After being in Tizate for over a week, the only way I can explain the way I feel is to say that its like being a part of a family here. Global Shore is committed to not just “doing life” with this community but actually living life together. The teachers in the school teach with love and discipline and they provide opportunities for the kids to flourish. GSO comes alongside national churches to support them in any way necessary. In Hebrews 12 it says that we are to work at living in peace with everyone and I believe that GSO upholds this truth. 

I believe that God is honouring the people of El Tizate, Guatemala by calling others to come and minister to broken hearts. During morning devotional at the school, the students and teachers pray for those who are hurting and cannot come to school. During our team trip as well, the leadership recognized that some of the team members’ testimonies were valuable and organized an assembly with the oldest students so that they could share. The result was God moving throughout the older grades like a fire; the broken hearts knew they were no longer alone.

This trip experience has left me with an overwhelming sense of freedom. I have never felt so free to worship God, to pray for others and to be myself. Back home I feel like there is a stigma about prayer and worship and I feel like I have to position myself in a certain way in order to be seen as worshipping the Lord. This is not the case at the school nor at the partnering churches. I feel as though the people of Guatemala that I have met and served alongside have restored my heart.