A Night to Remember

I was in Cotzal to visit the Church of God, the church where most of the teachers and several students attend. I meet with fellow teacher and friend Mathias in the park before we head over to the church together. As we walk in and sit down, I recognize so many faces. Many students come up to me to say hello. I see many aquaintances that I have met on the streets. In a strange way, even though it is my first time at the church, it feels like home. Worship in evangelical Guatemalan churches are so much different than what I am used to in the United States, but I have grown more accustomed to it. People cry out to God. They are not afraid to be broken, to scream, you can hear their moans for the Lord. During prayers, everybody prays at once. Hundreds of voices lift up to the Lord, it is a humbling experience to be a part of. I pray silently to myself because this is the way I have prayed all my life.

A visiting preacher from Mexico gives the main message. He screams into the microphone, clearly passionate, but not sure if he understands he is hurting all or our eardrums. At the end of the service, they call a familiar name up to the front. It is one of the teachers and one of my good friends. People pray for her and this timid teacher accepts Christ in front of her huge congregation. While she has been going to the church for awhile and been walking in His ways, she has never "officially" accepted Christ in front of her church body until this moment. She is the only one from her Catholic family to do so. I am stunned and feel so much joy for her.

Afterward, Mathias and I walk to Josue's house as a huge thunderstorm rolled in. The storm feels like so many I have experienced in the midwest. The night air is warm and it makes me feel like a kid again. At Josue's house, I eat dinner with his family and we sing songs as the storm comes through, the rain pounding loudly on the tin roof.

At 9:00, I return to the church with Mathias and stay there until 12:30 at night. We fight sleep, barely able to keep ourselves awake as we join the congregation in worshiping and praying to the Lord. We walk back mostly in silence and I slip into the house at 1 AM, walking quietly, lest I wake up that wonderful family of nine sleeping in the same bed.

I walk upstairs and curl up in my private bed. The night air has turned cold and there is only one blanket so I sleep in my sweatshirt. But I am greatful for the wonderful hospitality of this family. They have adopted me as one of their own, always sharing their food with me throughout my time here, providing a bed when I need it. They never ask for anything in return. I close my eyes feeling at peace and fall asleep instantaneously.