HS Guatemala Trip Day 4

Our third day in Guatemala was so much fun!! We ran a sports camp at the learning center in Cruz Blanca. We taught the kids how to throw and catch a football and practiced running. For most of the day, I was on the team playing sharks and minnows to practice running. When we got a group of older kids who didn’t seem like they would be very inclined to play sharks and minnows, we asked if they would like to play soccer (football to them) instead. It was so cool! We played once with mixed teams and once Guatemalans against Americans. The kids were so good at soccer! it was so much fun to interact with kids and communicate through (in my case) broken Spanish and translators. We also took short walks through the town to visit three different families. It was such a great experience to see where the kids we are serving live. This trip has already been incredible and I can’t wait to see what God does next!

- Ruby 

Today, like Ruby said, the sports camp was a success! All the kids loved playing the games and getting to run around. I probably got like 50 hugs. It’s so cool to be able to connect with the kids not matter what language they speak. There was this one littler girl who just kept telling everyone “hello my name is” and it was so adorable and funny. Later we went to visit some homes and that was really cool but also emotional. It was really hard just seeing how little they have and how much their struggling. But they do have a lot of hope and trust in God so that is super inspiring. Super excited for tomorrow now!!!!

- Hallie 

Today flew by and every moment was filled with smiles and laughter. All the kids were full of energy and even though we couldn’t understand most of what each other were saying that didn’t stop them from having fun. The younger kids were all over playing with egg shakers and throwing them to each other and us. The older kids loved playing a game called 500. In the beginning they were shy or not moving much but by the end, they were really into it. Before we left, we went to a few homes of kids from the learning center and talked to the families that lived there. It was really cool but also a bit shocking to see how different their homes are. They are all so hopeful and trust in God. I’m so excited to see them again and learn more about them.

 -Taylor and Emily

One of the most impactful parts of the day for me was visiting the house of one of students at the learning center. It was shocking and saddening to me to see the way that the people live, however the woman was so welcoming and smiled the whole time. Although she was quiet at first, she soon opened up and shared some of her personal story. It was so cool to see how God was working in her and her family’s lives, and to talk about our faith and pray with someone so different than us. 

-Leah 

Sports camp was epic. Throwing and catching footballs all day is wonderful. We got moved up a row cause of some bags so it’s me Quinn Josh and Tyler now. Logan is a sleepy boy as usual and he ended up in front of Josh. I am very hungry. I love Tyler.

-Nathan

I played sharks and minnows and duck duck goose with the kids. I loved to see the kids’ smiles and hear their laughs. It was also very cool to go into a family’s house. It was very impactful to see their situations. I love to see the little kids smiles and hear their laughs.

-Tyler 

Absolutely destroyed some 7 year old kids in sharks and minnows today. I am getting more fluent in Spanish by the day. Almost knocked down a house we were in. Guatemala is so pretty and green as well. Chris said we have a great dinner today so I am very hungry.

-Josh

The clutch on the bus almost failed.

-Quinn

Today was such a fun day of sports camp! I was in the group of throwing and the kids got the hang of it so fast and had a fun time chucking the footballs way past Logan and Nathan who were catching therefore making them run back and forth quite a lot. One of my favorite memories was meeting a kid named Lenin and at one point I was trying to catch his attention so I just squeezed his side gently to do it and didn’t think anything about it. A minute later I feel a hand squeezing my side and a little voice saying “teeckle teeckle (tickle)” and I giggled and ran away and he chased me for about ten minutes running all around and a few others joined and it was so fun laughing with them. I also connected with the older kids SO much today and we hung out and caught the football back and forth and then played soccer and by the end they were talking to me in Spanish and I was able to understand and speak back a few words as well as I could and they would laugh but understand and we got a pic before they left and we can’t wait to see each other again, it was amazing and so fun!!! :) 

-Amanda

After a full day of sports camp, we went into the village and visited some students who go to the learning center. A few of us walked to a house in the village and visited with Maria and her Mother. Maria will be a senior this year and will graduate high school. We got to hear about her walk with Jesus and how she wants to be a nurse or doctor. It was really cool to see that she is just a regular teenager who likes music and books. Her mom spoke and told us how we are all God’s children and even though we are from different countries God made us like Him. It was truly a great experience and their hospitality was inspiring. I will remember that forever. 

- Mayce  

- Alyssa Lehman