Feliz Navidad!

¡Feliz Navidad a todos! I hope that this entry finds you full of the Christmas spirit and with warm hearts of love and gratitude. As I write this, the day after Christmas, I find myself reflecting on the beauty of Christmas here at the Finca. This was my first Christmas away from home, and, to be honest, I must admit I was dreading being away from all my family traditions and home this year. Very few things signified Christmas to me as I know it. A few weeks ago, I mentioned to Liz, our sub-director, that I was having a hard time recognizing it was Christmas time. She agreed that Christmas has a very different feel here but that there are in fact signs that Christmas is on its way, you just have to realize they are different. I decided to wait and see.

On the 16th of December, we started “Posadas.” I am sure some of you are familiar with the tradition. Here at the Finca, Posadas take place for several nights leading up to Noche Buena (Christmas Eve). All of the Finca and several of our Finca neighbors gather together and walk from house to house looking for “room in the inn” or “posada,” just as Mary and Joseph did. At each house, we sang a song back and forth between us looking for posada and those in the houses. I could not help but smile when, after being denied at the first couple of houses, all the kids groaned in disappointment. Thankfully, every night, at the last house, we were allowed to pass and then shared in prayer, reflection, and song.

While traveling from house to house, we caroled underneath the stars. I was touched at how beautiful it was that we all gathered together, young and old, to remember the probably very difficult and frustrating journey Mary and Joseph endured. As I took time to look up at the stars on our walks between houses, I often found myself asking, “I wonder what it was really like for them?” This is a question I had never asked myself before. While I have always been aware of the time of advent and preparing myself for the coming of Jesus, I have never considered the journey of Mary and Joseph as concretely as I did here. And then I thought, this must be what Liz was talking about, Christmas is almost here.

On Christmas Eve, it became very clear that, though we have warm weather and nearly all the cultural traditions are very different (including the fact that Santa Claus comes on the evening of the 23rd and not the 24th!), Christmas had arrived. As a Finca community, we gathered together early in the morning at all of our fogons (aka - wood burning stoves) to prepare the traditional meal of tamales and chicken sandwiches. It was beautiful to see everyone offering a helping hand and coming together as a community.

Christmas most clearly arrived for me at Christmas Eve mass. As I entered our small chapel and sat down to pray before mass, a calming sense came over me as I took in the beauty that surrounded me. I found great joy in seeing the faces of our children, houseparents, tias, volunteers, sisters, and neighbors all gathered together to celebrate the birth of our Lord, Jesus. It was beauty in its most simple form and I was so grateful to be a part of it.

So, though I think there was still a part of all of us that missed being with our families on Christmas, the Christmas Spirit filled our hearts here at the Finca. Yes, all the Christmas signs were different, but just as Liz assured me, they are there if you open your eyes to them. Overall, it was a beautiful and blessed Christmas here at the Finca.

A Beautiful, Blessed Thanksgiving

Though this past Thanksgiving was not my first holiday away from home, I was not completely comfortable with idea of missing this one. I really look forward and enjoy holidays at home. With all the delicious food and quality time spent with family and friends, who wouldn’t want to go home to give thanks for all of God’s blessings?

I had heard from all the experienced volunteers that Thanksgiving is one of the best holidays to spend at the Finca. Traditionally, Thanksgiving has become our day to share a piece of our culture with our Honduran community members and neighbors. We all pitch in as a volunteer community to make a huge Thanksgiving meal with all the fixings, then invite nearly fifty people over to our house to share in food and conversation. I must say the day certainly lived up to its reputation.

My day started at 5:15 am! I headed in to Trujillo on our weekly food buying trip in the hopes of calling home. Lucky for me, I was able to get a fairly good connection home and talk to Mom, Dad, and Derek! It was so wonderful to hear their voices and got my holiday off to a solid start. Then, Annie, Theresa, Nate, (some of my fellow volunteers) and myself did a four-mile “Turkey Trot” back to the Finca. This was my first-ever Turkey Trot and one of the longer runs I’ve had since being here, so this was exciting for me. We arrived back to the Finca just in time to play in the annual Finca Futbol Americano game. Now for those of you who know my athletic skills well, know that playing football is not my forte. However, I thoroughly enjoyed myself. We turned our soccer field into a football field, all the kids and house parents surrounded around to watch, we all got in on the action, and there was a friendly level of competition. My team lost 21 to 14, but we all agreed it was a good game. After the game, it was time to get serious in putting the finishing touches on our feast. My contribution to the meal was helping make the gravy, one of my favorite parts of the meal! I was amazed at how well the meal came together. Everyone really put forth their best effort and it showed come meal time. I think the most touching part of the day was when we said grace befor the meal. We all gathered in the Sala (our shared community space). This room is rather big for 15-20 people. However, when you add 30-40 more people, things get a little crowded. Yet, we all joined hands and people shared what they were thankful for. I am not sure our Honduran friends really understand the significance of Thanksgiving, but it was beautiful to see some of them joining in and giving thanks for blessings in their lives.

