Month: July 2017

As I go to bed, my alarm is set for 3:30 am. I wake up to a bright light about 50 feet from my window,  the sound of a loud engine starting up, and a school bus headed downhill at 3:28. I hop out of my bed wide awake, turning my alarm off, while I’m throwing on a sweatshirt and comfy shorts. I grab my backpack, filling it with my phone, keys, a Granola bar, and an empty travel coffee mug before heading to assist the visiting team with their early airport departure. I top off my mug, and we are on our way at 3:52. No hint of sunlight, the only sound coming from the noisy roosters next door. We are merging onto the winding streets towards Guatemala city with a few other motorists who are out at this time, the public busses filling with people headed to work. Only slowing down once due to a semi stopped in one of the two lanes, we arrive at the airport at 4:32. The driver and I head back in the empty school bus, pulling in at 5:24.

As early as it was, I enjoyed it far more than I thought I might’ve. I’ve never gotten to see the streets of Guatemala at this hour. I’m used to seeing sunlit mountain views, rolling hills, busy streets, and swerving motorcyclists. All I saw were the few lights across the storefronts illuminating the sides of the streets and lights scattered across the mountains, allowing me to create the rolling horizon line for myself, using the spots of light as a connect-the-dots puzzle.

No one was walking up and down the streets selling freshly cut mango slices, flowers, or sweet rolls to those sitting in traffic, the only stores open were those attached to gas stations, the rest locked down with a rolling metal door (like we would imagine a car repair shop or the doors at Costco). The only figures I saw alongside the streets, aside from those getting on the busses for work, were the security guards manning the banks, car dealerships, and grocery stores. About ten minutes before we made it back to the orphanage, I started seeing a touch of blue in the sky and the outlines of the mountains turning red with the sun rising behind them. We arrived just in time for me to catch the end of the sunrise over the orphanage property at the top of the hill.

In September, I will have to leave Guatemala for just a week as my visa is allowing me to stay until September 27. That means I have to find some time where things aren’t too busy around the orphanage, make a decision, find flights, and make arrangements for rides. Of course, I will miss being with my 105 kids everyday, but I am also getting anxious to see so many I haven’t seen in the past couple of months. A parent. A close group of friends. A 4-legged friend. A Sunday church service. A Wednesday night gathering. And a couple of stores, restaurants, and experiences I’ve been missing. All of those things can be found in Florida… and in Texas, as well as some scattered throughout the rest of the US.

Being a missionary includes having to make those difficult decisions of purchasing only one round trip ticket, when there are at least 2 states full of things and people I’d like to visit. With some help from family and the timing of my visit, I knew it would be best if I visited Florida this time around, even though I was still unsettled with not getting to see my supporters in Texas as well.

It just so happens that one of the first (and cheapest) round trip flights I found takes me to Palm Beach Airport, instead of Miami, (at least 1.5 hour drive difference) and gave me a 9 hour layover. Can you guess where the layover is?……Yep, I get to spend a few hours with some of my closest friends/family in Dallas before heading to visit my other friends/family in Florida.

I’m not sure when my next 4 am airport departure will be… maybe the next one will be my own on September 12!

***I will not have a working cell number while I am visiting, so be sure to email me, What’sApp me, or Facebook message me if you want to get together during my visit! I should be able to respond whenever I am on Wifi. Looking forward to seeing you in almost a month!***

Today marks 100 days at Casa Shalom, since April 1. I’ve experienced so many things that I have never before, and witnessed many lives being changed including children, staff members, short-term missions team members, and my own. I’ve been able to teach new ideas to growing minds. I have also learned so many lessons since I’ve been here, too many to write in one post. Below is a  small list of 10 lessons that I hope may teach others as well!

