hola!

Dear Fan Club,

We’re here.

Day 1 is soon over. The six bambinos are in bed as are the little people. The mediums will go in about 5 minutes and the oldest kids in an hour or so.

We arrived in Guatemala City Thursday evening around 9 local time. We stayed in the city that night and Friday night and headed out here Saturday morning. I thought Snyder County was the boonies (I’m not bashing good ole Snyder County, I grew up there!),but I was wrong. THIS is the boonies. The roads were very curvy. Ravines and canyons and washouts dotted the scenery. Driving through the little towns, it was like human dodgeball. But we made it, YAY!

The weekend was a little wild, but today seemed normal. 

We get up at 6:30 for now. Breakfast is at 7:30. The school kids do school until lunch and then after lunch until they are finished. Since their school is in Spanish and I haven’t mastered that yet, I take care of the babies.  And try to teach 4 year old Rosa how to trace lines, circles, and squares. Eventually, I’ll take turns making meals and getting up at 6 to give the babies their first round of bottles, but for now, we’re all trying to get used to a new schedule. 

Josh takes care of babies and impresses the medium-sized boys with his muscles. He’s made great friends with Rosa because he throws her in the air. She giggles constantly. Also, he’s doing a great job learning how to change baby diapers. Tonight, he disappeared for about 20 minutes with baby Jacob.  Angelito (6 year old boy) came down and said “Ms. Donna, Mr. Josh needs you!”. Jacob had alternately puked and peed for about 3 times. Josh handled it very well; and he will be a pro at changing diapers and giving bottles!

Currently, there are 17 kids here. All except two are permanent here at the home due to an adoption law passed here in Guatemala. The point of the law was to stop people who were kidnapping babies or paying people to have babies to sell to the Americans for about $30,000. The money was all bribes. So it was a good law in that it stopped those corrupt dealings, but sad in that so many kids are not able to be adopted now. They have a good home here and yet its never truly their very own family.

Thank you to those of you who are faithful in praying for us. Our very first night here, we were exhausted and I couldn’t figure out how to made the water hot in the shower! I was sure I was doomed to 2 years of cold showers! Boo. But after a good nights sleep, we both felt better. Please continue to pray for us as we adjust to the schedule, the culture, and our new relationships. Pray for wisdom as we interact with the children and Dave & Deborah (the directors). Pray that we will be faithful in our relationship with God! And pray that our marriage will grow and thrive in this time of our lives! Also pray that we will not be too homesick; we do miss our family and friends so much, especially  in this initial adjustment.

I took a picture of me with I’m not sure how many babies around me as proof but I’m too tired to stand up and go get my camera right now, so maybe next time.

Its just about 9 and I’m exhausted.

Love and peace to all.

p.s. I’m also too tired to proofread this, so my apologies if I spelled something wrong or whatever. That’s for those of you who are grammar Nazi’s-you know who you are.

Ok, Buenos noches.