After the blessing, we got serious about eating our delightful meal! It was so good. And it tasted just as it would have if we were back at home, not in 75 degree weather, looking out on the Caribbean Sea! Before Thanksgiving, we had taken a volunteer poll to see what our favorite Thanksgiving dish was. Hands down, stuffing won. So, it was very ironic that if you were to poll our Hounduran guests, you would have found that stuffing is their least favorite dish. It was funny to see all the food on their plates gone, except for a mound of stuffing on nearly every plate! I guess our taste buds are just another cultural differece among us.

The whole day was simply beautiful. Perhaps somewhat selfishly, I really tried to make Thanksgiving feel like a holiday by just really taking in all that was familiar to me about the day. Of course the surroundings and people were all different from what I am familiar with, but it was apparent beyond the delicious tradtional meal that we do have so many blessings here. We have an amazing community, very giving neighbors and community members, and a shared mission that is doing its very best to bring love and peace to the lives of our children. At the end of the day, I couldn’t help but notice I felt very contented. My transtion here at the Finca has not been an easy one, and I know there are many more challenges to come. But, the “full” feeling I had at the end of the day on Thanksgiving, and I am not just referring to my physical fullness of turkey, stuffing, and pie, was an encouragement that the Finca is where I am suppose to be right now. I am not sure if that feeling was just me taking one more step in feeling more at home here or maybe a little piece of grace from up above or maybe both, but it is a feeling I am very grateful for this holiday season.

I hope Thanksgiving was just as beautiful for you all. I hope your day was blessed with yummy food, football games, good conversation, and a time to reflect on all the good you have in your lives. Not to get to sappy here, but also know that this Thanksgiving, in a speacial way, I was thankful for all of you and your generous love and support that you have shown me and our children here at the Finca. It has been a beautiful blessing in my life this year. Thank you. And...Happy Holidays!

A Little Patience, Time, and Effort

Last week, Jennie Maria (one of my fellow newbie volunteers), and I had the pleasure of covering house 4 at the Finca. Most of our houses have houseparents and tias (“aunts”) to care for the children living in them. However, our oldest girls’ house only has a tia. So, when she goes on vacation, we need someone to take care of the girls. Jennie Maria and I, not knowing what we were getting into, volunteered to attempt taking care of 5 teenage girls!

Keep in mind, Jennie Maria and I are both new volunteers. We still are learning the ways of the Finca and how things happen here. Jennie’s Spanish is stronger than mine is, but neither of us are completely comfortable in expressing ourselves. So, I think we both realized quickly we were in for a challenge.

Overall, the week went well. The girls were a great help to us. We pretty much relied on them to tell us what the routine was in the house, and I don’t think they took advantage of us too much. In fact, I was impressed at the part they take in running the house. They each have their daily chores, do their own laundry, and help out with some of the meals. These girls are only 12 to 14 years old! I can pretty much say for certain that they have more domestic skills than I do! I was impressed by their maturity and responsibility. They really stick to their routine, despite the fact two brand new volunteers who really had no idea what was going on claimed to be in charge.

Despite being pulled away from some of my social work duties, I really enjoyed my times with the girls. This is not a big secret, but forming relationships with these children takes time and effort. It wasn’t the easiest thing to juggle my normal job with being a house mom. Yet, I gained a lot in the couple of days I was with them. I got a first hand look at how they interact with each other. It was so fascinating to see how despite the fact that none of the 5 girls are related, they learn to function as a family and take care of each other. I also got little glimpses into their personalities. I learned that Nelly loves to write poetry and is always up for a good chat, Julissa loves to dance, Nolvia is a great cook and very observant, Erica is super responsible and always does her chores to the best of her ability, and Sigri loves back rubs and to be read to. These are such precious things about their personalities.

So, maybe it was a little inconvenient to be pulled away from my normal job that I still do not have a grasp on, but I am so glad I volunteered to watch their house. The whole week made me very excited to get to know these girls and all of our kids better. Of course, this is only going to happen with patience, time, and effort. So, I guess the best thing to do, as cliché as it may sound, is to just take it one day at a time.

It´s time to get real.

