We Shouldn't Kill People

So I'm in the jungle.  It's approximately 500 degrees outside.  It's rainy season here, which means things are one of two colors:  green or brown.  Lush greenery or thick mud--the kind that sucks the shoes right off your feet. The village I'm working in is teeny tiny, but they do, of course, have a big soccer field.  This is, after all, Guatemala. Half the soccer field is flooded, so I'm walking through mud puddles to try to find the spot where people can occasionally find cell service when I hear my name being screamed from the other side of the field. "Elena!  Elena!"  I wave back, but just then I think I see a flicker of a cell signal, so my attention is on my phone, not the two little boys on the other side of the field. (See two specks in the background of the photo above.)  Desperate to have my full attention, they scream, "No debemos matar!"  ("We shouldn't kill!)  And yes, that got my attention and made me smile.

Earlier that day, I had taught a Bible study for children under the thatched roof gazebo in my yard.  About 35 people showed up, ages 2-45. (Photo taken early on before everyone arrived.) I am fairly new to this village, but according to what I've been told, there are three churches here:  a catholic church that is steeped in tradition but does no actual Bible teaching, a corrupt Christian church whose pastor is only in it for the money because they get some kind of outside help, and another Christian church that is better than the other one but still not great.  My lesson for the children that day was on Moses and the ten commandments.  With 35 people in attendance, most of whom go to one of the three local churches, I assumed that most of them had at least heard of Moses and the ten commandments and could maybe even list a commandment or two.  I was wrong.  No one--not a SINGLE PERSON--had ever heard of Moses or any of the ten commandments.  I gave the most basic explanation of this story and each of the commandments that I could, and then the little kids were given a coloring sheet of Moses receiving the commandments, while the older ones were given paper and asked to write a commandment that they could remember and draw a picture to go with it.  (Yes, I was unprepared for 35 people.  I expected 5-7 so came prepared for 12.)  Every single person who wrote a commandment and drew a picture to go with it chose, "Thou shalt not kill."  I guess it was the simplest thing for them to wrap their heads around. 

So when I was out in the soggy soccer field and the boys screamed, "Thou shalt not kill!" they were letting me know that they'd learned something that day.  I knew I'd have to start with the basics there, but we're going back a little farther than I anticipated.  It's ok though. They learned that life is precious because it is the Lord who gives it, and that the law against murder actually comes from the Almighty, not some local, earthly authority. (Maybe it's not as simple a concept as I think since we can't seem to grasp it in more "advanced" countries either. Anyway, I digress...)  

This little jungle village has grabbed my heart.  I am so anxious to get to be the one to tell them all about Jesus and how wonderful He is! Later on that same day, I had another Bible study that was supposed to be for adults, but some of the same kids showed up.  Mostly 11-14 year old boys.  They were fascinated with my Bible, so rather than sit them down to formally teach, I let them play with my Bible and taught them in such a way that they didn't even realize we were having a Bible study. I showed them how the Bible is divided into books that are divided into chapters and verses.  I showed them the page that has all the books of the Bible with their page numbers on it so they can find stuff easily.  I let them find Philippians 4:13; they ended up in Colossians 4:3, but they got close! We backtracked to Philippians and memorized the verse together. I taught them what it really means.  I asked them if they'd like to earn their own Bibles, and they were SO EXCITED!  I promised to come back with a list of verses for them to memorize to win their very own Bible.  

I tell you all this to ask for your help.  I have the opportunity to buy some AV equipment to show Bible based moves in Kekchi, their native language.  The beauty of this equipment is that it requires no electricity (I can charge it at home), which is good because we don't have any there.  I also need funds to buy Bibles.   And funds to keep my SUV in good shape.  The trip there requires driving through a serious mudslide zone, through three rivers (through as in IN), and down a very rocky road that reeks havoc on the suspension.  With the unbearable heat, the lack of electricity, running water, and cell service, and the bugs (this was the site of the termite apocalypse of 2022), it is a sacrifice to work there, but one I am THRILLED to make. This jungle village does not need Loving InDeed as it usually operates.  They aren't rich, but they aren't starving either.  What they really need and actually WANT is Bible teaching, and I just cannot say no to that.  Help me?