Day Two

Posted on June 22, 2014 by adrienneorris

We had connection problems and did not post about Friday. This day gave us an opportunity to see the families of students at the school. The students had presentations in the morning and then a celebration lunch followed by some activities. The students and parents played some volleyball and the mother’s tested their sling shot ability in one of the activities. It was a realization of how difficult it is when you can’t openly communicate with others due to the language barrier. We are all doing well, healthy and strong!

The mothers with a slingshot

The families gathered for the celebration

Students vs Parents (and Jim)

In Canilla

Posted on June 21, 2014 by adrienneorris

Today we worked as a team at the school. We helped with projects such as planting an herb garden, cleaning the classrooms and talking with teachers to learn ways we can help them with their classes. The students are on a one week break, so this gave us the opportunity to help with projects that can only be done when the kids are not there. Since they have school every day of the week from morning until night, it is a challenge for the teachers to get caught up with things or even get ahead. In the afternoon, we researched activities to help the teachers with their classroom lessons. Then we all took a break and headed down to the river in the Canilla Valley. Because we have been having very dry and warm days, the cool river felt good to all. It was relaxing to see the beauty of the countryside and listen to the flowing of the river. We also found many interesting rocks and plants. The climb out of the river valley was a challenge for most. But the enjoyment of the experience was worth the trip and left us feeling thankful for the blessings of the day. ~Lisa

Megan’s planting partner Anna

Jim preparing the beds and the ladies planting (thanks Jim for your sore muscles tomorrow)

Megan and Allison exploring the rocks

Beauty at the river

Arrival

Posted on June 20, 2014 by adrienneorris

Travel and arrival was as smooth as can be expected and all of my companions are asleep (soon for me as well). The day has been a day of firsts as we saw the countryside from the plane and a little from the truck. We also had a brief visit as the school. Thanks for your prayers as we begin this journey. Tomorrow is a full day at the school.

GOGuatemala

Posted on June 16, 2014 by adrienneorris

Months ago, these four people came together to form a team that would be coming to Guatemala to serve. I am excited to be able to share with them the area, the people and the ministry in which I have been working and for them to experience life in Guatemala. We will be focusing on the school while we are there, but will be part of the bigger picture of what is happening in Canilla, Guatemala. We will keep you updated on the week through our eyes. Come join us. We begin our trek Thursday, June 19th.

On June 1st both Go Teams (there is currently a team in Gabon as well) were commissioned by the church body to go on our trips. It is always a special time when the church gathers to pray for those being sent out.

In Acts, Paul and Barnabas were commissioned to go as well. Acts 13:3 says, “Then after fasting and praying they laid hands on them and sent them off.”

In his letter to the Colossians, Paul asks for more prayer during their trip. Colossians 4:2-4 says,
“Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving; praying at the same time for us as well, that God will open up to us a door for the word, so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ.”

We are asking you for prayer during our trip. We would ask that you would be devoted to it, and watchful and thankful in it. Please pray that the teachers and students are encouraged during our time there, that the language barriers are dissolved, and that the message of Christ is evident in all that we do.

Thank you for sending us and supporting us in so many ways!

Nutrition Kids

Posted on June 1, 2014 by adrienneorris

I am always drawn to kids – in school, at McDonalds (not that we have one here), at church, on the street… it doesn’t matter where. Through the years so many kids have filtered through our nutrition program. Some come in because they aren’t receiving enough nutrition from their mothers, some were born with birth defects, some families struggle to provide food for their children, some have constant illness because of their living conditions. In Guatemala, it is customary not to name your baby until you know that they are going to live. The death rate for children under that age of two is very high. When asking for birth history, we always ask for number of pregnancies, and then number of living children. Although the economy has gotten better since the end of the war and we aren’t seeing as much starvation, there is always present a sense of panic when it comes to food.

