Freedom - in images and song.

703 miles. 739 pairs of shoes. 45 hours in a bus. 5 cities in 5 days. Five orphanages, 1 babies home, 1 widows home, and a school that had never had North American visitors before. Rain, heat, landslides. And worth every single minute of it! This video features pictures taken by several members of the Guatemalan Shoes for Orphan Souls team. Just thought I'd share.

Location: Guatemala City, Xela, Antigua, Camotan.

The first. Ever.

Friday, 3 October 2008

It was another early morning, as we drug our suitcases back over the muddy trails to the waiting buses and trucks. Breakfast was at McDonalds (and though I'm not a big partaker of the restaurant in the states, it was GOOD to have the same great hotcakes and sausage in Guatemala). We then boarded the vans for another first - a visit to a school in a remote mountain village near the Honduran border. One of Buckner's in-country staff has befriended a pastor who visits the school each week to minister to the kids and teach. We are the first North American visitors to the school.

The climb up the mountain was unlike anything I had experienced on a trip - it was rugged and treacherous and steep, and at one point our van began sliding back down the water-covered rocks and dirt.

We finally reached the remote village of Petante, Camotan, where the two-room school was nestled in trees and brush. The village is extremely poor and primitive, and the curiosity of both the children and adults was clear. I can't imagine what the children must have thought when we emerged from the vans - all pale and tall and odd-looking. They were shy, but it didn't take long for the smiles to emerge. They warmed up when the guys pulled out their guitars and began to sing. They listened intently as Lolly and Jean told the story of creation. And when we began distributing new shoes to them, the joy was evident.

Many mothers with small children and babies came to the school when they heard of our visit - and the blue bag of baby shoes Carmen had been carrying with her all week was put to good use. The bag was opened, and there were enough shoes for each baby - all in the right sizes!

While we were at the school, rain began to fall. "No Lord, not yet," I said out loud. "Just a bit longer, OK?" Jenny walked up, and after hearing my concern about rain-soaked mountain roads, said "absolutely - pray!" God was so kind - the rain stopped and the sun broke through the clouds. What a delightful gift!

We trekked back down the steep mountain, and started our journey west to Guatemala City. Our final stop was to be the Buckner Baby Home. But as we drove toward the darkening skies, we received a call that mudslides were making many of the roads impassable - our trip was likely to be difficult and long. And our visit to the home would be cancelled. Fortunately, the road we were on was not impacted by the slides (though we could see on the mountains the red-brown streaks that looked like someone had gouged the land away). Our trip took more than 5 hours. But as in all things, we were blessed with a special surprise at the end of the journey - the decision was made to visit the home after all. Seeing the children who live at the home again was good medicine. Cristal (a little girl with a severe digestive disorder who did not want to be touched or held when she was first found) laughed and talked and hugged each of us. Juan Pablo (a boy who was burned severely when a relative poured hot grease on him) greeted us with smiles. Milagro (a baby with a heart condition who was found in a dumpster) snuggled with Stacey and fell asleep in her arms. Jose (a sweet deaf boy who is new to the home) held my hand and grinned when I signed "I love you" to him. Steven, Dana, and Giles became human jungle gyms for the rowdy boys. The children at the Buckner home are thriving, growing healthy, and are happy. If only little Jose and Edmund from Zacapa could be there...

We said our goodbyes and drove to the Vista Real, where we ate dinner together and told of sweet moments we had encountered throughout the week. The rain poured down outside. We talked about the faces of the children, talked about the bus rides and the street vendors and the towns and the new friends we had met and the need for even more ministry to widows and orphans. We talked about both hopelessness and hope. And the tally was shared - 5 cities in 5 days, 703 miles, 739 pairs of shoes, 45 hours in buses and vans to visit 5 orphanages, 1 school, 1 babies home, and 1 widows home. There were four firsts - the first visit by Buckner to Ascension SOS in Xela and to the widows home in Antigua, and the first visit ever by North Americans to the school in Petante, Comotan. The final first was especially meaningful to me – it was the first trip to be hosted by a musical artist, Geoff Moore. His love and passion for the poor and needy is evident. His challenge to those of us called to serve is powerful. I’m thankful and humbled to call him my friend.

