Summing Up

Visiting Guatemala was an amazing, incredible, unique, fun, entertaining, life-changing, overwhelming, unforgettable, eye-opening experience that I am still trying to sort out in my head. God worked in my heart and I hope that looking at my photos and reading my stories has caused you to have some kind of connection to Guatemala and the children at Amor del Nino. Isn't that what stories are all about? They changed my life and I hope they change yours too.

"Pure and lasting religion in the sight of God our Father means that we must care for orphans and widows in their troubles, and refuse to let the world corrupt us." James 1:27

Miracles

Saying goodbye to Amor del Nino was honestly one of the most heart-wrenching things I've done in a long time. We spent three days just investing in those kids and spending time with them. My back was so sore from holding them, throwing them in the air, playing soccer, swinging them, jumping on the trampoline, and all the other fun things we did. Something about being with kids puts things into perspective...and it sure did for me!

As departure time closed in, the children slowly walked up saying, "Adios." No excitement, just heartache in their voice. I walked through the rooms waving goodbye and telling them that I loved them. It was terribly hard...especially if they wouldn't let go of your hand.

Leaving Hannah was the most difficult moment for me. She and I had literally become close friends during those few days. We are strangely alike- same sense of humor, similar desires and interests. Earlier in the day, we had sat together talking, joking, and laughing. On Saturday, she asked if she could have a picture of she and I. Although I wasn't sure how achievable it was, I promised to try my best. Thankfully, I found a Kodak store in Antigua and got a couple prints for her and the other kids from the Water Park day. When I placed the photos in her hands, she simply beamed with happiness. She grasped the photo of us like it was one she would never forget...and neither would I.

The time finally came. I reluctantly picked her up as both of us began to cry because we knew this was farewell until next year at least. She looked up and said, "I wish you didn't have to go. I hope you come next year." I had similar thoughts and questions. Will I ever see her again? What if I forget her? What if I can't come next year? What if she gets adopted? And then the terrible question came to mind....What if she dies before we see each other again?

Hannah and Jose were born in Yalu, one of the poorest and filthiest communities in Guatemala. Their parents didn't realize that they had Brittle Bone Disease until they started seeing the effects- warped hands and arms, twisted legs and feet. By then, so many bones were broken in Hannah and Jose's body that they would never recover. Also, their parents had no money to clothe Hannah and Jose, so they were naked for nearly all of their childhood. This was all before Steve Osborne, Sheril's husband, found them in Yalu and arranged for them to come to Amor del Nino. Hannah's condition is worse than Jose's, but neither are expected to live for long. As some of you may have read in my post from July 3rd, Hannah recently celebrated her twelfth birthday. Mama Sheril revealed Hannah and Jose's heartbreaking story to our group, and she also shared that Hannah's life expectancy is twelve. Yes, 12.

For now, I will pray constantly for Hannah, Jose, and all the children at Amor del Nino. I trust that Hannah will not forget me...and she does the same to me. Yes, we may not see each other for a long time and perhaps not until we meet again in heaven. But I believe in miracles. And maybe my meeting Hannah and getting to enjoy those three days with her was the miracle we both were looking for.

Angel

Meet Angel, mine and my mom's new buddy. Angel's mother was extremely intoxicated when she literally gave birth to him in the middle of a street. Some people who lived nearby saw the incident and rescued the little boy from the danger of the streets and placed him in Amor del Nino where he has received the care and love that he so desperately needs.

My mom's connection with Angel began long before we came to Guatemala. She saw his picture on their website (lovethechild.org) and it was love at first sight. Since meeting him in real life, she has fallen head over heels. She adores him and plays with him as much as she can. Watching my mom and Angel bond over the past few days has been bittersweet- knowing that he and she have a special connection but also knowing that tomorrow will be our last day at Amor del Nino.

Perhaps you don't understand how seriously she loves this little angel: She wants pictures with him, she wants to learn his story, and she even asked Mama Sheril about the adoption process today (!). (New brother in the horizon? Whatever God has planned!)

