Family's trip to Guatemala

Well, I realize I haven't written since my family got here, so I have a lot to update!! It was a long week, but it went by so fast... if that makes sense! We packed so much into 10 days and it all seems to run together, so bear with me!

Having Daddy and Jami here was great! I loved having the company!! We visited Casa Aleluya, Amor de Niño, Rehoboth home for boys, Al & Gail Anderson in Tecuaco and see the work they are doing in La Joya Grande. We snuck off for about a day to the beach at Las Lisas (I got burnt). We took Mike and Carol sovenier shopping in Antigua. It seems like we ate out a lot!! (but it was ALL GOOD!) We helped finish up the painting at Amor del Niño's new house. Daddy and Mike did some much needed repairs in my house and car!! (WOOHOO!) They got to visit my church with me! And we made about a million trips to the airport... haha! That's the gest of it anyway!

It was Carol's first time in Guatemala, so we tried to show her a GOOD TIME... (HAA! I had to throw that in there, Carol!) I think she feel in love with this country... just like we all do!

One cool thing to see, was on the first of many trips to the airport (long story) we saw the volcano Fuego (fire) erupting. It was about 4:30 AM and still dark outside, so it showed up really great! Of course, as usual, pictures do no justice at all. It has been erupting for about a week now, since the big eruption before Daddy came. But to see it flowing was something that is just indescribable. It was really something.

Another thing was that I was so worried about running out of water while I had visitors. I had anywhere from 3 to 7 people staying in my house at one time... and can you believe that I never once ran out of water?!? I even believe that I had extra water. It just never ran dry!! To me it was a miracle!

waiting..., watching the clock

Well, I'm leaving in about 1/2 an hour to get daddy and Jami... I think time has slowed down just to get on my nerves...!!! I'm so ready to leave. Sitting here is driving me crazy! I've cleaned everything I can, there is absolutely nothing else to do, but sit here... and wait.

praise and prayer request

I just received an email from my friend Cyndi, who works with the girls from Shadow. She told me that Joanne's (the director) father passed away yesterday morning. I'm sure it is a very sad time for her. She's been with him over the past week, and so Carroll said she was very tired. But they are also rejoicing because he just recently gave his life to Christ!!

Please keep Joanne and Gib, and their family in your prayers.

They are celebrating the 15 year birthday parties there next week. (15 is bigger than sweet 16 in the States) It's probably the 2nd biggest day in a girl's life, besides her wedding day. So, Lily and Sindy will celebrate next week. I'm not sure if we'll make it or not, since it's on a Thursday night, but I'm hoping to get to take Daddy and Jami that weekend.

Oh yeah, by the way... I guess I can write it here now, since she knows!! Daddy and Jami are coming to visit me!! They come in Friday night!! I'm so excited!! I've known for over a month, but Daddy didn't tell Jami until yesterday. (it was her birthday!) So, we can finally stop whispering about it! Our friends Mike and Carol are coming too!! I really can't wait! This week will not go by fast enough!! I'm trying to do a little bit of "spring cleaning" every morning and not wait until the last minute. With it being dry season, it's really pointless when 5 minutes later everything is covered again, but it has to be done.

They are bringing the strollers down that everyone has pitched in to buy! I was able to buy two and some theraputic toys also!! Plus I had some left over, so I'll just give that to Amor de Niño for whatever needs they may have. Thank you all so, so much for your help! I could not have done it without you!! God bless you!!! I will take lots of pictures and post them as soon as I can!!

therapy party

I think they've decided that Victoria has a UTI and have started antibiotics. Pray that these start taking affect immediately so this little baby can go home and Shyrel can stay home too!!

