In January we had Wheaton Academy back for their third year but this time with a very different kind of group than years past. Instead of Spanish students traveling down to put their Spanish into action with Bible Clubs, we got a group of music students with the emphasis of sharing God’s love through interactive music performances throughout villages and also bigger cities.
The first two days included a trip to the village of Baltimore where the students were able to go to the houses of the villagers to hand out bags of food and personal items, pray for the families, and also invite them to a music concert for the next day. It was a great opportunity not only to witness how people live in our area of Guatemala, but also to talk with the people and hear about their families and their needs. Many times after praying there was not a dry eye left in the room and the Guatemalan families were so grateful that someone was taking the time to hear their problems and pray with them. Nate Urban, a junior, says, “In Guatemala as we were walking through Baltimore, seeing their houses, and their, what appeared to me as, lack of possessions. I was contemplating what it meant that Jesus gives “Life to the full.” Does it mean to have a shiny car and a tv? God showed me that “Life to the full?” has nothing to do with possessions; it is about the relationships that we have with the people around us and with God”.
The third day the team traveled to Livingston where they had a performance right in the middle of town for the public to hear and see. We were able to partner with our dear missionary friends Miguel and Laura and they invited a man from the church named Quique who is a famous singer there. He is now a Christian and sings Christian reggae music and also gave a concert. It was a wonderful ministry opportunity to reach the people of Livingston and also for the Wheaton team to see the unique culture of Livingston.
Another day the group traveled to Puerto Barrios where they visited the only music school run by one man who has dedicated his life to teaching kids how to read and play music. The Wheaton team had a chance to listen to the teacher explain how he teaches his students to read music and the struggle he faces of keeping kids involved in a city where there are many distractions. In addition, his students were able to perform for us and after we had a chance to then perform for them. The morning ended with a jazz improv session that with both Guatemalan and Wheaton students playing side-by-side. Steve Willemssen, the music teacher at Wheaton and leader of the team, said, “It was so fun teaching them American blues music through a translator, then having all of us play the same music all together. Long-term connections with that school and possible in-roads for the Gospel through that relationship are really neat to think about.” Our day in Barrios ended at the orphanage which is always a blast being able to play with the children.
We are so thankful for Wheaton Academy and the teams they bring down. They have such a heart of serving and we are honored that they choose El Faro to share God’s love whether it is through Bible Clubs, house visits, or music concerts.
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