Antigua, Guatemala

Not many people even knew I was going on a trip to Antigua, Guatemala. But I did it, I ventured all by myself, out of the country to a beautiful place, made new friends, and had one of the best experiences of my life. There were so many highlights of my trip, one being I had the chance to visit a Mother's Day party put on by the school, Ninos Del Mundo. GO on the Mission​ partners with them, and this is one of the places Keeley Miller​ has been working at the 5 months she's been there. To say the children are darling is an understatement. Guatemalan babies ARE the cutest! (: This is one of my favorite photos of my trip. I have many others, but this really captures the love and connection that Keeley has with "her" children at the program.

I had the opportunity to take the sponsorship and promotional photos of the younger children on behalf of GO. They are so precious, and very shy. They weren't totally sure about me at first, but once they saw I was with Keeley they started to warm up and let me take their pictures and play a little. However, they ADORE Keeley. It was all hugs and laughs when they saw her walk into the event.
One of the things they did at the party was choose five moms and play games. They danced, made wedding dresses out of newspaper, and the moms definitely had a blast.

photo by Keeley Miller

Since I had the chance to stay with the Erickson family, missionaries who have lived in Guatemala for many years, I got the real deal tour of Antigua, including our own little expedition into a coffee farm! The city is beautiful, filled with bright colors, beautiful and rustic ruins, intricate churches, and so much activity! The people are so welcoming and the culture is so warm. It exceeded any expectations I had (which wasn't many, since I had NEVER left the country before).

On my last full day, we visited the Erickson's organization. It was amazing to drive up in the village and watch the kids make their way out to meet Maureen, Emily, and Jonathan. We played games, they did crafts, learned about their fingerprints, had a bible lesson, ate a snack, and thoroughly enjoyed both having their picture taken and also taking ours. They brushed their teeth, they got rambunctious, and I LOVED every minute of it.
I also met the most precious Guatemalan family, that touched my heart. Rubidia has seven children, she arranged Lily (her youngest) and Kenneth's marriage, and told us about how she was going to swim to Hawaii, USA. But she wouldn't bring tortillas cause they would get cold and she didn't want to bother with a fire, instead she was going to bring tamales. Cold tamales are just as good as hot tamales (: She was so welcoming and funny, and she loved to see her portrait on the back of my camera. I felt honored to meet her, a few of her children, and take their picture. And my heart changed a lot on that day...

Photo by Keeley Miller Photo by Keeley MillerPhoto by Keeley Miller

I barely scratched the surface of injustice, world travel, and the impact that God's love through us can have in a place that can be both beautiful and torn by poverty at the same time. But it embedded a new drive and hurt that only this short trip could have done. I have a new understanding of my heart breaking for what breaks God's. Here is a post I wrote a couple days ago that summed up my experience in Guatemala:

"Once a clay jar realizes it is just that, a clay jar, the treasure inside becomes infinitely more precious."

 I am that clay jar, & all I have to give is the gift God has placed inside me...his image, his love, his grace. I prayed for my new friend Rubidia and her family pretty much my entire trek home. I also prayed for myself, that I would never lose sight of gods true provision, his love and the chance to pass that on. To be his hands and his feet is so much more than traveling and being a part of a "mission", and I learned that on my short, but overwhelmingly life changing trip. To be Gods hands and feet is to, of course, help, feed, and to do onto others...but more so to extend pure love only derived from God through the Holy Spirit... I prayed for so many people/new friends, and for myself and my own family that we would grasp this like never before and yearn for Gods heart and nothing else, because through that everything else will come.

Thanks for spending the time to learn a little bit about my trip and enjoy the photos. And to end it, my favorite quote right now:

 "Blessed is the influence of one true, loving human soul on another." -George Elliot