What hasn't been said....

It was funny the other day when I received a Facebook message implying that they would like to hear my (Matt's) perception, so here it is.  I guess for me it is refreshing to read Mandy's heart and mind as it spills on the web.  Often one can be extremely intimate with someone and never understand or completely perceive what they see and how it is effecting their life experience.  It seems strange that a computer can be used as a tool to get to know your soulmate better.  However I give this credit to God as I can't begin to explain how He uses the things and experiences in our lives to find a deeper sense of our being and relation to one another.

An example of this is our camera.  Before we came down I asked Mandy to purchase a camera that could be dropped, frozen, immersed in water and go through dust storms unharmed.  The purpose of these qualities had less to do with the climate of Guatemala and more to do with the expected punishment my children and the girls at Casa Hogar would inflict on it.  Sure enough these attributes were worth having when we recently went to the town of Monjas (pronounced: Moan-hahs) three and a half weeks ago.

In Monjas there is a series of spring fed of pools in which we took the girls swimming for the afternoon.  At first there was an awkwardness in being at the pools due to the girls lacking the resources of a bathing suit (bra, t-shirt and shorts were used instead), and even more so by the presence of many teenage boys swimming and looking at the new girls in town.  Knowing that swimming was a special treat Mandy and I were a bit surprised that they did not embrace the chance immediately to get in the water.  This didn't inhibit Max, Gabe and Mercedes to say the least as they stripped down and were in the water before we knew it.

As time passed the girls began to come out of their shells and began to splash in the water, which lead to water fights and finally to jumping into the water.  In watching this progression we were able to get involved in the action with our camera.  The girls watched in shock as hopped into the mayhem with camera in hand.  However as soon as I immersed the camera and asked for their photo, any girl that had reservations about being underwater quickly got over it.  The only eyes they seemed to notice now were not of the boys but of the camera.  It was fun watching the girls become more creative with their poses and groupings, as well as, getting over their anxieties of being under the water.  We were even fortunate to capture Gabby getting over her fears of swimming and jumping off of the diving board to Mandy and I as we treaded below.  This small capability within the camera inspired girls to coordinate for photos, encourage each other to get over a fear, communicate with us more and to express themselves in a new way.  This was an unexpected use when we thought of the purchase but was a great tool to help us experience that day.

Enjoying ice cream after swimming.

Another great development in the last month has been my new relationship with two groups that support Casa Hogar.  The one group is named EMAUS and are based out of Guatemala City.  It is comprised of business professionals, engineers, and contractors, all of which are Guatemalan, that desire to volunteer their professional advice and resources to aid in the management of Casa Hogar.  The other is the HEAR Foundation out of the Chicago area in the United States.  This group is a small organization of a few employees that aggressively fund raises and supports Casa Hogar, in addition to completing building projects at the girls home.  Even though we may have communication barriers and great distances separating us from each other, the use of cell phones and computer translation has brought our ideas, hopes, plans, and hearts to a common understanding.

As it stands, HEAR, EMAUS and the Wilson's are coming together to create a plan to generate a single organized plan for Casa Hogar that will be the guide and structure to not only our efforts but to the many other groups that support Casa Hogar as well.  The goal is to unite through a website, in English and Spanish, to be transparent about what we see as needs and what we are united in developing together.  Our immediate plans that we are codeveloping is renovations to the kitchen and replacing the driveway that causes tremendous problems in the rainy season.

Me with EMAUS, Mother Claudia, Mother Rutilia,
the Agricultural Minister of Jalapa (in yellow),
and HEAR (the cell phone on the table)

 It has been an exciting time here seeing how God has pulled so many people together for a common cause and making great relationships with those who desire more for people that have been neglected.  Going through the process of "doing missions" has gave me insight that it is not the actions of one person that makes things great but the influence of a great team that sacrifices together.  I'm sure as Martin Luther King Jr. and Ghandi brought about change in the USA and India it had little to do with their single action but the willingness of the many to believe and stand together to make that change.





Here is a great video that sums up the blog! 

