Guat's up USA?

Can I just say how beautiful this country is?! Guatemala (or “Guat” as we like to call it,) is filled with the greatest mountains and volcanoes ever! But it’s not just the scenery that makes it so great- it’s the people. If I had to use one word to describe the people in Guatemala, it would be genuine. These people have the kindest, most sincere hearts that I have ever seen! This week, God has been showing me the importance of sharing my faith, and I got the opportunity to do so last night. We sing a song when we worship that says “Shout it, go on and scream it from the mountains, go on and tell it to the masses that He is God,” & that is what God has been putting on my heart! Although I loved to talk about how God has been telling me to share my faith, when the opportunity came up to share my testimony at a church service last night, I was quick to say no! It was a lot easier said than done! One of my leaders encouraged me to put into practice everything that God has been showing me, so reluctantly, I agreed to share it. I honestly don’t think I could have done it without the support of my group! I don’t remember the last time I was so nervous! I was so close to backing out until we worshiped with the members of the church. We sang the song “Open the Eyes of my Heart” and I felt so at peace after we finished! I had never seen people worship with such passion before. We usually just sing the song in Spanish with them, but after singing through the song once, we sang in English while they sang in Spanish! How cool is it that we can worship the same God in two different languages?! It brought me to tears and I wasn’t so scared anymore to share my testimony! The people of the church encouraged me all throughout my story and although I may have talked a little fast, I am so glad I decided to do it! I know I would have regretted it if I wouldn’t have. I praise God for the opportunity to share my story, and ultimately just the opportunity to serve Him in Guatemala! This trip has been such an amazing place to “scream it from the mountains, and tell it to the masses that HE IS GOD!”

See you soon Minnesotans,

Lauren P.