Our Day in the Village

We just returned from an incredible day in a remote village outside of San Lucas. We served alongside Anita Giagnocavo through her ministry with Hands of Hope. Anita is a nurse and her family runs a little community clinic in a very poor area (which receives no government support). Throughout the day she and her staff provided medical and dental help to the community. We watched Anita serve these families with a contagious amount of joy, laughter and love. Anita treated one little boy with a temperature of 105 degrees! While Anita and her staff ran the clinic, our team built beds and treated children with lice.

After constructing 5 beds, our team delivered the beds to 4 different homes in the community. In order to qualify for the beds, the women had to complete a "home study" and participate in 13 hours of community service. We were really touched by this unique ministry which is meeting a very specific need. A local doctor (who serves at the clinic) told us that 95% of the people in this area sleep on their dirt floors. It was indescribable to see the pride, joy and excitement on these womens' faces as we carried beds into their homes (sometimes through treacherous jungle paths or down steep embankments). Their homes were very humble and yet the children laughed and played in their yards (without any toys) and the grateful spirits of each family were unforgettable.

We were blessed to serve alongside another short-term missionary as well as a local Guatemalan volunteer. Each had their stories of how God called them to minister and serve the beautiful Guatemalan people. I was captivated by the bright colors of the villager's native clothing. The children were absolutely gorgeous and I took way too many photos!

We are having a short rest, then heading to dinner with Art and Lisa.

Thank you for your prayers! There is much more to come as we head to the Casa Bernabe orphanage tomorrow...

Jenni for the team

(P.S... Mike, I used a drill today for the first time! You would have been so proud!)