Well, I think it is safe to say my group and I are, if not already, soon to depart the honeymoon stage here at the Finca. Our schedules and expereinces are becoming very real, challenging, and clear. Though, they are accompanied by many joys as well.

We’ve been told my many of the “expereinced” Vols that this past month has presented more than the usual amount of challenges...both physically and emotionally. In the “conviences-that-are-clearly-conviences-in-the-campo” department (campo meaning rural Honduras), we have faced some battles with running water the past month. We are well into the rainy season here. Rainy season means that the weather cools off to the low 70’s, which is great. It also means that we get large amounts of rain. I have never experinecd so much rain with such force before living here. On Halloween, it down poured for the whole day and nearly continued for 36 hours. This of course created a lot of problems for us, including some minor flooding of surrounding areas, no running water due to complications with our water pipes, and limited travel to town due to bad road conditions. These are all inconviences, but they also turn into adventures. When we don’t have water, we find ways to exist. We start to collect run-off rain water from our roof, bathe and wash laundry in the nearby river, and conserve every little bit of water we do have. It is exciting, really. And, in all of this I have learned how easily people can adapt to pretty challenging conditions. In the States, I would go crazy if we were without water for 4 days, as I think we all would. But here, it just seems to be normal and things go on.

Emotionally...life here can certainly be challenging. I expected that I would encounter some rough situations working in an orphanage. Yet, expecting and experiencing are two different things entirely. Through these struggles, though, it becomes very clear that the Finca is needed greatly in Honduras for both our children and those who will come in the future. Please continue to pray for our children and our community as we continue to grow and struggle together.

Despite these struggles, there is so much love and joy here. I have begun spending more time with the beautiful girls I work with and it is such a gift. Their smiles, laughter, and desire to be loved is so warming. It is amazing how much all of our children thrive when given love and having their basic needs met. They find happiness in such simple expereinces. It is really amazing how full life can be when it is so simple.

Life at the Finca

Hello to all. I know it has been a terribly long time since my last entry in my blog, but never fear, I am here and doing well. Things are under full swing here at the Finca, and let’s just say life is not dull at all here. In fact, it has been surprisingly busy already.

We arrived on Oct. 1st to Finca del Niño. We were greeted with smiling faces, signs with our names on them, and Honduran style music. It was a wonderful welcome and just so amazing to finally be here. It seemed unreal. For the first two weeks, we were being oriented. There is a tremendous about of information to learn about the Finca. We have learned about the structure of the Finca, our pillars (Community, Service, Faith, and Simple Living), how to work with our kids, cultural differences, and just aquainting ourseleves with the area. Even after being here for about a month, I still feel that I know very little about what is going on here. It is going to take a fair amount of time, but we will learn.

On our third week, we had “interviews” to express what position we saw ourselves in at the Finca. The personal commity, who interviewed us, probably already had an idea of where they wanted us, but it was a chance to let them know what we were thinking. I was really torn. At first, I wanted to be a social worker here. Then I realized that you really need to be up on your Spanish to do that because Social Workers start working right away. Then, I thought I wanted to be a teacher. Though I don’t know if I am teacher material full-time, I do love working in a school environment. Also, as a teacher, you get a little more time to get adjusted because the school year doesn’t start until Feburary here. (It goes from Feb. until the end of Oct.) Although, the new teachers are in charge of winter school. I was really torn. I felt like I could probably do either. And both had its positives and negatives. So, ultimately, I left it up to the Personal Committee to decide what was best.

It turns out my new title at the Finca is “Trabajadora Social de Casas 1 y 2” aka “Social Worker of Houses 1 and 2.” I was a little surprised by the decision but also really excited. It is going to be a challenging job. As social worker for houses 1 and 2, which are the youngest girls at the Finca. As of now, I have seven girls between the two houses ranging in ages from 4 to 10. They are beautiful little girls, who are so full of life. Seven is a low number between two houses, so it is very likely over the next year or so I will be getting new children. As of now though, I work with all the girls and their house parents to ensure their saftey and well-being. In addtion, I work on a social work team in taking care of all our 38 children. (we have the capacity for 50)

It is going to be a challenging job for a couple of reasons. One, though we have the ability to make our own schudules, our job is pretty much non-stop. Two, as the people who ensure the safety and well being of our children, it is necessary for us to be the people who handle all the tougher situations here at the Finca. This is going to be an emotionally trying job. Yet, at the same time, there will be so many chances to love these children. So, keep myself and the rest of the new social work team in your prayers, please.

