Que onda?

This past week here in Guatemala has been a really rewarding week for me. This week I took a few risks for Jesus and God honored them which was amazing. On Thursday I asked the group of missionaries here if they would want to meet to pray that afternoon. All but one said no because they wanted to go to Antigua to use the Internet. That same afternoon, though, I ate lunch with my host mother and I asked her what she was planning on doing that afternoon. She needed to go into Guatemala City, which is about an hour bus ride away, to buy some new shirts and gifts for the store that is in our house. When she asked me my plans and I said I didn’t have any, she asked me to go with her. I hesitated for a moment and then said YES! We spent the entire afternoon together shopping for clothes and shoes, which if you know me at all you know is my least favorite pastime, but it was really fun. On the bus ride home, we weren’t able to sit together because there were so many people on the bus. She sat directly in front of me and I decided to pray. As I was praying I had an overwhelming feeling of God’s love for her. He knows her intimately and personally. He knows all of her struggles and pains and hardships. He knows every thought that crosses her mind and he loves her infinitely more than anyone else. I was blown away. Then I applied that love that I know God has for this woman to all of the people on the bus. He loves them all intimately and perfectly. I was so encouraged. I want to have that same love and passion for all of these people. I hope that I will get closer everyday to seeing them as Christ does - through eyes of love. That night we had a dance practice and so I spoke Spanish almost allllll day long. It was really hard and fun. Needless to say, in school the next day my Spanish was rolling a lot better than normal.

The next day, I tried again to get the missionaries here together for prayer - this time they said yes. That morning I prayed that the time of prayer would be completely of the Lord and that my plans for it and what I wanted it to be wouldn’t get in the way. When it came time for the prayer time I was in my house still talking to my host mother after eating lunch together. I ended up being 40 minutes late to the meeting because my mother and I started talking about Christ! God did have a different plan for the prayer meeting and it didn’t include me ;). My mother and I talked for about 2 hours about why I decided to come to Guatemala and about her story with God. She told me that in the past she was very angry with God because her marriage wasn’t good (Romeo was living a double life) and because her grandmother died. She started crying as she told me these things and I could see the pain in her eyes. I shared with her that God always knows our needs and that he wants to provide. I shared with her what the Bible says about the rich young man who came before Jesus. If you want to read the story it is in Matthew 19 and Luke 18. In this instance, Jesus tells his disciples “no one who has left home or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God will fail to receive many times as much in this age and, in the age to come, eternal life.” I told her how I have left all of my friends and family but how God has provided family for me here through her and through her children. I told her that I won’t see my nephew for the next two years but God has provided Marco Alejandro for me to play with. God does not neglect our needs or our desires. I also shared with her what I had felt when I looked at her on the bus. That God loves her so much - she looked at me and smiled and said “why did you think that?” I told her that I was praying and I just realized how much he loves her and I told her that she is in His hands and He always sees her. She started to tear up again. This has been the most rewarding conversation I have had since I arrived here! Please keep praying for Damaris - that her heart would be open to the truth and that she wouldn’t let her preconceptions of evangelical Christians get in the way of a true acceptance of Christ. Please pray also for her marriage. Many times this week I have come home and she has looked as if she has been crying. I haven’t seen Romeo in about a week and Damaris says he is working. I want to believe that this is true but I am not convinced. Please pray for this family! This is a critical time for them. Please pray that they would want the joy of knowing Christ and that when the correct time comes to share I would have the words to speak. Please also pray for the Bible study which we are having tomorrow this week instead of Wednesday. I asked Damaris to come and she said she will but I hope she follows through - Pray that God would keep reminding her of this.

I know that this has been a long update but I hope it will spur you to pray with me for these people and specifically for this family! Thank you so much for all of your prayers they are so appreciated and they are felt! Please continue to let me know how I can be praying for you as well :)

Sincerely,

Raquelita

P.s. I am attaching some videos of our dance practices! Hopefully this will give you an idea of the fun I am having getting to be apart of this family's life! The first video is of Marco Alejandro Dancing and showing off. The 2nd is of me teaching my family the Cupid Shuffle. The 3rd is my family dancing my favorite dance for the festival - those girls can move!