Hey everyone!
This will be my last blog. I just wanted everyone to know I got home safely Tuesday night and have been recovering from a lack of sleep and a little sickness from change in food and temperature. How did you guys deal all summer in this heat? I got used to the 70 degree weather every day. Thanks so much for all the prayers and support. I hope to get out a thank you letter with some pictures soon!
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Monday, July 11, 2011
Crazy airport runs...
July 11th... how fast 2 months can fly by. 8 more days and I'll be boarding a plane on my way to be reunited with my family. Well, at least most of my family.
I am pretty sad that my grandmother and sister, Katelyn, will be leaving for Germany before I get back, but I wish them safe travels and a good time and
I'll be anxiously awaiting their arrival back. Saturday I said goodbye to yet another team. It seems strange to make friends over 2 weeks and then most
likely never see them again.
Not only did I said goodbye to a team, but also to my roommate and fellow summer staff, Allie. Because she is the only summer staff leaving early,
we (all the summer staff) took her to the city and out to breakfast at IHOP before taking her to the airport. We all enjoyed a delicious breakfast of
pancakes, biscuits and gravy, french toast, and eggs and then headed to the airport. We always aim to have students and groups at the airport two hours
before their plane is schedule to leave, to account for any problems or long lines. Right before leaving IHOP we got a call from another staff member that
a famous Argentinian singer and political figure had been assassinated in Guatemala city on his way to the airport so the main road to the airport was
being block off for investigation. I don't know if any of you have seen this on the news, we later learned that it was a pretty popular CNN story. The bad
part about Guatemala city is that it is set up really badly. There are a ton of one ways and places where you need to cross over a main street, but you can't
because there is no place for you to cross. Anyway, the staff member driving us around the city, Maurine, decided to get off the main road to the airport
at a small side road and call her husband to try to give us directions over the phone from google maps. So long story short, we drove back and forth through
parts of Guatemala city for over an hour and a half just trying to cross over to the other side of one road to get to the airport. Our fearless captain was
driving a big van of students, stick shift, while on the phone, in parts of the city she had never driven in, full of one ways and traffic, while 7 people
in the back tried to search for street signs so we could tell her husband where we were. By the time we made it to the airport, we were all stressed and
Allie had 20 minutes to get to her plane. Another thing about the Guatemala airport is that you cannot step foot inside the airport without a passport and
of course none of us had our original passport on us. So we waited outside the door of the airport, nervously trying to see if Allie could make it. Finally,
she called us from a phone in the airport to tell us the plane took off early, and it would cost her $80 to get a different flight, but she didn't have
any money with her and no credit card, so Maurin frantically explained to the guard that it was an emergency and he finally let her in. Everything got worked
out and we talked to Allie last night and she made it home in one piece, apparently making lots of friends along the way, which sounds exactly like Allie.
Right now in Magdalena the fair is going on. It's called Fiesta de Pueblo, which just means party of the town. There is a ferris wheel and a couple other
rides, a big stage for performances, and lots of food and prize stands. Yesterday was the annual marathon that is held here in Magdalena. Last year a man
from Kenya won. Apparently the prize money for the race is quite attractive. This year there were 1500 people running. The women started at 8AM and the
men started just 10 minutes after. My whole family was very excited for it to happen. My host dad was handing out water to the runners. Then there was
a little miss pagent and I got to see my host mother's nieces who were in it. Another common thing here to happens year round are fireworks. Sometimes it's
just the short, multiple pops of the firecrackers and sometimes its the big boom of the "bombas" which is a larger firework that shoots into the sky. Year
round these can be heard to celebrate birthdays, anniversarys, baby's born, sometimes kids just set them off for fun. Apparently this Saturday is another
celebration of some sort that kind of goes along with the fair, but fireworks get set off all night, from 8PM to 5AM. Sadly, (not really) I will not be
here to be kept up all night by fireworks being shot off. We have our summer staff retreat this weekend.
At the end of every summer staff's term, there is a summer staff retreat. Last year we went to a hotel on the beach that was an all incluside deal and it was
really nice. We spent our time playing games and winding down from our busy summer. This year we are going to a nice hotel in the city for two nights. It
is the same idea, games and fun with other summer staff before we have to go home. It is also a time where we are supposed to kind of organize our thoughts
about our time here: what we learned, what we can take back, how best to readjust to being back in the states. For those of you who have traveled to another
country and lived for a while you might understand what I'm talking about, but for those of you who haven't it may be difficult to think that it will be hard
to return to a place you've lived your whole life. I think it gets a little easier each time I do it because I know what to expect, but it's never easy.
Going home consists of readjusting to more noise, a faster pace of living, things being more expensive, a different type of money, people around me
actually having money, not having to walk everywhere, different climate, and different food. Of course it will be hard to leave the relationships I have
started this year and last, but I miss my family a lot and i'm looking forward to seeing them soon! Hopefully seeing many people around Farina soon!
I am pretty sad that my grandmother and sister, Katelyn, will be leaving for Germany before I get back, but I wish them safe travels and a good time and
I'll be anxiously awaiting their arrival back. Saturday I said goodbye to yet another team. It seems strange to make friends over 2 weeks and then most
likely never see them again.
Not only did I said goodbye to a team, but also to my roommate and fellow summer staff, Allie. Because she is the only summer staff leaving early,
we (all the summer staff) took her to the city and out to breakfast at IHOP before taking her to the airport. We all enjoyed a delicious breakfast of
pancakes, biscuits and gravy, french toast, and eggs and then headed to the airport. We always aim to have students and groups at the airport two hours
before their plane is schedule to leave, to account for any problems or long lines. Right before leaving IHOP we got a call from another staff member that
a famous Argentinian singer and political figure had been assassinated in Guatemala city on his way to the airport so the main road to the airport was
being block off for investigation. I don't know if any of you have seen this on the news, we later learned that it was a pretty popular CNN story. The bad
part about Guatemala city is that it is set up really badly. There are a ton of one ways and places where you need to cross over a main street, but you can't
because there is no place for you to cross. Anyway, the staff member driving us around the city, Maurine, decided to get off the main road to the airport
at a small side road and call her husband to try to give us directions over the phone from google maps. So long story short, we drove back and forth through
parts of Guatemala city for over an hour and a half just trying to cross over to the other side of one road to get to the airport. Our fearless captain was
driving a big van of students, stick shift, while on the phone, in parts of the city she had never driven in, full of one ways and traffic, while 7 people
in the back tried to search for street signs so we could tell her husband where we were. By the time we made it to the airport, we were all stressed and
Allie had 20 minutes to get to her plane. Another thing about the Guatemala airport is that you cannot step foot inside the airport without a passport and
of course none of us had our original passport on us. So we waited outside the door of the airport, nervously trying to see if Allie could make it. Finally,
she called us from a phone in the airport to tell us the plane took off early, and it would cost her $80 to get a different flight, but she didn't have
any money with her and no credit card, so Maurin frantically explained to the guard that it was an emergency and he finally let her in. Everything got worked
out and we talked to Allie last night and she made it home in one piece, apparently making lots of friends along the way, which sounds exactly like Allie.
Right now in Magdalena the fair is going on. It's called Fiesta de Pueblo, which just means party of the town. There is a ferris wheel and a couple other
rides, a big stage for performances, and lots of food and prize stands. Yesterday was the annual marathon that is held here in Magdalena. Last year a man
from Kenya won. Apparently the prize money for the race is quite attractive. This year there were 1500 people running. The women started at 8AM and the
men started just 10 minutes after. My whole family was very excited for it to happen. My host dad was handing out water to the runners. Then there was
a little miss pagent and I got to see my host mother's nieces who were in it. Another common thing here to happens year round are fireworks. Sometimes it's
just the short, multiple pops of the firecrackers and sometimes its the big boom of the "bombas" which is a larger firework that shoots into the sky. Year
round these can be heard to celebrate birthdays, anniversarys, baby's born, sometimes kids just set them off for fun. Apparently this Saturday is another
celebration of some sort that kind of goes along with the fair, but fireworks get set off all night, from 8PM to 5AM. Sadly, (not really) I will not be
here to be kept up all night by fireworks being shot off. We have our summer staff retreat this weekend.
