IN Senahu is a housing area called "The Colonia" to get to one part you go up a very steep concrete trail, take a right turn, go a ways further then climb straight back up on another concrete part, quite a ways above the concrete basketball court/soccer field down below. This morning we went up there to visit a couple of families. The families, once you get off the concrete path, live down another dirt trail, then the path to their homes are both small steps cut into the mud. It rained last night and misted and rained all morning, just barely stopping before we went out. The trails were slick, and we were being careful because I had strained my back last week, overdoing things. Coming back to the main trail from the first home Elder Spradlin teasingly told the little girls they needed to help him down their stairs. They then turned and helped me, down to the last stair, where we let go hands, I took a step - out went my feet and down I went. Falling is not real unusual here and I was not badly scratched. We went on to the next home and had a lovely visit. Coming back down to the main road on the top concrete trail, about three steps from the bottom of it where there is a drop off down the mountain to the soccer field - I slid, lost my footing. Elder Spradlin was in front of me and if I slid forward at all we would have both taken a tumble. Behind me was the concrete, the rim of the step I had just come down, I ended up with a slide step to the side trying not to run into Harold. On the side where my foot landed, was just pure slick mud. I was grateful for the Angels that were watching over us and stopped my feet.
I feel very grateful for the protection we have had throughout the last year as we have traveled this beautiful land. I have always had a fear of heights and am grateful that has not limited our work. Tomorrow evening we have an appointment right back up at those homes and I can truthfully say that I am feeling fear and will have to use a lot of prayer to get past it. I do have rubber boots, was not wearing them today because it wasn't still raining and they are heavy. Tomorrow I will wear them and pray for better traction.
My younger brother sent small presents to hand out to the children for Christmas and they did not come in till Saturday so we are getting to have an extended Christmas as we share his and his family's love with our sweet children here in Guatemala. We ask the children to sing for us, telling them of my brother and his family who have sent the gifts. Each time so far we have heard, "I am a Child of God" sung with great faith by pure voices.
Monday, December 31, 2012
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
Missionary Christmas!
What a wonderful whirlwind of days here in Senahu and Seamay! Sunday with Church, visiting a couple of familys and showing the Christmas video, then helping with music in the afternoon. Monday morning early I got up and went looking for yeast to make my cinnamon rolls, asked at one of the bakeries where we normally buy bread, and they said they didn't have any. (that did seem a little strange!) Went on up to Corina's to help with her tamales and we worked a little on them, I left to go back looking for yeast. I stopped by Rosie's family's bread store and asked where to get it. Her mom said, "oh if you had called this morning I could have brought you some down!" That means her two little ones went with me up to where they bake the bread, and I definitely mean up another mountain! Whew! Afterwards took them back to the tienda and got to tend Rosie for a little bit while her mother tried to catch up with all of the customers she had walking in. Walking back home through the market I had my little penguins to hand out to kids, so much fun to watch the smiles. One of our other dear sisters in the market stopped me to give me tamales for Christmas.
When I got home we decided to get the benches and blankets up the mountain to our family because the nights have been cold. We asked our neighbor boys to help carry stuff up and up we hiked. Elder Spradlin started off with one bench over his back and head and the neighbor teenager with the other. Part way up Elder Spradlin mentioned he hoped he didn't have a heart attack over this. That point being taken, I stayed with the bench he was carrying and he went up helping with the other the rest of the way. The family then sent their children down to help carry the other bench up, and the rest of the blankets I was carrying. This is pretty straight up a dirt trail, and they live at the top of it, not exactly an easy hike without a load!
We then put together a small Christmas for another family with things we had collected, school supplies, colors, a ball, a dress, a jump rope, a couple of pillows and a small nativity. and got to take it to them. Since it was Christmas we gave out candy, pencils, stickers, pony tail holders and penguins throughout the day to a lot of the little kids - and a few adults. Each family we visited got a bag full of cookies I had made. It was so much fun! Normally here we don't give out things to people, because then it becomes very difficult with them asking for things, since this is such a poor community. One of the hardest things for us sometimes is knowing that we can only help fill a few needs for some of the people, when there are so many with very great need. But this was Christmas!
In the afternoon we were scheduled to go meet with one family in Seamay and go with them to their Brother to show our Christmas video to everyone. We are able to show it to everyone on the computer, so since it is battery charged we can do it without electricity, plus we have a good set of speakers. We got to the first family and had to stop for tamales they had made, then went to the next family and after the video were served more tamales. These are not little like stateside, Elder Spradlin guesses they weigh in at almost a pound each. Luckily we had a lot of walking to do afterwards.
