changing our perspective.

Hola Amigos! 
This past weekend our group took another weekend trip to Guatemala City. I was really looking forward to getting away for the weekend, especially since I wasn't sick this time! Here is a breakdown of what we did this weekend. I hope you are able to see and understand the importance of changing our perspectives.

Friday we started our weekend with a trip to FAFG (The Forensic Anthropology Foundation of Guatemala). This is an organization that has been doing a lot of work with discovering the bodies/skeletons that were put into mass graves during the 36 long years of civil war here in Guatemala. It's amazing to think that just fifteen years ago the civil war ended and that there are still families that are mourning the deaths and losses of their parents, children, friends, etc. FAFG has discovered and identified over 4,000 bodies and right now they have 1,492 boxes in their laboratory that they are working with. It was amazing to walk through the rooms in which they store all these boxes and know that inside those boxes are the remains of human beings that unjustly lost their lives. We were able to learn a bit about the processes of identifying people, etc. It's really a fascinating process and I think it takes a special person to be able to work with these skeletons. Check out their website to learn more information: http://www.fafg.org/.
That same night, at our hotel, as a group, we watched the movie "El Norte." I highly recommend this movie if you are interested in the struggle of people living in Latin America. Although the cinematography of the movie wasn't the greatest, I realized how coveted the United States of America are. The movie was about a brother and sister who lost everything during the internal conflict in Guatemala and they had nothing left to do but try to get to "El Norte" or the U.S. because they thought that life would be better there. Yes, people who do not live in the U.S. have a skewed vision of life in the United States, but I am realizing that anything is better than life in poverty after losing all that one has. So often in the United States we talk about all the illegal "aliens" and how it has become such an issue, but we must realize that these people are willing to risk their lives for something better...even if it's the hardest thing in the world. My perspective has changed a little bit. I now realize that I live in the best country in the world. Yes, we have our own problems and there are lots of issues...but people around the world will give anything (including crawling miles and miles in a deserted sewer full of rats) just to have something a little better.

Saturday morning after a rather delicious breakfast at the hotel buffet (which will be ironic after reading a little more), we loaded the bus and headed to the National Cemetery in Guatemala City. It's rather interesting here because here in Guatemala, they bury their dead above ground. In addition, they regularly visit the cemetery, bring flowers, and celebrate birthdays and celebrations with the dead. It was really interesting to see the various different "grave houses" (if that's what you want to call them) and how some of the rich people had HUGE ones and the poorer people only had a small resting place in a crypt.

 The tomb of the founder of Gallo beer.

 Typical crypts. Rent is paid and if it's not continuously paid, they just remove the bodies...

As we walked through a part of the cemetery, we came to a very steep cliff. As we looked out over this huge gorge, our eyes feasted upon the Guatemala City Dump. With hundreds (and I mean it when I say hundreds) of vultures swarming over our heads and a strong stench meeting our noses, we were able to see a dump the size of 24 football fields. Each day, there is an equivalent weight to 35 Boeing 757s of garbage dumped into this dump. Over 60,000 count on this dump for survival. There used to be people (especially street kids) living in this dump, but a fire killed several people some years ago and the government began to enforce that people can not live there. We stood looking over the dump for about a half an hour and it really opened my eyes to the poverty and desperation in the world. Yes, I have done plenty of missions work and traveling, but somehow, this was different. Ironically, we went to a very up-scale mall afterward and it was absolutely ridiculous to see the difference. Guatemala has one of the largest socioeconomic gaps in the world and it was very evident that day.

 The dump...men working to find something of value...often working 7-14 hours per day

“In the States, people recycle because it makes them feel good about themselves and it is good for the environment. Here people recycle as a means of survival”.

After our experience of great irony and contrast, we had the option of watching the movie “Reparando.” Since I like to learn and had plenty of free time, I seized this opportunity and I am SO glad that I did. This movie was produced by a Christian American who has a burning passion for the people of Guatemala. I HIGHLY recommend this movie if you want to be inspired, if you want to learn more about Guatemala, or if you want to feel the tug of the Holy Spirit to do more.
https://www.reparandomovie.com/
www.scottomoore.com

On Sunday, we had the opportunity to go to a mega church in Guatemala City, Casa de Dios. The pastor, Cash Luna is apparently rather well-known here in Guatemala...but is sadly known for the “health and wealth” gospel. I went into the service thinking that everything that I would hear would be bad or “blasphemous,” but I did not encounter that. I was rather excited to hear some of my favorite Spanish worship songs and was rather encouraged throughout the service, especially to see that hundreds of Guatemalans were worshiping the same God that I was. However, I was reminded that we must always be cautious about what we are hearing and trusting. Some doctrine is theologically wrong, but this is when we should pray for those who are preaching it. Cash Luna is a sinner just like me, but the Creator of the universe has saved me and has the ability to save him. 

My new perspective: we can learn something from every little experience we have, the thing that matters is what we do with it in the end.

My challenge for you: Do you need to change your perspective on something in your life? Try looking at it from another angle and remember that you have been blessed beyond measure.