The Adventures of the Guatemalan Ghetto

Hi everyone this is Missy posting this entry!  Wow how do I even try to explain what we experienced today!  We went to a place called "The Ghetto".  This is a such a neat community in the city that is really set apart.  Our leader, Desi, explained that these people have kept drugs and gangs out of their community.  One of the ways they have been able to do this by not accepting food from the government.  Communities that have accepted them have had a lot of shootings and gang activity over the food.  Desi told us you could hire someone to kill someone else for 3 dollars!!!!  This community has banded together, they work together, have pride in their area and were such a neat people to be around.  Truly so sweet and full of happiness and joy.

They are a very poor community.  We had the privilege of going there to play with the kids and have a pinata party (unbelievable pinatas here friends!)  We were also able to give out food baskets to 5 different families.  The leader, Juanita, of this community rotates families everytime Forever Changed International comes and brings the baskets.  We all had so much fun dancing, playing soccer, (yes, even me) and having the pinata party.  The children were amazing and so beautiful, what fun it was to just love on them and play with them. 
There was a special little boy that our team met, Kevin.  He lives in the ghetto with his 3 year old little brother.  His mom stops by a couple times a week but when she does she is usually very drunk. This 12 year old Kevin takes care of his brother pretty much all by himself.  The community has really embraced them and they built them a "house".  He is such a neat kid, quite mature and loving.  Our entire team fell in love with him.
We went into the homes then of 5 different families to deliver food baskets.  Each family was a mom and several kids.  We were noticing a pattern that so many husbands/ fathers are out of the picture.  What an incredibly sad reality and one that really broke my heart.  To think of all these women and children without a lot of male figures.  We are told unfortunately that this is common in Guatemala. 
Each family we visited with was so poor, so grateful, so sweet, so full of prayer requests.  After visiting with the women we were able to pray over each of them which was such a blessing and a privilege. 
We truly had a blessed day, a physically, mentally and emotionally exhausting day, but a blessed day!  
God challenged each of us in so many ways.  Each of our hearts were broken.  Each of us with such heavy hearts.  Each of us with many questions.  BUT...  each of us knowing this...  Our God is Sovereign over this.  Our God is good.  Our God loves each one of these individuals more than we can even imagine.  And our God has a plan and purpose for each of these beautiful people living in "the ghetto".

Desi and Kevin

When we woke up

Waking up knowing that we could rush over and start helping take care of the kiddos here was exciting to say the least.  We got to hold babies, feed them their bottles, play with them and just truly love on them!

Then we sorted through all of this generousity.  Thank you again to all of you for helping us get this here.  What a blessing!

  Desi our coordinator over here will help us to know what to bring where.  Thank goodness. :)


Some of our team went to go get food for the food baskets that we will be bringing to the ghetto later on today and also get a pinata to have a party with the kids there.  The rest of us hung back and played with the kids here.  We danced, sang, giggled and played.  I can't wait for more of this later.  What little treasures these kids are....I am overwhelmed with emotion ya'll.

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Our next destination is the ghetto like I mentioned earlier.  There is much need there we are told and I know we will have a lot to talk about later.

Until then......
Blessings!

Leaving on a Jet Plane

It all began early yesterday morning.  We embarked on the first part of our journey by leaving at 5:30 am to drive to the St Louis Airport.  Once arriving, it was apparent that God has His hand on us.  Our sky cap was a lovely gentleman who went above and beyond helping us with our 16 bags.  Then it was time to start checking in all of our bags.  Again we were placed with a gentleman who patiently helped us redistribute items and let things slide poundage wise.  Praise God!

After getting through check point, we had LOTS of time to relax before boarding our flight to Miami, which was to begin by 11:20 am.  So we decided to have lunch at Express Chili's and enjoy a little.  Well, as we were finishing up and causally waiting for our bills, some of our team went you use the bathroom.  Once leaving the bathroom they heard a page announcing that our flight was on "FINAL BOARDING CALL".  What the what?  It was barely 11:20 and our flight was on final boarding call.  Immediately panic set in and we were scrambling around picking up our stuff and looking to pay our bills. Everyone began to book it to our gate, which thankfully was close.  One of us, I won't name names, almost lost her ticket to get on the plane during this craziness.  But thankfully we made it on with quickly beating hearts.  Phew!


We had a lay over in Miami and we played that one safe.  We DID NOT want to find our selves scrambling about to get on our plane again.  No thanks! 



Finally at 8 pm we made it to Guatemala.  That's right folks we are finally in Guatemala!!!  Our driver Abel and coordinator Desi picked us up after we went through customs.  We got our baggage situated once again to make the journey to the orphanage we are staying at, which went fairly smoothly.

It is so neat here ya'll.  Shortly after setting our bags down we took a tour of our surroundings and even got to peek in on some of the little ones and hold them too! *Insert pure happiness here.*

 

These kiddos here have special mamas who care for them around the clock.  All of these kids have such sad stories they have been abandoned or abused sexually and/or physically.  I love knowing that God cares for them and has a plan for them.  I think we are all excited to start getting to know these little guys!!!  Can't wait to post more.


P.S. for all of our prayer warriors out there....please, please pray for our health. we had a sick one yesterday and we have a sick one today.  Pray that the sick ones get well and that the rest of us don't get sick.