Day 7

Bienvenida a Miércoles!

First, I need to make a correction regarding my post from Day 6 regarding Omara. Omara actually lost three children; she lost two of them early in the preganancy (spontaneous abortions), and the third one died at age 10 from a Rotovirus.

Okay, let's move on to today's events. Every Wednesday morning Pastor Leonel has devotion with the staff at the mission (Myra, Gilma, Andrea, Graciela, Amy, and Pastor Leonel's wife, Johanna participates as well. Devotion started around 8:30 a.m. Pastor Leonel examined a scripture with us, and prayed for us as a group and individually. Johanna led the group in songs and prayed as well. This midweek devotion strengthens the team and recharges them for the work ahead, and at the same time allows them to discuss and seek prayer for any issues on their minds. This team is cohesive and so, so powerful! I wish you could see them in action.

After devotion, Amy and I bagged more beans and corn to prepare for the Feeding Program on Thursday. Myra informed me that because I decided to come visit when I did, the money I paid for my stay here helped purchase the food to be given away on Thursday. Otherwise, the food given away on Tuesday would've been all that was given out this week. The Feeding Program takes place every Tuesday and Thursday.

In addition to the Feeding Program, the mission celebrates the birthdays of the kids in the program every quarter. Amy and I went through a few bags of toys and hats sorting them to give out to the kids who had birthdays this quarter. Everything was donated by Kelly's church, and there was plenty to go around. The boys received a hat or a truck if they were very young. The girls received Beanie Babies or other stuffed animals and things for their hair.

Later in the afternoon, Myra and I went to her office to see what else she needed me to assist her with. We worked together to update her contacts to her new email system and then I gave her a crash course on how it operates. I thin I talked her into automating more of her processes. I'll have to get an update from Amy to see how that goes.

Tomorrow, I assist with the birthday celebration and take photos, review a spreadsheet application with Amy, and teach Gilma how to flat iron Myra's hair. I forgot to mention that I flat ironed Myra's hair last week. She got a new hairdo when she went to the States and wants to try it out for a while.

I'm not sure if I mentioned it or not, but Kelly's church also gave soccer balls and cleats or tennis to all of the boys in the program.

More photos to come.

Thanks for reading. I hope you're enjoying my journal and are inspired in some way. Come back Thursday and again on Saturday as I wrap up my experience here in Guatemala.