Saturday July 30th, part 2

Here are some more pictures of the trip so far...it has been a blessing to us and hopefully through us to some degree as well.

View from our residence:

Local fruit called a...can't remember.

Volcan de Agua...viewed from Volcan Pacaya

Guatemalan bbq (the Carne is already gone)

 Family Team

Morning Worship with all 280 students!

July 30th, 2016 - Final Few days.

So we've missed a few weeks of posting! Sorry. On July 19th our Family Trip team arrived from Canada to join us in Guatemala. July 19th to 29th was a whirl-wind of ministry, fellowship, renewed and new friendships, and blessings. Here are some very quick updates from the Family Trip time :) 

 July 19th, walking down the hill after morning at the school with our Family Team. Matthew & his 3 daughters, Terry & Jennie and their 3 daughters, Berto, Mack, and team lead Kat. Obviously, Eden and Clara (holding hands) made friends quickly.

 Ruins on July 20th (I forget which ones). 

 Family photo in Ruins in Antigua. Built in 17th century.

 Kat and Eden (right before they got in trouble for sitting on the statue's area.

 Day 2 at Luna de Miel restaurant...crepes, Eden with Nutella everywhere. 

 Hike to the Cross on the hill, overlooking Antigua

More to post soon!!

Week 2 Blog - July 17th 2016:

A series of snippets:

Monday and Tuesday this past week Seth and Heath were on the construction site helping with the building of the new high school. They were scraping dried cement off window bars.

On Wednesday, Heath pulled a back muscle – a small tweak from nothing in particular…just turning as he walked. He has done this before in Canada, but this time it was pretty intense. So he went straight to bed, found a comfy spot and stayed there for most of the day. Thursday the kids and I headed up the hill, Seth carrying the back pack to fill in for daddy missing (sweet boy). Thankfully, both Thursday and Friday, we got a ride up the hill! Once by one of the school buses and once in the back of a pick-up (gotta love Guatemala and this small community). 

Thursday afternoon, when we got back from school, Heath was up and about moving carefully but moving well. So Friday Heath came back up the hill with us, but didn’t carry the backpack and did school material prep stuff to keep care of his back. Friday evening the Canadian summer students and Heath played cards while the kids and I caught up on sleep J .

Saturday morning, while walking up the stairs in the compound, Heath moved slightly to one side and basically collapsed to the ground with pain. It was very unexpected and he gradually made it back to bed….where he stayed, unable to get up until Sunday morning when we decided to take him to the hospital I’ll come back to this later).

Saturday – Eden and I went into Antigua on the chicken bus to get medicine for daddy and get some groceries. It was the busiest bus ride EVER! On the way home, we were carrying 2 pizzas (they have Little Caesar’s Hot & Ready here, lol), a bag of groceries and a backpack. I shoved Eden into a seat with 2 Guatemalan ladies and stood beside her with my leg keeping her in the seat and holding on to the bar on the ceiling to stabilize myself. When we finally got to our stop, 6 people had to get off the stairs to let us off! Eden and I laughed most of the way...especially every time I slammed the backpack into her head, oops.

A little cultural difference: So, I’m not a very tall lady in Canada. I’m generally shorter than many and don’t really mind. I get the nickname “little Di” often and that fits me well, most of the time.  Well, this past Saturday on the bus, I experienced feeling like a giant. I was at least a head taller than every other lady on the bus and definitely taller than all of the men. When the Guatemalans sit in the bus seats, they sit 3 to a seat, no problem, and their heads barely go 3 inches above the seats…I on the other hand sit a full head above the seats and sitting with Eden on my lap, have to squish to let the 2 other Guatemalans join me in the seat…lol. Lots of fun and thank goodness for the blasting techno music to keep us bopping the whole ride.

Back to Heath’s back. At the hospital on Sunday, they gave him an injection of muscle relaxant and a prescription. He is feeling MUCH better. Taking the bed rest and should be back to ‘light duties’ by tomorrow. Amazing. 

