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And they were given insight into forgiveness and intercession:
“I have already attended two church services that were specifically
centered around prayer for the U.S. The part that blows me away
is to see the tears shed and the prayers called out to God for
the country that supported the terrorists here in Guatemala for
36 years.”
Old celebrations took on new meaning: “New Year’s Eve.
Another vigil, perhaps even more festive and spirit-filled than
the last, though with less fanfare. In a community like this one,
the opportunity to renew our hopes for the future means a great
deal. No one talks abut losing ten pounds or cleaning out the
garage; this day is about shedding disappointments praying for
clean hearts and laying firmer hold of our dreams for the year
to come…we end the service by joining hands. Every man, woman
and child in a giant circle of prayer, a circle that grows through
our intercessions to include our neighbors, brother and sisters
across the country, the other volunteers, and all our loved ones
in the United States and beyond. So in a very special way, you
stood in the circle with us.”
They entered into the lives of their churches: “I’ve
never had such a good time at church as I do (here). It’s
not like I’m a visitor or volunteer at all, I’m just
another joven (young person) who they can recruit for the endless
fund-raising activities…women are in charge of raising funds
for 100 bags of cement…every week we make paches, a potato
or rice paste cooked with chicken and chilis inside a giant banana
leaf to sell for two quetzales each. We make them in Sister Martita’s
kitchen, which is about a yard-and-a-half square with one of those
ancient stoves that’s just a piece of metal suspended over
a trash-fed fire. We stand in there, trying to avoid the red-hot
coals that occasionally fall out of the fire; with tears streaming
down our faces; stirring huge pots of mush with wooden spoons
as long as our arms and chatting about who’s pregnant, who
forgot to pay her tithes that week, and other delicious gossip
that has worked its way to our attention. Life’s really not
too different here….”
Thanksgiving: “Recently went to a house-warming of a friend
from the office. Owning a house is definitely not taken for granted
here. The house of the family of four consisted of two rooms,
half to be a kitchen and the other space for beds, a bathroom,
and a rooftop for the dogs. Before the food was served, they held
an hour-and-a-half service inside the house to give thanks for
it.”
Accompaniment: “I really wanted to be with these women though,
so I slept on the floor of the church with them, even though I
was offered a bed in a hotel with a group from the States that
was watching some of this. I knew my relations with these women
would be severed to abandon them at this time…and what is
that compared to two nights of sleep? The highlight was that I
was dressed up in traditional traje from head to ankles (my feet
had tennis shoes). They were so proud to have me dressed like
them and living like one of them. It was good witness to the other
women too that this ‘rich girl’ would sleep on the floor.”
And they became very, very close: “I love my host family.
They treat me like their own daughter, make jokes with me, and
understand that I hate papaya, even though I am in the papaya
capital of the world.”
“We, too, suffered the loss of loved ones; no one was spared,
not even me. My Papa (Guatemalan) died…he was an amazing
man…everyone knew him and everyone respected him...the governor
was at the hospital...the local grocery store owner fainted when
he found out…as my supervisor he took special care of me,
knowing that this young, blonde foreigner’s safety was in
his hands…he made me feel safe and loved; he made me feel
like a little girl…my papa was such a special man.”
These young women, changed from who they were when they came,
flew out of Guatemala the middle of July, leaving a part of themselves
and taking with them love, prayers, and concerns, along with lessons
learned and experiences never to be forgotten. They had become
for us, seven young daughters who entered and became part of our
lives, and we love and miss them, while thanking God for the gift
of our time together.
As we write, five young adults have left their homes and families
to join with others in Louisville for orientation before they
come to Guatemala to begin their year of life, service, and learning
with the people here…their year of accompaniment, standing
and walking together…their continuing journey with Christ,
who calls us to new places, new paths of service, and always to
relationship with those in whose faces we can recognize Christ
in our time and place.
We invite your prayers for the seven young women who are re-entering
life in the United States and for the five men and women who will
join us August 27: Abby, Becca, Coite, Jamie, and Luke. We give
thanks to God and to the families, friends and churches of all
of these young people and for the hope their witness brings to
a world desperately in need of signs of God’s grace.
Grace and peace,
Joe Keesecker
Selena Petersen-Keesecker
Mission Co-workers, PC(USA)
The 2002 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 236
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