I don’t know what I was expecting from a mission trip to Guatemala, but the experience went above and beyond my expectations. The trip was a blend of tourism and volunteer work. Swimming in the Pacific, hiking a volcano, walking the cobblestone streets of Antigua, and watching the explosions of fireworks were incredible memories that will take years to forget.
In my opinion, the most exciting activity was battling the waves of the Pacific. Growing up in the Midwest, I’ve only been to the West coast once in my lifetime; so naturally, revisiting the endless expanse of water was a lot of fun for me. Furthermore, the near triple-digit temperature was an extreme contrast to the negative temperatures back home. The icing on the cake were the impressive Pacific waves, which tossed me around for hours.
Although the adventures were a highlight, the true purpose of the trip was to serve the community near Antiqua. Most residents lived in houses of steel sheets and dirt floors. Oftentimes, several families had to share an area much smaller than the footprint of my home. One mother told us that she used to work for ten hours in a coffee field for the equivalent of seven dollars. This amount of destitution was a bit of a shock for me. The experience not only gave me a sense of realism for the less-fortunate, but it inspired me to take God’s call to “help the poor” more seriously.
I had the privilege to help bless the community by setting up stoves, distributing water filters, giving food baskets, providing Bibles, and enjoying their company. Although one may expect the locals to be disdainful of our wealth, the opposite was true. They treated us like we were their guests. Oftentimes they would give us a meal or a snack, always with a friendly face. They would gladly talk with us and thank us for our mission work. The locals showed me how to stay optimistic no matter where I am in life.
Guatemala taught me many things, how to stay optimistic in Christ, the importance of giving, and how much I take for granted; but perhaps the most important lesson I learned on this mission trip was how fulfilling and fun serving the Kingdom can be. Working in missions can appear daunting and sacrificial; and although it can be those things, it also blesses the giver in unexpected ways.