First Mission Trip Reflections of the Week- Olivia Hundley

This year’s trip to Guatemala was my first ever mission trip. Even though I had high expectations for this week and what God was going to do both in and through our group, it highly exceeded those expectations. The thing that most exceeded my expectations was how attached I became to the people here. Everyone here in Guatemala was so kind and welcoming, which is very different than the responses we might often receive in the US. I grew to love everyone here more than I thought possible. The translators, the pastors, and the children of Guatemala will hold a special place in my heart forever and I miss them already after just saying goodbye not long ago. I have seen God’s presence move this week in more ways than one and it has been overwhelming to see the power of prayer and kindness. The highlight of my week by far was during one of our house visits in Patzun where the mother we met with and her two oldest daughters prayed with Pastor Jorge to accept Jesus into their hearts. I later found out that Mary Oliver, who had come on the trip last year, had met the mom last year and had been praying for her since. This is just one example of how I saw God’s great love and how He worked through us and used us according to His plan this week. It was hard to say goodbye to the kids especially each time we left their schools or communities because of how quickly we bonded. I saw a true need for love and compassion with the kids here this week. I hope our group filled that void as much as we could, and I plan on making it my mission to love on people just the same when we return home. Thank you for your prayers and blessings for this trip. It was an experience I will cherish forever and hope to do again soon.