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.