye. This moment was very emotionally trying. Seeing a wave of kids rush towards us and begin crying and hugging us was overwhelming, to say the least. I know everyone had tears in their eyes, if they weren't already crying, at this moment. This moment was certainly bittersweet (forgive me for the cliche term.) Though we were sad to be leaving the kids it was an amazing feeling to realize that we created relationships with each of these special people.

After the official ceremony was over, one of the boys, Meme, who is nine, with whom I have become very close, told me to go to his room with him. As I walked with him, we were stopped by an 11 year old, Jesus. He had run all the way to his bedroom, in the back part of the orphanage, and over to the little boys' area. In his hands he held a stuffed bear. He looked at me and handed it to me and simply said, "Es tuyo." (It's yours.) I said thank you and tried to convince him that it was his bear and that he should keep it, but he insisited that I have it. So, I took it and gave him a big hug and kiss on the forehead. After this he smiled from ear to ear and went to play soccer - his favorite thing. Meme, meanwhile, had climbed up on his bed and was ready to be tucked in - even though he wasn't tired. (You all have read about tucking the kids in in the previous blogs). So, as I got him settled, he made me close my eyes and when I opened them, he was handing me a little stuffed bear. He too made me take it. After he was tucked in (and yes he did get out of bed after being tucked in - he just wanted to be tucked in), nine year old, Moises, came up to me and also gave me another stuffed bear. By this point my heart was broken. These three boys, though they have next to nothing, have given me one of their personal toys selflessly, without expecting anything in return. I saw God in those three little boys today. Though I have received many gifts from family members and even people on mission trips, I can truly say that I have never been given anything by people who have so little. These boys were generous and kind. They gave, not because they hoped to get anything from me, but because they wanted to share a part of themselves with me. My heartached because it was the last night that I would spend with these boys, but at the same time I was overwhelmed by the love they showed me. It was in this moment of emotional contradiction and turmoil that I was reminded of an old Hillsong song, "Made Me Glad." The basic idea of the song is that in our time of need the Lord will deliver us and in turn make our grief turn to joy. Tonight was a time of need for all of us, especially me as we left the orphanage. We were all sad and avoiding leaving the kids there. However, just as God always comes through, he for some reason allowed those three little boys to give compassionately to me. He reminded me that though we faced a moment of sadness that he was still present and working and will not abandon us. It was their generous gifts that turned my sadness into joy. I realized that just God was working in that bedroom tonight, He is working at the Fundacion Salvacion every night. Though we leave the kids, they are never truly alone. I guess I finally realized what I was telling my group. God is with us and loves us at all times. Despite all emotional highs and lows, I can truly say that He has truly made me glad.

The Quest for JOY

I am Laren Lewis traveling with Buckner from Samford University!

This past week and a half has been overwhelming. Most mornings we do bible lessons with our different age groups. SO much fun. I love spending time in the word and doing crafts with my seven and eight year olds. It is so special to me. In the afternoon, we really have time to play and talk with the kids. I am trying my best to get them to understand my broken Spanish.

So, I probably have you asking yourself what is so overwhelming about that? So many emotions have been running through my mind this week. Love and lack of understanding are the emotions that have led the way.

The highlight of my trip thus far is getting to tuck the kids in. I got to tuck in 8 year old Maria Alejandra. I sat on the edge of her bed and just stroked her hair. It made me think about my daddy, and how he still sits on the edge of my bed and strokes my hair as I go to sleep...even as a 19 year old when I come home from college. As I was watching her fight her sleep so she could spend more time with me loving on her, that is all I could think of. She does not have someone to do this every night. I take so many things forgranted.

I do not understand why things have to be the way they are. Why don't these kids have parents who can take care of them and supply their needs? Then I realize, they have a Daddy who does. God has placed them here for a purpose. We are ALL HIS. Looking into the eyes of the kids, I see that they receive love here. They are taken care of. The have such PURE joy in things that seem so simple. Like new shoes or someone to sit and love on them. These kids have made me think about joy in a new way. I feel challenged to seek JOY in my life like never before.

I am so thankful to be here. I am looking forward to what God has yet to do in these sweet kids!

"You have given me greater joy than those who have abundant grain and new wine. In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you, O Lord, will keep me safe." Psalm 4:7-8

Thank you for your support and prayers.

and He shall supply our every need.

