Let's Go Marketing

Got to take the three oldest girls to the market today. It was a whirlwind trip to buy fruit to makes smoothies for Pam and Steve and family's return from the States.  Yaquelin is showing experience in marketing--she knew where to get the best prices.  Somehow that market smell of raw meet seems to linger in my nostrils much longer than I would desire it to.

This afternoon I had the opportunity to have lunch with three guys from my Spanish school.  They are preparing for their mission in Mexico.  It was encouraging to hear their stories and see their enthusiasm for sharing Jesus with whomever they meet.

Last night we had Mystery Dinner night here at La Senda.  The kids had a blast sharing their riddles and trying to solve a couple of cases.  We also had Sudoku, 20 Questions, and Mafia (lightened a little to just be robberies instead of murders).  While the dinner was fairly normal (beans, rice, and atol, with the addition of chocolate cake), we added a secret ingredient to each dish.  The kids had to guess what it was.  Gerson got the most correct.  (Answers? beans--ginger; rice--cinnamon; atol--vanilla; chocolate cake--apples)

Take Me Out to the Ball Game

I guess it's a little late in the season for baseball, but the game was the theme of the 5th graders' skit in our English Expo.  All of the students--from kindergarten through junior high--did a fantastic job presenting.  The Prepa class (kindergarten) won best song with their Fruit of the Spirit song Jo taught them, and 5th graders won best skit.

The teachers liked the Prepa performance so much that the kids performed it at graduation, too.

 A brief scene from the 5th graders' Take Me Out to the Ball Game Director Skit (sad version)

School ended last Thursday.  I also moved out of my house and back into La Senda on Sunday.  Thus, the past couple of weeks have been quite busy.  Besides the English Expo, though, here are a few other highlights:

Graduation.  Last Friday, La Senda graduated 12 sixth graders and 15 kindergarteners.

 6th Grade

 Prepa

 Teachers

Rosita's Presentation.  I've been teaching freshman English to Rosita this year, and she did a fantastic job presenting an overview of what she's learned to Pam and Steve and the home kids.

 Going over grammar

 Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth's love chart

Hangout Time with Dorcas and Mimi.  We went to Antigua together and tried out an Italian restaurant and had dessert at Cenicienta (Cinderella).

 Dinner with the girls

with happy ending desserts

Goodbyes.  Since I moved out of the house, I also made my rounds to say goodbye to the neighbors.  It has been a blessing to live there with them.

 Last pila washing...it has been a place of thinking and reflection

 Some of my neighbors

 Astrid sang a song for me

Jo Is Moving On.  I took Jo to the airport on Monday morning.  She leaves for Krgystan in 2 weeks.

 Me and Jo

 Hanging out with some of the teachers

Plane Ticket.  It's official.  I will be returning to the States in early November.

In the mean time?  I'll be hanging out with the La Senda kids and taking Spanish classes here--I'm hoping to be able to use Spanish wherever I end up next.

Headed into Rest Week...

Mom arrived last Tuesday, and it has been fantastic having her here in Guatemala with me.  She substituted one day for me so I could observe Katie.  She's also run errands with me (including a 6-hour jaunt at the DMV), helped me cook and clean house, and just been great to talk to.

Every last Friday of the month we have Acto Civico, or Civic Act, at school.  Since we celebrate Independence Day in July, La Senda held an English Civic Act.  We showed and explained four tableaus key in American history.

Tableau 1: Our version of Washington crossing the Delaware

Tableau 3: Women's Rights

This month's fundraiser was sponsored by third grade: Hawaiian Day.  Lots of leis, hula, limbo, and fruit!

 The preschool fashion participants

 Los gringos

La Senda Family, Estilo Hawaiana

Katie and I wrapped up a 5-week VBS stint.  It was small, but I enjoyed spending time with the neighborhood girls who came.  We focused on who Jesus is via Bible accounts of his miracles, ending with He is our Savior and sharing the gospel with the girls.

