I am not sure how I got so lucky to go on this journey. I am not sure why God chose me to be his hands and feet...ALL I know is I hope I didn't let him down, and I pray he continues to allow me to show love in his name. We left the mission house yesterday morning, and arrived at the airport around 10:15. Tears streamed down the faces of my brothers and sisters in Christ. There weren't may words spoken. Most of us felt the same way...Knowing we had to go home to Tennessee, but not sure how to walk away and leave part of your heart.
We made it through security and immigrations and lastly customs in Atlanta and on the other side of the customs baggage claim we started seeing several people of our church family. Our course Preacher man and Preacher lady were there, and several other family members of the team.
As we loaded the bus to head home we were greeted by 25ish senior citizens watching a Gaithers video. They had spent the day shopping and then came and picked us up. Most of us sat towards the back of the bus. At this point although I didn't really want to be back on US soil, reality that I HAD to come home had hit me...SO I was just in the get me home mode....
Most of us slept a good majority of the way home and towards the end of the trip we were woken up by Mr. Chatterbox, and we quickly realized we were all exhausted, because we hit that point where you just laugh for no reason!!! We all needed this time...a time to bond, a time to smile again, and for me it was a time of connection. SURE we went to church with these people, but it was then that each team member went through my head, and how much I loved each and everyone of them and what little things I would remember about them.
First lets start with Bobby Watson....I have decided that since my grandfather is no longer with me, that I am going to adopt Bobby as my grandpa....I haven't officially ran this by him, but he always makes me smile...Several times in planning this trip, I would be having a horrible day, and the phone would ring, and it was Bobby....always brought a smile to my face....I will refer to him as the Grandpa Angel....
Then Susie Watson, like Bobby...she is your all around stero-typical grandma....She spoils her grandson completely rotten and makes one heck of a chicken casserole!! I was so proud of her when she was determined to get down to the construction site, and before I knew it, she had found a new pathway away from the hard terrain that her knees could handle. She a trooper!!
Then we have John Grigsby, I will forever have a special place in my heart for Mr. John. He prayed with Keegan when he was saved at Bible school in the summer of 2010. That alone makes him special. I always though he was awesome but seeing him interact with the children and really get to their level to show the love of Jesus is a beautiful thing to witness.....YES even his dance moves is a semi-beautiful thing to watch, because he is dancing for Jesus. John got sick on the trip, with a fever and belly ache. He affected the whole team. He is a leader and mentor to so many, and I noticed when he hurt, we all hurt...Thank goodness a strong dose of Motrin and lots of prayers, helped John push through the illness and all the glory to God for that. Mr. John.....I love ya brother...and don't forget your blood pressure meds and thanks for keeping me supplied on Ginger to keep the motion sickness under control
Ok, Mr Tim Knight....He was one of two people that would make me cry like a baby seeing them cry. This started before we even left the trip. I have really grown to love Tim for his love and dedication to God. He is incredibly knowledgeable and not only is he our Sunday school teacher but he got to be one of the 16. He expressed his sincere concern over a skin medical condition he has and was scared he would scare the children...the first day we were there, there was someone in the medical clinic in Guatemala with the same condition..Thank you God for calming his fears and letting him be the light to another going through the same. Watching Tim paint faces and play soccer was so awesome, and seeing a grown man's heart break for the people of Guatemala was heart-breaking. I got to REALLY wash my first set of little feet with Tim...a memory I will treasure forever, especially after I got to put a pair of Alexander's shoes on him....Tim you rock!!
OK, Mullins family...First, Jason...As I mentioned before, after a scary incident upon arrival in Guatemala and Josh and I getting stuck in customs and bags gone through, we were separated from the group, and after we ventured around in the airport of a strange country when we walked out the doors, Jason's face was the first I saw....Seeing him, instantly calmed my fears. I almost look at Jason as a father figure, even though we are close in age, maybe because his children were on the trip so I always saw him in that role, but either way...I felt he was one of the protectors on this trip...He new enough Spanish to help ease our fears. He made us a great Italian meal while we were there, and just when you think he is quiet, he will send you laughing with a comment under his breath.
