Daily Archives: December 9, 2011
A new beginning…. again…..
Today is a new day… it’s amazing what a good night of rest can do for the spirit. Everyone in the family woke up this morning feeling much more able to handle things. My blog of yesterday was negative. It was also short. Basically if I had written about everything that had gone wrong in the past 48 hours it would have been 12 pages long…. it was about much more than just hot water. Its amazing how one can just get hit over the head multiple times with bad things and still go on, but we are human and we can get pretty down just like everyone else when things become too much. Yesterday we felt weary and worn down though. It really took a lot out of us. Basically it was a disastrous beginning.
Today, I am saying was the official beginning! And what a beginning it was. Early this morning we were off to the Hospital Infantil Padre Pedro for a Christmas party. It was a ‘family reunion’ with all the children that had previously been rehabilitated at the hospital invited. We were shocked by the sheer number of people in attendance. Tears rose to my eyes as I saw Hermana Mercedes for the first time in almost a year. She was surrounded by the happy faces of the little children that are now alive because she took it upon herself to follow the will of God and serve here. Her and I shared a hug that had so much meaning behind it even though our spanish/english communication is still in its infancy. There are some moments that are just beyond words…..
Heading into the nursery for the first time in almost a year was unreal. Seeing all the children in their beds trying so desperately to get healthy breaks your heart. Around the corner in his special room was Marquito…. That boy is so incredibly special…. Rachel has worked so hard for this boy and on December 15th he will have the first surgery to reconstruct his face. It hit me as I held him and then again as Geoff was holding him and Marquito was laughing that without people like Rachel that precious boy would most likely have died. God put him on her heart and she did everything in her power to help him… and help him she did. I saw the proof with my own eyes… and heard his laughter with my own ears…. Amazing! After visiting the children, we shared lunch with the Monsignor of Guatemala, some other guests and Hermana Mercedes… The sisters prepared a very special lunch for their guests. They treat us like royalty here and we do not like it. We are here to serve them and yet they serve us so completely. It is so humbling…. It truly is about relationships here… and we have a family here, more so than we had ever realized before. That is a gift straight from God.
No matter what life throws at us here… we are ready for it. This is why we are here… and nothing, not even no water (today we not only have no hot water but no water at all) will ever get in the way of what God has us here to do! And on behalf of our family, we would like to thank everyone who is helping us financially… personally… prayerfully… etc. Without you beside us, none of this would be happening. We promise to stick it out and make the best of every moment and also be thankful for the privilege of getting to serve these wonderful people!
The Christmas Reunion Party at the Hospital
Fernando & Gabe
Geoff and Marquito
Me & Marquito
A wonderful traditional lunch
Luxury….
Well here we are… safe and sound in Guatemala. I cannot begin to express how strange I am feeling being here. We had plans. We should have known better…. hahaha. Things rarely work out the way we plan them. Normally I am really great at contingency plans. Being in a foreign country however has me feeling a tad paralyzed at the moment. I am more homesick than I have ever been in my entire life but I know that will pass and is mainly a product of the uncertainty that surrounds us right now.
It all began yesterday… flight delays and minor setbacks had us awake and on the go for basically 2 days with no sleep…. We got through it. Then upon arrival the hotel we had planned to be at the entire time we learned they changed the rules… seems they don’t want to play anymore. Missionaries or not they are ripping us off. Upon arrival it seems the price more than tripled. That is not acceptable but despite our original agreement they won’t budge. So we are at a different hotel for the time being. A very different hotel without any frills. It’s ok… hot water is a Canadian luxury after all right? I am preparing mentally for 6 months here and I know I can do it. It won’t be easy… but it is what it is. We are looking right now at homes to rent. Perhaps we can find one but if we don’t then we simply deal with what we have and be thankful. It’s already leaps and bounds beyond what most Guatemalan people have.
Isn’t it funny how we can be missionaries and still be totally mortified at the thought of no hot water for months…. Makes me stop and re-think my priorities. As much as I hate to admit it, I want hot water! But why? Do I deserve it more than others here? No…. but I still want it. A part of me deep down sort of hopes that we perhaps don’t find a house… and that I live without this luxury… as a learning experience about myself and how far I am willing to sacrifice. I guess I am also worried about the volunteers that will be coming. How will they react if we are still in this hotel? It is no-frills… but it is safe…. it has beds… it is clean… it is totally all we could ever need…. but…. will they be happy… will they be upset? Crazy that I am thinking that…. and worrying… after all… isn’t this whole experience all about sacrifice? If you are a volunteer and you are coming…. prepare yourself… this could be more than you bargained for… but while I cannot promise hot water… I can promise an experience you will never ever forget!!!
The Doppenberg's in Guatemala.... 