At the end of every summer staff's term, there is a summer staff retreat. Last year we went to a hotel on the beach that was an all incluside deal and it was
really nice. We spent our time playing games and winding down from our busy summer. This year we are going to a nice hotel in the city for two nights. It
is the same idea, games and fun with other summer staff before we have to go home. It is also a time where we are supposed to kind of organize our thoughts
about our time here: what we learned, what we can take back, how best to readjust to being back in the states. For those of you who have traveled to another
country and lived for a while you might understand what I'm talking about, but for those of you who haven't it may be difficult to think that it will be hard
to return to a place you've lived your whole life. I think it gets a little easier each time I do it because I know what to expect, but it's never easy.
Going home consists of readjusting to more noise, a faster pace of living, things being more expensive, a different type of money, people around me
actually having money, not having to walk everywhere, different climate, and different food. Of course it will be hard to leave the relationships I have
started this year and last, but I miss my family a lot and i'm looking forward to seeing them soon! Hopefully seeing many people around Farina soon!
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
counting down
It's been a while since I'be written, big suprise I know. I guess I have just been caught up in what is going on here and haven't had much to write about. We picked up this new team last Monday, I can't believe they have already been here a week, It's gone by so fast. It has been a blessing having them here, I know many of them from last year. I especially enjoyed the leader, Pastor Will, who came last year and is here this year as well. He is a co-pastor of a large church in California and he is always encouraging the staff and summer staff and giving words of wisdom. Last year I was able to meet his wife and children and that was really great as well.
We spent the first few days of sites working with animals. We visited one horse in particular who had last all skin on the front leg. The family said a metal pole stuck into the side of the horse's leg and the weight of the pole pulled all the skin down with it. It was a very sad thing to see, because most of the skin was dead, but they had tried to sow it up anyway. We saw it a couple days in a row, but to me it looked like it was continuing to get worse. Horses here are an interesting concept. I have noticed a change for the better in the size of them from last year to this year. I see more horses with more muscle and lighter loads. Horses here are used soley as pack animals. Up the mountain every morning, maybe an hour hike, and then bringing down loads of fire wood or grass for the other animals to eat. They aren't well taken care of like horses in the U.S.
Friday we began another pig pen for a man named Mojito. I have an excellent group with 3 men and 2 women who all work very hard. They are all from the same church and take a trip to mexico every year to build houses, so buildling a pig pen was easy for most of them. It was nice to have a little break, especially today when they were doing most of the work mixing and pouring the cement floors. Mojito lives about a 10 minute walk from Mario's (our site leader) house, but it is almost entirely uphill. Today his wife hiked from their house in the city, up the hill to where we were working to bring us lunch. She prepared something called Hilachas, which is a red soup with some beef and potatoes. It was really nice to have a good meal after working hard today. We sat around and talked to Mojito and his wife about why we chose to come to Guatemala. Then we asked about his family. He has 6 children, 17 grandchildren, and 4 great grandchildren and he's only 65. It is normal for children to get married at 17 here and start having their own children right away.
Mario also told us the story about his wife, Ingred's, childhood. When she was 13 her mother told her to gather all her clothes and took her into the city to a resteraunt where she workeed from 5AM to midnight or 1AM, cooking and cleaning. All the money she earned went to mother to help take care of the family. She lived this life until she was 18 and her and Mario got married. This is the story for so many young girls here. It's very sad to see families using their children like this. I had so many opportunities and experiences because my father bought all of my necessities. The children here is a very sad issue, but one that I see improving as the years go by. In years past, children would go to school through 6th grade and then drop out to help their parents make money. Students International has a child sponsorship program that has helped a few kids get to 7th grade and higher, because they help out financially.
My roommates Allie leaves this Saturday. It's kind of a rude awakening that time for all of us is coming to an end. I think I am ok with it. I know that I want to return, but I also know that I am going to have other responsibilities that I also need to focus on. I am realizing that goodbye this time will be a more extensive goodbye than last year and that makes it difficult, but I have definitely been missing my family so much I am ready to be home and relax for the remainder of the summer. I am looking forward to having this weekend to relax and hang out with the other summer staff, and also looking forward to the following weekend when we stay a couple nights in a hotel in the city and wind down from our summer and discuss our transition back into the states. I hope everyone enjoyed their 4th of July, Mario set off some fireworks for us, so I was able to see a few. Nothing like Farina's fireworks, I definitely miss those. Please keep praying, only a couple weeks left.
We spent the first few days of sites working with animals. We visited one horse in particular who had last all skin on the front leg. The family said a metal pole stuck into the side of the horse's leg and the weight of the pole pulled all the skin down with it. It was a very sad thing to see, because most of the skin was dead, but they had tried to sow it up anyway. We saw it a couple days in a row, but to me it looked like it was continuing to get worse. Horses here are an interesting concept. I have noticed a change for the better in the size of them from last year to this year. I see more horses with more muscle and lighter loads. Horses here are used soley as pack animals. Up the mountain every morning, maybe an hour hike, and then bringing down loads of fire wood or grass for the other animals to eat. They aren't well taken care of like horses in the U.S.
Friday we began another pig pen for a man named Mojito. I have an excellent group with 3 men and 2 women who all work very hard. They are all from the same church and take a trip to mexico every year to build houses, so buildling a pig pen was easy for most of them. It was nice to have a little break, especially today when they were doing most of the work mixing and pouring the cement floors. Mojito lives about a 10 minute walk from Mario's (our site leader) house, but it is almost entirely uphill. Today his wife hiked from their house in the city, up the hill to where we were working to bring us lunch. She prepared something called Hilachas, which is a red soup with some beef and potatoes. It was really nice to have a good meal after working hard today. We sat around and talked to Mojito and his wife about why we chose to come to Guatemala. Then we asked about his family. He has 6 children, 17 grandchildren, and 4 great grandchildren and he's only 65. It is normal for children to get married at 17 here and start having their own children right away.
Mario also told us the story about his wife, Ingred's, childhood. When she was 13 her mother told her to gather all her clothes and took her into the city to a resteraunt where she workeed from 5AM to midnight or 1AM, cooking and cleaning. All the money she earned went to mother to help take care of the family. She lived this life until she was 18 and her and Mario got married. This is the story for so many young girls here. It's very sad to see families using their children like this. I had so many opportunities and experiences because my father bought all of my necessities. The children here is a very sad issue, but one that I see improving as the years go by. In years past, children would go to school through 6th grade and then drop out to help their parents make money. Students International has a child sponsorship program that has helped a few kids get to 7th grade and higher, because they help out financially.
My roommates Allie leaves this Saturday. It's kind of a rude awakening that time for all of us is coming to an end. I think I am ok with it. I know that I want to return, but I also know that I am going to have other responsibilities that I also need to focus on. I am realizing that goodbye this time will be a more extensive goodbye than last year and that makes it difficult, but I have definitely been missing my family so much I am ready to be home and relax for the remainder of the summer. I am looking forward to having this weekend to relax and hang out with the other summer staff, and also looking forward to the following weekend when we stay a couple nights in a hotel in the city and wind down from our summer and discuss our transition back into the states. I hope everyone enjoyed their 4th of July, Mario set off some fireworks for us, so I was able to see a few. Nothing like Farina's fireworks, I definitely miss those. Please keep praying, only a couple weeks left.
Monday, June 27, 2011
Vet Team
Another week come and gone, another team come and gone. This was the week I was waiting in ancipation for. I was nervous when I first found out that not all
of the students would be christian, but I soon found out that I was wrong about a lot of things. First, only 2 of the 9 from the vet team were actually
students and they were both 4th year students (so practically doctors already) and the other 9 were pretty much all from the same family and they all turned
out to be christians. It was nice to not have the stress of "Do I say something" or am I stepping on toes? It was a very interesting group, but I feel so
blessed to have been here this past week. First of all, the leaders were especially nice. It was a man and wife who are both veterinarians in their 50s. They
were always encouraging me to help out and asking if I needed anything or had any questions. Then there were two doctors who have been out of school for a
year. One lady, Rebecca, was the daughter of the leaders and she is more of a large animal vet, where as Kayla is more of a small animal vet. They both
were so helpful and encouraging to me. They answered all my questions and gave me tips on different techniques to use during a spay or when suturing up.
