
Thursday brought our team to one of the city's red zones. Briefed for safety and potential "what if" scenarios, we didn't know quite what to expect. It certainly wasn't what we experienced. We found ourselves in an oasis in the proverbial desert. The word of the day at Casita Benjamin was precioso - the students, the staff, and the place were simply precious!
Casita is situated in a part of Guatemala city where violence is common place, and the staff has created a space of provision and protection for their students. A space that ministers to the heart, mind, body, and soul.
This was our youngest audience, and by far our most eager to participate. They sang, they danced, they laughed, they gasped. They took the death of Lazarus to heart. When children regularly come face to face with death before they reach kindergarten, the hope of the gospel and the power of the resurrection is surprisingly clear, even to the tiniest disciples. We saw the truth of John 1:5 at Casita, the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
Here, too, we served and we learned. We served lunch to the students and their teachers, and learned to speak and to play through language barriers. One sweet girl wanted to skip her bread and go straight to dessert. A well meaning friend reminded her, "¡Primero pan, luego galletas!" - first bread, then cookies! Upon arriving to her seat for the third time, as she diligently tried to finish her bread, her eyes pleaded with me for some assistance. Hearts can communicate even when language fails, and that bread went into the trash!
After several rounds of pato, pato, ganzo, much fun with the parachute, and games of tag, it was time for students to go home. As this sweet friend was leaving, she opened her apron pocket, beckoned me to bend down to see, and whispered in my ear "para mi mamá." She hadn't even opened her cookies; she wanted them to take home to her momma. Precioso.
We ended our time at Casita by serving and ministering to the hearts of teachers. These women are doing hard and holy work each and everyday, and it was a blessing to sit with them in a time of rest and encouragement. We brought each teacher a few simple gifts, and the time spent together was truly a gift for us.
As we prepare, and as we go, our greatest need is partners who will pray with us and provide financial support for the work that God is doing in Guatemala. If you are interested in being a co-laborer as we carry out the Great Commission, please visit our giving page.
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