PREFACE

Mother Teresa once said, “Being unwanted, unloved, uncared for, forgotten by everybody, I think that is a much greater hunger, a much greater poverty than the person who has nothing to eat.” Our team of 10 went to the Hogar with a lot of plans, supplies, projects, and talents, but only one real mission: to love and be loved. We will always cherish the time we spent playing soccer, baking cookies, playing games, making crafts, swimming, and all of the other fun activities we did with the children during our time at the Hogar. But it is the sharing of our very selves with one another that will remain with us forever.

When we first arrived at the orphanage, Mother Ivonne told us that the most important thing in life is charity. As I was trying to understand more what this means, I learned that the bible often translates the word charity as love.  St. Paul tells us that “above all these things, put on charity (NKJV: love), which is the bond of perfectness.” I can’t help but recall all of the Mod Podge glue we used for our projects. It was like our team mascot. Love is like Mod Podge for humanity.

The following is the journal I kept during my two weeks in Guatemala. It was
scribbled down whenever I had a free moment, which I usually only found in the middle of the night. The words are simple and honest. My trip began long before I stepped on the airplane, with the love, prayers, and support of my family, my friends, my parish family, and the staff at the mission center. For that, I am truly grateful.There are so many things that I could share with you. The fact that I wrote over 30 pages in my journal and took over 1,500 photographs on this trip might give you an idea of how much I have to share. And those were just the thoughts and memories I could find time to record. But I realize that I can share until my fingers hurt from writing, or I’m out of breath from talking–but you still won’t truly and fully understand what I have seen and experienced and why I will carry this trip close to my heart for the rest of my life. So Go. Go anywhere. Join a team. Create your own team. Just Go. There are millions of people around the world who are waiting for you to come and share the love of God with them.

“Let us not be satisfied with just giving money. Money is not enough, money can be got, but they need your hearts to love them. So, spread your love everywhere you go.” -Mother Teresa

I hope you enjoy reading and seeing the pictures. Feel free to leave comments if you would like to. And don’t forget to check out “More Pictures” and my sister’s blog from her trip in March!

JULY 11

I am surrounded by love. It’s not the kind of love you see on TV or in the movies, but love in its most true and simple form. It is the love that can only come from God. I have only been here at the Hogar for about a day, but I have already found that love in abundance everywhere I look. I’m sitting here in the quiet church, taking a moment to reflect before evening services, but I can still hear the laughter of the kids outside. I’m still trying to catch my breath from all of the running and playing.

Just as I finished writing that last line, several of the kids came into the church and greeted me. We spent about an hour in church, had a nice dinner of rice & black beans, some new vegetable I’ve never seen that is like a cross between a potato and a cucumber, and also some guacamole and watermelon. We spent some time talking as a team and working out a few plans for our arts and crafts projects. So it’s been about five hours since I first started writing and I’m remembering that it’s not always easy to find time to write down a few thoughts each day. I guess that explains why I’m in bed writing with a flashlight.

There are so many things that I have experienced already, but I’ll try to highlight a few of them. Yesterday we were received by Mother Ivonne, who runs the day-to-day activities with the children here at the Hogar. What an amazing woman! We spent about two hours with her just talking and learning about the orphanage, the kids, and the work we will be doing here. Mother Ivonne also received our donations that we each brought. Before I left I took on the task of collecting shoes and socks for the teenagers. I was blessed with overwhelming support from my parish, my co-workers, and others and was able to bring 30 pairs of brand new shoes, about 30 pairs of socks, and some monetary donations to help them cover what I was unable to bring. I also received donations to cover all of the arts and crafts projects that we had to buy supplies for and bring with us. I left for the airport with a huge duffel bag full of shoes and a gift bag as my “personal item” to bring as a carry on that had about 10 pairs of shoes, secured with luggage straps. Socks, arts and crafts, and other random things were stuffed in every shoe, nook and cranny I could find. In addition, I had my own suitcase, and a backpack. It was a miracle that I was able to carry 4 pieces of luggage by myself, but I did it. It was a reminder that this trip is not my own. I left with the support of many people, and if it was not for them, I wouldn’t be here right now. I am grateful to God for having such good friends and family.