Today was another great day of love, laughter and learning in Huehue. God continues to reveal pieces of himself to me during this trip, and I am awestruck how every bit he shows me throughout a day coincides. Today was a perfect example of this. We began the morning on a trek up the mountain to deliver clothing to communities at the very top. The journey was gorgeous. We were literally above the clouds, and the view of the mountains framing the city in the valley was enough to trump my fear of traveling on a narrow, windy road around a mountain on a bus. But even that did not compare with the beauty of what we saw at the top.

As soon as we reached our first stop and people saw potato sacks full of clothing on the top of our bus, families came running. They came with their own sacks to fill with (what was to them) new clothing, and as I reached in our bags each time to grab a handful, mothers all around me were pushing and shoving to have a part. One time, in particular, I grabbed a large leather jacket, and instantly, every woman around me began pulling on it. The woman whose bag I had intended it for walked away without it, and that was one of the hardest things to watch throughout the morning. Yes, we were giving a gift to people who don't have much, but we didn't have enough for everyone. And sometimes it was hard to recognize the huge smiles and "gracias" from those who received because of the dejected faces of those who did not. It was especially difficult to watch the empty-handed children who watched other children take home a new toy. Yet, despite the difficulty, I know that God used me and my team this morning to meet the needs of these people, and I am so thankful for the ability and resources to do so. It is all too easy to wonder why God has placed me in a loving home with warm, clean water and access to anything I could want or need when people around the world have nothing of the same. But I know God has given me those resources as a calling, so that I may go into those other parts of the world to show that God does indeed provide.

Later, in our VBS lesson at the orphanage, we discussed the Biblical response to the work we did this morning. We read Matthew 6:25-34 and Philippians 4:19, which promise us the Lord will supply every need and we cannot worry otherwise. How amazing is it that we taught a concept we had already seen in action this morning? And not only have we seen it this morning, but every day through the kids at the orphanage. The Lord has provided for them by bringing them to a safe, caring place to stay where their caretakers really and truly love them. These kids already knew that God meets their needs because they have seen it more fully than we ever have or possibly ever will--we, instead, had to be reminded.

God also reminded me that our wants pale in comparison to the needs of these people we serve. My reading of Francis Chan's Crazy Love went along with this idea when he poses the question, "Which is more messed up--that we have so much compared to everyone else, or that we don't think we're rich? That on any given day we might flippantly call ourselves "broke" or "poor"? We are neither of those things. We are rich. Filthy rich." We are rarely content with what we have when most of the world is content with just receiving the bare necessities. It's a hard lesson to learn, but when you see an old man smile because he's just received 5 or 10-year-old clothing for his grandchildren, it is so worth it.

--Lauren Sharpe

Hi...my name is Meredith Toering and I am with the Guatemala missions trip to Huehuetenango. I have so loved the time that I have spent here so far, and am greatly looking forward to the rest of our week. Today we were able to continue with the VBS lesson plans that we have been presenting in previous days. I have the wonderful group of kids ages 2-6...which can pose some difficulties in the whole listening-paying attention part of the lesson...but we have lots of fun with them. The kids were all very excited this morning, and when we asked the careworker why, she explained to us that the children had all been up until 2 am because of the sugar overload we gave them from the movie night last night. Ooops. In the afternoon we were able to just spend time with them and get to know them even more and become a part of their world- which was such a blessing for me. My very favorite part of the day was this evening...we got the chance to return to the orphanage to tuck all the kids into bed-give kisses-tell them goodnight-etc. It was such a special time and I know I speak for the whole team when I say that we all were touched by the time that we were able to spend with these kids tonight. Hopefully we will have the opportunity to tuck them in at least once more this trip. We continue to welcome your prayers for our work with these kids- and that they will understand why we are coming to visit them and see the truth of God that we are trying to teach. We have a busy day lined up for tomorrow, including delivering bags upon bags of clothes to a village up in the mountains, and then returning for an afternoon of VBS. Have a wonderful evening and thanks for your prayers

