Welcome to 2010! In just a few days I mark the anniversary of my first departure to Guatemala with my cross-cultural group from EMU. We studied in Guatemala City for 2 months while learning Spanish and taking culture and history classes as a group. We took several trips throughout Guatemala then said goodbye to Guatemala and traveled for another month and a half through Honduras, Nicaragua and El Salvador. This experience had a significant impact on me. I spent much of this fall struggling through how I wanted to include my Spanish experiences with my life at EMU. I started attending a Mennonite Spanish church where I made quick friends who include me like family. I added ESL to my studies at the university and had a significant practicum at an elementary school with four non-English speakers.
The next step to my journey is to return to Guatemala this summer. I started considering my return in the summer, and kept thinking about it. Over Christmas break I started to make my first contacts in Guatemala to see if it was possible for me to study at CASAS, a Spanish study program associated with Semilla Anabaptist seminary in the capital city. I plan to live with my former host family again, assuming they have a house by then. They were kicked out of their house shortly after I left in May and have been living with my abuelita ever since. Nine people under one rough with only two bedrooms is not ideal, and they have been searching for a house. Unfortunately the economic situation is bad in Central America too so they have been without work, making the house search even harder.
I would appreciate prayers for my host family as they continue to search for a house, and me as I continue to make inquiries about volunteering in an English classroom and living in Guatemala for two months. I'd leave shortly after EMU graduation and I plan to return around July 5th in time to prepare for a class I am taking the 12th-16th. As for now, I keep praying that God will continue to lead my decisions and prepare a way for me.
God Before The Heavens and The Earth
9 years ago
