The week of June 22 was our mid-term vacation here in Guatemala. Yep, as those of you in the US are in the middle of your summer vacation from school, we are in the middle of our school year which runs from mid-January to mid-October. I have to admit that sometimes, when I read posts on Facebook from in US, I become confused as to what time of year it really is!
They guys were excited to have me home more during this week, and we planned some special activities. We couldn't travel anywhere, as most Guatemalans do during this time, but we could still have some fun doing things for which we normally didn't have the time.
We started the week off having pizza after church on Sunday with Dick and some of his guys. While going out to eat is not a big deal for most of us, for Fidel and Osmi it is a rare occurrence. It was so good for them to spend some time with other young men their ages, and they love being with the gang from Chimaltenango. It also gave me a break from having to cook Sunday dinner!
Later in the week, we invited Maurico and Francisco, the two young men who help me in my classroom in Santa Maria, to have lunch with us. Our guys were a bit amazed at the fact that both of these young men, who are gainfully employed, have disabilities. Maurico was born missing his left forearm, and Francisco is blind due to Marfan Syndrome.
These two have not let their disabilities interfere with living life to the fullest, and they were excellent role models for Fidel and Osmi. Maurico and Francisco freely shared with our guys the challenges they have and continue to face, but also their determination to learn as much as they can, and their desire to serve God however they can.
We got to introduce them to Taco Salad and strawberry short-cake, and they are both anxious to come and visit us again!
Our last outing of the week was a big one. We had hoped to be able to take the guys to see our new house, but I'd forgotten that the Monday we had picked was a national holiday in Guatemala, and the real estate office was closed and we could not get a key.
We were able to follow through with the second half of our plan, however, For his birthday present this year, Fidel had asked if we could all go to a steak house in Tecpan (a little more than an hour and a half from here) for lunch. We invited Dick and Fernando to go with us.
The wait staff could not have been more helpful accommodating our special seating needs, even though the restaurant was crowded from the holiday. They guys enjoyed being out of the city, and we even let Tony drive them in our van while I rode with Dick in his car, so it was really a fun time for them.
Now, it's back to the "real world" a bit more refreshed and ready to tackle the second half of the school year!
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