GUATEMALA - April 11

Compassion: Seeing needs.

Compassionate: Seeing the needs of about 70 children at the Guatemala Malnutrition Center and using everything within yourself and God’s extra strength to do everything possible.

Today God truly opened our eyes to see Him at work around us. We made it to the Center bright and early and got to work as quickly as we could. Four of us jumped back on the bus and went to the market in San Juan to grab sturdier baskets to put the food and supplies in that we will be distributing to the 50 families who come to visit their children on Friday. When I say market, I’m not talking about your roadside stand that sells strawberries and shortcakes; I’m talking about a flea market of sorts that sells everything from boiled crow, to dried iguana, to Leg of Cow (with hair and hoof included) to fine jewelry and pots and pans. This was amazing!

Back at the Center the other ladies were busy cleaning dirty diapers (the beans and rice the day before must have really been good!) and holding crying babies (it seems all of our attention may have spoiled them some). However, the nannies have really begun to warm up to us now. They try and communicate with us as best as possible, and in my case they think I can speak a lot more Spanish than I actually can. (I’m not sure if this is a blessing or a curse, but most of the time I just smile and nod.) We even got a chance to meet the mom of Samuel in the Chicks (yes, Samuel is now a Chick!). She comes on Wednesday's instead of Friday because she is unable to come on the weekend. It was great getting to see how much these children are loved, not only by us, but also by the nannies and their own families as well.

Today was also special a special day, because Shannon, one of the young women in our team, was celebrating her birthday, and we were so happy to celebrate with her. Throughout the day we tried to give her a birthday wish for each year of her life. For her benefit I will keep her age to myself. Wink, wink! Some of our birthday wishes were: singing Happy Birthday in English and Spanish and Romanian, throwing her a Fiesta at the Center with a piñata and the kids' help. (Dulce, the doctor on our team, just loved the fact we were giving toddlers hard candy and lollipops and not thinking twice about it!) and giving her a standing “O”! 

After lunch, a group of about 9 of us began an assembly line to divvy up all the rice, beans, toilet paper, salt, sugar, oil, snacks, and who can forget the chocolate, into the 50 baskets we got. By the time we were done, it honestly felt like we had witnessed Jesus and the feeding of the 5000 because the food just kept coming and coming!  We can't wait to bless the families on Friday!

Another feat happened today in the Canaries: Elizabeth, one of the little girls that was brought to the center 4 days ago had been refusing to eat, so Shelby Land devoted her attention to little Elizabeth all day, at one point feeding her with a dropper. By the end of the day Shelby was able to get her to take her first full bottle. Thank you Lord! 

Also, Maria Asuncion in the Chicks, who has had a rough go since her hospital visit, began to smile and take a few steps with the help of one of our team members.  Your prayers are being heard!

I can’t forget about the amazing work our Staff Devotion leaders are doing with all the ladies of the Center.  Today the staff truly began to open up and grow closer together.

At dinner we had 2 special surprises: our dear friend and teammate Ann O’hara was able to be back with us after she fell ill yesterday and had to stay at the hotel all day, and a wonderful birthday cake was delivered complete with a Happy Birthday song in Spanish to wish Shannon happy birthday one more time. 

In our WOW! time to end our day, our eyes were opened to see the amazing grace that God poured on us today.

Hasta Luego  and Buenos Noches!