Well, I am Lauren Malone, and I am proudly representing the Samford team tonight. I have never really been a blogger, but I do know that words cannot express the emotions and experiences of this mission trip. This is my first international mission trip, and it has been such a blessing. Today, we attended a church service, in Spanish of course! This was a new experience for me. The church members were all so excited and thankful for us joining them in worship. I think the most memorable event from this morning was the ride to church. Berta, one of Buckner staff, told us to save seats for about 10 children from the orphanage that we would pick up on the way. Little did we know, our vehicle soon turned into a charter bus. We fit 21 of the orphans in that little bus. That was probably the best bus ride of my life. After church, the team had lunch, and we headed back to the orphanage. Tonight was filled with playtime. We danced many calories off after learning a Latin American dance! SO fun! After the dancing, Cecilia (one of the girls in my group!) looked up into my eyes and asked how many more days I would be in Huehue with her. I responded, "6." After that, she just looked down, and I could sense her disappointment as she knew the days would go by too fast. I couldn't agree more. :( She is a very special child of God, and so is every one of those precious kids! Later, we watched a movie and had popcorn and sodas. The children were so thankful, and I believe they really enjoyed themselves!! I know I did!! Now that I think about it, when HAVEN'T I enjoyed this mission trip? Not a single moment comes to mind. Just please keep us all in your prayers as tomorrow we might tuck the children into bed. I hear this is a life-changing experience.

Hey, my name is Mary Baggett and I am with the Samford group in Huehuetenango, Guatemala working at Fundacion Salvacion. Our group has had an incredible time here in Guatemala. We have gotten to experience many things, meet new friends, and teach the love of Christ to over 100 orphans.

Today began by doing our VBS, but what really stuck out to me was a beautiful teenage girl named Eulalia. Eulalia is a special needs teenage who lives at the orphanage. She is in my VBS group and therefore I have gotten to know her pretty well. After the lessons were over and the kids were playing on the playground or playing a soccer game, I noticed Eulalia sitting by herself in the main living area and went over to talk with her. All she wanted me to do was to sit with her, hold her hand, and talk to her. I can understand Spanish fairly well, but speaking it is a whole other issue. Eulalia was so patient with my broken Spanish and had such a beautiful spirit about her. I was excited for our one-on-one time so that I would be able to spend some quality time with her and love on her. But as I we drove away on the bus, I felt completely overwhelmed by the love that she poured out on me. And I was reminded of a verse that I had read that morning in Proverbs 10:12, "Hatred stirs up dissension, but love covers all wrongs." During that time, Eulalia forgot about her life in the orphanage and I forgot about the stresses that I had on my life and were totally immersed in God's love.

After this our group got to go to the Mayan ruins, which was AWESOME. We had a blast. Here are some pictures from the day!

Late picture add on

so I couldn't get the pictures on so I had to post them separate

Wear Sun Screen or You'll Get Burned

What is up?! I am Julian Hollar here with the group from Samford University in Huehue (pronounced way-way). I am not a blogger so I'm gonna make it quick and just hit you up with some photos from today. Today was rockin! It was our first full day with kids and it was incredible. A few people got to run some bananas to a village close to Huehue and was apparently a great experience! It was also our first time meet and do our bible studies with our groups. I am in a group with Mary and Melissa and we joined up with another group to play games before we got to sit down and talk to them. Our group is ages 14 and up and I am so excited to get to know them better. As you might be able to tell from the title of this blog some of us got a little sun burned. Playing tons of soccer out in the sun will do that to you. I myself have a good red tint to my skin... to say the least. We are all having a great time and from what I have been hearing and from my own personal experience, it's turning out that kids are having a greater impact on our lives than we are on them. Not to say that we aren't connecting with the kids because we are, but it is easy to see God in these wonderful children. Here a few pics from today. Maybe at the end we will post the best of all the pictures. Thanks and please keep up the prayers.

Guatemala AND football...Whats better?

My name is Ryann and I am in HueHue Guatemala with Buckner International doing mission work in the orphange in town. Today started with breakfast at nine and then from there we had a meeting and planned everything we are going to do for the next week and a half. While in our groups we planned Bible stories and crafts to do with our specific age groups. After the meeting we had lunch then headed straight over to the orphanage. At the orphanage the first thing some of us did was clean up the babies which included brushing teeth and washing hands. Then we began with playing games with all of the kids. I played hide and seek with a group of about ten kids. After about an hour of playing we sang some songs andthen divided into our age groups. This is where we began to get to know the kids on a deeper level, but we still have a lot to go. It was amazing to see how God allowed us to communicate even though we do not speak the same language. We left the orphanage around five and came back to the hotel to clean up and rest for a bit. After a tour of HueHue, we ate dinner at a typical Guatemalan resturaunt then came back to the hotel to watch the national championship game. We did have a short devotional where everyone shared thoughts about the day and how we felt about the rest of the week. It has been an awesome trip so far and i look forward to more wonderful moments. Roll Tide!!

