Pictures?? Try 2!

Another shot at loading the slideshow....

This time it works!! Go down to the bottom righ-hand column and turn off the music. I put music in the slideshow, forgetting that I already had some on the blog!

We're Back

Well... we're back! Here's a little slideshow of our pics.

The last day...

It was our last full day in Guatemala. We'll say goodbye to the kiddos tommorow morning and take a shuttle to Guatemala city, leaving my heart behind.

We went to school this morning with the big girls and observed the classes, as well as help teach English. The kids were so affectionate and LOVED having us there to visit. These poor children tore pieces off of their bread and broke apart their cookies so that we would have a snack too. I could've scooped all of them up and taken them home!

After going to the school, our plan was to go into the town for lunch and a little shopping. We use "chicken buses" which are basically old school buses that they use for public transportation. I tried oh SO hard to not think about leaving tommorow but it did not work lol. I'd been just feeling really sad and when I sat down in the bus I just melted. It was very embarrassing and I really didn't know why I was crying except for the fact that I just felt sad. Of course we had sat in the front row, so everyone had to pass by the American girl who is crying on her dad's shoulder lol. This sweet old Guatemalan woman was climbing onto the bus and in Spanish told me, "Oh you are sad?? You need your mama." That made me cry even harder!! So that began my emotional morning. We arrived in town and headed for lunch. We decided to call my mom while we were waiting for our food and we took turns going over to the side of the patio to talk with her. When it was my turn I sat down and we started talking about how incredible this trip has been, how God has blessed us so abundantly this week, how it's going to be so hard to leave, and I started crying again. Thankfully that was the end of my tears and we enjoyed lunch, ice cream, and shopping together before heading up to the orphanage.

The rest of the afternoon and evening we spent with the kids. My heart has been so heavy today and it was painful to be in there with the children. It hurt so much to go in there and see the darling faces of the girls who I've grown to love so much. I wanted to just go down to our apartment, pack up, and get out of this country that is such a burden on my heart. But I knew I would regret it if I didn't spend as much time as I could with the kids. So that was our day. I'm sorry I don't have much more to say. It's been a good day but long and hard.

Thank you so much for those that have just started reading my blog. Thank you for all of the comments, sweet friends. Your emails, facebook messages, and comments have pushed me on throughout the week.

I will have MUCH more to write when I get home as I process everything that has taken place this week. I'm putting together a slideshow of videos and pics that I will hopefully post Saturday!

We covet your prayers for safe travel tommorow as we drive and fly home.

Many blessings,

Molly

Guatemala Day ?? I lost track lol

Today was a great day for us. I personally feel much more light-hearted and encouraged. We went with our friends, Greg and Brenda, from Canada to a rural village to do oral hygiene classes with the Guatemalans. We held the classes in a church that doubles as a school on the weekdays. There were many really neat highlights from the day and in order to organize my thoughts I'll make a list:

1. The group we joined for the day needed a translator and Greg had prayed this morning that somehow they would find someone to help them teach the lessons to the people. Well, God picked me. By His incredible grace, He has blessed me with the gift of learning this language- and a deep love for it. I LOVE Spanish. I LOVE being able to communicate with the people. So I got to work with kids, speak my favorite language, and teach all in one day. It was amazing to see God answer prayer that way.

2. We met the most amazing pastor here. He walks ONE AND A HALF HOURS to get to his church. How faithful is that?! I have never ever met someone who is SO faithful to God, and to the calling He gave them. That is AMAZING.

3. I met a really neat girl named Mary who lives in this little village by herself. She's from the States, I think around 22 years old. She's been in Guatemala for a year, and she is going to open a medical and dental clinic in April. Another amazing example of following God's call!!

4. I have never seen somebody get SO excited over a toothbrush. These people were delighted!! There was a row of older ladies in the back of the classroom and they were laughing so hard while brushing their teeth they started snorting LOL!! So.... next time you brush your teeth- be thankful you have a toothbrush, be thankful you have teeth, and look at yourself in the mirror and laugh. Just for the fun of it.