Everything else is going just beautifully. I am still learning more and more Spanish every day. I am by no means fluent nor even conversational, but I am learning. Everyone who has come before us has learned, so I know I will to, eventually. Our community is great. Right now we have 23 volunteers, however, that will go down to 15 once all the transitions of people going home or changing jobs happens. I live with some great people, and I am so looking forward to getting to know them better. The scenery here is just amazing. I was told the other day that we actually live in a jungle! So, not only do I live 20 yards from the Caribbean Sea, but I also live in a jungle! Amazing. I still find it hard to believe that this is my home for the next 2 years.

Well, I could keep blogging for hours, but I won’t keep you. And really, I should be getting back to my work as well. First, however, I want to thank all of you who have asked how I am, sent emails, letters, or packages. My friend Lizzy and I have dubbed Thursdays “Make or Break” day as it is the day we get all our mail. So far, I have had 3 “make” days in a row! Keep the letters coming!

I hope all is well with you at home in the United States. Know that I think of you all often. Much love and peace to you all.

PICTURES, PICTURES, PICTURES!

OK, Folks...bear with me. I have attempted to put some of my pics thus far on line. Now, it will be very clear when you look at them, that I am nearly technologically inept. However, I really want to share them with you as soon as possible. They are slightly disorganized, work backwards in order, and have no labels at this point, but here they are. Please enjoy and share with all. You can find them at:

http://lovesimply.shutterfly.com/

Nearly at the Finca!

Tonight is the last night before I permanently move to the Finca for the next 2.5 years. It is so unbelievable that we are finally here, in La Ceiba, only 3 hours from the Finca. I can hardly contain my excitement, and I think the same could be said of all 8 of us. First, let's back track a bit to our 10 day journey across Guatemala and Honduras!

After a mass sponsored by Juan Sisay to send us off on our journey with many blessings, we had our graduation from Juan Sisay. It was so weird leaving and saying good-bye to our teachers and new friends we made there. But, I think we were all ready to get moving.

On Saturday, Carlos (our driver for the whole trip) picked us all up with our rather large collection of luggage and we were off! We first visited Lago de Atitlan - a beautiful lake surrounded by volcanoes (which WE DID NOT climb!) and just amazing scenery. I think a special spell has been cast on this area in which all people who visit fall into a trend of relaxing and doing nothing. At least, this is what we all did for the two days we were there. One day we ventured out to go kayaking and a little shopping in a mercado, but beyond this we sat in rocking chairs on our balcony, read, talked, played cards, ate great food, and just relaxed! It was so wonderful and a great start to our trip.

Then, we headed north to Coban - the favorite spot of us all. Coban itself is nothing to rave about, but about two and a half hours outside of Coban, in the mountains lies Semuc Champey. Semuc Champey in Mayan means "where water meets rock." That really translates to a natural land bridge that goes directly over a raging river. BUT on top of the land bridge lies a series of stair-stepped, jade-colored pools of crystal clear water. We got to swim in them and work our way down the series. Ultimately, we ended at the bottom in which we climbed down a rope ladder, down a waterfall (not a big one) and into a cave that goes under the bridge. Here we saw water gushing with extreme force out from under the bridge (from a "Guatemalan" safe distance, of course). It was by far the coolest and most incredible thing I have seen in a very long time. It was just breath taking.

Afterwords, we explored a bat cave. Knowing that the Mayans really respect nature, it came as no surprise that this is another respected, place of worship for them. The cave was quite beautiful but was rather full of bat guano! Let's just say we all came out of the cave not very clean. It was still a really fun experience.

Our next stop was Esquipulas, a town near the Guatemalan, Honduran boarder. Many of our Guatemalan friends told us that this was a place we must visit. It is the home of El Cristo Negro (The Black Christ). It is place of pilgramage for many people in Central America. We all went to mass there. It was an impressive church, but not my favorite stop.

We then headed for the boarder. It was an interesting experience. We had to pay to leave Guate and enter Honduras, however, there is not a required fee for either. It seems that the boarder control can just charge whatever they want to. And, considering we need to cross the boarder, we have to pay whatever they ask. However, we lucked out and really only had to pay about 4 dollars. We all passed successfully and without any hassle.

Next, we headed to Amigos de Jesus, another orphanage in Honduras. We had made friends with the volunteers there during language school. It was really exciting to see an orphanage and just get a quick glimpse into our future. Amigos is a little different because it only houses boys at this time. They hope to house girls within the next few years. The boys were just great and so full of energy. The facilities there are beautiful due to a sponsorship from Villanova. I think our excitement level was heightened by this visit.

Our final stop was Copan (not to be confused with Coban, Guate). Here we found some very well preserved Mayan Ruins. There were so many impressive things to see here. I felt like it was just a good way top off our Mayan history lessons of the past two months. They really knew what they were doing there with their architecture, art, and technology. It was a great way to end our trip.

