Trash To Treasure + Beauty For Ashes

It might surprise you to know that when I see this picture I see beauty.  The beauty it contains is not in what you see but what came out of it. 

This is a dump in Guatemala City.  The poorest of the poor live here.  Yes, people actually live in the dump, most in small shacks. You can see the shanties situated on the open area that runs along the truck route.  They live here so they can collect “treasure” mined from the garbage to sell so they can eat to survive. Some might dream of earning enough money to someday have a better life. 

The beauty that came out of this dump has a name and her name is Estrella (pictured here in red).  Estrella grew up in the dump with her family; she ate from this dump, survived in this dump.  Her family’s livelihood and “treasures” were in this place until one day someone came and told her about Jesus, the True Treasure. 

After Estrella accepted the Good News of Jesus, life for her changed forever.  She put herself through school and even went on to college.  After college she came back to her community to help them and to share the love of Jesus.  Part of her ministry is passing out rice, bananas and sandwiches.  The other part is praying with people and giving them a voice.  Her presence shows them that they are seen and that she hasn’t forgotten where she came from.  Estrella is the expression of the living hope that Peter talks about in 1 Peter 1:6-8.

“You rejoice in this, though now for a short time you have had to struggle in various trials so that the genuineness of your faith - more valuable than gold - which perishes though refined by fire - may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. You love Him, though you have not seen Him.  And though not seeing Him now, you believe in Him and rejoice with inexpressible and glorious joy, because you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”

Meeting Estrella and seeing her ministry evoked strong feelings of humility in me as I heard the Holy Spirit speak Matthew 25:40, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”

Estrella is the embodiment of beauty for ashes talked about in Isaiah 6:13.  May we all learn from her example and become trees of righteousness in helping others exchange trash for treasure - the True Treasure which is Jesus. 

Submitted by Carie Sauders

Short-term mission trip to Guatemala