Me, Astrid, Katie, and Yennifer

We have a week off from school.  Besides taking care of business and trying to plan a bit for fourth quarter, we have some time to relax!

The proof:  Mom is here with me!  Here, we're in the park in Antigua 

 Katie's been craving nachos.  No better place to go in Guatemala for those than Monoloco.

 Mid-water war meeting.  We enjoyed playing water balloon capture the flag and then all-out water wars afterwards with the La Senda kids.

 Walking down the highway to breakfast...

...at Cafe Cacao 

Mama and Me :)

Resting at Breakneck Speed

Semana Santa (Holy Week) in Guatemala is synonymous with the beach. 

For the La Senda kids, it was no different--Hermana Zucy planned a trip for the kids to a beach house on the Pacific, and I got to accompany them.  Besides playing in the biggest waves I've ever seen (and, along with Lito, serving as live life vests for some of the kids), we swam in the pool at the beach house, saw beautiful beach at the estuary, observed the salt beds, and took a boat out to waters where sea turtles swim.  And with frequent applications of SPF 50, I actually managed NOT to get burned.

La Senda at the Beach 

 Pool time!

 Observing the sea salt harvest

Headed out to see a few sea turtles

On Thursday, Anita invited me to accompany her to tour the Easter celebrations in Antigua.  We attended mass at her church, where the homily was most enlightening, and ate dinner with her family.  At 9:30 in the evening we began our walking tour of several Catholic churches that feature scenes from Jesus's life during Holy Week.  After the first church, we ran into a drenching rain and attempted to wait it out under the eaves of a neighborhood bar, but the water never quite abated.  So, we continued to the other four churches.  Later, we witnessed parts of the late-night processions, including gigantic floats (of sorts), carried by parishioners, entering a church, and later, men dressed as Roman soldiers running in formation through the streets to stop at intended locations and announce the death of Jesus. After observing this, we toured some of the sawdust rugs families were creating in the streets, an Easter tradition here.  Normally they'd be completed by this time, but with the rain, the artists were just beginning their labors. We returned to her house at 1:15 in the morning.

 My favorite church display

 The Roman guard traipsing through Antigua--on horse and on foot

A sawdust rug in progress

Friday night the five youngest boys stayed at my house for a sleepover.  We made pizza, and they had a pillow fight and watched the movie Robots.  I had intended to have a campout on the roof, but the rain cancelled those plans; hence, the boys constructed forts of sorts in the living room.  This morning we dyed Easter eggs, used Resurrection Eggs to tell the Easter story, and had an Easter egg hunt.  My neighbor Litzy joined us for this part, which made all of the boys fall over themselves in their shyness of having a pretty girl their age among them.

Pizza making 

 Pillow fighting

 Egg coloring

Manhunting the last egg

So, I learned very quickly that a house full of boys is quite the experience.  After the third time of going into the bathroom and seeing a seat wet with what I'm sure was not water, we had a lesson on how to use the bathroom at someone else's house.  And tonight I'm pretty sure it was a booger I cleaned off the bathroom wall.  I guess they thought they could take a mini-vacation from all the good hygiene skills they teach at La Senda. Nevertheless, it was a good time with them.

I got to relax with friends--Vero, Christian, and Heidy--this afternoon.  They wanted to show me Tikel Futura, a large mall.  I'm thankful to have people to laugh with and who are quite patient with my Spanish.  They can tease me mercilessly when I say things incorrectly, but they are also quick to help me figure out how to say stuff and ultimately wait for me to make myself clear.  That's nice.  Our highlight of the afternoon? Climbing into the glass elevator in the adjacent hotel and riding it to the top floor and back down again. Felt like I was 15 again. :)

Tomorrow I look forward to church service and Sunday dinner at La Senda.

