Home Is Where The Heart Is

Welcome to the blog. My name, as you may have guessed, is Mark. I am a 21 year old and I just finished my Junior year at Roberts Wesleyan College (studying International Business). 

In less than 3 weeks, my name will transform from Mark to Marcos. Again.

Thus far, this name-transformation has happened 3 other times (May of 2010, the summer of 2011, and January of 2012).

In 18 days and 4 hours, I will drive 10 minutes to the Rochester International airport and then fly over 2000 miles to Guatemala City, Guatemala. 

Once in Guatemala, English will turn to Spanish and Mark will turn to Marcos. I will be home, because home is where the heart is and my heart is in Guatemala.

I will be spending 87 more days living the Guatemalan life. 87 more days with the name "Marcos." and 87 more days loving the children at Mama Carmen's Orphanage (Hogar Mama Carmen).

I cannot wait. First of all, I prefer to be called Marcos. The name "Mark" is just boring, "Marcos" on the other hand is very classy. Secondly, I consider Mama Carmen and the orphans at her home to be a part of my family. I love them dearly and I want to help them as much as I can.

Mama Carmen is a 70-something year-old woman who has devoted her life to serving abandoned children in Guatemala. I could talk about Mama Carmen forever, she is wonderful. For now, all I am going to say is that she is an incredible servant to the Lord and a testimony of His faithfulness. I am more than blessed to be able to serve our God with her.

Daily, I thank God for placing this passion in my life. The passion to serve his children, to serve the orphaned. James 1:27 says this, "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world (NIV)."

This is not just an 87 day journey, this is a lifetime journey. I cannot wait to see what God has in store for me, for Mama Carmen, and for the orphans.