Comings and Goings (Or "I love Striders")

In the last couple of weeks, there´s been a few Striders coming and going. Murielle, completed her year in Guatemala, and it felt like a privelege to be invited to a few of her many despedidas (farewell parties).

 In her project, she had befriended and supported so many children, and got completely involved in all the aspects of the project including checking children´s hair for lice! Her co-workers couldn´t speak more highly of her and her ability to serve. She´ll be much missed. For me too, it has been great to see how she has responded to the many challenges she´s faced whilst she´s been here by seeking God´s guidance and faithfulness, and she has really grown in the process.

And then, a new Strider arrived, so I´ve been sharing a local orientation with Simone. In between questions about security and what she´s going to be doing here, we managed a quick trip to Lake Atitlan. And as it´s holy week, not many of the regular buses were running - so she caught her first glimpses of the lake from the back of a pick-up  -- definitely the best way to see Guatemalan scenery! 

And whilst some are at the very end of their Stride placement, and others at the very beginning, there´s also a few in the middle of it. For all Striders, I think there are moments of revelation or achievement or breakthrough. But inbetween those moments, there can also be long periods of challenge, or loneliness. Times of disorientation in a strange culture, times of ill- health, times of huge frustration of not being able to express yourself in the way you want to, times of wondering if you should really eat what´s been put in front of you, times of disappointment with church politics, times of confusion, times of annoyance. It´s often through those times that God is very real. I guess it´s been said by others much better than I can say it - but it´s often through our struggles that God meets us most powerfully or most significantly.

I love being a part of people´s lives at those times. Not because I like to see people suffer (although some striders might dispute that!) - but because I love to see people find a bit more of God in those moments, and a bit more of themselves in the process. 

 So recently it´s been great to see a Strider step out of her comfort zone to do something that she finds really difficult. Or another one who keeps plodding on with her language classes, knowing that it´ll all be worth it in the end! Or to see another Strider come through yet another trip to hospital - but still have such enthusiasm to serve his project and church. Which leads me to the conclusion... 

I love Striders.

New Arrivals

 This week I welcomed a Spring Step team to Guatemala. They will be here for 4 months - working in 2 different projects of 2 months each. After staying one night with me, I went with them to their project in a small village in the department of Sololá. They were given a great welcome by the church there, who helped them get settled and work out how to flush toilets when you only have running water from 6am - 8am every day and all the other essential practical things.

 The following day, after a mamoth shopping trip, they got involved in the children´s club. Over 200 kids come to the club 2 afternoons a week and are divided into different groups - so all the team were needed to help out.

 All the team introducing themselves in Spanish.

 Georgia and Lauren help with outdoor games.

 Everyone wants to know Emma´s name.

 Ellie helps with measuring.

 David impressed all the boys with his paper aeroplane making skills.

 Chantel getting stuck in with another game.

 Not a bad view to wake up to!.

Then they started work helping with the construction project at the church.

I always love being involved with Step teams - and this group are no different -- all of them have come with a real excitment of what God is going to do in and through them during this time away from home. And I know that they won´t be disappointed. It´s great to see people taking on new and challenging roles in the team and in their project  - and learning to trust God that he will equip and sustain them.

Spring in my garden

Zaragoza Inauguration

Today I had the privilege of representing the Step team that came to Zaragoza last summer. They had worked alongside an educational project in the town - who partnered with a local school to help children stay in education, and succeed. The team began a project to put a roof over the central courtyard of the school to protect the children from the sun and / or rain when we had various activities outside.

The project was finished a couple of months ago - but today we celebrated the official opening, along with the school headteacher, all the children,

the local mayor,

 the parents association,

  Rodolfo, representing, Educando Para la Vida,

 the local deputado

and me, representing Latin Link and the Step team.

 We even cut the ribbon. It seemed like they couldn´t quite decide who should do it, so everyone cut a bit and kept a piece of the ribbon!

 It´s so great to be able to be a part of something, where so many different people and organisations are playing a part, offering their efforts, time and resources for the benefit of the community.