Guatemala-Part 2

In 2003 I took my first trip to Guatemala with my sister Sarah.  Our purpose was to get the building that would become Casa de Sion Orphanage open and ready to receive children.  We had both recently returned from Spanish speaking missions for our church so our Spanish was necessary.  Over the years our orphanage morphed into what we call 'orphans at home' programs--for more info (http://casadesion.blogspot.com/) and (http://safehomesforchildren.org/).  In Guatemala a lot of children have been placed in orphanages by their parents because they cannot feed or educate them.  We decided to help those kids so they could stay with their parents.  We now have our Casa de Sion building in Los Robles, which is a small pueblo near Lake Atitlan.

As mentioned in my previous blog, we just took a trip to Guatemala.  While in Guatemala, I had to do a lot a translating with the employees, but I was really excited to meet more of the people we were helping.  Wed my mom and I had a meeting with all the kids ages 12-20 who are hoping to get scholarships to finish school.  Middle School and High School is not free in Guatemala, and the price of enrollment, uniforms and supplies is more money then most of the families we work with have--that is why so many people don't have more then an elementary education.

We had over 50 kids show up hoping to go school this year (their school year starts in Jan--it is $30/mth to send the kids to school).  Most of the kids came in their best dress hoping to impress potential donors (their best dress came from donations we and other donors have brought down on previous trips).

Eneas, age 12

Florencia, age 14

 

During the meeting I had a lot of the parents coming up to me and trying to get me to commit to sending their particular child to school.  It was really hard for me to stand there and listen to their situation and think of all I had at home, and then only be able to tell them; "we will try our best to help you".

Thurday morning my whole family headed over to Casa de Sion.  One of the other programs we have is handing out formula and incaparina (a nutrient fortified milk for toddlers).   Most of the women can't breastfeed because they are so malnourished, so we also have a meal once a week packed with veggies, whole grains and protein for all the moms and toddlers.  On this Thurs everyone was getting together for a little party.  We had been waiting for this particular party for a while.  Katie has been saving all her coins since last time her and I went to Guatemala.  Before we left for Guatemala Katie bought lollipops, bubbles and tattoos for all the kids (she really wanted to buy all the little girls dolls and the little boys cars, but she didn't have that much money).  She started handing them out and was quickly surrounded so we had to make everyone form a line so Katie didn't get trampled.  It was a little crazy, but every mom wanted to make sure her kids got a lollipop.

that's my brother Seth right behind her

It is $20/mth to feed a mom and her kids and provide formula and incaparina

Samuel and Katie

Marcus and Addy helped her hand out the lollipops, as well as a little boy named Samuel.  He was really sick (crippled) when Casa de Sion first moved into the area and we were able to help him make a complete recovery by providing the medical care his family couldn't pay for.  Now, he thinks he is one of us.  When the line formed he came up and started handing out lollipops.  Most everyone threw their trash on the ground, and I gave Samuel a trash bag and had him take it out to everyone and ask them to pick up their wrappers--I rewarded him with two more lollipops.  Later, when we were handing out toys to the kids, he followed us and picked out the toy he wanted and I told him I would hold it for him but he had to wait until it was his turn.  Patiently, he waited until everyone had their own toy and then came to get his.

After the lollipops, the kids blew bubbles for everyone.  Bubbles are a novelty there so everyone enjoyed them.

Then, while we were getting lunch ready Katie, Scotia, Emmie and Alisa set up a tattoo booth and put tattoos on the kids.

Mark started a soccer game with some of the little kids.  He was hoping to find a little girl dressed in the traditional attire that he could take home.

My little brother Seth and another little down syndrome baby.  This little baby is really 13 mths, he needs heart surgery so that he can start to grow.

 

 

 

 

Right before we served lunch we handed out gifts.  We had quite a few toys and stuffed animals that people had sent down to hand out.  (I had brought down a suitcase full of puppies and pillow pets that a donor had mailed to me.)

We gave all the babies these little hats and mittens that some young women had knitted.

I was so proud of my kids for how generous they were being.  I want so badly to teach them charity without pity (not judging).  I know they are not there yet when Katie makes sweeping comments like, "everyone in Guatemala is really poor and doesn't have food" (meaning I am doing a bad job of teaching her), but they did a pretty good job of acting as Christ would while we were there.

