Why I think Guatemala is so deep in my heart

Once again I am preparing to go on a mission trip to beautiful Guatemala. I was pondering what draws me to this country.

I came to a realization. While I'm there I get to spend time with many people like me. On our trips we spend time and minister in places who care for displaced children... I don't want to say orphaned because not all of them are, they may have parents, but they are not fit or able to care for them. But yes many are orphaned too. When I tell these kids that I'm adopted we have instant bonds. You see we get it, we know what it's like not being sure of our origins or not able to get back to them.

Guatemala has a broken adoption system, the United States system is broken too, but in different ways... both systems, I believe, have broken do to greed of people and have forgotten that it should be about building strong families where children can be raised in a healthy and safe environment. So in Guatemala there are children's homes to care for these children. We spend a good bit of time in 2 such homes, building relationships with these kids.

I enjoy taking to the older kids where we can have conversations about being adopted and what that's like... Most of the time they have not met adults who are adopted, especially ones from the States. It's interesting for both of us.

One of the last times I was there I thought about all the people that come in and out of the lives of these kids, missionaries (like me) who come down for a week or two and then leave. I wonder sometimes if that builds the abandonment issues adoptees have. SO why do I keep going back? Because I have built relationships with some of these kids (especially some of the older teens) I have connected with them on facebook, and check up on them via fb on years I don't go.


God's Word says that "God will never leave you or forsake you". It's a hard concept for some of us adoptees to grasp, since we deal with that issue concerning our birth families. I try to be someone who comes back, who loves them and who will try to let them know that they are loved, wanted and worth being loved and cared about.

If you want to know more about all we do on these trips.. message me.

If you would like to be apart of one of these trips... message me

While I get ready for this trip.... pray for me...

I know this is different than most of my blogs... but my heart is the shape of Guatemala and it's people fill it. I leave June 24th and return July 9th.