The two vet students, Carolyn and Scott, were a married couple in their 4th year of vet school. It was really awesome to see the way they worked together and
encouraged each other and gave eachother advice and helped eachother out. They also were very awesome with me, letting me scrub in and help with surgeries,
and answering all my questions and showing me certain things and really just encouraging me to stick with school and work hard and that when I got into
surgery it would be a breeze. The other two men, Rebecca's husband and Jr. who is a friend of the leaders who comes to translate were really great as well.
Margret is Carolyn's sister and also a vet tech. She is really the one who taught me the hands on things that I learned and i'm greatful for her willingness
and patience with me. It was so great to quickly be adopted into this team, no questions asked.
At the beginning of each day, we all split into two groups. One group was the large animal team and would go out with Mario and work on cow's and goats and
different livestock and the people's homes. The other group would stay at Mario's guest house and have the small animal clinic. I was in the clinic all
week so I don't really know what all the large animal team did, but we were mostly split into spay/neuter doctors and general medicine doctors. The two
students were mostly in charge of the spay/neuters and for the first 3 days did about 3 a day. They were slow and uncertain to start, because they each
had only done one dog spay before this trip (which is typical for a vet student), but it didn't take long for the both of them to get the hang of it and
more confidence and really sped up the surgeries. By Thursday and Friday they were doing 6-7 spays a day, cats and dogs. It was great to be there to watch
their confidence and skills build with each new spay. The other part of the clinic was general medicine, which was mostly a quickly physical, making sure
that the dogs were generally healthy with no wounds or unhealthy sounding lungs. Most people just wanted the free flee medicine and parasite medicine that
the doctors were giving out. Some dogs got wounds shaved and cleaned to heal quicker, some got antibiotics for infections, and some just got flee and
paracite medicine. On day one I got to help with a neuter and I was able to tie off the testicle and cut it and everything! It was really exciting for me
and Dr. Rebecca said she was impressed. I helped out with odds and ins for the next couple of days and on Thursday, the tech Margret was going out with
the large animal team, so I had to fill in as tech for the day. It was great! Before she left she talked me through my first catheter in a real dog, which I
did amazingly and got in the vein on the first try. She said I did a great tape job and everything went awesome. I also got to intubate for the first time
which took me a couple tries because I kept getting it into the esophagus, but I did it and the next two I did much better, which some helpful hints from
Dr. Rebecca and Kayla. I put two more catheters in perfectly and intubated, shaved, and scrubbed to get them prepared for surgery. Then after surgery I gave
antibiotics, reversal drug, pulled the catherer, extubated, and monitered to make sure they woke up. I am proud to say nothing died under my watch! It
was such an exciting day for me, because I got to do so many things i've never done before and many things they don't really teach you in school. I did
blow the vein on my 4th catheter try, but Margret and Dr. Rebecca said I needed to do that as well to know that things don't always go perfectly. I felt
better when Dr. Kayla couldn't get the catheter in either. Margret finally did on try #4 total.
All in all, the week was amazing and the team left me one of the matching vests that they all had as a symbol of being a part of their team. I was really
excited because it's a nice fleece Comumbia vest with the vet caduces and it says Guatemala 2011 under the symbol and Ephesians 3:20-21 above the symbol.
Not only did they leave me the vest, but Ralph, the older vet left me his card with phone number and e-mail and invited me to stay at their house and ride
around with them anytime I wanted and that I should come down next year during the week they are here and they'd let me spay a dog. He also mentioned
that they are hooked up with UC David for internships and that I would be welcome to talk to the U of I and do a 4th year rotation with him in California,
and stay at their house. I felt like such a great part of their team and that they didn't talk to me like a 1st year and think that I didn'tk now anything,
but they were impressed by what I did know and eager to teach me more. I think it was an incredible week for me and I was sad to see them leave today.
We are down to 3 more weeks and I can't believe how fast it's gone by. We are picking up our last full length team on Monday and I'm kind of excited to
be winding down a little and just being sure to spend time with families I have built relationships with and living out each day here. I'm looking forward
to coming home and seeing every as well. I hope you are all doing great! Still no natural disasters to report :) and I still haven't been sick (knock on
wood) so thanks for your thoughts and prayers. Have a great week!
of the students would be christian, but I soon found out that I was wrong about a lot of things. First, only 2 of the 9 from the vet team were actually
students and they were both 4th year students (so practically doctors already) and the other 9 were pretty much all from the same family and they all turned
out to be christians. It was nice to not have the stress of "Do I say something" or am I stepping on toes? It was a very interesting group, but I feel so
blessed to have been here this past week. First of all, the leaders were especially nice. It was a man and wife who are both veterinarians in their 50s. They
were always encouraging me to help out and asking if I needed anything or had any questions. Then there were two doctors who have been out of school for a
year. One lady, Rebecca, was the daughter of the leaders and she is more of a large animal vet, where as Kayla is more of a small animal vet. They both
were so helpful and encouraging to me. They answered all my questions and gave me tips on different techniques to use during a spay or when suturing up.
The two vet students, Carolyn and Scott, were a married couple in their 4th year of vet school. It was really awesome to see the way they worked together and
encouraged each other and gave eachother advice and helped eachother out. They also were very awesome with me, letting me scrub in and help with surgeries,
and answering all my questions and showing me certain things and really just encouraging me to stick with school and work hard and that when I got into
surgery it would be a breeze. The other two men, Rebecca's husband and Jr. who is a friend of the leaders who comes to translate were really great as well.
Margret is Carolyn's sister and also a vet tech. She is really the one who taught me the hands on things that I learned and i'm greatful for her willingness
and patience with me. It was so great to quickly be adopted into this team, no questions asked.
At the beginning of each day, we all split into two groups. One group was the large animal team and would go out with Mario and work on cow's and goats and
different livestock and the people's homes. The other group would stay at Mario's guest house and have the small animal clinic. I was in the clinic all
week so I don't really know what all the large animal team did, but we were mostly split into spay/neuter doctors and general medicine doctors. The two
students were mostly in charge of the spay/neuters and for the first 3 days did about 3 a day. They were slow and uncertain to start, because they each
had only done one dog spay before this trip (which is typical for a vet student), but it didn't take long for the both of them to get the hang of it and
more confidence and really sped up the surgeries. By Thursday and Friday they were doing 6-7 spays a day, cats and dogs. It was great to be there to watch
their confidence and skills build with each new spay. The other part of the clinic was general medicine, which was mostly a quickly physical, making sure
that the dogs were generally healthy with no wounds or unhealthy sounding lungs. Most people just wanted the free flee medicine and parasite medicine that
the doctors were giving out. Some dogs got wounds shaved and cleaned to heal quicker, some got antibiotics for infections, and some just got flee and
paracite medicine. On day one I got to help with a neuter and I was able to tie off the testicle and cut it and everything! It was really exciting for me
and Dr. Rebecca said she was impressed. I helped out with odds and ins for the next couple of days and on Thursday, the tech Margret was going out with
the large animal team, so I had to fill in as tech for the day. It was great! Before she left she talked me through my first catheter in a real dog, which I
did amazingly and got in the vein on the first try. She said I did a great tape job and everything went awesome. I also got to intubate for the first time
which took me a couple tries because I kept getting it into the esophagus, but I did it and the next two I did much better, which some helpful hints from
Dr. Rebecca and Kayla. I put two more catheters in perfectly and intubated, shaved, and scrubbed to get them prepared for surgery. Then after surgery I gave
antibiotics, reversal drug, pulled the catherer, extubated, and monitered to make sure they woke up. I am proud to say nothing died under my watch! It
was such an exciting day for me, because I got to do so many things i've never done before and many things they don't really teach you in school. I did
blow the vein on my 4th catheter try, but Margret and Dr. Rebecca said I needed to do that as well to know that things don't always go perfectly. I felt
better when Dr. Kayla couldn't get the catheter in either. Margret finally did on try #4 total.