Christmas Eve we helped with the music for a Branch Christmas Party, after that back to Corina's to eat one of the tamales we had made that morning. They then went with us to show another home to us that had invited us over, it was about 9:30 or 10 almost, but on Christmas Eve everyone stays up till at least Midnight. Luckily the last family offered us the tamales in such a way that we could politely say no, just leave our cookies and visit for a few minutes. Walking back home again we got home about 11:00 or 11:30 so stayed up to watch the Midnight fireworks, everyone was out celebrating so staying up was the easiest option!
Christmas Day I got up at 5am to make cinnamon rolls and hot chocolate for the Elders. They were supposed to be here at 8am, but ran late. Funny was when two older brothers, one freom the bakery that had given me the yeast, showed up at the door and told us they were here to eat the bread we had made. We invited them in, fed them and heard their amazing stories.
The brother said that when the missionaries first came to the Senahu area about 34 years ago he had seen and heard about them. He decided he wanted to hear what they had to say, so went looking for them on the streets. He went out to find them two days in a row, each time though he got nervous and went back home. His wife asked him why he hadn't found them yet, so on the third day he found them and asked them to come teach him and his family. At the time there was no bakery here, no white bread. One of the Elders, whose mom had a bakery stateside, taught him how to bake, and later another Elder taught him more recipes. His bakery has done well, and supported him, his family and his sons going on missions.
The Elders showed up for their cinnamon rolls and hot chocolate and we really enjoyed having them, after they left we prepared our chili dinner for the family up the hill. It was so great having them in our home! I had written the youngest two's names on plastic chairs we had gotten for each of the two smallest, when they realized their names were on the chairs and they went to sit down in them with such excitement!
When they had left and we cleared off the table Natalie skyped us so we left the floor for later and came in to visit with her and Justin. I went back out into the Dining room and a chicken had come in and was walking around eating the scraps off the floor! It was so funny!
One more visit to a lovely family in Seamay, of course with more tamales, and the end to an amazing day by talking with more of the kids over the internet.
When I got home we decided to get the benches and blankets up the mountain to our family because the nights have been cold. We asked our neighbor boys to help carry stuff up and up we hiked. Elder Spradlin started off with one bench over his back and head and the neighbor teenager with the other. Part way up Elder Spradlin mentioned he hoped he didn't have a heart attack over this. That point being taken, I stayed with the bench he was carrying and he went up helping with the other the rest of the way. The family then sent their children down to help carry the other bench up, and the rest of the blankets I was carrying. This is pretty straight up a dirt trail, and they live at the top of it, not exactly an easy hike without a load!
We then put together a small Christmas for another family with things we had collected, school supplies, colors, a ball, a dress, a jump rope, a couple of pillows and a small nativity. and got to take it to them. Since it was Christmas we gave out candy, pencils, stickers, pony tail holders and penguins throughout the day to a lot of the little kids - and a few adults. Each family we visited got a bag full of cookies I had made. It was so much fun! Normally here we don't give out things to people, because then it becomes very difficult with them asking for things, since this is such a poor community. One of the hardest things for us sometimes is knowing that we can only help fill a few needs for some of the people, when there are so many with very great need. But this was Christmas!
In the afternoon we were scheduled to go meet with one family in Seamay and go with them to their Brother to show our Christmas video to everyone. We are able to show it to everyone on the computer, so since it is battery charged we can do it without electricity, plus we have a good set of speakers. We got to the first family and had to stop for tamales they had made, then went to the next family and after the video were served more tamales. These are not little like stateside, Elder Spradlin guesses they weigh in at almost a pound each. Luckily we had a lot of walking to do afterwards.
Christmas Eve we helped with the music for a Branch Christmas Party, after that back to Corina's to eat one of the tamales we had made that morning. They then went with us to show another home to us that had invited us over, it was about 9:30 or 10 almost, but on Christmas Eve everyone stays up till at least Midnight. Luckily the last family offered us the tamales in such a way that we could politely say no, just leave our cookies and visit for a few minutes. Walking back home again we got home about 11:00 or 11:30 so stayed up to watch the Midnight fireworks, everyone was out celebrating so staying up was the easiest option!
Christmas Day I got up at 5am to make cinnamon rolls and hot chocolate for the Elders. They were supposed to be here at 8am, but ran late. Funny was when two older brothers, one freom the bakery that had given me the yeast, showed up at the door and told us they were here to eat the bread we had made. We invited them in, fed them and heard their amazing stories.