It was just overall a very uplifting day for me. I'm so thankful, because I was emotionally exhausted and discouraged yesterday (hence no blog post). Tommorow will be our last full day in Guatemala, and we fly out Friday. We are going to go to school with the "big girls" and then spend the rest of the morning holding babies. Then, we'll head for our last lunch, ice cream, and last minute shopping. We will say our goodbyes to the kids on Friday morning, so that will be a rough day for me. But I'm not thinking about it, and I'm going to savor their hugs and kisses tommorow and pretend I don't have to leave this beautiful place!

Love you all!

Molly

Storm in My Heart

This trip is amazing. I cannot express to our God how thankful I am that He has given me this opportunity to serve these children and this country, as well as spend some special time with my dad and brother.

This trip is also very tough. I feel like I'm repeating myself alot and I apologize. I'm doing my best to express what we see and what God is showing me. But, as I've said before, it is just incredibly hard for me to see these orphans. It breaks my heart. Yet, at the same time, this work makes my heart sing. I LOVE giving these kids hugs and kisses and showing them love. They are DESPERATE for attention. I had a little boy climb out of his highchair to get to me when I walked in the door (I'm holding him in the pic above- he's become very attached to me). This little guy is very needy and he needs a mommy SO badly. He will wrap his little arms around my neck and put his face up next to mine until he feels secure and certain that I'm not going to put him down. This makes me feel broken, yet my passion is for these children and I love being able to comfort and love on them.

All of that to say I feel overwhelmed. I wrote this poem tonight in an effort to express the emotions that are storming in my heart as I think about this week, this country, and these children.

Storm in My Heart


Emotional overload, there's so much to feel.
Such joy and sorrow, this all seems surreal.


When I look at their faces, some are so sad.
Their eyes are so empty, their hearts are not glad.


So needy for attention, so desperate for love
I long for them to know, their Father from above.


My heart is just breaking, their pain is so great
O Lord save these orphans, and make them not wait.


While I'm filled with their grief, I have also found joy
In the hugs and the kisses of precious girls and boys.


I feel complete in this place, feel I'm making a difference
My burden feels lighter, as I follow God in obedience.

In those moments my heart, cannot help but sing.
Oh, Lord, this life, is an emotional thing.

3/9/09
Molly

Guatemala Day 2

Today was another good one! We spent the morning working on some construction projects. We had MANY laughs and apologized alot lol. Caleb and I had the task of installing an electronic keypad lock on one of the doors. What should have been a simple task took all morning! After installing everything, we discovered the door didn't shut. So... we went and got somebody to help us and they agreed, "No esta bien." (this is not good!). I agreed that no, it wasn't, but we don't know how to fix it. I'm actually not sure if they ever did get it fixed but it was fun working on it! My dad was given the task of installing two florescent (i'm not spelling that correctly) lights in the ceiling of this cement building. He worked HARD but was victorious and the workers were quite impressed. I'm so proud of you Daddy! Overall, the morning was a great time. We got to know the workers, try new things, and most importantly work together as a team. Here's my dad with his light:

After working, we played with the older girls for awhile and took them down to the soccer field (a big cement slab the Guatemalans play soccer on) to ride their bikes. Ornoria (the other older girl) is getting SO close to riding by herself. I am determined to teach her by the time we leave, otherwise she will have no one to help her learn how. Tonight, we went to a fun pizza restaraunt for dinner. It was good!

More thoughts :)

I sat down to journal and was hoping to process through all of my day but could not get the words to flow. I feel SO overwhelmed with so many emotions. Incredible joy and delight as we love on these kids. Yet extreme sadness when I think of all we have seen, the future of these children, the poverty these people live in.

I started the first 2 lines of this poem and God just wrote the rest.

Overwhelmed

Overwhelmed with emotion
My words just won't flow

Struck by more sadness
Than I wanted to know

Enchanted by children
Who have stolen my heart

Amazed at God's plan
From the very start

How can I feel
and what can I do

Such incredible need
O Lord I want to..

Help these precious orphans
Serving the hurting Guatemalans

Be a tool that You use
Spread your Truth to all men.

Lord you've grown in my heart
This passion and burden

Please show me what's next
For I am so uncertain

3/8/09
Molly

So maybe this is a little window to my heart. Happy, sad, in awe of God, hopeful, praying that God would show me what He has for me after this, confused as to how to respond to this country, the people, the orphans, the dire need in the world. And, SO thankful that I'm here and that God has given me the incredible gift of this trip.