I don't even know where to begin... words will never be able to do justice to the way I feel about this place. My heart is filled with deep love and intense gratitude for the country of Guatemala and allllll of the people, friends, memories, moments, culture, color, love, joy, fullness, growth, lessons, beauty, awe... the list goes on... that it holds. So here is my attempt at expressing how special of a place Guate holds in my heart and will forevermore.

Guatemala is filled with jaw-dropping beauty at literally ever corner. It's really hard to not be thankful and humbled by how small you are when you have some sort of fascinating and vast landscape view right in front of you at all times. The country itself is stunning, but the people and the culture are what really make it vibrant. This is the most welcoming, warm, and kind place I have ever been to. I can't count the times that we were out doing ministry and somehow we ended up being the ones getting served rather than serving. Guatemala means family. Guatemala means giving to others even when you have nothing to give. Guatemalans understand that there is something deeper and more filling in love and relationship than in any material thing (but they'll still always offer you a chair and a coke the second you show up at their door). We've had the honor and privilege of meeting and knowing so many sweet souls in this place that have moved my heart beyond words. From our hosts, who quickly became family, to the moms and kiddos who stole our hearts, to the coffee shop community who took us in and became a safe home base, Guatemala is flooded with amazing people who have forever impacted me and given me a new reason to praise.  Guatemala can't help but stir up compassion, gratitude, and love in a person's heart. Guatemala has given me space to become a student. A student of the Word, primarily, but also just a student of all the things that surround me. These past couple of months have been filled with new and hard, yet really sweet, lessons. Whether it's learning to speak Spanish and how to play guitar or learning humility, empathy, and what it means to "pour," my life has been littered with learning (and learning how to learn). It feels like there is always something new the Lord is stirring in me these days and honestly that's such an exciting and life-giving place to be. Life gets really stale and boring if you choose to stop learning. Guatemala is a place of connection, you can't help but make friends and stumble upon really unique conversations here. With that, I think one of the sweetest things about being here is how it has cultivated a space for our squad to really grow closer. In our time here, the people that I've been living with for months now have truly became family in a really real way and that is a gift! Guatemala has been filled with a ton of sweet moments but also really hard ones. From sickness to just plain hard change, we've gone through a lot in Guate but there is literally no where else and no one else that I would want to be going through it with. My heart has been changed in Guatemala, in the best way.

I was laying in bed the other night at Casa de Fuego (one of many gifts from the Lord), reflecting on the absolute and pure love I have for this country. I had just looked in the mirror and the girl looking back at me was so full of joy, contentment, and gratitude. The girl looking back was me, the real me that I feel like haven't seen much of in the past few years. I love this country. I feel connected to myself here. I feel connected to others here. I feel connected to God here. What a privilege it is to live this life and to live it for a good God and to live it in a place as special as Guate. Guatemala is teaching me what it means to serve. Something I’ve learned that I’m often really bad at. Guatemala is teaching me the majesty and might and power and beauty of God. Guatemala is teaching me that my life must be laid down over and over. Guatemala is teaching me I have so much to learn and equally so much to give away - even when I don't acknowledge it. I love this place. I love these people. My heart is so full here, there’s no where else I want to be. Thank you Father that you are a good gift giver and that you’ve given me the opportunity to be here for the time we have been. Please Lord let me come back here, let me serve here. You’re teaching me what it looks like to be sold out (and what it looks like to not be). Guatemala leads me to the conclusion that losing it all - giving it all away - for the sake of Christ and the gospel would be worth it every single time. Guatemala is beautiful. Guatemala is humble. Guatemala is full of color and of love and of joy and of honor. Guatemala is kind. Guatemala is unique. Guatemala is a gift. Thank you Guatemala for letting me know you and love you. My heart is here forever. Not me about to get teary bc I can’t imagine leaving this place. Ugh I love it. Gloria a Dios!! Te amo Guatemala.

A friend recently asked me to send my 5 favorite pictures from Guatemala... I said 5 is not possible but here is as close as it gets:

We are off to Europe early tomorrow morning and it grieves my heart to say goodbye to this place (almost to the point of just staying) but I am so sure of the Lord's plan and I know that the last half of this race will be so sweet and purposeful and worth it. I also know that if I have any say in it, this is not goodbye to Guate, just a see ya later. The Lord is moving in really sweet ways, in T-squad, in Guatemala, in the world. What an honor to be a part of it all. En la tierra como en el Cielo. 

Jesús te ama

xoxo, tay <3