Guatemala-Part 1

We stole Mark for a week and flew to Guatemala (if you don't know why the heck we would go there, stay tuned for the next post).  Our adventure began bright and early--we pulled the kids from their beds at 5 am.  Addy was not happy, Marcus was confused but Katie jumped from her bed ready to get this started.  

Last time we flew was right before M & A's 2nd birthday and we were too cheap to buy a 4th or 5th seat, so having 5 seats this time almost felt like we were sitting in first class.  The first flight was short and easy, but as we were pulling out of Atlanta, the plane filled with a terrible smell.  They left us sittting there for a while and then told us the plane wasn't safe to fly.  Luckily, they found another plain pretty quickly so we were only two hrs behind schedule.

After we arrived and got out of the airport I had our shuttle driver take us to the LDS church office building where the president of my mission in Venezuela is in the area presidency.  It was so great to see him.

President Martino holding Marcus

We stayed for a little bit to catch up.  We finally left because the kids where acting like little hoolagins.  Then we headed to Antigua where we had the cutest little hotel.  We dropped our bags off and went to find something to eat.  It was dark at this point, so we stopped at the first decent place we saw.  We ate outside with candles and lanterns for light. (The place did have a swing set with a slide, but when the kids started to play on it, it looked like it was going to snap in half.)  About half way through the meal Addy starts crying about how tired she is and how she just wants to go to bed so we head back to the hotel.  We were supposed to have two king beds in our room--but it was two small double beds and a cot so Mark and I each slept with one of the kids.  We both woke up to kids stroking our faces--not cool in the middle of the night or at 6 am.  (The next night all three went sideways in one bed and we each had our own bed.)

After a yummy breakfast we set out to explore Antigua. 

We went to the market first.  I could look at all the different Guatemala arts and wares all day.  The kids liked it for the first 15 shops, but then they got bored.  There were some fountains in the middle of the market and a Christmas tree, so it gave them something to do.

I got a great bowl and we let the kids pick out one thing each.  Katie and Addy couldn't decide but Marcus knew right away he wanted one of the 'guitars'.  After he picked out his, Katie and then Addy both wanted the same thing.  Right around this time, the kids were starting to lose it so we went to lunch and then back to the hotel.

The kids in front of our room door--notice one of the guitars.

After laying around with the kids for a couple hours we headed back out to explore.  The city is all cobble stone streets and ancient buildings.  We explored some of their old churches with their statues of Christ and other scenes from the Bible and history.  We spent a lot of time on one street where all the artists sit and paint.  There was one group of a father and his four sons all playing different instruments.  Marcus did not want to leave them--he is really into music and instruments.  We let the kids give them a tip. 

There was another street performer on a unicycle who was juggling fire.  The kids were pretty impressed with him as well.

Finally we went to dinner.  The food we ate in Guatemala was delicious.  The last couple times we have gone to Guatemala we have gotten a stomach bug/thing.  So this time we avoided the authentic places (the last thing we wanted was 3 sick kids), and ate at all the places Europeans or American's had opened there.  Everything was healthy and fresh.  The kids were really excited about this place because the kid's menu included ice cream--it doesn't get better then that!

Sunday morning we got up and went to church.  I can't sing, but I LOVE singing hymns in Spanish.

  We left after the first hour since I was the only one who spoke the language.  We went back to the hotel to pack up and then headed out to eat and take a final walk in Antigua.

M & A had brought their class friend, Ribbit, to Guatemala with us, so we had to snap a picture of him in our hotel courtyard.

After lunch we met Jorge our trusted shuttle driver at the hotel to head out to Panajachel.  My parents just bought a place near where our programs are and we stayed in a house near theirs.  There were no car seats in the van, so much to my kids delight, they were able to ride like the "big kids" with just seat belts.  It took a couple hours to get there from Antigua.  We stopped by Casa de Sion on the way to our house to pick up my parents van (which my kids loved even more because there were NO seat belts).  Our house was pretty nice, it was located in a nice community with gorgeous views of Lake Atitlan.  Our house was a short walk to my parent's house.  We had three bedrooms but all the kids wanted to sleep together so we moved one of mattresses into the other room so they would all fit.  It was one big slumber party for the week.  At night Marcus would pull out his guitar and sing us 'Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star'.

Monday morning we drove into Panajachel to hang out.  There is the greatest market there--at this point the kids are so sick of the markets because we keep telling them to "be careful" and "don't touch that".  Mark and I decide we will have to come back without them.  We walked down to the lake to see the boats.  There were some kids jumping in, which Marcus would have stayed and watched all day.  We rode a tuk-tuk (I don't think a got a picture this time, but if you want to see what they look like, click here.  They were the kids favorite thing in both Antigua and Pana) We ate at a delicious restaurant there, I had the best chow mein ever.