I have so much to say already about the work of the nuns, but I’d like to write about that another time. There are two things that Mother Ivonne shared with us that I think are very important and things I want to always remember. She told us that the most important thing in life is charity. She also told us that love is its own language. Even though I haven’t been here long, I can already see that the nuns, staff, and children live by these two rules.  I am so grateful to God that I am finally here. I am surrounded by love and there is nowhere in the world I would rather be right now.

JULY 12

Today was a beautiful day! We began with Divine Liturgy and it was incredible to see the children singing and serving. Their praise to God is so sincere. I wish my parish family could see and experience it. They would be so moved. Fr. Nick (our team leader) did a wonderful job using both Spanish and English and he was just beaming with joy as he served.

After lunch, I had a wonderful and unexpected bonding experience with Daniel, one of the boys here who is about 8. He saw my journal and opened it up. I gave him a blank page, my pen, and said the Spanish word for “picture.” Instead of drawing a picture though, he wrote the word in cursive on the page. So I said another word in Spanish and he wrote it. My original intention of having an impromptu drawing session quickly turned into a writing lesson and I worked with him by correcting his spelling and his cursive letter formations. We did several words in Spanish and then I decided to try and teach him a few English words. As he clumsily began to say “I lobe joo,” my heart just started to melt. Within a few minutes he had it down. “I love you.” As he was looking at me and saying it with a big smile on his face, it was as if he was permanently etching those words onto my heart. It’s a moment I will always keep with me.

Later in the afternoon, a group from the Roman Catholic Church came and did a presentation and party for the kids. They had two huge piñatas and the kids had so much fun. They all took turns and went crazy when the candy started spilling out. All of a sudden I was pulled out from the back to give it a try and the kids all got a kick out of that and started chanting my name as I started hitting it. Afterward they were all telling me I was strong. Too funny.

When the party was over we were able to get a good football game going. It was sort of a cross between American football and soccer. They didn’t miss any opportunity to dog pile. We played for at least an hour and we all had so much fun–even with the little bit of rain we got while playing.

Another special moment was with Kevin, one of the younger boys who is about 5.  Before I left, Tracy had given me some gifts for him. I could see right away why she had fallen in love with him. He has the sweetest smile, despite the surgeries he has had to go through to fix his cleft palette. We had played together a little bit yesterday but today I felt a very special bond, not just with him, but with Tracy also, who has been such an important part of my trips and especially this one. I could finally understand and experience for myself the things she has been sharing with me for so many years. I am so grateful to be here and I can’t wait to start camp tomorrow. For the next week, Chrysa and I have nine children we will be looking after and doing all of our activities with. I can’t wait to meet and spend time with them all!

Madre Ivonne & Kevin

JULY 13

Today was pure happiness! It was our first day of “The Chocolate Train” program and my group and another group went to the hot pools, which was like a day at the water park for all of the kids. There are five normal looking pools but they are heated geothermally. It is a special treat that they only get to do once a year and they made every second count. We splished and splashed, played and laughed. My whole body aches from having kids climbing on me, giving piggy back rides, and just carrying them all around in the water. It was worth it! The warm water and hours of laughter is so therapeutic for them and it was such a wonderful blessing to see them having so much fun. In addition to the 18 kids that went today, we also had several of the younger kids and some of the teenagers. The little ones were just as cute as can be and the older ones are also a lot of fun.

I did a lot of bonding with Kevin today and seeing the joy on his face was just awesome. He isn’t really able to say words, but he can make noises and it didn’t take me long before I started to be able to understand his language. I had a lot of fun getting to know the 7-10 year old boys too, and my past trips reminded me how important it is for me to be a good example for them. One of my favorite parts of the hot pools was playing with Cathy, one of the younger girls. She is about 4 (there are no records of her actual birth date) and is just the sweetest little angel. She reminds me of my sister when she was that age. I can still hear the sound of her laughter in my ears.

Kevin & Cathy

After several hours at the hot pools, we loaded up and headed to Pollo Campero, the KFC of Guatemala. It was essentially like having a childrens’ birthday party at a restaurant. They devoured their fried chicken and french fries while donning their paper crown hats and re-fueling after their busy day at the pools. The best part was when they brought out the ice cream cones. I’ve never seen such beautifully swirled ice cream. Each one was laced with a different color in the swirl and their faces just lit up when they saw them. Believe it or not, I actually had flan for dessert instead of ice cream. Yummy!