All in all, the week was amazing and the team left me one of the matching vests that they all had as a symbol of being a part of their team. I was really
excited because it's a nice fleece Comumbia vest with the vet caduces and it says Guatemala 2011 under the symbol and Ephesians 3:20-21 above the symbol.
Not only did they leave me the vest, but Ralph, the older vet left me his card with phone number and e-mail and invited me to stay at their house and ride
around with them anytime I wanted and that I should come down next year during the week they are here and they'd let me spay a dog. He also mentioned
that they are hooked up with UC David for internships and that I would be welcome to talk to the U of I and do a 4th year rotation with him in California,
and stay at their house. I felt like such a great part of their team and that they didn't talk to me like a 1st year and think that I didn'tk now anything,
but they were impressed by what I did know and eager to teach me more. I think it was an incredible week for me and I was sad to see them leave today.
We are down to 3 more weeks and I can't believe how fast it's gone by. We are picking up our last full length team on Monday and I'm kind of excited to
be winding down a little and just being sure to spend time with families I have built relationships with and living out each day here. I'm looking forward
to coming home and seeing every as well. I hope you are all doing great! Still no natural disasters to report :) and I still haven't been sick (knock on
wood) so thanks for your thoughts and prayers. Have a great week!
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Happy Father's Day!
Disclaimer: I wrote this last night before bed, so the date of when it was written is 6/17/11
So we just finished banquet for team two and they leave tomorrow for California. I must say, my attitude toward this team has changed quite a bit. I
shouldn't be suprised considering the same thing happened last year, but it still amazes me how God works. At the beginning of the week I got frustrated
a lot because the high schoolers were so focused on serving those in need and the fact that they have so much more than the people here. I guess I wanted
people who felt the same way I do. The longer I am here the more I realize, I'm not here to serve. I'm not worthy of serving these people. These people are
serving me and showing me how to serve, and they have so much more than I do. They have humility and humbleness and they love God with their whole heart.
They serve eachother and though they have no material things, they are willing to give the things they have to help out one another. I John 3:17 "How does
God's love abide in anyone who has the world's goods and sees a brother or sister in need and yet refuses help." I remember in high school, as a small
example, I would always have gum and I would try to keep in a secret, otherwise one person would ask and everyone around would hear and also ask until I
had none left. But why not give? What am I losing? Gum? What if my neighbor needed clothes or money? What do I lose if I give of what I have? clothes and
money... but what do I gain? The joy of helping someone in need and the grace of God. As the week progressed I slowly saw the desires of the people in my
group change. It was most noticable in morning prayer. We circle up and prayer for out day before we go out to work. At the beginning of their time here,
most of their prayers were about having a good day and working hard to serve these people and being thankful for the things we have that the people here
don't have and showing God to these people. All of these are very thoughtful things, but it is putting us above them, which is in no way the circumstances
here. The last site prayer that I shared with my team, consisted of people thanking God for the other people in their site and for teaching them how to love
God in a new way and how to love and be loved by the people here. I was so touched by the words of these teenagers and I realized that God was also working
in my heart as we all worked together throughout the week.
I know I explained in my last blog about the pig pen we are building for Claudia, Mario's sister, whose husband died a month and a half ago. Well, at the
beginning of this weekend I was talking to Telma, Mario's other sister (everyone lives very close together) about when they were going to butcher the pig
we castrated with the first team. Of course I was just trying to make small talk and learn a little about her life, but being part of this wonderful
culture, she said "Friday at 4AM. Do you like pork chops?" of course I said yes! and she invited me to come at 7AM and have some. I said thank you, but I
was really thinking about not going, because it was early and I would kind of feel like I was intruding on their family time. As the week wore on and we
worked on the pig pen, every time Telma or Claudia would see me they would always say hello and say my name. My heart melted every time I heart my name
and saw their beautiful smiles, genuinely happy to see me again. Thursday Telma asked me again if I was coming and by this time I had made up my mind
that I would be there, no matter how awkward I felt. So I woke up Friday morning and had breakfast with my family (pancakes :) and then headed to Telma's
house where the pig had been butchered and the meat was being cleaned. The women appoligized for not having the food ready, because it had been raining
all morning and they had to move the butchering process to the porch, but they had the fire going, which was a small rack over a couple pieces of wood and
a fan to feed the flame. They got a special piece ready for me quickly and I sat with Telma and talked to the two little boys, Osmin and David, while she
cooked this pork chop. When it was finished the put it on a plate with a tomato salsa and another plate or tortillas. She gave me the plates and said, "You
don't like pica right?" (pica is the hot sauce) She remember from previous conversations that we had that I didn't like spicey! So I sat and at the most
delicious pork chop I think I have ever had. (My dad's pork chops are delicious and I love you dad! :) but the meat was so fresh and the seasoning was so
good) Maybe it was being deprived of pork since I've been here, I don'tk now, but it was so delicious. So I sat and ate while telma continued to cook more
meat for the rest of her family. Not being great at Spanish I tried to make small talk with her and learn a little about her family. It wasn't long before
she was talking about her brother who had died. I knew quickly that she was talking about Claudia's husband. I asked if he liked pork and would have liked
to be here? And she explained to me that he used to cook the meat. I felt so deeply intertwined with the family, my heart was burning with happiness that
they had welcomed me in, gave me food, love, conversation... We later sang a song that says, "We must go, learn to feed the hungry, live beside the broken..
we must go" and I pictured me there, hungry and broken and being filled by this loving family who had lost someone so dear to them. It was only an hour
later I learned that today is Father's day here in Guatemala. My heart that was burning with love was instantly broken.... The newly widowed wife, with
three fatherless children had invited me... a white girl who can barely hold a conversation in their language... to share in a day that used to mean
something completely different to them. To serve me... instead of mourning the loss of a great man. To smile and say "Buenas dias Yamie" instead of crying.
I wish I could play it like a movie for you, so you could just see how much of a blessing this family had been, and only later did I realize how hard
of a day it must have been for them.
This is only one of the testimonies of losing a father, I have heard so many more from the staff and host parents here. It is truely amazing to hear Norita's
story of her father being shot when she was young, but still having such strong memories of him. The day after she told us this testimony of her life, the
only other male sibling she has was shot. How messed up is that? The very day after she opened herself to us and told us her story and how she feared that
her husband would be taken the same way, her brother died. It just strengthens the fact that we don't know why God does what he does, but trust and love
is so important. Jose, another staff member, explained how he didn't have a father in his life from a very young age as well. And as I said in an earlier
blog, my host mother's father was a drunk and barely ever home. So is the story of many of the people here and you know what they always want to teach us?
You always have a father in heaven and if you don't have an earthly father, the father in heaven will take his place. How awesome is that! So much faith!
I have yet to experience the loss of a person close to me. I have no idea how I will cope or if I will be as strong as the people here, but I hope I can
gain insight and learn from their example of how to be strong in Christ even when you don't understand his actions. I have also been so blessed to have
an amazing father. As Nora was telling her tesimony she asked up to think of memories we had with our earthly father. I had so many amazing memories to play
in my head, I couldn't help but feel sorry for people who didn't have the same experience I had.
I remembered both of my sister and I rolling on the floor with my dad tickling us till we couldn't breathe and then us begging for more. I remember laying on
our old wooden porch and staring up at the stars. I remember smelling pancakes and bacon from the living room about 5PM and knowing Dad was fixing
breakfast for dinner, my favorite! I remember fishing and being so impatient. I remember sitting on Dad's lap the in the green truck and steering down field
roads. I remember riding next to him in the combine as we went up and down the field or in the tractor as we drove into town to have the grain tested and
dumped. I remember seeing him in the stands on volleyball games, softball games, basketball games so many I can't count. I remember playing catch in the
backyard and suprise birthday parties! I remember fights that ended in tears and hugs and waking up with bloody noses that only dad could fix with tissue
under my top lip. I remember bed time prayers and morning wake up songs. I remember getting pretty much anything I asked for, the laptop, the puppy, the
sound system in my car, and the new cell phone. I remember making homemade ice cream and selling it on the 4th of July at the park with the ambulance team.
