Buenos noches everyone,
Yesterday was a wonderful, long, and exhausting day. We started out the day at a catholic girls orphanage in Zone 6. When we arrived at the orphanage, the girls were timid and a little leary of our presence. You could tell that they don't have visitors often. The building is VERY run down and the girls don't have many basic needs items. They all sleep in two rooms that are full of holes and water damage. In fact, during the rainy season, they have to move their beds to the side because it rains in the middle of the room.
After we settled in a bit, we did a craft with them, sang, played games, and ate cake! Cake is a very special treat for them. Just as they were warming up to us, the government came in on an unexpected raid. All of the girls scattered and they brought the house mothers into the office for questioning. It was a little uncomfortable, so we decided to leave and come back later. While we were gone, we went and bought them all new beds. The bed guy said he would deliver them all at 6 that night, so....in the afternoon, we went to another orphanage to spend time with more teenage girls. One woman from the trip asked if we could go to the mall because she wanted to buy them all new comforter sets, sheets and pillows. What a shopping trip that was! We went to a store similar to Target and bought bright, beautiful, new bedding for each of them. What a feeling! Just to give you an idea....we bought 20 comforter sets, 20 sets of sheets and 20 throw pillows for 400 dollars.
Later that evening we went back to Casa Alianza to wait for the beds. Well.....this is Guatemala.....the beds weren't delivered until 10 p.m! It was worth the wait. The girls were so happy, they were just beaming. When all of the beds were assembled and all the comforters were on, they just wept. They all hugged us multiple times. One little girl, Jessica, came up with tears in her eyes and said that this was the first bed she ever had.
It's good to be broken. It's good for us to be brought to that humbling, emotional place. God is awesome. He was shining so bright through us last night. Please pray for the sweet girls of Casa Alianza tonight. If the government doesn't like what they see there, they will take the girls and put them in state run orphanages. As a side note.....that orphanage is a good next work project!
Today started out with a little bit of needed down time. We spent the morning at the beautiful city of Antigua. It is breathtaking! We did a little bit of sightseeing and then had an authentic Guatemalan lunch at a restaurant in the heart of the city. After lunch we went to the HIV home. Actually, for those who came down in February, it is run by the same nuns who run Santa Rosa. In fact, the head nun was there. She recognized me right away and came up to give me a big hug. Some of the teen girls from Santa Rosa were there....it was very cool!
We put on a huge Christmas party for the kids...and again Cake! It's such a treat for them, they get so excited. After the party, we toured the area that holds the really sick kids. It was heart wrenching. Here are these beautiful, bright eyed children that are going to die from a horrible disease. We will not forget the faces of those precious, suffering children. This one three year old girl was in a bouncy seat, sipping out of a bottle. She was the size of a 2 month old baby. So frail. It's hard not to ask....Why.....when you see these kids. The only comforting thing is that we brought them some joy today and one day they will be with Jesus. He's the Father of all.
2 Corinthians 1 3/4
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we have received from God.

Update: Casa Alianza has had a lot of work done to it! They got a new roof, new paint, bathrooms fixed, etc. Other mission trips were able to help repair the orphanage...praise God! Also, the 3 year old girl in the HIV home (Francesca) is doing great! She is thriving, eating well, alert, and as of 2 weeks ago, has gone to live with relatives. My friend Lynn formed a special bond with this child...keep her in prayer!