We are now more than half way done with our experience in Guatemala. We closer to coming home than arriving! We cannot believe how fast the time has gone. School continues to go well, we plan to continue studying 6 hours of language each day next week. Everyone seems to be enjoying it and using more Spanish every day!
Josiah's teacher for the first three weeks
Nicole's teacher for week 3, Rosario
Today (Saturday) was a great adventure. Our house Mom, Amanda, invited us to join her church at a special needs hospital for children and the elderly. When we agreed we did not know quite what we signed up for, but it turned out to be an amazing experience serving as a family. First, we made 350 sandwiches. This means we had to cut the small pieces of bread, stuff them with a chicken filling, wrap them in a napkin, wrap them in a small bag, and put these in a larger bag for moving them to the hospital. Pictures below (Tyler took the pictures so he is no in any of them!)
Nicole helping stuff the sandwiches
Emma and Josiah helping put the sandwiches in bags
When we got to the hospital (over an hour late - Latin American time!), we learned that there would be a small procession for Santo Hermano Pedro as the patients are unable to get out of the hospital to watch the actual procession tomorrow (Sunday). Santo Hermano Pedro founded the first Guatemalan hospital that the natives could access back in the 1600s. The hospital also served as a school for the poor during the day. 15 years ago tomorrow (the reason for the celebration today) he was made a saint by Pope John Paul II in Guatemala. This was part of the celebration (the big celebration is tomorrow). Pictures below from the procession put on for the patents of the hospital.
The nurses made a carpet for the procession
The image being carried down the carpet
Are kids were asked to lead the procession
After the procession was a mass for the patients of the hospital
This was cute - two kids reached out to hold hands during mass
After the mass we helped the patients eat a small snack and then paraded the image around the hospital for those who could not attend the service to see. We pushed the wheel chairs around for those who wanted to follow the image as it went through the hospital.
After we finished serving it was home for homework and studying. But it was a very exciting day to serve as a family and be part of something special in the lives of the patients. Tomorrow morning we will leave bright an early for a tour of Guatemala's largest lake - stay tuned!
No comments:
Post a Comment