|
At the beginning of September, the URA team, along with partners from Beltway Park Baptist Church, had the opportunity to visit the URA Guatemala team and bring much needed resources! URA has been serving in Guatemala since the eruption of volcano Fuego in 2018, and has since stablished its own non-profit: URA Guatemala. URA Guatemala works as the local hub for United Rescue Alliance. Like URA in Abilene, URA Guatemala provides emergency preparedness and disaster response trainings to its community, and provides aid through resources such as food and water, Watts of Love lights, and medical assistance. Additionally, when disasters happen in Guatemala, the URA team is there to help. The team went into the week determined to be flexible and let the Lord lead their trip. During the trip, they helped put the finishing touches on the Community Center which will be an education hub for the town of Escuintla. The Community Center will focus on all facets of education from basic hygiene to preparedness training. The community members of Escuintla have spent the last 5 years trying to recoup and recover from the effects of Volcano Fuego so a centralized hub of community resources and training is excitedly anticipated! The URA team had the opportunity to meet with local Guatemalans and give out Watts of Love lights, incredibly powerful handheld solar lights that allow households without electricity to not only stay safe, but to continue working and doing school work into the night (smiling woman pictured above is holding her new solar light and seeing just how bright it gets!). URA was also blessed to distribute Lechem bread, a type of bread that was developed in response to URA’s passion to fight malnutrition in Guatemala. The creator of the bread is a Guatemalan Chef that has worked in Michelin Star restaurants across the world. This bread not only has great flavor, but it is made with whole grains, all natural ingredients, and no added sugar! Additionally, the team had the opportunity to distribute solar powered audio Bibles that make the Word of God available to those who cant read! For those who can read, and children who are learning to read, Spanish versions of the Willy Nilly children’s books that teach children about bravery, adventure, friendship, and hope were given out! The URA America team is so grateful for the passion that URA Guatemala puts into everything they do and loved being able to spend the week with them!
|
