Ants in my pants

My grandma always told me, “Whitney, if it were easy..  then EVERYBODY would be doing it.”  I love that, because it holds true to most things in life.  Sometimes the right thing to do isn’t the easy thing to do… but I believe it is in our difficult moments that God defines us and makes us stronger.

With each day that passes, we realize more and more how much we need to PRESS IN to The Lord.  Even in the difficult, I am constantly reminded of all that God has done to get us here.  When I feel overwhelmed, unqualified, and poorly equipped, I remember that God has called us here!  God could have used anyone, and certainly there are far better candidates than Bryan and myself, but he called US.  And I’m SO thankful that he called us HERE… sweet Guatemala… where the land is beautiful and the people are kind.  Guatemala… where the weather is perfect and snow doesn’t exist…  Guatemala… where we are fortunate to have hot, running water…  Guatemala… where our roommates are scorpions and today, I literally had ants in my pants (and shirt… and water bottle…) today at the hospital. (So maybe things aren’t *all* good here 😉 hahaha)

There are so many parts about Guatemala that remind me so much of home in Sugar Grove, WV.  As I was walking outside tonight, I looked into the crisp, starry sky and noticed the moon and realized that although we’re so far away, my family is at home in America under that same moon.  I know it might sound cheesy,  but in that moment, it made me feel somewhat closer to home.  Because the moon was the common denominator between here and there, it made the world feel a little smaller at the time, almost seeming to bridge the 5,000 mile gap.

The more I thought of this, my heart was burdened because I know that here in Guatemala, under that same moon, there are children left in the wilderness to die.  There are babies without food, families without homes, so many people who are physically and spiritually desperate for help.

The other week, a team of Hope Of Life employees and myself hiked into very steep mountains– into a small village of less than 10 families– where everyone in the village wears cleats because it is so mountainous with no roads and nothing more than a dangerously narrow, steep, dirt trail.  In this village, we found 27 year old Valentin, on a bed made of sticks and tattered sheets, being tended to by his mother.  He was incredibly sick, needed IV antibiotics and a surgery to repair a bladder fistula.  Thankfully, Valentin was able to make it back to the ministry and is receiving care.  Along with Valentin, we also brought back 8 other children from another village.

I’m finally getting more acclimated to my role here as a nurse.  I am blown away by all the hardworking hospital staff here– from doctors, to nurses, our nutritionist, phlebotomists, and pharmacist… to administrators, housekeeping, and nannies…  everyone works so hard.  The days can be hot, long, and exhausting… but we are seeing real life miracles!

We have been given so much support — financial support, prayers, people offering to send medical supplies, etc…  that we are truly humbled and in awe of your generosity!!!  As you can imagine, living and serving in a third world country is quite an adjustment… but what we’re doing and what the hospital is doing, is very heavily dependent on those who help us!

Romans 10:13-15 says “Everyone who calls on the name of The Lord will be saved. But how can they call on the one they had not believed in? And how can they believe in whom they have not heard?  And how can they hear without someone telling them?  And how can anyone tell them unless they are sent?  As it is written: ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!'”

We’re thankful that we are here because YOU have SENT us!  Not everyone is called to pack up and move to Guatemala…  moving here was not as big of a deal when you realize the literal hundreds of people it has taken to get us to where we are.  Just as Grandma said “If it were easy to do, EVERYONE would be doing it!”  So we thank you for doing what is NOT easy–  which is supporting us through your donations and prayers.

We are also happy to announce that we’re coming home for a short visit!!!!  Here are the tentative dates and where we’ll be:
March 3rd- fly in to Dulles
March 4th-7th – Fredericksburg/Culpeper area (with a quick pitstop in Charlottesville for ANM‘s Thrive Conference!)
March 8-11 – Sugar Grove
March 11-13 – Harrisonburg
March 14 – Hanging out with The Wards!!!! (also, happy birthday to my brother, Anthony!)
March 15-19 – Huntington
Then we leave from Huntington and fly out of Cincinnati super early on 3/21.

It may be difficult to see everyone that we want to on this trip, but we’ll certainly give it our best shot!

 

You are loved!

-Whitney