On the ride to Pollo Campero almost our whole van-ful of kids had fallen asleep, tired from their day at the pools. But after lunch, they were full of energy again and we spent the whole 30 minute ride back to the Hogar playing thumb wars. Simple things can sometimes be some of the funnest things.

The nearly 2 hours we spent in the car today was interesting in terms of the sights we saw. In some areas we saw severe poverty and in some areas we saw wealth and familiar stores like McDonalds and Home Depot. We also took a special route that allowed us to see the monastery from the opposite side of Lake Amititlan. It stands high above the lake on a mountain and is like a spiritual lighthouse shining brightly for everyone to see. I truly cannot wait to go there on Saturday.

As soon as we got back to the Hogar it was time for church. It was an important reminder that there is a time for play but there is also a time for God and that we should always give thanks for our day and our blessings. Our days here are filled with fun and joy, but sometimes there are also serious and somber moments. After church this morning, Madre Ivonne told the children about some of the things happening with the government and the situation with orphanages right now. She told the children to pray because “God listens to the prayers of children.” She asked for them to pray that God would send angels to shelter the orphanage with their wings and protect them from any harassment from the government. Flora, our veteran team member who is much wiser in years than any of us, just came in and wished us a good night by saying in Spanish “I hope you sleep with the little angels.” Here at the Hogar whose patron is the Archangel Rafael, I have a feeling that we are surrounded by them.

JULY 14

I’m too exhausted to even write really, but I want to remember a few things that happened today. A group came to give the kids a party and they brought presents for the ones celebrating birthdays, along with some pizza, a clown, and one of those giant inflatable bouncy things. Afterward, our team gave short presentations about ourselves. Those were a lot of fun and the kids loved looking at the pictures of my family and friends. They also enjoyed seeing the Feliz Cumpleanos balloon that I recently designed.

The main event of the day was the soccer tournament. My team, “San Mateo” won our match after going into overtime (there are 4 wagons on The Chocolate Train: San Mateo, San Marcos, San Lucas, and San Jaun–i.e. the four gospel writers). I think Chrysa and I both felt like proud parents. We will play the other winning team from today at tomorrow’s semi-finals game. I can’t wait!

I missed the second game today because Madre Ivonne asked me to take some of the 4-6 year old boys out to play since they were getting a little restless. They are quite a handful, especially since I only know a little bit of Spanish. One of my favorite moments from today was pushing Alejandro on the swing. Hearing his laughter just filled my heart with pure joy.

Alejandro, photographed by Elmer, one of the other boys

I also heard a few of the children’s stories today. They are too heartbreaking to write about. There are tears in my eyes now just thinking about it. But I think the most important thing is that here they have hope. They have a second chance at life. Every day I learn more about how each one of them is a miracle.

JULY 15

We began the day with Matins and Divine Liturgy, which was beautiful. Here, the kids do everything. They are the choir, they are the chanters and readers, they do the censings, and every other job that adults normally do in their parishes. It’s truly amazing. They know the services intimately and they sing with such joy.

After church we had the second round of soccer. I was so proud of my team! We won our match 9-2. I was the most proud of Mishel, who scored one of the goals. She is Kevin’s older sister and is about 10. She tends to be very shy and sometimes carries a hint of sadness in her eyes. Seeing her so excited and so confident today after our game was definitely one of the highlights of my day. I know Chrysa was so proud of her too.

We also had an arts and crafts session today which was very chaotic. We would normally only have 9 kids, but today there were about 20 in one room from ages 5-16, all doing arts and crafts. It was pretty much pure madness. We made some nice projects though and they seemed to be having fun.

For dinner they served whole talapias from the monastery where they raise them. There was yet another party today for the kids, sponsored by a group. They brought in a hotdog stand and cotton candy machine for a mini carnival. Watching the toddlers eat giant hotdogs was hilarious. By the time we were done we were all covered in cotton candy. It was everywhere! It was all over their faces and clothes and I still have some in my hair. They were having so much fun.

The grand finale though was a dance/acting group that came to perform songs from High School Musical. They LOVED it! The older ones knew all of the words to the songs including the ones in English. It was like watching a live concert. Afterward, the “stars” hung out with the kids and they were so starstruck. They took pictures with them like they were movie stars. It was a huge treat for them and they all had a blast.