As I was thinking about Angel and my mom's love, I realized that God loves us the exact same way! Actually, I believe there are few examples that are more perfect of God's love for His people. He loves us with a deep connection; He wants to know all about us; and He adopts us into His family when we had none. I hope you will take time this week to think about this real-life example and how great a picture it is of God's love for us! Our God is mighty to save.

Photos from Day 1, 2, and 3

Guatemala!

Our hotel- El Carmen

Some of the beautiful buildings

A volcano- this shot was literally taken right outside our hotel

Stephen and Gaby

Roberto, who is blind and LOVES to have his head rubbed!

Dentist Geni

Mom loves holding the babies :)

Me, Naomi, and her brother

Two sleepy boys!

Another volcano....or maybe the same one?

Hannah and Jose

The Water Park group!

Me and Hannah

Brian and Sue Ann with one of the girls. Even with just one leg, she has better balance than most people with two!

Update July 3, 2010

As I sit here trying to describe today and yesterday, so many events and special moments come to mind and yet, I find it so difficult to put it all into words. We visited the childrens' home Amor del Nino for the first time yesterday. Amor del Nino is an old mansion on the mountainside. It's a "gated community" which has everything from mansions (like the home) to shacks. We were greeted by "Mama Sheril", the lady who makes the world go round at Amor del Nino. She gave us a tour of the home and introduced us to a few of the kids.

The walls are lined with paintings and bright colors that kids love. There is a system to everything they do at the home. Infants play in one section, 6-12 months in another, and so on all the way up to twelve years. Although it is a "mansion", it's not mansion enough for 59 kids. Thirty babies occupy just two rooms full of cribs. There are, I believe, twelve full-time nurses that do everything from changing diapers to feeding the children. Actually, they do do EVERYTHING.

My mom, Scarlette, is doing so great on this trip. She is GREAT with the kids. She has the perfect "mommy's touch" around them- something only a few of them have experienced. Although Mama Sheril is a great motherly figure at Amor del Nino, there is only so much attention one can give to nearly sixty children.

A little girl named "Geni" immediately latched onto me as soon as we met. I'm kicking myself, but I can't remember what condition she has that requires her to wear a boot on her right foot. This causes her to trip and fall often, so she just held onto my hand for hours on end- simply staring up at me and smiling. The kids at Amor del Nino don't care where you're from, what your story is, or what baggage YOU bring to them. They just love you! And it's an incredible love that has no reservations or conditions.

So, we spent all of yesterday at the home just loving on and playing with the kids. All of them love to jump on the trampoline and play on the playground.

Today, we took the older kids on a special outing to a waterpark. It was about a two hour drive, but I didn't mind at all because not only did I get to talk to the kids, but we also drove by two volcanoes and the absolutely STUNNING countryside. At the park, the children were utterly thrilled to just splash around in the water. Some of the braver ones went on the "big rides" with me. One slide in particular was amazingly fast. You probably go about 35 mph at the steepest part. (I'm pretty sure it would be illegal in the States.)

I'm having to rush this post because it's so late, but I want to tell you about a special brother and sister at Amor del Nino whom I got to spend much time with today. Meet Hannah and Jose. They are brother and sister; Hannah is twelve (yesterday was actually her birthday so it was a special treat to celebrate it with her) and Jose is ten. Both were born with Brittle Bone Disease- a condition that makes your bones several things: easily breakable, warped, and extremely fragile. Although Hannah and Jose's heads are normal sized, their arms and legs are skinny and warped into different shapes. This makes it impossible for them to walk to hold things normally. (But they are speedy when it comes to scooting around everywhere!)