Through this trial, which seemed so huge just a few days ago, we have once again seen God’s grace in our lives. Obviously, when Heath was first in pain, I thought “okay, no big deal, he will sleep it off and be okay”. Then as things weren’t improving those crazy thoughts start to enter your mind…what if he has nerve damage? How do we get him home if he can’t stand up? What if he has this injury for a very long time? Heath maintained a very positive attitude through most of the lying there trying not to move. It allowed him time to read a book, pray and read the Word. I too was able to stay joyful mostly…until Sunday when the circumstances seemed insurmountable. How do I care for two kids and Heath while in another country? Why is this happening? Through this, I know that God had not changed. In my frustration with the uncertainty of Heath’s back, I let myself get grumpy and caught up in the thoughts. But by Sunday afternoon, after the hospital trip and a sense that Heath’s back issue was on the mend, I was no longer grumpy but joyfully baking muffins. Then at Church, the message that I needed to hear was spoken (of course). God is good and wants to give good gifts to his children (He is in fact a fantastic Father). He doesn’t change. His nature is good. He is good and loving. Our circumstances, thoughts and emotions change (by the minute sometimes)…but God doesn’t change. We can rest so assured in His love and goodness. We can rest in the fact that he doesn’t change. This was a bit of a challenge this weekend, but today we are here, alive, awake, walking, eating, laughing, breathing….all of which are blessings not to be taken lightly. God is good.

VBS – Canadian students and awesome turn out

-          This past week we joined the 7 Canadian summer students in running the first VBS (Vacation Bible School) here in El Tizate - 74 children showed up!!! Every week of their 7 weeks here, they will run a 3 day VBS in a different community. Seth and Eden LOVED the VBS and were a huge help! Seth participated in the games, songs and crafts. Seth and Eden both LOVED the skits put on by the students. And Eden helped with the crafts (I helped translate how to do the crafts). This group of students have been so wonderful to be around. They have helped with Seth and Eden and just found ways to include them in everything.

        Random pictures...

Found this gal on the worksite…made sure to keep my distance!

Our Family Bedroom

Eden, Lady-like as always.

Our Family Bedroom

Main eating area in our house

Fountain in Artisan Market

 

Yard below our eating area, another family, they have chickens that the kids watch daily

Can’t seem to get away from this guy (this has to be one of the nicest McD’s in the world though).

Week one - We've been here now 1 week...the only challenge is getting to the internet, lol! 

It has been a huge blessing to be back in El Tizate. We've reconnected with many old friends and met many new ones. On the FIRST day at the school, Seth went right away to see his sponsor child Esmeling and stayed with him for worship, breakfast and recess. We were so happy (so were they). Eden has been greeting all the teachers with hugs/kisses everyday. Today, she made a picture for a teacher named Hayde, Hayde is a dear friend who we have known for ages. Eden also has been having breakfast with her sponsor child, Samantha, every morning. 

So, with the kids being so comfortable now, Heath and I have had some freedom to be able to serve without worrying about what the kids are doing! 

Today - Seth and Heath started working on the construction site. Eden helped the Canadian student team prepare crafts for a VBS. I went to a couple of classes and tried to fix up some of the school books. We need MORE books in Spanish here at the school! Amazing how much has been purchased or donated but so much more would be helpful. 

Our stash of gold-fish crackers and granola bars have been perfect – the kids eat one per day which is great because they are eating all the other food so well. We’ve had delicious mangos, pinas, strawberries, watermelon, and lychees. At lunch we eat what the school cook makes, and she always makes a juice or liquado (smoothy) with fresh fruit...yum.  Of course we have corn tortillas at each lunch and normally rice with some chicken or meat and veggies. All very delicious and typical Guatemalan.

