Early Set Up Day One

The five of us, Chelsea Beard,Allie Polhmeier, Matt Babcock, Hannah Miller and I, Ali Souther began ourjourney early yesterday morning to Guatemala City, Guatemala. Got throughsecurity with no issues, got to our gate and had one of the smoothest travelsI’ve ever experienced.

On the plane, me, Hannah andChelsea were all in one row with Matt across from us. Allie was a row behindus. This is when the trip began. I would like to take a minute to mention andremind you all that God really has a sense of humor and that he puts people inour lives for specific reasons. Allie began talking to the man seated next toher and of course us three girls are listening in because we have a feelingthat this conversation is going to be good. The man was atheist; however he wasopen to religion. He had lived in Israel in a place where Jesus himself hadstepped foot. “You lived on grounds where Jesus was and you are an atheist?”asked Allie is disbelief. During the entire 3 hours, Allie and this man didn’thave a quiet moment. She gently shared Christ with him and even pulled out TheMessage to show him how cool and different it was.  We need to take every opportunity we arepresented with to share the love of God. That is what this entire trip isabout. We cannot pass up these opportunities. We are here for a purpose, for God’spurpose.

We arrived in Guatemala yesterdayafternoon around 11:30 in the morning Guatemala time. Ingrid, Ingrid’s brotherWalter, Pastor Saul Perez and his wife and daughter Olivia were all waiting forus outside of the airport. Walter drove us to Seteca to drop our luggage off sothat we could go to Walmart to eat lunch and to get the necessities for VBSsuch as snacks and juice boxes and any other personal items we needed.  We made our way to the back of the store tothe deli and eating area.

 After smooth travels and no problems we all realizedthe trip wasn’t going to be just as perfect as the travels. Our primarylanguage was not the primary language here. As we struggled trying tocommunicate, we chose what we wanted from rice, beans, chicken, tomales,chuchitas and a few other items. Thanks to Ingrid’s help with translating, wewere more at ease. After eating a delicious authentic Guatemalan WalMart lunch,we went to the bank in the front of the WalMart to exchange money from USdollars to Guatemalan Quetzales. We each exchanged a portion of the money thenwent to another bank so that we could do the same. We headed back to theWalmart to shop.

5 full buggies later we had whatseemed like endless amounts of waffer vanilla crackers, juice boxes, water jugsand bottles and mini bags of Tortrix.  The strange and confused looks we got from thelocals also seemed endless. There was no doubt that the five Americans stuckout like sore thumbs. Not only did we look American, but we struggled to speakthe same language as the Guatemalans. Allie speaks Spanish and I speak Spanishbut it’s still difficult. While trying to find what we needed, many of theworkers who were offering out free samples on every corner continued toapproach us with the offer. Hannah and I learned that it’s easiest to just say,“No Gracias.” That seemed appropriate at the time.

After unloading piles of groceriesand taking time for ourselves to mooch off the wifi and Skype our families atSeteca, Oliva met us and we all went to Miraflores, the local mall (which Imust point out is huge and pretty nice) to eat dinner in the food court. We allgot something different to eat but all had the same satisfaction. The fast foodhere is unlike American fast food. It’s not greasey and it doesn’t make youfeel heavy and sick after you indulge.

 Matt and Hannah struggled with the guy at TacoBell and really couldn’t understand what he was saying. Although it was tough,the two tried as best they could to communicate. Matt still isn’t sure if theman asked if he wanted any sauce or not. I guess we will never know. When Iordered a “McPollo, numero cinco” at Mcdonald’s (Which is a McChicken, numberfive for you non Spanish speakers) I thought I was doing pretty well with myspeaking. Next thing I know the lady asked a question that I had not a singleclue what it meant. After maybe 5 or 6 times repeating and breaking down everyword for me, I realized she was asking me if I wanted to eat in the food courtor if I was taking it to-go. They looked at me like I was so incompetent. Aftereating we called it a night and came back to Seteca to settle in and get a goodnight’s rest.

                Thismorning, we four ladies unpacked the five crates of school supplies, organizedmore money to exchange, did a few little tasks here and there, and beganorganizing the supplies for the days at the preschool and the days at theLandfill. Matt came in and helped make the sack lunches for the rest of theteam when they get here on Sunday.

                Afterwe wrapped up everything, we all went outside and discussed what the Lord wastelling us through our quiet time this morning. We shared then prayed for eachother specifically and then went over tomorrow and Saturday’s schedules. Lunchwas at Miraflores mall again. And the day wouldn’t be complete without pickingup a few more items at WalMart.

Tonight we are going to theLandfill for the Feeding. We distribute food to the people who live in thedump. Following the Feeding, we are taking Pastor Saul and his family out todinner. Overall, the past two days have been stressful, busy and overwhelming,but the thing is, it’s not about how we feel. Of course we are going to gettired; that’s inevitable. We didn’t come down early to have a relaxed couple ofdays to vacation. So what if we are constantly busy or overwhelmed? We are doingthis so that the rest of the team doesn’t have to be constantly overwhelmedduring the week. We are doing this because we want to do it. We want to help.People have to realize it’s not all about us. Sacrificing some things is notgoing to make the world end. 

I have high hopes for these next 8days. I feel the Lord is up to something radical. I just know He is going touse us all in different ways but to really impact people and glorify Him.“Greater things have yet to come. Greater things are still to be done in thiscity.” Pray for our health and stability, mentally, spiritually, physically andemotionally. God is at work here in Guatemala.

Hasta el tiempo proximo. (untilnext time)

-Ali Souther