We've landed

We've landed!  We are now heading home from the airport in the church van.  So glad were home!  Thanks for your prayers and support.

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Airport

We have arrived at the airport and made some last minute purchases, got some lunch and now waiting for final boarding call.  Thank you again for all your prayers and thoughts during our trip.  We have felt God's hand protecting us and keeping us safe this week.  We return with renewed hearts and very tired bodies.

Cindy Dube

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Pictures from the trip...

We enjoyed having some nice down time today in Antigua.  We shopped, we laughed, we walked around and enjoyed each others company.  Tomorrow we begin our journey home and some will go their separate ways but our lives will always be joined by this amazing week in Guatemala.  Thank you for all your prayers.

Enjoy viewing some pictures.

Cindy

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Reflections from Guatemala

As we travled back down the dusty road cut through the lush mountains, I pondered the week we had in Guatemala and all that I saw.  Then I thought about my heritage.  My father was a lawyer and elected to a position of judge in the capitol, but he grew up on a farm.  As I gaze out  the window of the van, I see many things:cows, donkeys, chickens roaming free, half built cinderblock buildings, road construction (yes, they have it here too), lush mountains, corn fields and people, lots of people.  People selling food and wares to the cars sitting in traffic or passberby.  Most are dark skinned from being in the sun all day, everyday.  These are people I rejected as a young child because I was born in America so I am "American".  I wanted to fit in and didn't want to speak the language because it wasn't "cool" to be different.

But this week we talked in devotion time about really looking at the faces of the people we are working with and seeing beyond.  These are God's creations, albeit shorter in stature, darker skinned and perhaps with slightly different world views but they need the hope and faith in Christ that we share in our faith community.  They don't own a lot of possessions but that's not what they need...they need to know they are children of God, that they will have a safe place to raise their families, a place to cook their food and to have enough food to feed their family.  Theirs is a simiple existence.  Having extended family support and health are an integral part of their existence.  

Can we hope to touch the lives of these families and the others as we come to build homes and give hope?  Can we help them seek Him first?  That's our constant prayer.  So now that I use my language skills (Yes, I did begin to speak the language as an adult) to translate and help each team member connect and build relationships with the very people I didn't want to be connected with it changed my perspective.  I know that they are all God's children and some share our faith and our hope but others need to hear God's word.  Being able to communicate with them was great but instantly sharing that faith, not quite so easy without building the relationship.  I can only hope that I was a facilitator to the team to help bridge that gap.

So I greatly appreciate everything my parents did, coming to the US without speaking the language and trying to get out of the poverty to make a better life for their children.  They gave their children a foundation to seek HIM first and although we, their children, left the Catholic church, we all strove to have closer relationships with God.  So I leave Guatemala with amazement at what my parents had to do to leave their homeland and gratitude for the opportunity to see more of the country they grow up in and the people that make up this impoverished country and the understanding of their culture.

Thank you for letting me share my story and reflections.  I leave you with some extra pictures of our work week as I couldn't possibly post every single picture we took.  Blessings!   

Cindy Dube

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Friday: Home Dedications and Drive to Antigua

Today we dedicated the homes today to both families which was a very emotional time as the families shared their thoughts and emotions.  We then left and drove to Antigua and enjoyed a nice dinner this evening.  I am exhausted, so I will write tomorrow the reflections I had about our week experience.  So enjoy the pictures.

Blessings,

Cindy Dube

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Last workday! Finishing touches...

Today was our last day to finish up the two homes.  So we divided up in the morning, with the men going to assemble the stoves, bunkbeds and putting in the electrical which consists of four outlets and two lights.  The women went to visit babies of malnutrition at Hearts in Motion and finished the morning bringing balls and other items to the kindergarten across the road from the second house.  The afternoon consisted of finishing up painting at both homes and then delivering all the clothes and toys that we've accumulated for the families and the Guatemalan workers.

Description of the pictures:

1-5: Ladies with various children at Hearts in Motion.  Gayle and Nellie are with Sarita, Samantha is holding 3 year old Jeremiah, I am holding Sindy and Carley is playing with two babies one of which has a cleft palate and waiting for surgery.

6-9: Playing with the children at the kindergarten.  They were so excited to see us coming! We brought some balls and frisbees to play with the kids.  They loved playing with the frisbee and teaching us hula hoop.  I loved watching them "dance" with the hula.  

10: Susana from the first house gave me a nice card thanking us for building her Grandpa and Grandma a new home.  

11: Guatemalan workers wearing donated shirts that they got to pick and take home.  They were very pleased with their new work shirts.

12: Kevin on Reed's shoulders helping paint the high spots on his new house.

13: One of the daughters that lives with Carlos & Rosa with her children and their new toys.  Susana & Carlitos (in the picture) are planning on moving in with Grandpa and Grandma.

14. Carlos by the new stove.  The women were cooking dinner on it in the afternoon while we were painting.

We have had an amazing week and made some amazing friendships.  Tomorrow we dedicate the homes and then begin our journey closer to home.  We head to Antigua-the first Capital city of Guatemala before the volcanos destroyed the city.  It has ben rebuilt but they moved the Capital to Guatemala City to avoid further issues.  It's a beautiful city with cobblestone streets and beautiful architecture.  It's very touristy but a nice stop on our way home.  Thank you again for all your prayers for safety and health, we only had a few minor boo boos and one small slip but we're all walking and having a great time.  Tomorrow might be a late night, so I'll try to post some extra pictures of the week.  

Please send comments to: cdube34@gmail.com

Night!

Cindy Dube
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Wednesday-Day Three worksite...

Howdy from Guatemala.

These Texans are pretty tired but having fun.  We are listening to Jeff's "down home country" playlist and even had to demonstrate some country dancing for the locals.

Today was probably the hardest day of the week because we had to pour concrete floors for two homes.  Did I mention that we have to mix everything on the ground and pour into buckets?  We formed a bucket brigade to get the concrete to the Guatemalans that were doing the floor work.  Then we had to go to the second home and do it again after lunch as well as paint the first coat.  Very busy day!

Pictures:

1-4: pictures of the team members mixing and moving concrete.

5: the first mixture poured and now we're mixing batch two and 1/2.

6-7: Pictures of Carlitos playing with the chalk we gave him and his sister.  He wouldn't get out of the hot sun to stop playing.

8: Samantha and I hanging out with Jaime

9-10: Painting on house #2

11: Reina helping move buckets with the men at her home while her children all helping the women painting.

The last pictures are of the men taking a quick rest after a nice heavy lunch.  It was nice to have a few minutes before heading back to start shoveling more concrete.

Tomorrow we have stoves to assemble, electrical work and visiting some school children.  Sorry that many of you have had problems commenting on the blog.  We are hoping we can get that fixed but if you'd like to comment, send me an email: cdube34@gmail.com and I'll make sure the team hears your kind words.

Thanks for your prayers.  One more workday and then we dedicate the homes.  Amazing week.

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