Expect The Unexpected: Guatemala Day 4

Tonight I'm not going to write about what I have experienced today, but what my team has. Today was a normal day for us. No one woke up at the wrong time, everything was great. We ate breakfast and then headed to the orphanage, when we got there everyone knew where to go and what needed to be done. Just like yesterday we had a construction team, a painting team and a sewing team. The construction team worked just as hard as yesterday. Moving rocks, clearing land to build on and preparing to build stairs. Tomorrow we will start laying concrete for the stairs. The painting team has done a great job painting the house. They have worked very hard and are so close to being done. It isn't easy working in those fumes the paint contains. so kudos to you! The sewing team has had the peddle to the floor. They have been working on curtains for the boys rooms and they look great. Everyone here is heathy and doing well. Everyone is getting along and having a blast! I know that was a quick overview but i'm excited about what I have to share next.

I wanted to keep this post similar to what my blog is about, expecting the unexpected. It's still going to be about the team and not myself. So tonight at dinner I ask a few team members questions and here were their responses.

"What is something that was unexpected to you?"

One person responded with, "I never expected to become attached to the children. I knew I was going to love them, and love being around them, but I never thought I would become attached so quickly… like their my own children." Another response was, "The children's eyes have so much hope. Thats something I never expected. This is my first missions trip so I didn't really know what to expect. I've only seen children in orphanages in movies and pictures and they portray them as sad children with no hope. When I saw these kids I saw hope in them, I saw Joy, especially in their eyes. These kids come from hard, sad backgrounds and have every right to want to give up, but they still hope and care for the future. That was something I never expected."

"What themes have you seen in the past few days, or things God is trying to teach you?"

"I am a Type A kind of person. I have a list for everything and a time to get it done. If there is ever stand still in one project, why not do something else off my list till I can continue my other project and get one more thing checked off my list. I really feel like God is teaching me to live. I know they could use some help here, or I could go work on this and mark that off the list or should I play with this little girl tugging on my pant leg wanting me to play? He's teaching me to take those moments when I do have a break and could fill it with something else and instead hold this little girl in my arms, see her beautiful smile, hear her joyful laugh and see God in the moment. Taking time to live and love and not be so busy is what God has been teaching me." that was the first response is got. The other was, "Flexibility. Everyone on the team is very flexible. From delaying our trip a day due to the plane difficulty to changing up small stuff within the day, everyone is so chill and able to go with anything. No one is set in stone, we have to do this, we have to do this..which is such a blessing."

It was such an amazing time hearing people share tonight. God is already doing great work in peoples lives and no one is ever going to be the same. I know these were just a few examples but I thought they were good and powerful.

All I can say is Expect The Unexpected.

Here are a few pictures from today-