Latest / Wesley at FSU & TSC / Guatemala 2024 || Day 5 (Allie Boyd and Emily Rusch)

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Guatemala 2024 || Day 5 (Allie Boyd and Emily Rusch) · Wesley at FSU & TSC

• 0:01
  SPEAKER_01: Hey everybody, it's Bryant.
• 0:03
  SPEAKER_01: I just want to start this podcast by saying thank you to those of you who have been listening every day.
• 0:09
  SPEAKER_01: That's really awesome.
• 0:10
  SPEAKER_01: I've been looking at the download accounts, and it's more than we've ever had on another down on another podcast.
• 0:15
  SPEAKER_01: So uh just really grateful for all of you who have been following me along with this trip.
• 0:19
  SPEAKER_01: Today you have a special treat.
• 0:21
  SPEAKER_01: We are gonna hear from Allie Boyd and Emily Rush, and they're gonna share about what we did today, because what we did today is a little bit different.
• 0:29
  SPEAKER_01: We got to go experience um both a home that's about to be built and a home that was built, and so uh that'll be really awesome.
• 0:38
  SPEAKER_02: Okay, so we're sitting here with Allie Boyd, who is a rising third year.
• 0:44
  SPEAKER_02: She will be at FSU, and uh we kind of had a big day today, so I've asked her to kind of walk us through what we did today.
• 0:52
  SPEAKER_02: Allie, what did we do today?
• 0:54
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, so today I guess first we woke up and we had breakfast as usual.
• 1:00
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and then this morning we had a lot more going on.
• 1:03
  SPEAKER_00: We had a devotion by EJ, which was really good, and then we had worship with um Quaid and Hannah and Phil, and that was also really good.
• 1:12
  SPEAKER_00: And I thought it was good for the people there to see the kind of music that we do because they keep hearing about it, or maybe they hear it when they're trying to sleep, I don't know.
• 1:21
  SPEAKER_00: Um, but it was nice to be able to share that with them.
• 1:46
  SPEAKER_03: Except for heart singing hall day.
• 1:54
  SPEAKER_00: And then they had people come from there's kind of like a joint organization, it's not like quite the same, but kind of stems off of a sober house, and they had um some people speak that had been through that, um, and we got to hear their stories, and that was really impactful to see how they helped them.
• 2:14
  SPEAKER_00: And um one guy in particular was a blind man and they found him on the street and they he was an alcoholic and they pretty much saved him from the street, and now he's making he can see again and he's sober and he's helping other people.
• 2:31
  SPEAKER_00: Um so that was really cool, and he's making art now, which is cool because he couldn't see before.
• 2:36
  SPEAKER_00: Um so that was very cool to see.
• 2:39
  SPEAKER_00: Um and then after that we all left um together.
• 2:44
  SPEAKER_00: Um and on our way to the destination we saw a waterfall and we got to climb up a little bit, which was fun.
• 2:55
  SPEAKER_00: Um, take some pictures, it was really pretty.
• 2:58
  SPEAKER_00: And then we arrived at like a groundbreaking of one of the houses.
• 3:05
  SPEAKER_00: Um it was the same or I don't know, it was like the beginning of the project, and it was very cool to meet the people and see the joy on their faces and like be able to tell them that yeah, they're getting a home and it's gonna be here, and they got to take pictures with the shovels and everything.
• 3:25
  SPEAKER_00: Um and we had all the translators there and it was uh cool to hear from them and play with the kids and um I thought the their uncle or the TO was like so sweet because he was just you could tell like he was older and he couldn't really communicate with us at all, but he would just be waving constantly at us and like giving us thumbs up and you could tell how much this meant to him too.
• 3:52
  SPEAKER_00: Um which was very cool.
• 3:54
  SPEAKER_00: Um and after we did that we drove to a completed house um to see it was the same layout as Felisa's home, and so we got to see what sort of home we were building because we didn't get to see the final product at all with Felice's home.
• 4:12
  SPEAKER_00: Um and we were able to see the family there and how like different their life was because we were able to see where they previously lived there too, and it was like now a chicken coop.
• 4:23
  SPEAKER_00: Um and it was very cool to see the completed home and how much of an impact that had.
• 4:30
  SPEAKER_00: Um and then from there we I guess we drove back to like the hotel.
• 4:40
  SPEAKER_00: I guess none of that matters, but eventually we ended up back at Felisa's house and we got to say a farewell to the her and her kids um because it was so meaningful the whole week to get to know them.
• 4:55
  SPEAKER_00: Um and we got to play soccer with Manuel and his friends again, um, and that's always so much fun.
• 5:04
  SPEAKER_00: I like fell, so many people fell, it was so slippery, but it was so much fun.
• 5:09
  SPEAKER_00: Um and we got to like play with the little kids too and try to hold them even if they didn't work out.
• 5:18
  SPEAKER_00: But it was very fun and it was so emotional too because you could see how much it meant to Felisa and she was saying how much she's like gonna remember this and remember us and how we've impacted her.
• 5:31
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm sitting there, like she's impacted every single one of us, I think, more than she realizes.