Tomorrow we depart - Mark, Giles, Kelly, Laura, Edie, Sheila, Lolly, Stacey, Courtney, Terry, Charles, Jonathan, Georgia, Jean, Dana, Carmen, Bonnie, Courtney, Katie, John, Steven, Ben, Jenny, and me. It's been an exhausting, exhilerating, heart-wrenching journey. This is good. Very good.

I'll close with more lyrics from my Guatemalan soundtrack. These are courtesy of Nichole Nordeman:

oh, great god, be small enough to hear me now
there were times when i was crying from the dark of daniel's den

and i have asked you once or twice if you would part the sea again
but tonight i do not need a fiery pillar in the sky

just wanna know you're gonna hold me if i start to cry

oh, great god, be small enough to hear me now

oh, great god, be close enough to feel you now

there have been moments when i could not face goliath on my own

and how could i forget we've marched around our share of jerichos

but i will not be setting out a fleece for you tonight

just wanna know that everything will be alright

oh great god, be close enough to feel you now

all praise and all honor be

to the god of ancient mysteries

whose every sign and wonder

turn the pages of our history

but tonight my heart is heavy and i cannot keep from whispering this prayer

"are you there?"

and i know you could leave writing on the wall thats just for me

or send wisdom while i'm sleeping, like in solomon's sweet dreams

but i don't need the strength of samson or a chariot in the end

just want to know that you still know how many hairs are on my head

oh great god, be small enough to hear me now

Carmen and I have dates in Heaven.

Thursday, 2 October 2008

When I picture Heaven, several images are conjured up in my mind. I see the brilliant blue waters of Petite St Vincent and the southern Caribbean, the crystalline snow and majestic mountains of the Rockies in the winter, and the fragrant flowers, lush greenery and towering volcanoes of Antigua, Guatemala.

Thursday morning, after breakfast, said our goodbyes to Geoff and Jeff (who were heading back to the states early so Geoff could attend the wedding of Emily Chapman – an angel on this earth), we headed to the widows' home in Antigua - a first for Buckner. It was near the mercado, and like Manchen, was in a non-descript walled facility that one could easily pass without noticing. The home was small, with rooms circling a center courtyard. The decorations were sparse, and some of the sleeping rooms were more like alcoves. Bedding was worn and frayed, and the smells reminded me more of a nursery.

The residents were simply beautiful there. Most had either walkers or wheelchairs, and all were excited to receive guests. They were brought to the courtyard to visit - even a woman who was bedfast. Yes, they simply wheeled her bed to the area. One woman, 102 years of age, spent time with the team sharing her stories and her love for the Lord. And several of us fell in love with a "younger man" (in his 70s) who used to be a builder and was an amazing artist. We provided him Crayons, markers and map pencils. He thanked us over and over again, kissed our faces, and gave Courtney one of his sketches.Steven, Giles and Dana played for the residents, and we all sang. The morning was sunny and bright, and the experience was simple and joy-filled. We worshiped in the flower-filled courtyard, surrounded by beautiful faces filled with character and stories. A volcano peeked through the clouds overheard.

We learned that the owner and founder of the home is a doctor with a passion for elder care. He has won several awards for his innovative practices, and the care provided his residents is excellent. Best of all, he is also a professional wrestler - his name is "The Specialist."

We left the home and boarded the bus again for the LONG journey west to Zacapa. While the roads improved greatly and the landscape looked similar, the difference in the temperature was stark – southeastern Guatemala is hot and arid. Arriving in Zacapa, we went straight to the orphanage to visit with the children. The facilities are taking on a familiar "feel," with cinder block walls, "dormitories," and a courtyard area for recreation. The children at the orphanage in Zacapa range in age from infant to 16, and like before, special needs children are mainstreamed. The oppression is evident at the orphanage, and Courtney and I came upon the "discipline" wall that features the name of each child, along with a color-coded guide to behavior. There were a number of "red" children at Zacapa - those who had either sexually or physically abused another child or had vandalized property (primarily by fire).

