Because it's important to have closure...

It's been almost a year since I last blogged and 6 1/2 months since I returned to the states for good.  There is so much to say, so much to catch up on. In some ways, the last year has been too painful to recall in the sweetest way possible. My last 6 months in Guatemala were filled with late night dinners with the Crew, long weekends spent in Santa Maria, and many miles traveled with my ever loyal dog.

My journey has continued. Life has moved on.

I have not stopped living adventurously just because I moved back to 'conservative' Oklahoma.

Actually, quite the opposite has happened.

I have embarked on new adventures. The kind that have led me to conversations with incredibly influential people, navigating the mortgage and home buying process, and entering the ever-confusing world of dating in America.

Instead of escaping to Irtra, I escape to 39th Street Crossfit.

Instead of meandering through the Democracia on a Saturday morning, I find myself sifting through the overpriced 'organic' veggies at the local grocery store.

Instead of reading over lesson plans and counseling high school seniors on college choices, I get to work with an incredible group of people who are doing HUGE things for OKC and OKC Public Schools. (Check it out here).

I've traded a Monterro Sport for a Toyota Highlander, and Pica Mas for store bought hot sauce.

But I am still me. I still wake up 2 minutes before my alarm, I still only drink 3/4 of my coffee, and I speak Spanish on a daily basis.

I am the me that was shaped, formed, transformed, and made better by my experience in Guatemala. Every person I encountered changed me in some way. It doesn't matter if it was the lady who did my laundry for 3 years or the drunk man that I passed on the corner every day. My best friend or one of my students at IAS.

However, that wasn't because I was in Guatemala. It was because I made a decision to live intentionally. I wanted to be changed by my experience and my hope is that it will continue.

All of those things lead me to where I am today. Sitting in my home office in the middle of Oklahoma City on a Friday night. I have been confused, frustrated, saddened, ecstatic, angered, overjoyed, loved-on by old and new friends. I have cried. I have laughed. I have celebrated and I have hidden from the reality of what was going on around me. But more than anything, I have continued to be comforted by an overwhelming peace that I am exactly where I am suppose to be.

So, this may seem to be a little late but I'm finally ready to do it. Just like any meaningful relationship in life, you must have closure and say goodbye to the things that were impactful if it is time to move on.

And that time has come.

I love you deeply and will always care for you and your beautiful people and countryside.

Adios, Guatemala.

You were too good to me.

Thank you.

Returning Home

I figure it's time to share the news that has been weighing on me since August.

I will be returning to the states in June without a return ticket to Guatemala. 

I am incredibly excited, and yet, anxious at the same time. I am deeply saddened to be leaving the life that I have made for myself over the last five years and I'm equally ecstatic to see what may be ahead. 

I am unsure where I will end up or what I will be doing (I will start taking suggestions in June if you have a brilliant idea for me!)

Until then, I will be living life to the fullest here, enjoying everyday that passes with my friends and family down here. 

If you think about it, please pray for me. I have no doubt this transition will a bit rough. 

Earthquake Fund Update

On January 19th, I traveled to San Marcos to see how the houses were progressing.  Two sizable donations had been made to the Nazarene Church and 8 families had been given blocks. I visited with those families and heard stories of what life had been like for the past two months since the Nov. 7th earthquake. I am pleased to tell you all that within the last week, I have been informed that my original goal has been blown out of the water tenfold. With the donations that have continued to come in, I have no doubt that we will be able to assist all 18 families from this congregation that needed help! 

I am planning on putting together a short video telling the whole story of this project. Until then, here are a few pictures from my most recent trip. I am planning on returning in a few weeks to continue to check in and be of assistance if necessary. 

The trip to San Marcos was such a blessing. Again, I am humbled that I have been given this opportunity to be the middle man in this project. It has turned into so much more than I originally dreamed up. Thank you for allowing me to be apart of it and thank YOU for caring about the people of Guatemala!

Iglesia Nazareth is the church that we have partnered with.

A normal street in San Marcos. One block is destroyed and the next is just fine. It all had to do with the building material. 

At the first house we visited, I was served a plate full of papaya (I had to choke it down) and learned that there were a total of three families living in this house. This family had been given 1,000 blocks they have so much to rebuild.

This is one of the couples that lives in the three family complex. There are a total of 13 people that live there.

Digging out the trenches to begin rebuilding soon. You can see the blocks to the left of the picture.

Another construction site. This family is in the process of rebuilding.

This is the makeshift kitchen that the family from the above picture has been using while they are rebuilding. Please notice the dark spot in the left part of the picture. That is a chicken. 

A rebuilt wall with the donated blocks.

This family has suffered greatly in the last 6years. During Hurricane Stan, five of their family members were swept away in a landslide just down the road from this house. Now, they are dealing with the aftermath of the earthquake. They don't look like it in this picture, but they are incredibly happy people with so much to be unhappy about. The woman wanted me to come back later in the day for tamales y chuchitos (a Guatemalan snack).

This is a crack in the foundation of the home from the picture above.

The blocks that have been donated can been seen under the black tarp that is behind the open door. 

This lady is explaining how the wood was salvaged to be reused as the roof when it comes time to rebuild. Her blocks are seen behind her.

This woman is showing me what the house looked like before the earthquake. This is another family that has three families (a total of 15 people) now living in two rooms. The wood and lamina behind her will be used for the roofing of the new house.