Today we had a young couple bring their baby in because he was under five pounds and two months old. He had been born with a cleft lip and palate, more common in this culture than in others. This was their first and although they knew he was different, they were unsure of what to do. The mother had come to us for her ultrasound and so they returned with their son to find out what they could do for him. I will give them credit. They knew he needed to eat and could not nurse and so they cut a hole in the bottle and had been buying formula for him. Because he couldn’t suck, he was receiving 3 ounces of milk for the whole day. This explained why he was struggling. It is these kids that I hope to be able to help the most. These kids that I see that have little hope without a small amount of intervention. Here is Domingo. The goal is to get him growing enough to be able to do his surgery the next time a cleft lip and palate team comes to Guatemala.

And here is Ana. At 6 years old, she only weighs 24 pounds. She can hold her head up and swallow soft foods. She is progressing slowly, but may never grow.

Juan is in second grade and very shy. For months he would not even talk to me. Now he will answer my questions and almost smile. He is a child that has struggled to grow.

Maria is a sweetie! She has been coming to clinic for almost three years because she was born with a cleft lip and palate as well. The lip has been fixed and she is awaiting surgery for her palate still. She walks in with her arms up smiling because she is so familiar with the routine – making me smile each time!

Alino is another interesting case for me. He is a twin, with a sister who has brown hair and brown eyes. We call him my son because of this light hair, eyes and complexion. Twins in this culture often receive help because the mom can’t provide enough milk to keep up with the growth of her kids.

Edy’s mom brought him in knowing that something was wrong with his development. He is blind and has poor muscle control. We will help her care for him and hope to be able to provide a basic physical therapy program to help him progress as he grows.

These triplets were born to a poor family in one of the villages. Manuela, Maria and Andrea have been with us since before they were born and have thrived as we have helped the family care for them. It took them two years, but they no longer scream when they enter the clinic. What a joy to see them doing well!

Oliver is a Down’s Syndrome baby that was recently born in San Andres. He has failed to put on weight and so we are monitoring his growth and helping his mother care for him as his development is slightly delayed.

Those are just a few of the kids that I weighed today as we served those people in San Andres.

A Return to Chumisa

Posted on May 19, 2014 by adrienneorris

I haven’t been to one of our remote clinics for awhile because I have class on those days generally. And so as I sat through the Chumisa clinic this week, it was as if I was returning after a year of being away.

The thing that hit me the hardest were the young people that came in with real need. All 19 years old. All needing a miracle. We had two girls who had both been married for 4 years (normal life here) who have been unable to become pregnant. In this culture, this is a very sad reality. Since children are your retirement, to provide and care for you as you age, it is a very difficult thing to not have children. Many times the woman is blamed and shunned because it is assumed that it is her problem. And so they come with the hope that we can do something to reverse the situation. We can make sure that they have what they need…. and we can pray. But there is little that we can offer them. Often the women in this situation are desperate. Their husbands threaten to leave them (and very rarely will they find another man). They are often abused and mistreated because of this. Infertility is always a very sad situation, but I find it heartbreaking in this culture because I see how much of their lives rest on the shoulders of their offspring.

The young boy came in because he had felt large, hard masses in this abdominal region. They were growing rapidly and he was scared. His story unfolded that he was in the church when he was younger, but had not been back since he left to work at the coast. His fear was evident as care for him is not very prevelant in this contry. The normal protocol is to start at the government hospital and the people are then often sent to this place and that place for testing – which is very expensive and time consuming. And so we explained the process to him as he began his journey to find healing. But Leslie took the opportunity to explain to him the story of the prodigal son – which was much like his story. And when she started to talk, tears streamed down his face. We know that so many are led to us who are seeking answers, seeking something beyond the medicine that we could give. All three of these “children” were just that. Although all three have spouses and all three have their immediate physical needs met, there is something greater that they are seeking. Being in Chumisa was a good reminder to me of the searching and seeking going on around me. We hope for answers in all three of them, yet know and very much undersand that there is nothing that we can do for them – and leave it in the hands of the One who can.