We’ve been eating with Clara for suppers – which is incredible! She knows the kids so well and so far has made them hamburgers, pizza, pasta, and fried chicken with homemade fries…not typical Guatemalan but delicious and the kids look forward to going to her house. As Eden says “I love Clara’s house, it is ALL inside” and Seth “Clara is the best cook, I wonder what she will cook today?” (Asking at 7am in the morning, lol).

This past Saturday. we went into Antigua (the main tourist city). We were worried that the kids would be tired from so much walking and bored with the market, BUT they were perfect! They loved it and didn't complain at all. We joined the Canadian students for a tour of the Ruins and Cathedral. The Cathedral and catacombs were interesting.... In Guatemala Catholicism is a mix of Mayan spirituality (worshiping starts, sun, and moon and sacrificing alcohol and tobacco to saints) with Catholicism. So the Catholic churches have many idols and statues that they worship and hold many parades that involve sacrifying alcohol to the statues. It is difficult to explain. Needless to say, seeing the beautiful Cathedral and the ruins from the rest of the Cathedral that was created in the 1500s, was incredible. 

Horse ride tour through Antigua :)

   

Sleep - the kids fall asleep here so quickly and easily here – they wake up between 5:30 and 6:30 which is perfect because we have to be walking up the hill at 7am. 

School and worship - we start our morning at 7:30am at the school signing songs to God. It is a beautiful time together and refreshing way to start our days. Again, I'm always struck by the devotion of Christians here...they pray daily for the sponsors, the teachers, and the founders of the school. They are so grateful for God for all He has done in their lives. 

Heath and I were here in El Tizate, the small town, over 12 years ago...and honestly , it is a miracle and work of God, all that has grown and changed here. Again, so difficult to explain. This town was dirt roads and few homes, now has brick roads and many homes that have proper ventilation. So many people who were hungry, are now fed. 

-         

      On Friday, Eden came to class with me for Grade 1 and SK – she took a spelling test and did a worksheet, both of which she enjoyed. The kids in the class were helping her a lot. At recess Heath pushed multiple kids on swings, over and over. All day, Seth participated in almost every gym class…basketball, soccer, dodge ball – he was sweaty!

Sorry for the disjointed blog message...I've started and stopped this blog many times...lol and then now finally have made my way to internet :) 

Hope all is well in Canada! Love and blessings from Diane & family :) 

Other pictures...after church on Sunday we went to Luna de Miel, a crepe house, and Eden had Nutela Waffles....the rest of us were a little more adventurous! 

Seth showing off the Lychee from the tienda across from where we stay

The kids trying Incaparina de Chocolate (a delicious and healthy drink created by a Guatemalan)....so Heath and I will end up drinking most of it!

And away we go...2016 Trip!

July 1st, 2016

We are on our way back to Guatemala to serve with Global Shore Opportunities again! Heath and I (Diane) will be doing our best to update photos on this blog spot. All the old posts on here are from 2011, when we spent 3 months in Guatemala with Seth (3 at the time) and Eden (3months old at the time). We have been back to Guatemala 2 other times (2013 and 2014). Now - we return as a family with Seth (age 8) and Eden (age 5).

July 4th to August 3rd, 2016 - This time we will be helping with the school and community in our Bishop way, until July 19th when we join up with a few other families to serve for 10 days with a fun schedule of serving and getting to know Guatemala :)

Seth is excited to go again to see Esmeling (his sponsor student) and to play soccer with the kids. Eden is excited to go and see Samantha and Chiquis, and to lead craft activities with the kids.

I, Diane, am excited to speak Spanish and eat the delicious food (yum cilantro and avocados).

Heath is hoping to get more active (a break from his desk job) and hang out with the Summer Students. He is hoping not to sprain an ankle this year!

We are ALL excited to start our mornings off again, as a family, hiking up a mountain to arrive to a school with 200+ kiddos and worship God in song.

On our way! Gracias a Dios por su misericordia en nuestra vida :)

The Bishops

Eden June 2016 (before our trip)
Seth - June 2016 (dressed up for Pioneer week at school)