Sampling a Jungle Harvest

An unexpected harvest happened on our last village outreach. After our bible story time with the kids, and the food distribution, the five of us got invited to a home. The mom of the little guy that recently received a personal energy transport cart asked us to stop by to make a minor adjustment. Keep in mind, this is only the second time in the past year and a half that our group has been invited into one of the village homes, and the first time for me.

What made it even more special, is that this was THAT family. You know, the one that somehow worms its way into your heart when you least expect it. 

Last year, whenever we went to the village, different kids stood out to me; something about their countenance or catching little eyes warily checking me out but rarely returning even a hint of a smile. So, I made it a point to learn their names early on, and to purposefully look for them each visit just to greet them by name. Over time they began to warm up. One day I met and talked with their mama in a group of ladies, but didn't realize that's who she was.  At our very last visit of 2014 it finally clicked that all of the ones that had found a special place in my heart and prayers... were from the same household. Hmmmmmm.

So, last Wednesday when we departed the outreach and stopped by THIS family's home, that in itself was a harvest blessing. I even rode in the back of the pick up with little Brayan and his younger sister and we picked up one of the older sisters on the way. She brushed her hair behind her ear while chatting and smiling easily, and I couldn't help but think how she sounded just like other 9-10 year old girls I know back home. After fixing Brayan's cart, the mama sent the two older girls off to harvest some fruit for us -- majunches and banano crillos -- two types of bananas. She walked with us as we prepared to leave and stopped along the path of her jungle garden to pick Chaya leaves to send with us, a food source they love to eat cooked in with eggs.

The few minutes we got to visit with them at their home, surrounded by an easy grace and all those smiles, was just the kind of treasure that reminds you there is a harvest that makes it all worth it.

A jungle harvest of the heart. 

Thoughts from De...

Simply Serving

Rod & De Ishmael

Guatemala

Above:  Majunches to the left, banano crillos to the right; Brayan in his "tuk-tuk" ...

PET Cart.

Above: hospitality to the max!

Above: "Bollos de Chaya" made from the leaves harvested by our friends. Delicious.