I remember crying as I dialed my dad's phone knowing I had to tell him I had backed into someone's car and feeling relief in him saying everything was going
to be ok. I remember saying goodbye when he moved me into Greenville and then again when he moved me to Champaign. I remember having dinner with him and his
partner in Champaign or an early breakfast. I remember taking jugs of tea to the field for Dad or helping him set up the pool. I remember
sitting high in the saddle as dad led around the horse or pony. I remember being in trouble, but always knowing that no matter what my father would always
love me. Being here and hearing the stories of broken families and families with no fathers, I wonder how I go so lucky. Why me God? Why do I get to be
blessed when so many people have to go without? What is my purpose? I don't know, and I don't think I will every know, but I am thankful for my father.
I am thankful for the father here on earth and my heavenly father.
I love my whole family, but with the experiences I'm having around me and the fact that Father's day for Guatemala is today and in the states is just around
the corner, being the second one in a row I have missed with my Dad, I wanted to let him know how much I appreciate him and love him. I miss you Daddy! I
hope you are doing great! I am excited for the vet team next week, but I need prayer. I recently learned that not all of them are christian. Of course
I am used to being around vet students who aren't all Christian, but I want prayer to know what to say to them and when to witness and when to back off. I
want to do God's work, not my own. I will let you know how that goes! Thanks for all the prayers so far and for reading this and my other blogs. It's
awesome to have support and I hope you are enjoying my stories as much as I am enjoying telling you about them.
Miss you all! Happy Father's DAY!
So we just finished banquet for team two and they leave tomorrow for California. I must say, my attitude toward this team has changed quite a bit. I
shouldn't be suprised considering the same thing happened last year, but it still amazes me how God works. At the beginning of the week I got frustrated
a lot because the high schoolers were so focused on serving those in need and the fact that they have so much more than the people here. I guess I wanted
people who felt the same way I do. The longer I am here the more I realize, I'm not here to serve. I'm not worthy of serving these people. These people are
serving me and showing me how to serve, and they have so much more than I do. They have humility and humbleness and they love God with their whole heart.
They serve eachother and though they have no material things, they are willing to give the things they have to help out one another. I John 3:17 "How does
God's love abide in anyone who has the world's goods and sees a brother or sister in need and yet refuses help." I remember in high school, as a small
example, I would always have gum and I would try to keep in a secret, otherwise one person would ask and everyone around would hear and also ask until I
had none left. But why not give? What am I losing? Gum? What if my neighbor needed clothes or money? What do I lose if I give of what I have? clothes and
money... but what do I gain? The joy of helping someone in need and the grace of God. As the week progressed I slowly saw the desires of the people in my
group change. It was most noticable in morning prayer. We circle up and prayer for out day before we go out to work. At the beginning of their time here,
most of their prayers were about having a good day and working hard to serve these people and being thankful for the things we have that the people here
don't have and showing God to these people. All of these are very thoughtful things, but it is putting us above them, which is in no way the circumstances
here. The last site prayer that I shared with my team, consisted of people thanking God for the other people in their site and for teaching them how to love
God in a new way and how to love and be loved by the people here. I was so touched by the words of these teenagers and I realized that God was also working
in my heart as we all worked together throughout the week.
I know I explained in my last blog about the pig pen we are building for Claudia, Mario's sister, whose husband died a month and a half ago. Well, at the
beginning of this weekend I was talking to Telma, Mario's other sister (everyone lives very close together) about when they were going to butcher the pig
we castrated with the first team. Of course I was just trying to make small talk and learn a little about her life, but being part of this wonderful
culture, she said "Friday at 4AM. Do you like pork chops?" of course I said yes! and she invited me to come at 7AM and have some. I said thank you, but I
was really thinking about not going, because it was early and I would kind of feel like I was intruding on their family time. As the week wore on and we
worked on the pig pen, every time Telma or Claudia would see me they would always say hello and say my name. My heart melted every time I heart my name
and saw their beautiful smiles, genuinely happy to see me again. Thursday Telma asked me again if I was coming and by this time I had made up my mind
that I would be there, no matter how awkward I felt. So I woke up Friday morning and had breakfast with my family (pancakes :) and then headed to Telma's
house where the pig had been butchered and the meat was being cleaned. The women appoligized for not having the food ready, because it had been raining
all morning and they had to move the butchering process to the porch, but they had the fire going, which was a small rack over a couple pieces of wood and
a fan to feed the flame. They got a special piece ready for me quickly and I sat with Telma and talked to the two little boys, Osmin and David, while she
cooked this pork chop. When it was finished the put it on a plate with a tomato salsa and another plate or tortillas. She gave me the plates and said, "You
don't like pica right?" (pica is the hot sauce) She remember from previous conversations that we had that I didn't like spicey! So I sat and at the most
delicious pork chop I think I have ever had. (My dad's pork chops are delicious and I love you dad! :) but the meat was so fresh and the seasoning was so
good) Maybe it was being deprived of pork since I've been here, I don'tk now, but it was so delicious. So I sat and ate while telma continued to cook more
meat for the rest of her family. Not being great at Spanish I tried to make small talk with her and learn a little about her family. It wasn't long before
she was talking about her brother who had died. I knew quickly that she was talking about Claudia's husband. I asked if he liked pork and would have liked
to be here? And she explained to me that he used to cook the meat. I felt so deeply intertwined with the family, my heart was burning with happiness that
they had welcomed me in, gave me food, love, conversation... We later sang a song that says, "We must go, learn to feed the hungry, live beside the broken..
we must go" and I pictured me there, hungry and broken and being filled by this loving family who had lost someone so dear to them. It was only an hour
later I learned that today is Father's day here in Guatemala. My heart that was burning with love was instantly broken.... The newly widowed wife, with
three fatherless children had invited me... a white girl who can barely hold a conversation in their language... to share in a day that used to mean
something completely different to them. To serve me... instead of mourning the loss of a great man. To smile and say "Buenas dias Yamie" instead of crying.
I wish I could play it like a movie for you, so you could just see how much of a blessing this family had been, and only later did I realize how hard
of a day it must have been for them.
This is only one of the testimonies of losing a father, I have heard so many more from the staff and host parents here. It is truely amazing to hear Norita's
story of her father being shot when she was young, but still having such strong memories of him. The day after she told us this testimony of her life, the
only other male sibling she has was shot. How messed up is that? The very day after she opened herself to us and told us her story and how she feared that
her husband would be taken the same way, her brother died. It just strengthens the fact that we don't know why God does what he does, but trust and love
is so important. Jose, another staff member, explained how he didn't have a father in his life from a very young age as well. And as I said in an earlier
blog, my host mother's father was a drunk and barely ever home. So is the story of many of the people here and you know what they always want to teach us?
You always have a father in heaven and if you don't have an earthly father, the father in heaven will take his place. How awesome is that! So much faith!
I have yet to experience the loss of a person close to me. I have no idea how I will cope or if I will be as strong as the people here, but I hope I can
gain insight and learn from their example of how to be strong in Christ even when you don't understand his actions. I have also been so blessed to have
an amazing father. As Nora was telling her tesimony she asked up to think of memories we had with our earthly father. I had so many amazing memories to play
in my head, I couldn't help but feel sorry for people who didn't have the same experience I had.
I remembered both of my sister and I rolling on the floor with my dad tickling us till we couldn't breathe and then us begging for more. I remember laying on
our old wooden porch and staring up at the stars. I remember smelling pancakes and bacon from the living room about 5PM and knowing Dad was fixing
breakfast for dinner, my favorite! I remember fishing and being so impatient. I remember sitting on Dad's lap the in the green truck and steering down field
roads. I remember riding next to him in the combine as we went up and down the field or in the tractor as we drove into town to have the grain tested and
dumped. I remember seeing him in the stands on volleyball games, softball games, basketball games so many I can't count. I remember playing catch in the
backyard and suprise birthday parties! I remember fights that ended in tears and hugs and waking up with bloody noses that only dad could fix with tissue
under my top lip. I remember bed time prayers and morning wake up songs. I remember getting pretty much anything I asked for, the laptop, the puppy, the
sound system in my car, and the new cell phone. I remember making homemade ice cream and selling it on the 4th of July at the park with the ambulance team.
