After two days of a lot of exercise, it would have been nice to sleep in but the cleaning lady was coming at 8:00 so it was rise and shine. Off we went with reading materials in hand to Cafe Barista to spend some time while the apartment was being cleaned. We ate breakfast there and then after an hour or two headed back to the apartment. We did make another stop for more food – this time pastries – at San Martin. With Barbara gone we still keep on eating.
In the afternoon, I scheduled a tour of the Asociacion Nuestros Ahijados and Casa Jackson. I decided to do some volunteer work at Casa Jackson, a temporary home for infants to five year olds who are malnourished and need specialized care. To get there Bruce and I took another tuk tuk ride because the center was a bit out of town in the suburb of San Felipe.
The organization, The God’s Child Project, is based out of the United States and provides education, health care, and housing to people in need. The Association in Guatemala has a sponsorship program without a minimum contribution amount. If anyone is interested in sponsoring a Guatemalan child, you get to pick the child from photos, and communicate with him or her. Kendall, the director, said the children feel very proud when they get sponsored and that encourages them to get better grades and work harder. All children are treated equal, however, whether they are sponsored or not or if they are sponsored by someone who sends $500 a month or $10 a month.
The center is a wonderful place. For many of these children who live in homes with no windows, dirt floors and minimal food, they are fed breakfast and lunch and they have a very beautiful place to come every day. The mothers can come here as well and go to groups which address parenting issues as well as life skills.
They are currently building a soccer field and gardens. Casa Jackson is temporarily located down the road from the center until the end of the month when they have the grand opening at the centers location. At the current location they can only accommodate 13 children but at the new location they will be able to accommodate up to 40.
On Thursday I begin holding, bathing, feeding and just doing anything I can to help out with these adorable little children. My biggest obstacle will be my limited Spanish. I will just have to keep working on that.
The rest of the day was pretty restful. We had a smoothie in the afternoon at Cafe Barista. I know it sounds like we are spending a lot of time there. They do have good wifi and good coffee. For dinner we had Bruce’s leftover pasta, an avocado-tomato salad and bread. It was nice staying home , allowing our muscles to rest from the last couple of days.
Life is good in Guatemala!
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