My Guatemalan Grandma! :)

I was excited to open the Christmas Card from The God's Child Project this year but was even more excited to see the story in their newsletter!  It is about my Guatemalan Grandma Catalina (the lady my 2011 building team built a home for this year).  Though I new some of her story, which started near the middle of the entire story and had the "happy ending" with the joy of a receiving a house, i was not aware of the beginning.

We were told by the project that her children abandoned her (she was 71 years old).  Still don't know why or how... but that does not matter at this point.  She was found on the street by a man who witnessed her helping his son tie his shoe.  This man had lost his mother and his son never knew or would have a grandma in his life.  The family took her in, despite not having enough to meet their own families' needs, they just new this elderly woman needed them just as much as their son need an abuela (grandma).  They built a tin shed on their small plot of land for her to live.  That's where my team comes into the story.  We purchased the supplies with the help of the project to build a house for this dear deserving abuela.  Her one wish for her home.... to have a gutter to collect the rain water.  Wish and then some granted!!!!!!!!!! What a blessing to build this home with dear friends with the help of a very agile and able bodied 71 year old granny that probably could have beat me aerobically in a hill climbing challenge!

I can't contain my excitement when I think about going back to visit her, to hug her, to pray with her again.  With each and every home and family I build for each year it brings me further down onto my knees in humble worship of a God that loves me so much. A God that knows exactly what brings my heart joy, to serve others and be able to witness the imeasurable, permanent change a simple home can make for someone, for a family.  To be reminded so clearly how very blessed I am in every aspect of my life.

Hope this finds you well and enjoying the abundant blessings that surround us daily. Merry Christmas!

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:)  Shawn