The brother said that when the missionaries first came to the Senahu area about 34 years ago he had seen and heard about them. He decided he wanted to hear what they had to say, so went looking for them on the streets. He went out to find them two days in a row, each time though he got nervous and went back home. His wife asked him why he hadn't found them yet, so on the third day he found them and asked them to come teach him and his family. At the time there was no bakery here, no white bread. One of the Elders, whose mom had a bakery stateside, taught him how to bake, and later another Elder taught him more recipes. His bakery has done well, and supported him, his family and his sons going on missions.
The Elders showed up for their cinnamon rolls and hot chocolate and we really enjoyed having them, after they left we prepared our chili dinner for the family up the hill. It was so great having them in our home! I had written the youngest two's names on plastic chairs we had gotten for each of the two smallest, when they realized their names were on the chairs and they went to sit down in them with such excitement!
When they had left and we cleared off the table Natalie skyped us so we left the floor for later and came in to visit with her and Justin. I went back out into the Dining room and a chicken had come in and was walking around eating the scraps off the floor! It was so funny!
One more visit to a lovely family in Seamay, of course with more tamales, and the end to an amazing day by talking with more of the kids over the internet.
Friday, December 21, 2012
Playing
I made a mobile for Rosie and took it down today. She is home from the hospital. they are having to be very careful with her to make sure she doesn't get any dust in her eyes, a harder job than you can imagine here in the Polochic! She has little goggles, and they have tied a sheet up over where she sleeps to keep out dust. The amazing thing was when she was nursing and got so involved with watching her Mom's water bottle that she quite eating to watch it. Then later she started focussing on her mom's weepil (top) and trying to grab for it. Not sure how much vision she will gain, but oh to know that she can see and focus brings amazing joy. They still have to go back to the capitol with her in January for checkups to make sure she has healed, then in June she will have to go back to find out what kind of lense they will do. They are not sure what that is going to entail yet, so it is still a tough process.
We bought benches from a brother in another area to give to a family here for Christmas, they were not the quality we had hoped for so Elder Spradlin got to do some woodwork, and I got to do some painting. I'll post the pictures when I finish the designs on them. This family we have invited for Christmas Dinner, it is a widow mom and her six children. It was hard to narrow down what to get them, they have so little. Last time we went to visit them though they gave Elder Spradlin the torn hammock to sit on, me the broken chair, the mom sat on the woodpile and all of the kids sat on the one bed they have. The benches we have made will hopefully sleep two of the children at night, plus we have a hammock for them. Being a bright blue, we also hope they will brighten and bring joy into the home.
We have so much in the United States we can't even fathom how blessed we are. Many families here if they invite us as missionaries to eat, they will serve us, but they don't eat with us. Usually the meal consists of a broth with chicken, called Caldo and tortillas. I learned though not to ask them to sit and eat with us, because many times they do not have enough dishes to serve us, and themselves. We feel so honored when some invite us, we cannot turn them down because that would not be accepting their offering of love, but at the same time we hate to eat food that we know they need.
We were able to go to Poptun District Conference last weekend and train their Secretary on how to do the missionary files, at the same time helping him work on one for a Sister there. Monday we got to go to the Peten Zone Conference and Service Project. We went to a Senior Home and visited, sang and talked with the people there. Very impressed by the outpouring of love by our Elders! Sister and President Watts along with many others put in a lot of effort to provide presents, and food for all of the residents there.
The fun escape of the week was leaving San Benito very early and stopping by a waterfall close to Dolores Guatemala on the way back home. It was beautiful, and we had it all to ourselves. We even had time to stop by the hot springs waterfalls before we finished up the day - that makes it for a double waterfall week!
Tonight we have a Christmas activity with one Branch, then one on Monday, and another on Tuesday. We will also will be throwing in caroling with members one or two times, and a hymn practice for the Kekchi hymns on Sunday. We will be going to Corina's family for Christmas Eve morning and helping her make her tamales, along with visits to a lot of the other members. I have made a lot of cookies for delivering - and then serving up chili to our sweet family we made the benches for on Christmas day. .
We bought benches from a brother in another area to give to a family here for Christmas, they were not the quality we had hoped for so Elder Spradlin got to do some woodwork, and I got to do some painting. I'll post the pictures when I finish the designs on them. This family we have invited for Christmas Dinner, it is a widow mom and her six children. It was hard to narrow down what to get them, they have so little. Last time we went to visit them though they gave Elder Spradlin the torn hammock to sit on, me the broken chair, the mom sat on the woodpile and all of the kids sat on the one bed they have. The benches we have made will hopefully sleep two of the children at night, plus we have a hammock for them. Being a bright blue, we also hope they will brighten and bring joy into the home.
