Life-long Lessons from a Short Trip

We recently spent a week in Guatemala at the Eagle's Nest Children's Home on a short term mission trip. My husband Ken, myself, and our two oldest children; Allison and Joel were part of a mission team from our church, along with 24 other people. It was a great trip for many reasons.

We went really not knowing what to expect as far as the mission trip experience. We had met as a team monthly for several months but only really knew about 3 other people prior to the trip. Our team had spent some time going through part of John Piper's book, Let the Nations Be Glad. This book gets your mind thinking about the purpose of missions.

We learned as a team that flexibility is the best plan and that worked very well. As a mom of six I am learning to be flexible, I recognize that often my frustration with my children comes when my expectations have been perhaps a little unrealistic. (There are other times when my expectations are just fine.)

As we worked on some projects for Eagle's Nest we had opportunity to work alongside people we didn't know very well. Painting at the soccer field gave some of us time to get to know each other better. One morning after failing at our attempt to sing :) we decided to share our stories of how we came to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. It was a great encouragement and helped us to understand where we had come from. It was interesting to me that several of us really came to a crossroads in our christian walk in college and that had solidified our faith. What a need for campus ministries like Campus Crusade for Christ, Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship, and Navigators.

Three afternoons we spent time at a public school doing an outreach, much like a short version of Vacation Bible School. It was a great time of meeting some of the children, seeing how some things are the same no matter where the children live, and sharing our faith with them. Children are wonderful and so welcoming!

Of course we spent a lot of time helping in the children's home, too. When we first walked in it was a little overwhelming, there were about 80 children at that time. We jumped in where there was a crying babe, read in our best Spanish to a toddler (they didn't seem to notice if I pronounced a word wrong), played peek-a-boo and other impromptu games. What a joy to hold a little one until they fell asleep and than find another that could use some more attention. One little girl has some special needs and each time someone would seek her out and spend time with her. It was a privilege to fill a gap for a mama that was working with someone else or for an adoptive parent far away. Some moments I wished I had more arms to hold another.

Our time at the children's home reminded me of how thankful I am for the other adults in our children's lives such as: family friends, our Family Pastor and his Assistant, small group and AWANA leaders, and Sunday School teachers, to name a few. These adults help to fill the gaps we as parents have. We so enjoy watching our children interact with others. As we watched our two oldest really be part of our mission team I was so thankful for the work the Lord was doing in their lives.

There are many things that the Lord is continuing to show me from this trip. I pray that I would continue to be teachable.

"I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living." Psalm 27:13