That night we took a walk around the neighborhood to check out some of the houses.  We ended up at my parents house right as they pulled up.  The kids were so happy to be with all my siblings again.  

On Tues we got up and headed to be with the 'cool people".  The kids quickly left Mark and I to hang with their aunts and uncles.  My parents set me to work translating on all the house work they needed done (we never learned construction terminology in the mission).  Mark sat out in the sun all morning reading, and ended up with about 200 bug bites all over his legs (last time he got pink eye while we were in Guatemala).  For dinner we went to Pana again with everyone.  After that whenever Mark and I went into Pana, we left the kids at my parents house.  The kids where happier and of course so where Mark and I.  Marcus loved being with Juana because she would make him homemade tortillas with honey and fresh squeezed juices.  Juana is such a tiny little thing, when Marcus gives her a hug he comes up to her waist.  The kids spent their time playing with my brothers and sister and going on walks with Grandma and Grandpa.  One time I checked on Katie and found her climbing a rock wall using the vines on the front of it like ropes.  It was pretty high, the height of one story of the house, I would have been scared for her if I wasn't so proud.

Addy falling asleep in the van on the ride home from Pana.

Friday morning we got up early and headed to Pana.  There we met Juan and his boat.  He took us first across Lake Atitlan to 'The Posada', a fabulous restaurant that my parents love, where we had a very yummy brunch with fresh squeezed orange juice (we had some sort of fresh squeezed juice whereever we ate the whole week).

Katie and Gabby

Seth, Scotia, Addy, Gabby, Kaite and Caleb.  They were so excited to sit in the front of the boat. Notice the volcano in the background, it is one of the three around the lake.

Marcus finally got up the nerve to join the kids up front.

After eating we took a tuk-tuk to the market in Santiago, where people got really excited to see so many Americans step into their booths.  We let the kids pick out one thing each.  Addy got a notebook covered in Guatemala fabric, Katie picked little dolls about the size of her fingers--moms and babies, and Marcus found a miniature Guatemalan bus, complete with baskets on top of it.  There was one shop that had these great candle holders that Mark and I had been looking for, but the lady wouldn't go down cheap enough and was being a little stinker (I think bc there were so many of us--and we had to be rich bc we were Americans), so I walked away annoyed.  Mark went back and bought them anyway because he knew I really wanted them, and he reminded me it was only the difference of $4.  I was annoyed at him for giving in until we got home and they looked perfect in our bathroom.

After the market the boat took us to Cerro de Oro where my parents used to have the orphanage.  We were checking out a feeding program there.  It was a beautiful boat ride.

When we got back to Pana we passed a booth where they braided a bracelet type thing in your hair.  I had promised Katie that she could do this, so we got one braided in her hair while everyone else left to run an errand.  While we were waiting for them to come back, Katie and I were sitting by the road playing with her new dolls, and a little girl came up to us and asked if she could put one in Katie's hair.  There are a lot of people in Guatemala who come up to you and beg you to buy their product, as much as I wish I could give everyone all the money they need to have the kind of life they deserve, I can't,  but I can never say no to a kid so Katie got two braids.  This little girl couldn't have been older then 10yrs old. 

That night after dinner we said goodbye to my family and Juana.  The new Guatemalan president was being sworn in on Sat so we had to get to the airport super early so that we didn't hit a traffic jam.  We left bright and early.  On the way to the airport poor Katie got carsick and threw up.  I had only saved out one clean warm outfit for each kid for that travel day, poor Katie had to change into dirty, not warm, clothes.

We got to the airport 5 hours early.  President Martino and Sister Martino came to the airport to see us off.  It was so great to see Sister Martino!  After they left we grabbed lunch and put on a movie for the kids.  The kids were angels all day; for the 4 hr flight, for immigration and customs, for dinner and the 3 hour layover in Atlanta, and for the 45 min flight to Charlotte.  They fell asleep on the plane to Charlotte and when we arrived at 11 pm they all woke up SCREAMING.  Somehow we made it through getting bags and the car and waiting in the cold with not enough clothing on.  We got them home and to bed...and woke them back up the next morning at 8:30 to get to church by 9:00.  