We stayed and played in the park until it got dark. I got to spend a lot of time with Gloria, Francesca, and Isabella, who is going to be adopted soon. Chrysa and I spent the rest of the night in the park with Nia, Madre Ivonne’s niece. She is 18 and will be here until November. She is a very sweet girl and the kids really look up to her. Tomorrow we have our first uninterrupted day of camp and I’m looking forward to spending the whole day with my kids. But now it’s time to pop in the ear plugs because the noise outside the walls of the Hogar is exceptionally loud tonight and I need some quality sleep.

JULY 17

Last night we stayed up very late planning and preparing our last session of arts and crafts for today so I was too tired to write. We had a very smooth day yesterday and our group was great. After breakfast and church we had our first station which was soccer in the gym. The younger ones were hard to keep occupied because they can’t play soccer. They started playing on the concrete steps so I decided to turn that into an exercise by having them do laps up and down the stairs. It kept them busy at least for a while.

Our next station was arts and crafts where we made icon Christmas ornaments. The kids enjoyed making them and they turned out really nice. The next two stations were games and the bakery where they made cookies with Felipe, the in-house baker. The kids had such a blast and it was really fun to watch them. They probably made around 200 cookies and since they each ate about 8 a piece they ate almost half the amount they baked.

After lunch we had a few bible story movies and then time in the park for them to bike, skate, play soccer, and just enjoy the beautiful weather we’ve been having. I went over to the playground to play with the 2-4 year old boys. They are so much fun! They laugh at everything and have so much love to give. I spent the most time with Luis who loves saying “hola!” and laughing. He did a lot of climbing on me and tackling me in the grass and after an hour of play and him jumping on my stomach, I felt like I had just been beaten up. Piggy back rides on a sunburned back didn’t feel too good either, but it was absolutely worth it. I’m going to miss those boys so much.

Luis

After church and dinner we had a nice chat and planning session with Madre Ivonne and then went back to the rooms to prepare for our last day of The Chocolate Train. We all woke up this morning feeling pretty worn out and Madre Ivonne sensed it with us and the kids. So after breakfast (which is always at 7:15) she told us we would start church 30 minutes later so we could rest a bit. She does an amazing job of reading the kids and adjusting things accordingly.

After church we began our last day of The Chocolate Train program. My group went to the pool and Chrysa and I had a lot of fun with Kevin and Alejandro, our youngest ones. They don’t know how to swim so we had to just sort of plop them in and out of the water and have them hold on to us or the side of the pool. Next was arts and crafts where we made more icon ornaments and beaded cross ornaments. They turned out great. In the game room we decided to do more arts and crafts and made some beaded bookmarks. They went crazy over those and we ended up making 12 of them just between 4 kids. The last stop for today was the bakery where the kids made empanadas filled with ham.

The kids kept sneaking the ham and at one point Alejandro took a bite out of a stack of ham and then put it back in the pile. Felipe the baker didn’t even bat an eye. We must have made nearly 200 of them and once again they spoiled their lunch by stuffing their faces with empanadas and cookies from the day before.

The highlight of the day was the championship soccer game. All week long the 4 teams had been teasing each other going around chanting their teams’ names. It was all to build up for this day. We had quite a few tears and injuries during the semifinals, so we knew today would be intense. During the 3rd and 4th place match I made friendship bracelets with the kids and I’m still wearing the one Mishel made for me. When it came time for us to play in the final championship game, Chrysa and I were honestly both nervous. These were “our” kids and we wanted them to win. We had grown so close to all of them over the past week and we knew this game was important to them.

We got off to a rough start with one of our players hitting the ceiling with the ball after one of her kicks. At the Hogar, that means one goal taken away, which put us at -1 to 0. One of the things you learn quickly while being here is that Madre Ivonne has a reason behind everything she does. In this case, hitting the ceiling means a loose roof, which means a wet gym when it rains. She teaches the kids that their actions have consequences and that is an important part of them learning how to treat their home and especially each other. They learn that their actions don’t just affect them, but everyone around them. Katerin, who made the kick, was pretty upset with herself by half-time and there were a few tears and a reluctance to continue playing. After a few hugs and pep talks, she was ready to go. It was a very intense game and we ended up with a tie and had to go into overtime. All week I kept saying to them “San Mateo is the champion!” and after a suspenseful 5 minute overtime we made a goal to win the game! Chrysa and I were so proud of them! Afterward, Madre Ivonne had 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place medals for all the players and a special gift for the 4th place team. She does such a good job of letting them know she is proud of them and loves them no matter what. I was very excited that I got to present a special award to Jorge for “Best Goalie.” Not only was I proud because he is one of my kids, but because he really was good and is such a sweet boy.