Like the other orphanages, Zacapa had few caregivers. This was most apparent in the nursery. It was a hot, stuffy place - cribs framing the walls, no rockers or gliders (or even chairs), few toys. The babies cried for attention, cried to leave - one even cried himself to sleep as he peeked under the heavy metal doors at the courtyard outside. Two particular boys, Jose and Edmund, captured the hearts of both Carmen and me. Jose is just under a year old, but is smaller than most babies half his age. He came to the orphanage when he was 3 months of age, healthy and strong. Now he is frail, and cannot sit up or crawl. He only has two teeth. He is alert and responsive, but his body shows his failure to thrive. Without special care, he will die. Edmund has hydrocephalus and is blind. He is 2, and also cannot hold his head up or walk. He, like Jose, needs special care or he will also die. Neither boy can hold a bottle or feed themselves - and the caregivers simply do not have the time to provide for them. So they are placed on a blue mat on the floor, near the metal door but out of the traffic flow.

Carmen and I held our two sweet baby boys, and talked to them about Heaven. When I mentioned to Edmund that he would have a date with Carmen someday, he responded with a giggle. It was magical.

Thursday night, in the ever-present rain, we ventured to our hotel - and oh, what a hotel it was. I am convinced that our hotels were used to either inspire or "level" us. And the hotel in Zacapa was a great "leveler." The facility was dark and run-down, and the layout was so confusing that most of us got lost as we walked in the pouring rain, following the muddy trails and dragging our suitcases behind us. Mosquitoes, lizards, and cats joined together as an odd welcoming committee for us. Jenny, Courtney and I opted to sleep in the same room (so Jenny wouldn't have to sleep alone), and chose Jenny's room because the tile on her floor seemed a smarter idea than the heavily soiled carpet in ours. We also brought the extra bed linens over, hoping the additional bedspreads would help provide more warmth. Yes, warmth. While Zacapa was very hot, the air conditioners in the room were freezing. Turning them off, however, resulted in an instant sauna in the hotel rooms. So we hunkered down with our thin cotton sheets and bedspreads, did our best to ignore the car horns and loud voices outside, and slept a few hours.

Friday would be a first - for us, for Buckner, for a school.

Libertad.

Tuesday, 30 September 2008

My fan broke. For you who don’t know me, you may not understand the unfathomable depth of that sentence. You see, I sleep with a fan – all the time. I am addicted to white noise – it’s my sedative. So, again, my fan broke (moment of silence – bad, uncomfortable, sleepless silence). When I pulled it out of the suitcase last night and things “clanked” inside it, Courtney and I knew it wasn’t a good sign. And when I turned it on and smelled a nasty burned smell, I pouted.

We tried sleeping with the television turned on, sound low enough to be indistinguishable but high enough to be noise. But it didn’t work well. And when Courtney started laughing in the middle of the night about a most unattractive photo that had been taken of her at San Gabriel (out of courtesy to the children, I have not posted it), I knew it was over.

Needless to say, 5am came early. But with enough caffeine and sugar in a body, one can get perky quickly. So when the bus departed at 7am for Xela, I was ready for whatever the day would bring. And the day brought much.

Several of us piled into the van, in the hopes of listening to some music (you see, in February, we had found an ‘80s station that resulted in hours of karaoke fun). But alas, the radio was broken. So we each pulled out our respective musical selections, donned our earbuds, and settled in for the long trip to Xela. The actual name of the town is Quezaltenango, and it’s located in the Sierra Madre mountains. The ride there was at times treacherous due to an inordinate amount of road construction and several landslides. Several people, including my sweet Courtney, took Dramamine to keep from getting carsick. It worked, and she slept like a log while I looked outside at the patchwork farms on the sides of the mountains, the tiny villages dotting the horizon, and those mountains that seem to split the skies and disappear into the heavens. I found my theme song, "Libertad," by Pacifika. It made for a perfect soundtrack.

Guatemalans are very resourceful people, as we discovered on the road. Each time road construction or landslides would force traffic to a creep, they were there – the street vendors. Cokes, pastries, souvenirs, cell phone chargers – all just outside your car window. At one bend in the road, several women were roasting corn. Brilliant use of a bad situation.

We arrived in Xela later than expected, and were taken to a mall for lunch. Pollo Campero, Dominos and Taco Bell awaited us. I opted for the last – and refuse to allow the experience to taint my view. It’s just not the same without lettuce, tomatoes, and Fire sauce (the girl behind the counter looked at us like we were crazy when we asked for “Fuego.”)