Meet Max

Max with Eddie's son Oscar

Max posing with Louis and Eddie with their new hens

     Max is the oldest of our three children.  I love watching him develop into a independent, responsible young man.  His love for people and kindness is shown in every relationship he makes.  He is a gentle and sensitive soul.  Upon arriving here in Guatemala, Max decided he wanted to  raise chickens.  Farming is of great interest and Max's curiosity in raising animals has been a passion for awhile.  He is currently reading "Organic Farming" as a bed-time story. I think that says enough:) 

    Once we got settled into our home here,  the boys started planning and constructing a chicken coop.  Max decided he was going to raise meat chickens and once they were ready for butchering, we would donate the birds to Casa Hogar, thus providing some additional meat for their diet.  Leading up to Christmas, Max decided to package up two boxes containing 10 laying hens each for the two employees of Casa Hogar, Eddie and Louis.  Eddie and his wife and their four children live across the road from the orphanage (as seen in the photos below).  Loius and his new wife of just a month live down the road.  We were excited to be able to bless these families with what seems so small and insignificant in our minds yet so huge for them.

    Every 3 weeks, Max purchases a new batch of chicks and raises them until its time to butcher them.   The first round was a tough one for Max as he got attached to his "pets".  We reminded him of the great importance of his job  and that he could chose one out of the batch for a pet.  A couple days before Christmas, Matt, Max and Gabe, killed and de-feathered 16 chickens along with the girls at Casa Hogar that would be later used for their traditional tamales.  Without any reminders, Max is outside first thing in the morning taking his job seriously.  We are very proud of you Max!  Keep up the great work!

A Real Gift!

I feel like I have been out of touch for awhile.  So much to catch up on that I feel my mind is spinning.  We welcomed our friend Kait last Monday.  Her visit is very timely.  Leading up to her arrival, I was feeling really down and missing family and friends back home.  With the holiday season and family gatherings, I felt a little homesick.  Having a familiar face and someone to share our life with here has been really encouraging and  a breath of fresh air.
We carried out a tradition we started last year with the help of Kait.  Last night we prepared a dinner for the nuns of Casa Hogar.  Going to buy all the supplies was a chore in itself.  It's not like going to the Super Store and picking up everything at once.  The nuns giggled with delight as the boys escorted them  to their seat.  It was so awesome serving them as they chatted over a candle lit dinner.  We shared with them after how we respect what they do and how we appreciate the life they are dedicating to serving the girls.
Kait and I spent an afternoon with the nuns making angels and snowflakes and decorated the cafeteria.  It always amazes me how the simple things can bring so much joy.
It's not all work and no play when we have special visitors.  Along with other missionary friends, we went to "Pino Dulce" (means Sweet Pines) for a hike through the mountains and picnic lunch.  We hoped the fog would clear so we could experience the  view while we zip-lined.  We literally were up among the clouds.  It was AWESOME!!!!!! I felt silly that I was more afraid than my six year old daughter.  God has given her a free spirit and one of no fear.
On  our way home  we stopped in at a local friend who lives with his entire family up in the mountains.  They generously invited us into their home that consisted of not much more than a few plastic stools and a table.  In the corner stood a small plastic christmas tree.  It was so cute how proud of it they were after they plugged it in.  That experience was hard for me.  I looked around and tried not to look utterly shocked at the way people live.  Dirt floors, big open gaps near the roof, mud and brick walls,  chickens running in and out......With the nights being especially cold this time of year, I couldn't imagine how they keep warm.  This christmas season has been a very unique experience.  I know we talk a lot about having too much and cutting back on spending, but how much changes for us.  For Matt and I, this has become a reality this year.  Trust me, I often think back on what I would be doing back home now.  Probably would have filled my freezer with so many baked goods, I wouldn't know what to do with.  My house would have been all decked out for christmas, and I would have  joined the commercial rat race of finding all those gifts. If you ask me if I am missing out on things, I would have to say absolutely not.  I am finding joy in the little ( yet very big things for us)  Going back to Emmanuel's family, I would have to say the same.  They have each other.  Nothing fancy....just simple.  Really if we reflect on how Christ entered this world, it was simple.  Jesus' whole ministry was about investing in people, not things.   We visited with this family that afternoon and had the privilege of spending time getting to know them.  During our visit, they offered us coffee that they grow on their property,  and then sent us on our way with bananas and a chicken.  Here is a family who has so little yet so much to give.  They wanted to bless us.