Yesterday, we finally arrived in La Ceiba, where Andrea, our US coordinator lives with her family. I guess we have officially started our orientation today. We have been learning about Phase 3 of the Finca. Phase 3 is where the adolescents move to La Ceiba to go to schools here and find local jobs. It is really a way for them to learn how to live independently. We also spent some time learning about the history and mission statement of the Finca.

TOMORROW we arrive at the Finca! I feel like I have been preparing for this day for so long, it is surreal. However, I am so very excited to meet my new family and get started. Please pray for us as we continue to grow in community and learn more about this beautiful mission. In return, we are all praying for you all daily.

Departing from Xela!

Well, my time in Xela has come to an end! It is so hard to believe that I have been here for 7 weeks now. It does not seem that way AT ALL! But is the reality. The seven us will be leaving Xela on Saturday and begin our 10 day journey through Guatemala and Honduras. It does not take that long to get there...you could probably make it in two days, but we are planning to stop at many places along the way. We plan to visit Lago Aticlan (a beautiful lake surrounded by Volcanos I will not be climbing!), Coban (a beautiful area more to the north that is surrounded by jungle and caves), Copan (an area with Mayan ruines), perhaps visiting Amigos de Jesus (another orphanage in Western Honduras), and La Ceiba (where our US coordinator and former volunteer, Andrea, lives with her family). I am really looking forward to getting on the road and also having a lot of quality time with each other. We will pick up our 8th volunteer, Quinn, in La Ceiba. Please send your prayers our way as we will be on the road quite a bit.

Other than looking forward to traveling and continuing to learn Spanish, I have been taking in more of the beauty of this country. I have been meaning to comment on how amazing the views are in this country. It is a rather small country...but it owns such breath-taking veiws. One thing that continues to amaze me is how close the clouds are here in Xela...granted I am 7000 ft above sea level...so yes I am closer to the clouds. But coming from flat lands...it is just magical.

Last weekend, I went to Antigua with Liz and Beth. Antigua is a beautiful city that is very, very clean in comparison to the rest of the country. It is also has many US influences including Subway and all! But it was nice to visit and see all the beautiful churches there. I also climbed yet another volcano, Volcano Pacaya...I know I keep saying I am not going to do it again, but then I do! This one I had to though...it is an active volcano and actually has flowing lava! Don´t worry, it was not a danger...but we did get rather close to the lava. Close enough to roast marshmellows! I cannot even begin to describe how hot it was to just be near the lava. It was incredible. But so crazy to see. While being there, I couldn´t help but think...these are the types of things you see in National Geographic or on the Discovery Channel! It was simply amazing.

We have continued to learn about the culture and history here. There is so much to tell and share, I just think you will all have to come and see for yourselves! Just kidding, but not completely. But the richness of this country is just amazing. I feel blessed to be able to learn so much about it. My eyes have indeed been opened a little wider while being here, that is for certain.

The only misfortune that has come my way is a stomach bacterial infection! It isn´t the worst thing that can happen. In fact, it hasn´t really been that bad at all and is actually to be expected when traveling here. I am taking antibiotics now and am back on the mend. It was an interesting expereince to go to the hospital here...much different than in the states, but not bad.

Well, I think that is enough for now. My entries may be a little more spread out now, as I don´t think I will have quite as much internet access at the Finca...but I promise to keep you all as updated as possible. Also, I am trying to figure out the best option for pictures...I am not the best with technology, so bear with me. At some point I have some beauties to share with you all.

Many prayers and love your way!

Un poco a poco

Hola a todos...

Well, as you can tell from my lack of blogging in the past few weeks, life if more than busy down here in the mountains of Guate. I somehow thought that the slow pace of life down here would translate to a not-so-busy lifestyle for me...I will admit that most things do not start on time, but that does not mean that they are not busy. But, I can honestly say my days are filled will all good things including learning more and more español, making amigos with all types of great folks, taking in all the history and culture of Guatemala, and seeing so many beautiful sites. Life is busy, but I wouldn´t say trying...at least not yet.

So much has happened over the past few weeks, it is hard to capture them all. However, I will give you some highlights. So here we go...upon arrival to Guatemala it doesn´t take much knowledge to recognize this country is just dripping with history and culture. A large amount of women in the country dress in beautiful, vibrantly colored clothing. It is the tipical clothing of the Mayan. Most men do not wear it because there is a lot of discrimination against the Mayan, even though about 80% of the population (mas o menos) are indiginious or are part indiginous. The women must wear the clothing most times because they are made to by thier husbands. I personally think that the clothing is so wonderful and such an attraction to the culture. I do not quite understand if the women feel ashamed to wear their clothes...I kind of gather that they do not. But actually this week there is a conference on it, so I guess I will learn more there.