The Way to HueHue

Hola from the first night in Huehuetenango! This is Maddie Taylor attempting to type on a Spanish keyboard in our hotel's computer room, just one of the new experiences I can add to the day. We started out today with a wonderful breakfast at the Vista Real hotel in Guatemala City (actually I was told it was wonderful...I was still asleep) before hitting the road around eight thirty. On the first leg of the trip we got to know our translators, Berta, Melissa, Paulina, and Sarah, and a few of us played spades (it was my first time, I still have no idea how to play). We stopped for lunch at an authentic restaurant/market where a few of us bought souvenirs and we all enjoyed another wonderul Guatemalan meal (seriously, I could eat this stuff the rest of my life and be a happy camper). The ride up was an experience in and of itself. The scenery was amazing, with beautiful mountains and volcanos all around us. Plus we saw a lot of the local culture, including "cows on a rope", precious children in colorful attire, and traffic...which was also quite an experience. It took six hours, but we finally made it to Huehue. And then came the best part of the day. We got to go to the orphanage and meet the children we are here to serve. I don't think I have ever recieved such an amazing welcome in my life. The second the doors of the bus were opened there were nearly fifty grinning children waiting to pull us out and hug us. It didn't matter that I hardly know any Spanish, the kids just wanted to hug me and hold my hand. There were boys and girls of all ages, all wanting to come ask your name and tell you their own. I met a little girl named Carla who attached herself to me during our quick tour of the orphanage. She showed me the playground and I managed to understand that she is nine years old and she loves the monkey bars. When it was time to go she hugged me really tight and asked me a question. It took me a few times to understand her, but I realized she was asking if I was coming back tomorrow. "Si!" I told her excitedly. All I can say is that it has been a long way to Huehue, but now that we're here, I can't wait for tomorrow.
Thank you all for your continued prayers and we'll be in touch soon!

Day 1 in Guatemala

"Hola!" from the team from Samford University in Birmingham Alabama! (pictured LtoR: Ryann, Laren, Lauren, Rebecca, Maddie, Mary, Lauren, and Julian)

Today was Day 1 of our 14 day trip Huehuetenango, Guatemala. The day started off early as most of the team met at the Atlanta airport at 7am!! Our first obstacle of the trip was that several of our bags weighed just a bit over the limit, so we had to repack a few things before checking in... other than that, our flight went smoothly and we were only missing 1 of our 15 bags when we arrived to Guatemala. (The one missing bag only had donations in it... so everyone has clothes, no worries!)

After meeting two other members of our team, Rachel and Meredith, as well as Jeremy and Berta from Buckner... we were taken on a tour of several "transitional" homes that Buckner supports. It was great to meet the kids involved in this ministry, and to see the future of some of the kids we will meet in the orphanage in Huehue. These transitional homes provide a way for the orphans to get an education outside of their village, as well as a great chance to live in a safe and healthy family environment. Berta described these homes as giving the kids the tools they need to go out into the real world, and that it has been one of the most successful ministries of Buckner - Guatemala. During our visits we went to both girls and boys homes, and were given tours of each house. During the tour we learned about the education that the kids receive (home school to get them to a particular grade level, then public or private schools) as well as the tuition costs for college students in Guatemala. I particularly found our conversation about college interesting because the expense for tuition for one semester in Guatemala is what some Samford students spend on books each term. For me, a professional in the Higher Ed field... I was really intrigued by the numbers, and the possiblities for support for these students. The transitional homes are funded totally by donations from churches and individuals like you and me... so if you are reading this and would like a way to contribute... imagine the difference you could make in a kids' life by providing them with a college education which would allow them to become more self- sufficient.

After learning so much from Berta and Jeremy about the ministries of Buckner, we visited their offices and met their staff. It was great to meet some of the people that worked so hard to prepare for our trip.

Later in the afternoon, around 6pm, we checked into the Vista Real (an AMAZING hotel), and went out for a traditional Guatemalan dinner, during which several of us were able to make tortillas with a sweet lady at the restaurant. As Maddie said at dinner, "I think me and Guatemala are going to get along." The food was great, the company was great... and we are all really excited to see what God has in store for us this week!

Our group from Samford came together quickly to plan this trip... but I have faith that we will have an incredible experience working with Buckner. I may be the leader of this amazing group of students, but God is our Leader... and no matter what happens with our plans, we know His will work out. :)

Please keep us all in your prayers over the next two weeks!
- Kacey Cole