The Right Foundation!

Our first official hospital sign.

January 26th 2015, will go down as one of the more significant days during this journey to build a hospital in Canilla, Guatemala. To many it may seem insignificant. It was a typical warm, dry, slightly breezy Guatemalan day. A group of nearly 100 people gathered under a large makeshift tent, that was strewn together with several semi-truck tarps supported by random pieces of wood, chain and rope. At our feet was a mixture of construction site dirt and loads of scattered pine needles(as is common during a Guatemalan celebration).  We had 15 chickens cooking in a large Guatemalan pot surrounded by rice and sauce, and hundreds of corn tortillas staying hot under blankets. On the outside, this looked like a typical Guatemalan celebration, but what was happening was actually so much more significant for several reasons.

First, this was a chance to gather together with community and village leaders to not only celebrate the construction, but to ask for help as this hospital is constructed and operates to serve their people. We felt it was a critical step for hundreds if not thousands of villages and communities in and around these mountains to have a sense of ownership and pride in this hospital. It was important for the local leaders to know this is not just a "North American" hospital, but this hospital exists to serve the most impoverished people in this seemingly "forgotten" mountain region of Guatemala. Through words spoken from the front and conversations had throughout the day, I believe this goal was accomplished exceedingly well.

I was able to speak with the help of a translator

Most importantly, this day was about dedicating this property, this project, the workers, and future patients to the Lord. Several of us spoke, of those, several of whom were leaders from various regions in the mountains. Everyone who spoke gave honor to the Lord as the source for this project's success. It was clear by all who were in attendance that the making of this hospital is a miraculous undertaking with the primary purpose of glorifying our Lord.

The event was concluded with simple, yet powerful, symbolism. At the Northeast corner of the hospital, which is the site of the future hospital prayer room/chapel, several symbolic elements where placed in a hole, underneath what will be the foundation. Initially, Duane and Leslie Ficker placed a bible in this hole, representing the word of God being the foundation of this hospital. After that, several of Ficker families took turns pouring or sprinkling other symbolic elements into the same place. The other elements included: oil (representing the Holy Spirit's anointing power), wine (representing the blood of Jesus), salt (representing we as Christians need to be the salt
of the word), and flour (representing our Provider).

The Fickers with the symbolic shovel

Duane and Leslie with the bible that will be under the chapel.

Burying five random objects under the future floor of one room is really just a meaningless human activity, which will only practically act to attract more bugs to the place where they lay. What gives this otherwise silly human tradition actual power is the truth of Jesus Christ's death, burial, and resurrection. In fact, if he was not actually tortured, humiliated, and killed, and then conquered death by getting out of the grave, then we were just a group of people standing on top of dirt and pine needles wasting our time. Thankfully, I know He did get out of that grave, and He did conquer death, and is now our cornerstone. So the act of this dedication was not in vein, but was the first step in building our foundation on what will not decay, but will stand for eternity.

Paul says it well in Ephesians 2:19-22:

Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people, and members of God's household, built on the foundation of the apostles, prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by the Spirit.

Kiera is loving her first bag of cheetos!