Here are some thoughts about my recent visit to Guatemala. Please forward this along to the whole family.

If God ever leads you to free yourself from your “safe” place, your comfort zone, and take a trip somewhere outside the bubble of North American culture, I have a packing suggestion. Please leave your personal agenda and expectations at home. I say travel light and fasten your seatbelt.

I left Chattanooga with an agenda: to find Ashley a reliable means of transportation and to spend some time with Ana and Miguel (my kids who haven’t come home just yet). My expectations were to fulfill my agenda and to hear from God. The last time I went to Guatemala God used a man named Mario to breathe His words into my heart. I wanted more of that.

Keri and I discovered that buying a used car in Guatemala is not the enjoyable experience we have in the US. I thought I knew the right questions to ask. How many miles does the car have? Apparently, rolling back the odometer is a common practice so vehicle mileage isn’t a relevant question. Has it been wrecked? Of course it’s been wrecked, that’s why it’s in Guatemala. Don’t even ask about the title. Unless the car comes off a showroom floor it has a salvaged title. I didn’t know how I could ever find a good car in this kind of environment. I couldn’t do it. God gave us the car He wanted Ashley to have. While the salesman was selling one car I wandered to the back corner of his lot and found what we were looking for. It was a bit older but the tires were good and the windshield was free of cracks unlike the one being considered. The only questions left were does it run and how much? It ran and we agreed on a price. The actual exchange of money for the vehicle purchased was the most tedious part of the whole transaction. Every bill of American currency was closely examined and inspected for stray marks and tears. Some were rejected. I was afraid the deal would fall through because our money wasn’t pretty enough. Thank-you Eastwood, Ashley has wheels! The car was inspected by a reliable mechanic at All God’s Children. It needs all the routine work: oil change, belts and hoses, maybe brake pads, etc.. We used all but $400.00 of the money provided to buy the car. The rest will be used to get the necessary work done.

I found that Ana and Miguel were not as excited to see me as I was them. They were busy with their friends doing kids stuff. Ana especially would rather be with her friends than to go somewhere with me. That’s okay, I know the score. I do the same thing with God. I’m glad He’s present and available but I’m usually busy playing with my friends and doing kid’s stuff. I hear you Lord.

I hope everyone gets to see the poor video I shot of the socks and toys being distributed. Ashley selected the poorest area she could find that didn’t endanger us too greatly. 12 adults and children traveled in one Mazda mini-van to the neighborhood. The other adults asked Ashley how she expected to draw enough people to give everything away. She explained that she was going to employ the “Ashley method.” She found a good spot and gave the kids in our group pieces of sidewalk chalk. She instructed the kids to make pictures on the sidewalk and as neighborhood kids passed they were to give them a piece of chalk as well. As the crowd began to form a big pinata was filled with candy and suspended above the street where we were. Starting with the smallest child, each had a swing at the pinata until it was broken and candy filled the street. Now the socks. Ashley and her assistant, Delme (pretty young Latina woman who is seeking unattached American male) explained to all present that when they received their socks they would also get a number for the raffle. The sock distribution took a long time but the local kids and their moms waited for their turn. There was more than enough for everyone. With socks in hand everyone was now waiting for the raffle. Ashley asked me and another man (Jim) to share something of God with the people. Since I was the designated camera guy my words were not recorded but I got Jim and Ashley’s enthusiastic translation. I saw and was present to witness Ashley in her element. The raffle prizes were soccer balls and cleats, flip-flops, and other small toys. I think we had great success under Ashley’s leadership.

As night approached on the drive away Ashley decided to stop at Mama Carmen’s place. It’s a home in a very poor neighborhood for street kids. She presently houses 87 kids full-time. Sometimes she has many more. At night she goes out of her house to find them sleeping in awful places and brings them home. With only the help of a few teenage girls who live there she does this great work. It was there that we left all the extra socks, flip-flops, and toys. She asked us to say thank-you to all who had a part in God’s provision for her children. She took us to the roof of her home and showed us the view of the city and mountains God has blessed her with. Pray for Mama Carmen.