First Days in the Field

We have been so busy lately and loving it. We were greeted our first evening here with a gift and some delicious Guatemalan food. We felt welcomed right away. We have been going to different communities almost everyday to see the different projects, and have begun building relationships while just shadowing other employees. And before we do much else, we have to learn a little more Spanish.

I (Kallie) have been going on quite a few home visits. My fellow employee, Mary Elena meets with the mother and talks to her about malnutrition and what she can do to help her children grow and develop into the person God created them to be. She says, God creates a seed but in order for that seed to grow into a huge corn stalk it needs to be taken care of, and likewise we need to take care of our children as best as we can. Mary then talks about the importance of wearing shoes so that parasites can`t enter and how washing hands can prevent diarhea. During this time the mother seems slightly preoccupied tending to her children or adjusting the wood in the fire, but when it is time to pray I can see that she isn´t aloof or uninterested. We pray with the mother for her children and that God would help them to grow. We pray for their future that they can learn and live the way God intended them to live. During this prayer the mother just sobs. It`s really hard to watch because she loves her children just like any mother does, but with dirt floors, mice infestation, chicken feces everywhere, not much food to eat, and unclean water it is really, really difficult to keep her children healthy.

Please join us in praying that these children will grow physically and spriritually as God desires.