Doing Business in Guatemala (July 19, 2010)

I spent the morning at Hermano Pedro and was able to work some more with Ervin.  All the kids were inside today because it was too cold and rainy to go out in the courtyard. (It was about 65 degrees and only cloudy, but here in Guatemala, that's "nasty" weather to be outside.)  Ervin was one of a few kids left in bed today, and that proved a perfect place to work.  Today we began sorting silverware (plasticware, really) and he seems to be catching on.  I'm still amazed at how excited he is to do these simple tasks over and over again.

While I was working with him, a young Guatemalan woman named Flori came looking for me.  Flori is a volunteer with Faith in Practice, and had brought seven people from Oratorio (where we did a wheelchair distribution last week) in to see the doctors and Hermano Pedro.  She came to say hello, and find out if I knew when I would be returning to help with the deaf children I met last week.  She said that their families are so excited that someone is willing to come and help them.  Oh, how I wish I knew more about teaching the deaf.  Really, the teachers in the regular school seem to be doing an excellent job.  It's more difficult for the parents at home, though, to communicate with their children.  These kids can read and write, but unfortuantely, the parents do not.  I'm trying to figure out some way to bridge this gap using line drawings.  I think, though, it will take spending some time in Oratorio to be able to work this out.

While we were visiting, Flori showed me an article about her in the Faith in Practice newsletter.  She was so proud of this.  After I read it, it occurred to me to ask her if she knew what it said, since it was written in English.  She said no one had ever translated it for her, so I got to share with her what the article said about how important she is to the work of Faith in Practice in Santa Rosa.

After feeding a couple of kids lunch, I went home to mine.  This afternoon was spent on business.  First, Mari took me to a computer outlet where I bought a printer/scanner/copier.  I think I got a pretty good deal because, for the printer, paper and extra ink, I paid about $20 less than what the same printer lists for in the States!  I can never figure out why some things like this are so much less expensive here, and others, like Ziplock baggies are three times as much as in Omaha.  I am particularly pleased to announce that I managed to set up the printer and get it working all on my own.  Jeremy (my oldest son) is usually my computer go-to-guy, and I hope he's proud of me!  It is so much easier, though, when he's around.

We also went to a bank near Hermano Pedro where I openned an account.  It was really a very interesting process, and it only took about an hour and a half to accomplish.  First, Mari had to write a letter vouching for the fact that I was living with her, and explaining why I needed to have a bank account in Guatemala.  I kind of felt like a little kid who needed a note from "mommy" giving me permission to open an account.  Next, there were multiple decisions about what kind of account to open, and again, I deferred to Mari's experience here.  She really is quite the business woman, and I was rather surprised to find that this account pays 4% interest. 

Next there were multiple papers to sign, and I had to have my index finger and thumb prints scanned into the bank's computer system.  Then, I had to go back and actually put my left and right thumb print next to each signature.  Finally we were ready to actually make a deposit.  Unfortunately, one of the three $100 bills I'd planned on using was "rejected" for deposit because it had a small tear in one corner!  I'll have to trade out this bill when I visit in September, because if a bank won't accept a bill because of its condition, I'm sure no one else will! 

Depositing money here is a two step process.  First you take your bank book and money to a bank officer, who writes down you account number and the amount of your deposit on a scrap of paper.  Next, you take your deposit to a teller, who once again asks you for your account number (even though it's on the paper) and once again inspects the bills that the officer has just approved.  The teller then enters your informaiton into the computer, and prints out two separate receipts for the same transaction.  Finally, he had writes the information in a ledger book, and your deposit is complete.  What the purpose of all these steps are, I don't know.  What I do know is that when I need to make a deposit, I need to allow half an hour for the process.  I can't wait to find out how long it takes to make a withdrawal!

A "Quincinera" for Olga (July 18, 2010)

Since Dick Rutgers has been "borrowing" a lot of my journals lately, I thought it only fair that I use one of his! (With his permission, of course!)  So here's our day from his perspective (with a few added comments of mine!)





Only 3 kids came along with me to church this morning. That is an all time low but some were sick, others were grounded and a few went to another church with some friends. (I have to let you know that I sat behind Dick and the boys for the entire worship service before Dick realized I was there.  Either he was really involved in worship, or. . .)


After church Pat joined us for some pizza (I felt like I was back in the days when my 4 kids would fight over the last piece of pizza.  Oh, and the boys almost grossed me out when they put ketchup on their Hawaiian pizza.  I thought I had a pretty strong stomach, but that nearly did me in!)  then we bought 2 cakes and headed over to Olga's house for a birthday party. Olga turned 15 today and here in Guatemala that is usually a big event in a girl's life. Often times the girl's family throws a party that resembles a wedding except there is no groom. Were it not for the cakes and 2 small gifts that Pat and I brought Olga would not have had a party at all. Olga her sister and 2 brothers live in a house with 4 other relatives the oldest of which is 23 years old. Her mother lives less than a mile away but wants nothing ot do with Olga or her other 3 children. Olga's aunt and uncle originally took her and here sister and brothers in a few years ago but uncle died shortly after in a drowning accident and her aunt got sick and died shortly after that. Her cousin Victor who is 23 is doing the best he can to hold the family together but he has to work long hours and receives little pay so it is difficult to put food on the table let alone think about having a birthday party. Earlier this morning when I asked Victor if we could bring over a cake and have a party for Olga he seemed thrilled.

