On our first Sunday in Guatemala we rode buses for about two hours to attend a ward outside of Guatemala City (not sure exactly where we were). The local ward had been told that a special speaker was coming to church that day. We showed up and probably doubled their congregation. It was a cool experience getting to listen to church through a translator. It was so neat to hear members of the church from Guatemala express the same testimony and beliefs that I would hear if I were in my own ward in Utah.
After Sacrament Meeting, we rushed to the classrooms which had been set up with items for the families. Each family was then escorted through the classrooms (which were set up for moms, dads, young boys, older boys, young girls and older girls). Each person was given gifts like aprons for the moms, little dolls for the girls, soccer balls for the boys, etc.
Pete and I were in the room for the young girls where we handed out dolls, chapstick and princess dresses.
Before the families went through the classrooms they had their picture taken and as they left the church they were given a framed picture of their family.
This is Pete's uncle Mike with a family. Anyone who spoke Spanish got to be an escort to the families and take them through each room and give them their picture at the end.
The group we went with also had planned various humanitarian trips every day we were in Guatemala so that each person got to participate in at least one.
The day we were assigned to was visiting a girls' orphanage/boarding school for girls whose parents couldn't afford to have them around...so they weren't technically orphans. They have families that love them and come to visit them, they just live at this place so they can get an education and be fed.
We took them a bunch of items like nail polish, hair flowers, blankets, journals, etc. We divided up into four groups and at each little "station" there was a different activity to do with the girls. I was at the place where we gave them all the girly stuff mentioned above. Pete was there for a while but he got board once we started playing nails so he wandered of to play soccer and other games.
It was SO hard to not be able to chat with the girls while I painted their nails, but we got along ok. I could ask their name, how old they were, and if they like the color I was painting their nails.
The girls were so sweet and very gracious. The little girls were so fun when we gave them little princess dresses and put it on them. You could tell they were excited and felt beautiful. And for a little extra touch to help them feel even more beautiful, I would put a flower in their hair before they got a picture taken.
This cute little girl was deaf. Pete asked if he could take a picture with her and so I snapped this one above. Then she reached out for the camera because she wanted to take one of us. We gave it to her and she snapped the picture below. I think that this picture is one of my favorites from the whole trip. Such a sweet memory to have of this little girl.
With all these humanitarian trips I kept thinking what a neat thing it was that everyone in our group got to go and take gifts to these need people in Guatemala. But after my experience at the orphanage I realized that it was not us who was blessing their lives but quite the opposite. It was such a sweet experience to see these girls so happy and full of life even with the little that they have. Their faces will always remain in my memory and I pray for them every night, knowing that God will watch over these sweet girls.
See posts also about our Guatemala trip here:
Stay tuned for more posts to
come:
-Guatemala Trip: Friends
-Guatemala Trip: Roatan Paradise
I'm loving all these posts! What a great opportunity. :) These girls are adorable and so happy with so little.
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