At this time of year, there always seems to be lots of goodbyes, as various Striders finish their placements and head home -- sometimes with desires to come back, other times with a clearer idea of what God is calling them to do back home, but always having learnt from the experience - the highs and the lows.
But it's always really encouraging for me to see the projects that they have worked with. This week I visited Kathrin in her placement, Fuerza de los Fragiles (Strength of the Weak), a group of young adults with special needs. I first went to visit the group before arranging the placement 9 months ago, and chatted with the young people. One girl has an amazing ability to remember people's birthdays -- and sure enough some months later several members of the group called me to wish me a happy birthday! I remember the excitement that they had thinking about Kathrin, a physiotherapist, working with them. In their proposal form, the coordinator wrote...
"I think that to receive Kathrin is an answer to the young people's prayers. They have prayed that God would send people who could work with the ministry. After 9 years, we only have 2 volunteers who can only give minimal time to help in the ministry. So to have Kathrin work with us is more than a great gift from God for a fragile community in Guatemala. The experience of this young woman is more than useful to the ministry, and I'm sure that she will open a new stage of the ministry. A stage of great and good harvest for the ministry with people with special needs in the church.
We are already grateful because we are sure that God heard the cry of the fragile young people of Guatemala and that Kathrin heard God's voice and was obedient to that call."
Now - coming to the end of Kathrin's placement, it was touching to see how she has been accepted and become a part of this small and marginalised community in Guatemala. Through this time, she has not only been able to work directly with the young people, but 2 new local volunteers have come on board and she has also been able to use her experience to set up procedures which will help the ministry to continue some of her work.
It's just great to see someone doing work that they love, in a place that really needs it!
