Why am I so terrible at keeping up the blog???

Hello all.

I have so much to write and I just don't do it! 

Today I went to a senior's home with a group of kids from the children's home that my Pastors run. It was so much fun! There were about 12 kids that went. I love them all of course. :) 

I took my camera with me and I wanted so much to take pictures but I got too involved with doing stuff and didn't take a single one. :( One of the other ladies did so maybe I can steal them from her.

I love old people. When I worked with them in the hospital I found it very sad. They didn't have many visitors, they always looked bored, they had so many aches and pains and I just had a hard time dealing with it. I know all of that exists here as well but these seniors seemed to be pretty well taken care of. There were two big rooms (men and women) with the beds all lined up against the walls. We went out into the courtyard and they all started to trickle in. I went around and said hello to each one of them (I was supposed to be blowing up balloons. Oops). I have never been told how beautiful I am that many times!!!!! They all loved me. :) I tried to take a minute with each one. 

One man knew a little English as he has spent a year in Utah. Then he said something about playing basketball. So maybe he played basketball in Utah??? :) I was kissed on the hand by at least 3 men. And I know it is actually a bad thing for them, but when old people have no teeth and their lips are all sunken in and wrinkly, I think it looks so cute!!!! 

There was one lady with a black eye and a gauze bandage on her forehead. She said someone else came up to her while she was laying in bed and hit her in the face and in the stomach with their shoe!! Another lady just started crying and crying when I asked her how she was and she was telling me all these terrible things. I couldn't understand all of it. But it broke my heart. I don't think it all was true but you never know. 

Another man had no teeth and maybe had had a stroke. He was mobile though. He had so much to say!!!! He kept coming up to me to tell me things. And he used hand motions. I can't tell how lucid he was because his language was so garbled (one of the reasons I think he had a stroke) And he was showing me some cut outs of magazines that he had. He was very cute. But he spit a LOT when he talked! 

The kids all blew up these long balloons to give out (the ones you make balloon animals from) and they had no fear in approaching the seniors and helping out. They go once every two months. The other month in between they visit a home for kids with AIDS. I can't wait to go there as well! One of the teenage boys (he just turned 18) went up to one of the ladies and made a necklace out of the balloon and tied it around her neck. It was so cute I could have cried! This kid obviously has a really good heart. We sang a song (and I even got in there and waved my balloons around as well) and handed out cookies and juice. They were so grateful and kind in receiving it. Some of them were reverting back to their childhoods mentally, but most of them seemed lucid. We were only there an hour and I would have loved to stay a lot longer. Maybe it is something I can do on my own. Seriously, I loved it there. 

The staff seemed really great. Attentive and kind, and I was told later by a guy who works at the children's home that a lot of the staff are volunteers. I hope this next thought comes out right. I used to think that we missionaries here give up a lot and, although we are no better than anyone else, we are doing a good thing for the "poor people of Guatemala". The longer I am here and the more I get to know people here, I have not given up the most. I have a good standard of living. I budget, and I don't have a lot (or any) excess but I still have a lot compared to a lot of people here. And if I REALLY need something I know that someone at home will help me. If I NEED to get away, someone will buy me a plane ticket home. 

I met a young couple in December when I was traveling in the Peten (the jungle in the North of the country). They lived near the Capital and a couple weeks after they were married they were called to pastor a church up in a place called Mario Mendez. It is remote! We couldn't take the van out there, someone took us in their 4x4 truck. They live in a simple house, dirt floors, thatch roof, and a hammock in the middle of the room (which I took advantage of!) and not a lot of access to anything. It took them 15 hours on many different buses (with their 10 month old daughter) to get home for a visit this Christmas. I went to visit their family and I will write another post about that. It was amazing. Anyway, they have been there for 2 years now. They have given up their family (which here, is a much bigger deal) their resources, their nice climate (it is really hot and humid where they live now) and much more. I know that Abigail is lonely. She had to have her first baby away from her mother and sisters and extended family. I am not sure but I assume a local midwife delivered the baby. At least, I hope she had someone else there! 

And then these people who could be out making a better wage, decide to care for old people in their home. It is not like when we in Canada volunteer in a home. We read books, sing songs, hand out food, etc. These people are changing beds, changing clothes, changing diapers, feeding them, helping when they are hurt, and on and on. For free. Because they have good hearts. 

I know of a Dr. who practices not far from where I live. He is in his mid thirties and treats everyone. He has good equipment, good education (he spent time in a med school in the U.S.) and could be treating only the wealthy. He treats many from the village clinic where I volunteered, he started giving out food in a local dump nearby. Providing food and help with education and medical services to people who live in garbage.

What do I do? I work in a nice clean home for special needs kids. I sometimes change diapers but mostly the ladies do it. I work on the computer. I play with the kids when I want to. I go home at night to an apartment that is safe and nice and clean and although I hate my tiles, I have tiles. I don't have cement or dirt for floors. I watch my cable (I have a couple of English channels) and I eat Kraft Dinner or other treats that people send me. They send me these treats because I can't get them here. And imported candy is expensive. And I love that people do this for me. But the big question is, what have I really given up? I could list things for you but I sometimes feel it doesn't compare to the generosity and giving up of things that is done here locally. The stuff that isn't seen by most groups and people that come down here. Even I was ignorant to it until a couple of months ago. Because these people won't brag about it. When I go home in April and I meet new people and they ask me what I am doing here I will tell them. And they will think, and more often than not tell me, that I am great. I am doing such a good thing. I am not folks. And this is not me being humble. It is me being honest. I could be doing a lot more. I need to be doing a lot more. 

And my Guatemalan friends down here treat me so well. Like I am special. And I don't think it is just because I am such nice and great person! :) They clean my bathroom, they give me surprise birthday cakes, they prepare special food for me, they buy me housewarming gifts, they don't mind spending time to show me places, or take me through the market so I don't get ripped off, etc. People in Canada do this too (except maybe the cleaning my bathroom part!). And maybe it is me and my bad thinking. That I think they have less to give and so they shouldn't give anything to me because I have so much more than they do. But it seems to mean a lot more to me down here than at home. They give so unselfishly and with a genuine heart behind it, more so than I ever will. I don't want to share my candies. And yet when I visit someone in their house I am given the best food and the best chair. I have SO much to learn from people here. About how to be Jesus. And how to give properly. 

Well that rant went on. 

In the car on the way home I pretty much tickled kids all the way. I would have loved to go back to the home with them and stayed longer. Two of the girls held on pretty tight when they dropped me off at the bus. There are only 5 girls and about 20 or so boys. And they have a "mom" who is there full time but I think they like to have other girls to talk to as well.

Anyway, I am off to take a look at an exercise video that my friend sent me. I was complaining to her that I can't run here (it is too dangerous in my area) and I needed to do some exercise. Problem is, well, it is not a problem, she sent candy as well. She told me she felt a little silly in the Wal-Mart line up with her exercise video and a bunch of bags of candy. So I guess I could eat the candy while I am exercising. That would negate all calories right? Because on Monday I hit a milestone. I am now 30 years old. So my metabolism that I have been abusing for years will continue to decline more so than it already has. How sad. 

Did you know that ageism is the only "ism" that people always get over? With racism you can stay a racist all your life because you won't change color. With sexism, you will be a sexist all your life because you won't change your sex (although changing your sex is an option, but if you do, it is obvious that you don't "not like" the other sex. Did any of that just make sense??!!??) But with age, we will all get old. And we will change our minds at some point. If you think that old people are in the way and have nothing to add to society, you WILL change your mind. Not sure where I heard that. 

So, carry on with your lives people. And thanks for stopping by!!!