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Guatemala 2015 - August 7

That morning we had to get up at 5:20 for our run - so early!  Oh well, we had a good 5 hours and 10 minutes of sleep, right? ;) Then we joined Ryan for a little worship before breakfast, and then did breakfast.

We went to Gethsemani to pick up supplies and Jodi and Delmi.  We went to a school and did our skit and the rest of our routine.  there was an adorable little boy - and the girls were so cute in their little blue and white checked pinafore dresses.  The kids were so excited to see the craft/school supplies we had brought them.  Then we walked up the street (up the hill) to the other school where we did the same stuff.

The kids getting ready to sit and watch

The ending of our skit

The school audience up the street

Colin giving his testimony


Then we walked down the street (and hill, haha!) to the childrens' home.  First we saw the girls' house, which was built pink and blue into a palace, with a courtyard with a pumpkin carriage.  It was the most precious thing I've ever seen - princess stained glass, chandeliers, a mural on the wall with all Disney princesses from Snow White and Cinderella to Anna and Elsa, and a closet full of little princess dresses.  It was so awesome.  What better way to encourage little orphan girls than to grow them up as the princesses that they are?  Some little girls ran up to us and hugged us and the one girl wanted to play with and be held by everyone.

The boys' home was my favorite, though, because it was all superheroes!  The front was a giant wall full of Marvel and DC characters.  SO AWESOME!  The hallways had superheroes hanging from the veiling, and they had murals in their rooms, and superhero sheets and towels.  The woman who started and ran the orphanage had a fantastic heart for kids and the community, and it was just awesome.  We didn't have time to do ministry there, but we left a good-sized donation.

Then back to the compound for a quick lunch before the other orphanage.  I went along when they ordered the 200 hamburgers for the kids from McDonalds, and talked to Derek for a little as we waited for Ryan and Miranda to finish ordering. Haha, the lady asked Miranda several times, and then got her manager who also asked her multiple times, if she was sure she wanted 200 hamburgers!  Then finally we were all on our way to Hospicia San Jose (the one we were at last year), along with Jodi, Delmi, and Karen.  This time we got a little tour of the place and learned that the kids there will be able to live usually normal lives as long as they keep taking their medicine.  It was nice to have hope for those kids, since we didn't really know last year what would happen to them as they grew up because it had been the first time Jodi was there.  So we felt much more hopeful this time!

Also, this time  we got to do some ministry stuff with them and many gave their hearts to Jesus - including three of the nurses!  I recognized several of the kids from last year, including the two little girls that I played with and also the boy who spoke to me in Spanish for about twenty minutes straight even though I told him I didn't speak Spanish and I couldn't understand a word he was saying.  We didn't get to play with them quite as much as last year, but they all got two hamburgers!  Jodi told us how blessed the adults said they and the kids were that we were there.  We also left all of the blankets and two soccer balls and pumps there.

Pollo Campero for supper, and lots of fun.  Back at the compound we had some Bible, worship, and chat time.  It was our last day of actual work and ministry, and the next day we were heading to Antigua.

*The reason there are no pictures of the orphanages is because we are not allowed to put them on the internet, so I'm sorry, you'll just have to imagine it yourself!*

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