Hi everyone, this is Kevin writing from the comfort of the Hotel Casa de las Fuentes in Antigua. We arrived here this afternoon about 4pm after a full day of travel across Guatemala.
First, thank you Denise for posting for this blog while we were in Rio Dulce.
Where do we start with an update?? Yesterday we traveled with Father Javier to an even more remote village in the mountains called Semachacas. We traveled in 2 pick-up trucks over a horrible rocky uneven road. Thank goodness for 4 wheel drive! In Semachacas they are building a meeting center that serves over 20 villages. To meet here many people have to walk for up to 7 hours. On one of our earlier trips we had a clinic at this location 3 years ago. Since that time several new buildings are in place. We took photographs of the buildings and the electrical work that needs to be done. We hope to come back with an electrician or two and lots of helpers in the future. Our group unloaded a couple pick-ups full of cement block while we were there.
On our way back yesterday from Semachacas to INSPA, we parked the vehicles and Father Javier took us for a walk along a river. When he says Mass in a particular village he has to walk 3 hours along this river to get to the village! We walked about 20 minutes to a beautiful secluded spot and then most of us took a refreshing mid-day dip. The water was cool and clear and fortunately for Bailey and her arachnophobia, there were few spider spotting. By the way there really isn't a problem with spiders...just a few like anywhere, but for Bailey any spider is one too many. She doesn't scream now she just calmly asks someone to kill it.
Anyway back to the walk along the river with Father Javier....we encountered a young boy about 8 or so standing there with his father lying before him on the path intoxicated. We tried to comfort the little boy but he just wimpered. We gave him some cookies and tried to cheer him up. Some other men from their village came along one of them also a little intoicated. Father Javier said this was a problem in some of these villages. The men travel (3 hours in this case) from the village to the market and then spend they proceeds of their sales on alcohol. Father Javier said that this little boy could find his way home easily on his own but that he will stay there watching over his father and eventually they will make their way back to the village together. We prayed for that little boy last night...how sad to see him there with his drunken father. And if you want, you could say a prayer for this little boy and his family too.
After we returned to the school we finished up a few projects and put nets on the soccer goals. There were several afternoon soccer games and the Americans won 1 and lost 1. Those Guatemalan boys are awesome soccer players...even in barefeet or flip-flops. Dan scored the winning goal in the second game.
And speaking of Dan, he receieved a standing ovation today at our lunch stop at the On The Run (renamed by our team Got The Runs) because unlike some of the team who are going too often...Dan hasn't gone at all the entire week, until we stopped today for lunch. When he emerged from the bathroom with the good news he received our spontaneous applause. (We've kind of become like a family)
Kelli has been a little under the weather with some GI upset over the last two days and Conor also became sick yesterday and today. Both handled the drive today well and ate some lunch and dinner and did a fair amount of sleeping. Both are feeling better tonight. Melanie was also reporting some abdominal pain but she seems almost back to normal now. We had dinner at the hotel and all said our good byes to Melanie who is returning home early tomorrow so she can attend her brother's graduation. We will miss you Mel!
Bailey also wanted to tell her dad thanks for the nice post and I love you dad.
Before we left the school this morning we assembled the entire school and teachers and cook and all of us and we made a lovely picture. The mountains and palm trees and rustic setting seems a world away from our comfy chairs and WiFi here at Fuentes.
Miranda gives a shout out to Jer and Cher and Kay. Last night Miranda got going on something around the table at our post dinner chat....and we all sat there dumfounded in amazement. We had never heard anyone talk so continuously and rapidly even without pausing to breathe. When she gets going talking he is like the energizer bunny on steroids!
We had our usual meditation time after dinner tonight and everyone shared about how this trip and meeting the kids at the school had changed their lives. Nate said he wished he could have done this trip last year before his senior year because this trip totally changed his perspective on the world. It seems that everyone is returning with a greater appreciation for what we have.
Tomorrow we will try to rest and get well. We will have a little visit to the nearby village of Santa Maria de Jesus. We have done some service trips their in the past and will go check up on things.
Well before I sign off I just want to recall the projects we did at INSPA. We painted the Chapel (wait until you see the pictures), Annika and Melanie made a little wooden cross that we installed above the entrance. We painted the roof of the school (when it wan't 100 degres out!). We also painted the students dining area. We made 11 beautiful nightstands, one for each girl who lives at the school, and filled them with nail polish and other treats. These 11 girls gave up their dormitory and temporarily moved into a small house with 3 beds...how they managed we haven't a clue! We made a cap for the well. This well was dug and installed 2 years ago on our service trip...thanks Britt! And one of the most memorable projects was the creation of a database of all the students and teachers with questions about where they are from their family size parents type of work and the students plans for life! We took a photograph of each child and teacher. We really got to know them!
Nate, Todd, Roger, Michelle, Maggie, Miranda, Bailey, Annika and I are totally well. Melanie is nearly perfect though sad about her impending departure. Conor and Kelli are on the mend. And Dan is now pooping.
Maggie says hi Jimbo