I have also had the blessing to take in more of nature´s beauty down here. I hiked up another not so strenous volcano. This one was called Volcan Chicabal. It is a sacred space for the Mayan. One because it is a volcano and two because it has a lake at the top...it is magnificent. When we got to the top there was a group of Mayan singing prayers in Mam...a native touge. It was amazing.

We also took a weekend trip to a beach on the Pacific. I am not quite sure of the name of this area, but it was pretty much deserted by American standards. It was weird to be on a beautifl beach with few to no other people. The other great thing was that the water was very warm and the waves were great. We got in some great body surfing. You really didn´t need to have any skill becuase the waves were strong enough to do all the work. It was great. It was also just a very relaxing weekend.

Yesterday, we took a short half-day trip to a town that was destroyed by one of the volcanos about 20 or so years ago. It was kind of eerie to be there but very interesting. We also got a beautiful view of Santa Maria (the volcano I struggled up) and Volcano Santiaguito (a currently active volcano, but not a threat currently). The beauty of this country amazes me.

Beyond all of this, I have really been building community with both my fellow Finca volunteers and some of the Volunteers from Amigos De Jesus (An orphanage also in Honduras). Two of the current volunteers from the Finca, Teresa and Nathan, came for a surprise visit one week. They brushed up on their spanish but also answered many of our questions about the Finca. They were great people and only built our excitement to reach the Finca. Our 3 final volunteers that were planning on coming to language school arrived late Friday night...so we are 7 strong now. It is great to have everyone here. We will meet our final and newly added volunteer at the end of this month on our trip to the Finca. The volunteers from Amigos de Jesus were here for about the past month to month and a half studying Spanish at Juan Sisay as well. They are great people. We really built a sense of community with them. They all headed closer to thier orphanage this past weekend. It was sad to see them go, but I am fairly certain we will see them a few times over the next year. It is was reassuring to know that there are other people in Honduras working for the same cause we will be at the Finca. Bottom line, I am feeling more and more a part of a community down here and it is very welcomed!

OH, Spanish is coming along. ¨Un poco a poco¨ is what my teacher keeps telling me which means little by little. So, I guess I will just keep fumbling through muy words. But I am seeing improvements and am hopful.

OK...this was a lot I know. I will try not to leave so much time in between entries. But, there is just so much to share. You are all in my prayers and thoughts daily. Much love to you all.

All in a week´s time.

Week numero uno in Xela...done and done! I´ve realized after being here for only a week just how much I can fit into a day...let me say - it is a lot. I would say that I have somewhat settled into a routine, and I am slowly feeling aquainted with the city, but there is still a lot to learn and experience.

Jennie (one of my fellow Finca volunteers) and I were placed in the Arroyo Family house. It turns out we got pretty lucky with this placement, as several clues throughout the week have revealed this family lives quite comfortably in probably the middle-middle to upper-middle class here in Xela. Thus, we are spoiled with the same comforts. We live in a multi-leveled house with many rooms. I have my own fairly spacious bedroom with a beautiful view of the city. I have not yet had to experince cold showers because they have an amazing water heater (which must be lit manualy). Veronica (the madre of the house) is a fantastic cook...we have eaten tipical Guatemalan foods all the way to Chinese food, Spaghetti, small steaks...needlesstosay, our food is delish. They are a very nice family that has been very welcoming. My one slight frustration with living with them is that I often can tell what they are talking about in general, but not specifically, so it is very hard for me to have conversations with them. I feel a bit like a mute, but I guess there is something to be experinced in that. And, I am praying and hoping that will improve with time.

My Spanish classes are long and hard, but very, very good. My teacher, Flor, and I literally sit in a cubical of sorts (but a very cozy one) and work on improving my Spanish for more or less 5 hours a day with about a 30 minute break. It is intense, but she is a great teacher who often takes conversation breaks to explain different things and traditions of Guatemala. I have learned a lot more than just Spanish from her in a week. I think we work very well together, and I am greatful for that. Juan Sisay, my school, also sponsors great actividies in the afternoons. I have spoken English with local high school students, visited the oldest Catholic Church for sure in Guate, but maybe in Central America (didn´t quite get that fact from the translation), visited a women´s co-op that is spectacular, and heard a lecture on the situation of women here in Guatemala. My brain is swirling with Guatemalan facts and history.