Today's therapy went well, but what I want to write about is the therapy that went on at the home. There is one therapist from the hospital that is coming twice a week, I think, to do therapy with all the babies. It's more to sharpen their senses, I think, but to me it was fun! We started by touching their skin with cotton balls, then with felt pieces, then with toothbrushes. Then one by one, we sat the babies in a tub of dried black beans (I don't think they have to be black... haha!!), then in a tub of uncooked rice. It was so funny to see the different expressions on each of their faces. Some of the kids, like Martin and Danny, cried at first and then seemed to like it. Flor and Mishel dove right in and were even rubbing the beans on their own legs. Little Jennifer thought she was taking a bean bath! Adriana on the other hand is a different story... she screamed and screamed, but in a way that was cute... in a way. She was reaching for me the whole time screaming, "MAMA!!" It was so pitiful!! She just had no clue why we were sitting her in a tub of beans!!! After each baby was done they were rubbed down with baby powder. They were all walking around covered in white powder! It was EVERYWHERE!! There were actually beans, rice, and powder everywhere...

wonder what's for lunch tomorrow?!?

back to work

Well, here I am! Back in Guatemala!! Man, is it hot here! Such a change! It was actually cold when I left over a month ago, which got me ready for Alabama's weather. But when I stepped off the plan in my pink peacoat and scarf, I thought I would've passed out! Poor Steve and Shyrel had been waiting for me an hour when I finally got out! I was almost the first one off the plane and the first through customs, but almost the very last to get my luggage! I was getting a little worried and I've been through this many times before, waiting to get my luggage and I'm pretty used to it, so you know it had to be a loooooong time for me to get worried! But back to the smog and bus exhaust I am!!

I unpackd pretty much in one night. Although, unpacking to me is just taking the stuff out of the suitcases and putting the suitcases away, so I still have a little to do.

Today I went with Shyrel up to San Lucas (the roads are great, btw!) to Orphan Resources warehouse. They are moving and asked Shyrel if she wanted to come up and go through the clothes and stuff. It took us all morning and we came down the hill with the van packed to the ceiling!! He even gave us two whiteboard easels which will be great for the four kids who are going to be tutored at the house this year! We got plenty of clothes and I even got a pair of pj's and some bright red loafers!! (No one in Guatemala has feet as big as mine anyway!!)

After a "Nais" lunch, I went to help unload and see the kids. I was so excited!! It took about 2 seconds before all I heard was "AMANDA!!!!!!!!!!!!!" and saw so many arms reaching out for me! It was a great welcome!! I wish I could've taken video of Flor when she first saw me. It was priceless. She looked and I could tell she was thinking for a split second before it came over her like an electric shock and her body sort of jumped and her face lit up and she came running over with her arms in the air! I missed her! I missed them all!!

The new children are precious! Bryan and Angel are so sweet and Angel always has a cute little smile on his face. Bryan is deaf but is really fun to "talk" to. While unpacking the clothes, he "helped" by picking out things he liked and grunting to see if he could have them and then carrying them to his room. He's so cute! And little Fernanda seems so tiny because all of the other babies are so big now. (Big, and FAT!!) Also, yesterday another girl came. Maria Fernanda is 12 years old. I'm not sure exactly what illness she has, but she is a sweet heart and GREAT with the kids!

friendly faces and familir places

This was a good week.
First of all, Mike Smith was down from Alabama. It was great to see a familiar face. Friday was spent showing him around the places where I spend most of my time. We went first to Parramos to visit Victor and Chici’s boys’ home. Chici is in the States and Victor was busy, so one of the house parents helped me show Mike around the house. I was disappointed because most of the boys were at school, but he did get to meet some of the older boys.

Then we headed back to San Cristobal to the Osborn’s. Then believe it or not, the Osborn’s weren’t there either!! But I talked to them and found out when they’d be there, so we went for lunch and came back. I really think Mike enjoyed the children and I KNOW they enjoyed him. They ALL were trying to sit in his lap at the same time! Flor, who is usually very shy, was being very possessive of him. Eunice, who is always somewhere by herself, was amazed at the animal noises Mike could do. She really responded to him! She even tried to imitate the noises he was making. It was such a fun day.
We didn’t leave the Osborn’s ‘til after 7 and there’s been a lot of road work from San Cristobal to San Lucas, so I, thinking I was being so smart, decided to take another way home. So, I went down through Barcenas to Villa Nueva and came in the other side of the city. I thought I was doing so well until I ran into traffic much worse than that going down the mountain from San Lucas. It took me an hour to get back to the city, not including getting home from there. I’ve never been so happy to get out of my car!
Oh yeah, we also went to see the Osborn’s new house yesterday too. It is so beautiful. There are seven bedrooms and, to me, it’s beautiful in the details. There’s not as much of a back yard, but the more room in the house more than makes up for the lack of back yard.