We have so much in the United States we can't even fathom how blessed we are. Many families here if they invite us as missionaries to eat, they will serve us, but they don't eat with us. Usually the meal consists of a broth with chicken, called Caldo and tortillas. I learned though not to ask them to sit and eat with us, because many times they do not have enough dishes to serve us, and themselves. We feel so honored when some invite us, we cannot turn them down because that would not be accepting their offering of love, but at the same time we hate to eat food that we know they need.
We were able to go to Poptun District Conference last weekend and train their Secretary on how to do the missionary files, at the same time helping him work on one for a Sister there. Monday we got to go to the Peten Zone Conference and Service Project. We went to a Senior Home and visited, sang and talked with the people there. Very impressed by the outpouring of love by our Elders! Sister and President Watts along with many others put in a lot of effort to provide presents, and food for all of the residents there.
The fun escape of the week was leaving San Benito very early and stopping by a waterfall close to Dolores Guatemala on the way back home. It was beautiful, and we had it all to ourselves. We even had time to stop by the hot springs waterfalls before we finished up the day - that makes it for a double waterfall week!
Tonight we have a Christmas activity with one Branch, then one on Monday, and another on Tuesday. We will also will be throwing in caroling with members one or two times, and a hymn practice for the Kekchi hymns on Sunday. We will be going to Corina's family for Christmas Eve morning and helping her make her tamales, along with visits to a lot of the other members. I have made a lot of cookies for delivering - and then serving up chili to our sweet family we made the benches for on Christmas day. .
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
Great News, Wedding, Christmas Activities,
Rosie's eye surgery was successful yesterday! Not sure yet what vision problems she may still have, but they removed the cataracts and she will be able to see!
Last week we invited our boy's family from up the mountain to eat lunch with us. It was a special occasion all around, but we were overwhelmed when the mother presented me with a tortilla cloth/dishtowel that she had embroidered herself when she was in the first grade. It is a great treasure!
District conference in Chulac last weekend and one young man had everything all finished so we were able to complete his Mission file. One other young lady from Sacsuha district was also completed on Monday.
We helped members here in Senahu Sunday evening learn the new Kekchi Christmas Hymns, with the new Hymnbooks there have been some changes, our members here don't know how to read music, so we are learning together.
We were able to participate in the Polochic Christmas Project and Zone activities last weekend. Played with children from the Chulac school and then helped hand out school kits to each of them. Then a yummy dinner and meetings with a lot of our Elders. One of the parents handed me a bag of oranges as the activity was beginning, they are marvelous - fresh grown on the trees of Chulac!
Tuesday we went down to La Tinta and helped the Elders there with the Youth Choir they are working with on the Christmas music.
Today we went to a wedding here, and then afterwards to the Wedding Dinner, it was a traditional Turkey Kakik - Turkey in a spicy broth soup - with tamales. The family also had a wedding cake, which is not a normal practice here. The meal fed probably a couple of hundred people, and took many hours of work for the families and neighbors involved.
Traveling up and down the mountain to get to all of the Conference meetings, Zone activities, then the La Tinta choir - we were able to enjoy multiple sunrises and sunsets going up and down the mountains! In the valley the Sugar Cane fields are in bloom with their large tassels In the morning they do not look that impressive, but in the afternoon sun it is like a sea of white fluff swaying. The nights have been loud, over the weekend with parades and fireworks most of the night to celebrate the Christmas Season. Last night though the dogs from most of the town barked and fought, quite often right outside our house. We had four days of sun in a row, after it having been rainy and cold for several weeks so we really enjoyed it. Today it rained in the morning, then it stopped just long enough for the wedding and the activities afterwards. We were glad to be back in our home again before the rain returned.
Last week we invited our boy's family from up the mountain to eat lunch with us. It was a special occasion all around, but we were overwhelmed when the mother presented me with a tortilla cloth/dishtowel that she had embroidered herself when she was in the first grade. It is a great treasure!
District conference in Chulac last weekend and one young man had everything all finished so we were able to complete his Mission file. One other young lady from Sacsuha district was also completed on Monday.
We helped members here in Senahu Sunday evening learn the new Kekchi Christmas Hymns, with the new Hymnbooks there have been some changes, our members here don't know how to read music, so we are learning together.
We were able to participate in the Polochic Christmas Project and Zone activities last weekend. Played with children from the Chulac school and then helped hand out school kits to each of them. Then a yummy dinner and meetings with a lot of our Elders. One of the parents handed me a bag of oranges as the activity was beginning, they are marvelous - fresh grown on the trees of Chulac!
Tuesday we went down to La Tinta and helped the Elders there with the Youth Choir they are working with on the Christmas music.
Today we went to a wedding here, and then afterwards to the Wedding Dinner, it was a traditional Turkey Kakik - Turkey in a spicy broth soup - with tamales. The family also had a wedding cake, which is not a normal practice here. The meal fed probably a couple of hundred people, and took many hours of work for the families and neighbors involved.
