In the World: Yes. Of the World: Never!

I can honestly say that this week has been the most exhausting of all, so far.  I ALMOST stayed home from ministry several times, because I didn’t think my body would be able to withstand the pressures, both physically and mentally.  But, this week was also one of the most rewarding.  We did prostitute ministry 3 different times this week.  I’d like to share a story of how the Lord used ME…

On Saturday, June 25, we had planned to go out at 8:00 pm for prostitute ministry.  Unfortunately, two of our girls were rushed to the hospital, and we didn’t know if we would be able to go anymore.  The rest of our team spent quite a long time in prayer, and really felt that we needed to go out that night, despite the lateness.  Each time we do prostitute ministry, there is a very distinct darkness that we can literally feel.  This time, though, there was a different feeling.  I knew that something was going to happen that night, and that it was critical that I go.  I prayed and prayed and prayed for courage in whatever the Lord was leading me into, and then, ran full force into that darkness.

The first bar we came to, we were unable to get inside.  So, we walked next door and prayed for someone.  At that very moment, several police trucks came rolling in and raided the bar that we had literally JUST tried to enter.  We realized that none of us had proof that we were 18 years old, and that the LORD protected us from that raid.  (This actually happened twice that night!!!)  Anyways, this was the second time that we had gone out to do prostitute ministry, and we had already met several people the first time.  Because we had gone out at a later time, there were many women that were already “working”… But, God had a plan for that.  We came across a man named Oscar, whom my group had met the last time.  This man speaks English very well, and quickly asked our ministry contact to talk to him about God.  He was frantically asking questions about God, but nothing our contact spoke to him seemed to get through.  I was eavesdropping on the conversation and I had a huge urge to just talk to him.  Oscar talked about how he felt that God didn’t love him, and at that point I just couldn’t stay quiet.  I opened my mouth and words came flooding.  I shared a part of my testimony and Oscar really seemed to relate to me.  He admitted that he was drunk at that moment (as if we couldn’t already tell) and that he was drunk 6 out of 7 days each week.  He lived in the bar because he was homeless, but he was hungry for the love of the Father.  I told him that God DOES love him and I was able to pray over him (in my own language that he could understand!!! – Big blessing)… Oscar had a huge potential to be a violent man that night… He was drunk… He was frustrated… and He was angry.  But, fear left me.  The Lord granted me the courage that I had prayed for.

Typically we bring flowers for the prostitutes… But that night we had baked some cookies.  It was another big blessing because that night we talked to more men than we did women!  And what man wants a flower? Haha It was an eye-opener to see that the “prostitute ministry” is a two way street: men and women need to be ministered to.

We spoke to many different men that night, and we were able to bless a lot of lives.  We also met a man named Harry who KNEW that God was keeping him from getting into any of the clubs or bars that night… He was just looking for a little “fun” and something prevented his entry into every place he went.  He saw us across the street, and ran over to talk to us.  He wants to transform his life, and if you could have only seen the joy on his face after realizing that he didn’t NEED to live that way… Oh wow.  It was a blessing just to be a part of that night.

We went out twice after that this week… But during the day!  Apparently a great deal of the girls live in the bars (a sign of trafficking) so we went when they weren’t “working” yet.  It was a chance to really dig into their stories and get to talk with them without the men, loud music, drugs, and alcohol.

We also saw Oscar… NOT DRUNK (yet, at least)… He was walking to the hospital because his ear had been infected and he couldn’t hear.  We prayed over him, but I didn’t get a chance to talk to him very much.  It is interesting to me, though, that his ears were giving him trouble… As he is having a hard time hearing from God.  (I’ve had the EXACT same issue on this very trip!)  I think the Lord has big plans for Oscar… Pray that he will open his heart to the words I have to say to him in future encounters, and to the love that God wants to pour all over him.

God’s using me.  He’s giving me a voice.  And he’s USING that voice for HIS glory.  I’m so blessed to be an instrument in furthering His Kingdom!!!