• 5:37
  SPEAKER_00: Um, just meeting her and hearing her story and being able to work with her and her kids was so inspirational, and they're just such a kind family, and it was amazing to be able to work with them and help them in some way.
• 5:52
  SPEAKER_00: Um, so that was really fun.
• 5:54
  SPEAKER_00: Um, but sad too.
• 5:56
  SPEAKER_00: We were all crying at the end, we were all like hugging and saying farewell.
• 6:01
  SPEAKER_00: Um, but hopefully next year we'll be able to come back and see them.
• 6:06
  SPEAKER_02: What do you uh what do you think was the most memorable part of today for you?
• 6:11
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, I would definitely that.
• 6:12
  SPEAKER_00: I don't know, being able to connect with them and play with them and um get to know them and their stories.
• 6:22
  SPEAKER_00: And I don't know, playing soccer was just so much fun throughout the week too, because we'd be working really hard and then I know like we were like, oh, we're like playing with the kids to like help the kids, but it was like so much fun for us too.
• 6:34
  SPEAKER_00: It was like we're like, yes, let's play soccer, and then like all these little like 12-year-olds and younger, like I guess all around 12 years old are like beating us like ruthlessly in this game.
• 6:46
  SPEAKER_00: Like it's so embarrassing, but it was so much fun.
• 6:49
  SPEAKER_00: And they would, they would they're so like agile, and they would we would like kick the ball off like this cliff, and then they'd all go like charging down the cliff, and we're like, oh my gosh, the kids are like running down a cliff, and like all eight of them would go like single file down the hill, and we're like, I don't know, like should I be concerned about them?
• 7:07
  SPEAKER_00: And then they'd like come charging back up with the ball, and we'd be like, Yay, like they got it.
• 7:12
  SPEAKER_00: So it was so fun though.
• 7:14
  SPEAKER_00: I really enjoyed being able to play and work with them.
• 7:18
  SPEAKER_02: I would say that was probably my most emotional and um kind of memorable thing today, too, was particularly when we were leaving and we were you know about to say goodbye and give hugs and all that.
• 7:30
  SPEAKER_02: Uh Felisa said in her kind of speech to us that we as a group uh had reminded her of how important it was to play and how important it was for her kids to play.
• 7:42
  SPEAKER_02: And I think um, you know, there are different groups that will come in and out, you know, that um and they'll be of varying ages and whatever, and some of them will be really good and they're gonna do construction, you know, every single one of them's gonna work really hard the whole time.
• 7:57
  SPEAKER_02: And um, but I think having a bunch of college students who were able to do both, right?
• 8:02
  SPEAKER_02: We're able to do the construction work and then take a break and spend times with the kids.
• 8:07
  SPEAKER_02: Uh I remember all the way back to day one of this podcast where Kara was saying, like she just hopes that she can give Emmanuel like a chance to not be the man of the house, right?
• 8:19
  SPEAKER_02: And a chance to be a kid again.
• 8:21
  SPEAKER_02: And I think that's what I took from today, too, is that like opportunity to um for the kids to play, you know, and for Felicissa to see the importance of that too.
• 8:30
  SPEAKER_02: It's really good.
• 8:31
  SPEAKER_02: Cool.
• 8:31
  SPEAKER_02: Okay, well, thank you, Allie.
• 8:33
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you.
• 8:36
  SPEAKER_02: Okay, so now we're sitting here with Emily Rush, and she is a rising senior and a biology major.
• 8:43
  SPEAKER_02: She's been on residential staff.
• 8:44
  SPEAKER_02: She's never been to Panhachal or Guatemala on a trip like this with Portia Salomon before, but her dad has, and so he get has given us a lot of insight and support in helping to make this trip happen.
• 8:56
  SPEAKER_02: Um, and so I'm just gonna have Emily kind of walk us through a couple of the elements that we did today.
• 9:02
  SPEAKER_02: So, Emily, the first thing we did today is that we went to a um a family that is going to get a house.
• 9:09
  SPEAKER_02: Um so tell us a little bit about what we did there.
• 9:12
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah, so we showed up and we heard about like the family story, and basically it was like the uncle owned the house and he gave it to his he was like giving it to his family, but it was not holding up very well, and it's been there for a while.
• 9:34
  SPEAKER_04: So they really needed a new house, and like one of the parts that they told me, like whenever their kitchen, whenever they have to cook, the water like drips from the ceiling, and they like have to cook really fast before the fire goes out, and so that's like one of the reasons that like they need a new house and a new place to live.
• 9:57
  SPEAKER_04: So we got to experience that and see all of them and see how just happy they were to see everyone there, even though we weren't working on their house for them, just seeing like another team that was here to build a different house, like it seems like it gave them hope for their house that was to come, and we got to experience their like groundbreaking ceremony where they dug in the ground with the shovels at the beginning, and it was really cool to see how happy they were that they were gonna be getting a new house.
• 10:33
  SPEAKER_04: Um, we also brought a jump rope for the kids, and it was very fun.
• 10:38
  SPEAKER_04: We had them jumping and they were just so full of joy, and they tried to give it back to us, but we gave it back to them like multiple times.
