1/23/2012 - Judson College Librarian Returns to Guatemala for Children's Ministry

By Student Writer Brittany Hall

On a day to day basis, you might find Judson College librarian Andrea Abernathy helping a student find sources for a paper, searching for books and articles to keep the library stock updated, or working the late night shift so students can get the most out of their library time.  In November 2011, Abernathy took a break from her day to day activities to spend time in Guatemala near Lake Atitlán.  While Guatemala had many opportunities for sightseeing, this was not the goal of Abernathy’s vacation time.  W hen a leader at her church asked her small group study to commit two percent of their year to serve on a mission trip in 2009, Abernathy was ready to accept the challenge.  After returning from a week of sharing the gospel in Guatemala, Abernathy knew God was not finished with her time there.    

On November 4^th, 2011, Andrea Abernathy joined the group from the Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham to be the hands and feet of Jesus in the same villages she visited two years earlier.  “I went back to continue the work; I knew there was still so much to be done,” says Abernathy.  Upon the group’s arrival, they were welcomed by the joyful staff of Impacto Ministries and other teams from across the country.  Accommodations in Guatemala included lumpy beds, bugs, cold showers, and water that would make them violently ill if they consumed even the smallest amount.  While these conditions alone might seem like a challenge to some, Abernathy was quick to say that it was worth every minute.  “You may want a hot shower sometimes, but you don’t make a big deal out of it—it’s just not important.  We lived like the richest people in the world compared to [the Guatemalans] while we were there.”  With a hint of sadness in her voice, she recounted the living environments of the people they met: mud-brick houses with a tin roof and a dirt floor, ten people sleeping in one bed or even on the dirt floor of their single-room, tiny home.  Abernathy gestured to her surroundings as she explained, “Ten or more people would live in a house the size of my office.”

As the conversation shifted, Abernathy recounted a few of her favorite memories with the natives and with her team.  With a smile on her face, Abernathy mentioned the evidence of planted seeds in the community from her trip two years earlier.  While in San Pedro, the group helped natives who were leading Vacation Bible School at their church for the first time.  Both men and women helped lead the program, and Abernathy’s group had the opportunity to teach memory verses, sing, pray, and serve snacks to the children.  In an area where the oldest congregation is only ten years old, this was a significant step for the community. 

Times were not always easy, though.  Abernathy recalled one day in vivid detail when she stepped outside her comfort zone as she encountered aggressive and ungrateful children during a day of crafts and activities.  It was times like these that God used as humbling experiences for Abernathy and the rest of the group.  “That was a really hard day; it was hard to love the children and care for them . . . It reminded me of the times when Christ had compassion on harassed multitudes.  It was a stark reminder about how sin separates us from God, and He still has compassion on us.”

One of Abernathy’s favorite memories occurred on the last day of the trip as she met with one of the natives who worked with their group.  “We embraced and prayed for each other in our native tongues. It was the most amazing, indescribable, Body of Christ moment.”

Throughout the trip, Abernathy had moments and experiences she will never forget.  “I was so clearly reminded of the grandeur of my God, and that He is in charge of it all.” When asked about a possible return trip, Abernathy replied without hesitation. “I’m ready to go back.”  After completing her second trip to Guatemala, Abernathy’s ultimate conclusion remains the same: Greater things are still to be done.

Photo: Andrea Abernathy pauses for a picture after Vacation Bible School with sisters Andrea (front) and Hilda in San Juan La Laguna, Guatemala. 

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