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.