I remember crying as I dialed my dad's phone knowing I had to tell him I had backed into someone's car and feeling relief in him saying everything was going
to be ok. I remember saying goodbye when he moved me into Greenville and then again when he moved me to Champaign. I remember having dinner with him and his
partner in Champaign or an early breakfast. I remember taking jugs of tea to the field for Dad or helping him set up the pool. I remember
sitting high in the saddle as dad led around the horse or pony. I remember being in trouble, but always knowing that no matter what my father would always
love me. Being here and hearing the stories of broken families and families with no fathers, I wonder how I go so lucky. Why me God? Why do I get to be
blessed when so many people have to go without? What is my purpose? I don't know, and I don't think I will every know, but I am thankful for my father.
I am thankful for the father here on earth and my heavenly father.
I love my whole family, but with the experiences I'm having around me and the fact that Father's day for Guatemala is today and in the states is just around
the corner, being the second one in a row I have missed with my Dad, I wanted to let him know how much I appreciate him and love him. I miss you Daddy! I
hope you are doing great! I am excited for the vet team next week, but I need prayer. I recently learned that not all of them are christian. Of course
I am used to being around vet students who aren't all Christian, but I want prayer to know what to say to them and when to witness and when to back off. I
want to do God's work, not my own. I will let you know how that goes! Thanks for all the prayers so far and for reading this and my other blogs. It's
awesome to have support and I hope you are enjoying my stories as much as I am enjoying telling you about them.
Miss you all! Happy Father's DAY!
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
pigs pigs and more pigs
You all should feel very special, because I'm writing this instead of taking a much needed shower. I have had a pretty good day, but It's been a day of hard
work. We were lucky that the place we were going was far away, so Mario rented a van to take up there so we didn't have to walk. We castrated 7 little
piglets, 3 of which I did myself. It was neat to see the place we went because there were about 6 pens on each side, with a walkway in the middle.
All are made of cement with wooden doors, very nicely constructed. Then there is a large pen in the back. Three of the pens were filled with piglets and
the others had either pregant pigs or male pigs. It is the second set up like this that I have seen. Apparently It's a pretty successful way to supplement
their income, selling baby pigs. The mothers here I have seen have between 5 and 9 piglets and each sells for 400 quetzales, which is about $60. Families
usually keep one baby to raise and butcher and then sell the others, so you can do the math and see that this is a pretty good way to make money, especially
if the medical bills come free, the only real expense is food for the mom and maybe for the babies for a short while. They are sold at about 30 days.
The end of last week and today, we have been building a pig pen for Mario's sister. Usually we would be building it for the next person on Mario's list, but
Mario said it was laid on his heart that we donate this project to her. Her husband (mario's brother) died about a week before I came here and left her
with 2 small children and a baby that was born only a couple weeks after he died. It is so crazy to think about a man's life being taken away when he has
so much responsibility and his family relies on him so much. Usually when we build pig pens, Mario uses the money from students international which is only
a little over $100 and then the family much come up with the rest of the materials which is usually around $25-30, but that is quite a bit for families here.
Mario knew his sister couldn't afford the extra materials, so I have challenged my team this week to donate the extra money, I got about $15 in donations
and donated the rest from money people had sent with me. I've also felt a strong desire to donate a baby big to her. I think the idea of going to one of
these baby operation farms, of people who I have started relationships with, buying a pig and donating it to a woman I have been getting to know this week
sounds like an awesome idea. The team overheard me telling Mario of my desire and thought it would be fun to chip in. I don't know how much they will
donate, but it's great to have high school kids who are willing to give.
I got to talk to my mom and step dad on the phone today, my sisters yesterday, and my dad last week. It's great to hear from people back home. I must admit
I'm still feeling quite homesick. I think It's a mixture of missing people back home and just feeling blessed to have such a wonderful family. At one of
the baby pig operation farms I met a man who lives in California, but his family is from Guatemala, so him and his family take turns spending 3 months
in Guatemala as a "vacation". It was great to speak to someone who spoke English and I didn't have to try as hard to speak in a different language and I
could hold a deeper conversation with. He talked about how great it is to come here where time is slower and stress is so much less and if he wants to visit
his family they all live on the same block. Those 3 aspects describe Guatemala to a T. No one is stressed about getting to places on time, because people
value relationships here more than getting tasks done. If you are heading to a Dr.'s appointment, but you meet a friend on the street and talk for an hour
so you are an hour late to the Dr.'s appointment, that's ok, it's actually very normal. There are fewer cars and people have so little, there is less to
stress over. I'm sure families worry about money, but most families have so little all they can afford is food, so the stress of other decisions is gone.
And family... one of my most treasured parts about Guatemala. Family is the most important thing here. Most sons when they get married and move out, build
a house just down the hill from their parents, others just on the neighboring street. Most families all live in the same town. As with Mario's brother's
death, the whole family has come together to support her and help raise her children. That's just normal here. Women stay with their alcoholic husbands,
helping to pick them up and drag them home when they pass out in the streets. Men work all day, to come home at night and have dinner at 8 or 9PM so the
family can have one meal together. It's a beautiful picture of how I feel life should be. I have always felt so blessed to have the family that I do. We
all love eachother very much, even if we don't always agree with things, we always have love for one another and support. I have always loved that my
grandparents live right down the road and I can't imagine living any other way. I can't help but feel that this place, this culture is helping shape how
I want my future to be. I know it can't be exactly the same, because America will always have it's expectations and social norms, but there are things I
can definitely take from here and apply to my life.
Two of the most amazing people I have ever met live her and serve as full time staff for Student's International. They are actually a pretty famous couple
in the states, especially if you life around Oakland, CA. Nic and Maurine lived in the inner city of Oakland, California for about 8 or 9 years I think.
They both felt passionate about inner city youth and making a different in the lives of kids who were into gangs. Though both were equipped with a college
education and very capable of getting good paying jobs, they wanted to live "with" the people they wanted to serve. So though Maurine worked as a nurse
and Nic as a social worker, both making adequate incomes, they moved into a run down apartment where most families slept on matresses on the floor, because
they couldn't afford any better. They began building relationships and making a different in the area. Eventually they helped the other tenants in the
apartment sue the landlord for bad living conditions and they won one of the highest paying settlements every recorded in the area. The landlord was
forced to remodel the houses and they because subsidized living apartments. Nic and Maurine were making too much money to stay there, but they didn't move
far. The people who got the settlement money pooled a percentage together to buy a run-down piece of property near the apartments and built a church.
Today it is one of the most popular churches in California, featured in the New York times and there is even a documentary about it out on DVD. This
is only part of the story. They have two children, one adopted, and they have been serving here in Guatemala for almost 3 years now. I had the privelege
of hearing Maruine's testimony last year, but head it again last night. She is such a strong woman of faith, it takes my breath away every time. Right
after her and Nic had made the decision to come to Guatemala, before they had left the states, Maruine was diagnosed with an incurable form of lymphoma.
Life estimation 10-15 years. That leaves her children in high shool with no mother. Every time I think about her situation I am in awe of her strength.
She decided, after being diagnosed, that God was still calling her to come and serve in Guatemala and since she has been here she feels that God called
her here, not only to serve, but to slow down her life. To give her time to spend with God. She worked in the health care site, as a nurse for 2 1/2yrs.
She has recently took leave because she is losing strength in her hand, because the lymph nodes in her armpits are swelling and causing nerves in her
arms to stop working as well. She is going back to the states in August to try treatment to reduce the size of the lymph nodes so that she can still be
able to function normally. I have heard her tell her story 3 times now and I have yet to see her cry or feel sorry for herself. She feels that it is a
blessing when God brings her home and to hear that from someone in their 40s is just amazing. I feel so blessed to be able to know their family.
