Guatemala-Tuesday

After clinic on Monday evening we ventured deep into the heavy vegetation of the Guatemalan mountains. Beside a corn field there was another ministry center I will call the remote ministry center. It belongs to a group of area churches. I thought it was unusual because it was “in the middle of nowhere” and it had an unexpected set-up with 2 pools and a large covered area. The covered area had a high ceiling and walls on 3 sides. On the fourth side there was no wall; it was simply open to the outdoor pool area. The temperature, the cots, and the sleeping bags were all very comfortable, but I wasn’t a big fan of sleeping in the open air in a malaria-risk area of Guatemala. But I am taking malaria medication, I practically showered in bug repellant, and I only got one bite (on my face!) so I think I will be just fine.

In the morning we awoke to bright sunshine and the sound of birdcalls that we had never heard before. Although it was 5:58 am I felt well-rested. After a peanut butter and jelly sandwich breakfast we had morning devotions at 7 am led by Dr. Hector and Geovani. Hector reminded us that God arranges our circumstances. He told us that people in the villages had been praying for medical care and that our team was truly an answer to their prayers.

I will interject here that the men and women on the staff of MMM are such kind and spiritually mature people, and I am so blessed to know them.

We were asked to provide a short devotional segment led by someone on our volunteer team. I was impressed that 15yo Haley volunteered. She told us about her work at a camp for children and teens with special needs. She had met a camper I will call Jimmy (not his real name). Her brother was assigned to be Jimmy’s buddy for the camp and assist him in any way needed. Jimmy had an interesting habit of giving Haley’s brother instructions such as, “Tell Jimmy to brush his teeth.” Then when her brother actually said, “Jimmy, go brush your teeth,” Jimmy would respond, “No, I’m not going to brush my teeth!” Haley related this to our relationship with God. Sometimes we may desire to read our Bible or pray, for example, and so we say to God, “Tell me to read my Bible.” But then when He nudges us toward our Bible, we frequently say, “No thanks.” She challenged us to be more responsive to the call and voice of God as he speaks to us through prayer and Bible reading. Haley also linked her devotional teaching to Jeremiah 29:11 which says, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you hope and a future.” This is the Bible verse Paul and I have inscribed on our wedding rings, so I appreciate being reminded of it.

Geovani then continued our devotional time with us discussing the first and second chapters of Luke. It was interesting to note that when Mary was told that she was to become pregnant while unmarried and give birth to the Messiah, she questioned the angel about it and got a response. However, when Zechariah questioned the angel after it was revealed that his “well advanced in years” wife Elizabeth would give birth, he was struck mute. We reflected on the difference in these two responses and we thought that the main difference was their attitude, which God and the angel could discern. I love the part where Mary says something like, “May it be to me as you have said.” I wish I responded to God like that!

We also discussed that Luke addressed the book to the “most excellent Theophilus”. We speculated on the meaning of the name. Someone speculated that “theo” might mean “theology” and “philis” could mean “to study”, so the name could possibly mean, “one who studies theology”. Based on my knowledge of the meaning of my husband’s middle name (Theodore) and the meaning of the city name Philadelphia, I thought maybe it meant “friend of God”. Geovani agreed and theorized that God planned for Luke to address both the book of Luke and Acts to a man named Theophilus to emphasize that the books were to all friends of God.

More on the clinic itself in the next post