Back from Guatemala

Why is it that I can only write what I truly feel and not share it with the people I trust around me? The trip to Guatemala was a life changing one for me and like always I want to go back that hasn't changed. Don't know when but I want to. We had 3 children get saved and 2 of them were in my group and I got to help one of them. It was neat to see the 2 because I saw the process before and after. I had like an elementary age or early middle aged group which was way out of my comfort zone but it was fun and something new. One was a boy and the other a girl. The boy, before he was saved, was sitting at a table alone by himself coloring and I went over to sit by him. I didn't say much because asking him didn't cross my mind but another leader did and after the lesson was over he kept following that other leader. It was just neat to see that other leader stright out ask him "do you know Jesus?" That was a neat expereince for me. She wasn't scared or anything but she had a lot of practice too. It was that time that gave me the encouragement to ask this girl when I noticed something about her. She pointed to the bracelets that I had on and I asked her if she wanted one and she said "yes" so I gave it to her. Then I asked her what it said and she said, "Love for God" which was right and she also said it in Spanish. During our small group, the other leader pulled out the bridge picture and she pointed to that so we went over it as a group. After that is when I pulled her aside and tried to talk to her but it didn't quite work so I got our transaletor and talked through her after I tried the other leader because he talked more Spanish then I did. She said that she wanted to know more about Jesus so I took her over to the main leader of our group and the leader explained everything in spanish which was neat to see and here and then I got to pray with them both while the little girl asked Jesus into her heart. That situation showed me that I can lead more people to Christ and that it isn't as hard as I think it is espically with children. I need to learn Spanish though if I'm going to do it in a Spanish speaking country. Just sayin' it might help. I also think that helped to have a better relationship with the Lord because I saw Him working in her life. She would come and give me hugs and kisses every time she saw me after that. While I went shopping in one of the big cities near by, I just fell in love more with their culture and their arts. It was neat because I had two boys from my group make me an orgami heart and flower. I was taught how to make the heart but we will see if I can remember how to. There were a lot of steps to it. Through people in the group and even the Guatemalan children and people, Christ showed me how I need to treat my friends here and not assume things like I have been lately. They have a totally different culture then we do here in the states and their actions and language is different from ours in ways. It was so strange too because I saw a little girl (2 years old) out on the streets of the city we were shopping trying to sell us things. She would actully show us the things she was selling and hit us with it. It is just really sad when they have to start that young and then who knows where they end up. It might be the orphanage. Then I had friends in the group that encouraged me with my dream of wanting to move there someday. They were like so "when are you going to move here?, you should move here!" It was just strange and the messages every night really got to me too as well as the other teenagers. We had one night where a lot of the teenagers came to the front because they wanted to be sent and used by God. It was really moving to see that. God was working at Casa and still is! It is a beautiful place both Casa and Guatemala! I left part of my heart there. I know I did with those kids. Today has been so hard for me. Then one of my friends wrote me an encouraging note and put Ps. 119 on it to read. I read it today and it was about being a servant and how I want to follow God's path and laws and princpals for me. I want to do that but I need the strength to do that first. I know where I am know He wants me there but Guatemala is never going to leave my heart. I want to see the true side of it because I really live there like see a small village or dump not just the city and the orphanage. God has something big planned for my life. He is calling to me for something big but right now I'm fine where I am because I'm following Him and He hasn't showed me that big thing yet.