The Prayer That Changed My Life - The Christian Online Magazine

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I believed God was calling me to the mission field as a teacher for missionary kids, but I didn’t want to go. I didn’t want to leave the comforts of the United States and everything that was familiar for something that wasn’t. So I prayed. I asked God to give me the desire to go if he really wanted me to go. This prayer changed my life.

At the age of 38, I decided to quit teaching at Newman High School and go to live in Guatemala and teach high school math there to missionary kids. I sold most of my belongings and moved back in my parent’s house then flew to Guatemala City to begin a new life.

I can now say, God has blessed me in many ways since moving to Guatemala three years ago. I really do love teaching missionary kids in an international Christian school. God knew I would be happier there and that I would fall in love with Guatemala and its people.

The mild climate, fresh fruits and vegetables are only a few of the many aspects I love about Guatemala. I feel as if I have a family in Guatemala and in Illinois now. The people in my church there adopted me and became my family and helped me to adjust my first year there. This year one family asked me to be a Godmother to their newborn baby. Now I am part of their spiritual family for a lifetime whether I remain in Guatemala or decide to live in the United States again.

I really do count the Christian Academy of Guatemala (CAG), the school where I teach, as a blessing. CAG has only 90 students in the high school and all my classes are small. Most students are well behaved with very involved parents. Most students also try very hard to do their best and not give up. I have rarely seen studen’ts work as hard as I have seen at CAG.

Some of the highlights I’ve had since moving to Guatemala are seeing poverty for the first time. The Lutheran Church has a ministry (Servant’s Heart) near the city dump in Guatemala City. My first week in Guatemala, I went to visit this ministry and was able to go inside the dump with Servant’s Heart as they drove a pick up inside with a soup kitchen in the bed of the truck. As I entered, the smell and the dust overtook my senses. I also saw a family of pigs, many dogs and also vultures living inside. There were many people inside with garbage bags picking through the garbage. They pick out items to be recycled and sell them to businesses but also pick out things they want to use or eat. There were even people selling food inside the dump that they had found.

When I was inside I thought, “I’m glad I can leave here any time I wish and don’t have to come inside here everyday.” I could have easily been born next to the city dump in Guatemala City instead of rural Iowa. For some reason, God blessed me and I now count many things as blessings that I never noticed before.

One other highlight was climbing a volcano. It was a long hike up to the top and some times I had to take two steps up and slide back on the lava. But the view from the top was worth it. It was gorgeous and I could see for miles one minute but the next minute the clouds and sulfur surrounded me, and I couldn’t even see ten feet in front of me.

Although, I have had some struggles in Guatemala, the good definitely outweighs the bad. I can also better appreciate my family and friends in the United States and all of the conveniences we have here. I also appreciate walking outside in safety without worry of being robbed.

The next time I feel God tugging at my heart, I am willing to go. It may be frightening but I know it will be worth it and God will provide as he always has. I encourage you to be willing to do the same.