And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, and said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whosoever shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.”
Matthew 18:2-5 KJV
These verses in the Bible were ones that I thought I understood for a very long time. I can now say that I only partially understood them. The past week spent in Guatemala has changed my life. I have been there before, and it truly impacted my life on that trip as well — but not like this one. When Pastor Bryan first approached me about taking Bryce on a mission trip, I wasn’t sure if he was ready. Leslie and I prayed about it, and something(One) told us he should go. Well from the very start of the trip, Bryce took the reins and never looked back.
While we walked around, I got a treat and ran into my friend Brian (nicknamed Miguel). He is an amazing kid that I met the last time I was there. I had hoped to get to see him again one day, and getting to do so really touched my heart. I will always pray that one day I can sponsor him.
When he finished singing, the grandmother hugged him for about 5 minutes… it was such a beautiful moment. Seeing your child make such a bold move (for them) for Jesus is indescribable.
After a long hike back from the volcano, we finally made it back to camp. Us grownups were T.I.R.E.D! That afternoon, we went to the San Pedreros village for another great day of hanging with the village kids and doing crafts & Bible stories with them. We acted out the story of the Good Samaritan from the Bible. I got to “beat” Bryce up!! This was a fun time, and the kiddos really enjoyed our acting & learning the story.
While there, we were able to install an oven in a home, which would help the family be able to breath fresh air while they cooked. This is a big thing in the villages because so many get sick from their homemade ovens that do not vent out of the kitchen. This was a cool learning experience for the kids, how differently things are from back home.
Tuesday started out at a home in the Veramina Village, putting another oven in a kitchen for a little girl’s family that Pastor Bryan and Mrs. Leeanne have been sponsoring for several years. Mrs. Leeanne even led this little girl to Jesus on a previous trip.
“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12 KJV
After this, we went back to the village church and led the kids in more crafts & worship. Bryce got to be a worship leader, and did great! We also played out the story of Meshack, Shadrack, and Abednego, and how they survived the fiery furnace. The kids absolutely loved this story, and the acting was great to help teach it.
So, to get back to the very first part of this story— Bryce Brookshire stepped out in a way this week that I can only imagine doing. He constantly pushed himself into uncomfortable situations, where he knew God would get the glory for what he was doing. He was unashamed of the gospel.
“For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children: That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children: That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments:”Psalms 78:5-7 KJV
. . . more than peaches . . . 