• 10:45
  SPEAKER_04: We were like, no, it's for you, it's for you.
• 10:47
  SPEAKER_04: Like, please take it.
• 10:48
  SPEAKER_04: But it was very cool to see how joyous they were to just to even see us be there for like the 10 minutes we were there.
• 10:57
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, it was it was a little longer than 10 minutes, but it was a we weren't there very long, and it was uh a really hope-filled kind of experience, you know, like they their houses literally crumbling around them, and I don't think in the states we would even call that a house, right?
• 11:14
  SPEAKER_02: And um, and here they are gonna have a new brick house, and um, and you know, they were in tears just expressing their gratitude uh for the work that Porch does.
• 11:24
  SPEAKER_02: Um okay, and then we have the opportunity to go to Felic's house, uh, which is probably the hardest part, and that's to say goodbye um and to spend some more time with the kids.
• 11:34
  SPEAKER_02: Um tell me what you remember about that and and uh what was most meaningful to you.
• 11:40
  SPEAKER_04: I mean, throughout this entire week we've been connecting with the family and like playing with the kids and getting to know them, even with the language barrier.
• 11:51
  SPEAKER_04: Um but it's just been really cool to like work alongside them.
• 11:55
  SPEAKER_04: Like Felisa was tying rebar with me for like half of the week, so I feel like even though we weren't like communicating verbally, we were like we were in this together, we were both working on her house, and it was really hard to say goodbye because she said that we were like family to her, and I really do feel like we've connected with the entire family over the week and more than just the family, like also the community, like playing soccer with the kids, just like after they get out of school.
• 12:32
  SPEAKER_04: It's it you can tell how much joy it brings them just to get to go do something fun instead of like doing their household things that they need to do, like they get a little break, and that's like such a small thing for us to contribute, but it's like such a big thing for them, and so it was very hard to say goodbye, but it was nice to see that like we had made some progress on their house, and that eventually they will have a new house.
• 13:03
  SPEAKER_04: And we got to see a finished house layout that's the exact same as the one that we were building.
• 13:09
  SPEAKER_04: So it was nice to when I was there, I was just envisioning that family living in that space, and I was just imagining how like happy that will make them, and how like that's just gonna be such an improvement for them, and how much they deserve it because they're really just a great family.
• 13:26
  SPEAKER_02: And Lonnie did say that the house that we visited today, the finished house, was the exact same layout as the one Felisa is getting, and and so that was amazing.
• 13:35
  SPEAKER_02: I will say too, I'll just add something as a memorable thing for me.
• 13:39
  SPEAKER_02: We one of the Trinity members uh a couple days ago uh decided to get the the size, the shoe size of um the kids, and and so primarily Emmanuel and Juan, and so um then we brought them shoes, new shoes, like two pairs each of new shoes, which they were overjoyed by.
• 13:58
  SPEAKER_02: And then we showed up today and they were wearing those shoes.
• 14:01
  SPEAKER_02: I mean Juan was wearing them on the wrong feet, but he's two years old.
• 14:04
  SPEAKER_02: Um but that was like a really uh kind of incredible thing, and then we brought a new pair.
• 14:09
  SPEAKER_02: I think Hannah brought a new pair to Felisa today, and she immediately put them on and wore them for the rest of the day.
• 14:16
  SPEAKER_02: Uh, and it was a reminder of how important even a small gift of used shoes, right, can be in the lives of these people.
• 14:23
  SPEAKER_02: Um and so we're just grateful to have served in that way and uh and grateful for to get them to experience uh Felisa's joy today and uh hope to come back next year and see go go see her house and um get to see the kids as they're grown and uh and see all that that will bring.
• 14:42
  SPEAKER_02: So thank you, Emily.
• 15:05
  SPEAKER_03: So we pour out the praise, we pour out the praise is your prayer.
• 15:12
  SPEAKER_01: So this is our last podcast.
• 15:15
  SPEAKER_01: Uh I just want to thank you for listening to these uh over the last five days and spending time with us in this way.
• 15:23
  SPEAKER_01: We really appreciate your prayerful support.
• 15:26
  SPEAKER_01: And listen, I I do want to just tell you that uh each of these students either raised or paid for this trip themselves.
• 15:34
  SPEAKER_01: And we had a little bit of help here and there, but um this is this is work that they put in to raise the money to come here because this sort of trip is not free.
• 15:43
  SPEAKER_01: And so I just want to offer it to you as as we leave this podcast.
• 15:47
  SPEAKER_01: If you've been following along and you feel that God has placed it on your heart to help, you can give to trips like this in the future by going to FsuWesley.com.
• 15:58
  SPEAKER_01: And if you just click on give and then go to missions, um you can give right there on that page, and and uh and we will make sure that it goes to future trips.
• 16:07
  SPEAKER_01: And uh just thankful for the the energy that you've put in to listen to these and download them and uh and thankful for your prayerful support.
• 16:17
  SPEAKER_01: We'll see you soon.
• 16:24
  SPEAKER_03: These bones will sing.