Guatemala, I'll see you again soon.

I just signed up for a mission trip to Guatemala in October and it made me think about my journal that I had kept while there last October. I haven’t read it since I returned, and it was great to reminisce. I decided to type it up and share it with you.  Enjoy the read.  (I have a ton of pictures to show, but I don’t see them on my computer. Boohoo.  I will search and upload a few at a later date.)
Guatemala Mission Trip 2011

Saturday, October 15^th:  Well, here we (me and my new friends from the Florida Hospital) sit in the Orlando Airport.  Our flight to Guatemala was to depart at 12:45pm.  We boarded the plane, drove onto the runway, and came back to the gate. The plane’s weather radar wasn’t working, and we were going to be flying into bad weather.  Thank You, God, for grounding us.  That weather radar is a definite need.  Like the radar, the bible informs us that we will have turbulence in life.  But, unlike the radar we do not foresee the turbulences in life, and the bible will not fail.  God has a habit of holding on to us in troubled times.  Even when we question Him like Moses did in Exodus 5:22-23.  Yet, God promised deliverance.  He will deliver us to Guatemala in His time.
Sunday, 10/16:   We finally made it to El Salvador late last night.  We missed our connecting flight so we stayed at the Quality Hotel.  My sweet new friend, Marquita said we need to make sure we get the white sheets. “Floral sheets are disgusting!”, exclaimed Marquita.  (Her mom works in the hotel business and she knows probably a bit too much about the good, bad, and ugly of it all.) Guess what?  We had soft white sheets! The service was great (for accommodating 30+ unexpected guests), and they gave us free dinner and breakfast. All was well.  This morning, I woke to a light drizzle and 77 degrees.  Lourdis, another new friend, is from Honduras.  Her communication skills were in great demand for us and much appreciated.  Lourdis said that she heard on the Spanish speaking news this morning that there is a National Disaster due to so much rain.  Hmmmm, not what you want to hear when you are about to take a 35 minute fight, then an hour bus trip to Antigua.  But, for some reason (I know. I know…. God) I am calm and at peace.  Satan may be trying to put a damper on us for this mission trip, but I am confident that this just means that God is going to do great things through it all.  In Mark 6:45-52 is the story about when the disciples were straining at the oars while on the lake because “the wind was against them”. I can just imagine the panicked look on their faces, and the strain that was on their bodies.  But through that stressful time, Jesus came (by walking on water, I might add) and told them to “Take courage! It is I.  Don’t be afraid.”  Jesus didn’t just say it and keep walking on by, He climbed on board with them.  He is with us on this journey too.  He has climbed aboard and is walking with us every step of the way.
Still Sunday:  Here we are about to depart El Salvador.  I am reading my bible and an older Guatemalan gentleman is sitting beside me.  We may have had difficulty in communicating due to him not speaking English, and me not speaking Spanish, but what we do have in common is the love of Christ.  From what I can understand he has been a Christian for either three or 30 years.  He sweetly sang a song for me.  His precious older eyes gazing in to mine so sincerely and full of love for God made my heart smile.  I did understand that the last few words of the song were “He is mine” as He pointed to heaven.  I love it!  The plane started to move and as I closed my eyes to pray, the gentleman traveler started praying out loud in a soft tone.  Thank You, Jesus, for my Christian travel companion from Guatemala.  (I did find out his name is Francisco.)
10/16, on the plane:  I loved the scripture reading this morning in Colossians 3:1-17.  “Rules for Holy Living” is the title my bible has above this specific text.  I’m so comforted to know that I will be with Him in glory!  Yahoo!! I’m instructed to rid myself of a list of earthly desires (see verses 5-8).  I am challenged to live a life of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, love, peace, and thankfulness.  I am reminded that whatever I do and whatever I say to do it all (not just some) in the name of the Lord.  It is not about me, but all about Him!
Oh my, I just looked down and saw the devastation to villages from mud slides due to the weather. Prayers are going up now!
11/16, 11:03 am:  We’ve landed in Guatemala and are now on the bus heading to Antigua.  There is busyness of the streets, sounds of foreign songs, and smells of diesel and foods fill the air.  As we travel along, the evidence of weeks of downpours sprinkles onto the roadsides.  Boulders, rocks, uprooted trees are lining the highway.  Homes made out of scrap wood and fiberglass siding are scattered throughout. 
We’ve now entered Antigua.  Speed bumps greet us.  They are called “Sleeping Policemen”.  Cobblestone streets make my writing quite squiggly.  Gorgeous town! 
Wow! This hotel is, oh no should I admit it…stunning! Am I really on a mission trip?  I almost feel guilty for staying in such a beautiful hotel, but if I must….  My roomie, Chris, and I have a gorgeous view of the courtyard and pool area.  We even have a fireplace in our room! No air conditioner, but it is not needed.
Time for lunch.  McDonald’s.  Are you kidding me?! This has got to be the most incredible, luxurious McD’s I’ve ever seen.  We are out under the pergola looking out into a courtyard with a fountain in the middle.  They had Moroccan style dining areas along the wall.  The cloud coverage was low, so we were unable to see the volcano that was just beyond the wall. Whew!