So next Miss Sheila, one of my angel sisters. I will admit that when I started Graveston I was unsure about Sheila, she was so bubbly and outgoing and well I just wasn't really sure....you know why...she truly LOVES GOD and truly love people, over the past 8 months she has become an angel to me. She is a true woman of God, and looks to his word and helps lead others to him. In the past few months we have grown even closer, and then our experience in Guatemala will have us bonded forever..We cried together, laughed alot together, cried some more, faced fears and unknowns together....Sheila...I love you my angel friend.
David and Jada, I hope they realize what good kids they are, their parents are raising them to love the Lord with all their hearts and serve him to glorify his kingdom. Not many children at that age, take a leap of faith and love others and share his word like these two kids. Watching Jada love on those babies was like seeing a mini Sheila, and David never missed an opportunity to share Gods word...Sheila and Jason should be so proud of the children they are raising....
Morgan Watson, he made me a nervous wreck...on the way down...nothing like having the preacher's wife texting you and telling you to watch after her baby, and making sure you were ok...if was like having my own child, and when he got stopped in security for having too much liquid in his suitcase, my motherly instincts almost kicked in, thank goodness Papaw Watson was there, so I just watched from afar... first of all your crazy...and I don't see how in the world your mother keeps your belly full. I have never seen a 14 year old boy eat so much in my life...No wonder Michelle is so small!!! You are another young man who is making God smile, I definitely relied on Morgan while the guys were building a house, he helped me paint faces of the children running around during construction....You would go fetch me things here and there so we could continue to entertain them...and even though you are MUCH younger, you played the big brother role during that time...Love ya buddy....even if you feet smell like something awful...
Anthony Bull, was probably one of the people I knew the least about prior to this trip... the weird part..I feel we have a connection but never really took the time to get to know him. Anthony and I were baptized on the same day...I went first because I was so nervous and then I turned around and Anthony was right behind me. The first morning we were in Guatemala, around 6:30 AM, as the girls were all getting ready, we heard a rooster crow...it was the loudest Rooster I have ever heard!! Brandy started laughing and said...no that's not a rooster, that's Anthony....NO CRAP....this guy sounds just like a rooster...and its loud and he spent the rest of the week crowing on demand, and the children in the feeding center loved it....on the first day he did his rooster crow and was chased down by a dog....several of the others that saw it, said it was the funniest thing they had ever seen....He has now earned the name of Rooster. He was the other person that would bring me to tears. Anthony is 23 years old, was in the Navy and just appears to be one to not cry. He cried several times, two times after we built a stove and once on the way to the feeding center on the last day....Guatemala can touch even the toughest...Anthony was a number one hit by the boys, he has high energy and isn't afraid to act silly with them. He was amazing with them, and I am sure they would love to have Rooster come back.
Miss Brandy, (girlfriend of Rooster) I also didn't know her very well prior to this trip, I knew she was a nurse, and we shared concerns for fashion prior to the trip, like are you gonna take these shorts or what are you gonna wear for this or that? Brandy is a beautiful girl with a sweet heart and you gotta love her southern accent. She was the first to scream over a bug, and detect ever inch of the mission house for yucky stuff...yep she was more of a girl than me. What blew me away about her, was yes she was girly...but she worked everyday in the medical clinic...I watched her touch things that would have creeped anyone out, I watched her carry urine in a baggie to test it for infection. On the second to last day, we found a boy outside of the feeding center and we both agreed the little boy had a belly full of worms or parasites. To say the least he was NASTY...but he ended up being a little boy I will be sponsoring....He was only 4, but is the size of Alexander...and he would look at you and say....QUE PASAAAAAAA which means "what's up" and all you saw were teeth...and smile. I saw Brandy in all her cuteness pick up this dirty child and carry him into see the doctor..and when the doctor was busy and couldn't see him right away, she held on to him, and danced and tickled him to keep him as entertained as possible so that she could keep him happily there to see the doctor....Made my heart smile....I love you girl...I am so glad I have gotten to know you better...