After lunch, we traveled to our first orphanage. Ascension SOS is a beautiful little place, with one housemom to every nine children. This was Buckner’s first visit to the orphanage, and the reception was amazing. The people here in Xela are mostly from Mayan descent, with strong features and jet black hair. The children had been bathed and powdered and dressed in their finest for the occasion. We sang with them, took lots of photos, and then distributed the shoes. The time was brief but rich.

Our next stop was to the Hogar Temporal de Quetzaltenango. The facility was old and dirty, and more than 100 children crowded around to meet us. Many had special needs, including a number in wheelchairs. Jeff called out to me, “Ronne, he’s here!” as he brought a young man named Juan Carlos out to see me. Juan Carlos had disappeared from San Gabriel in February, after Geoff, Dana and I had had the chance to spend time with him. To see him here, more than 5 hours away from the other orphanage, was bittersweet. He had only been at the home for 4 months, which meant he had either tried to return home or had lived on the street for a while. He seemed more mature, more reserved.

Geoff, Carmen, Jeff, Courtney, Katie, Bonnie and I settled into the “shoe room,” along with Manuel, Edwin, and Berta. Courtney spent time getting shoes ready while I videoed and photographed Carmen as she delivered special shoes she had carried with her. These shoes were donated by children in Florida, and today several pairs would find their “homes.” The children streamed into the room, as we pulled off worn shoes and socks and replaced them with new. The staff reminded each child to say “thank you” for their gifts as we rushed to provide care to so many children.

I glanced over my shoulder to the back of the room, where Courtney sat with a young girl named Lari in her arms – both were weeping. The picture was so hauntingly beautiful. I learned later that Lari had asked Courtney to be her mom.

Tonight, we walked around the town square in the pouring rain. We saw the tributes to the man who led the fight for Guatemala’s independence. We stepped into a Catholic mass – just for a moment – and drank in the beauty of the cathedral. And back at the hotel, I downloaded “Relax” for my iPhone. Sleep came quickly as we drifted off to the sounds of “Under the Sea.”

The perfect sunset.

SUNDAY, 28 September 2008

This morning, Brad took Geoff and Dana to a church to play. I, on the other hand, hung out at the hotel with my pup Millie, repacked my suitcase and duffle just to make sure everything was in its rightful place, and wondered what it would be like to travel to Guatemala as a participant rather than an employee. As part of my “farewell” from the organization, Buckner is paying for my trip – so I still get to travel back to Guatemala, visit again the orphanages there, see once again the incredible staff. I get to travel again with Geoff and Dana. I get to see Katie on her first-ever mission trip. I get to finally travel to somewhere other than Texas towns with my "brotha," Jeff Jones. And I still get to experience ministry with my friend Courtney, who is journeying with me.

We filled up on Jake’s hamburgers, said our “goodbyes” to Brad, Ryan and the pups, and drove – slowly – to DFW (thank you Dallas Cowboys for allowing us to experience your nasty traffic). There, we met Bonnie Hilton and Carmen Brown, two awesome gals from the radio world who were joining us. Steven Patterson was also there, the lead singer of Branch and worship pastor at a church in Athens, Texas. Ben Day and his equipment were waiting – he was to join me to take video and photos for Shoes for Orphan Souls, Geoff Moore, and Branch. My departure from Buckner meant someone else would be working with him on this trip – and I couldn’t have asked for a bigger blessing than to have Jenny Pope join the team. She is the publications editor for Buckner, and getting to spend a few days with her is a special treat! And John Adams, our trip leader and NOT the president, is waiting. He is an awesome guy with such a heart for the poor – and he’s got an amazingly dry wit. My kind of guy.

The plane ride was easy, and the sunset outside our window as we flew held new meaning for me. Only a week before, before the praying and the downsizing, Courtney had said, “I don’t know why I feel this way, but I feel like this trip is going to be your sunset with Buckner.” The flaming red, rich blue, and bright orange in the sky brought tears to my eyes – they were all the colors used in our “Go. Be. Do.” branding. I pray the sunset is only for this chapter – I hope Buckner remains a part of my life in some way.

Hello Guatemala. I’ve arrived.