Culture Shock/ Interesting Facts About Guatemala:

• ·         Beans and Rice… AT LEAST twice a day
• ·         Hot Sugary Rice/Milk for breakfast
• ·         Warm Milk for Cereal
• ·         Toilet Paper Makes Toilets Explode.  Used TP goes in the trash can.
• ·         Laundry in the Pila, then hang dry (And hope you don’t get caught in a storm)
• ·         No AC
• ·         McDonalds has REAL food
• ·         Rain. Everyday.
• ·         Power Outage. Everyday.
• ·         Tap Water = Parasites.
• ·         Electricity is 10 times as expensive as in the USA
• ·         Clothes are spandex… Modesty is NOT their policy.
• ·         Motos and Taxis.
• ·         Honking, Hissing, and Whistling is TOTALLY ACCEPTABLE and IMPOSSIBLE TO ESCAPE. Gross.
• ·         Sweeping/ Mopping at least 3 times a day.
• ·         Eggs for dinner (with rice and bean mush of course)
• ·         HUMID. A constant state of sweat.
• ·         World starts at 5 AM. Loudly. (Did I mention the honking? Haha)
• ·         Kindness.  Legitimately serving others.
• ·         Wild Road Skills. Who cares if you drive on the left side of the road?
• ·         Ormegas. (Ants) – They eat me. A lot. Especially in bed.
• ·         Cold Showers. (But, who really cares? It’s SO dang hot here…)
• ·         Fresh Fruit! YUM! – All Chiquita bananas come from here! J
• ·         Water is NEVER a guarantee.
• ·         Shower pressure = a few drops at a time… Very slowly.
• ·         A pound of bananas = 1Q;  1Q= approximately 14 cents USD.
• ·         Brooms are all purpose.  Use them to sweep, then put a rag over it, and it’s a mop.  Transport it to the bathroom and it’s a shower scrubber.

Out of the ashes we rise...

This week was a very trying and emotional one.  Our ministries were very difficult, but so very rewarding!  On Friday night, we went and did prostitute ministry.  I had never been around anything like that, and honestly I’ve only ever heard stories about the things that I saw.  Walking into bars and clubs was definitely new to me, but in I went.  The women there had an heir about them that I had never experienced before.  Aside from their dress and attitude, I could see a sadness in their faces.  They didn’t WANT to be there… They didn’t WANT to sell their bodies.  They felt as though there was no hope.  Some of them were less than 17, prostituting themselves because they were essentially sex trafficked by their own parents!  Some parents will tell their young daughters that they need them to make money and that they have no other choice.  It’s a sad life.  It’s a life that makes them feel worthless.  We brought each of them a flower, telling them that the flower was beautiful and that they were beautiful.  We tried to convey that the Lord loves them, and that they can find their identity in HIM and not in the men that use and abuse them.

We also visited a dump this week.  It was a very powerful ministry for me personally.  This is where all of the trash from around the area is emptied.  And there are children and families that LIVE in it!  They spend all day in the garbage, rumaging through trash, looking for anything that they can sell to buy food.  The stench of the dump was one that I have never experienced before… Imagine thousands of pounds of trash.  Imagine this trash burning all around you.  Imagine millions of flies and bugs.  Imagine dead carcasses and bones lying all around.  And imagine living in that.  There was a young girl, 17 years old, who is pregnant…. My heart definitely went out to her.  In a few short months she’ll be bringing a baby into this world… A baby that will grow up in trash.  Literally in trash.  A baby that will have no chance at a prosperous future.  A baby that deserves better, but has no choice in the matter.  This young girl needs help!  So a teammate, Nina, and I have decided to try do just that.  We want to get this girl to a doctor, buy her prenatal vitamins, and just try to make the pregnancy as good as possible under the circumstances.  Please pray for her, and for her unborn child.  There’s slim chance that they will ever leave the dump, but prayer is something that changes things.

Emotionally, this week has been very draining.  Seeing such sad and inhumane situations truly affected me… But, knowing that the Lord has a plan has certainly helped me.  While I’m here, I want to help those that are in such terrible circumstances, and maybe with just a small stretch of time, I’ll be able to change a life.