After lunch ten of us went to a coffee plantation to go zip-lining.  While we waited on the old Mercedes, war time, jeep-style vehicle to pick us up we watched the sights of everyday life for the locals.  It was Sunday, so no school, and the children were everywhere.  I ask Ron, our leader from the Florida Children’s home, about crime.  He said that in Guatemala, yes, but in Antigua, where we are, not as much due to it being a tourist area.  They have three different police forces patrolling the area. 
We are soon off for a bumpy ride on the cobblestone streets, up and around steep slopes, and surrounded with rich history and colorful buildings.  Oh the pictures I could take!  So many gorgeous doors!  The architect is magnificent!
We arrived at the coffee plantation.  Another, Wow!  The property is so well maintained, flowers in full color, lush green trees, bushes, and coffee plants galore.  We taxied up the mountain to our destination passing many areas that were washed out from the rain.  We had a quick instruction on what to do while zip-lining and we were off.  Yippee!!  I couldn’t get over the view!  Here I am zipping along at a good speed, but yet my mind slows down to take in the majesty of God’s creation.  The mountains, the sun peeking through the clouds shining a dim light on Antigua, the clouds hovering over the mountain tops like a just fluffed sheet gliding over the bed before billowing down onto the mattress.  Ahhh. Thank You, Jesus!  Well, we did two zip lines, hiked up a few steps, then bounced back down the mountain.
Time to shop:  Chris, Lourdis, Phyllis, Becca, and I head for the artesian market to see how we can help the economy.  I felt like I was in the middle of a rainbow.  The colors were vibrant every turn I took.  I fell in love with a hand stitched backpack (Lydia, the market lady is holding it for me), purchased a small painting and a blanket for the home, and a colorful braided belt for Holly.  We headed back after making a few purchases to get ready for our orientation meeting and dinner.
Cynthia and Ron Gunter led us and instructed us on the agenda and do’s and don’ts of the orphanage.  Dinner was delicious.
After dinner my new friend, Marquita, gave me a change purse she had purchased today for friends.  It is so sweet to know that I am one of her friends.
Chris and I have chatted until her eyes have closed.  I am so blessed to have (1) my man agree for me to come on this trip while he takes care of the children, (2) the funds to do so, (3) the precious friends I’ve so quickly gained, (4) conversations with Chris, (5) a comfortable bed, and (6) My God!  Good night.
Monday, October 17^th:  Daily Scripture reading notes:  In Jeremiah we are reminded about how so often God’s people, the Israelites, constantly did things that are not God’s ways.  Even some practices they did, that God did not even think about in the first place. (“the slaughtering and burning of Israel’s own children”…”didn’t even cross God’s mind”).  He watches and listens attentively over them to repent and learn.  But, they continued to live in the world.  They kept missing out on so much glory that they could have had.  Are we so different?  I pray that I’ll learn from their ways.  I’ll repent.  Learn.  Turn to God.  Do what is right in His sight.
Colossians 3:23:  Ahhh, one of my favorite verses.  “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.”  All the accolades we often get or strive for from men are just a passing thing.  The glory of man won’t last.  I remember when I was young I took great pride in my trophies that I had received.  I would line them up on the piano or shelf.  Where are they now?  They were put in an outside storage shed and the weather ruined them.  They are gone.  But, when we do everything for God our treasure and rewards are stored up in heaven where nothing can ruin them.  Bringing glory to God, and God alone, and living and doing only for Him is the greatest reward life can and will bring.
Wednesday, October 19^th:  Wow! What a past three days.  The first thing we do each morning is breakfast.  Then, we move out under the covered patio for a quick devotion.  Marquita did the devotion on Monday.  She read her essay she wrote that won her the trip here.  See, in their department at the hospital they had voted to either have a Christmas dinner as a group, or send two people to Guatemala.  As you can see they voted compassionately.  Marquita, or “Quita”, told about how she came from a home where she had no father, mother was an alcoholic, and abuse was continual.  When she was about eleven or twelve she called the officials to have herself removed from her home and put into foster care.  She did, and she ended up in the Big Brother Big Sister Program.  Her big sister ended up adopting her. She so loves and appreciates her “mom”.  She had a great testimony and wanted to give back.
After devotion time we departed for the orphanage.  It is about an hour travel time.  Once we were outside of Antigua, you could tell the difference.  The small towns we drove through were not as clean and as well maintained as Antigua.  Dogs were roaming the streets, horses were carrying firewood, corn, and travelers, and garbage was scattered along the street and sidewalks. It was wonderful to see the ladies dressed in the traditional Guatemalan attire.  Children stayed close to their homes or walked along the road with their family.  (School is in session January through October.)  As we drove passed we would wave, smile, and pass candy out through the windows to everyone who was near.  Even the dogs were given beef jerky by Phyllis and Janice. 
We drove through what Ron called the flower district.  It was full of colorful flowers and many covered greenhouses.  The farming district was just as amazing.  It wasn’t just one crop you would see being grown, but several.  I mean maybe a variety of ten different crops being grown in the same small location.  Oh! One more site we would see driving through the towns was clothes washing stations.  They were deep concrete sinks with water.  This water was for the whole town to share.  Women and children were hand washing and rinsing their clothes, then piling their clothes up to take home to hang on a line to dry.
When we turned our final corner and someone opened the iron gates, we had arrived.  Finally!  When we got off the bus and walked past the window, we could hear the children with excitement in their voices.  Olivia and Alejandra, the translators that work for Orphan’s Heart when teams are at the orphanage, would tap the head high windows warning the children we’d arrived.  It was so precious to hear their enthusiasm.  The children love receiving visitors. The children were finished with breakfast and were getting ready for the day.  How?  Well, you would see children sitting on little potties or pots until they poop, some little ones were getting their multiple layers of clothes on, and others were roaming free in the halls.  They knew their limits and were aware of their own boundaries.  Cynthia, Ron’s wife, a phenomenal godly woman, took us on a tour of the orphanage.
The babies were not necessarily babies according to their age but their developmental ability.  The cribs were old steel and each was in a small glass room.  Many years ago there was an earthquake.  When the ceiling collapsed, there was no harm done to the babies because the steel cribs’ sides were so high and so strong, it stopped the roof from injuring or killing any children. There are about a dozen children in the babies section.
Next, we toured the second level of children. There are called the “chicks and bunnies”.  There are approximately 24 children here.  They are separated in the rooms according to boys and girls.  They do all play together though.  All these children are in cribs as well. 
The “Ducks” and “Squirrels” are the third group of children.  These are the precious children that I got the pleasure of playing with.  There are twelve boys and twelve girls. 
After we toured the sleeping/indoor playing area for the children, we went to the classroom.  It has only been in operation for eight months and had about twelve school-aged kids.
We then toured the empty rooms that they would like, and are going to be, dorm style rooms for future teams.  We saw the laundry room where one little old man with a big cowboy hat washes all the mounds (and I mean MOUNDS) of clothes and bedding and hangs them up to dry.  A previous team had purchased new commercial sized washers.  Then right beside it you see a washer that appears to be dated back to the 1950s.  Since the weather has been rainy for so long, he was hanging them on lines in an empty room.  We visited the kitchen and the sleeping quarters where the night time nannies stay.


