Sí.
Today, I have officially been at The Oasis for two weeks, and I leave on Friday. When I consider how much I've learned and been tested, it feels as though I've been here a lifetime, but I'm just quite ready to leave. People are my favorite thing. There are SIXTY whole people here who I feel like I've just gotten to know, and now I'm leaving. The Lord has been faithful in growing my relationships with them and providing beautiful moments of connections full of memories that I will never forget. When I was a sophomore in high school, I went on a mission trip to Juarez, Mexico that still radically influences me to this day. That's where I fell in love with ministry, and the Latin people, and Spanish. One verse that sticks out to me about that trip is Matthew 18:20
I've now eaten dinner at every single house here at The Oasis, and each home has a different feel.
Casa Azul was the home of the fellowship of the zit cream, is very calm and responsible. Very quiet but very warm and inviting.
Casa Naranja was the home of all of the musicians, they loved playing my ukulele and singing and dancing, and they felt like a real family. They shared everything with each other and helped around the house very well. They made me feel very at home, and loved laughing with me. One of their tías was only 24 and had a huge heart for these girls and, and was so intentional in every interaction she had with them. The girls adore her, and it is so encouraging to watch her pursue Christ by loving on these girls.
Casa Lily was my favorite house. On my first night there, I got to sit in on a devotional time with the younger girls. Usually when someone in a house says it's time for devotional, that means that it's time to go to the table and listen to the tía lead, but this devotional was just for the older girls, and they led it themselves. It was such an incredible thing to sit in on, so raw and organic. One girl picked out a passage and they dissected it together talking about how it applied to their lives and encouraged one another with it. These girls are the only family that they have, they love and support each other as well as hold one another accountable. They are honest when they're upset, and happy when they're happy. One night, we all got dressed up for dinner. It's a tradition only in Casa Lily to get dressed up on the last Saturday of the month and have a candle lit dinner with music and dancing and sharing. When I asked them why they started it, they said it makes them feel like a real family. We laughed until we cried and danced until we fell over. We also got to sing some songs along with my ukulele and eat pancakes. It felt like a date night with Jesus. All other dates pale in comparison. These girls have stolen my heart and I don't even want it back.
"¿Tú crees in La Palabra?" literally,
"Do you believe in The Word?"
I was so taken aback by her nonchalant way of asking a question so bold. I really wish my Spanish ability would have allowed me to say something more profound than just "Sí."
I proceeded to ask her if she did too, and she said yes and explained to me how Jesus loved children, and told all of them to come to him, and she went around the room pointing to everyone and ending with me telling them that Jesus loved them. She also told me about how her favorite Bible story was the story of Zacchaeus because he was very small, but Christ still saw him and sought him out. What beautiful statements coming from a ten year old who has had past filled with abuse and neglect beyond what I can even begin to fathom. Those words from little Abí will stick with me forever. I think memories are so cool.
At dinner, after asking me if I could understand Spanish, the next thing the tía inquired was whether or not I went to church, and when I said yes, she asked what kind. I said Evangelical, then for the first time in my life I told someone I was Baptist, and explained how I want to be a missionary and that's why I am at the Oasis. Jeez. These people hold nothing back. I had been in that home for less that ten minutes, and had already been exposed to the gospel twice. The missionary tables have turned! This trip has been full of experiences like these that are a refreshing blend of conviction and encouragement. The Guatemalan culture is perfect for sharing Christ. They are a very respectful and open minded people, but also very bold and poignant. They don't seem to care what others think, but not in a way that is rude or ignorant in the least.
Last thursday, we went to another site run by Kids Alive called Zapote. Zapote is a free school a very indigenous and very poor area in the middle of no where. To get there we drove through streams and passed rock harvesters. I didn't even know rock harvesting was a thing.
I fell in love with Zapote. All of the kids there are sponsored, and that's how they get to go to that school. They get two meals a day and a quality Christ centered education. Zapote really is focusing on using the school to reach families for Christ. I believe very firmly in the power the child has with the gospel because that's a huge part of my testimony and the rest of my little Maire family. Zapote had such an incredible energy. The teachers were all very busy, but brimming with joy! I was so sad that I only got to spend a few hours there, but that was a sweet time that the Lord used to recharge me and remind me of the life He's been very clearly calling me to.
One thing that has made me slightly uncomfortable in the Guat has been a recent development of what my roommate and I are pretty positive is Chicken Pox. Please pray for quick healing so that we aren't a biohazard to the other missionaries that we will be connecting with in the next four days! Other than that, I've actually have found this whole chicken pox thing pretty hilarious. What twenty year old gets chicken pox? It could be far worse.
This whole missionary thing is becoming very very real. Living in a different
country doesn't seem like a big deal, it's just like living life in the US. Our lives aren't defined by our lifestyle. Living is just something that everyone does, and it happens wherever you live.
This is my life.
For where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am among them.the way the pastor in Mexico worded it was, "where there are two, then there are three." I love this so much because it places an emphasis on the tangibility of God, and that's a tangibility that I very much feel when interacting with the girls and tías here. He is so good to bring Himself so close to us.
I've now eaten dinner at every single house here at The Oasis, and each home has a different feel.
Casa Azul was the home of the fellowship of the zit cream, is very calm and responsible. Very quiet but very warm and inviting.
