It really is time for a bit of down time but it won't be today. More home visits and a fiesta. The hotel I booked this time seems to be a big hit with everyone so I am very happy about that. You never know when you are going into a new place. It certainly is a lovely space and the rooms are the largest I have seen in Guatemala.
Today some stayed in Pana to get some much needed shopping done and poor Kay is still working via the internet so she takes every opportunity to get that done. A part of the group were up early and on the truck at 7:30 AM to return to EB and spend the day doing manual labor. Apparently 88 yr. old Larry is running circles around everyone. He and his son, Jim, have hooked up the electrical lines and got juice to the house so they now are able to use some power tools. Michelle, Amanda, Charlette, Jessica and Laurin have been hauling, shoveling, lifting and toting for the most part. We have some tough broads here. Also apparently Jessica and Laurin are now apprentice brick layers...or cement block in this case.
The house unfortunately will not be finished while we are here but should be in another couple of weeks. The mom that is receiving this home of her own, is often in tears from being overwhelmed at the generosity of her new found friends.
The three ladies that sponsor her four boys in school are making sure she has everything she needs to set up a home. The rest of us went up to EB at 9...well at least that was the plan but today was a very important holiday for the Mayan ( and if I was better at this I would remember the name of it) so there were parades and lots of traffic to get through and I needed to go to the grocery to get lunches for everyone...so about 10:30 we headed out of town. Just to clarify the reason we have been taking our lunch fixings up to EB is we are very far from and grocery stores or restaurants. Again there were four home visits splint into two teams. I just hate it when I can't go to all of them so I pick the ones that either I haven't been to or at least haven't been to in a long time or if there are other issues or problems that the family is having so I know what is going on as best I can. I think I'm just plain nosey.
The first visit was Brian's family who he has clearly adopted as his own. He brought, from the states, clothes, toys,beautiful sweaters his mother knitted for the kids and other household items and then shopped here for some cleaning supplies for the family. A side note...the mom is 8 mo. pregnant with #3. This family have embraced Brian as another family member. The father, through tears, said he didn't have a father growing up and so Brian is like having a father now and he felt so blessed for Brian's generosity since he himself can not provide his own children with these wonderful gifts. These two men stood in a long embrace with both of them sobbing.
Joy comes to both the giver and the receiver.
Our second family is one I haven't been to in a couple of yrs. They had some damage from the earthquake last Nov. so I wanted to see that. Sherry sponsors two of the girls and I think this family may have something like 10 members. She brought each family member either clothes or toys and even dad got a new shirt and shoes.
She even brought food for the dogs since they just have to try and find scrapes wherever they can. Sherry may be robbing a convenience store soon but she is planning to help with repairs on the house which may entail building a new structure. They live in an adobe brick home and the earthquake put a crack in one wall.
Exhausted once again we got back to Pana to clean up and get ready for the fiesta at my home. Anyone who has been privileged to have had Mathilda's cooking before doesn't like to miss an opportunity to have it again.
Mathilda caters the parties for me and my Maria takes care of all the cleanup. This is the only way to have a party!!! Wish I could afford this in the states. Now for a good nights sleep.
Today some stayed in Pana to get some much needed shopping done and poor Kay is still working via the internet so she takes every opportunity to get that done. A part of the group were up early and on the truck at 7:30 AM to return to EB and spend the day doing manual labor. Apparently 88 yr. old Larry is running circles around everyone. He and his son, Jim, have hooked up the electrical lines and got juice to the house so they now are able to use some power tools. Michelle, Amanda, Charlette, Jessica and Laurin have been hauling, shoveling, lifting and toting for the most part. We have some tough broads here. Also apparently Jessica and Laurin are now apprentice brick layers...or cement block in this case.
The house unfortunately will not be finished while we are here but should be in another couple of weeks. The mom that is receiving this home of her own, is often in tears from being overwhelmed at the generosity of her new found friends.
The three ladies that sponsor her four boys in school are making sure she has everything she needs to set up a home. The rest of us went up to EB at 9...well at least that was the plan but today was a very important holiday for the Mayan ( and if I was better at this I would remember the name of it) so there were parades and lots of traffic to get through and I needed to go to the grocery to get lunches for everyone...so about 10:30 we headed out of town. Just to clarify the reason we have been taking our lunch fixings up to EB is we are very far from and grocery stores or restaurants. Again there were four home visits splint into two teams. I just hate it when I can't go to all of them so I pick the ones that either I haven't been to or at least haven't been to in a long time or if there are other issues or problems that the family is having so I know what is going on as best I can. I think I'm just plain nosey.
The first visit was Brian's family who he has clearly adopted as his own. He brought, from the states, clothes, toys,beautiful sweaters his mother knitted for the kids and other household items and then shopped here for some cleaning supplies for the family. A side note...the mom is 8 mo. pregnant with #3. This family have embraced Brian as another family member. The father, through tears, said he didn't have a father growing up and so Brian is like having a father now and he felt so blessed for Brian's generosity since he himself can not provide his own children with these wonderful gifts. These two men stood in a long embrace with both of them sobbing.
Joy comes to both the giver and the receiver.
Our second family is one I haven't been to in a couple of yrs. They had some damage from the earthquake last Nov. so I wanted to see that. Sherry sponsors two of the girls and I think this family may have something like 10 members. She brought each family member either clothes or toys and even dad got a new shirt and shoes.
She even brought food for the dogs since they just have to try and find scrapes wherever they can. Sherry may be robbing a convenience store soon but she is planning to help with repairs on the house which may entail building a new structure. They live in an adobe brick home and the earthquake put a crack in one wall.
Exhausted once again we got back to Pana to clean up and get ready for the fiesta at my home. Anyone who has been privileged to have had Mathilda's cooking before doesn't like to miss an opportunity to have it again.
Mathilda caters the parties for me and my Maria takes care of all the cleanup. This is the only way to have a party!!! Wish I could afford this in the states. Now for a good nights sleep.
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