Our next adventure began when we left Guatemala City for what we anticipated to be a 3-4 hour ride to Manos de Compasion. Guatemala has one of the highest rates of natural disasters in the world and, as such, the multiple land slides and closed roads extended our trip to Manos by several more hours. Thankfully we had a wonderful family in Hector and Laura who safely navigated us to our destination. Our group comes from a variety of backgrounds, but we bonded closer through sharing our testimonies on the ride.
Guatemala is an absolutely beautiful country with a lush green jungle and mountainous landscapes, which we enjoyed along the way. However, as we arrived in the town of Santiago Atitlan, we were reminded of the plight of many of the people as we saw crowded conditions and poverty everywhere.
Upon arriving at Manos we got to meet and have dinner with the kids, and we had a game night where I was quickly beaten to a pulp in a game of “Sorry”. The next morning myself and the other men from Genesis Elevator took on a series of projects for Dave Reichard. Dave and his wife Deborah have lived in Guatemala running their respective children’s home with Deborah’s parents, Tom and Sue, for decades; they are absolute saints. We spent our time installing a lightning rod (bear in mind that we are at an elevation of about 5,300 feet perched way up in the mountains of western Guatemala). We also installed a new dishwasher and re-varnished the patio.
That evening was an experience I hope that I never forget. We went to the Esther house where many of the teenaged girls live. After a short devotional and singing worship songs, the girls opened up and shared their stories with us. There was not a dry eye in the house as these young girls opened up their painful histories to us. I was amazed at their bravery, confidence, hope for the future, and their trust in Jesus.
The next day we wrapped up our projects and spent the afternoon with the children playing soccer, tie-dying, and playing with chalk. We finished the day at Hector and Laura’s house (affectionately and very appropriately called “Love and Hope house”), where we sang songs with the little kids.
We finished our trip to Manos by hiking up a mountain through the jungle (elevation of 6,000 feet) with the kids. I am used to an elevation of 700 feet…so I thought I was going to pass out all the while the kids were sprinting past me up the mountain laughing. We were awarded with an absolutely beautiful scenic view of Lake Atitlan and the town far below. Sadly, it was after this that it was time to leave. We said our goodbyes and prayed together. It never ceases to amaze me how God works and what an incredible plan he has for us all near and far, well off or with nearly nothing. Warning- you cannot go on a trip like this without it breaking your heart and changing your life! I don’t believe that any of us will quite be the same again and I can’t wait to go back.
“At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. And he said “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” -Matthew 18:1-5
Written by Guatemala Team Member Stewart Smith