Immediately after the soccer game we had an open house for all of the arts and crafts that we have done over the past five days. It was wonderful to see their individual creativity and all the beautiful things each group made. Madre Ivonne was very pleased with the things the children made and we will sell some of the items in the gift shop. The rest of the items the children will keep to give away to other visitors and missionaries.

After church Madre Ivonne was going over some scheduling and at the end she asked if there were any questions. Little Francesca raises her hand and whispers something to Madre Ivonne. “Oh yes! Francesca wanted to make sure that I remembered Steven’s birthday tomorrow!” What a sweetheart.

One of the tasks we had been given to complete by tonight was describing our most memorable moment. I thought about it for a very long time. I finally decided on this: “Playing with Kevin and Cathy at the hot pools is a memory I will always keep with me. Cathy is just the sweetest little angel. We had so much fun playing in the water and her giggling shy smile is so pure. I have a very special bond with Kevin and knew of him before I even came to the Hogar. His laughter will always ring in my ears and his smile has found a permanent place in my heart.” That was only one of the many memorable moments. There was another moment that was very special to me that I don’t think anyone would really get except Chrysa. Even as I was explaining it tonight I started to choke up. During one of the soccer games one of my kids, Mishel, scored a goal. I was so proud of her. I didn’t even quite know why that has been such a special moment for me. I’m always amazed at how you connect with certain people and for reasons that only God knows, he has created a very special bond between Mishel and I. This afternoon we exchanged friendship bracelets that we made for each other. When I get back home I know that every time I wear it, there is someone out there wearing a matching one. Someone who truly is my friend, even if she is only 10 years old and lives hundreds of miles away.

JULY 18

I couldn’t have dreamed of a better way to spend my 27th birthday. As soon as I woke up I received birthday wishes from my teammates. At breakfast a lot of the kids wished me a happy birthday also. Today was a day I had been looking forward to for a long time. Not because it was my birthday, but because it was the day we got to travel to the monastery. What an amazing place. The contrast between Guatemala City where the orphanage is and where the monastery is located is like the difference between night and day. It is truly a little paradise.

View from the church at the monastery

The church is so beautiful. It is majestic yet simple. I could have sat in there for hours. I can’t wait to see it again when the iconography is all completed. We had a short prayer service and I really wish it could have been longer. Not just because we prayed in English, but because there is something so peaceful and moving when you hear the prayers and hymns echoing through the quiet church, as they are literally rising up to heaven. To look high above and see the Christ Pantocrator icon majestically covering the ceiling is powerful and humbling. God’s love is enough and in the church at the monastery you truly feel that.

One of the most incredible aspects of the monastery and the 3 nuns in particular is the ways in which they are using the gifts that God has given them to support the monastery. They grow coffee, they raise tilapia and rabbits, produce honey, and utilize various other gifts of nature to support their monastery. Everything is organic and grown to be used as a source of income, a source of food, and a source of natural medicine. The nuns essentially own the entire mountainside and the potential for what they can do is amazing.

Tilapia pools at the monastery

The construction of the new orphanage is moving along, but because of a lack of funds it may still be 2 years before they are able to move the children. God willing, it will be sooner. The atmosphere will be so wonderful for the kids. Something I think is very interesting is that they keep the money for the orphanage and the monastery completely separate. Madre Ivonne told us that not a single penny for the orphanage is used for the monastery and vice versa. She told us that they make their accounting very transparent so that there is no question where the money goes. The monastery will eventually be completely self-sustaining.

