... Two & a half months later:
Okay, again it's been a while since i posted. I really need to make more of an effort in the future (now that i'm signed-up -- without a chance of a refund -- for another year).
A lot of things have happened since my last post, so let's catch up!
HLBoES has started its 2nd term & i find myself as one of the moderators, in addition to being the data maven. I have given up being Ravenclaw HOH &, since we are no longer required to post on our personal blogs about HLBoES, you may or may not see the projects i complete this term...
I am also the moderator for the BookLovers' Yarn Swap this round. Fancy that. Books, Yarn, Presents in the mail... how could i not volunteer when the former moderator didn't seem interested in continuing?
The third year of the 52 Pair Plunge is underway, as well, but i've turned over the reins & will not be participating either -- i've just had too many "signs" that The Plunge & i are never to be...
My garden is flourishing. Sort of.
To date i have "harvested" 1 radish, 3 small beets, and 1 zucchini. The marigolds i planted to repel mosquitoes are almost 3 feet tall, but have no blossoms. My herbs all died, except one scraggly cilantro plant and, of course, the catnip. My "Rose in My Garden" garden is not really fairing so well either. The rose, which seemed to be doing such a great job getting leaves, has died & of the two peony bushes i planted, only one has come up... the sunflowers hit about 1 foot & keeled over. This afternoon, i intend to plant pachysandra along our walkway -- the tag said that it's a hardy plant that grows well in shade... the place i'm planting it is shady, but if i can screw up marigolds, i can probably screw up pachysandra...
The biggest thing that has happened since my last post was the missions trip to Guatemala with S.E.R.C.H. & O.R.I. To save my digital camera, i went old-school & used 35mm film... which seemedlike a good idea at the time, but now i'll have to scan any of my photos if i want to share them online. Until i get them organized & figure out which ones i want to scan, i'm going to share some photos that were taken by our "Photo Guru" Al.
Enjoy!
Day 1 -
We arrived in Guatemala City, by plane, after a short layover in Houston, TX.
On the (school) bus ride to the coffee plantation where we stayed, we saw two volcanoes (one of which is an active volcano). The volcano in the picture below is called "Agua" (translates to "Water") because a few hundred years ago it spewed hot water, which scalded the towns below, before it covered them with molten lava. I'm really glad it's inactive now!!
Days 2, 3, & 5 -
Three of the days we spent in Guatemala were scheduled as work days at the orphanage Fundaniños. The women did a lot of cleaning & helping with the babies & toddlers, while the men did a lot of building projects.
Of course, gender roles were not strictly enforced ;D ... in addition to playing with & caring for the children, i learned how to mix mortar & lay brick!
Eventually, we had to say good-bye to the gang at Fundaniños...
Day 4 -
In between our work days, we took a sight-seeing/culture-experiencing trip to Antigua, Guatemala. We were able to buy locally-made crafts & learn how the Ancient Mayans carved jade. Here is a view of the city from the cross that stands watch on the hill above.
Day 6 -
We traveled with one of the ORI missionary families to the ORI warehouse & 3 orphanages (to deliver supplies).
Nuevo Reto ("New Challenge;" photo above)
Hogar Miguel Magone ("Home of Miguel Magone"; pronounced "mah-go-nay")
Amor del Niño ("Love the Child;" photo below)
Day 7 -
On Sunday, we went to a worship service at a contemporary church above a strip mall in Guatemala City. The church even provided an English translation of the sermon by way of headphones. (Pictures were not taken of the sanctuary, as per request of our guide).
After service, we went to one last Orphanage "Rosa de Amor" ("Rose of Love" - named after the woman who runs it, Rosita). We took supplies, including new shoes, for the children & took them out to lunch -- at McDonalds.
I never realized how "fancy" McDonalds is considered in other countries, until now (at the McDonalds in Antigua, you are served in an open, trellised courtyard, at your table; at the McDonalds we went to in Guatemala City, there were 6 armed guards in the parking lot & surrounding the building -- you can see one in the upper left corner of the picture below)...
Day 8 was our trip home, which was relatively uneventful, except for our 4+ hour layover in Houston...
The whole experience was moving & it has really made me reconsider how blessed my life is and how i can help others in need. As a closing thought, i've included the picture below:
Door-to-door service (a la Guatemala City): The milkman's wares