Hannah and I were buddies for a lot of the time at the park. I would carry her wherever she wanted to go and then she would just splash in the shallow end and simply look around at everything. I'm sure it was very special (for all of the kids) to go to such an interesting place different from what they're used to. After we went to the water park for several hours, the whole group walked out to the beach. Many volcanoes surround Guatemala underwater and, when they erupt, their ash turns the water and sand black. So, it's not exactly your "picture perfect" beaches. At one very scary point, a large wave came over Jose and flipped him backwards. I immediately grabbed him and lifted him up. Somehow he was smiling, which I was shocked by.

There is SO much more to tell you all and I'm sorry that the posts are few, but I will try to keep you as updated as possible. I will post a lot of pictures later today.

Update July 1 2010- Antigua, Guatemala

We finally made it here! It's soooo different from the states. A lot of stuff has happened so let me just walk you through our day...

We got to the Atlanta airport (and that was insane). After our leader got the "random thorough search", we finally boarded. This was my first time to fly in a passenger plane and this is also my first time out of the country. Shortly after taking off, I fell asleep but soon awoke to a slight headache. Within minutes, I had to cover the window and hold my head. You guessed it- a migraine! This was a new thing to me so I probably didn't handle it like a pro. Anyway, it was some of the most acute pain I've ever experienced and I now have a greater appreciation for victims of that mean beast! Long story short, I spent 30% the flight in tears and I was plain miserable the rest of the time. (Excedrin finally came to my rescue!) But it was still a great, new encounter...and I got some good pictures! Props to the Delta flight attendants for being friendly and sharp.

After getting off the flight and going through Guatemalan customs (which I'm pretty sure would NOT be hard to sneak through), we met our driver outside and headed to the mall for lunch. Pizza Hut was a welcome sight. We then got the pleasure of experiencing Guatemala's CRAZY road system- apparently "Stop" doesn't communicate well with these people. Think Atlanta driving times five. The mountains are soooooo beautiful! Green, lush, and picturesque. To all photographers, this is HEAVEN!

We visited a marketplace with all sorts of colorful purses, hackey sacks (sp?), blankets, etc for sale. As part of the financial exchange, Guatemalan vendors expect to do a little bartering. You can easily get someone down 40% from their original price, which is helpful info for a newbie like me.

A few random things that I've noticed:

• The architecture is similar to Bridge Street Town Center or Savannah, GA. BEAUTIFUL!
• "Policemen" with 12-gauge shotguns are at every corner.
• Guatemalans seem to "perk up" whenever they see Americans. Based on my first impression, it appears they have this view of us that screams, "Oh look, Americans! They're rich and might buy something!" (which is not always true). Every vendor in the marketplace kept a special eye on us and constantly said, "I make special price for you!!!" It was sweet but also heartbreaking to realize what the world thinks we Americans are.
• Restaurants are faster and more efficient here. The work ethic of the Guatemalan people is incredible and I've noticed it on just our first day!

The Lord is already working on my heart personally about several things and I will try to post more about that later in the week. Simply being here for one day has caused me to "re-examine" my view of God and my idea of how we should spread the Gospel. There is so much need in the world and I desperately want to have my eyes opened to the lost and the broken- not just in the US and Guatemala, but all over the world! This is also my desire for all of the Church and I hope you will join me in prayer for our hearts and minds.

And because pictures are worth a thousand words... (Sorry for the low-quality iPhone pictures. When I get enough time, I will put some photos from my camera up.)

There are motorcycles everywhere!

The market.

A "taxi" here in Guatemala. Can you say tiny?

Update June 30th 2010- Atlanta, GA

Upon arriving at our hotel in Atlanta, we headed over to Ruby Tuesday for some yummy burgers. Then we hit Target for some last-minute supplies and now we're about to drop after a long day of traveling.

We fly out tomorrow morning at 9:30 for Guatemala. The flight will last about four hours and I am a little bit nervous (strange!). I've not been nervous until now, so I'm not sure what to make of it. Anyway, I will be giving another update tomorrow night from Guatemala! For now, here's a sneak peek from the wedding I did with Katie Fletcher (click here for her portfolio):