Sunglasses and Dirty Socks

Even though I am teased about wearing my white sunglasses with the fake diamonds in the sides and having dirty socks, I am grateful to spend time with Veronica and her family.  They love to joke around, enjoy being in each other's company, and love the Lord.  And they have extended their love to me, letting me feel right at home with them.

Together, we ate tons of yummy food.  We talked much, played games, and took walks.  Unfortunately, Veronica lost her cell phone along the way, quite possibly after she played Ding Dong Ditch and we had to run away fast from that house.  It was quite unfortunate.  We also attended church this morning and made cookies this afternoon.

Tomorrow I am going with the La Senda home kids to the beach for three days.  It's Holy Week, and here everyone has vacations.

Sadly, this week is not without its sadness.  I hear more people have accidents this week than almost any other.  Already tonight I arrived home to my mourning neighborhood.  One of the women was hit by a car as she was walking home along the highway.  We knew the news couldn't be good when we drove past the police and ambulance and saw a sheet-covered body lying along the side of the road.  Please pray for comfort and peace for her family during this week.  And pray for protection as we and many others travel.

Weekend Buckets

An opportunity came up to help out church families in a nearby town that is known to be fairly poor.  With the home fifth graders (Mimi, Yeny, Phillip, Victor, and Brandon (4th)), we worked together to put together food bins, using money that someone had donated to be used here.  Johana helped us out a ton in Chimaltenango's market, negotiating lower prices given the quantity of product we were buying.  We also enjoyed the excitement of a scuffle breaking out four feet from us.  As I shooed the kids to the car to drop off some purchases, I was reminded that high school isn't the only place fights break out.

With $200, we were able to make 26 bins with  a little money left over to give one family whose cow died--the animal was their primary source of income.  Each bin had a pound each of rice, beans, oatmeal, and sugar; soap for the pila; and cooking oil.  Pam and Steve also donated avocados from their trees and maseca, corn flour Guatemalans use to make tortillas.

The kids and I attended the church service last Saturday night and delivered the goods to the church.  The pastors texted the next day to let us know that there were enough bins for each family and that the people walked away with smiles on their faces.

 Brandon

 Measuring out the maseca

Ready to go!

Cositas

Yaquelin helping me bake cookies.  Looks like she's learned all of my techniques, even how to decorate herself with flour!  She definitely won the tortilla making contest...

Gabriela and I are shoe twins.

Mimi and Yeny

The younger boys are ready to play futbol.

Dorcas, hard at work studying.

Weekend with the Kids

Enjoyed spending time with several of the La Senda kids this weekend.  On Friday, Gabriela, Lupita, and I went to Eskala--the mall--to hang out and go grocery shopping.  We also found our way to the movie theater there and watched Tron.  Not my favorite flick, but the girls loved it.  On Saturday, I got to take Gerson, Jefy, Carlos, and Brandon to a birthday party.  Today, Steve let me ride along with him, Gabriela, Yaquelin, and Samy to drop Samy off at school.  His school is nearly 3 hours away, a little farther than Lake Panajachel, and a little higher up in the mountains.



The boys' present was a hit--one big bag from the four of them, dubbed by the parents as the "Bag of Surprise" for the birthday boy.

 

On the way to Quiche (I think that's the city's name).  Lake Panajachel is somewhere in the background...

Losing My Marbles

"This is your opportunity, Lizzy.  Kill him."

With those words of encouragement from Jefy, I shot my marble at Steven's.  Missed it by a hair.  In spite of Jefy's patient tutelage, I still didn't master the marble shot tonight.  Even the marbles he loaned me ended up back in his pockets--my beginner's luck only lasted the first few games, and then I lost all the marbles I had borrowed and won.

Good thing I confiscated so many last year.  Maybe I'll learn to make a good shot before the kids win them all back. :)

Christmas at La Senda

I arrived at school yesterday afternoon to see three tables laid out on the porch, Christmas decorations strewn across them.  The La Senda kids were scattered around the various banisters, wrapping them with greenery and fitting the strands of lights among them just so.  The girls diligently checked each strand before putting them in place.   Rosita learned a fun little trick from Lito for fixing the fuses--simply put a piece of copper inside instead, and the lights are as good as new. 

