2011 in Pictures

Here are a few of my favorite memories from 2011!

The year started with a new bunny for Anna Kate - Lupe is a sweet little bun-bun!

After several months of language school in 2010, it was great to finally get to work with some awesome kids!

All smiles after a visit with the dentist!

AK got new bangs this year - looking so grown up all of a sudden!

What a little angel!

Intern of the year - Lexie! 

Parker & Raul - big buddies!

Hiking the volcano! Unbelievable! 

Back in the US - at our favorite lake!

Nothing better than sunset on the beach! (Anna Maria Island, FL)

Storm damage in October ... the people are still recovering.

A makeshift shelter for a family of six.

What can I say? He's homeschooled!

Serving and working on a new project!

The view of Lake Atitlan NEVER gets old! 

(aka Lake of Shining Waters)

Always a goofball!

We played LOTS of soccer this year!

We took Lee's mom for a drive around the lake. Amazing vistas!

The year ended with an addition to our family - Alegria!

Blessings to all and a Happy New Year!

Christmas in Guatemala!

This is our second Christmas in Guatemala. Last year we were blessed to be in the States for 2 weeks before Christmas, so we got to keep some of our annual traditions: like drinking a Starbucks Peppermint Mocha as I shop for stocking stuffers in Target, or driving around in pajamas to look at Christmas lights and of course time with family and friends. Then we returned to Guatemala for a very quiet and peaceful holiday.

This year is very different. I have missed the mochas and shopping and colorful lights. It has been hard getting used to new traditions and giving up some of the old traditions. Please do not mistake missing home for a desire to go back to our life or a complaint about our new life. I look back at our life in Atlanta and realize I took some things for granted. I will always appreciate and recall our life there with fondness, but I do not wish to be anywhere else this Christmas. I am HOME for the holidays.

Here are a couple of neat things we are up to this week as we celebrate the birth of our Savior.

Lago Atitlan at sunset - beautiful!

On Sunday evening, we had a cookout down by the lake. We saw an amazing sunset and had a toasty bonfire. We invited Katarina and her children to join us. I was AMAZED to watch 12-year old Maria build and maintain two fires better than my boy-scout husband. She stuck her hands in the fire to adjust the coals, she tended the meat and tortillas, fanned the flames. I kept thinking, "We would NEVER let our 12 year old stick her hand in the fire and move a log or coal." It was painfully obvious that this was not her first cookout, she has many responsibilities for such a tender age.

As hard as it was to realize some of her life responsibilities, it was a delight to watch her and her siblings devour the food. Her reward for her hard work was a meal of grilled meat, vegetables salad, chips, cokes and chocolate bark for dessert. Most likely, they haven't eaten like that in a long time, if ever. After dinner she ran and played and chased her brother, just like any 12 year old should.

Another fun blessing this week - MIMI is in town! YEAH!! We are having fun making Christmas cookies and cooking up a storm. We are all thrilled to have Lee's mom here as we celebrate and show her the sights.

Making cookies with Mimi - a Christmas tradition!

This morning, we took Mimi to visit some families and deliver Christmas gift baskets. Gifts baskets in Guatemala are a bit different than gift baskets back home. It's common in the States to get a gift basket with fruits, cookies, chocolates, cheeses or Hillshire Farms sausage. In the Guatyland, they are a little more practical. You might find cooking oil, beans, laundry soap and marshmallows all packed in one plastic bucket - which is also multi-purpose. Many people use the new bucket for cleaning dishes or carrying things on their head. I'm just not sure how I would feel if my husband gave me a basket with cooking oil and laundry soap in it....

Well, we made our gift baskets both fun and functional! They included rice, beans, oatmeal, powdered milk, toothbrushes, and soap, as well as hot chocolate, marshmallows and homemade cookies. 

Hygiene, Health and Chocolate - all very important for a happy life!

Very Guatemalteca!

As we bless others, we are blessed. Isn't that why Christ came in the first place? He came to bless and serve others and in turn was raised to glory. As we serve and bless others, Christ still gets the glory. How are you blessing others and bringing the Christ child glory this year? We would love to hear about it....

Feliz Navidad!

¡Feliz Cumpleaños!

Let me introduce you to Tomás. Today is his birthday and he is 5 years old. We had the best afternoon celebrating his life!

His mother, Lucia is a single mother. She rents a room from a family near the main tourist market. She sells scarves, table runners and other tipico items to tourists walking in the street. I have been on Calle Santander early in the morning, middle of the day and after dinner in the evening - I always see Lucia working. If she isn't sleeping or eating, she is working. If I had to guess, I bet she works at least 70 hours a week - with a five year old in tow. Tomás attends a free local preschool in the mornings, but the rest of the day, he follows mom and walks the streets of Pana.

We have been helping their family for the last few months. One of their greatest needs is nutritional supplements. My fourth grader is taller than Lucia. She is one the smallest women I have ever seen in Guatemala. Sometimes I overlook her when I am walking in the street, because she is the size of a child. This is primarily due to lack of good nutrition (in addition to petite Guatemalan genes). Tomás is also very small for his age, but the big clue that he lacks sufficient nutrition are his missing front teeth. He has lost all four of his top front teeth to decay and vitamin deficiency. Each week we bring them a few basics, like beans and rice, in addition to some healthy fruits and veggies that they might not buy themselves.