View from the new orphanage

View from inside the new orphanage

The nuns are very intelligent and very innovative. Madre Ines, the abbess, has studied architecture and oversees the construction, among her many other talents. Madre Ivonne is a very gifted scientist and has dedicated herself to the study of medicinal mushrooms and natural medicine which she applies in amazing ways. But first and foremost she has dedicated her life to God and the power of prayer. She told us many stories of miracles that she has seen at the orphanage. I don’t use that word “miracle” lightly either. I won’t share them or describe them because to the world it is just nonsense. It is a fairy tale or the product of imagination. For those people, I am sad. God reaches out to his creation daily but if we are not willing to look, we will never be able to see it.

We were all sad to have to leave the monastery but we had reservations at the restaurant that Madre Ivonne’s brother Jorge recommended. The food was okay but it didn’t make my stomach very happy. Since it was my birthday I had to indulge myself with some ice cream. Yum! It was possibly the best vanilla ice cream I have ever had. Of course my team had to secretly mention to our waiter that it was my birthday, which meant singing, sombreros, birthday cake, and funny pictures. It was a lot of fun.

The second we got back to the Hogar we went to church. After the service, Madre Ivonne was sharing with the kids about our day at the monastery and then I started to notice all of them turning around and looking at me, smiling and giggling. I knew what was coming. Padre Nicholas motioned for me to come to the front of the church. When they started singing “God grant you many years” I felt so content and so peaceful. God has given me a great blessing on my birthday and I am so grateful to be here right now.

JULY 20

Yesterday was a pretty quiet day since it was Sunday. We celebrated our last Divine Liturgy here and I am really going to miss hearing the kids singing, chanting, and reading. I do miss my church though and hearing the services in English. We had our final meeting as a team with Madre Ivonne and we had a very special treat, which was to tour her mushroom lab. Her knowledge of mushrooms and natural medicine is incredible. Many conditions are treated here by combining the power of prayer with the power of natural remedies that God has given us through nature. She showed us the many herbs and tinctures they use here and explained to us that they prefer not to use medicines loaded with chemicals–in other words, many of the standard OTCs and prescriptions that American doctors use on children.

Every day the children receive a drink that has a special mushroom blend. She told us that because of this, the children are never sick. Not only do they treat normal, every day conditions like fevers, asthma, eczema, etc, but they have successfully treated six HIV patients, stage four cancer patients, and various other conditions. To get clarification, one of our team members asked, “So you call this alternative medicine?” She replied, “I call it a miracle.”

Later, Madre took us to a plaza of nice shops. As soon as we arrived I started to notice the stares from people, especially young adults. I realized how I take my acquaintance with monasticism for granted and that in Guatemala, the sight of an Orthodox nun is strange and unfamiliar. It reminded me that the nuns and kids here are the only visible witnesses to the Orthodox faith here in Guatemala. The mall really wasn’t my cup of tea and I was missing the kids. But the conversation that Jesse and I had with Madre Ivonne made the trip worth it. She told us a bit about the current situation in Guatemala and how it is much worse now than when she was growing up. She told us that a lot of the violence is against women and that last year over 1,500 women were killed and that an average of 20 people were being killed a week. A few nights ago we were getting ready for bed and we heard a blood-curdling scream from the street outside the orphanage. She kept yelling, “STOP!” It was a reality check for all of us and a poignant reminder that the orphanage is a little paradise in the middle of hell. Madre told us that the woman we heard was most likely a prostitute and that some of the girls have even seen people being killed on that street from their bedroom windows.

Sometimes we hear things, especially about the kids, which are very hard to swallow. Things that I don’t want to write about because I don’t want to remember them. What I want to remember is the hugs and smiles; giggles and thumb wars; lanyards, swimming, and soccer. I want to remember the love and the hope. I’ve been dreading this day since before I even left home. Today is the day we have to say goodbye. I know I will leave here with a broken heart, but I know that sadness will not be able to overshadow the joy that I will also have in my heart when I leave. Goodbye is just a word. I know I will be taking a little bit of each of them with me and I know I will have those memories with me forever. I also know it won’t be the last time I see some of them.

JULY 22 (Entry #1)

We spent the first part of the day yesterday in Antigua, Guatemala’s first capitol. It is a very enchanting city and we started our day with a nice breakfast at a place called Cafe Del Conde. Next, we went to a jade factory, which was very interesting. Guatemala is one of the only places in the world with a special kind of jade called jadeite. The ancient Mayans didn’t have precious metals like gold and silver, but instead used jade for adornment and decoration. Our tour guide was wonderful and a few of us ended up having a nice conversation with her after the tour. She saw Jesse’s cross that he was wearing and asked if we were Catholic. We explained to her that we were Orthodox Christians and she excitedly told us to wait while she went to go get something. She brought back a Russian style Orthodox cross carved from jade.

