The Power of Prayer

 In preparation for this trip, my fellow classmates and I would practice reading different prayers in Spanish every week. Each week, I would simply read the prayer, not think much of it, and move on. At the time, I didn’t know how meaningful praying would be not only to the people of Coban, but to me as well. 

Today, I had the opportunity to pray with a mom, dad, and their daughter, Laura, who has hypothyroidism. Laura is 13 and didn’t get diagnosed with hypothyroidism until she was 3. Since she was diagnosed late, she unfortunately will never be able to talk, walk, or live a normal life. I brought Laura her medications and before leaving, I asked the parents if wanted to pray with me. The parents only spoke kekchi, so they began to pray in their native language. The mom began crying out to God, squeezing my hand, with tears streaming down her face. She was begging for Gods help. Before I knew it, tears started to stream down my face too. I didn’t know how meaningful a prayer could be to someone and how powerful it can make a certain moment. As we gathered together, language barriers dissolved, I felt a sense of connection. It was a reminder of how faith can unite us all, no matter our language or background.

This moment will stick with me because I learned that even though I had rarely anything in common with this family, faith is a universal language that can unite us during the good and bad times. 

-Jillian Skurcenski