Guatemala is a country that is ransacked by poverty and malnutrition. They have the highest undernutrition rate in Latin America and Caribbean, and are ranked fourth in the world when it comes to undernutrition. The problem is worse in indigenous areas and throughout rural regions, where malnutrition reaches up to 70%. In a land of recurring floods, droughts, low sanitation and low education levels, Guatemala is in need of assistance. We will be living in the eastern highlands of Zacapa, serving the families of “Corredor Seco”, infamously known as the Dry Corridor.
You can read more about the disparity in Guatemala HERE.
While in Guatemala, our two main goals will be healthcare and cooking/nutrition.
Whitney works as a nurse at St. Luke’s – providing medical care to malnourished children and babies as well as education and Bible studies for their mamás. Time is spent about 50% in the mountain rural villages, and 50% on site. The work is physically exhausting, emotionally draining, and yet the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done.
Bryan is the type of person who has many talents. He has worked managing the kitchens on site, preparing meals for up to 300 people at one time! He has taught English classes in the school, and also leads the worship team at a small Guatemalan church we attend. He also uses his culinary arts management degree to develop menus that are cost effective and nutritionally adequate at the various kitchens on campus.
Every day has a tendency to look different from the last. From the beginning, we have been intentional to serve where we are most needed but also where we feel called. Hope of Life is an enormous organization and can be easy to be pulled in many different directions. Wherever we are found serving for the day, we trust The Lord will use us to our fullest extent. Most days are exhausting, hot, dirty, and exactly what makes our hearts the fullest.