This precious face lives in the Dump.

EVERYWHERE you look.  Pictures  don't do it justice.

Ministry :)

Well this gringa is definitely a sight here in Guatemala!  With my blonde hair, and pale/freckly skin I’m already on show… But it’s like they’ve never seen blue eyes before!  People just come up and stare, it’s hilarious!  (It did help me sell raffle tickets, as well as picking up a few 9 year old boyfriends! Haha) My team was even on the news!!!!

This week has been exhausting, in all honesty.  Constantly doing ministry is something that I’m psyched about, but I didn’t expect it to be so tiring!  Thursdays are my free days, so it’s time to relax and just do stuff that I want to do… Today 5 of my friends met up with a couple of native Guatemalan friends that took us on a LOOOOOONG hike up to an awesome spring!  The cold water was well worth it, but I haven’t ever walked STRAIGHT UP like that .  It was a seriously intense hike, but definitely a memory!  But, before we can have our day off, we have a full week of ministering to the people of Guatemala.

Sunday we went up into the jungle for a church service that we led for the children.  Before it we went door to door to invite people… The folks here are so generous!  At one house (a shack really) we were given an entire bushel of bananas, sugar cane, and mangos!  Another family cut down about 30 coconuts (which are marvelous)… These people have nothing, and yet they give everything!  It’s a trait I wish that the entire world shared…

Yesterday we did a presentation in the school for kids, then we went to the market to sell raffle tickets for a woman who was wrongly accused of robbing a bank, yet still has a huge fine to pay.  After that we went back to the school for another presentation (with different kids:  the school system here is weird)  We also spent some time this week in a children’s hospital and an old folks home.

Exhausting as it’s been, I love it here.  I may be sporting my first Guatemalan sunburn, but I’m so glad to be doing the work of the Lord.  J

The Start of the Guatemalan Adventure

Yesterday we did a prayer walk, and then split up and did some house visits.  It was really good to get to invest into actual relationships with the people of our community… My group saw a woman outside washing her clothes on the pilla, and we offered to help.  She was so confused/ecstatic that we wanted to do her laundry… So, she and her daughter taught us how, and I played with the three little boys.  The house was filled with laughter the entire time… Even with the little Spanish I know, I was able to have a great time with the children.  The women were so kind and even offered us a drink as we were leaving… We asked if we could pray over them and the mother agreed, as the daughter was a bit more sheepish.  As we prayed, the daughter grabbed my hand which was outstretched towards her.  It felt good, until one girl (the daughter of the pastor we are working with here) told us that those women were witches!  She had seen some pictures and writings on their walls, that we Americans didn’t even notice.  After a great deal of deliberation we decided that they may have just been superstitious because they allowed us to pray over them… But, it’s still very interesting to realize that the darkness is indeed here, and indeed real.  Keep us in your prayers because this is a dark world and there is a great deal of witchcraft here… It’s a stronghold for many people in this area, so pray for their freedom as well!

One of the other groups had a very awesome experience that I’d like to share…  They visited a woman who had severe back problems to the point that she was unable to walk.  They prayed over her, and after they had left, they turned and saw that she had walked to the door and was waving goodbye!  The Lord has healed her!!!  Another group also brought someone to Christ yesterday!  We’ve not even been here for a week, y’all!  God’s got amazing things in store, for sure!

We also have gone to an orphanage twice so far… It only has 5 children in it at the moment because all of the “able-bodied” kids were kicked out.  The five kids there have special needs.  One girl is deaf and mute, another has similar characteristics to down syndrome, another is 15 years old and has had 2 heart attacks, and another has severe mental retardation and must be tied down to his bed at night.  These kids have no one to take care of them, except a woman who comes to feed them food (which she begs for in the market)… They sleep in the building alone, and are essentially left to fend for themselves.  I would like to put up pictures, but my camera is not with me currently.  Maybe next week I’ll add some to show you their precious faces… They need food, yes.  But, most of all, they need love.  Pray that they come to realize the love of God, through our love toward them.

