We knew as soon as we pulled into the small mountain village that something was very different. Usually when we arrive in villages, the children come running alongside the vans and swarm us as we disembark, all shouting “Gringos! Gringos!” But yesterday as we pulled into the village schoolyard, there was only silence. As we piled out of the vans and stood around, a few curious faces peered around corners and down from their mountain fields. Finally, two of the men from the village arrived to speak with Dan, one of whom was the mayor. They really didn’t want us there. The mayor had been disappointed in the past with another group who had come through and given them all expired meds. This gentleman had gone so far as to phone Heidi and try to cancel, as he feared that, if the experience turned out the same, he would lose the confidence of the villagers he led.
Dan prepared us to let the people approach us, or to approach them S-L-O-W-L-Y. The village square, consisting mostly of a tidy co-ed school, after a bit had a few women and kids hanging toward one edge, while the mayor and councilmen conferred with Dan. We had to wait(!) to ask permission to use the “sanitarios”(restrooms) which turned out to live up to their name better than most previously encountered.
Vic got things going by tossing a ball to a line of boys under the school’s arcade. After a short time, most of the kids were engaged in games or “beauty parlor”—nail polish and hair braiding for the girls—and a LOT of the little boys!
After the clinic was set up, the women and kids lined up, while the menfolk hung back in a kind of “ladies first” way. In a reverse of what one would expect, the adults were bi-lingual, and the kids spoke mostly Cak’chiquel, the language of instruction in the school. The men were very curious and eager to talk about where we came from and what organization we represented. A beach ball in a globe design helped us illustrate how far away our home is from them, and when we told them about Paradise Bound, several were quick to reveal that they, too, were Christians.
We wish we could show you how beautiful this place was! The women wore the colorful native costume of the Mayans, with intricate weaving and embroidery. The surrounding hills were a patchwork of cropland, and there were many tall and beautiful pine trees. Even the dogs and chickens appeared healthier and friendlier than those we had seen before. However, between Dan’s warning that photography was not well accepted in their culture and simple busyness, not one picture was taken!
Nevertheless, in spite of the relative prosperity, medical help was warmly welcomed. The nearest doctor is probably at least 25 miles away over bad roads, and costs money people don’t have. And the Great Physican of souls was there as well! People were very attentive to the Jesus film, even the little kids who didn’t understand a word of the Spanish! Several of the team members offered personal testimonies, which were well received, as were our three songs in Spanish: Dios de Maravillas (God of Wonders), Tú eres mi respirar (Breathe), Vine a adorarte (Here I am to Worship). \
Pastor Noé preached in Cak’chiquel, which incorporates about one Spanish word out of 15, so that it was possible to know the theme: Salvation through Jesus alone, our only and sufficient Redeemer. Though few came forward, a lot raised their hands when asked whether they were already believers. This, too, is gratifying and praise-generating, as the team would really like to see these people again, either in Guatemala or in Heaven!
It’s worth mentioning that the name of this settlement was “Via Nueva” (New Way) but the ONE WAY was heard and it’s our prayer that seeds planted might be watered by future teams and that good fruit will be the result.