Sometimes it's hard to receive a gift like that.  We were humbled and thankful.  Speaking of being humbled and blessed, our paster surprised us and took us out to a ranch for lunch and later on to his farm to cut a tree down.  I had mentioned how I have always wanted to cut down a christmas tree.  Apparently this is a HUGE deal in Guatemala and they have laws against cutting trees down.  In order to cut one down you need a special permit, which of course cost money.  Last Saturday, Paster Ed and his family took us out to visit his father's  farm in the mountains.  It was AMAZING!   We hiked out to find the perfect tree.  All I have to say is that it looked a lot smaller on the side of that mountain.  We came home and still had some trimming to do.  Again, words could not describe my joy and thankfulness.  I always have a hard time excepting gifts....I sometimes feel like I owe or need to repay the favour.  God's gift to us comes with no strings attached.  We didn't earn His love and nothing we can do or don't do will make Him love us less.  And I guess in a way that is a gift I can pass on this christmas.  The gift of Jesus' love!

Can Missionaries Have Fun?

This is a question I struggled with leading up to and even being here.  I feel sometimes guilty that I have such a great opportunity to be here.  Not with having fun in our mission but outside of it.  It does come with its many struggles though.  I think God provides  fun times  as a gift to refresh us and keep us going.

At the visa office

My husband and boys just called me from the top of a volcano.....how cool is that?  I was planning on joining them but unfortunately we had no one to watch Mercedes.  The hike would have been too much for her.   We decided to have a girls day, so we sat on the roof top in the sun having "coffee" together and then did nails.  She is growing up so fast and I am taking in every minute of this time together.

This week has been interesting to say the least.  We have had some major break throughs, scares, frustrations and fun.  Matt had a major meeting with another organization and was able to make some significant contacts.  I will let him share that another day.  We drove to Guatemala city on our own for the first time and I have to say, I am VERY proud of Matt.  He did great.  Despite the failure of our GPS, we managed to find our way around.  Our purpose was to take Fransisca to apply for a visa and visit another missionary couple  to see what they were doing. We arrived in the city at 8 am and took Fransisca and Sister Wanita to Mc Donalds for breakfast.  They had never been before!  It amazes me how we take so much  for granted.  Another first for them was riding the escalator at the visa office.  It was actually quite hilarious watching Fransisca try to get on and off.

At the mall

After spending 4 hrs in what should have only taken at most 2, we walked a short two blocks over to the mall with the girls.  It was very beautifully decorated for christmas and I felt like a kid full of excitement walking in.   We took Fransisca in to buy a pair of jeans.  Can you imagine, being 21 years old and having the opportunity for the first time to go into a change room at a mall and try on different clothes?  It was a privilege for us to see such joy on her face.  We didn't realize the time and had only 20 mins to get the girls to a bus stop in a city that we didn't know.  It was some crazy driving, but we managed to find a street that the bus was passing and would stop to pick up the girls.

