My days in Guatemala!

Hey guys!! I’m back with an update—it’s already been two weeks, and I’m still here in Guatemala! The pace here is definitely different from the other countries I’ve been to. The days haven’t felt super packed, but there’s been a lot of intentional time spent doing ministry, which has been so good. Slower in some ways, but deeper too. I wanted to share a little about what I’ve been up to with Reindom, the ministry I’m serving with, and how I’ve been seeing God move in the middle of it all.

Reindom is such a cool ministry, and I’ve seriously loved being a part of it. I get to love on the sweetest kids in a village called Santa Marta, and every day feels like something new. God’s been teaching me a lot, especially about how to have a heart for these kids and this community. One of the best parts has been getting to work with the team here. Two of the main leaders (our ministry hosts), Loyda and Oliver, are honestly just awesome. They’re in their 20s, and they’re running this whole thing with so much love and energy. Watching them lead the kids, plan everything, and just pour out their hearts every single day is super inspiring. Everyone here is all-in, and it makes me want to give my best too. It’s been really cool to be part of something that’s not just about doing stuff, but about really loving people like Jesus would.

A normal week here has its own rhythm. We start Mondays with a Sabbath, which is my day to rest and spend time with God.

Tuesdays and Fridays are some of my favorite days. We head out early to a town called Sampango, where there’s a house that kind of works as our Reindom base. It’s where we all meet up, pray, and just hang out before heading out to the village. We usually start the day in the prayer room, and I love that time so much. It’s where we can worship and pray for the community, and so much more. After that, we fill water jugs and head to the Reindom house in Santa Marta. Once we get there, we divide up into teams—some people stay back to cook, and the rest of us clean the space and set everything up. Then we go out into the village for house visits, which are always so sweet. Even though I don’t speak a ton of Spanish, I still feel like those moments are really powerful. Just showing up and listening goes a long way. Around 1 p.m., the kids start running in, yelling “¡Seño!” and giving us huge hugs—it’s the best. We split them into age groups, give out hand sanitizer, and serve the lunch we made. And they always wait to pray before eating, which is so cool.

One of my favorite little memories happened when I was with the middle-aged group of kids. They all raised their hands to pray before eating, and I wasn’t sure who was supposed to lead it, so I stepped out and asked Oliver if he could. He just looked at me and said, “You pray!” I got nervous because, again, my Spanish is basically nonexistent, but I went back in and a lot of the kids had their hands raised again, still wanting to pray. It was the cutest thing. I ended up praying in English, but it’s now my goal to be able to pray in Spanish before I leave. That moment really melted my heart.

Wednesdays are a little different, but honestly, I think they might be my favorite day of the week. Reindom partners with another ministry in Sampango called Pilas, and together we help host something called “Kingdom Table.” It’s basically a big community meal for older men and women, and sometimes young moms with their kids. We spend the morning cooking, setting up, inviting people off the streets, worshiping, sharing a short message, and then serving the food. It’s such a sweet picture of what the Kingdom of God looks like—just people coming together, being fed physically and spiritually, and loved right where they are.It’s also been so fun getting to hang out with Gery and Barb, who moved to Guatemala from Canada and started this ministry 15 years ago. They’ve built something so special here. They’re the kind of people who instantly make you feel welcome. After Kingdom Table, we eat our lunches at the reindom base, then head to Santa Marta and then run an afternoon VBS-style program with the kids. We do Bible stories, crafts, games, and so much laughing. The energy is always high, and it’s just such a joy to be part of. I still love serving with Loyda and Oliver. They seriously go all out for these kids. The rest of the team is amazing too. Most of them are in their early 20s, and it blows my mind how well they lead. They’ve got such genuine hearts, and they make ministry feel so alive and full of purpose.

Thursdays have definitely become one of my favorite parts of the week. We call it “Activation Day,” and I mentioned it a bit in my last blog, but honestly, it’s just too good not to talk about again. The day starts with worship and a message led by the staff, and then they send us out to do ATL (Ask the Lord) ministry. Every week looks a little different, but it’s always such a cool opportunity to listen to God and step out in faith. One time, my team ended up talking with two Mormon guys we ran into, which was so fun and a really interesting convo. Another time, I was paired with two other girls—Ella and Gigi—and we walked into this tiny shoe shop because we felt the Lord telling us to stop. We ended up becoming friends with the mom and her family who owned it, and even helped them put up shoes around the store. It was so random but so sweet. I love how God uses the most simple, unexpected moments to build connection.

Fridays are pretty similar to Tuesdays. We head back to Santa Marta with the same rhythm of prayer, house visits, making food, and time teaching the children. The more time I get to spend with these kids, the deeper those connections feel!

Saturdays are a little more flexible and different every week. One Saturday, we watched a fútbol game, which was actually super fun and felt like such a local experience. Another time, we bagged up food supplies and did crafts with elderly women in the village. I’m still figuring out if Saturdays will have a consistent rhythm, but until then, whatever we end up doing usually turns into such a sweet time.

Sundays are our adventure days. After church in Parramos, a town nearby, we usually head out to explore Chimaltenango or Antigua, just wandering around and trying something new. It’s such a fun way to unwind and take in the beauty of Guatemala.

And then it’s Monday again, and the cycle restarts with Sabbath. Slowing down, resting, and remembering who I’m doing this for. I’m so thankful for it.

These last couple weeks have honestly been a little harder mentally. I’ve loved being here, but there have definitely been moments where I’ve felt kind of overwhelmed or unsure of my purpose. A lot of the kids at my ministry already know who Jesus is, and with zero Spanish, there are moments I wonder what I’m really offering. But God keeps reminding me that love speaks louder than words. Even when I can’t fully, I can show up. I can smile, serve, listen, and just be present. And that’s what matters.

One verse that has really encouraged me lately is Matthew 25:40:
“Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”

Even if I can’t preach in Spanish or lead worship amazingly, Jesus sees every hug, every plate of food handed out, every silly game played, and every tear wiped away. He says, “You did that for Me.” That truth keeps me going and reminds me that it’s not about how put-together I am or how much I can do. It’s about the love and joy I bring with me.

Thank you for covering me in prayer and for your encouragement! You all are sooo awesome, and honestly, I’m starting to get a little excited about being back in the States again! I’m growing, being stretched, and learning to trust God in new ways every day. I can’t say it’s always been easy, but it’s been so worth it.

Can’t wait to hug you all soon and tell you more stories in person. Love you guys tons!!

~ Jaylynn K