Amazing Grace

.....to give without expecting anything in return.

.....to give even though the receiver has done nothing to earn or deserve what is given.

.....to give life even when precious life has been taken away.

Our week in Guatemala with Hands of Hope was a lesson in grace.......amazing grace.

I don't think most Americans understand grace. Most Americans either expect to work for everything and are skeptical of anything that is "free" or they have a sense of entitlement and obligatory fairness. Neither paradigm is compatible with the concept and gift of grace. Life is not fair. The people of Guatemala understand grace --- perhaps because they also have an intimate understanding of death.

Aron's father shared a dream he had several days before Aron's death: He was standing in a river with Aron and the pastor of their church. The water was crystal clear which meant that they would soon receive a great blessing. Now, in the wake of his son's death, Aron's father believes that the blessing was our mission team.

Even in the darkness and despair following his death, Aron's mother also poignantly and repeatedly praised Hands of Hope for the care we gave to her son. She gave heart-felt thanks and praise to us despite her own personal pain and grief.

Admittedly, grace can be difficult to understand . . . . but also to accept. We certainly did not feel worthy of the gift we were given and feel we received much more than we gave.

Although we may never understand everything that happened during our time in Guatemala, God's grace gives us comfort, hope and inspiration to exemplify grace in our daily walk --- wherever we are and in whatever we do.