GUATEMALA 2014

Oh boy. Where do we begin? Guatemala is incredible. We had the opportunity to go back for a second time with a group from our church this past January and we couldn’t say no. Despite a thousand reasons to NOT take 9 days out of our crazy lives to go visit a third world country.

We could probably write pages about what we did on the trip, what things are like there, etc, but I think what we will do is just say this: Guatemala is a place of great need. And if you don’t help, then who will? Sure, there are plenty of needs in our own backyard, and by all means we need to take care of them too. But how many times have you heard stories coming from your own home town where children are left in dumpsters because they aren’t wanted anymore, or babies that are so malnourished they never stop crying, or kids that are locked up because their parents don’t know what to do with them?

Eagle’s Nest Orphanage in Solola, Guatemala (where we visited) is a place that is addressing these needs head on. They have maxed out every last resource available to them in order to take in as many of these children as possible, to try and save their lives. To give them hope. To share with them the good news of Jesus Christ, and to teach them what love is.

Our hearts were moved to do something, anything to help. So please join us in this. We have set up a 45 day all-or-nothing fundraising campaign to directly support Eagle’s Nest, which will specifically address a growing need there. Food costs are nearly doubling for the orphanage, and they need our help to provide for the approximately 50 kids that call Eagle’s Nest home. The basis of the fundraiser will be 18 month calendars that we have designed and created, using many of the pictures that you are about to view on this blog post. Different levels of donations are available, starting at just $10. We brought back some really cool gifts from the markets in Guatemala that will be available to you as well. So please do what you can to help. Support the kids here:

EAGLE’S NEST ORPHANAGE FUNDRAISER!!!!!

We got to experience the first day of school at El Colegio Del Nuevo, the school on site at the orphanage. Most all of the children from the home attend the school, as well as an additional 130-140 local kids from Solola. It was a joy to see the excitement on the kids faces, and it’s truly amazing how well run this school is. They were rated the #2 school in the city, aside from the local university!

Starting work on remodeling two of the kitchens on site at the orphanage.

These are kids that are part of the “Manna Feeding Center” which is a daily lunch provided to local children in the area (not part of the orphanage). These children are the poorest of the poor. They are individually invited based on the living conditions and income at their actual home, and only come if their family cannot provide for them otherwise. Our hearts broke at the thought that there are many more children just like them that there just simply isn’t room for.

This was my very first FULL cup of coffee. Audrey has tried for years to get me to like it, but I’ve just never enjoyed the taste. But I decided to join the bandwagon one night, since everyone was raving about the coffee beans… I still don’t really like it.  🙂

We had the privilege of taking updated photos of every child in the orphanage for their website. Here are just a few. The entire website and where you can choose and sponsor any of the children is HERE.

This was the moment on the trip where my heart was broken; conflicted with pain and hope at the same time. Little Macario was holding my face (above) because he was so unfamiliar with a man showing him any affection. Macario was 3 1/2 when the orphanage took him in, and he only weighed 7 pounds. He had been basically shut in a room for the first 3 full years of his life, alone and malnourished. He was barely walking or talking when we got to meet him, but he was so happy and full of smiles that I am tearing up just writing about him. He is a living miracle.

Attempting to make corn tortillas at a local’s home. Attempting.

The finished product! A good portion of our team worked on these kitchens and cabinets for about 4 days STRAIGHT and wow it turned out amazing!

This is Abi. She clung to Audrey like nobody’s business. We are now sponsoring her 🙂

We had the opportunity to have a little fun and go ziplining! These things are extreme. At their highest, some of the ziplines took you 400 feet above the forest floor, at over 55mph, for 80 seconds. If you’ve ever wanted to fly like a bird, this is the closest thing out there.

There are a few ziplines you can see high above the ground there!

We had to have little taste of the local cuisine! (above) (definately not below)

This is the precious Patlan family. They essentially operate the entire orphanage. Some of the most inspiring people you will ever meet. We were blessed with a few minutes alone with them to do a family shoot, which we will blog separately in the near future!

Thanks for sticking with us for the whole blog. Again, if you are interested in helping support these kids, please visit http://www.eaglesnestint.org/index.php OR help raise funds for an entire month of food for the orphanage HERE.