The rain has subsided and I hear the gentle chirping of a bird outside my window.  The sudden peacefulness turns to questioning.  What is it like for those in the villages just miles from my home, living in adobe huts with dirt floors?    Three weeks ago, Guatemala was struck with three natural disasters in almost the same number of days.  Two small earthquakes preceded the eruption of the volcano Pacaya, spewing six inches of soot in a 100 mile radius closing all flights in and out of Guatemala City for almost a week.  If that were not enough, two days later, the first hurricane of the season dropped twenty to thirty inches of rain over the nation.  At last count 139 people are dead, many are still missing, and many more have lost their homes and crops.  A local said, “Guatemala has seen better days.”  More life loss is possible, with rainy season just starting.  Please pray for the people of Guatemala and wisdom as we serve during this time.

Just this past week we had a team in from Michigan.  They spent two days working alongside the locals, clearing large sections of mud out of their homes and school.  The impact and appreciation of the community was unlike any seen in the past.  In fact, the community worked and helped one another regardless of religious differences.  We hope this is just the beginning of things to come as more teams come in over the next weeks and months.

While the team was in the village, I was settling into my new role here.  I opened up a bank account and started working in the clinic.  I called the nineteen students from the first training in January and invited them to our second training beginning June 21^st.   Many, if not all, will be coming back.  I can’t wait to see what God does.  God is continuing to work in and through our therapy program.  Just this week I was working with a man who severed his spinal cord, leaving him paralyzed in both legs.  I had come in while the family was moving him from the wheelchair to the mat and was horrified to see them simply lifting him by the seat of his pants.  I started talking to them and showing them how he could learn to move himself from the chair to the mat by using his arms.  The man was horrified!  Over the next couple of weeks, as we work together, I think both our fears will be removed as he learns how to do these transfers safely and with less help from his family.  I’ll let you know how it goes.

Tomorrow we’ll be heading out to another village with another team.  Part of the team will be helping in repairing damaged houses and the rest of will be holding a medical clinic.  It’ll be my first experience out in the villages as part of such a team.  I can’t wait!