Every day we had lunch out under the pavilion.  The land around the orphanage is vast. Gardens have been planted.  A chicken coop has been built. There is a little chapel on the grounds.  There are two playground areas. There is so much potential for this space.  It just takes time and money. (Got some to spare?)
They say this building has come a long way in the past year.  The potential it has is exciting!
Finally, we went to our assigned groups.  I started out with the boys.  What a sight!  There were about ten tiny butts on pots and potties.  Some were scooting towards the door to greet us.  Some were crying to get off.  The smell was nauseating.  I gladly put on my gloves, rolled up my sweater sleeves, and began assisting putting on clothes, diapers, socks, and shoes, and brushing hair and wiping down faces.  I cannot imagine how the nannies do it alone daily.  There is only one nanny for twelve boys (the same ratio for the girls).  These ladies are courageous, dedicated, patient, and organized. Did I say amazing? Oh, yes! Their routine is embedded in the children’s mind.  They know what to do and where to go.  Incredible!  I shake my head as I write this just in awe of how they do it.  It is truly a survival mode, organized chaos situation. 
I’m going to bed now. Good night.
Friday, 10/21:  We play, hug, hold, and chase the kiddos all day.  I immediately took heart for Ruth (silent “h”).  She hadn’t been at the center as long as some of the other children.  Her big brown eyes looked sad.  Her hair was short, thick, and had gorgeous waves.  Ruth’s cheeks were squeezably plump.  When I reached out to her, for the first time, she reluctantly shook her head no.  A few minutes later I returned back to Ruth with open arms.  She stepped forward and we embraced.  That was the beginning of a love affair. 
Each child had a personality all of their own.  When I think about laughter, I see Marta’s smiling eyes and contagious giggles.  When I think of a gentle yet confident spirit, I invision Natalie.  Eduardo is a pistol who can fire away an attitude at any moment.  Billy, encouragable Billy.  His teeth are a mess, he likes to eat alone, and his walk is limp.  Thanks to the physical therapist ladies from the Florida Hospital, before the end of our time with the children, they had diagnosed Billy and glued flip-flops to the bottom of his left shoes.  Billy was running down the hall on our last day. Glory!