She started asking us what Orthodoxy was and shared with us that she used to be Roman Catholic but is now Evangelical Protestant. We talked a little bit about the differences between them all and it was another powerful reminder that there is virtually no witness to Orthodoxy here, except for the nuns, the children, and a handful of others. We couldn’t tell her to go check out a church sometime, because there aren’t any. There are no Mediterranean or Greek Festivals, no Eighth Day Books, and no inquirers classes or visitor Sundays. Hopefully one day there will be an Orthodox church in Guatemala for her to visit.

After the jade factory tour, we went to visit a Catholic church from the 16th century which houses the body of St. Hermano Pedro. He is a saint with a beautiful story and though he is a Roman Catholic saint, the Orthodox in Guatemala treat him as their own since he is the only local saint and because he is so loved by the people of Guatemala. I think all of us felt privileged to learn about him and number him among those we love here in Guatemala.

We saw a few more things and then headed to the markets to bargain for things like cocoa, coffee, and various other goods and handcrafted items. There were some neat things but I just bought a few gifts for family and friends.

For lunch we were taken to a place called Cheeses and Wine, an Italian restaurant especially loved by Madre Ivonne. Naturally, my lunch consisted of a feta cheese and tomato salad with a glass of wine. Everything was great. Our last order of business was to pick up gifts for Madre, the nannies, guards, kitchen staff, and housekeeper. They are all a vital part of the orphanage and their work often goes unthanked. I was especially impressed with the nannies. They have a very tough job of caring for around 60 often difficult children and yet they care for them with patience and understanding, and most of all, with love. It was so sweet that the kids called them “mama” and it reveals a little bit about the special relationship between the staff and the children at the Hogar.

When we got back from Antigua we went straight to church. Like my other trips, starting and ending the day with church services has been one of my favorite things and especially here because it is so awesome to hear and see the children do everything. It was our last service together and I tried to take it all in one last time. I was holding together fine until Madre Ivonne said a few words about Fr. Nick celebrating the anniversary of his ordination. It was a special day for him and to know that some of us were blessed to celebrate special days in our lives here with the kids was very touching. Madre thanked us all for our work here with the kids and as they all sang “God grant you many years” they brought each of us a special card.

The hard part was still to come. We went outside to the park where we all lined up. Each child came and hugged us so we could all say goodbye to each other. I was very collected until I looked over to see the train of little ones coming to say goodbye too. It was hard not to squish them as I hugged each of them. I had the hardest time saying goodbye to the children I had been assigned to. I had come to know each of them in a special way and for the time I was at the Hogar they were like my own. Carina made me cry the most. She is one of the older ones (14) and always has the biggest smile on her face and in especially in her eyes.

After we all said our goodbyes I went over to see Jorge to give him a small gift. He had asked me to make him a friendship bracelet, so I had made him one and was giving it to him. Carina, who is Jorge’s older sister came over and asked if I would make one for her too. I’ll make one and send it with a letter and some photos when I get home.

Me and Jorge

Carina

After the goodbyes we all had our last dinner in the comedor. I wasn’t surprised that they were sending us off with black beans, a standard for almost every meal. After dinner it was time for our final farewell gift to the kids…balloons! We inflated three 3-footers and several punch balls. They were having a blast. Two of the 3-foot balloons popped and it was so funny. They are so loud when they pop and it was fun to see their expressions–especially Madre Ivonne. We all played with the balloons for about 30 minutes and then it really was time to say goodnight.

As I was leaving the comedor, Jorge came out of his room to say goodbye one last time. He asked me if I was going to come back. I will do everything I can to keep my word.

A small group of us stayed outside in the dark with a few of the older girls and just enjoyed our last few moments together. It was really sweet when Barbara grabbed Georgia’s and my hand and walked us to our doors. The hardest part of the trip was over. The greatest comfort for me is knowing that there will be 9 others who know exactly how I feel. It was time to pack for our trip to Tikal to see the Mayan ruins. We were all physically and emotionally drained and definitely weren’t looking forward to getting up early for our 4:30 am departure.