Blowing out candles! He loved to lick the icing best!

Today Tomás cumple (completed) 5 years. For his birthday, we invited them to join us at one of the local soccer fields. We ate burritos and yummy cupcakes. We played soccer and then the big event - ¡PIÑATA! We had a very fun, colorful clown piñata full of candies. (I know - he doesn't need candy since his teeth are rotting out, but I didn't think it would go over to well to fill the piñata with celery sticks.) It was so fun to watch him swing at that clown, but it was even better to watch his mother watching him. She was doubled over laughing at him.

¡GOAL!

notice - the piñata is actually taller than Tomás

¡Whack!

Lucia - delighted to see her boy enjoying the day!

¡Dulces - Candy!

What a privilege to love and celebrate this small family. ¡THANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOU! to all those who make it possible for us to celebrate sweet Tomás and his mother Lucia. It is our joy and honor to take time out of the middle of the day, in the middle of the week in order to play soccer, eat cake and smash clowns for the purpose of blessing the least of these - all in the name of Jesus. ¡Gracias!

Familia es muy importante!

(Notice that Lucia is smaller than P & AK)

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas ...

I have to admit, the holidays this year are a little harder. I have been a little down, wishing for a peppermint mocha as I stroll through Target, humming "Walking in a Winter Wonderland." Last year everything was so new and different, so I didn't miss home too much. This year I just want normal - traditional - familiar. Last year, we bought an artificial tree but we didn't have any ornaments. So, we made our own. I loved it. This year, we have all our old ornaments from home. What a treat to unwrap each one and remember all the great stories, vacations and memories attached to each one. The Lord knew that would bless my heart this year.

It was a little weird listening to "Let it Snow" while decorating the tree in 75 degree weather and blazing sunshine. But I loved listening to the kids belt out a kickin' version of "Little Drummer Boy" by Matt and Rachel Solik. It seems this year is a mixture of old and new. We are creating new memories with some of our old and new traditions. We have our old Advent wreath but a new Advent devotional. (BTW - I had NO trouble finding four purple candles for Q4 - 50 cents!! Back in the States, I have to buy two packs of Advent candles in order to get 4 purples because they always include a pink one.)

The newest addition to our holiday season is a precious little PUPPY! The kids have been wanting a dog for ages, but honestly, I am not a dog-person! I don't enjoy being licked or jumped on. I don't like noisy, barky dogs or smelly dogs. I have a few friends with great dogs, but in general, I'm not a fan. Actually, I really enjoy cats. They are quiet, independent and CLEAN! Alas - both our kids are allergic to cats and dogs. So, I thought I was in the clear - no messy, smelly dog.

Alegria (Ali)

A few months ago, we visited our friends in Antigua that have the world's greatest Labrador ever. She never barks, she's very laid back, friendly. She thinks she is a hundred pound lap dog. Anna Kate spent the entire trip next to that dog - petting, loving, dreaming. (She has to take Claritin in order to visit our friends.) When we got home, she went into research mode - is there such a thing as a hypo-allergenic dog? Of course there are specialty breeds, but they are expensive. I thought my husband would come to the rescue - "I'm not paying THAT for a DOG!!!" His reply was, "Everybody should have a dog to grow up with - so let's get one." WHAT??? Who are you and what did you do with my husband?

Parker, Anna Kate & Ali - Happy family!!

So, we decided this would be a family Christmas gift. Then I thought, "there's no way we will find one of these dogs in Guatemala." We read about different breeds, we asked where one could be acquired in Guatemala. We decided which breed we thought would work for our family and then ... I prayed. "Lord, if you want us to have a dog, please let it be available at the petstore in Guatemala City (3 hours away), let it be a female, let it be a Shih Tzu, and let it be brown/white/black color." (I figure if I have to live with a dog, I might as well be specific about what I want, right?)

So, Thanksgiving weekend we drive to visit our wonderful friends in Antigua and their amazing dog too. We had a really wonderful feast with friends who are like family. So THANKFUL for the Erickson's. Then on Friday, we drove to the city and guess what we found ... a female Shih Tzu, brown/white/black with papers to prove she is full breed. (Lee says the receipt is the proof enough of her breed!) At least we won't have to live with sneezing, bloody noses or daily doses of Claritin.

Princess Ali - slept all the way home on the armrest!

Needless to say, we are all completely SMITTEN with our little bundle of joy. (except Lupe the rabbit who gets harassed by the puppy) The puppy's name is Alegria, which means joyful in Spanish. We call her Ali and her name is perfectly suited since she is bringing much joy to our family this season.

There isn't a happier girl in the world.

(Berets by American Girl)

What is the point to my rambling on and on about this new pup? Apparently, the Lord knows better than I  how to bless our lives. Whether it's new experiences, warm December days, beloved ornaments old and new or cherished traditions; He knows exactly what I need this Christmas season ... and everyday. Sometimes, I'm the last to know what's good for me. Good thing He's got it all in his hand!

