Grateful Hearts and New Homes in Guatemala

What happens when 101 people from one church family step out of their comfort zones, board a plane, and set out to serve?

In our case, God showed up in the mountains of Guatemala in ways that none of us will ever forget.

Over the course of a week, our groups worked side by side to build four homes for families who desperately needed shelter. Hammering nails, mixing cement, carrying wood—it was hard work, but with every board lifted and wall raised, we felt God’s hand guiding us. More than buildings, these homes became symbols of love, hope, and the connections that can only happen when believers come together with a shared purpose.

While the construction was meaningful, the greatest gift was the relationships we formed. Laughter echoed between two languages. Prayers were spoken with different accents but the same Spirit. We arrived thinking we were going to help others, and we did, but we also discovered how much these families, with their deep faith and joy, helped us. They reminded us of what it means to live with gratitude.

Each evening, we gathered as a team, tired but overflowing with thanks. We thanked God for safety, for the privilege of serving, for the chance to be His hands and feet. We thanked Him for showing us that the body of Christ knows no borders.

By the end of the trip, four families had keys to their new homes. But we all went home with something too: a renewed sense of purpose and the unshakable joy that comes when you put others before yourself.

As the Apostle Paul writes, “Serve one another humbly in love.” Galatians 5:13

That’s exactly what we tried to do. And in serving, we received far more than we gave.

Thanks be to God for what He has done, in Guatemala and in all of us.

Kelsey Wilbern – New Member Coordinator