I have no idea where to even start this blog. Today is Day 5 of life in Guatemala and saying it’s been a roller coaster ride would be an understatement. I knew going into this that I would be the only intern at the Children’s Home and that it’s in a dangerous part of Guatemala and all that other stuff but boy did I underestimate what I thought I knew! First here are some important names so my stories make sense! Lee is the intern coordinator and Staci who does other stuff at the home is his wife, they are really sweet people! Cannon is their one and half year old son. So Lee and Cannon picked me up from the airport and right away it was what I thought it would be because it’s a lot like Honduras and Tapachula, but it was culture shock in the sense that holy cow I’m not with all my friends doing this, I’m alone and I don’t actually know anyone.
The day went pretty well, we pulled into the children’s home and I liked where I was staying and the kids were ready to play, we had lunch and I thought okay this is going to be great. Then like halfway through the day (I was really tired as well) I started to second guess it all. Well actually that happened on the airplane but this was even more so. So Lee was giving me a tour of the compound, which is divided in half by a public street. Each side is surrounded by concrete with electric wire at the top and there is an armed guard at each of the two entrances. I remember thinking oh good I’m safe, and then I did the dumb thing of asking well do people still break in. They do on the occasion jump the fence and the guards chase them out. I mean this town is desperate for basic needs so obviously people are going to do what they need to do to meet those needs. Anyway so that night (which its dark at 6:30) at about 9:30 I walked from one side of the compound (where Staci and Lee live, we played Mexican Dominoes with some of the older ones who live at the home but are college/young adult aged) to mine crossing the street with the guards and then I got lost as to where my dorm was and then by the time I found it, I was soaking wet, the keys wouldn’t work to unlock the door, and the security dogs were barking so I was so sure they were about to attack me thinking I was trouble. I got in, but man was that literally the worst night quite possibly of my life. If you know me you know one I hate even sleeping in my own room much less in my own little house thing on the opposite side of the street of the majority of people. So my mom skyped me to sleep, how wonderful is she =).
The next couple of days were good during the day starting the process of building relationships with the kids and hanging out, but same thing at night just scared and lonely and as pathetic as it sounds crying myself to sleep and knowing that as soon as daylight comes I’m heading to the airport to go home. Then daylight comes and things are better.
So yesterday (Sunday) Staci and Lee took me to Antigua for language school. They showed me the school and I met Arturo the owner and then we headed to my host home. There was a housekeeper there but not the family so I dropped my stuff had a quick tour of everything and then headed to dinner with Lee and Staci. By this point I was trying to figure out how best to tell them that I’m actually riding back with them to Villa Nueva because I’m catching the first flight out the next day. I mean people it is SCARY. Antigua is fairly safe but it’s just me here. Well I never said it instead I just cried a lot and then they dropped me off back at the home where I am staying and it was dark. So the way typical middle class Guatemalan houses are set up is you come through these double doors and inside is a courtyard (which is beautiful) and they park their car in there as well and each room of the house has faces the courtyard and you go in through a door for each room. So I’m in my room, its completely dark in the courtyard and I can’t even find the bathroom. My mom and calls and she talked me through finding it and figuring out how to break the news to Lee and Staci that after all of their work getting me to this point, I’m leaving to go home in the morning.
Well today is Monday and I am in Antigua in a coffee shop with 4 new friends, not on a plane back home. I prayed and cried all night long that God would please just bring one person to sooth me and walk me through this tough time and transition so I could do what I know he has called me to do here. This morning I woke up not really believing I would be going anywhere but home. I went to breakfast and met my host dad who was nice and tried to eat the meal but my stomach has hurt non stop since boarding the plane to Guatemala because I was so nervous and just terrified really. Then I walked to school and met my teacher (it’s one on one speaking in Spanish for 4 hours!! I’m pretty much fluent after today, well okay not really) Anyway his name is Harvey and he is wonderful and patient and a great teacher. Half way through the four hours you get a coffee break PRAISE THE LORD. I walked down and heard these two girls talking about music at church and I was like wait Church, what are you here for? The rest is history. God answered my prayer and I have a very new sweet new friend Haley! We made plans to meet up after lunch (you eat all meals with your host family except Sunday you are on your own). So we met up at the central park and she walked me through understanding how to get around Antigua and then we met up with some friends she had met at a coffee shop and here I am writing this blog while they are studying. But they have internet here so I figured may as well take advantage of it and study tonight.
So for now life is good here, those horribly difficult days are in the past, I hope at least ha ha but this is good. My biggest prayer is that when I get back to the home there will be a bed for me on the other side of the compound so I can sleep and be rested to be with all those wonderful children. So please keep that in your prayers =) I love you all so much and will for sure update soon!!! I promise pictures by the end of this week =)