Bathrooms built by Mano con Mano

Girls waiting in line to their drinks

We made our way to visit Gerry and Barb Normand ( friends we met at C-TEN orientation in Texas back in June)  After a great sleep ( in a queen size bed...can you hear my excitement:), we accompanied Barb and Gerry to el Yalu, a village up in the mountains.  I brought my scissors to offer Barb and Gerry haircuts.  ( I usually bring them every where I go)  They were thrilled.  They asked if I would be interested in cutting some of the boys hair in the village.  I was thrilled.  Barb graciously lent me one of her guatemalan skirts so I wouldn't insult or offend by wearing my jeans.  I wonder what they thought of my red hair and piercing?  We spent some time taking a walking tour and learning about some of the history of the village.  As I walked through the village, my heart felt heavy and I could sense the  oppression.  We passed homes ( if you want to call  it that) with absolutely nothing.  Dirt floors and no furniture.  I can't imagine how these families stay warm at night.  There has been frost a few times already.  Most  of these families may only own one set of clothing and are lucky to have shoes.  The organization  Mano con Mano, started building bathrooms and stoves as a part of their mission.  We were invited to a ladies home to see her kitchen and new stove.  It was an honour.  We helped serve lunch as part of their feeding program.   Max handed out vitamins and Gabe served Atol. ( a corn based warm drink)  Matt helped with the homework club and him and Gabe sorted pre-natal vitamins.   The Normand's invited us to stay on an extra night so they could watch  our kids and give us a much needed break.  I was so happy I almost cried.  Matt and I have not had time alone since August.  God provided an opportunity and we accepted.  My high was sitting in a cafe sipping hot chocolate and listening to U2.
The next morning, we braved the drive back through Gautemala city and homeward bound.  On our way to the Walmart, we missed our turn and ended up heading down another highway.  We were driving along, looking to get off at the next exit, when a pick up truck from the oncoming lane jumped the curb and crossed three lanes of traffic.  We witnessed a crazy car chase and the police pulled out a gun and started shooting at the truck.  It was 10:30 am and people were walking the side walks.  Matt held back traffic and we got off the road as soon as we could.  It was crazy to see and is a reminder that anything can happen and we need prayer huge!  God is so good.  We were so lost and almost afraid to ask for help, but found a guy who let us follow him to the road that led us back to Walmart.  I was praying the whole way that this guy wasn't leading us to some dead end.

We got to Walmart and I am embarrassed to say that I have never in my life been so excited to walk into that store.  We picked up a few things that we cannot get in Jalapa. (relish, peanut butter, and gingerale)

I am thankful and know that God has us in His grip. Thank you for your continued pray and support.

Progress!!!

After a couple months in Guatemala some feelings of accomplishment are starting to happen.  With the little Spanish training we have had so far, Mandy and I are beginning to become more independent throughout the town.  Thanks to our numerous friends in Guatemala we can practice lots.  Special thanks to our Spanish teacher Walter for being patient in getting us to understand more.  Due to everyone's efforts we can have basic conversations; our friends that speak English are now speaking more Spanglish with us; we can read basic instructions; and now we can understand the main idea of what our pastor is talking about.  Still very far from being fluent, but happy with our results this far.

Cooking 100 crepes with one frying pan!!!

This week Mandy started to teach the younger nuns how to prepare different cheap quick meals not commonly eaten here (French toast, and crepes with fruit).  It is exciting to watch eight nuns gather around a frying pan just to learn simple technique.  Even some of the nuns badger Mandy and I to be their English teacher which provides entertainment for both parties.

Earlier this week I joined a gym in town because the diet down here is beginning to 'grow' on me.  Mandy and I have been getting more brave to venture out of house more independently so we can exercise and get a small break from our home.  People have been friendly to us as we going about our work outs.   However Mandy seems to get too much attention from the men down here which sometimes hinders that positive endorphin feeling.

Chickens fattening up.

Max has been doing an excellent job raising chickens in our backyard.  In another couple of weeks this batch will go to the chopping block.  All chickens Max takes care of are for food at Casa Hogar.  Our plan is that every two to three weeks we will have a batch of 20-24 chickens for Casa Hogar which will increase the amount and quality of meat in their diet.  Fun project for Max and a benefit to Casa Hogar.

While we plug away at small projects, Mandy and I have made it our goal to connect well with all groups that come and support Casa Hogar.  This week I had the pleasure of sitting down with a husband and wife team that organizes a large medical group that comes down from the Chicago area.  This couple pays for English classes to be delivered at Casa Hogar and for materials for other trade courses taught on site.  In our meeting they were interested in our service project at Casa Hogar and they made me responsible for the direction of the English program at Casa Hogar.  Their desire is to have me report to them the success and effectiveness of the program, which had not been done before for the past couple of years.  Aside from this excellent connection I had the opportunity to meet the mayor of Jalapa, the medical director of the state of Jalapa, the hospital director, and the agricultural minister of Jalapa.  What a great opportunity to get to know those people who have so much influence in Jalapa.

Ultimately, this week opened the door to discuss with Mother Claudia that a central plan is needed for all of the aid groups to feed off of instead of coming up with their own plans.  Mother Claudia agreed that we could work together in making this one plan and use it to coordinate future aid.  Planning ahead is not common down here so this was a massive break through.  I am truly looking forward to see what can be planned.