I’d love to tell more but, at this point the Internet is very sparse… I have an Internet/ communication day on each Thursday from now on, and that’s it.

I’m thinking of you guys back home, and I pray that you’re all safe and sound.  :D

Love,

Tabitha

Preparing For Battle

4 DAYS. That's all it's been?!?
After being dropped off at the airport, all of the mission trip participants (approximately 200 students are traveling all over the world!!!) were bussed to a training camp in the deep woods of Tennessee.  Even in the short time that we spent there, I can honestly say that I am already feeling a change!  What an awesome experience!  My team is comprised of 13 wonderful young women, along with 2 inspirational leaders, and after only a few hours together, the bonds began to form.  The LORD has divinely developed our team, and we get along so well-- We're going to storm the gates of Hell with the power that the LORD has gifted us with!
We're leaving today... I'm actually currently in the airport in Atlanta.  When we set foot on the soil of Guatemala, we will declare that Satan has no power over us.  We're planning to take shifts to pray from the time we leave until we actually land in Guatemala.  The spiritual maturity of our team excites me to the highest degree, and I'm expecting HUGE things to happen.  Miricles, even!
So, with lots of bonding time, including a campout with only 3 items (they took all of our luggage away the first night we were there!! That was interesting haha), painting a beautiful canvas, praying often, and simply becoming intimate with one another in our walks, this team has proven that its sights are on God, and that we will transform the country of Guatemala.
I expect only to grow closer to these girls over the next two months, as we eat rice and beans, shower in a bucket every 4 or 5 days, sweat like crazy, live in tight quarters (like the 21 girls in a cabin the size of my bedroom back home! Crazy times...), hear from God, and pursue His plan!  The camp has been so important for the unity of our team, and I'm excited to see what lays ahead!


One final note: I can't receive mail in Guatemala, so I'm sorry to those who asked for my address... But, you can always email/ Facebook/ blogstalk me. :)

3 Days Away!

I’ve never blogged before…Honestly, I never thought my life was interesting enough for people to want to read all about it.  (However, contemplating the idea, I realize that it would be quite humorous for anyone to read about the nonsense that goes on in my head… Boy, do I have an imagination!)  Anyways… I’m supposed to start a blog for my trip to Guatemala.  So, I’ll do my best to keep things interesting, and I’ll write as often as I can!  I’ll also try to be real, honest, and open about my experiences and thoughts.  I don’t want to put on a mask, especially when it comes to the work of the Lord!

I’m not sure how “connected” I’ll be while I’m down there… I’m under the impression that there will be Internet, but I don’t know how often or long I’ll be able to use it.  So to any family member or friend who’s asked me if I can Skype with them, I regretfully must answer with “I. Don’t. Know.”  I’d love to be able to communicate with everyone, but, like I said, the likelihood of my logging onto Skype, Facebook, or email could be slim (Or it could be a daily occurrence! Who knows?)

With that being said, I’d just like to start out by thanking everyone who made this trip possible!  So many people have supported me financially, and I have been incredibly blessed by each one of you.  Seriously!  I spent many a night in my room, almost in tears, after checking my trip balance and finding that you supported me!  Thanks for following the Lord’s call on YOUR hearts to help provide a way for me to follow His call on MY heart!  Also, thanks for the prayers, and keep them coming!  I’ve seen, first-hand, the impact that prayer can have on someone’s life, and I’m blessed to have so many people praying for me! :D

I suppose I should provide a little background information on my trip, just to get everyone up to speed.  In February, I started to consider going on a mission trip.  Several very close friends, including my sister, went on a weeklong trip to Nicaragua last year.  I was able to witness the absolutely incredible and miraculous change that this experience made in each of their lives.  Shortly after that time, I read a book by David Platt called “Radical.”  If you’ve read it, or know anything about it, it certainly makes a strong case for going out into all of the nations, and making disciples of Christ.  So, naturally, I began thinking about my options and researching different opportunities for that call on my life.  What kept coming up was a website for the organization “Adventures in Missions”; with that came a list of mission trips for college students… lasting two whole months!