Well, only a few more days with the high schoolers and then next week the veterinary team from U.C. Davis is coming for a week outreach, along with a team
of engineering students from someone in California. There are 47 people total, and all of them very smart apparently! I'm excited to be surrounded by such
knowledge and geekiness! Lots of people have been getting sick, I think because we don't get enough time to rest. I, by God's grace, am still very healthy
and feeling well. Please pray for health for everyone here. I hope everyone at home is doing well. I miss you all.
work. We were lucky that the place we were going was far away, so Mario rented a van to take up there so we didn't have to walk. We castrated 7 little
piglets, 3 of which I did myself. It was neat to see the place we went because there were about 6 pens on each side, with a walkway in the middle.
All are made of cement with wooden doors, very nicely constructed. Then there is a large pen in the back. Three of the pens were filled with piglets and
the others had either pregant pigs or male pigs. It is the second set up like this that I have seen. Apparently It's a pretty successful way to supplement
their income, selling baby pigs. The mothers here I have seen have between 5 and 9 piglets and each sells for 400 quetzales, which is about $60. Families
usually keep one baby to raise and butcher and then sell the others, so you can do the math and see that this is a pretty good way to make money, especially
if the medical bills come free, the only real expense is food for the mom and maybe for the babies for a short while. They are sold at about 30 days.
The end of last week and today, we have been building a pig pen for Mario's sister. Usually we would be building it for the next person on Mario's list, but
Mario said it was laid on his heart that we donate this project to her. Her husband (mario's brother) died about a week before I came here and left her
with 2 small children and a baby that was born only a couple weeks after he died. It is so crazy to think about a man's life being taken away when he has
so much responsibility and his family relies on him so much. Usually when we build pig pens, Mario uses the money from students international which is only
a little over $100 and then the family much come up with the rest of the materials which is usually around $25-30, but that is quite a bit for families here.
Mario knew his sister couldn't afford the extra materials, so I have challenged my team this week to donate the extra money, I got about $15 in donations
and donated the rest from money people had sent with me. I've also felt a strong desire to donate a baby big to her. I think the idea of going to one of
these baby operation farms, of people who I have started relationships with, buying a pig and donating it to a woman I have been getting to know this week
sounds like an awesome idea. The team overheard me telling Mario of my desire and thought it would be fun to chip in. I don't know how much they will
donate, but it's great to have high school kids who are willing to give.
I got to talk to my mom and step dad on the phone today, my sisters yesterday, and my dad last week. It's great to hear from people back home. I must admit
I'm still feeling quite homesick. I think It's a mixture of missing people back home and just feeling blessed to have such a wonderful family. At one of
the baby pig operation farms I met a man who lives in California, but his family is from Guatemala, so him and his family take turns spending 3 months
in Guatemala as a "vacation". It was great to speak to someone who spoke English and I didn't have to try as hard to speak in a different language and I
could hold a deeper conversation with. He talked about how great it is to come here where time is slower and stress is so much less and if he wants to visit
his family they all live on the same block. Those 3 aspects describe Guatemala to a T. No one is stressed about getting to places on time, because people
value relationships here more than getting tasks done. If you are heading to a Dr.'s appointment, but you meet a friend on the street and talk for an hour
so you are an hour late to the Dr.'s appointment, that's ok, it's actually very normal. There are fewer cars and people have so little, there is less to
stress over. I'm sure families worry about money, but most families have so little all they can afford is food, so the stress of other decisions is gone.
And family... one of my most treasured parts about Guatemala. Family is the most important thing here. Most sons when they get married and move out, build
a house just down the hill from their parents, others just on the neighboring street. Most families all live in the same town. As with Mario's brother's
death, the whole family has come together to support her and help raise her children. That's just normal here. Women stay with their alcoholic husbands,
helping to pick them up and drag them home when they pass out in the streets. Men work all day, to come home at night and have dinner at 8 or 9PM so the
family can have one meal together. It's a beautiful picture of how I feel life should be. I have always felt so blessed to have the family that I do. We
all love eachother very much, even if we don't always agree with things, we always have love for one another and support. I have always loved that my
grandparents live right down the road and I can't imagine living any other way. I can't help but feel that this place, this culture is helping shape how
I want my future to be. I know it can't be exactly the same, because America will always have it's expectations and social norms, but there are things I
can definitely take from here and apply to my life.
Two of the most amazing people I have ever met live her and serve as full time staff for Student's International. They are actually a pretty famous couple
in the states, especially if you life around Oakland, CA. Nic and Maurine lived in the inner city of Oakland, California for about 8 or 9 years I think.
They both felt passionate about inner city youth and making a different in the lives of kids who were into gangs. Though both were equipped with a college
education and very capable of getting good paying jobs, they wanted to live "with" the people they wanted to serve. So though Maurine worked as a nurse
and Nic as a social worker, both making adequate incomes, they moved into a run down apartment where most families slept on matresses on the floor, because
they couldn't afford any better. They began building relationships and making a different in the area. Eventually they helped the other tenants in the
apartment sue the landlord for bad living conditions and they won one of the highest paying settlements every recorded in the area. The landlord was
forced to remodel the houses and they because subsidized living apartments. Nic and Maurine were making too much money to stay there, but they didn't move
far. The people who got the settlement money pooled a percentage together to buy a run-down piece of property near the apartments and built a church.
Today it is one of the most popular churches in California, featured in the New York times and there is even a documentary about it out on DVD. This
is only part of the story. They have two children, one adopted, and they have been serving here in Guatemala for almost 3 years now. I had the privelege
of hearing Maruine's testimony last year, but head it again last night. She is such a strong woman of faith, it takes my breath away every time. Right
after her and Nic had made the decision to come to Guatemala, before they had left the states, Maruine was diagnosed with an incurable form of lymphoma.
Life estimation 10-15 years. That leaves her children in high shool with no mother. Every time I think about her situation I am in awe of her strength.
She decided, after being diagnosed, that God was still calling her to come and serve in Guatemala and since she has been here she feels that God called
her here, not only to serve, but to slow down her life. To give her time to spend with God. She worked in the health care site, as a nurse for 2 1/2yrs.
She has recently took leave because she is losing strength in her hand, because the lymph nodes in her armpits are swelling and causing nerves in her
arms to stop working as well. She is going back to the states in August to try treatment to reduce the size of the lymph nodes so that she can still be
able to function normally. I have heard her tell her story 3 times now and I have yet to see her cry or feel sorry for herself. She feels that it is a
blessing when God brings her home and to hear that from someone in their 40s is just amazing. I feel so blessed to be able to know their family.
Well, only a few more days with the high schoolers and then next week the veterinary team from U.C. Davis is coming for a week outreach, along with a team
of engineering students from someone in California. There are 47 people total, and all of them very smart apparently! I'm excited to be surrounded by such
knowledge and geekiness! Lots of people have been getting sick, I think because we don't get enough time to rest. I, by God's grace, am still very healthy
and feeling well. Please pray for health for everyone here. I hope everyone at home is doing well. I miss you all.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Start of Team 2
Hello again everyone,
Saturday we said goodbye to our first team. It was a busy 2 weeks, but it is always nice to have Canada and Greenville as our first teams. They are very
mature, most of the time, and flexible with what we ask them to do. I am already noticing large differences between my experience here last year and
this year. First, it definitely feels like I am doing more work. Everyday we are in charge of leading the teams in the morning, being with them in sites,
then when they have a few hours to rest, we are in staff meetings or packing coffee or preparing for something else. Then we have dinner with them and
attend whatever evening activity the team leaders have planned for their students. I pretty much am working nonstop from 7AM - 8:30PM, it's very tiring.
I definitely think it is affecting the relationship I am trying to build with my host family. It has been a little difficult, because I get home at 8:30
in the evening and I am too tired to play games or try to have conversations in Spanish. Last year, I was home and ready to play games at least 4 or 5 times
a week and I feel like I really built a good relationship with my host family last year. This past Thursday all the students and summer staff had dinner
with their host families. That was a really great night, we were able to get home around 5PM and we just played with the kids and talked to our host
parents until about 8. We had fried chicken, carrots, rice, and fried potatoes. It was a delicious meal with teasing and joking from us to kids and the
parents laughing at our mispronounced Spanish words. It was a great night and it made me sad that we hadn't had time to have these conversations before.
