First Week Back at YWAM

This week has been really good. Everyone here keeps on asking me how I am doing and if the transition from student to staff has been hard. I feel like I know it should be a difficult transition, but I had already kind of prepared myself before I came back.

I knew that my classmates from the DTS would not be here, which has probably been the hardest part. I knew that I would have more responsibilities as a staff member. I knew that I would have to "put myself out there" and get to know people that are here better than I already did. I knew I would still have to share a room and a bathroom. I had already thought and prayed about all of these things before I came and so thankfully this week has not been too difficult for me- so far.

I am currently in a room with a girl from Guatemala named Aury but tomorrow I will move to a more permanent room with another girl from Guatemala named Ale. Ale was a staff member of my DTS so it will be good to be with her since we know each other well. I think after I get all of my things put away and settled in that more will start sinking in but for now I am living this lifestyle as if it were the only one I have ever known.

This week has been a busy one, which has also helped in the adjusting period. Monday we had a meeting in the morning with worship and a devotional. After the meeting I met with the base director to get a brief idea of what my schedule would look like. After that I unpacked my things a bit more in my room and then had lunch which led into a pretty uneventful afternoon and evening. Tuesday we had intercession and then I got to go to a daycare with some other staff members and play with the kids there. It was a great time and since it is a weekly ministry I plan on going back and will post pictures later. Today we went to the market in the morning to buy food for the kitchen. Let me tell you when you go buy food for a whole base it is not your average shopping trip. 5 hours and a van full of food later we returned to the base with just enough time to eat lunch and run to the next ministry which is the Ronald McDonald House.


(If you click on the picture it will get bigger and show the full view of the Ronald McDonald House)

The Ronald McDonald house provides housing for the families of children with diseases. Most of the families that come to the Ronald McDonald house here in Guatemala City are staying in a place that is waaaay more nice than their home. The rooms each have a theme and they are all decorated in bright, cheery colors. The families of the children are affected just as much, if not more than the children who are actually battling the illnesses and so when we go we have a program for the children but we also pray with the adults and have some quality time with them. Today I got to hang out with a boy named Emerson. He traveled over 8 hours to get to the hospital and so for his family being able to stay at the Ronald McDonald house was a huge blessing. He is 8 years old and I found out from another staff member who spoke with his mom that he has a tumor. I did not spend much time with him and we just talked a bit and colored a page together but I know that even an hour and a half can make a huge difference in his life. I look forward to going back next week and seeing the smiling faces that will greet us.

So that is a little bit about my first week. I am super excited to be here and I know without a doubt that this is exactly where God wants me to be because I feel such a peace about being here. I was talking to someone who knows me pretty well and they asked me how I was doing and I said that I was doing really well and that I hadn't even cried yet and they were shocked because they know me and know how emotional I get. Honestly though I feel like this is where I belong.