This past weekend I did probably one of the most difficult things of my life. I hiked/climbed up a 5,000 ft inactive volcano (mind you we are already about 7,000 ft above sea level...Volcano Santa Maria. I have been trying to decide if running a marathon is harder or easier! However, it was an amazing experience that really tried my will power. Three other students and myself began our hike at about 1 AM...yes, in the morning, and hiked for about 5 hours to make it to the top in time to see the sunrise. I did fine until about the last hour when the high altitude took its toll on my lungs, heart, and body. I was winded after about 10 steps. It was so, so hard. Several times, I had to fight back the urge to quit. Just when I thought for sure I wasn´t going to make it, our guide Carolos, took my hand and helped/dragged me up to the top. It was so worth it when I finally got up there. The view was amazing. We were so high that clouds passed below us or came right at us and passed. There is an active volcano not far away and you can see it perfectly from the summit. We got to see it erupt, and I felt like I was watching a National Geographic special or something. After about an hour of taking in the sights, we decended and it took only 2.5 hours! I would completely recommend everyone to do this if you are in the area, but I must admit I will not be doing it again!

We had another intersting experience last night in our house. Veronica told us that we were not going to be eating dinner in the dining room, but instead in the lower living room (they have more than one!) because the little Jesus was coming. We did not know what this meant, but went with it. So, at dinner time, we showed up in the lower living room and found the whole family (Veronica, her husband, their 4 kids, 6 grandchildren, 3 neighbors, and 4 seminarians) surrounded around a 1.5 foot Jesus, laying in rest on a red velvet bed. We had a prayer service, then had a small dinner of sandwiches and cookies. Jesus stays in your house for 24 hours, then goes to another house every night. He also brings with him a book that every family writes special intentions on and decorates. I do not know exactly how a family gets this honor, but it was obvious that it is very important to our family. I felt honored to be at our house for this speacial occasion.

Other than those experiences, I have just been trying to study as much as I can. Depending on who is talking and what they are talking about, I would say I understand a fair amount, but I am not comfortable at all with my speaking abilities. I am very happy to have 6 or 7 more weeks here.

I hope all is well with you all. Know that I said a speacial prayer for you all last night during the prayer service over the traveling Jesus. You are all in my heart. Peace to you all.

A Lesson in Kindness & Patience.

Well, after a more or less three day trip, and some frustrating delays...I have arrived in Xela, Guatemala!

I began my journey on Saturday morning at about 3am, as my family took me to the airport in Chicago. My first flight was delayed an hour due to ¨technical problems¨, but it went fine. I had a 4 hour layover, but I met Jennie, one of my fellow Finca volunteers. We were chatting, making sure to listen to every announcement...no problems. We realized about 10 minutes after our flight was supposed to leave that we had heard nothing about it. I walked around...couldn´t find it on the boards...nada.

Well, it turns out that our flight had changed gates, of course without an announcement, and apparently they made an announcement for final boarding, but we and 8 other people did not hear it! We literally missed the plane by 15 minutes!!! Frustrating to say the least. After a few choice words and some less than polite talks with representatives, we placed ourselves in the re-ticketing line. We remainded here for approximately 2.5 hours...and it must be noted that when we got in line we were only 3rd or 4th in line!

Good news is we were reticketed for Sunday free of charge, but without a place to spend the night. HOWEVER...we made friends in line with an adorable family who lives in Miami, had problems as well, and offered to take us in! I know it probably wasn´t the ¨safest¨idea, but my heart and Jennie´s heart...and our tired bodies said...YES! It was the best decision ever. This family was so kind...they took us, let us swim in their man-made, backyard pond (seriously), ordered great pizza for us, and gave us a great bed! It was just what we needed. We arrived to the airport way on time on Sunday...and made our flight...everything great. Oh and our luggage, which was on the plane the day before, was still there! Amazing.

Once we arrrived, Gilda, a great woman, picked us up from the airport and took us to her home/hostel. She is awesome. Her and her two daughters speak perfect English and were so accomidating! They made us dinner, drove us to the bus station (making sure tha we were all set) and were just beautiful people!

SO...after a 4.5 hour long, super bumpy bus ride on something that resembled a road, we are her in Xela safe and sound! We went briefly to our school, but I am anxious to get started tomorrow.

So, with all that being said...I am happy to be here and hopeful for the future months. Pray I can aquire this language! Much love!

Beautiful Generosity & Departing

I can hardly believe it! The day has nearly come...I am departing, and more importantly I am leaving with warm wishes, prayers, and the knowledge that so many people believe in the work I will be doing with many others at Farm of the Child. When I found out that I was accepted to Farm of the Child, my first thought was "Wow!" My second was, "Oh no, how am I going to raise over $10,000 in 3 months! It is impossible." I was so wrong.

