Goodbye Guatemala

We have completed our time in Central America.  Here is where we went:

Feb 21 - 23 Nicaragua - Flew in to Managua (point C), visited sponsored child in Leon (point B)
Feb 23 - Mar 3 El Salvador - Chapeltique (point E), served in mountains nearby with our church's mission team building a home
Mar 3 - Mar 11 Guatemala - Served at Hope of Life International near Zacapa (point I)
1900 kilometers / 1180 miles traveled

Final memories, surprises, and blessings from Guatemala...(written mostly by Rachel)

Ulysses is a boy at Kelly's House (facility built for special needs kids).  When we met him early in our stay, here is how Erica (our friend and his occupational therapist) would help him walk.  

All other times we saw him, he was in a wheelchair.  When he was 9 years old, a debilitating fever hit him that left his body blistered and tendons so tight that he has difficulty using his arms and legs.  

Erica pulled out a walker Monday but he wanted no part of it.  He thought it was ugly.  But she persisted and the girls + Rachel got to watch Ulysses take his first independent steps in 10 years.   They cheered his first steps, and he came back and asked to have the walker in his room.  

Today we each said our goodbyes and Ulysses prattled on in Spanish.  I told him in Spanish that I don’t speak Spanish.  Then he said something with Guatemala in it and I realized that he wanted to know when we were coming back.  I said in Spanish I don’t know.  Then this teen boy told me that he liked us…..Made me tear up.

A deaf and mute woman  - gave me her 1 year old to hold while she bathed.  This woman  has created her own grunting language and signs to communicate neither she nor her child have names that anyone knows (we have been calling the little girl Ella – which means 'she' or 'her' in Spanish but we think is lovely)  The staff decided this week to call the little one Joanna which means God is gracious.  We made progress today in creating common signs to communicate.  It would be amazing if someone came & taught her sign language.

This sweet girl (see below) lives in the rescue house that is deaf but at some point someone taught her a few signs…..She was beyond excited when we figured this out this week and signed to her.  She hugged us goodbye and AJ ran to her to hug goodbye.

Faces never to forget….sweet little Henry – 3 years old – malnourished, eyes shake (neurological damage) & potential water on the brain….got to sing Jesus Loves Me in Spanish to him thanks to ES3 trip….precious boy

Biggest surprise to me is the amount of time our girls chose to spend at the Kelly House for special needs children.  They know every child’s name…their likes & dislikes and would race from breakfast to help feed them.  

Today we did crafts with them instead of hanging out at the baby house all morning.  Highlight was watching Louise, a boy that has brain damage, bites, etc.  focus so completely on painting with S and Rachel.  After every color, we would ask him in Spanish what color he would like and re-fill the brush.  He would laugh and then his body would relax as he would focus.  "Mira, mira" (look, look) we would tell him.  He would look at us and then at his art and smile.  It was the first time I had seen his body so relaxed.  We then sang “If you’re happy and you know it!” then “Jesus loves me (in Spanish)” and “Old MacDonald.”  The girls kept commenting…look at his body, look at how relaxed and happy he is.  Such joy was ours.

Another big surprise was hearing the girls say that out of all of the babies at the Rescue House and Kelly Home, they would choose to adopt Carlito if adoptions were legal.  Carlito is a developmentally delayed baby at the Kelly House.  What joy to watch the girls’ tender hearts grow.

Today I will remember a moment that V had with Mildred, a blind girl at the Kelly House (see below).  She took one of the suncatchers in to her room.  This girl spends most of her day in her bed and V didn’t know but just before V walked in, she had been crying and crying.  V sat down on her bed, held her hand, spoke to her in Spanish and told her all about the flower that she had for her to paint.  She gave it to her, and then she continued to talk to her.  When I came in the room, this sweet girl had the biggest smile and V was telling her what a beautiful smile she had.  JOY!

Other Memories / Favorite Pictures / Favorite People 

My favorite quote from our time in Guatemala "I know enough Spanish to get me in trouble but not enough to get me out of it."  

V was talking in her sleep in Spanish.  It is amazing to hear her put together words & phrases

Taking this goat for a walk after he became untied from his regular place near Kelly's House.  Thankfully he didn't ram me with those horns!

AJ now speaks small phrases in Spanish to people without prompting…amazing

H spent a lot of time watching and learning from Erica, OT this week.  So curious as to if/how this will impact her future.

Spent MUCH time at the orphanage since the Ohio group left.  Monday night we played games including duck, duck, goose.  

And the amazing people....we've mentioned the Ohio group and Erica but there were others:

Katrina who is the youngest looking, most vivacious GREAT GRANDMOTHER I think we will ever meet.  She is working on a documentary, has the greatest Georgian southern accent and is just a wonderful lady.  

Heidi who lives literally in the town next door to us, knows the son and daughter of one of my good friends from my church's men's group, and is taking a year to travel the world before heading off to college.  Small world!  

Cheryl Vargas, co-founder of HOLI.  Enough said!  This woman really is an amazing person.

AJ's buddy Julio.  Julio is one of the guides who helps missionary groups as they come and serve at HOLI.

Somehow we didn't get pictures of Dianne &Jim, Zulema, Hugo, or Vonnie but each of them had a positive impact on our experience in Guatemala as well.

Finally....love this picture ;)

Next time we write we will be back in the States (Mimi and Deda's house) for 2 1/2 weeks before heading out on our 4 month journey to Israel, Kenya, Tanzania, Turkey, Greece, and many countries in Europe.  

Til next time, God Bless!  

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