Thanks for all your donations!!!

While we were home we were able to round up a whole bunch of clothes thanks to generous family and friends. The best part about taking all the clothes back was seeing how excited the kids were to get them. Thanks to all of you who were able to donate clothes, books and toys and know that they are being put to good use!

Brian and Melissa with their books.

Melissa sporting her new pink scarf with her mom Lydia who loves to wear the jean jacket with her traditional dress.

After trying on all the clothes, Cata and Brian decided to try and fit into our suitcases so that they could go on our next trip with us.

The Justin Bieber shirt was a hit. This is Michaela, she is one of the  7 sisters whom w e brought clothes back for.  She and her sisters don't have much but have always been very friendly towards us and since receiving their clothes they have been wearing one or another of these articles of clothing every day.

Miriam is the tom boy of the family but was drawn to this very feminine dress. She wore it with her tennis shoes of course.

Little Ashley is 4 and all attitude. 

This is Marta.

The second oldest sister Celida.

Little Andy. 

Here are the younger sisters in their backyard in their new duds.

Miriam posing.

We were also fortunate to bring back a bunch of jerseys for the girls in our town to wear for their basketball games. The girls were very excited about the new uniforms and were touched that people in the states would care enough to give them such nice things. It's been a bit of a challenge getting our basketball league for girls going here, but the jerseys definitely have helped to increase excitement and participation.

Thanks to everyone for their generosity!!

Rancho Colegio

We recently started writing my nephew's school class about our experiences in Guatemala as part of the Peace Corps correspondence match program. When we went back home we did a presentation for his class and after our presentation he and his classmates presented us with a friendship box complete with some of their favorite candies, some playground equipment as well as the book pictured below that gives an overview of their school and what they like to do. When we came back we thought it would be best to pair our nephew's school with the elementary school that Liz is teaching English in. When the kids received the friendship box they were extremely excited and grateful. After she gave the kids the box they learned some words and phrases in English that they could include in letters to write to the kids back in the states.  Overall, the most rewarding part of the day was seeing how much the kids opened up and got excited to talk more about their own experiences and interests.  Even in such a small interaction, it is the most access these kids have had to another culture and they were thrilled to learn about the similarities and differences between the two.  I think their smiles say it all...

Some of the kids were so interested they stayed inside during recess to look through the book and talk to Liz about more  related topics.

This is the kids class room. 

This is the snack bar that the kids buy their chips and drinks during recess.

Here is the playground they have to use. In the left hand corner you can see the outhouse and just below the water spigots for the kids to use to wash their hands.

Here are some of the letters the kids were writing. They were very excited that their letters would be going to kids their own age in the States.

Here the 5th graders are receiving the playground equipment.

The 5th and 6th graders share a classroom.  They did the activity together and were overwhelmed by everything that was donated. 

This is the Principal's wife and her children.  Together the couple started this school in the community to address the needs of the kids  and try to provide them with a better education. The family lives in a small room above the school having dedicated all of their savings to building the school. 

Easter Celebrations

We got back from the States just in time for Good Friday celebrations. Unfortunately our luggage didn't arrive with us so we had to spend a day in Sumpango waiting for the next flight. We did get to see the local "alfombras" that people made in the streets. This is all made of colored sawdust and take hours to create and then they are walked over by the processions of the saints being carried by the men and women from town.

We got to our town the next day just in time for the torchlight rally on the basketball court at midnight. I was worried that the villagers were going to burn the place down or at least search out Frankenstein's  castle and go to town...but alas, they were reenacting the resurrection of Jesus.

We brought egg dye back with us and dyed eggs with the kids.

Then we had the easter egg hunt. It was a first for them and they loved it.

Here is Brian in action.

Cata loved the toys in the plastic eggs.

Brian was on a sugar high almost instantly.

Eggs for the kids and candy for the parents.

After the hunt Liz taught Cata how to blow bubbles with gum.

The kids loved trying to pop the bubbles.

The family.