Guatemala Bound!

I’m so excited to be traveling back to Guatemala tomorrow!

You're probably wondering why I would want to go to Guatemala of all places.

In Mark 16:15, the bible says “Go into the world and preach the good news”. I know some people are designed to serve locally, and of course I do that! But, I’m a traveler, and I wanted to use my passion and experience to spread God’s love to Guatemala. I thought, I can certainly take one week out of my busy life and devote completely to God.

So, I decided to serve at the Hope of Life mission in Guatemala.

Guatemala is the poorest country in Latin America. It has a population of over 14 million people. 50% live in poverty. 30% of those live in extreme poverty. So there is A LOT of need there.

The Hope of Life Mission was started by a man named Carlos Vargas – a native of Guatemala who was a successful business man. One day a blind beggar came to him and asked for money – he gave him $5. Carlos became severely ill, suffering from Gout. He thought back to that blind man and thought maybe that was what he was supposed to do help the poor. He prayed to God to heal him and vowed that he would work to help the poor for the rest of his life. That’s exactly what he’s done.

Hope of life mission is amazing. It has :
• A nutritional center
• An orphanage
• An elderly home
• A college
• Tilapia ponds
• Greenhouses
• And many, many projects including over 20 Feeding centers, (HOL is solely responsible for aiding 26,000 people to survive!In Zacapa alone it feeds 1,000 children a day at one landfill!)
• Housing projects
• Hospital – St. Luke’s hospital, 1st private pediatric hospital, completely free

Having served at the Hope of Life mission last July, I can honestly tell you – I can live with A LOT less and I can give A LOT more! And I am looking forward to a another week of giving!