Casa Naranja was the home of all of the musicians, they loved playing my ukulele and singing and dancing, and they felt like a real family. They shared everything with each other and helped around the house very well. They made me feel very at home, and loved laughing with me. One of their tías was only 24 and had a huge heart for these girls and, and was so intentional in every interaction she had with them. The girls adore her, and it is so encouraging to watch her pursue Christ by loving on these girls.
She opens her mouth with wisdom,
and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
She looks well to the ways of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness. (Proverbs 31:26, 27 ESV)
Casa Lily was my favorite house. On my first night there, I got to sit in on a devotional time with the younger girls. Usually when someone in a house says it's time for devotional, that means that it's time to go to the table and listen to the tía lead, but this devotional was just for the older girls, and they led it themselves. It was such an incredible thing to sit in on, so raw and organic. One girl picked out a passage and they dissected it together talking about how it applied to their lives and encouraged one another with it. These girls are the only family that they have, they love and support each other as well as hold one another accountable. They are honest when they're upset, and happy when they're happy. One night, we all got dressed up for dinner. It's a tradition only in Casa Lily to get dressed up on the last Saturday of the month and have a candle lit dinner with music and dancing and sharing. When I asked them why they started it, they said it makes them feel like a real family. We laughed until we cried and danced until we fell over. We also got to sing some songs along with my ukulele and eat pancakes. It felt like a date night with Jesus. All other dates pale in comparison. These girls have stolen my heart and I don't even want it back.
Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. (Hebrews 10:23-25 ESV)Tonight was my first night to eat with Casa Dorada. They have the reputation of being the crazy and most poorly behaved house. Since now I know all of the girls at The Oasis pretty well, I knew exactly what I was getting into. The girls in Dorada are infamously disobedient and crazy, but always down to have fun. When I walked up to the house, I could see that they were around the table praying. I thought I was late for dinner at first, but realized that they were finishing their devotional. The next thing I knew, 10 year olds Abí and Sueymi had taken me by the hand, draped a scarf around my neck, and were leading me into their room to read them a story from their illustrated Bible. Abí picked the story of the Good Samaritan, and I stumbled through the Spanish pronunciations, and then she asked me to read another. After I finished, she looked at me and said
"¿Tú crees in La Palabra?" literally,
"Do you believe in The Word?"
I was so taken aback by her nonchalant way of asking a question so bold. I really wish my Spanish ability would have allowed me to say something more profound than just "Sí."
I proceeded to ask her if she did too, and she said yes and explained to me how Jesus loved children, and told all of them to come to him, and she went around the room pointing to everyone and ending with me telling them that Jesus loved them. She also told me about how her favorite Bible story was the story of Zacchaeus because he was very small, but Christ still saw him and sought him out. What beautiful statements coming from a ten year old who has had past filled with abuse and neglect beyond what I can even begin to fathom. Those words from little Abí will stick with me forever. I think memories are so cool.
And there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich. And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small of stature. So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way. And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today." So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully. And when they saw it, they all grumbled, "He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner." And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, "Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold." And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost." (Luke 19:2-10 ESV)
At dinner, after asking me if I could understand Spanish, the next thing the tía inquired was whether or not I went to church, and when I said yes, she asked what kind. I said Evangelical, then for the first time in my life I told someone I was Baptist, and explained how I want to be a missionary and that's why I am at the Oasis. Jeez. These people hold nothing back. I had been in that home for less that ten minutes, and had already been exposed to the gospel twice. The missionary tables have turned! This trip has been full of experiences like these that are a refreshing blend of conviction and encouragement. The Guatemalan culture is perfect for sharing Christ. They are a very respectful and open minded people, but also very bold and poignant. They don't seem to care what others think, but not in a way that is rude or ignorant in the least.
How beautiful upon the mountains
are the feet of him who brings good news,
who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness,
who publishes salvation,
who says to Zion, "Your God reigns." (Isaiah 52:7 ESV)
Last thursday, we went to another site run by Kids Alive called Zapote. Zapote is a free school a very indigenous and very poor area in the middle of no where. To get there we drove through streams and passed rock harvesters. I didn't even know rock harvesting was a thing.
I fell in love with Zapote. All of the kids there are sponsored, and that's how they get to go to that school. They get two meals a day and a quality Christ centered education. Zapote really is focusing on using the school to reach families for Christ. I believe very firmly in the power the child has with the gospel because that's a huge part of my testimony and the rest of my little Maire family. Zapote had such an incredible energy. The teachers were all very busy, but brimming with joy! I was so sad that I only got to spend a few hours there, but that was a sweet time that the Lord used to recharge me and remind me of the life He's been very clearly calling me to.
One thing that has made me slightly uncomfortable in the Guat has been a recent development of what my roommate and I are pretty positive is Chicken Pox. Please pray for quick healing so that we aren't a biohazard to the other missionaries that we will be connecting with in the next four days! Other than that, I've actually have found this whole chicken pox thing pretty hilarious. What twenty year old gets chicken pox? It could be far worse.
So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:16-18 ESV)
This whole missionary thing is becoming very very real. Living in a different
country doesn't seem like a big deal, it's just like living life in the US. Our lives aren't defined by our lifestyle. Living is just something that everyone does, and it happens wherever you live.
This is my life.
Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. (John 21:25 ESV)
Location:Guatemala
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