Where it all Began

October 24, 2018

Where it all Began

Hello everyone and thanks for looking up my page! I’m excited to be able to use this as a way to share stories, pictures, and updates of my time in Guatemala.

My journey to this point started many years ago, and I wanted to make my first post about some of the experiences that led me to pursue international service work. When I look back, there are distinct memories that so clearly foreshadowed the future, but at the time I would have never known. I can remember meeting with the admissions counselor for the occupational therapy (OT) program at Xavier University, and as she described the international service learning program in Guatemala, I looked over at my mom and said “I’m going to Guatemala.” Little did she (or I) know that statement would refer to so much more than just a one-week trip. Two and a half years after that college visit, I took my first trip to Guatemala through the Xavier OT program. My perspective and worldview were challenged in ways I didn’t know were possible, as I was exposed to a culture so different from our own. I was particularly struck by the level of poverty there, but more so by the generosity and joy in people who live in such poverty. I was humbled by the patience and gratitude of those who came to our clinic to receive therapy, and it was easy to see the need for increased resources and sustainability. My transition back to the U.S. was a challenging one, as I began to recognize the extent of the luxury and excess we live in and to reconsider where we place our priorities.

Within a few weeks of my return from that trip, I began to sponsor a 6-year-old boy named Elmer, who lives in Guatemala, through an organization called Unbound (www.unbound.org). In 2017, after having sponsored Elmer for 4 years, received my degree and license in occupational therapy, and worked for over a year, I decided it was time to return to Guatemala. Through Unbound, I participated in a week-long awareness/immersion trip, where I had the opportunity to visit several of the rural villages where children are sponsored through Unbound and to meet Elmer and his family. My heart was again immediately captured by the love and joy of the people I encountered, and among the moments of laughter and smiles I shed quite a few tears. I was overwhelmed by the hospitality and love shown towards us, but also by the strong sense that I was being called to do something more. I remember texting my best friend asking if I could cancel my flight home and just stay forever. I spent a lot of time journaling that week, and I’m so thankful that I did. It can be difficult for me to articulate my thoughts and feelings, but having the raw emotions from that time documented makes it easier to share my heart more openly and fully with you all. So, here are a few quotes from my journal during that trip:

“I wasn’t prepared for the extent to which they would pour out their love to us.”

“I see a beauty in the simplicity of life here. People from the States would just view it as poverty, but these families find ways to make ends meet. Yes, their floors are concrete, their walls are tin, they all sleep in one room on cots—but they live life with a joy and happiness that we do not know, that we have not fully experienced. The material things and outward image are not the priorities as they are in the U.S. And that is what I crave.”

“Jesus says give up your possessions and come follow me. Our U.S. culture says exactly the opposite. So what does it say when I can envision myself giving it all up to serve these people?”

The desire to pursue long-term mission work continued to grow upon my return home, and 6 months later I reached out to an occupational therapist I know from the States who now lives and works in Guatemala. Lisa recommended I come spend time with her in Guatemala to see the work she does and gain a better sense of where I might be able to envision myself. This prompted my third and most recent trip to Guatemala this past summer. I spent my first week observing Lisa at the multiple children’s homes where she works. It didn’t take long for my pediatric OT knowledge to kick back in and for me to remember why I wanted to become an OT in the first place. The second week I joined the Xavier University team for their annual service-learning trip, the same trip I participated in during my first trip to Guatemala, but this time as a mentor for the undergraduate students. My role was to provide wheelchair fittings/adjustments at a pediatric outpatient clinic – and I loved it! I certainly felt that I was receiving confirmation of moving forward with long-term international service work. Here are a few quotes from my journal during that trip to help provide additional perspective:

“If you find something you’re crazy passionate about, why not pursue it? Why let fear or doubt or discomfort hold you back? Trust that God will provide. In all things. In all aspects.”

Referencing why I want to pursue international service work: “It resolves around feeling that God has called me to something more. Called me out of the comfortable, luxurious, easy life I live to live a life characterized by challenge and self-sacrifice and generosity and humility and worth. To love as He loves. To care for those who are uncared for, unloved. To do and be something more. After all, it is about Him. And serving Him. And fulfilling the purpose for which He created me.”

So how did I become connected with Hope for Home Ministries? Daryl, the director, and several other members of the ministry were our leaders and translators for the clinics where we served during my 2013 trip. I have followed the growth of their ministry over the last several years, and visited their two children’s homes during the time I spent with Lisa this summer. After researching multiple children’s homes and various non-profits all across Central America, I decided to pursue service work with Hope for Home because of my trust in their organization and knowledge of how well they carry out their mission. I’m excited to begin working with them!

I’m hoping that sharing these experiences helps provide insight into my decision to serve internationally. If there’s anything I’m certain of, it’s that God has been nudging me in this direction for a long time. This next year is going to be a challenging one as I adjust to a new culture, learn a new language, and transition from working with adults to working with children. It will be a time of huge growth! Thanks for reading and for your support, and as always, please keep me in your prayers!

Lindsey