Finally, the sun came out!  The children had been kept indoors to play for so long due to the mud and slippery playground equipment.  You would have thought we gave them a million dollars.  What a glorious sight it was to see the children playing outside and blowing bubbles everywhere.  Yet, it was a bit scary too.  Here we were kicking in our “motherly instincts” trying to watch every child who climbed the ladder, swing on a swing, and scale over a wall.  Then we said, “These kids are used to doing this all the time.”  Again, the children knew their limits.
A couple of the chores I willingly did were washing mounds of dishes and organizing the supply room and classroom.  Oh the dishes!  Cindy and I had dishwashing duty after lunch on Monday.  The sinks were low and deep (the ladies were considerably shorter than we were).  Cindy would wash with a scrub brush doused with soap from a bar.  I would rinse the dishes in the cold water and go through numerous towels while drying.  We were taking pride in our cleaning routine and organizing the dishes in stacks, when here comes the lady to just grab the neatly stacked cups and toss them haphazardly in the basket.  Just when we thought we saw the light at the end of the dish tunnel, here comes the dishes from snack time. Ugh! Almost two hours of washing dishes.  Finally we were done!
Cynthia came in and asked us to help Casey in the chicks and bunnies group.  Children were waking from their naps and they were all covered in, ummm, let’s say “deposits” from lunch.  Clothes, which are layered three to four times, had to be changed.  Bodies and hair need to be wiped with diaper wipes, and lotion massaged onto their bodies.  The stained bedding needed to be changed. Again, how do the nannies do it?  It must be power that can on come from the Lord.
I was in my zone when I had the opportunity to organize the classroom.  There were two other teachers on our trip and we got right to work.  The teacher was so gracious to allow us to start working in her room while she was teaching.  We soooo didn’t want to step on her shoes and be in her way.  We could not imagine someone doing for us in “our” classroom what we did to her room.  Stuff was disposed of, math, reading, and art centers were established, and furniture was moved to make the flow of the room more conducive to a learning environment.  We knew we had done well when at the end of it all, the teacher had the biggest smile on her face and she even started organizing her desk.  We got the “stamp of approval”.
The organization didn’t end there.  Elise and I got down-to-business in the storage closet.  Oh my! People are so kind to donate to the orphanage, but serious, some items needed to be thought out a little more.  I know my friend, Kim, from home had been on this mission trip before and she had the privilege of organizing this same room.  I could tell the signs she made to help other mission teams keep this room neat and tidy, but more items had been donated and the room just wasn’t large enough for all the donations and tools that were kept storage there too.  Another mission was accomplished.
One of our mission friends had a birthday. So the piñata was brought out and all the kids got to take a whack at it (who wanted to).  When that candy spilled out onto the concrete, there was a mass of children scrambling for the candy.  What joy!
Ron and Cynthia went around telling everyone it was time to go.  We loved our new angels bye and loaded the bus for the hour drive home.  It was a quiet ride home on our final day.  Tears were streaming down faces. Some slept and some told of precious memories from the past week.
Once we arrived back in Antigua some of us were dropped off near the market for about an hour of shopping.  The first booth we stopped at belonged Lydia (the lady I mentioned earlier).  She had saved the beautiful backpack for me. The leather smelled so delicious.  What had come over me? Well, I made a few more gift purchases and we headed back to the hotel.

Well, that is where my journaling had ended.  There is so so so much more I could tell you about my experience, the people I met, and all the activities we did with the kids. I must say that I am so grateful that I got to go with this group from the Florida Hospital.  I know that if I would have gone with a group from my own church, I would have enjoyed doing the same and we probably would have done some repair or built something. But, to see this group of ladies and one gentleman in action using the talent that God gave them to better the nutritional system at the orphanage and to help kids walk and crawl that had medical difficulty prior to us coming, was truly a blessing.
Tell you what…I just signed my application to go back again this October, so I’ll make sure I blog all about it.  Stay tuned.
If you are interested in going on a mission trip, go for it!  It may be in your community or abroad.  You won’t regret it.
Feel free to check out the Florida Children’s Hospital website for Orphan’s heart.  There are endless opportunities.  You do not have to be from Florida to go!
Romans 12:11, “Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.”
Deuteronomy 13:4, “It is the LORD your God you must follow, and him you must revere. Keep his commands and obey him; serve him and hold fast to him.”
Galatians 5:13, “You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.”
1 Peter 4:10, “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.”
Joshua 22:5, “But be very careful to keep the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the LORD gave you: to love the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to obey his commands, to hold fast to him and to serve him with all your heart and all your soul.”

Ron and Cynthia. (Sweetness)