Feliz Navidad!

The Word and Water ....

the Well-spring of life.

Katarina with Deborah & Giovanni

(Photo by Zac Benson)

Katarina is a single mom of three kids. It's a challenge to work and care for these little ones on her own. She doesn't have any family in the area to help. We have had the privilege of serving her sweet family of the last few weeks. We have helped with some basic food items like: beans, rice, veggies and fruit. In addition, we have helped with some cleaning and maintenance in her home and yard. We are becoming quite attached to this precious family.

Anna Kate playing with Deborah!

Last week she invited us to attend a church service held at her home. We were so excited and honored to be invited. Yet, when it was time to leave for her house, I was a little nervous. I didn't know what to expect. I was very nervous about food and what I might have to eat. Well, to my delight, the service was only about 20-25 minutes late in starting. We sang some songs and then the teacher stood up to share his "reflection" from the Bible. We had been told to expect an hour of teaching, but it really was a devotion. He taught for about 30 minutes or so. I didn't understand all of it, but there were many words I recognized. As I reflected, I was happy to be sitting outside in the cool evening, listening to the Word. The Word comes in power, even when I don't understand all of what is being said. People had the opportunity to be transformed and life renewed just by hearing the Word.

The well with a few inches of water.

Yesterday, we went back to Katarina's house. She has an open well on her property. During the rainy season it had about 4-5 feet of water in it. Now it was down to about 6 inches. This has bothered us from the first day we met this family. You see, Katarina works during the day. She often leaves the children home alone. Their ages are 12, 7, and 4. Sometimes the 12 year old works too, so the 7 year old is in charge of the 4 year old. Everytime, we leave their house we pray, "Lord, please protect those kids and keep them out of the well."

Lee digging deeper for more water.

As we have continued to build relationship, we have offered to build a cover for the well for the protection and safety of the children. She asked for and received permission from her landlord this week. So, yesterday Lee and a few others went to work. She asked them to dig the well a little deeper so she would have more water in the dry season. She does not have running water or electricity at her house, so she uses the water to wash dishes and laundry. When the guys jumped down in the hole and began digging, they realized her latrine (about 20 - 25 feet away) must be leaking into the well. The smell was awful. How can anything get clean when all you have is filthy water?

After digging deeper, they set to work on a cover for the well. They built a platform to cover the well and a door, so she can still get water. It is the most sturdy, well-built, over-engineered structure on her property. What joy to know, that little Deborah can continue to run and play with reckless abandon - and she will not fall in the well. Her mother can leave with a little less anxiety about the safety of her home and her little ones.

Framing the cover

All the kids wanted to help - Lee helped them use the drill.

AK, Parker, Lee, Angel, Steven (from CTEN) and Giovanni.

Job well done!!

Now - what to do about the unclean water..... Lord, we need your wisdom.

Las Ventanas ... windows

What an amazing week this has been. It began with a campo por el lago, (or a picnic by the lake). After church on Sunday, we joined our friends at the lakeshore for a lovely afternoon of talking in three languages (English, Spanish, and Spanglish,) singing, eating, playing soccer, and of course COFFEE!

Adele and Irma - singing and playing guitar.

Our church and Casimero's family. 

 We invited Casimero and Maria's family to meet us at the lake. They packed a picnic (which she carried on her head) and joined in the festivities. I think it was a nice respite for them to enjoy food, friends and fellowship. It's funny how that transcends all languages and cultures. We all love to break bread and commune with one another. On Monday, Lee went to visit Casimero to talk about how Redeemer's House might be able to serve their needs. We know they need help buying food, but we may also be able to help them make some improvements to their house for increased safety and security. They don't feel comfortable straying too far from home, because their belongings are not secure without a door and windows. Last week they were able to buy some wood and build a door, but they still had chicken wire for windows. Lee went with Casimero to the carpenter shop and bought more wood, a couple of hinges and slide locks. By that evening, they had two new windows installed. It's amazing that freedom can come from a couple planks of wood, a few nails and a lock. Now, they can sleep in peace, knowing their family and home are safe and secure.

Two new window/shutters with a view of the river beyond.

Some may wonder why we would try to improve such a humble abode. Some may say it's not worth fixing - build something new. All I can say is - it's complicated. We want to help people without doing more damage. We have to help people think beyond right now. What are the unintended consequences of the help we might offer. If we build something bigger or better, they might not be able to afford the rent or maintenance of it. We also want to be careful that we do not pass on a North American tendency for discontentment or dissatisfaction in what the Lord has provided. Casimero and Maria are not asking for a new home. They are very content with what the Lord has provided. They are rejoicing that their family is together and healthy. They are teaching me so much more than I could ever imagine teaching or helping them.

A new door!

The walls are covered with pieces of T-shirt fabric. 

These pockets make clever places for storing toothbrushes and more. 

 Thank you to our many supporters that make it possible for us to be here and make it possible to build windows for Casimero's family. Dios Bendiga!