God is so good to me. He gives me the desires of my heart even though I don't deserve them. I am returning to San Andrés and to Hogar de Vida again this summer. I leave this Saturday (eek!) and I'll be gone until August 20th (one day before my 21st birthday!). Please pray for safe travel and against any kind of sickness for those on our team. I'm going to try to be better about updating my blog while at the home this time. We'll so how that goes :)
Here's part of a letter I wrote to friends and family that explains what I'll be doing while I'm down there this time.
"I’m
very excited to be writing this letter to all of you to tell you that I have
been given the opportunity to travel back to Guatemala this summer! Ever since
my first trip to San Andrés
in 2007, Guatemala has been in my heart. I absolutely cherish every minute that
I get to spend there. As some of you may know, I was able to go to Guatemala
for an extended trip this past summer to study Spanish and to spend time
serving in children’s homes and clinics. It was an amazing experience and God
really used it to show me a glimpse of what He wants for my future. I really
feel called to work in missions work in some capacity and I believe that God is
using each of these opportunities, past and present, to prepare me for whatever
He will have me to do in the future.
There
is a group of high school students from my church that is going to San Andrés,
Guatemala this summer. I was asked to be a leader on this trip and I couldn’t
be happier. The group is made up of 19 of us that will be going in July for a
ten day trip to work alongside missionaries, Norm
and Vickie Sutton, at a children’s home called Hogar de Vida (Home of Life).
This orphanage is home to 30 children from babies on up through 19 years of
age. While in Guatemala, we will be staying at the home, doing work projects,
serving in the villages and churches of San Andrés and ministering to the kids
and staff of Hogar de Vida.
After
this ten day trip, I will be staying in Guatemala for a little while longer. I
will be staying at the home and working alongside the staff helping out with
everyday tasks such as cooking and doing laundry and I will also be helping the
missionaries host another team that is coming after ours leaves. I will also
have the opportunity to work with the Fickers, who are a missionary family that
runs medical clinics in poor villages and towns throughout this region of
Guatemala. I’m excited to get to use the nursing skills that I have been
learning in school to help them with their ministry!"
