Day 264: I spent my day at the clinic. We bathed all the kids in the morning…don’t they look cute with suds all over them.
Day 265: Worked at the retirement home all day. We brought a piñata and let the residents swing at it from their wheelchairs.
Day 266: Day off. Kip and I spent most of the day wandering the city looking for the thrift store (most of the clothes I brought from home are stained and full of holes. I guess that’s what happens when you wear the same outfit several times a week. In the evening we had a celebration with our contact Luis and ended up with 12 pizzas and an entire box of cinnamon sticks per person.
Day 267: Went to church in the morning and then Amaris and I got to hang out with my “Guatemalan cousins” – Liza, Ximena, and Sebastian. My uncle Steve dated Liza’s mom for several years before she died of cancer. I hadn’t seen Ximena or Liza since my sophomore year of college when they came to stay with me at school.
Day 268: HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY! We all worked at the retirement home today and made balloon creations for our elderly friends.
Day 269: Today was our last day of ministry in Guatemala. We worked at the clinic and then had to say goodbye to all of our babies. Pretty sure a few may have been snuck out in our backpacks. In the evening we all went out for dinner to celebrate Sam’s birthday.
Day 270: We had the day free to hang out in Antigua. I went to a few thrift stores and went to buy coffee beans with some of the girls. In the evening we went to get desert at a crepe restaurant.
Day 271: The other teams arrived in the morning. I spent most of the day at our hostel: packing, cleaning, and did some last minute food shopping for our bus ride.
Day 272: I honestly don’t remember most of today. We had to wake up at 3am to catch our bus. We were on the bus from 4am until 8pm and I slept through most of it. I only woke up for boarder crossings and bathroom breaks.
Day 273: Our first day with Zion’s Gate Ministry. Tony and his wife have taken in nine street kids to live with them in their house and also partner with several ministries in the city. This month our entire squad is together (living in tent city) an abandoned night club that we now call home. Big thanks to the Busby Family for providing my home!
Day 274: We enjoyed a traditional breakfast of refried beans, corn tortillas, fried plantains, eggs, and cheese. In the afternoon we took the 9 boys living at Zion’s gate on an hour hike to swim in a river. In the evening we had a church service on the property.
Day 275: We met with a local pastor the entire day to learn about the culture of Honduras and the issues affecting the country (gang violence, drugs, fatherless homes, and poverty). We will be working with Pastor Armando in many different communities this month.
Day 276: In the morning we had squad meeting to plan out our ministry for the month. In the afternoon a team of 8 college students arrived who will also be staying/working with us this month. We also filmed a video trailer today for “The Honduras Games.”
Day 277: I hung out with the boys most of the morning. They each have one hour of work to do on the property everyday. Carlos showed me how to cut grass with a machete. We spent the entire afternoon practicing a stomp routine that we are using this month at ministry events. In the evening, we took the boys to a church service.
Day 278: We spent the day at IHNFA (a home for girls who are a “threat” to society). Many of the girls have been brought in by police who picked them up off the streets. We painted nails, made crafts, had dance class, and performed our stomp routine.
Day 279: We went into the city and took over a street corner. We passed out candy that had Bible verses attached and held signs that said “Honk If You Love Jesus.”
