Greenwood UMC sends team to Central America
03-10-2009Four missionaries from Greenwood United Methodist Church — Mindy James, Wendi Dungan, Kerri Underwood and associate pastor Zach Underwood — traveled to Monjas, Jalapa, Guatemala during December and January with about two dozen other United Methodists from First United Methodist Church, Russellville.
The agricultural setting underscored the difficult daily existence of those in the area surrounding Monjas. But as James stated, "their focus is on family, on working hard, on God. I expected sadness. I found happiness."
The party took along luggage filled with Vacation Bible School supplies for activities in the village of Monjas, where they taught about 100 children each day. Special emphasis was given to serving the residents of Shadow of His Wings orphanage for girls.
The orphanage, which is a non-denominational mission supported solely with donations, houses girls who have been placed by Guatemalan courts because of abandonment, neglect, malnourishment or other abuses.
The missionaries gave personal attention to the girls, in addition to painting the interior and exterior of the lower level of the off-campus school building. They also performed construction work around the compound.
"God opened my eyes to things that we take for granted," Dungan said. “We felt so welcomed by the community. The experience was different from what I imagined. I have a better picture of the big picture."
