I’m sorry it has taken me so long to post an update on this blog. We arrived in Guatemala on Saturday after an uneventful trip only to discover that my luggage, along with another team mate’s luggage did not. That meant that most of my clothes, toiletries, and basic needs were left in Houston, along with the cord for my computer. I finally received my suitcase this afternoon, so I am able to communicate at last!
Most of our time has been spent at Hermano Pedro, a special needs hospital for children with Cerebral Palsy. That is where my greatest passion lies. And, as always, I find it to be a place of great joy and great pain. Each child there is a treasure and it fills me with joy to be with them. At the same time, their needs are great and often neglected, so it is painful to see those needs firsthand.
We spent the entire day today at Hermano Pedro and were able to take a group of younger children to the park where we ate, splashed them with water from the fountains, and allowed them to experience fresh air and sunshine. It is such a wonderful experience to see their faces light up and hear their laughter as they dangle their bare feet in the fountains. After spending 20 hours a day in a stainless steel crib a simple walk to the park can seem like heaven.
Our team of seven people are excellent with the children. They are working with children with very severe needs, but are not intimidated at all. They have rolled up their sleeves and gotten to work loving the kids. It is hard to tell who is experiencing greater joy, the kids or our team!
Each afternoon at 5:00 pm we are forced to put the kids in their cribs and leave. They consider that bedtime. The kids are drugged to assure that they sleep, lights are turned out, and they wait for day to come again so the volunteers will be allowed to return. Tonight, I tucked-in several children, including Louis and Gloria who are very near to the hearts of Wanda and me. They are pictured here. Wanda and I choked up as we left these little ones behind for another long night. How we long to bring them back to the motel with us, or better yet, to take them home with us to the states and make them our own.
Please pray for the children of Hermano Pedro both now and in the future. As the church, we cannot allow these little ones to be forgotten. We must do something and we must do it now.
More will follow in the evenings ahead. Thank you for your prayers!