Yesterday morning at breakfast, the kids were late to the table, and our host mom really poured her heart out to us about her past. She told us that her
brother had died and that is why our little host brother, Roberto, spends the night with his grandma. She was taking the death really hard. It was crazy
to hear that, because my roommate and I had thought that there just wasn't enough room in the house. She went on to tell us that her brother had been an
alcoholic and abused his girlfriends and eventually killed himself. I felt bad for her, because she was crying through most of breakfast, but she just seemed
like she really wanted to share with us. She went on to talk about her family when she was growing up and how she had 5 brothers and sisters and she was
the only one to ever make it through school because her father was an alcoholic and her other siblings had to work because they didn't have food. She feels
very blessed now because her husband has a good job and her two children are sponsored, so their schooling and some of their supplies are paid for. They are
in the process of building a second story on their house and there are three rooms and another full bathroom, so for a family in Magdalena they are doing
well.
So, moving on... our last week in sites was good. We finished pouring a concrete slab for a family whose cows got really sick last year because they were
standing in the mud. Mario said he thinks there are enough chicken coops in the town, he thinks there are about 400. So the way they decide who gets a
concrete slab is about the same. Mario has both a women's and a men's bible study. The chicken coops were for the women's group and the concrete is more
for the men. Mario has a list of men who have been actively participating in his bible study and assesses their needs and decides who is next in line.
Last week I also got to castrate 3 little pigs myself and help with a bull castration. All of which went fairly smoothly. I was afraid because we only had a
few people, one of which was a pregnant woman, that we wouldn't be able to hold the bull down, but we did fine with the two people we had. It is definitely
hard work mixing and pouring concrete though, so I am glad that this week we have 7 students in our site. There are 3 boys and 4 girls. Most of the
team got in today so I haven't really met many new people. We have two girls staying in our house for these next 2 weeks. One is a leader and is a leader
and is 45 and the other is 16 year old high school student. I am already feeling my pateice stretch as I overhear conversations between high schoolers.
If you read my blogs last year you may recognize this team. The majority of the students are from Central Valley Christian High School in California and
it is full of rich kids. I ended up really enjoying the people in my site last year so I am praying for that to happen again.
The last week that the previous team was here a lot of people started getting sick, so they sent stool samples to the lab and over half of the students
had parasites, all different kinds. Some had bacterial infections on top of that and some even had digestive system infections on top of that. Three of the
seven summer staff got tested and 2 were positive for parasites and one was negative. I have felt fine since I got here, so I don't feel the need to get
a test done until I leave or if I get sick. Sadly so many of the students from last group were so focused on the fact that they had gotten parasites, it
really took their focus off of God and serving people. I don't know how they found out, but one of the first questions asked of me by the new group was,
"So I heard a lot of people got sick in the last group, is it the food they feed us?" Like I said... I'm going to need prayers for patience. I would also
ask for prayers for energy and that I can see every day as a gift from God. I have really been missing people from home and of course my precious dog. My
roommate said she has really been enjoying the kiddie pool in our backyard and I am so sad that i'm missing it. I also get to talk a lot about my family
here which makes me also miss them very much. I know this is probably the last summer for a very long time I might have this opportunity, but i'm struggling
with living in each day and seeing all the joys of being here.
Thanks for listening! I hope you all are having a fabulous week!
Saturday we said goodbye to our first team. It was a busy 2 weeks, but it is always nice to have Canada and Greenville as our first teams. They are very
mature, most of the time, and flexible with what we ask them to do. I am already noticing large differences between my experience here last year and
this year. First, it definitely feels like I am doing more work. Everyday we are in charge of leading the teams in the morning, being with them in sites,
then when they have a few hours to rest, we are in staff meetings or packing coffee or preparing for something else. Then we have dinner with them and
attend whatever evening activity the team leaders have planned for their students. I pretty much am working nonstop from 7AM - 8:30PM, it's very tiring.
I definitely think it is affecting the relationship I am trying to build with my host family. It has been a little difficult, because I get home at 8:30
in the evening and I am too tired to play games or try to have conversations in Spanish. Last year, I was home and ready to play games at least 4 or 5 times
a week and I feel like I really built a good relationship with my host family last year. This past Thursday all the students and summer staff had dinner
with their host families. That was a really great night, we were able to get home around 5PM and we just played with the kids and talked to our host
parents until about 8. We had fried chicken, carrots, rice, and fried potatoes. It was a delicious meal with teasing and joking from us to kids and the
parents laughing at our mispronounced Spanish words. It was a great night and it made me sad that we hadn't had time to have these conversations before.
Yesterday morning at breakfast, the kids were late to the table, and our host mom really poured her heart out to us about her past. She told us that her
brother had died and that is why our little host brother, Roberto, spends the night with his grandma. She was taking the death really hard. It was crazy
to hear that, because my roommate and I had thought that there just wasn't enough room in the house. She went on to tell us that her brother had been an
alcoholic and abused his girlfriends and eventually killed himself. I felt bad for her, because she was crying through most of breakfast, but she just seemed
like she really wanted to share with us. She went on to talk about her family when she was growing up and how she had 5 brothers and sisters and she was
the only one to ever make it through school because her father was an alcoholic and her other siblings had to work because they didn't have food. She feels
very blessed now because her husband has a good job and her two children are sponsored, so their schooling and some of their supplies are paid for. They are
in the process of building a second story on their house and there are three rooms and another full bathroom, so for a family in Magdalena they are doing
well.
So, moving on... our last week in sites was good. We finished pouring a concrete slab for a family whose cows got really sick last year because they were
standing in the mud. Mario said he thinks there are enough chicken coops in the town, he thinks there are about 400. So the way they decide who gets a
concrete slab is about the same. Mario has both a women's and a men's bible study. The chicken coops were for the women's group and the concrete is more
for the men. Mario has a list of men who have been actively participating in his bible study and assesses their needs and decides who is next in line.
Last week I also got to castrate 3 little pigs myself and help with a bull castration. All of which went fairly smoothly. I was afraid because we only had a
few people, one of which was a pregnant woman, that we wouldn't be able to hold the bull down, but we did fine with the two people we had. It is definitely
hard work mixing and pouring concrete though, so I am glad that this week we have 7 students in our site. There are 3 boys and 4 girls. Most of the
team got in today so I haven't really met many new people. We have two girls staying in our house for these next 2 weeks. One is a leader and is a leader
and is 45 and the other is 16 year old high school student. I am already feeling my pateice stretch as I overhear conversations between high schoolers.
If you read my blogs last year you may recognize this team. The majority of the students are from Central Valley Christian High School in California and
it is full of rich kids. I ended up really enjoying the people in my site last year so I am praying for that to happen again.
The last week that the previous team was here a lot of people started getting sick, so they sent stool samples to the lab and over half of the students
had parasites, all different kinds. Some had bacterial infections on top of that and some even had digestive system infections on top of that. Three of the
seven summer staff got tested and 2 were positive for parasites and one was negative. I have felt fine since I got here, so I don't feel the need to get
a test done until I leave or if I get sick. Sadly so many of the students from last group were so focused on the fact that they had gotten parasites, it
really took their focus off of God and serving people. I don't know how they found out, but one of the first questions asked of me by the new group was,
"So I heard a lot of people got sick in the last group, is it the food they feed us?" Like I said... I'm going to need prayers for patience. I would also
ask for prayers for energy and that I can see every day as a gift from God. I have really been missing people from home and of course my precious dog. My
roommate said she has really been enjoying the kiddie pool in our backyard and I am so sad that i'm missing it. I also get to talk a lot about my family
here which makes me also miss them very much. I know this is probably the last summer for a very long time I might have this opportunity, but i'm struggling
with living in each day and seeing all the joys of being here.
Thanks for listening! I hope you all are having a fabulous week!
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