Flor de Maria

I want to show all of you some before and after pics of Flor de Maria!!
The first day I met Flor, a few months ago.
Flor de Maria last Thursday after lunch!
Can you believe the difference?!? She's still so beautiful!!!
Hopefully I'll see some of you these next few weeks while I'm home!!

Flor's new mouth

I wanted to show a before and after pic of Flor's mouth.

The first day I met Flor a few months ago:

And Flor now!

Say hello to the new and improved Flor de Maria! This is an amazing story! There was a surgeon volunteering with the group from the States last week that is a specialist in this sort of thing. On the day before the group left, we took Caterin to get her walker that they GAVE to her, and on the advice of another doctor, we brought Flor to see if he might fix her lip. She only had her soft pallet done just before Mother's day. We were told not to get our hopes up, but one look at her and he said it wouldn't be a problem at all!! So, the next day we took her in and she went into surgery kicking and screaming, just like she came out 3 hours later. She's wearing splints on her arms to keep her from touching her face for three weeks. What a difference. She looks like a completely different girl!!

Flor

A very generous doctor at a clinic called "Climasa" volunteered to do Flor's soft pallet surgery. I had the honor to take the sweet baby to pre-op. She was terrified and clung to me when it was time for her to be taken back for surgery. She came through just fine and will not remember anything from today thankfully.

Bless her sweet little heart. I'm so glad I could be there for her.

Feliz Dia de la Madre!!

Well, today there was a mother’s day celebration at Fundabiem. Oh yeah, in Guatemala, mother’s day is celebrated on the 10th of May, no matter what day it falls. So, they weren’t having regular therapy classes today from 9 to 12, only fiestas with piñatas and snacks and games. On Wednesdays, Eunice has therapy, so we didn’t go. First of all, I’m not a mother. Second, on Monday, I had a pretty hard morning with Eunice. She didn’t want to go into her first class, physical therapy, but the therapist came out and carried her in. But when it was time for her special education class, she threw a fit, biting herself and kicking me over and over again in the leg and ankle and stepping on my foot. I didn’t know what to do. Everyone was looking at me and I was on the verge of tears, so I gave in and brought her home early. So, Steve and I decided not to take her today.
I stayed home, cleaned house, etc. The old man who does the gardening in the neighborhood came by and cut my grass and trimmed the hedges.
More good news is that I finally got a plumber to come out yesterday and fix the leak in the shower. It was so bad I was keeping a bucket in there just to save the extra water to wash dishes and flush toilets when I run out of water, or to water the garden. Ironic thing is that a few hours after to dude left, I ran out of water. So, I’ve been without for almost 24 hours now, and my bucket is now empty, but I’m about to ask the neighbors if they will let me fill my buckets with their hose. Water shortage is getting bad all over Guatemala. It’s worse in the rural areas, of course. But we’re seeing the effects here too. A huge blessing was that the plumbing job only cost me about Q300 ($40)!! That’s labor and supplies! It’s so different here. I waited about 3 hours for the guy to get here from zone 1. He came by bus with his tools in a backpack. So, when he needed parts, I took him to Cemaco, which is a Home Depot-ish type store, and then another construction supply store in the city to finally find the exact parts he needed. The parts altogether cost about $16, so for his work it cost me only $24!! Unbelievable!! So, when I do finally get water, hopefully it will come in tonight, my shower will no longer leak!! Now if I could only get the widow-maker to work again!! Thank goodness for hot weather that makes a cold shower seem not-so-cold!!!