GUATEMALA - April 10

What a day! What a God!

I truly believe I could end the blog this way today, but I know I have many people wanting to know, "what happened?" and "where’s my baby?", so I will continue.

I have to say, God has gifted each person on this trip with a special ability, whether they know it or not, and we would not have been able to do all that was accomplished without the help of each one. No matter how old or young, or female or male, or how talented you may or may not be, God has made each and everyone one of us special and a part of a body that can do something more amazing as a whole than alone. God’s word says, “The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up only one body. So it is with the body of Christ.” 1 Corinthians 12:12.

Spicy helped us start this morning just right. She led us in a beautiful devotion reminding us God is love.  We are to share this love with the needy children at the Center, because we are needy and God is kind to us. This truly opened our eyes and prepared our hearts to show compassion to so many children that we had never even met before.


After a scenic trip to the Malnutrition Center, we jumped off the bus in the cool mountain air and had a quick photo shot of all of us together. We then jumped right into action lugging loads and loads of donations off the truck.  No quicker that the blink of an eye we were we surrounded by children wanting to be held and loved.


Amazingly enough, the children went first to the young girls on our team. They were happy to see others at their level.  The need was so great, however, that everyone began to pitch in immediately. With around 70 children in our care the only thing to do is divide and conquer, so we sent groups into each area, the Canaries, Bunnies, Chicks, Squirrels, and Ducks.


Not only did we have the children we were already expecting, but also (as I have come to realize lately, everything around us is changing) we had tons of transitions in all of the rooms...
two new additions came in to the Canary room, Mirian and Keyci, both 2 months old, and one of them weighing only 5 pounds;
four Canaries (Jamilett, Sucena, Marta and Lesvia) were bumped up to the Bunnies;
two Bunnies (Samuel and Cindy) were bumped up to the Chicks;
one Chick (Abelardo) was bumped up to the Ducks;
and one Chick (Vilma Leticia) was bumped up to the Squirrels!  Changes! Changes!


One change that made everyone happy was that our beloved Maria Asuncion and little Aura are  home from the hospital!


Let’s just say this was a busy day, I have no clue how we kept them all in their right rooms…oh yeah, it’s because the Malnutrition Center has such an amazing staff and we have two awesome translators, Olivia and Alejandra!


Even with all the movement going on with the kids, we were able to try out some new activities as well. Julie Boyd and her team had a puppet show for the kids; they loved it!  Dena and her traveling Rec. team worked on different physical activities with each age group. 


Also, the new playground is on its way up!  Thank you to First Baptist of Naples and First Baptist Palmetto for making this project possible!  The Ducks can already look out their window and see the roof going up. They keep repeating to us, “Mira! Mira!” (Look!  Look!)  Aren't they going to be happy when they actually get to play on it this Thursday!


We were also able to unpack the supply bags and see what everyone had donated…clothes, shoes, diapers, wipes, medicine, vitamins, and toys. Thank you!  And by the way, thank you to all of you who supported the Diaper Drive, these diapers are needed…just ask Julie and Rhonda how blessed they were today.  Whew!


Team members went into full action using what God has gifted them with, and we were blessed. Think about it...if we had only puppeteers, who would hold the babies?  If we had only an activities group, who would love the lost?  If we had baby holders, who would feed the toddlers? If we had only….well you get the picture, you are needed, too. “Suppose the whole body were an eye-then how would you hear? Or if your whole body were one big ear, how could you smell anything?” 1 Corinthians 12:17.

The next time you are thinking, “What can I do with my talents?” make sure to consider coming on one of the Orphan’s Heart Mission Trips, God can use you here or anywhere we are working!