Our Last Ministry Day Already

For all of us who have served in short-term missions, the pattern is familiar: arrive, prepare supplies for our projects, launch into the week ahead– and then, suddenly, it is Thursday, and our days of ministry are coming to an end. Before we tour the cultural sites and markets of Antigua and fly home with the zip-drives of memories each of us will carry, let us share a few with you.

Our final day of ministry took us to the town of Alotenango, where the Catholic parish of San Juan Alotenango maintains a free health clinic. Nineteen people registered there for our health presentations and filtration buckets that would be delivered later in the day. We did not offer a children’s program, but the church construction that was in progress afforded entertainment: a nice big pile of black volcanic dirt. (Later in the morning, team member Trisha Vani provided cleaner fun for a handful of children.

Meanwhile, a thirteen-year-old girl in the shelter village had requested a bucket that had to be delivered to an adult in her family. Most of the family had returned to their damaged home and were continuing to clean up from the eruption. Nury accompanied two team members to the home for the delivery. They learned that the girl’s aunt was one of forty people, mostly elderly, who had survived the disaster in their homes. However, a brother was still hospitalized with severe burns he had received while trying in vain to help his mother and wife to safety.

Within the town, several people served with water filters were those who had fed and cared for those who had fled from the eruption. A woman named Margarita had organized and helped prepare meals for 3,000 people. These servants expressed their gratitude that they had been protected and their eagerness to give back. In turn, it was a privilege for our team to serve them.

Team #1812 will be on the way home in the morning. Our tour day has been memorable, and we will share highlights with you. Meanwhile, please hold us in prayer as we make our re-entry, and pray especially for the precious souls we leave behind. As we shared with many of them, we will meet again in Heaven and worship together in one language.