Hitting the (Back) Streets

This week, we’re hitting the streets with our annual Good News Project.

It’s the most impactful week of our mission year.

Not only for the recipients, but also for our staff and family.

As I think about the expression, “hitting the street,” something occurs to me.

Few folks realize what those streets are like.

When my family tells me it’s a beautiful, snowy morning in my beloved New Jersey,

My mind immediately runs images of snowmen, sledding, hot chocolate, and fireplaces.

Apparently, I’ve repressed the memories of shoveling out cars and trudging to work.

And I never think about the homeless camp I visited on a snowy morning way back when.

The one where snow wafted through gaps in shelters and Sterno cans provided heat.

Lots of folks visit Guatemala and go home with memories.  

But even those who went off the beaten path on short missions have filtered visions.

We own a spacious 3-bedroom residence above our La Cuchilla mission church.

The thought of living along that narrow strip of concrete homes does not sit well with me.

It is a somewhat dangerous neighborhood where Catalina can rarely play outside.

But most of our mission kids would love to live in that apartment.

Their homes are on the street behind our mission, a dirt strip not wide enough for cars.

As you walk deeper into the kilometer-long stretch, the conditions of the homes get worse.

There is less concrete and more tin, plastic, and wood.

Below those homes, on the slope down into the valley, are other homes.  

These are places only residents enter, as they would never ask others to risk the walk.

Our kids come from these areas to get a nutritious meal, a hug, and a moment of attention.

They like the food but treasure the little bit of time to be a carefree kid in a safe haven.

That's why we will continue to create as many special days for them as we can all year round.