Lauren Learns About Guatemala

In late July and early August we were blessed by a visit from Lauren Chapman.  Her mom is a friend from my days as the Preschool Ministry Director at Westside Church, but I hadn't seen the family since the moved to Kansas City a number of years ago.

I was quite surprised, then, to receive an email from Lauren, asking if she could come work with us.  She just graduated from Truman University with a degree in Spanish, and has begun her masters there in teaching Spanish.  She wanted to practice her Spanish along with being of service, and her mom recommended us.  (Thanks, Michelle!)  I had not known Lauren very well at Westside (knew her little brother Caden, though, from walking the halls with him!) since she was older when I was in preschool, so I didn't quite know what to expect until she got here.  I knew her mom, though, and if Lauren was anything like Michelle, I knew she would be amazing.

Lauren with her Mom, Michelle

I was right.  Lauren took to Guatemala immediately.  She was so eager to learn everything she could about this country and its people, so that when she is teaching, she can share not only the language, but an appreciation for Hispanic people and their culture with her future students.

I believe, though, that Lauren got more from this trip than she was expecting.  We spent literally hours discussing faith, philosophy and life style.  We struggled with the differences between American and Guatemalan culture, and tried to discover, through them, what a truly Biblical lifestyle might look like.  It was like a three week mini-retreat for me, as I thought about the "deep" things of my ministry here in Guatemala.

Here Lauren is teaching Miguel and his little brother David
how to do card tricks

She spent time with our guys, challenging their view of God, and, interestingly enough, women.
(El machismo is still strong here in Guatemala, and our guys are not immune.  They have much more interest in what a woman looks like than what's inside her, and think nothing of ogling women on the street, or making inappropriate comments to each other about the women they see.  Lauren, given her age, her beauty, her competence in Spanish, and her love of Jesus, was the perfect person to address this.)  She talked freely with them about her faith, asking many questions about their own walks with God.

This is not the "active" type of mission service most come seeking.  Honestly, it's too challenging for most short-term missionaries to enjoy or have the confidence to try.  But this is greatly needed.  The ability to form a relationship with the local people quickly enough to earn the right to disciple them is critical to impacting this culture for Jesus.  Lauren was great at this.  Did anyone say a "sinner's prayer" with her?  No.  Did she help both believers and unbelievers move closer to Jesus?  Without a doubt.

Lauren did participate in the more active parts of our ministry, too.  The kids in Santa Maria loved her.  While she has trained to be a secondary school teacher, she has all the characteristics of a wonderful elementary teacher, too.  She can play a mean game of "Duck, Duck, Goose."

Lauren had never really been exposed to people with disabilities as she was growing up. I think the sheer numbers of disabled here were a shock to her.  If she was uncomfortable around people who looked or acted differently, she never showed it.  Her love for all those we met was apparent.  From talking with her, I think this might have impacted her personally more that what she learned about Guatemala.

Holding one of the babies at Hermano Pedro Hospital

We did some village visits while she was here, and she was at home with the people we visited almost as soon as she walked through the door.  (I don't think Lauren has ever met a stranger!)  She often took off on her own, visiting with the teens in whatever family we were visiting with a confidence that I seldom have seen in more "mature" people who come here.

The love the people we visited had for her, too, was obvious.  

When we visited Nueva Santa Rosa, she became fast friends with Walter and Wilmer's sisters.  They talked, sang, braided her hair and even gifted her with a stuffed animal when we were leaving.  She has friends for life in these two young women.

We may not think that a one time visit would have much of an impact on the families.  That's true, if all we do is drop off some food and say a quick prayer with them and move on to the next house.  But, when we take the time to really visit (sometimes a couple of hours or more), listen to their stories and share ours with them, just share ourselves with them, I know they never forget it.  I know this because many of our families ask about folks we have brought to visit, even years ago, and talk of them as friends, asking when they will be back.  This giving our self is much harder than building a house, or bringing gifts.  This giving, however, has lasting impact.

Lauren returned to the States almost a month ago.  There's not a day that goes by that I don't think about her and miss her.  I am so grateful to her and her family for the impact she has made on my life and the lives of the people to whom we minister.  I can't wait to see what God has in store for her next!