10,000 Reasons

Posted on May 14, 2014 by adrienneorris

It is finished. That line rang in my head numerous times today. It is finished. Jesus used this line before he bowed his head and took His last breath here on Earth, but in contrast to this, this thought of “it is finished” is one to rejoice about. After days of Duane’s life spent on the phone, waiting in lines at banks, and traveling…. it is finally finished. The money transfer didn’t go as smoothly as we imagined. The Guatemalan government and banking systems had plenty of bends in the road, but the important thing is that we are moving forward still and the land has been turned over.

We spent the afternoon praying over the land, walking the land and rejoicing in what God put together in the last few months. The finances from the land did not just come from a few wealthy people, but from a conglomeration or people who wanted to see the fruit of our prayers. And so, it is with this confidence that we proclaim the land as God’s masterpiece and trust Him to continue with His plan. Dream with us of what will be….

The future site of the hospital

The operating rooms and labor and delivery.

The front gate

” For all Your goodness I will keep on singing
Ten thousand reasons for my heart to find”

Happenings

Posted on May 7, 2014 by adrienneorris

Some happenings at the school….

We have transformed one room into a computer room. This will be useful in teaching the students how to investigate answers and compose papers.

Celebration of Sebastian’s birthday (teacher at the school).

I have begun doing labs weekly to give the students some critical thinking skills. Our first experience was looking at their own cheek cells as well as the cells of different plants and animals. They were excited to learn that they were made of cells! Thanks to all that have made this possible!

Cesar

Posted on May 1, 2014 by adrienneorris

This story has been on my heart and in my mind constantly since it happened and is a perfect picture of someone hungry for an education. Cesar wakes at 4 every morning to make the walk to school along trails from a village. He arrives each morning, cleans his shoes and is the most attentive student that we have. He has a hunger and thirst for knowledge and has become a leader among the students. I often see him explaining the day’s lessons to other students using terms and concepts that they can relate to. During recess he will walk around with his notebook open studying and reviewing concepts aloud. When I am speak to the students in English, be will pull out his notebook, ask me to repeat what I just said, write it in his notebook phonetically and then write out the translation. When we offer extra tutoring sessions, he will walk the five hours it takes him to and fro, for an opportunity to learn more on a Saturday or Sunday. If he only had one more day to live on this earth, I’m afraid he might spend it learning. That defines Cesar.

On our last day of exams, most of the kids were playing soccer and sitting around relieved that their exams were over. I noticed Cesar over to the side with his head in his hands looking as if he were lost. I sat down beside him and simply asked if everything was OK. He looked at me, dug through his bag and pulled out his notebook. With a sparkle in his eyes and sincerity in his voice he asked, “Can you give me some math problems for the week?” I looked at him and laughed. For a week the students had done nothing but study. I was sure he slept no more than five hours on any given night. Any student in their right mind would not be asking for more work. Yet he was serious. When I told him he didn’t need to do study that week, his brain needed a break, he asked if I had a book he could have for the week. And not just any book, he wanted a physics book. What seventeen year old wants to read a physics book during their vacation? Yet, he begged for it. I asked if he had ever read a book before and he said no. And so I went into the school and came back with two books, one on physics and one that was a lighter read. He spent the next hour thumbing through the book, looking at the pictures, reading the information and was mesmerized. We eventually had to tell him to go home because we were all leaving.

Upon returning from break, I asked Cesar if he read the books and he was excited to tell me he had read both of them. His next question was if I had more. He continued to tell me what he had learned and how much he liked the books. Today I walked into the school at dusk and found Cesar in the classroom with two of the boys that struggle with math. He had problems written on the board and was conducting his own teaching session. His enthusiasm for learning is difficult to quench.

