Tuesday in Zacapa

April 10 activities on and around campus . . .   (Jeana)
7 a.m. campus wide devotion and praise and worship time in the cafeteria.
8:30 a.m. leave for Oasis to spend some time with Dulce.  We stayed there for a couple of hours talking to her and playing soccer with the other students at school there.  Can you imagine foreigners showing up basically unannounced at a private school in Dallas and just joining in the day?  Our kids jumped right into the phys. ed. class and started playing soccer with the kids.  We had snack time with Dulce with Josue interpreting for us.  We learned new things about her and she learned more about us.  She looks good.  Being able to go to school at Oasis this year is a very good thing for her.  Erin and Javier run a great school.
Afterwards, we returned to HOH campus and had lunch.  Got a little bit of school work and chores done.  Santiago was a walking zombie so he had a nap.  Daveed had drums practice down at the school, we are so thankful that the school is quite a ways from all the other houses ;).
The screen guys came by with German and Josue and measured and gave us an estimate for getting screens put on Casa Patsy - you think the June bugs are bad in Texas - wow, I have never experienced anything quite like the population here.  Apparently, there are melon fields just outside the walls here and June bug larva (grub worms) thrive in melon fields.   So, screens will be a welcome addition.
4:00 is phys.ed. class on campus so it was back to more soccer for Sarah, Daveed and Santiago.  While Steve, Wil and myself took our first solo gringo trip into Zacapa for groceries.  We should have been gone about 30 minutes.  We got back to campus around 8 p.m.  (in the dark - yikesaroo).  I'll have to blog about the funeral procession that we got tangled up in later.  I just wouldn't do the story justice here with what time I have now.  So, first of all, we ran into Sam from House uno.  He patiently schooled us on some confusing grocery items.  Then we ran in to Pedro from House tres he is our ever patient guardian and adviser while we are here.  He continued schooling us on a few more confusing grocery store happenings but then he left.  Checking out without an interpreter was like a 3 stooges episode.  The checker speaks no English and well, you know . . .   our Espanol . . .
Apparently, you need some type of numero to check out . . . well, you don't really "need" it but you are "supposed" to have it . . . some what like a frequent shopper card but vastly different from a frequent shopper card . . . still really don't know what the number is for or who tracks it or where one acquires it or why one "needs"/"doesn't need" said numero but just know that this numero thing is going to trip me up the entire time that I am here . . .
Anyway, get check out with our $2,450.00 Q in groceries and get them loaded into the truck.  Steve decides that it is time that I drive . . . I'm going to have to do it sooner or later and the time was now.  You have to understand.  The parking lot is tight.  Very tight.  Small, un pequeno.  And, packed with cars and motorcycles.  Every motorcycle has 3 Senora's and 2 ninos and 4 bags of groceries and they are all moving.  The truck is a 5 speed and Wil is standing up in the bed of the truck.  Traffic is everywhere and there is an armed guard holding a gigantic gun watching me.  Pressure. No divertido por mi.
Driving out of the parking lot, u-turn,  and then we see Santos waiting for the bus.  Stop.  Santos needs a ride back to campus.  No problemo.  Wait.  Santos needs to run into the Maxi Despinsa for a few things.  Okay, I'll just turn around.  Wait.  Cars, trucks, motorcycles, dogs, pedestrians, kids, horns honking (in a friendly way).  No,  I'll just drive "around the block".  Nope, city not laid out in a grid and there are goats and chickens in the road. . .   well, I'll just drive down here and turn around.  Wait, is that Rosemery?!  Walking alone done this road?  Stop, let Steve out to speak with her.  I'll just go turn around.  Nope, narrow street, dogs, trucks.  I'll just drive down around the block.  Nope, remember no grid.  Getting dark now.  Wil, still standing in the back of the truck.  I am going to have to turn this truck around.  Right here so I don't lose sight of Steve and Rosemery on that darkening spooky street.  Where is the only place remotely wide enough to do this?  The street sort of "splits" because half goes up the hill to the right and half goes down the hill to the left.  Sigh.  Here I go in this 5 speed that I just started driving 5 minutes ago.  Up, back, down, back, Senoras selling bananas right on the edge of the road decide they better move their ENTIRE stand  - good call on their part.  Wil leaning in from the back, "Mom, you have got to calm down and get this done.  Don't run over the banana ladies."
Whew, get turned around with no casualties.  Find Steve and Rosemery on the ever darkening street. Tough counsel and prayer with a lost, scared girl.  Did I mention the ever darkening street.  Wait, don't we need to go get Santos?   Can't leave this precious girl here on this street . . . prayer, decision.  Very, scary street.  Rosemery is hugged one last time, Lord, how can I leave her here?
Back to find Santos.  Don't forget this is our FIRST trip into town.  Solo gringos.  Darkness.  Don't find Santos. I have to turn the keys over to Steve at this point.  Very dark, people, chickens, dogs.  We find our way back to campus.  The guard at the gate (speaks no english), "Santie, alli"  Say what?  Through hand signals we figure out Santos has called and we are to go back for him.  Say what?  Are you remembering that Sarah, Daveed, and Santiago have been without us this whole time.  Groceries unloaded.  Kids rounded up.  Back to town.  Santos found and brought back.  Dinner started.  Showers. Dishes by hand.  Prayers.  Kids in bed.  Did I mention I did "laundry" today to.  Not like its done in Texas.   So, that was this day.  Our 4th day on campus.  Sixth day in Guatemala.