I have fundraised before and have always been told that people need to have a chance to say "No" and that people cannot give unless given the chance. So, I went with these general rules when approaching that daunting number that makes my volunteering possible. My highest goal was to have at least $7,000...$8,000 at best before leaving on Aug. 2nd. I completely underestimated others' generosity.

I have witnessed beautiful generosity over the past few months. From the beginning, donations came when I least expected them. This continued over the months. From large donations coming from Lasallian Communities to friends spending much time (and even money) to help me get together my websites and mailings to stories of similar experinces of service paired with a donation, from my home parish helping me raise nearly $2000.00 to another local church donating because they admire the cause, people have shared so much with me and the Farm. Others found ways to give by helping organize fundraisers, paying for my new glasses before I go, or just simply stopping to inquire about what I am doing. The generosity of others has been incredible and more than I imagined. I am happy to report that I have reached my fundraising goal of $11,000!

Thus, I depart with a slightly nervous but warm and hopeful heart. Thank you so much to everyone for all you have done to support me. So many people tell me that they do not know how I could be doing what I am doing; however, I really could not be doing it without so many people believing in what I am doing. Mucho Gracias.

PS...Though I have reached my fundrasing goal, it does not mean that you should not make a donation if you were planning to. All money that is in my name but I do not use over the next 2.5 years will be donated to Farm of the Child directly. It all goes to this amazing mission. You may also want to consider sending supplies that are always needed. Look at the Farm's website to find out what they need most. (www.farmofthechild.org)

Bitter-Sweet Step Towards Honduras

The past couple of months have been a blur of "Lasallian Lasts." I had my last Lasallian Volunteer Debriefing retreat where I saw many of my fellow LVs for the last time in a long time. I had my last art classes at La Salle Academy, my last days of school there, our first-ever LSA 8th grade graduation, but that included the last time I will see my students. I took a couple of last-minute trips up and down the East coast to NYC and DC, which were so wonderful! Finally, I spent my last days in Philadelphia with my beautiful community. I said good-bye to Philly, my home for the past two years, and hugged and kissed my community members good-bye with a grateful tear in my eye.

Saying good-bye is hard. There really isn't any other way to explain it. On the positive side, I take the difficulty in parting as a sign that my life on the East Coast was a blessed and love-filled experience. I made true friends and inspiring friendships that will stay near and dear to my heart. The people I met have changed me for the better. My experiences at LSA, within the city, and with my community have helped me move closer to the person I want to be. A person I am proud to be! That is a blessing, indeed.

So, I depart Philly with a bitter-sweet feeling in my heart. Bitter because it is sad to leave people I love and a life I enjoyed there, but sweet because I now get to spend a whole month with my family and friends in Illinois and move closer to my departure for Central America!

Living more with less...

I recently came across the quote "Imagine living more with less." It really seemed to capture exactly what I hope to do as I enter into a new volunteer program at Farm of the Child. (For those of you who don't know, I have been a Lasallian Volunteer for the past two years in Philadelphia, teaching art and assistant teaching at La Salle Academy.) I know, I know...2.5 more years of volunteering! My Dad recently told me, "Sara, I think you could volunteer your life away!" Perhaps. In all seriousness though, if I had to state one reason why I am going to go live in Honduras for the next 2.5 years, knowing well that I will be 27 upon returning, it really comes down to simply loving and serving those in need of someone. My kids at LSA have unknowingly challenged me to do something further in serving others. I really thought I would go to grad school after volunteering in Philly, but it just doesn't seem the right decision for now. I somehow feel called to commit to an even greater challenge.

I will certainly be living with "less." I am told that the Farm has pretty consistent running water - that is running cold, mountain water. The closest available phone or computer with internet access is about 4 miles away. Laundry machines, yeah, I don't think they are an option. My meals will be much simpler, with the main staples being beans and rice. These are just a few examples of "life changes" I will experience. Yet, I am looking past all that (or maybe avoiding it!). When I look at pictures from the Farm or hear of stories from there, my heart just gets so excited and energetic! I really feel like I am supposed to be embarking on this somewhat crazy adventure! I also believe that all of this simplifying will ultimately lead to changes in my life that will allow for total attention to building relationships with my new community there (don't think for a second I won't miss my community members, friends, and family members here in the U.S.), caring for and loving the children living at the Farm, enjoying nature and all its beauty, and hopefully deepening my spirituality. As hard as it will be, I truly look forward to embracing "living more with less" at Farm of the Child.

Faces and Sites from Farm of the Child