Cesar’s aspirations are to be a doctor. Yet, is that even possible? Can a boy who doesn’t even have work clothes or a bicycle make it in the Guatemalan system? Does he really know what it takes? Education is not free. It comes with a price. Many families sacrifice all they have on the hopes of one child. He is that one child. I have put some serious thought into how we are going to raise up leaders through our school after a man was here from San Pablo University. He talked about the fact that he was that child – the one who didn’t have shoes, a means to buy what he needed for school, or the money for education. But another man saw his potential, saw his drive and provided scholarships for him so that he could pursue an education. He now is providing the programs of education for others, just like Cesar, who have creative, bright minds. Cesar has the drive and perseverance to go beyond. He walks further than any of our students every day, works within the work program, and often leaves the school after dark at night to walk the two and a half hours home and then study. He has proven himself, never complains, and oozes with eagerness.

At the end of the first phase of classes the students had to write an essay tying the movie “Gifted Hands” into the challenges that they have had to face in the first phase of classes. Hear his heart as Cesar wrote:

I tried many times to change or achieve my goals but I have realized I cannot change or improve without the help of God . I see others who can do things easier than me and many times believe that I cannot achieve. I do not know why they get it and I do not. I have struggled much in my past. Now I believe I need to keep going forward knowing that what has often been impossible now is possible because now He hears me when I pray. Now is the time for me to overcome the things that were once difficult for me. I have learned that we often neglect good things for things that have no benefit for the future. Things that instead destroy our lives. The time I have is important. I have to have a good attitude if I want to move forward. It is now that I will learn better because my help comes from God who is the top and the owner of the wisdom, understanding and knowledge.

In reality, Cesar doesn’t realize his own ability. Many times it takes him twice as long to solve a problem, yet what he doesn’t realize is that his classmates aren’t able to do the work and have only completed half of the exercise. He perseveres until he arrives at the end. And so as this next phases of classes gets underway and the intensity increases, I am reminded of many former students I had. Each of them unique, each of them capable in their own way. Sometimes all it takes is for someone to believe in you so that you can believe in yourself. Students who have what it takes and were told by others or their culture that they can’t do it…. When in reality they can. They just need someone standing behind them reminding them they are able. And that’s why we’re here.

Cesar “coaching” the other students (in the middle)

What a week

Posted on April 18, 2014 by adrienneorris

This is Armando on the day of practical exams, speaking to the class concerning the causes of juvenile delinquency in Guatemala.

This story actually began months ago when a family moved down from a mountain so their children could receive an education. Armando began classes at our school in January and honestly has been struggling since the beginning. The school that he attended is far from town, meaning that the quality of education is even less and the opportunities there very slim. It has shown from the beginning that he was behind the other students. He also hasn’t been in a school for a gap of time.

His mom, pregnant with another child (number 10) began to come to our clinic regularly. We detected preeclampsia early in her pregnancy and recommended her to a hospital. Her blood pressure was sky high. She went – and was sent home – without them even taking a blood pressure. Her family listened to us as we told them the situation that was before them and they decided to try the other hospital within a day’s drive. Yet, she received the same result – no care – and was sent home. We checked on her often and knew there was only a small chance that the baby would make it – and prayed that the mother wouldn’t loose her life as well.

Last Thursday a family member came down to school to say that she had given birth the night before and the baby was born dead. When we visited the house, we were greeted by a typical sight – the baby in a small casket, the father drunk, and family members mourning. They knew the situation, we had just hoped it would be different. The mother still had high blood pressure and that first night had a seizure as well.

This day happened to be the day of practical exams – and so after the funeral Armando put on his uniform and walked to school. He was so downcast, so sad. And yet the environment was one to heal his broken heart. The kids reached out to him – asking to go to his house to pray for his mom, taking the cultural gifts of food and drinks to help heal her body. As we stood there and prayed for his mom, I was reminded of how these were the moments that really make the impact. Armando’s spirits were lifted as the kids showed love to him. I sat there watching all that was going on, watching the kid’s eyes as they took in the scene, watching the mom weep, listening to Miguel talk to the dad about his responsibility and the importance of caring for his family. And as I took it all in, as I prayed, as we provided encouragement, I wasn’t thankful for the situation, but I was thankful to see the hearts of our students. I was thankful for their willingness and desire to reach out. Please pray for this family to come to know the Lord – to experience healing – and to know that there are others out there that truly care for them.