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| Victoria |
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| Ana Lucretia |
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| Jamilet |
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| Having a tea party |
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| Mauro |
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| Luis Fernando running |
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| Maria Ascencion |
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| Cindy |
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| Elias |
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| Victoria and Maria |
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| Dairi |
The Internet was out at the hotel last night so here are two posts from yesterday and today.
Monday, October 29, 2012-Learning Humility
“Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.” Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate. Proverbs 31:29-31 (NIV)
Today, I learned humility. When I was last at the Malnutrition Center, I was with a large team of almost 40 people. Having so many helpers to care for the children allowed me to focus on serving Nanny Christy as I swept floors, cleaned potties, changed crib sheets and folded laundry. Nanny Christy was grateful for the help, and I left feeling good about myself for the time I gave to her. This trip, we have a small team of only eleven women. That means that there are only two of us in the chicks and for part of the day, my partner was called away leaving me to care for all twelve of them. Alone. I crawled around on the floor settling disputes over toys, rolling balls, playing tea party, wiping noses and serving snacks. You do not know the meaning of chaos until you have taken twelve two year olds to the potty by yourself. I lost six of them on the way to the bathroom and after I got the ones I had settled on their potties, went in search of my lost chicks only to find them back in their bedroom dismantling the changing table, pouring out shampoo and scattering wipes all over the floor. Today was Nanny Christy’s day off, and I am afraid she will be disappointed when she comes back to work tomorrow. While my heart wants to focus on her needs again, there will be no free time away from the children. This trip, they are who I will serve. Tonight, every muscle in my body aches. My hips are stiff from sitting on the cold floor, my back hurts from bending over the dressing table, and my arthritic hands cramped from repeatedly putting Samuel’s socks and shoes back on him! I had chopped beets on my pants, split milk on my shirt and I think I am permanently deaf from Dairia’s screams when Cindy took her tea cup. I honestly do not know how Nanny Christy does it twelve hours a day six days a week with no help. When I was in the bathroom with only six, wondering where the other six had gone and praying that someone, anyone would come help me, I felt incredibly humbled. I was so proud of sweeping the floor, changing a few sheets, folding a little laundry yet, Nanny Christy does all that and more every single day. Tonight, I was talking to our leader about how much in awe I am of the amount of work she does and he told me that she is worried about how much longer she will be able to work because she has such bad arthritis in her hands. And I felt ashamed to complain about my aches and pains. I thought in July that I experienced what Nanny Christy does each day, but I was wrong. I will never know exactly what her work entails. But, if I base my beliefs upon those few minutes alone in the bathroom with six, then, finally twelve, toddlers squalling on their potties, Nanny Christy is my hero. And a much better, stronger woman than I am.
Tuesday, October 30, 2012-Finding Joy
Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically.Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality. Romans 12:11-13 (NLT)
I sit here shaking my head over what a wonderful day we had at the Malnutrition Center today. I shake my head because no one in their right mind, including me would believe the full measure of joy I felt today surrounded by twelve little brown faces with their butts firmly planted on little pots as I served alongside Nanny Christy today. I am going to try to explain it, but it may be one of those moments when you had to be there. Or maybe you had to be me. Yesterday was wild and overwhelming as our small group struggled to take care of 70 or more children hungry for not only food, but love. It took me back to my first visit to the center in January of 2011 when there were just five of us and I sat on a mat and cried for two days while one child after another crawled up on my lap for snuggling and affection. That was the trip when Billy’s plight broke my heart, the trip when I fell in love with a country and a people with weathered faces and kind servant’s hearts. That was the trip when my life completely changed. Today, some of my new friends on the team came to help me with the chicks and Nanny Christy was back from her day off so things in the banos were going quite smoothly. I had time to notice what I did not see yesterday. The Playtex gloves that I used on my trip to Guatemala in July were still sitting by the sink tucked away in their zip lock bag. And I couldn’t help but wonder, “What has Nanny Christy thought every day when she sees those gloves sitting there? Did she think of me? Did she wonder where I was? Or was she too busy to think of anything but cleaning the next bottom, washing the next head, tying the next pair of shoes? Was she as overwhelmed as I was yesterday all alone with that sea of toddlers?” For me, it was a very moving moment. I did have some small opportunities to serve Nanny Christy today, helping to change sheets, scrub pots and fold laundry. And I was amazed to realize that I am as joyful here doing those tasks as I am anywhere else on this earth. All my life, my work, my play, my service lead me to this one place. And that is why I sit here shaking my head in amusement and awe. Some other highlights include:
Watching Luis Fernando, who could not walk a year ago, run across the playground.
Ana Lucretia who was so sick when we were here in July is still small, but a happy little girl who likes to wrap her baby doll in a blanket and serve pretend tea from cups she carries on a tray.
Billy put a puzzle together in a flash and then, helped his neighbor do his.
Maria Ascension can walk with the assistance of her new child sized walker.
Seeing how much the children love the new playground that our church helped to provide.
Nanny Christy’s smile when she found me taking clothes off the line and folding them for her.
New friends, sisters in Christ, who I did not know just three days ago.
Meeting David and Glynis Miller who are missionaries here in Antigua tonight and hearing their story.
Trading potty stories on the bus on the way home.
Touring the jade museum and hearing about the Mayan culture and realizing how important our work here is to the future of Guatemala.
It was just another great day in Guatemala.
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