(Olga is an amazing young woman who I am enjoying getting to know.  She is a bit shy and reserved at first, but really seems to be enjoying some attention from a woman--she doesn't really have a mother figure in her life.  I'd be proud to count her among my "adopted" daughters!)


In traditional Guatemalan fashion Olga got her face shoved into one of the cakes after blowing out the candles. I use to think that getting a spanking on your birthday was bad but this one takes the cake.

(Somehow, I think Dick and the boys enjoyed this just a little bit too much.  Olga was a good sport, though)

(I couldn't help but enjoy watching Olga eat her piece of birthday cake.  She would scrape off a tiny bit of frosting, and savor every bit of it before taking the next bite.  I wish I'd remembered to take my camera, because the look on her face as she did this was absolutely radiant.  I think we managed to succeed in making her feel special today.)


Even though we felt privileged to be part of this celebration Olga and her entire family thanked us over and over again for coming.






I had a big crew for supper tonight and even though I had run out of hamburger the entire crew voted for spaghetti. It's not that my spaghetti is all that good it is just that the only other choice was corn flakes. I must admit though I still prefer hamburger in it better than chopped up hot-dogs. (Luckily I came home for supper tonight, though if I hadn't I think I probably could have come up with SOMETHING better than hot dog spaghetti.  Of course, when you eat ketchup on Hawaiian pizza, this combination seems mild.)
Well it is getting late so I think that I will take a few Tums and then head off to bed.


Goodnight,
Yours in Christ: Dick

Thanks, Dick, for giving me a night off from journaling.  Or I could have had the night off if I hadn't felt the need to make comments.  I'm sure you expected me, too, however, because you know I never miss a chance to have the LAST WORD!

A Long Distance Wedding (July 17)

Today, through the marvel of the Internet, I was able to "attend" a wedding in Omaha.  Mykaila Toole became Mrs. Jonathan Norton today.  I have known both of these young people for a number of years, and was sad to miss their wedding.  Found out last week that it would be webcast, and I was able to tune in and watch it.  I told Kelly, Mykaila's mom, that I think I actually had the best seat in the house.  And I know I cried more than I would have if I'd been there in person!  An added plus was that as the camera "panned" the crowd, I got to see many familiar faces in the congregation.  And I have to admit, Greg Teal (the pastor who officiated) looks awfully good in a tux!

One of the most touching parts of this ceremony was when the bride and groom washed each other's feet, as a symbol of their desire to serve each other.  I've never seen that done before, but what a perfect metaphor for what I know the desire of these two is--to serve each other and together serve God's people.  I wonder what would happen to the marriages in a church if there was a foot washing service in which couple were asked to perform this simple act of love and service for each other.  Would hearts be changed?

Just for fun I tried to take some pictures off my computer screen.  Some of them didn't turn out half bad!

    God bless you, Mykaila and Jonathan, and give you many years of joy together.

Visiting Old Friends (July 16, 2010)

Today I went with Dick to visit the Hernandez family near Santa Lucia. This is a family I’ve known for at least the last 2 years, when I was with a team from Westside who painted their house. I’ve visited them a number of times since then, and was excited to see them.

Their oldest son, Rony, has Muscular Dystrophy. He is barely able to move on his own, and uses an electric wheelchair which had broken down once again. So Dick, Marcos (one of Dick’s “kids”) and I set off with spare parts.

The trip down was pretty uneventful, and it seemed like in no time at all we were at their home. (Really, I think it took about 2½ hours, but with the trips we’ve made lately, that’s not long.) The kids were home when we arrive, and the quickly called their parents who were working in the field nearby.

I’m always so excited to see the girls in this family. They have become very special to me, and I had time to visit with each of them. Estellita is having some trouble in school, and we talked quite a bit about how hard school has been for her. Talking to her mom, it’s the same story I heard many times in the States—she does her work, but does not hand it in. I think there’s a lot more going on here, though, as she was hesitant to show me any of her work, while the other two girls could not wait to do so. She also says she’s afraid of the teacher because she yells at her. I hope to spend more time with this little one, to see if I can figure out what’s really going on here. She just sat in my lap and cried as we talked about this. Please pray for her tender heart.

