Guatemalan Journey: Hogar del Ninos de San Francisco de Asis, Patzun Guatemala, Dec. 9

Today I joined Heidi, Amalia, and Brenda (three of the nurses at Hermano Pedro) and visited an orphanage in Patzun, about 2 hours from Antigua on the "chicken bus." This was the farthest I've traveled by bus to date, and I really kind of enjoy riding them. Most of the North Americans, and many of the Guatemalans I know would disagree with me, but I've been extremely lucky in encountering drivers which are relatively cautious, considering they ARE in Guatemala. These trips give me a great chance to see the country, people watch, and even meet some more Nationals.

This Sister is responsible for overseeing the care of the
and the women who care for them

When we arrived at the orphanage, we were met by Hermana (Sister) Ezmeralda. She had been at Hermano Pedro, and knew the nurses and I was warmly welcomed as well. She introduced us to another Sister, about my age, who was in charge of all the children who were still at the home, about 55 of them, ranging from about 1 yr olds to early teens. These are some of the most polite and well mannered kids I've met in Guatemala. They could not wait to help us get ready for the party we were having, and loved blowing up the balloons for us.

This little guy was bound and determined he'd
blow up a balloon by himself.

My heart was warmed by the love and care these kids show to each other, especially one young man named Mario, who has taken it upon himself to care for Miguel Angel, who has Cerebral Palsy. Miguel, affectionately called Miki by the Sisters, is in a contraption that looks like an umbrella stroller.

Mario, who is only 11 himself, takes him everywhere, makes sure he doesn't miss out on anything, and even feeds him and tucks him in bed at nap time. When we did the pinata, Mario made sure that Miguel did not miss out, though he really didn't get any candy of his own to speak of. (I made sure he got some of the "extra" we had, so he was taken care of as well.) The self-less service of this young man, and the way Miguel is included in everything at the home, touched me deeply.

While the stroller he is in is convenient for moving Miguel from place to place, it does not provide much support for him, and he is continually inclined backwards. I asked the Sisters about this, and they said that this chair was an improvement over what he had had in the past and was the best they could afford. When I asked if they would like me to see if I could find a proper chair for Miki, they could not believe I was offering to GIVE it to him. I took some pictures and measurements, and am hoping that Dick, when he returns from Huehuetenango, will help me find a chair for Miguel. With all that is going on between now and New Years, we will not get there to well into 2011 if we are able to at all. But I really hope we can help this little guy. The cost of his chair will be $180, and if any of you would like to help defray this cost, please let me know.

It seems I am making more needs known recently than I have in the past. This is partly in response to the immediacy of some of the needs I am encountering, but also in response to the admonition of a good friend, support and prayer warrior, who reminded me, "You have not because you ask not." What I would ask you is that you pray for these needs as they come up, counting on our Father to meet them as He deems best.

The day was great fun, and I'll leave you with some pictures of the kids enjoying themselves.