I had been planning for my first ministry, and overseas, mission trip for months. I spent months praying, raising money, singing at local restaurants to make money, and planning for this one week. The week that I would travel to Jalapa, Guatemala to join a team in setting up VBS for the community. I didn't know what to expect. I had been to Latin countries many times before due to the fact that I am Brazilian, but I'd never gotten the opportunity to serve them. Before the trip, I just asked God to hit me with everything that week. I asked for Him to open my eyes, and help the people I'd never noticed before.

I got so much more out of this trip.

Once we set foot in Guatemala, there wasn't much contrast between Guatemala and Brasil. On the drive to Jalapa, I was not shocked by the things I saw in the streets. It was all stuff I had seen before. But when we got to our first work day in Jalapa, God did some amazing things.

The minute we got to hang out with these joyous kids and hug on them... It was one of the happiest moments I have ever experienced. We didn't speak the same language, but it wasn't hard to understand what one another was saying. We spent days making crafts, playing games, and reading Bible stories to these kids. It almost made me forget that most of them would go home to a structure that wouldn't even be considered a house in the United States. It confused me. I would walk into this amazing environment during the day, and I could just feel God's embrace. I could just feel and sense Hid light shining through these kids and their parents. What I didn't understand was how God's love could be so abundant and transparent in a group of people who didn't even own more than one pair of shoes.

I got a moment to myself after the second day, and I was just spending some time reflecting when this verse just became so apparent. It was the best verse to describe and explain what I had seen," For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in Heaven, not built by human hands [...] We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So we make it our goal to please Him, whether we are at home with the body or away from it." 2 Corinthians 5:1 and 8-9.

A little confusing, I know. But this verse justifies everything I felt and saw in Guatemala. The people, they were not rich in material wealth, They did not have the best physical health, either. Yet, they knew that even if they are in this situation, they live for an audience of one. They live in God's peace, and live for His glory.

I titled this article, "I left a piece of my heart in Guatemala" because it's the truth. I left these rich, in love and faith, people. Not a day goes by where I do not think about the atmosphere that was alive in Jalapa. God is God everywhere. His love and light shines through every person who decides to say yes to Him.