Hope

        This morning I woke up knowing that today was the second to last day of my journey here in Guatemala. The plan for the day was to go into a village to dedicate a water well and I was so excited to go with my team. When I walked into the rancho for breakfast my boss came up to me and told me he needed to talk to me. I hate when people say that. So many things were running through my head. Was I in trouble?
"I need you to so something for me." He said
Oh no, here we go. I am about to get in so much trouble. Oh wait, I know exactly what he wants me to do.
"I know exactly what you are about to ask me. You want me to speak in front of everyone at the fiesta tonight, don't you?" 
"Yes, I need you to speak tonight but not about just anything, I need to speak about the baby rescue that you are going on this morning."
           My mouth dropped. What? Is this really happening? I have been praying for this moment since last year and gave up on it since my journey here was almost over. I never wanted to get my hopes up because I knew that there was a slim chance of me going on one. I asked God to send me if he felt like I was ready but to not open the door if he did not think I was. I couldn't believe it. It was out of no where and I couldn't be more surprised.
           We had to eat breakfast fast and then have a short meeting before we got in the two trucks to start our journey. It was a 2 1/2 hour trip and there was so much racing through my mind the entire time. I did not know what to expect, how old the children would be or how healthy they would be. I just knew that God had sent me to go on that mission today. He knew I was ready.
            Our first stop was in the middle of the top of a mountain. We could only drive so far in and then had to get out and walk the rest of the way. It was about a mile walk to the house with the two children in it. When we arrived at the small house we went in and found a mother holding her crying baby with her toddler daughter by her side. The baby was not in clear sight but by the way the belly was extended on the little 2 year old girl, you could tell that she was malnourished. The family was expecting us so the mom was finishing packing the bags and when they were done, the family of four headed back down the mountain with hope for some help.
              After we piled in the trucks we headed to another house just a few minutes off of the hike that we took. When we got out of the car there was a fairly large family there waiting. We were told that we were going to pick up a child with special needs. When I saw him he looked like an eight year old boy but was actually eighteen and he had the biggest grin on his face. His dad was holding a small dirty black bag for him to take. I was wondering who would come along with him from his family but soon found out that he would be traveling alone. His mother was weeping and was taking it very hard. A few of us went over to her and gave her a hug. It broke my heart that we were taking her baby away from her but she knew that it was the right thing to do. We loaded back into the truck with Axial between Hannah and I. Before we shut the door his dad handed him his little black bag, squeezed his arm and then closed the door. It was so very sad. We drove away leaving his family behind.
                The half hour drive back to where the ambulance was parked was exhausting. We were tired as it was and we kept dozing off. At one point I fell asleep and my head fell foward and hit the back of Axial's. We were extremely weary and we were only half way done with the rescue.
                We drove an hour and a half to another village where a mother would be meeting us to hand over her daughter. She was a very young mom, still wearing her school uniform actually, and her daughter looked to be around three years old. We were told that her grandmother would be coming with her so they both got into the ambulance and as simple as that, we were off to rescue our last baby.
                An hour from the village we drove and pulled over on the side of the road. This house was literally only a few feet from the busy road. A mom was there holding her daughter that has cerebral palsy along with her husband and son. I was able to talk with her and ask her her daughter's name. Her name was Beverly and she was three years old. Her hair was pulled back into a tiny ponytail and her olive skin was flawless. Her mother handed her over to me and I walked her to the ambulance. 
                  Each one of these families had hope. Hope for something better, hope for help and hope for a future. What would life be like without hope?
              I am so grateful for this opportunity and for representing both Hope of Life and my home church going on this mission. I know that without many prayers and obedience, this opportunity would have never arose for us. This was by far the highlight of my entire 28 days here and I still cannot believe that I was part of a baby rescue.
             Please keep this ministry in your prayers as there are millions of sick babies up in the mountains here holding on to hope. Hope of Life saves hundreds of children each year but it is a very expensive mission to accomplish.

"For I know the plans I have for you. declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future"
-Jermiah 29:11