1. Bethany Barr Writing Sample
Lynchburg, VA 24502 · 786-332-7253 · bmbarr3@liberty.edu
Thisis a blogI wrote to sumup my time inGuatemalaforCharlene’sProject 30th
July2015 – 7th
August
2015
Back in August2015 I visitedGuatemalaforthe firsttime withmyfamily.Ididnotknow whatto expect
or what I wouldsee whenIwasthere.We wentwiththe intentionsof seeingif we,asa family,andasa
charityCharlene’sProject,coulddosimilarworkthere aswe do inUganda. For those unaware of the
work we do in Uganda: since 2008 we have workedina few communitiesthere andhave builttwo
elementaryschoolsandworkedwithtwoprojectsforyoungwomentoequipthemwithskillsthatthey
can use to bringin an income.We are verypassionate aboutcommunityrelationsandimprovingthe life
of the entire community.We have builtcommunity centers,teacheraccommodationandwellsto
enable reliable accesstocleanwater.WheninUganda we dohealthworkas well aseducation,kids
clubs,andhumanitariandistribution.
My oldersisterCharlenebeganCharlene’sProjectwithavisionthatif she couldnolongergoto school
due to herill healthshe wouldbuildaschool inUgandaso that childrenthere couldgoto school.
Charlene hadcysticfibrosisandneeded adouble lungtransplanttosurvive anditwaswhenshe was
waitingforthisthat she spenthertime fundraisingandpublicizingaboutherdream.WhenCharlene
passedawayin2010 we decidedthatwe wouldcarryon hervisionandthat iswhat we are aiming to do
inGuatemala.Charlene wasabig dreamerandhad huge aspirations,we tooare lookingtothe future
withanticipationof whatGodwill dothroughCharlene’sProject.
Flyingoverthe countryof GuatemalaI was amazedas I peeredonwhatwasprobablythe mostbeautiful
sightmy eyeshadeverbeheld.The mountainsfloweddownintodeepvalleysandthe countrylookedso
greenandlusciousfromthe viewabove.Igotnervousall of a suddenasI worriedaboutmytime there.
What if I do not enjoymytime here?Whatif it isnothinglike Ihave expected?Iknow Ilove Uganda,but
whatif thisistotallydifferent?Itwouldonlytake me lessthantwentyfourhoursinthiscountryforme
to realize howsillyall of these fearswere.
We arrivedintothe airport and as istypical forour family,nothingisstraightforward!Mymotherleft
herpurse on the plane and hadto run back for that as we all prayedthat she wouldbe allowedbackon
to the plane to retrieve it.Thenwhenshe successfullygotherpurse backwe all wentthroughto
baggage reclaimonlytorealize thatthree piecesof ourbaggage were notthere.We filledoutsome
baggage reclaimformsandmade our way to the hotel where we were stayinginGuatemalaCitythat
nightbefore we made the longbusjourneytoZacapa the nextday where we wouldbe stayingforthe
remainderof ourtime inGuatemala.We wentto sleepthatnightwithexcitementandanticipationfor
whatthe nextweekwouldhold.
The nextday we travelled toHope of Life International,the organizationwe weregoingtobe working
alongside intwodifferentvillagesdeepinthe mountainsinGuatemala. Whenwe arrivedwe were
shownall the workthat Hope of Life wasdoingat its base inZacapa as well asbeingtoldaboutall the
worktheywere doinginvillagesandcommunitiesall overGuatemala.
We workedintwovillageswheninGuatemala,one calledVado Ancho,andthe othercalled Las
Escaleras.Gettingtoboth villagesrequiredustodrive up far intothe mountainsondustyroads; one of

2. the villages wasonlyaccessible byfourwheeldrives. The journeystobothvillageswereexperiencesin
and of themselvesaswe travelledonnarrow roadsonthe side of the mountainandtravelledover
bumpysteeppaths.Iwas amazedat the beautyof thiscountry and I am unable toexpressinwordsjust
howmajesticthe viewswere.Inbothvillageswe weregreetedbythe communitywhenwe arrivedas
well asthe local pastor and we were shownthe area.We walkedthroughthe villagesandwere brought
to the church whichinboth villagesconsistedof little more thanashadedareaand a few benches.
