The last Saturday in Guatemala means shopping

Written by Joy- Today they went for a boat ride across Lake Atitlan which is what is believed to be the Waters of Mormon.  They also had a full day of shopping.

Yesterday we were able to talk to our little world traveler and I think she is about ready to come home. Grandma says they have given away all their soccer balls, jump ropes, and shoes.  They have soiled all their clothes and they are afraid they are going to stink on the plane, but they have worked hard and had a wonderful time.

They were able to tell me about craft day yesterday. It seems it rained and Lydia and I had had some craft kits donated to us by a wonderful woman named Jennie Dudley, who runs the Eagle Ranch Ministries.  When she found out about what Lydia was doing she donated a whole bunch of craft kits to the trip.  Well yesterday was the day for them.  They said with all the rain it was a breath of fresh air and a wonderful day with all the projects to work on.  Lydia also taught kids how to do finger weaving with yarn.  The rain didn't ruin the day.

When I was talking to Lydia she told me she loved to work in the garden. On Tuesday and Wednesday she spent a couple of hours working in the garden pulling weeds.  She said, "Mom I love it in the garden it is so beautiful and I love to pull weeds because the soil is so soft."
How many eleven year olds say that.  I had to smile.

She has had a wonderful time serving and today she enjoyed the goods of the people but we have sure missed being with this sweet girl and will be excited for her to come home tomorrow.

Friday

Written by Sarah- Wow it's been a full week and I miss my sister at home even though being an only child is nice too. Everyone that is down there has been working hard! They have been so busy working and playing with the kids. It's so exciting to hear from them every day and hear about all the great things that they are doing!

Corinne and Lydia passing out the school kits that Serving with Smiles collected.

Lydia and the kids playing jump rope.  Jennifer and Garrett
donated 2 long jump for the children there.

Mark the translator is reading a Dr. Seuss book to the cook named Juana.

Corinne is teaching the children and having fun with them 

Mark and Elaine are passing out the school kits also.

Thursday

Written by Joy- Today they are still hard at work serving the people and children of Guatemala. Lydia had a few Carebears donated from a stranger who found out what she was doing. Today she decided to give them to Anselmo.  He has eight children at home and he walks and takes public transportation for two hours to get to work every day.
 Lydia was told before she went she needed to prepare something to teach. She came up with the idea to teach Chinese jump rope.  This is a great activity because it can be done inside or outside.  It can involve a 1 child or several.  It also teaches coordination, skip counting, team work/ cooperation, and cultural awareness.  The equipment is light weight and easy to take with her.  Before she left we were able to have enough elastic donated to make 5 jump ropes and we purchased 5 more.  Today  I received a picture of some children playing with her jump ropes.

Lydia and Anselmo with his bag of Carebears

The children playing Chinese Jump rope

The team is helping the children every way they can

Beautiful Flowers

Wednesday

Written by Joy- Lydia and Kathi along with the rest of the group started the day on a bus going down a bumpy dirt road though the mountains on their way to a very poor district.  They took supplies to leave at the school and work with the kids.  They took soccer balls and a jump rope.  Kathi traced the kids bodies and they labeled the body parts in English and Spanish.

 Lydia worked with students also.  Grandma says she is young and can with out stopping.  She says she is able to handle a class of kids and teach them.  She plays soccer with them and works with them on lots of different activities.  They have also given out lots of new shoes to children.

Lydia took the penny hockey board that Sarah made in school.  She is teaching the boys to play.  They almost had a problem when nobody had any penny's, only paper money..oops but Grandma saved the day when she found a couple of penny and a dime. Sarah wrote a message to the kids on the back but it was in English and the kids all speak Spanish.  I am still not sure how Lydia is communicating with them. 

This is One of the kids that Kathi traced and it shows how they labeled her in both English and in Spanish.

This is Lydia teaching the kids how to do origami.  Origami has educational benefits of cooperative learning, cognitive development, links to math, and  small motor development. 

Lydia is throwing a Frisbee with Irvin.  Her cousin was able to baptize him last week.  He has been with them all week.  This makes for a special connection.

Tuesday

Written by Joy-  Lydia's days are full and active.  She has been teaching, playing soccer, working in the garden and she also went for a walk to the village.  She is doing great.  She sent me a text saying the kids were chasing her and tickling her yesterday but today they were much more respectful. She is working very hard and accomplishing a lot. Thank you to all those who helped her achieve so much!

This is Barbara, Lydia, Kathi, Corinne

Text From Guatemala/ Monday

Written by Joy--I got a text from my mom and she told me Lydia had been working with the children all day.  She wasn't sure how they were communicating but Lydia was doing great!

Sarah and I laughed because when anyone asked if she knew Spanish she would say, "I can say green bicycle."

Written by Grandma Kathi--Lydia was awesome at the school today. We helped Elaine teach origami cats and dogs. We taught about 60 kids. They loved having someone about the same age. We also listened to them present the flag and their pledge and anthem. The kids stood in lines and were so quiet and respectful. Then they had an assembly about the land and droughts.

She played soccer with one of the soccer balls she brought down.

I saw a boy who had a club foot. I traced his feet and will look for shoes for him. I got his information to see if there is anything more that can be done.

It's only noon. We will be getting the after school kids after lunch and Lydia has gone to the village to get a chocolate covered covered fruit with the team.

Good job Lyd!

Lydia's with a friend 

Saturday and Sunday

Saturday I landed in Guatemala. The airport was a lot nicer than you would expect. We got on a bus for about 3 hours. We made a stop at a restaurant and I bough t a poncho, it's pretty sweet. Then we arrived at the orphanage and got settled in. We had lunch then I took a 1 hour nap. Me and another person on the team played tether ball  it was pretty fun.  Then we had dinner so we washed our dishes and played spoons. As soon as I got out I started talking to one of the translators, then mark got out, he is also one of the translators. We sat there for a while and I saw a moth, I got really freaked out. I went to the house took a shower. It was fun to take a shower in a foreign country. You turn on the light then you turn on the shower as soon as the light goes dim the water is warm.

Sunday I got up and went out to breakfast.  It was delicious, we had fresh fruit like, chopped watermelon and mangoes, eggs, cornflour tortillas, peanut butter and jam it was so good. Then I got ready and waited for the bus to take us to church. Which figured out pretty quick that the driver is the man that my cousin baptized.

This is in front of the baptismal font

This shows the tuktuk in the back they rode in one with 3 other people that put 5 people in the back