God’s Work
By Ellen Nichols
Today we departed beautiful Santa Cruz del Quiche, a place where many of us felt transformed and humbled by the Guatemalan way of life. As the day commenced, the team took their last walk to La Martita’s, a cozy restaurant that served all 26 of us delicious food for many days. That restaurant will always have a special place in my heart, and I’m sure in the hearts of many other missionaries, as it’s the place where I started every morning with a cup of coffee and exciting thoughts about what God had planned for me that would encourage me to truly live out my faith.
Today also consisted of an elderly home visit. During reflection, a missionary described the area as a place with “crisp,” fresh air, contrasting with the stuffy air of the bustling part of Santa Cruz del Quiche. Walking in was like encountering a piece of heaven. I almost forgot where I was for a second because of the peaceful, bright setting we all discovered. Seeing the faces of the elderly made me appreciate a little more the importance of life itself. It’s a gift! And I’m sure all the beautiful faces there cherish that idea. Many of them even got up to dance with us as we sang our energetic mission songs. If they weren’t dancing, they were shaking maracas or blowing into flutes. What a great thing to be a part of.
God calls us to love others always. As a missionary said, He calls us to love those who are different than us. And that’s exactly what we hoped to pursue. God’s work being with the people. Being with the people. It’s not always easy, but it’s always worth it.
After that, we all headed out for Antigua. And after about three hours of winding roads and massive mountain admiring, the team finally arrived! Once we got there, we encountered yet another piece of heaven…our hotel. The luscious plants and hall full of talented painters made me take a step back as I admired the beauty. Finishing the night with dinner and reflection only makes going to sleep that much easier. Hearing what stood out to other missionaries is always so interesting because those are the moments that will stick with them forever.
As the week comes to a close soon, we hope you’ve enjoyed getting a peek into what those moments are. There’s still more to come!
