The Crazy Gringo With a Sledgehammer

We continue to be overwhelmed and excited to be in Guatemala. There are so many opportunities to minister to the people here. Today, we met up with Friendship Baptist Church mission team staying at the GRACE house in Chimaltenango. The groups were building homes in Alotenango, in a place where Max and us were finding homes this past Saturday. There are so many people living there in homes that are unequivocally inadequate to dwell or raise a family. I have seen things constructed in the United States, and have heard sounds from construction sites there as well. However, the sounds of shovels breaking the ground, hammers tapping nails, or tin being hung is such a beautiful sound in Guatemala. I believe it is the sound of God looking upon the oppressed of this country, and letting them know that he sees their needs. The houses are a representation that God has blessed them with something physical, but their oppression goes so much deeper than a physical need. They have something in common with us in the United States and all over the world, spiritual oppression. We are broken all over the world and need to be reconciled to Christ. That is the reason that it is so exciting to plant and build a church in the village of Santa Rosa el Rodeo

This afternoon, we visited the village to work on the property. Our hope was to demolish a former concrete structure located towards the front of the land. I was the entertainment for the community as I began to smash the blocks with the sledgehammer. Everyone gathered around to watch the crazy gringo destroy the structure.  Then something amazing happened. Small children began to pick up fragments of brick, mortar, and concrete. Before long, some men in the village gathered their sledgehammers and pry-bars and pitched in to help. I’ll be vividly honest. My heart was overcome with joy and excitement. We arrived believing that we would do all the work, but the people are so excited about the church that they want to help in any possible way. I’m excited to see them want to be a part of something amazing and greater than any of us. I pray that God’s presence will be overwhelming in this village. I pray that God will use these oppressed men and women to display his grace and glory to people of all nations. How great is our God!