Poco a Poco
- Shantelle Matos
- Nov 7, 2018
- 3 min read
It's already been one week here in Guatemala and wow, this country is amazing! The landscape is breath-taking and always worth a quick photo. We are living in a house with the legendary Hilmar and his wife Carmen, oh and their 3 young boys (and extended family who are always with us too)! This family is a force to be reckoned with. Their passion for serving the community, families and any individuals they can is inspirational. Additionally, this family is the definition of 'energizer bunnies' - always going, going, going!
SENDEROS DE LUZ
Hilmar started the ministry Senderos de Luz 11 years ago in the community he lives in here. Santa Lucia is a community like any of ours back home with residential areas, shopping centres, schools, and continued growth. Yet, within the community there are various forms of poverty and needs - just like our very own communities and neighbourhoods back home, there is need. Hilmar has a heart to help in any way he can - literally any way possible! He lives an extremely generous life, where blesses others however he can.
One thing I knew during my undergrad studies, is that development takes time. But it wasn't until I arrived in the D.R. and now Guatemala, that I am understanding first hand what that means. I believe that development not only takes time, but the key ingredient to seeing change happen is strong relationships formed between the organization & community in order to thrive.
Senderos de Luz has been growing 'poco a poco' as Hilmar put it.
Little by little, the ministry has grown.
Little by little, more lives are being impacted each day.
Little by little, there is expansion happening.
The time he has invested over the past 11 years, has allowed strong trust and sense of unity to be built within the community. Driving slowly through the community of Santa Lucia, as well as the squatter community of La Pinada where Senderos de Luz is located, Hilmar said hola to almost every single person he saw on our drive through town... he knew them by name, would slow down to ask how their family was, and would tell us what they do in the community! That is the key to community development - relationship building. Hilmar lives in the community and taken years to create trust and partnership with community members.
Relationships have further been built through the programs Hilmar has developed over the years. In La Pinada there is a community centre that has been built, which is able to host a feeding program for the children 3 days a week; furthermore, there are sewing, art, cooking, and carpentry classes the community members can sign up for.
11 years - poco a poco - this ministry has been able to cultivate a solid trust and a sense of unity within the community. People know Hilmar does this work, lives generously, loves endlessly and serves with his own two hands because of God.
Hilmar is an example I am looking to for what it means to live a life serving God and others with my own hands; to live an extraordinary generous life with my time and with the resources God has given me - to live knowing that God always blesses us to be a blessing - to continue to give to others.
You have the opportunity to live generously too - to partner with me, with Hilmar, with the community of La Pinada here in Guatemala to live generously. By donating to the fundraising campaign, you are choosing to live generously by getting behind a vision to see lives and communities transformed. So, what's stopping you? Join me in giving what we have been blessed with to support a ministry that is changing lives, poco a poco!
give.iteams.ca/forgeshantelle
XO,
Shantelle Matos
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