Pam told me the intention was not to start decorating.  But the kids all got mad at her when she suggested they just bring down the decorations from the attic and decorate another day.  Christmas fever has struck.

The La Senda Kids Are Growing Up

Wow! What an exciting day for La Senda! Geovany graduated from high school this morning—La Senda home’s first high school grad.  He graduated in the field of tourism and has landed a job at Holiday Inn, where he had his practicum. All of the kids made him a gift, and Zucy planned a special dinner and service in his honor. Pam made a delicious lasagna. We sang praise songs with a guest musician, Steve shared a bit, Dorcas and Jefy prayed. Everyone dressed up, and even though it was probably the coldest day that I’ve felt here thus far (I’m guessing in the high 40s or low 50s), we ate outside.


Saturday Samy takes an extremely important test to get into the high school he would like to attend. Please say a prayer for him. If he passes, he gets to follow the career path he’s chosen (they choose it in high school here); if not, he has to come up with another plan for next school year. He’s been studying nearly a month for the test, so pray the knowledge sticks with him. Thanks!

La Playa: Puerto San Jose

Seeing 12 kids bobbing in the ocean waves at night is enough to make my stomach tighten with a tiny bit of fear.  But boy, did they have a blast!  Franz and Lito served as the buoys; kids clung to them as they waited for waves to come in, and the two men acted as the barrier between the shore and the great depths of the Pacific.  Little Steven clung to my hand, and we "surfed" by jumping each wave that slapped the shore.  At least until he decided sitting down was far better when the waves came in, forcing me each time to cling to his hand a little tighter as the current swept out, wanting to carry his little body along with it.

Jefy loved being tumbled by the waves.  Several times he was the picture of being washed ashore: arms and legs akimbo, yellow swim trunks billowing out as he flipped several times until he stopped on the sand.  Then he stood up with his wrinkle-nosed grin and ran back into the water for more.

Even Victor tested the waters.  Usually, I understand, he prefers to stay dry on the beach.  But this time the waves enticed him, and, after playing at the water's edge, he decided to join the rest of the crew in the wave-catching game. 

On Wednesday, a holiday here, we swam in the pool at the house near the coast.  Fearless Yeny tried any trick Franz or anyone else put her up to--being thrown in the water, learning how to dive and do handstands, swinging from a branch of the nearby tree and timing her jump into the water just right.   She also improved her strokes.  Carlos and Mimi did, too, both feeling confident by the end of the day to swim from one end of the pool to the other without any balls or clinging to the side.  Progress!  Rosita also perfected her handstand.   Lito and Franz got the award for bad idea tricks, as they jumped into the water from the wall surrounding the house, over the concrete walkway.

Zucy cooked delicious food--meat, chermole, tamalitos, beans, salad, and many more yummy Guatemalan things. 

The heat felt wonderful.  It was nice to wear tank tops and shorts again, though I must say my pasty white legs are much better covered up. :)  Sometimes I forget how white I am after looking at all of these beautiful brown-skinned people all day.

The only heart-stopping moment of the trip occurred on the way to the beach.  Lito parked the car to run into the store and buy a few last-minute things.  Suddenly, the car started rolling.  No parking break employed.  Franz and Zucy yelled from the back, "Brake!  Brake!"  So I slammed on the brake (after first mistaking the clutch for the brake and realizing it did nothing to help the situation, haha) and threw us all forward, but fortunately we did not roll down the hill after all.  And it didn't turn out to be an omen of things to come, either.

 La Senda Home kids at the Pacific Ocean

 Victor's flying leap.  Awesome picture taken by Rosita.

 Yaquelin, Rosita, and Me

 Sweet boy Jefy

 the house where we stayed

Carlos's proof