BETH BEYOND BORDERS: Guatemala Month 1

Guatemala

 

 

 

11:11am September 11

    We are blessed and favored! Team REPTAR is working at a school for special needs children grade pre-school through 6th grade with a variety of ages and abilities! Deaf, blind, physical, intellectual and multiple disabilities. Upon arrival Andrà introduced us to Valorie (Balohre) we think she is the principal or the super intendant. She speaks very very little English and we speak very very little Spanish hahaa it’s perfect. We met in her office and attempted to share who we are names, degrees, special skills ect… She had a hard time with my name so for the duration of my time here I am now lovingly referred to as Bess hahaa as we waited to meet the teachers and children we met Louis! He looks to be about 30 years old and has Down’s syndrome! He greeted all of us with a sweet grin and warm hug he then proceed to open his wallet and show us his amigos a picture he cut from the newspaper of Team Madrid! Hahaaa his desk was also covered in pictures of the World Cup and his favorite futbòl teams. 

    Today was a special day here we were taken to the small auditorium for a presentation in preparation for the cultural celebration on September 15th! It’s a national holiday honoring there independence and the Mayan hero of their country! (It’s comparable to our 4th if July!) 

The kids laughed and stared at us and made lots of googlie eyes haha I love them!  They presented the flag, sang the national anthem, had announcements, and dismissed to classes. We visited the 4th grade class first, there were 5 students sitting around an awesome cultural presentation pictured below! I wish I could have gotten a picture of them in there costumes but my camera was in the office. 

 

 

Then we visited the 5th/6th grade class for there special cultural presentation. I met Carlos who I think is partially deaf and Maria who only signs. They had a map and flags with lots of blue and white decorations. They are both fluent in sign language and we had a blast practicing the Spanish alphabet, they laughed at the English signs I showed them. 

  Then we were escorted back to the auditorium for the remainder of the special presentation. There were 3 other guest today that were here to judge the presentation. Our guess is that they are from the board of education or local supporters of the school. They spoke kindly and welcomed us (I think hahaa) we seriously have no idea what is going on, all assumptions! Boy this is fun! 

   During the presentation I sat by Lucy who looks to be about 35 and has Down’s syndrome too, Johnatan, Olga Maria who is autistic, Cindy who has downs and looks about 10, and then a young man who I still don’t understand his name, they were so funny and laughed at me trying to say their names! 

    Upon dismissal we were taken to wait in what looks like a classroom for practicing living skills. The room has an old time sewing machine, oven, and cabinet with dishes. And that’s where we’re at now. We are currently accidentally in a meeting for revising the curriculum for the special needs education system of Guatemala. We understand 1in 10 words spoken, this is so funny! He handed us the form for teachers to complete to evaluate the students individually.         

       I’m really surprised at what I can understand and I’m really thankful for the opportunity to just sit in and attempt to understand. They are very very nice and even gave us a snack! Still unsure  

 

It’s a hot rice or maze/ corn pudding with cornflakes on top! What is my life ha praying that we don’t get sick from the ingredients or water used but I guess we’ll see! 

 

Thank you Lord! Thank you for a heart that is open to the need at hand and the wonderful people of Quichè! Thank you for allowing my eyes to see what there seeing and for the wonderful sounds of children laughing, speedy Spanish and languages I’ve never even heard of! Feeling so very loved by the Lord! 

 

     I can’t wait to walk home through the market after school and purchase food for squad dinner tonight! Fruit salad, Chicken, rice, broccoli and we want to make it cheesy but we’ll see what we can get on our $55 budget for 55 people! 

 

PICTURES FROM DAY 2! with Gavin and my sweet little copy cat!!!