Yesterday I spent my morning in Guatemala City, doing some shopping at Wal-Mart. Yes, Wal-Mart has now come to Guatemala, though they still don’t have all the US products I’d like, it was kind of like a touch of America. (Actually, Wal-Mart has owned Hyper-Paiz for years and just finally changed the name, but also some of the products.) Chocolate chips, though, are still too expensive (more than $4/lb.) Can someone tell me why chocolate costs so much in one of the countries where it is grown?
After shopping, we headed to the airport to pick up Katheryn Casebolt from Omaha. She has been down here twice before with teams, and decided this time to venture down by herself. Of all the people I’ve picked up at the airport, I think Katheryn holds the record for the shortest time clearing customs and immigration—she was standing outside the airport waiting for us when we arrived!
After heading back to Antigua and having lunch at Mari’s, we headed off to Hermano Pedro for the afternoon.
Today we decided to take some of the kids out to lunch. It’s always hard to decide who to take, but Katie really wanted to take “Fonzi” so I figured we might as well take Jessica, too. We met Dick and Gary (who is visiting from Washington State), and Dick really wanted to take out Byron, and Elmer rounded out our team.
Dick wrote of our trip:
Gary and I were joined by Pat and 2 of her friends and the 5 of us took 4 of the kids from the orphanage out to lunch. Alfonzo a new boy gave Pat and myself a bit of a run for the money but we sort of tag teemed and trading off a few times gave each of us a breather and the strength to keep up with his antics and by the end of the meal he was doing great and had even finished up on all of the food that he had not earlier thrown on the floor. Don't worry Gary treated us to the meal but I left a tip that was nearly as large as the bill so I think that we will be welcomed back.
Actually, I think Dick minimized the challenge Alfonso posed. After he threw everything from the table for the third time, (and splashed his ranch dip across the floor), I headed with him toward the door to take him back to Hermano Pedro. Dick caught up with us before I made it to the street, however, and convinced me to let him have a try with Fonzi. Alfonso has not been eating at the orphanage, and I wanted to see if it was just that he didn’t like the food, or wouldn’t eat at all. When he refused Camperos nuggets (by tossing them) I had my answer. However, I realized that it would be a good thing if we could get him eating, and was glad to give Dick a shot at it if he thought he could do it.
I had thought that maybe he was put out with me, but on the way back to the orphanage, Alfonso kept reaching out to me and blowing me kisses. I have heard that he’s begun hitting people, even the nurses, and am wondering after seeing how he responded to Dick if he might not do better with male staff? His mom visits him frequently, and I’m also wondering if part of the reason he’s at Hermano Pedro is that he had gotten aggressive with her at home. When I get to know her better I ask her.
I helped Bayron eat, and he downed all his food, including the flan we’d ordered for Elmer that he didn’t want. Dick managed to get him up on the slide a few times and he loved it!
Elmer was a perfect gentleman, eating almost totally independently, and then enjoyed time playing on the equipment.
Jessica totally enjoyed her time with Gary, and he is amazing with the kids.
Byron on the slide,
thanks to Dick’s valiant efforts.
Elmer managed to climb
to the top of the long
circular slide, all on his own!
Jessica loved riding the car
under Gary’s loving care.
Alfonso loved just hanging
out with Katie
(I think he has a crush on
her—but you didn’t hear
it from me!)
We got back to Hermano Pedro to find all the kids in bed. I haven’t spent hardly any time with Henry, so asked him if he wanted to go in his walker or be held for a while. I was pleasantly surprised when he chose just to sit with me. Just when I thought the day couldn’t get any better, Bayron came over and Henry asked him about what he’d eaten at Camperos. As Bayron told him, he appeared genuinely happy for his friend. When we told him Bayron ate not one but two portions of flan, Henry said, “Good for you.”
Needless to say, this unselfish young man will be accompanying us to Camperos tomorrow!
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