Hayley Anderson....love love love this girl...didn't know really anything about her prior to this trip, and I have grown to absolutely adore her. Her and I got to be girl buddies while we were building the first stove...We had to stick together, and I found that her and I wanted to get out there and get dirty and experience it all. I didn't see Hayley cry much though...I was kinda surprised that her being a female was able to contain tears...or maybe I am just a cry baby. On one of the last days...we were saying some goodbyes in the feeding center...and Hayley and I made eye contact...her eyes were filled with tears...she walked towards me and we sat and hugged and cried together...She kept saying "I don't want to say goodbye, and I don't want to leave" If broke my heart....there is just something about Hayley...she has such a sweet spirit and in someways we are a lot alike...I found our fears and frustrations to be the same, and we got to share lots of laughs...Miss Hayley...I feel we have a friendship that is going to continue to blossom from this experience...I love ya girl!!!
Gina Clarke....OH GINA...you remind me so much of my mom....you kept me laughing inside, because you get frazzled just like my mother....your heart is sensitive and you are always willing to help out in what ever needs to be done. Gina and I had a time to talk, and she encouraged me to stay close to God...we have similar pasts, and she shared her heart and I shared mine. She commented that I seemed truly happy and to stay on that path. To keep focused on God and don't turn around and question your instincts to get away from difficult life situations....I love her for sharing her heart and knowledge with me. I am proud of her, this trip was physically draining and she was a trooper.
Ok...Scott McCormick....He is my brother...not really but we have lived across the street from each other for 10 years, we have worked together, and fought like brother and sister and laughed and cried together. I have known you the longest of all of the people on this trip...I always knew you would be the big brother on the trip...You dressed like a tourist the whole time and dove right into trying all of the local foods...you stepped up to the plate and did the medical clinic the whole week. We didn't get to do much together except when I worked in the medical clinic one morning with you...I am proud of you for taking a step with God and following what you were called to do....Love ya brother...
OK...now to one of my bestest friends.....Mr. Josh...We have been on a countdown for this trip for months, we have thought about how every minute might be, and in most cases, what we worried about ended up working out and for the most part was perfect. You were my rock through out the entire trip, from the assurance before we left, to leaving room in your suitcase for all the stuff that wouldn't fit into my suitcase, to buying us cool backpacks, helping load suitcases, holding my hand during my small airplane freak outs, to assuring me you would dig me a hole in the ground if I had to go potty, to capturing moments on camera, loading all my shopping purchases in your backpack and carrying them all day, making sure I had something to eat when I was hungry, or better just catering to any small need, like needing a drink, making sure I ate breakfast, reminding me where I put my camera, or asking if I had taken Dramamine for the bus rides.....
You prayed with me, and your prayed for others, you wiped my tears and comforted my heart....Our passion is the same...we want to serve...we want to love...and we want to give God the glory...
Some of my "awww" moments this week...watching you paint a little girls nails, watching you play baseball with the boys, once we were headed for the bus, I turned around and your weren't there....you were over handing a bible to an old man who would watch us load the bus almost everyday, you stepped out of your comfort zone and did the dedication on the house our team build, as we were stopped on the side of the road waiting for Mike Parker, we all spotted a family, we all started throwing candy...YOU stood up, grabbed the candy we had bought for the children, walked off the bus and went face to face with the children and their parents and placed the candy in their hand, as we were saying goodbye to Evelyn and her family...I asked if you would pray...you took the lead and prayed with a family in the middle of the street... Back at the compound, there was a cross that we were leaving at the mission house..We asked if we would like to pray over the cross and pray for those special people that had touched our hearts....After the crowd broke up...you and I sat there....tears flowing from both of us, you reached over grabbed my hand, picked up the cross walked me outside and took me to the courtyard, where you held me as I sobbed and held the cross between us, and prayed for the children of Guatemala and specifically Evelyn and her family....You waited til I gathered myself and was ready before we walked back in.....you assured me on the way home....we would go back.....
I love you JAC..... volcano and back......GODSPEED
I love each and everyone one of these special people....
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