‘The Hands and Feet of God’

Student Missions Team Takes Message of Christ to Guatemalan Orphans

By Russ Dilday


GUATEMALA CITY, Guatemala—Ivy Quiñones, a sophomore at Dallas Baptist University, steadied her paintbrush as she detailed a section of window trim. Sweeping the brush carefully across, she remarked, “It’s amazing how much everything we do makes a difference.” 

Quiñones, of Wurzburg, Germany, was part of a 40-member team of DBU students and staff that traveled to Guatemala May 16-27 to work in orphanages in the Central American country. The trip was one of 42 mission trips planned and sponsored this year by Buckner Orphan Care International and one of 19 BOCI has planned for Guatemala. 

The team performed a variety of tasks in five orphanages that ranged from painting to recreation to Vacation Bible School to humanitarian aid distribution—and sometimes all in the same day. 

Regardless of the pace or the demands of ministering to the children, she said, she and her teammates agreed that “we were the hands and feet of God.” 

She said they also served as the heart, sharing the message of Christ with children like 10-year-old Brian at San Gabriel, one of 54 boys currently living in the home. 

“We prayed together, and he wanted to make sure he said the right prayer,” she explained. “He told me his mom taught him about God, but she has been here to visit him only once and he feels alone. The hardest thing for him, he told me, is that when he cries in a corner, no one comes. 

“We prayed and he was so attentive,” said Quiñones. He said, ‘This is what I am depending on.’” 

Many of the orphans in Guatemala depend on private organizations like Buckner to improve their living and spiritual conditions. 

Leslie Chace, Buckner missions director for South and Central America, said that while children in private orphanages have relatively good conditions, the government orphanages often have to do without many conveniences. 

“Help is slow to come with many government orphanages,” she said. “Because of the efforts of leaders like Guatemalan First Lady Wendy de Berger and Mrs. De Bosch (the owner of the popular Pollo Campero fast food chain in Guatemala), the orphanages are starting to get some attention and help.” 

Chace pointed out that the government-run homes need partners like Buckner to help them with improvements, training and aid. “Buckner’s philosophy is to work with the government homes, which get less attention. San Gabriel is a perfect example of that partnership. The government provided all of the paint and materials to transform the main meeting room and administration offices, but could offer no manpower to paint. That’s where the DBU group came in.” 

Buckner’s work, though, is not limited to just government homes. At Fundañinas home, which is run by a Catholic order and other donors, Chace inquired with the nuns about holding a Vacation Bible School for the girls living there. 

They agreed, she said. “One of the nuns pointed to a portrayal of a crucified Jesus on the wall and said, ‘As long as you’re talking about that Guy, come in.’” 

Maestro Juan Antonio Olivar, director of the San Gabriel orphanage, praised the work of the students through an interpreter. 

“They have been doing a great work in our home. The kids can see the love constantly and this is beneficial,” said Olivar. “It would have taken a long time for this work to be done, but it has been done in record time and they have worked hard.” 

There are other, larger projects needed for San Gabriel. Because of its remote, high location near Guatemala’s capital city and illegal siphoning from neighbors upstream, the orphanage’s sole water pipe is dry. They sought Buckner’s help. 

The previous day, after calling potential contractors, Chace had received bad news: a Christian non-profit that drills wells could not do the project because of the terrain and a second contractor submitted an exorbitant $100,000 bid. But later a third contractor contacted by Chace said he could do it for a more reasonable $30,000. She hopes to seek funding from private sources soon. 

“These children can’t even bathe regularly because of the lack of water,” she said. 

The team’s daily duties depended on the orphanage where they worked. At San Gabriel, they painted in the mornings and conducted a VBS program and evangelistic program in the afternoons and distributed shoes collected through the Buckner Shoes for Orphan Souls drive. 

At Eliza Martinez, a boys home more centrally located in the city, the team also conducted VBS and distributed shoes, which proved a popular event. The students dropped to their knees as small groups of boys were led in and sat in chairs. Each boy excitedly received a new pair of socks and shoes – and a hug – from the missions volunteers. 

Marion, 13, eagerly held up his new black tennis shoes, saying receiving them made him “feel happy. Nobody has given me shoes before.” 

Fourteen-year-old Merlin also noted that his new tennis shoes “fit me good. I feel proud and very happy.” 

Being able to provide the boys shoes and minister to them touched many of the team members, including Julie Mitchell, a sophomore from Denison, Texas. Sitting with a child in her arms at Eliza Martinez, she said she the trip had its “rough” times.