Guatemala

We have recently had the privilege of helping raise money to provide much needed cleft palate surgeries in Guatemala.  A team from right here in Virginia is going in a week or so to perform 40 surgeries.  A ten year old girl at church decided she wanted to help raise money for surgeries, and we decided to help her out!  The team is doing 40 surgeries, and they cost $250 each.  Paighten set a goal of funding 2 surgeries.  I had kind of set a goal of 5, but didn't say anything.  Well, two were paid for in almost the first week just from church donations.  Then Paighten went up to a goal of 5.  I am so happy that we went past that too and made enough for 8 surgeries!  Wahoo!  Paighten set up a bake sale, and my three kids plus Cousin Hunter set up a lemonade stand very early on a Saturday morning last month.  It was hard to get the kids up so early, but they were troopers and had a good time!  Each had their own job- Carson sold strawberries, Hunter got lemonade for people, and Emilynn did sweet tea.  Henry didn't have an "official" job.  He helped where needed.  The kids sold $70 worth of goodies!  Paighten's bake sale was a huge success.  I am blown away by how generous people were and how supportive they were of this ministry.  I can't imagine being a mother and not being able to provide your child the medical care they need.  I hope and pray that these mothers, babies, and families will be touched and will know that even though we have never met them, we love them and Jesus loves them.  People do care.  I have always felt a pull towards missions and am so thankful that I am at a church where I can be hands on with missions and make a real impact and see real results.  Paighten's grandma travels to Guatemala several times a year, and it is my hope to one day go as well.  For years I have wanted to go on a missions trip and when my kids are a bit bigger I hope to go.  For now, I will do all I can to help because if it was my child, I would want someone to help me. I think sometimes in America we tend to forget how ridiculously blessed we are.  I mean, here I am stressing about getting the kids shots for school in the fall.  What a blessing I can just take them and get that done!  Sometimes cooking dinner is a pain, but wow-we have running water at our disposal and a freezer and fridge full of food!  Laundry is piled up and always annoys me- when in reality the problem is we just have too many clothes!  We are immeasurably blessed with everything we need and a huge abundance in fact. 
Which brings me back to Guatemala.  Yesterday at church, our family was each given a bracelet.  It didn't cost much at all I am sure.  It was made with string, but in beautiful colors and designs.  It means more to be than any jewelry I have been given, aside from my wedding rings, because it was lovingly made in Guatemala by a boy.  It is a thank you gift of sorts for us helping them fund their surgeries.  I was not expecting such a gift, and it truly means the world because it was made with love.  It is something I will treasure. 
As I have found with so many things, we do things and we think we are blessing others.  In reality, we are the ones who end up so blessed!