What an amazing week our team had in Guatemala! This team was made up of people who loved to laugh and loved to serve.  Fifteen team members raised funds to travel to Antiqua, Guatemala, and spend a week serving, praying, and laughing with our friends there. We partnered with We AreGraces, a wonderful organization that supports education and other relief services for children and adolescents who live in poverty near Antigua, Guatemala.

Our Canyon Springs team helped assemble and install stoves in many homes where families had, up to this point, prepared meals over an open pit fueled by firewood. The new stoves are a significant luxury item for them. Preparing meals is much quicker with the stoves, giving families more time to enjoy together. 

Additionally, our team delivered food bags to many families in need. We prayed with these families as they shared their stories with us. The gratitude we received over a food bag was eye-opening for our team.

We also had the opportunity to learn about the local economy by spending an afternoon on a coffee farm, participating in every step of the process–from planting the seeds to tasting the freshly roasted coffee. This experience deepened our appreciation for the hard work that goes into every cup of coffee and the families who rely on coffee farming for generational sustainability.

We celebrated with the children from Escuela Integrada by hosting a Family Night! Through our church fundraising efforts, all of the participants received tee shirts! We played games, worked on crafts, laughed, and posed at our photo booth, and shared a delicious pizza meal! We recognize that poverty often steals “playtime” from children. Connecting with these families is sweet and a mutual blessing.

A highlight of our trip was the “Field Day.” We participated with the children in relays, ball dribbling, obstacle courses, and tug of war! Everyone cooled off with delicious popsicles provided by a local vendor.

We ended our time working in the classrooms with the children of Escuela Integrada, helping with English lessons. In Guatemala, the minimum wage is $350 per month; however, 70 percent of the workforce is “informal” and, therefore, does not receive minimum wage.  Getting an education and learning English is the best opportunity to secure a job and better support your family. For so many, adequate education is a gift, not a right.

Our team ended each day together in prayer and worship. We clearly understand the blessing of saying YES to the Lord when serving others. Graces in Guatemala is a beautiful partner in Christ for Canyon Springs.

Thank you, Canyon Springs, for your prayers and your support!

~Guatemala 2024

Enjoy photos from our recent trip!