 

I brought some gifts for the kids. A young friend in the States, Terryn, had sent down some Barbie dolls for me to give to kids here. Since there were three of them (with wardrobes), I thought these three girls were the perfect recipients. I was especially pleased to see that Yessica, the oldest at 14, was excited to receive a doll. It seems like every time we’re here, she’s working and caring for the younger children. Today was no exception, as she was busy making tortillas while the rest of us visited.

Claudia, the youngest girl, has grown up quite a bit since I saw her last. I don’t think she hardly put down the Care Bear I brought her. She looks much healthier now than she did even a year ago.

 Herlindo, the “middle” son, is quite the character. He’s sharp as a tack, but has a definite mind of his own. I really got a kick out of Dovan, the baby, who at age two also knows how to assert himself! I’d brought him a small ball, and if anyone touched it, he’d scream bloody murder! He did play futbol (soccer) with Dick for a while, though.

Dick and Marcos managed to repair Rony’s chair by replacing the wheel bearings. This was the real purpose of our trip, but, as Dick says, you can’t just make a quick stop at this home. This is a family who loves to visit and is always so gracious to us when we do. To thank Dick  Marcos for fixing the chair, Momma gave them each sacks of limes to take home.

After the repairs were done, Dick took and printed some pictures for the family. I’m always amazed at what a big deal this is. These pictures I took of him doing this show just how much the family enjoyed this activity.

  

Soon it was time to go, as Dick needed to get back to Chimaltenango to take his teenagers to youth group this evening. We took a different road back, and discovered that it was covered in water in many places. This is dangerously deceptive, as what seems like a shallow puddle can turn out to be a 2 foot deep pothole filled with water. The Land Cruiser did an admirable job handling this road, even if it was unable to pull the bus we passed out of its “sink hole.” It’s nice to know there are some things even a Land Cruiser can’t handle! It did manage,however, to get us all home safe and sound.

Learning to be a Human BEING (July 15, 2010)

In my room at Mari and Leo's

Today was such an ordinary day, I couldn’t quite think of what I was going to journal about. Really
“accomplished” nothing today, except spending time with the kids at Hermano Pedro. And as I prayed about this, I realize how I’m still striving to DO rather than surrendering to BEING. Can this possibly be God’s will for my life, just being? Can it really be this simple?

I’m beginning to realize that though I may not be able to show tangible events as “proof” of my service, that much is happening inside of me, and hopefully inside of those I touch each day. I really struggled over whether or not to go to language school in Costa Rica, to become more “equipped” to serve here, but understand now that this initial time is part of my equipping.

Each day I learn more about being a “missionary” from Dick and Chris and Donna and others who have served here for years. I’m grateful they share their wisdom with me, and know I am a better person because of their friendship. (“Missionary” is in quotes, because I’m still trying to figure out what that means. How is what I am doing here different from what I was called to do at Westside? As Dick pointed out to me today, aren’t we all called to share and be Jesus to each other, no matter where we live?)

Amber, a volunteer from the States, holding Patita

As I held Patita (little Paty) at the orphanage today, she taught me much about just being Jesus to another. Paty is one of the most significantly involved kids I’ve met. She cannot even eat orally, and is fed through a stomach tube. Today when I came in, she was crying, and there was no way I could just walk by her crib and not stop to spend time with her. As soon as I lowered the side of her bed, her crying stopped. It seemed as though she reached out for me with her eyes, though she was unable to with her hands. She has very limited movement, though today she did smile and reach for my face as I held her (which reduced me to tears).

I don’t know that I’ve ever felt so strongly the call to let my hands and arms be the hands and arms of Jesus. As I prayed over her, I saw her face and body relax. Did she understand my words? Probably not. But I believe she experienced the touch of the Holy Spirit in her spirit. I’m learning that I’m not called just to minister to physical, intellectual, and emotional needs of the kids, but also to their spiritual needs. I really don’t think that there is such a thing as being “spiritually handicapped” unless it is something we do to ourselves by clinging to our intellect and abilities, rather than just yielding to the touch of God. I find myself almost automatically starting to pray over each child as I say “hello” or wish them “good night.” They are teaching me much about inviting Jesus into all my encounters.

I also profoundly experience the truth of Jesus’ words, “whatever you have done to the least of these, you have done to me.” Today as I held and “fed” Paty, I had the strong impression that in some way I was holding Jesus as I never had before. She was being Jesus to me as much as I was being Jesus to her. I was once again overwhelmed and humbled by the privilege of serving Him in the kids. He is “blessing my socks off” each day that I’m here.

Folks sometimes ask me what I think God’s “purpose” is, in allowing these children to be so limited in the things we think are important. Each day I see more clearly that their “ministry” is to show me (and any who will take the time to see and hear them) what REALLY is important. They teach me each day what it REALLY means to be a human being (vs. a human “doing”), and I sometimes wonder if God created each of them only to help me grow into the person He created me to be. Their very existence brings glory to the One who made them. I’m trying to follow their example in bringing Him glory more by who I AM than by what I DO.