Welcome Home!
I miss the warm weather, and vacation.

Christmas

Warning: this is going to be another long post that is going to span a whole month.

We left the beach on the Friday after Thanksgiving so that we would have the weekend at our house.  Mark had been working so much that he really just wanted to sit in our house and relax.  We spent that weekend getting ready for Christmas.  We actually put lights up outside for the first time, which made us so cool in Katie's eyes.  (Of course our bachelor neighbors showed us up by having a blowup Santa, Frosty and thousands of lights, some of which blinked.)

Mark was super busy with work most of the month of Dec so I wasn't able to drag him on all of our Christmas activities. 

Marcus and Addy had a Christmas party at their school.  They were supposed to sing a couple of songs for us.  Marcus ended up on my lap before his class got up on stage.  And Addy spent 1/2 the song looking at something and then all the sudden looked up and realized the song was going on without her.

On stage

Trying to talk Santa into bringing her candy

We went to the Billy Graham library where they had carriage rides and a live nativity.  They also had caroling and story time.  The kids were so excited about the horses.  They kept pointing out the ones they wanted to pull our carriage while we were waiting in line.   The ride was a little short for the money I paid for it, but the kids didn't seem to notice.  They were just upset that they weren't allowed to pet the horses.  After the carriage ride we headed to the live nativity.  Katie was so excited for this.  I'm not sure if she thought she was going to get to see the real Mary or not. She was really disappointed that they did not have a real baby in the manger in the 35/40 degree weather.  I was just proud of myself for handling three kids by myself in a relatively large crowd of people.

Katie took this picture of the nativity

My kids are obsessed with Baby Jesus, mostly Katie, so we finally got a child proof nativity.  The kids LOVE it.  They played with it everyday.  We want our kids to enjoy Santa and all the commercial stuff that comes with Christmas, but we try hard to make sure they understand the reason we celebrate Christmas.  Baby Jesus and his birthday came up everyday during the month of December.  Our set came with two angels, Marcus was really excited and always wanted to be an angel when he played.  He felt very justified in his claim when I told him that the Angel Gabriel was a boy.  (He put on the white tutu and angel wings a lot more after that.)

The week before Christmas, the kids and I met Mark at his work.  They have bears that sing Christmas carols.   Marcus fell asleep in the car on the (short) drive and that always puts him in an interesting mood for doing things.  He hung out in Mark's arms most the time, and watched from the side; but, Katie and Addy joined the line of kids on the fence front and center.

After we walked around and visited a child size gingerbread house.  It wasn't nearly as cool as it could have been.  It didn't have any candy or fun colors on it (it was made out of real 'organic' stuff) my kids could have done a better job, AND it got the kids all dirty when they leaned against it for a picture.

The weather was amazing so after getting some dinner we walked around outside and looked at all the lights.

After that the real fun started.  My sister Jenn and hubby Ryan and 4 kids were in FL for a medical rotation so they came to spend Christmas with us.  They arrived late Friday night.

Things got crazy fast with a 2-yr old and 3-3yr olds, not to mention the silly 5, 7 and 8 yr old girls.  Christmas Eve we all gathered at Sarah's house and my parents came down for a brunch.  The kids had a blast all running around crazy.

Marcus, Max, Will and Sam

Gabby, Talia and Addy

Katie was busy running around with the big girls so Addy got some alone time with Gabby and Talia.  As the youngest granddaughter she was thrilled to be fully included.  After food and play time, we opened some presents.

Katie had the bright idea to make Santa some cinnamon rolls this year.  She thought that he might be sick of cookies and like a change...I think she was right, because they were all gone in the morning.

Mark reading 'Twas the Night Before Christmas'

The next morning was pure craziness!

Addy really liked her present from Marcus

Katie made Addy this little nativity set from toilet paper rolls--all by herself.

My gift from Katie

 Christmas morning after presents and cinnamon rolls we went to church. 

Mark made us smoked pork for Christmas dinner, so other then some cooking we spent the day relaxing and trying to ignore the noise of 7 kids enjoying all their toys.

The Swapp family left Monday morning.  We were so sad to see them go, but for the kids the fun was not about to end...Grammy and Grandpa showed up Tuesday night.  I came down with a terrible cold, so for me most of their visit is a haze, but the kids had a blast.   Of course they were spoiled rotten; they opened more presents, they went to a movie-complete with popcorn and soda, they went out to eat, and they had someone to play with all day.