Day Six (January 21)

Greetings again from the Tarantula Room here in beautiful Guatemala.

Day six began with – wait for it – MORE CONSTRUCTION. Chrys lead a small group in some yoga over on the patio. Still don´t know how they can bend like that! Jim D and Terri joined her.

Once again we did a shuffle of team members and went off to our various mission sites. Josh led the construction crew down at the hospital. The crew consisted of Alicia, Steve, Jay, Nicole, Rick, Preston, Thom, and Sam. No more digging in the foundations but they did get to play with Rebar!

Joanne and her group went back down to the Warehouse and sorted medicines checking expiration dates, etc. She was joined by Sarah, Terri, Chrys, Mel and Alexis. Afterwards they went to play with the babies in the nutrition center. They played until lunch but were told not to come back anymore during this afternoon or evening. Seems there is a virus going around with some of the babies so they didn´t want anyone else inside for a while. Goods News however, the young Mayan boy has gone back to his village but will be coming back in a few days for a check up.

Jim K (aka JK1) was the driving force back at the Mission house planting team. He was joined by Angie, Lori, Jessica, Katelyn, Margaret, Jim D., and myself. We were greeted once again by a LARGE pile of palms waiting at the mission house for us. Planting went pretty smoothly (No rolling any trees down the side of the mountain this time – Jim). Almost thirty more plants were planted today around the Mission House. It is starting to look like we are in the jungle up here!

After lunch, SOME of us got a little free time. Turns out they ran out of stuff to pack in the warehouse and we´ve filled all the holes they´ve dug in the rock here to plant the rest of the plants. So we shifted the crews AGAIN and some of the die-hards (Jim D. and Lori) went back to the construction site joined by a few of the planting crew while the rest took a needed break at the mission house. Well, some people rested. Rick, Mel and I zipped up to the orphanage and asked Alex (the guy who runs the orphanage) if we could take the (our)kids down to the pool for a swim. He wasn´t there but he called and we got permission to go as long as they had their homework done. SO we said we´d be back in an hour to get them once they were done. Very soon Marilis, Erika, Jorge, Victor AND Maria, Brigido, Margaro, and Julio were splashing around in the pool.

Ken

Today, Thursday, we had some free time in the afternoon because the planting team didn´t have any more holes to put the trees in, and the warehouse team had finished their work there for the day. The Molinas kids had been asking us if we could take them to the pool WHENEVER we saw them. Today was their day! The Ceta kids came too and fun times began! All eight kids had a blast playing with the Ken Johnson and Trenary family, and Sarah and Jessica. Lucas´ son from the construction site, Jorge, joined in the fun too. The group played volleyball in the pool, a little soccer outside of the pool, and jumped from hot tub to cold pool often.

Oscar, one of the mission workers treated the kids to some frozen coconuts poolside with straws inserted in the tops. These coconuts were soon split with machetes and eaten in a frenzy, especially by Victor. He was covered in coconut! They also enjoyed some snack bars and jerky. The only near casualties of the afternoon were Jorge thinking a preservative packet from the jerky was wrapped candy, and Victor downing a drink packet of Crystal Light without the drink. Kenny and Rick´s shoulders were usually found with a kid on them.

When pool time was over, we headed up to the orphanage to join the rest of our team members. The whole team split up and played various sports and games, painted fingernails in a makeshift salon, and colored and made paper airplanes. Fun was definitely had by all! Then came PIZZA PIZZA. The kids were really looking forward to it and SO excited to see its arrival. Pizzas and Pepsi disappeared in an instant. Our last treat at the orphanage was a performance by a group of the kids. They danced and sang five spirited songs for us to multiple standing ovations.

A quick stop through town for ice cream and sodas, and then it was time for the long awaited hot tub devotion night. Sam was feeling ill so I stayed at the mission house…...

Love from Guatemala,

Mel