1. Be joyful and see positivity in every moment: One of the teen girls got back from school, finished up her dinner, and took a hot cup of atoll to drink while on her way back to her house. Not 100 feet from the cafeteria door, she loses her footing, and falls into a muddy puddle, splashing rainwater and atoll everywhere. It looked pretty painful how she landed, and I’m not sure there was much left for her to drink. That didn’t matter. She sat in the muddy water for 5-10 seconds, as she was trying to catch her breath from laughing so hard. The entire way uphill to her house, she was laughing. I’ve never seen someone walk uphill with so much happiness, I’m usually slowing down to catch my breath on that hill. She didn’t care that her school uniform was dirty. She saw it as a funny story and was able to see the positivity in misfortune.
2. Dig deeper into faith: the youth members were asked to write down questions they may have of faith, the bible, or anything that might pertain to Christianity that they are struggling with or have been curios about. They were written on scraps of paper without names, so the questions could be asked/answered aloud without knowing who asked what. Each night, 3-5 questions are answered aloud, while allowing dialogue for clarification or providing others with help. They are truly digging deeper into their faith and asking those challenging questions. They aren’t afraid of asking, and are seeking for the answers.
3. Make the most of every opportunity: One of our outings during vacation week was going to a park/pool for a few hours in the afternoon after a busy morning. Only a few thought to bring their swimsuits. At the end of the day, I walked past one of our teens completely soaked in a sweatshirt, jeans, and sneakers. Looking kind of guilty, I asked her if she had brought a spare change of clothes, and she replied with a quick “no”. Not worried about the 1.5 hour bus ride back, she took the opportunity while she had it, as a swimming pool is a highlight for all of our kids at Casa Shalom. She went all in for the fun, given the opportunity, without giving into the discomfort of wet clothes that may follow.
4. Look for the little moments to serve another: We’ve gotten a lot of new kids recently. A LOT. Like reaching up to almost 25 in the past 3 weeks. I’ve been doing my best to make them feel comfortable here. One of them, I think he’s been here for a week and a half, I’ve gotten to eat about 5 or 6 meals with. After every meal, he insists on carrying and stacking my chair on the opposite side of the dining hall. He will either pull it from my hands or ask of me until I allow him to do me a favor. It’s no pain for him, as he is already headed that direction for his own chair, but it is a great favor to me, and I am highly appreciative. For the week he’s been here, he has already made a great impression on me just by doing a little favor.
5. Take time for yourself, to relax, refresh, and recharge: This is one I’ve learned on my own. Sometimes, the life of a missionary can be a full day, especially when living on the same campus as 100 kids. I don’t often take enough time for myself as I should. The last Saturday at the beach with a few of the interns, house moms, and cooks was perfect. We played in the rough waves for maybe 3 or 4 hours, we rented four wheelers to ride around on the sand, and we had a day to relax. It was perfect, even though I was exhausted and ready to pass out at the end of the day. I woke up feeling ready to give my time to the kids, as I had a day to let go. I’ve also discovered the power of Netflix download and have given myself time to unwind at the end of a long day to refresh. I can’t fill another’s cup if mine is running low!
6. Respect those above me: This may seem obvious and something I already knew of, but let me explain. Here, the homes have house parents. They are like parents: laying down rules, assigning chores, sticking to a schedule, and helping with everyday activity. I am also lucky enough to have several great role models in my life (you know who you are). If I tried expressing how much they’ve changed my life, I’d be a puddle of tears. These kids respect their house parents. They look up to them and obey them without argument or second thought, more than most American children do their biological parents. Seeing them interact with each other as mother and son/daughter, as mentor/mentee, or as best friends, I’m constantly reminded to not only value the role models in my life, but see myself also as role model to my 100 kids.
7. Learn from mistakes: One of the boys was happy writing with chalk all over the pavement. He would write, and write, and write “Jeus” in a heart wherever he could find the space. I quietly took him to the side and told him that there were 2 “s”s in Jesus. He thought and thought until the light bulb went off after saying it aloud a couple of times. He quickly picked up a piece of chalk and was able to correctly place the second s to spell “Jesus.” He was so proud to learn from what he had done wrong, and has yet to spell it incorrectly since I’ve helped him, learning from his mistake.
8. Value friendships/relationships: This one may seem obvious as well, but it’s something I’m reminded of daily here in the orphanage. Working in an orphanage, you never know how long a child or a group of siblings is going to stay at the orphanage. Some relationships may last a few weeks. Others may last several year, some coming to an end when we least expect it. A relationship can be built in less than a day. Don’t be afraid to build those relationships, no matter how long they may last. Don’t only apply this concept to the kids at Casa Shalom, but to staff members, volunteers, and visiting teams.
9. Show others they are loved and cared for: The kids that have called Casa Shalom home for a year or more, I don’t have as strong a relationship with, even though I have seen them over several trips and have known them longer. The new(er) ones I almost seem closer to, in that I have been a part of the team for the entire time they’ve known this orphanage. For the most part, I’ve been in the office, as the new kids arrive at Casa Shalom. Every time one of them sees me, they either run to me expecting a hug, shout my name, wave to me from across the room, or a simple exchange of smiles. From their entrance, they’ve known that they are important and special to me. I hope I can make all the kids feel this way, not just the newbies.
10. Be myself: don’t try to fit into the mold of another volunteer, staff member, or short-term missionary. Don’t change my personality based on which group of kids I’m with (other than talking in baby talk)! Be myself. God created me with my characteristics, my personality traits, my flaws, and my appearance for a reason. I shouldn’t be trying to hide them to blend into the crowd or to fill another’s shoes. I was created to be me.
11. And an extra, just for fun: I will NEVER be able to clean the meat off of a bone like a Guatemalan can!