Traveling up and down the mountain to get to all of the Conference meetings, Zone activities, then the La Tinta choir - we were able to enjoy multiple sunrises and sunsets going up and down the mountains! In the valley the Sugar Cane fields are in bloom with their large tassels In the morning they do not look that impressive, but in the afternoon sun it is like a sea of white fluff swaying. The nights have been loud, over the weekend with parades and fireworks most of the night to celebrate the Christmas Season. Last night though the dogs from most of the town barked and fought, quite often right outside our house. We had four days of sun in a row, after it having been rainy and cold for several weeks so we really enjoyed it. Today it rained in the morning, then it stopped just long enough for the wedding and the activities afterwards. We were glad to be back in our home again before the rain returned.
Thursday, December 6, 2012
Missions!
Greatest news yesterday! Our daughter Amber received her Mission Call to serve in the Montevideo Uruguay West Mission. She will be entering the Argentina Mission Training Center on April 25. We are so thrilled for her! She wasn't sure what she would do, or where she would stay until she was able to leave, but now with the date she will be leaving it means she will be able to do one more semester at the University - and report the day after her finals!
Here I have been baking cookies to give out to families for Christmas. We also have the video Joy to the World that we hope to show many of the members between now and Christmas. We will be able to use our computer, we have extra speakers for it, taking it into their homes to show it. Grateful for batteries!
We had District Conference last weekend, President Amado of the 70 and member of the Area Presidency presided. We felt very blessed when Sunday afternoon we were able to have him, our Mission President and his counselor plus their wives in our home for lunch. Our leaders our such amazing people, to be able to work closely with them, is an unexpected blessing that has come from serving here.
We are studying hard in the mornings and doing paperwork, afternoons we are out visiting and working with our members here. It is so much fun, we will have one appointment or visit arranged and then on the way to or from we will run into other people who may need help, or have a question. Yesterday was no different, on the way home from an appointment in Seamay a sister we greeted wanted to know about when the Christmas Hymn practice will be. Then we ran into a member of the District Presidency who was trying to reach some Elders, we helped him reach them through our phone. After he talked to them, we asked if there was anything else we could do for him and he asked us if we could go up to another village and help visit members there, definitely a big yes! The little things and events that run together sometimes amaze us.
Tonight we are having a meeting of sorts at the church. We have invited any and all members from the Seamay/Senahu area to join us in practicing the new Christmas Hymns from the new Kekchi hymnbook. Since most members don't read music they are not sure how they go, so we are meeting on Thursdays for the next three weeks - getting ready for Christmas! Hopefully some will want to go caroling with us even.
Funnest question from yesterday: We were walking up a path from Seamay when some young girls greeted us, one about 10 years old had a ton of questions. The best question: Why doesn't Elder Spradlin have any hair? His answer was even cuter - He left it in the United States.
Here I have been baking cookies to give out to families for Christmas. We also have the video Joy to the World that we hope to show many of the members between now and Christmas. We will be able to use our computer, we have extra speakers for it, taking it into their homes to show it. Grateful for batteries!
We had District Conference last weekend, President Amado of the 70 and member of the Area Presidency presided. We felt very blessed when Sunday afternoon we were able to have him, our Mission President and his counselor plus their wives in our home for lunch. Our leaders our such amazing people, to be able to work closely with them, is an unexpected blessing that has come from serving here.
We are studying hard in the mornings and doing paperwork, afternoons we are out visiting and working with our members here. It is so much fun, we will have one appointment or visit arranged and then on the way to or from we will run into other people who may need help, or have a question. Yesterday was no different, on the way home from an appointment in Seamay a sister we greeted wanted to know about when the Christmas Hymn practice will be. Then we ran into a member of the District Presidency who was trying to reach some Elders, we helped him reach them through our phone. After he talked to them, we asked if there was anything else we could do for him and he asked us if we could go up to another village and help visit members there, definitely a big yes! The little things and events that run together sometimes amaze us.
Tonight we are having a meeting of sorts at the church. We have invited any and all members from the Seamay/Senahu area to join us in practicing the new Christmas Hymns from the new Kekchi hymnbook. Since most members don't read music they are not sure how they go, so we are meeting on Thursdays for the next three weeks - getting ready for Christmas! Hopefully some will want to go caroling with us even.
Funnest question from yesterday: We were walking up a path from Seamay when some young girls greeted us, one about 10 years old had a ton of questions. The best question: Why doesn't Elder Spradlin have any hair? His answer was even cuter - He left it in the United States.
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