Guatemala

It was late at night as we landed in Guatemala. We looked out the window hopeful and excited for what we would see. Would this city look like Juárez or Acuña? Would it feel like the México that we know? The lights on the ground illuminated the night sky and brought about the familiarity of Juárez. We tried to make out signs from the airplane but within a moment of landing the windows fogged completely from the outside. Immediately we knew that this was a completely different world.

Guatemala is a country of contradictions. Flying into Guatemala City it’s difficult to see beyond the downtown high rises and the neatly groomed streets. However as you move beyond the city, it becomes apparent that these pockets of modern luxury do not resemble the Guatemala that the majority of its residents know. The four lane streets quickly transform into barely two lanes. Flashy cars are replaced with tuk-tuks, (rickshaw type taxis) and motorcycles weave in and out. As we drove into the mountains the tourism of the city faded away and the indigenous Mayan culture became evident. Streets became adorned with women in their traditional dress wearing vibrant tops and skirts. They carried everything from baskets to groceries wrapped in cloths upon their heads.

The similarities to México begin and end with the Spanish language. The American culture that overflows into the Mexican border is not evident here. Most homes in the rural areas of Guatemala are made from wood and corrugated metal, block, or bamboo. Inside the homes women cook over pieces of firewood and straw mats lay on the floor as beds. The scenery that surrounded us outside couldn’t have been more different from our own. We saw hand-dug wells, women and children making wicks for fireworks, men with machetes harvesting corn, and tortillas being prepared on the side of the road.


As we walked throughout the neighborhoods of San Raimundo, we were met with wide-eyed stares. It was obvious that we were not a normal sight as we traveled the streets plotting points on our GPS, taking pictures and videos of the families, and jotting down their stories to bring home and share. This culture is not inundated with American mission teams coming to help like that of the U.S./México border. For these families in Guatemala, the idea of receiving a home as a gift, from foreigners hoping to share the love of Christ and provide for their needs, seems inconceivable.

We felt this same sentiment of hesitancy from the group of local pastors that we gathered together. However as we shared with them the mission of Casas por Cristo and our vision to serve within their communities, we watched this hesitancy disappear and become replaced by hopeful excitement. Throughout the meeting it became
obvious that worldly barriers were crumbling as the hope of Christ bridging nations, cultures, and denominations in the unity of His love filled the room. Moving forward, this partnership will provide an opportunity for ministry and outreach in these communities. These pastors are excited about the possibilities to share Christ in completely new ways with their neighbors.

We went to this country seeking opportunities to help. We have been met with open arms and people hopeful that we would return. We can’t get the pictures of these families out of our minds. We know their stories now, and they have become a part of ours. We want to surprise this community. We want to overwhelm them with the love of Christ and watch their stares of disbelief turn into overwhelming joy and belief in His glory. We want to live out the love of Christ to families that have never read a word of scripture for themselves. We want them to feel what they may never be able to read on paper. We want these children to grow up in homes that serve as tangible reminders of Christ’s love and provision every moment of their lives. We want the love of Christ to be so visible in their lives that despite all that is unknown, this is the one thing without question.