There we didsome Bible storiesandexpressedtothe communitythroughaninterpreterwhywe were
there andthat we wishedtobuild relationswiththe peopleaswell asshow thempracticallyGod’slove.
We toldthemaboutour storyand what hadbrought usto Guatemalaand we prayedwiththe
communitybefore beingshownthe schoolsandbeingreceivedintopeople’shomesin eacharea. Itwas
humblingtobe invitedintopeople’shomesandtheirpride intheircommunitieswassomethingtobe
soughtafterhere.WalkingaroundIcouldnot helpbutbe remindedof how mucheachof us have to be
thankful forandhow we can oftentake forgrantedthe small thingsinlife.We ascommunitiesinthe
Westhave lostso much as we have developedinthe sense thatwe nolongerlookoutforone another
and care foreach otheras is oftenseenincommunitieshere. Inbothvillageswe commissionedwater
projectsthatwe hadraisedthe money forbefore goingoutto provide themwitharegular,steady
supply.We sawthe otherneedsof the villagesandrealizedthattheywouldneedrepairsdone onboth
school buildingsandadditional classroomsbuilttoprovide the childrenwithaqualityeducationaswell
as church buildingsbuiltinthe future.We quicklyfell inlovewithbothof the communitiesandthe
people there.How couldyounotaftermeetingthe people andseeingtheirneed.
We alsoparticipatedinafeedingprogram ina local dumpas well asina babyrescue. The feedingwas
an overwhelmingexperience asthiswasa projectorganizedbyHope of Life.The dumpwhere it
occurredis a place where manylocalslive andwork,itisa dangerousenvironmentandthe people tryto
findthingsin the trash that theycan sell ontoothercorporations.However,thesepeople are often
exploitedastheyare reliantonthe pricesthat these organizationsgive themandtheydonothave much
barteringpower.Hope of Life workshere weeklytofeedthese people.We alsoengagedinababy
rescue.Hope of Life runsa hospital andtheybringinbabiesoryoungchildrenwhoare very
malnourishedorill andinneedof care and attentionfromremote mountainousvillagesall over
Guatemala.Theynurse these childrenbacktohealthandwe wentalongside themtosee thispartof
theirworkinaction.We collectedayounggirl and hermotherabouttwo hoursoutside of Zacapa.This
younggirl was about13 yearsold butlookedmuchyoungerasher youngbodywasveryfrail withillness.
We were sogladand honoredtobe a part of the workhere and thankedGodfor the workthat was
goingon to helpthe people inGuatemala.
The weekflewbyandwe were sosad to see the time come to an end.We sat togetheras a familyon
the last eveningandrecappedall thatwe hadseenandlearntinout shorttime there.We discussedasa
familythe viabilityof doingworkhere inthe future andcame to the conclusionthathow couldwe not
partnerwiththese communitiesandlearnalongside themafterall we hadseenandexperienced.
Because afterall,towhommuch is givenmuchisexpected.
As itsays inMatthew25:34-36, 40 “Then the Kingwill sayto those onhisright,‘Come,youwhoare
blessedbymyFather;take yourinheritance,the kingdompreparedforyousince the creationof the
world.ForI was hungryand yougave me somethingtoeat,Iwas thirstyandyou gave me somethingto
drink,I wasa stranger andyou invitedme in,Ineededclothesandyouclothedme,Iwassick andyou

3. lookedafterme,Iwas inprisonandyou came to visitme...The Kingwill reply,‘TrulyItell you,whatever
youdid forone of the leastof these brothersandsistersof mine,youdidforme.’”
We therefore are excitedtoworkinGuatemala,inLas Escalerasand VadoAnchoand we ask youto join
us as we embarkon thisjourney,aswe learnalongside the Guatemalanpeople andtogethergainhope
for the future.Prayforus as we beginworkhere,andjoinus inany waypossible.Be apart of making
historytoday.Thankyou foryour helpandfor all youhave done withusso far as we carry on Charlene’s
vision.
Works Cited
NIV Bible. London:Hodder& Stoughton,2007. Print.