These are four of the 15 people that are living in two rooms at the moment. The grandmother is 100 years old and moved around like a 20 year old. We are standing in front of their makeshift kitchen that has a dirt floor and wood burning stove. 

Rosa and Chepe are a couple that I met the first time I went to San Marcos. They were in better spirits this time and they welcomed me with open arms. You can see the blocks behind us. They are preparing the ground and their house to rebuild shortly.

Here's to being middle-aged.

The only time you really live fully is from thirty to sixty. The young are slaves to dreams; the old servants of regrets. Only the middle-aged have all their five senses in the keeping of their wits.

Hervey Allen

God's greatness is shown when our insignificance is acknowledged. 

Earthquake Update

The group that traveled with me to San Marcos with Hermano Marco.

Last Saturday, I traveled to San Marcos, Guatemala with five of my friends. This is the area that was badly damaged by the Nov. 7th earthquake. 

This is a house that was badly damaged in a  village 15 minutes outside of San Marcos

 My goal was to find a family that needed our support. With the help of many of you, I had raised $640 to donate to these people who were in need. My idea was to meet people and buy them whatever they needed. We would do this until the money was gone. 

Pictured here is Hermano Marco and a  family that lost their house in the earthquake. The metal behind them is a makeshift room where they are currently sleeping until they find the money to rebuild.

If someone needed a bed, we would buy them a bed, if they needed food, we would buy food. However, there was something grander on the horizon. 

Demoler is the Spanish word for demolish. This was written on so many buildings.

One of my friends had heard there was a pastor that was looking for help so when we arrived, we found him. He explained to us that most of the aid was going to those that were in shelters and there wasn't much help for others. 

Not an uncommon sight in the town of San Marcos.

He spoke of twenty families in his congregation that had been affected. We were able to visit with two of these families. The houses we saw had suffered so much damage that they would need to be rebuilt.

It was incredible to see that along the same road, one building would be completely fine while the next was in shambles. 

 The problem in Guatemala, most people do not have insurance for their homes. These people would be unable to rebuild their house. I asked the pastor how much it would be to rebuild, and I was amazed when he told me that with $500, I could buy enough cement blocks for a house. 

This is a house that had already been 'demuelio'. It belonged to one of the members of Hermano Marco's church. 

We came to San Marcos hoping to make a difference by making a families life more comfortable, we had no idea that with the money YOU donated, a house would be able to be built. 

A view from the inside looking out.

So, now you may ask what will be done? Because this earthquake received little to no international coverage, the foreign aid is not present. The Guatemalan government is there, however, they are just passing out water and food baskets. They are not able to give supplies to rebuild houses. 

Houses and buildings made out of the traditional adobe where the ones that were the most damaged.  These houses will be rebuilt with cement blocks to help this not happen again in the future.

 I still have $140 to donate but I am hoping to raise an additional $360 to add to that amount so that another house can be built.

Even though this building is still standing, it is unsafe to live in. It will be demolished soon.

 If you or anyone you know would be willing to donate to this cause, it would be greatly appreciated. You could be a part of rebuilding these peoples future. Money goes so much farther here than in the states. 

This is the remains of a room of a family that lives outside of San Marcos. The money that you donated purchased block to rebuild this.

If you are interested in helping, you can donate by clicking on the 'donate' button at the top of the page. Make sure you include your email so I can stay in touch with you about how we are using the funds. 

This is the family that you donated to. There are many others that also need our help!

Heidi and her dog, Scooby. 

Regardless of losing so much, these children still had smiles on their faces and greeted us with open arms.

An update from Hermano Marco:

Hna.  Liz :   Que la paz y la gracia  de nuestro  Buen  Dios  esté  con  usted  y las  personas  que  están  a  su  alrededor.    Quiero  compartirle  que  la  primer  ayuda  que  usted  con  todo  su  amor  donó  a  mis  hermanos  que  están  sufriendo la perdida  de  sus  viviendas;  el lunes  compramos  los  primeros  1,000  bloks  y  fueron  entregados  así  :    Primero  al  Hno.  Mardoqueo  Orozco  de  la  aldea  Loma  Linda  donde  tuvimos  que  caminar  u  conocer  su  necesidad,  a  él  le  entregamos  500  blocks.   2,  Segundo  al  Hno.  José  Domingo Escobar  los  otros  500  blocks  es  donde  está  la  ardilla  asustada.   Por  este  medio  queremos  agradecerle  este  primer  donativo  y  los  hermanos  manifiestan  lo  mismo,  están  conmovidos  por la prontitud de la ayuda  recibida,  Dios  les  siga  bendiciendo  ricamente,  Hasta pronto y  Bendiciones.

translated roughly:

 Sister Liz: May the peace and grace of our good Lord be with you and the people around you. I want to share with you what the first aid that you gave with love to my brothers that are suffering the loss of their homes; on Monday, we bought the first 1,000 blocks and they were given as follows: First, brother Mardoqueo Orozco of the village of Loma Linda where we had walked and you saw the need, there we gave 500 blocks. Secondly, to brother Jose Domingo Escobar, we gave the other 500 blocks (they were the ones that had the frightened pet squirrels). I hereby want to thank you for this first donation and those that donated as well. The brothers are moved by the promptness of the aid received, God will continue to bless you richly, soon and Blessings.

Vos is One!

Time flies when you are having fun. I can't believe that my little guy is one today! Happy birthday Vos dog! You have brought so much joy to my life!