Ride to Church in Antigua, Guatemala

Today’s Ride to Church comes to us from Emily (a “veteran” Ride to Church-er).

In an interesting twist of life, I went on a mission trip with a group of Baptists this summer.   We travelled to Antigua, Guatemala to spend a day preparing before we headed out to build a well and teach hygiene in a remote village.   On Sunday morning, I stepped out of the quaint inn overlooking Volcano Agua, and walked with this group of virtual strangers down the cobbled streets of Antigua.   We came up to an opening in the plaster wall and saw a sign that read, “Iglesia del Camino” (Church of the Road).   We walked into a semi-open room, and I smiled at a group of people from all walks of life.   The service began with a song, with a band and a woman singing in Spanish. . . in English. . . Spanish. . . and English.   She sang a song called “Guiame a la Cruz/Lead Me to the Cross.”   I was mesmerized by the beauty of her words, by the energy of the people around me singing in two languages simultaneously, by the harmony of openness and love.   By the end of her song, I was singing, “guiame a la cruz, where your love poured out. . .” and I felt, for the first time in so long, the love of God enter into my broken Mormon heart.   Here, in this foreign land, surrounded by faded plaster walls, plastic chairs, and green jungle, a group of Baptists surrounded me in pure love and led me back to God.  

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