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I met Jesus today. Her name was Alida. She was wearing a stained red shirt and faded, dirt-caked jeans. I was walking to a small village called Chicoman in Guatemala when I saw her. She had a bundle of rough chopped wood held together by a piece of torn cloth under her arm. She was trying to drag a tree limb that was four times longer than she was tall. I said “hola,” she turned to me and returned the greeting. My heart melted. I grabbed the limb and offered to carry her burden up the hill. She just smiled brightly, nodded and we started up the hill. On the way, Alida showed me her village. I had toothbrushes and toothpaste. We passed them out to families she pointed out. Everyone was happy to see Jesus handing them out. They all smiled and laughed. They showed us their houses. Tiny tin and block sheds with dirty floors, tucked behind narrow alleys with concrete walls that had razor wire and shards of broken glass at the top. Jesus squeezed my hand Jesus showed me another family. Six little kids with dirt-streaked faces didn’t have shoes on their dust covered feet. The house was made of unpainted concrete block. They laughed and giggled when Jesus handed them toothbrushes and toothpaste. Jesus led me farther up the hill. I started taking lots of pictures. The children kept laughing and making jokes. I didn’t understand them and they didn’t understand me, but it was ok. They were being silly, so I took video of them. Jesus was laughing and goofing around with them now. Jesus watched the video with the other kids and they all cut loose giggling. If I were at home it might be obnoxious, but here it seemed normal, expected. I was laughing and crying. Jesus was laughing loudly too. But Jesus was not crying. Jesus showed me a young, newly married couple walking down the hill. The mother had a shawl over her shoulder and Jesus asked to see the baby. The mother pulled the shawl aside, smiling down at the child. The baby was beautiful and peaceful, unaware of the hardship ahead. They looked tired and worn for a couple so young. Jesus took me to the top of the hill and introduced me to a grandma and grandpa. We showed them pictures of the children, pictures they recognized. Smiles and laughter cracked through the worn lines on their leathery faces. They motioned us to see a family with four children next door. They invited us into their shack so we stepped onto its small porch that had a swing. Many of the kids who were following all wiggled onto the swing, squeezing together to make space. They started shouting “photo, photo” as they laughed and giggled. They were hanging upside down and Jesus was making faces. I took lots of pictures. The mother’s As we went back down the hill we met Alida’s family. Her little sister said “Hola, mi nombre es Angelica.” I started to write it on my palm so I would not forget it. But Alida asked if she could write and I nodded. She held my hand and with the pen and wrote her name, her sister’s name and her brother’s name in perfect English. This was so precious and beautiful to me that I started crying again. I met her father and mother and they all lined up in front of their house. I took their picture. They gave me hugs and high fives. The dirt on my face was streaked with the tears running down. They said “adios, vaya con Dios” (bye, go with God) and I said the same. I turned and walked down the hill back towards the Oasis. The Jesus that I met today was full of love. Jesus didn’t care about worldly possessions and only cared about what I needed. Jesus carried me today, held my hand when I needed love and dried my tears. Jesus loved me when I didn’t deserve it and touched my heart in ways words cannot describe. I met Jesus today in the people of Chicoman. Written by a member of the 2009 New Hope Church Service Team to Guatemala Related Scripture Passage
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A Christ Centered Community
for All People |
formerly crystal evangelical free church |
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and gently led me farther up the hill. With a sweeping gesture Jesus showed me all the skinny animals. There were dogs that had many scars, weak from hunger, barely enough strength to stand and beg for scraps. 
eyes moved to one of the two rooms where her husband was working. He showed us these amazing landscapes he was painting. I was really crying now but I was not sure if it was joy or pain, maybe it was both. We gave them the last toothbrushes and toothpaste that we had. They said “gracias.” Jesus said “de nada.” Jesus said we should go back. 