Malnutrition Center in San Juan

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Twister!

Home for the Us Family

So much to tell

Last Friday we had some family time and headed to a new shopping area and we were suprised at how nice it was! The kids enjoyed climbing on the rides and we didn't even have to put coins in. Robby and I found our new favorite restaurant -- Los Cebollines. They make the salsa with the ingredients you choose right at your table. Delicious!




On Sunday and Monday we were so excited to get together with Kim and Stephen Crouch from Kentucky! They even brought their son Collier. Cohen thought they were so big sharing their own table at Pollo Campero. They took some of the kids from Hermano Pedro out to lunch on Sunday and spent some time shopping in Antigua. Then we met up with them on Monday in Amatitlan where their team was painting a church and constructing several houses. It was so good to spend time with some friends from home!


Today Robby and another team from Florida started a home in El Tejar. This home is for a family of ten whose former home was made of wood with huge gaps between the planks. Needless to say, their beds would get wet every time it rained.

I headed back to the malnutrition center and joined the rest of the group from Florida. This team brought a doctor with them, which was a huge blessing. Today he concentrated on each child's skin. There were many babies with ringworm and scabies, but they are being treated and will hopefully be better soon.

I got to play dress-ups with Maria and some of the other babies at the malnutrition center this week since my mom sent some adorable baby clothes.


This little boy is Bryan and he has a twin sister named Ashley. (Very Guatemalan names, huh?) He is a pretty chunky little guy, but is at the center because his sister is there. We're trying to get him to crawl, but he much prefers scooting on his bottom. He is a smiley, happy little baby!



This is my little Thelma. She is very serious in this picture, but that is because I am not holding her and bouncing her around. She impressed us all with her language skills this week. When one of the volunteers left the room, Thelma said, "Marsha?" She noticed she was gone and remembered her name!

I wish I had pictures of all the work that Robby has been doing lately, but he has been too busy to stop and take pictures. Last week he and a team from Florida built a home for two sisters in a little town called Durazno. The sisters were living in a house (and I'm sure if any of you had seen it you wouldn't have described it as a house) with so many holes that the rain poured in each time it rained. The two sisters each had one child and Robby found out that the younger mother had been raped. Even Robby teared up at the home dedication. This was a family that had experienced so many difficulties -- losing their parents, a rape and later the birth of a child as a result of the rape -- and yet God used a group of believers to encourage this family and show them His love.

This week he is busy finishing two houses in another community. I am so proud of his hard work and the ways he is witnessing to the families he is working with.

The Babies in San Juan

Yesterday I was finally able to return to the malnutrition center in San Juan. I hadn't been since May and was so anxious to get back and see how the babies were doing. While this is a wonderful place where so many children are being nursed back to health, it can also be overwhelming. There are babies with blank stares, visible ribs, and the tinest arms and legs you can imagine. Many babies have rashes, lice, coughs, and runny noses. But there is so much hope for the futures of these babies when you see the ones that are starting to get healthy. As they gain their strength they begin to meet developmental milestones. Little Erwin is on the verge of taking steps on his own. Billy was using an appropriate grasp on a crayon instead of holding it with his fist. Many of the toddlers were imitating sounds and jabbering. I plan to return each Tuesday and look forward to seeing how they continue to improve.

Second Chance for Rubi

Rubi is a tiny, little lady with a brand-new start in life. During a difficult time in her life, she turned to alcohol as a way to cope and became an alcoholic. There were nights that she spent sleeping on the streets. And yet God never stopped loving her and was always ready to give her a second chance. Although she will admit that there are days when she really wants another drink, she has learned to ask God to give her the strength she needs not to return to her past. She hasn't had a drink in several years.

So this week we were anxious to help Rubi and her children get settled in their very own home. They had been sharing a very small space in her in-law's home, but it had not been a good situation for many reasons. Mainly because her husband was gone and her in-laws blamed her for his leaving.

A team from Florida finished up Rubi's house on Wednesday and we went back yesterday to complete a bathroom for Rubi and her children. Let me tell you, this bathroom was anything but luxurious, but the family is so happy. They now have a toilet, shower, and outdoor pila (sink) that they can use to wash clothes and dishes.

It was a joy to work with Ruby's family for many reasons. I'm sure she had no experience with construction, but she worked right along with the team, taking ownership of her home. She is taking pride in her home already by keeping it meticulous. And she never stopped giving thanks to God for this gift and for His love.

Rubi and her younger children

Robby installing his first shower

Rubi working on the bathroom

Rubi's grandson

Vecinas -- Neighbors