What do bubbles, Uno cards, and Gatorade have to do with each other? To anyone who was not part of PRUMC’s recent mission trip to Guatemala, there would be no connection. For our group of 20 church members heeding the call, however, those items are symbols of how the Lord can take just about anything and use it for His purpose.

When my wife Rebecca committed us to this trip back in the summer of 2024, I had plenty of other “things” occupying my attention. Guatemala was just a far-off land on the map. I knew I would eventually be using some physical energy by banging nails to help PRUMC’s partner Catalyst Resources International (CRI) build houses for locals. But I could not fully envision how quickly we would become emotionally invested in the lives of the real people we were serving.

That first night, we visited Mimi’s Orphanage, next door to CRI, which fosters young children typically abandoned or orphaned under horrific circumstances. My spirit sank as the director shared how Alex had been found only hours after his birth, behind a garbage dump, inside a plastic bag. Then I felt a tug on my pants at the knee and looked down to find one of the other orphans, Matteo, looking up at me with his arms outstretched. As I scooped him up and held him close, I will never forget the wave of emotion that washed over me. From that moment on, I felt a level of compassion for the people that week that I had never quite experienced elsewhere in my life. Though our language barrier prevented long conversations, we used simple things like blowing bubbles with a child who speaks in laughter instead.

As the week passed, the chances to show love and compassion continued, such as getting to know the families we were building houses for. As we dedicated the finished houses on the last day, each family gave a small gift to say thank you. My family gave us a package of Guatemala’s version of Gatorade. Like the widow that Jesus praised giving her two coins, it was all they had.

The longer we stayed, we also felt more disconnected from the busy American life we put on pause. There was a peace in that separation that allowed us to really enjoy each other’s company. I have never laughed or had as much fun recently as during our games of Uno and ping pong at night. Being able to share this type of journey with our children was very rewarding. I am grateful to PRUMC for providing me the opportunity to get involved in global ministry. Not only do I want to journey on future trips, but the faith journey of my family and I has been forever blessed by the love we experienced in Guatemala.

By David Dickey