Orphan's Heart International: GUATEMALA

FROM THE MOUTHS OF BABES...

The week came to a bittersweet ending as we celebrated Abby's 12th birthday and Elizabeth's 15th birthday. We had a pinata and cake and ice cream. The children enjoyed the party, but we all held back tears knowing it was the last time we would hold them, at least for a while. Many of us are already planning to come back in a few months. The team this week was an incredible, hardworking group! We bonded together like family.

Among the hardest workers of our team were seven young ladies under the age of 15. Here, in their own words, is what the trip was all about:

ABBY: My favorite part of the week was when we gave the little girls the dolls because they were so excited, and l loved them. They held them and wrapped them in blankets. When we were leaving and Miguel told me to lean down, he kissed my cheek; it was the hardest thing I did. The next hardest thing I had to do was when we had to go in the bathroom with the ducks and get them to go to the bathroom after lunch. The trip changed me. I think I won’t be as demanding. It will make me accept what I have because they have so much and I have so little. It will make me be more accepting. I hope that they will remember me as the girl who really loves them and wants to help them. I really liked being in Guatemala on my birthday. It was really fun, and I helped the kids. It is something I will remember forever. But, it was also very hard to leave. It is kind of funny that you grow so attached to them in just a few days. If you are thinking about going, it is hard at the beginning and the end, but you enjoy it because you know you are making an impact. You are not just going and doing something. You are actually making a difference in a child’s life.

KENNEDY: It really amazed me at the end of the day yesterday, a little girl named Victoria, she doesn’t know how to eat by herself, but when I gave her the ice cream to feed her, she really liked it. I showed her how to hold the spoon and then, she fed herself. It amazed me that she could learn that in just a couple of spoonfuls--that she knew how to do that, and I helped teach her. I loved Mikaela, too. I hope Mikaela remembers that I was the one who helped make her stop crying. The hardest part of the week was leaving. It was really hard for me because when I was saying goodbye, it was hard for both me and Mikaela. She made me feel like she felt special every time I put her arms around me. It was hard for us to separate. She was my favorite (even though we weren’t supposed to have favorites!). My favorite part of the day was when we had playtime. I liked to play and dance with the babies. They loved being spun around to the music. I would say to someone thinking about going to Guatemala, it will change your life. It is a good thing to do and will change the way that you see life. You have more than you think. It is so hard for the nannies, but they work hard and need help. There are so many children to be walked with and played with. They need love. They need you. It is a life changing thing.

EMILY: My favorite thing was getting to know all the kids and seeing how different it is. When we got there, we put the fences up to keep the chicks in their play area. Then we went to see if the children were done with their bath. I would clean mattresses and change sheets. I would play with them, give snack, check diapers, have lunch, check diapers, have nap and then, check diapers. During their nap, you cleaned toys and mats. I loved all the children and none were my favorites, but I really liked Luis Fernando. He was just starting to walk and by the end of the week, he was dropping my hands and walking on his own. Maria also changed so much. At first she didn’t like anyone, but by the end of the week, she loved everyone. They were so sweet and loving. It is interesting to see the changes at the end of the week from just a few days. I loved it when we got out all the balls. They loved playing with the balls. I will remember the rest of my life when we got out the books and there were always four children who wanted to come and sit on my lap and listen. They don’t get that much time to read or have someone hold them. There is no one to read to them because the nannies are too busy and they don’t have enough nannies. They need more nannies. They would be able to give them more love. Luis needs more love. I would tell someone who is thinking about going to Guatemala, you have to be ready to get emotional, but also to be loved and love on them. It is fun to play and mess around with them. It is something that you should do.

ILIANA: My favorite thing was doing the play. We acted out Daniel and the Lion’s Den. Everyone decided what they wanted to be. Danny was the lion, and he was a mean lion. I was scared. The kids were scared. The hardest thing I did was have to leave. It was hard because I really miss the children. I also loved dancing with the kids. I also loved it when I went to Billy to say good bye and he said, “Yeah” because Billy didn’t talk all week. Flory, Billy and William were my favorites. I would tell someone who is going that it is really fun and that it is exciting to play with the children. But it is really sad to go home and say goodbye. I want to go back again. I want to see the children again. They feel like my brothers and sisters. If I could do one thing I would do a play for them again. It was good that they got to smile. It was a really good experience. I got to help the kids.

MARY EMMA: My favorite thing was seeing all the kids and seeing them smile even though they don’t have a lot of good things, they still smile. That was amazing to me. My favorite child was Maria. She was my favorite because she would hold up her hands to me to pick her up and hug her. She would ask me to do her hair. My favorite thing to do was singing for them. I liked it when they clapped their hands. I would tell someone thinking about coming that it would be a great time and you would actually have your life changed forever. I would like to go back to see the children again and to learn more about what they do. I would like to see them grow up. It was important for us to do this because God wanted us to do it and He had it all figured out. He had a plan for me to go and be with those children this week. If I would change something to the Center, I would actually have time to tell about God when they grow up. I want to go to Guatemala again, but I want to go other places, too, like Haiti.

ELIZABETH: My favorite part of the week was the middle of the week when we had everything under control. We knew what we were supposed to do. It was hard at first, because we didn’t know what to do, and all the kids were not friendly. It changed when they got to know us. I liked that Maria didn’t want to know us so I tried really, really hard to make her like me. I loved how on the last day she laughed and smiled and she was happy and walked. If I could change something I would have more workers there to help, then it would be easier for everyone. More teams need to go. The hardest thing was the first and last days. I loved the last day, but it was a bittersweet day. I got to have my birthday in Guatemala. It was fun. I loved the firecrackers. I loved that they made it a very big deal. Zip lining was incredible, too. I cried because it was so beautiful. I would tell anyone who wants to come that you have to be ready to let go and give up some things. Be prepared to see God. I saw God in the scenery and in the smiles of the children even though they have been through so much. I know God makes them happy. I wanted to go because I went to camp last summer, and we had someone talk about missions and how it is so wonderful. I wanted to go ever since then. I would never have thought I could go to Guatemala. It helped a lot that the church helped to pay for my trip and also my friends and family gave money. I saw God fixing people’s hearts. He fixed mine and changed mine, too.

DALLAS: My favorite part of the week was every day between the second and last day. The first and last days are hardest. I wanted to work, but there was a tour to do first. I wanted to jump in and change diapers and hold babies. I wanted to kiss on babies. I have a lot of favorites. My favorites chose me. Maria chose me. Kaylee accepted me, too. She crawled in my lap. Josea is awesome. Gerson is sweet. I talked to the doctor about his history and he told me a lot. Edwin is adorable. I feel so bad for Aura. I cannot believe she is six months old because she is so small. I moved around a lot in the Center and got to all the places there. I liked the Canaries best because the bed babies are there. If I could change one thing about the Center, I would get a coke machine. If I could tell people thinking of going to Guatemala one thing, I would tell them, do it. It is awesome and life changing. Don’t pass up the opportunity. You do not know when it is coming again. God puts opportunities in your path. Use them. It is your fault if you do not. The hardest thing was to leave. It was about killing me. I thought I would have to be knocked out and dragged on the bus. I left at least half my heart in Guatemala. It was life changing. I think God is using it to awaken my heart. It brought us all closer together, and I think that God is calling me to help show people Jesus loves you. I realized that this week. If I can do that by kissing one baby or changing one diaper, that is what I will do.