Feliz Dia De La Madre

(Jeana)
Sunday, We picked up Dulce and Estella and brought them to church with us followed by lunch all together.  Precious and relationship building time.  Estella was noticeably nervous about having lunch with us.  She said it was because she had never been invited to a big family dinner like that . . . and that she wasn't sure about how to use the silverware and condiments . . . she is 60 years old.  We had a chance to learn quite a bit about Estella.  She was displaced here in Zacapa after hurricane Mitch back in 2000.  Her family situation is hard to decipher.  Originally, she told us that she had 3 children that were all living illegally in the U.S.  Sunday, she said she had a daughter living in the Puerto Barrios area so a bit of a question mark there.  She has mentioned a husband but we couldn't quite catch if that was a past or present situation.  Dulce speaks of many "uncles".  We just press on.  Patiently getting to know them.   I can tell you that while we were in church, I watched little Dulce with raised tiny hands singing and worshiping God and I knew that we were all exactly where we were supposed to be at that moment - worshiping together.  
Sunday night - we ate from our first street vendor.  We had Tortilla de Harina's.  (stay tuned)
Monday - Steve left for the states.  The rest of us spent the morning at Oasis Christian School helping Dulce's class do a Mother's day craft.  That craft - it was so complex for first graders.  Had I been in the states I would grumble.  I'm not into crafts for kids that the kids can't actually do.  But, in this instance that crazy craft graced us with more time with Dulce and her class.  (I will post pics later).
Wil was ill most of Monday.  (remember the street vendor?)
Tuesday - Mother's Day in Guatemala.  It caught me and mom by surprise. We knew it was coming up but it's supposed to be on a Sunday and I guess we figured that it was only a U.S. thing anyway.  Also, we are so removed from most things customary for us right now that I'm sure the Hallmark holiday would have slipped right by unnoticed.  Well, it didn't.  The kids had been scheming and working behind the adults' back to put together a program.  And, wow, what a program.  These kids here have been rescued and they all know it.  They are grateful.  They have difficult stories to tell of how they came to be here but they are so grateful for being rescued.  They had decorated the "church" with giant posters, balloons, music, snacks.  They all either recited scripture, sang a song, wrote a poem, or danced.  All of it came from their heart.  Many in tears.  Not a dry eye in the house.  I never in my wildest dreams ever considered that I would ever spend a mother's day in an orphanage. 
God is good.

An update on Luis Jr.:  All that were with him in that hospital say that they witnessed a miracle.  Upon arrival at the hospital he was completely unresponsive.  He had fixed open and staring eyes and his pupils were not responding to stimuli.  That hospital room was filled with about 20 missionaries and pastors all praying for him. After an hour or so his eyes started darting around back and forth, back and forth but still no signs of life.  After another hour his eyes stabilized and it looked like he was staring again.  After another hour he started very barely responding to pain.  After another hour he was responding ever so slightly to commands to wiggle his fingers/toes.  During all of this the young man/best friend who had been driving had gotten out of his hospital bed and rigged his IV and had snuck through a "window" (remember this is a "hospital") to be at the bedside of his life long friend.  He was so torn up through this accident.  In the midst of all of this the team of pastors and missionaries led this young man to the Lord.  The room was a constant vigil through that entire night.  As of today, Luis is out of the hospital but not out of the woods.  His recovery will be long.  Continue to pray for him.  We will keep you posted.

 BTW, it was so hot here today that the balloons that were at the party kept exploding during the performances.  Now, that is hot.


Va Pues.    (that's a Guatemalan slang term for "bye, be well" - you won't find it in any dictionary)