But, I started to doubt that this was the voice of the Lord.  For those of you that don’t know me very well, I am a worry wart.  I typically think things through, and I make logical/fact-based decisions after a deep PRO/CON deliberation within myself.  I didn’t want to jump right into something that I was configuring in my own mind… But, I also didn’t want to miss out on something that the Lord really was calling me to do.  It’s difficult for me to put into words, just how confusing of a time this was for me.  I wrestled with the PROS and CONS for weeks.  The CONS just kept pulling at me, and making it harder and harder for me to decide what to do.  I really needed to spend my summer working, so that I would have some money to help pay for college (I REALLLLY did not want to take out more loans than I already had to) and I was afraid that if I didn’t work, I wouldn’t be able to afford school.  I also felt called to be a prayer leader at my college in the Fall, so nothing seemed to make sense.

I began to pray and fast, asking the Lord to show me signs of what He wanted me to do.  That next Sunday, I went to church early and just sat and prayed.  At that moment, I was specifically praying for someone to talk to that would help me understand my situation.  I felt a hand on my back, and a woman leaned over and sat beside me.  She said, “Hi! I know you don’t know me, but… I feel like God told me to come and talk to you.”  “That was quick!” I thought. 

Cheryl, the woman’s name, listened to my predicament and then asked me to join a ladies Bible study.  I was a little bit sheepish, but agreed to attend the Tuesday morning group, which just so happened to work with my class schedule.  After arriving at the study the first week, I was placed at Cheryl’s table (a divine work of the Lord) and began to engage in Pricilla Shirer’s study on “Jonah: Navigating a Life Interrupted.”  My life was being interrupted.  I was just like Jonah! But, I didn’t want to run AWAY from God…I just wanted to be sure of what He wanted from me…

Over the next few weeks, I was able to grow in my knowledge of Christ, discover what He wanted from me, and fellowship with other women (some more than twice my age…)  The awesome thing was that they didn’t look down on me for only being 18 years old!  I felt incredibly comfortable with sharing my struggles with them, and they did the same.  Although I couldn’t necessarily relate to many of the issues that prodded them (marriage, children, etc), I was able to learn from their lives and because of the openness we shared, my life was so fully enriched.

So after deciding that I would go on a two-month long mission trip to Guatemala, I had to raise the money.  Because I had signed up so late, I had to raise approximately $3,000 in a matter of weeks.  The Devil consistently told me that it was impossible, and that I shouldn’t even try.  But, I trusted the Lord to provide.  I only had one melt-down during the entire time (which is good for me! Haha) when I had my passport expedited, just before the government was supposed to shut down.  It was supposed to take approximately 2-3 weeks for me to get it, and with the government going crazy, I thought I’d never get it!  One week.  That’s all it took.  1 week and my passport was in.  The Lord is SOOO faithful, and my fears are always so ridiculous.

So here I am… 3 days away from embarking on a trip that will probably transform my entire thought process.  And it’s pretty surreal.  I almost can’t believe that it’s really happening.  But, it is!  And… I’m so overwhelmed with emotions.  I’m excited, happy, sad, and scared (terrified really), all at once!  Guatemala has a pretty high crime rate, and I’ll be in a group of all girls.  So, I’m not sure exactly how “safe and sound” I’ll actually be.  But, the Lord is my PROTECTOR when I am not comfortable.  He’s my HEALER when I’m hurt, and my STRENGTH when I am weak.  He’s my GUIDE when I’m unsure of my next move, and despite my fears of crime, natural disasters, getting lost, or even just being homesick, I know that I’ve been called on this trip for a reason.  I’m soooo excited to see the LORD’s plans unfold and to be used as an instrument in furthering the Kingdom of God!

So, be in prayer for my trip, for my safety, the safety of the others on my team, open hearts of the Guatemalan people, and for an incredibly intimate time of growth and fellowship with our Savior.

Love,

Tabitha

P.S.  I doubt I'll be writing this much in a blog ever again...