Septiembre 12 - 18, 2011

"Oh Father, what path am I walking down with You? It does seem so narrow. Please give me grace to live for You and to die to my own selfish desires. Encourage Christian workers...today to live for You and to forget what is behind them. Amen."
9/17 prayer from "Voices of the Faithful"






Monday, September 12,
Lizzy turned 4! Yolanda
did the honours of bringing
in the pastel.

Monday we also learned that Oscar Molina Perez would be in a presidental run-off with Manuel Baldizon in November. Neither of these candidates seem to offer any hope for improved social welfare. Triste. My dentist said he doesn't want to vote for either one...sound familiar anyone??


Tuesday was departure day for Patsy, so we gave her a lift to the airport. And while we were in the City, we went ahead and made the shopping rounds plus took a cruise thru zones 1, 4, 5, 9, and 10, which is like playing sudoku with your car..and your life! In ink, no erasers, AND no answers in the back of the book! So when the directions actually flow correctly, it's like doing a 5-star puzzle on the first try!

On Wednesday, the 14th, RDA received a new girl
13-but-looks-like-she-might-be-9-or-10 yr old
Deborah. As always, she was so very scared
and bewildered. So I'm happy to report she was in a
much better place the very next day; here she is,
right, in her very 1st foto. Such an honour to
be able to take then give personal fotos to
these loved-by-God-kids.


The 14th was also the day before Independence Day here in Guatemala, and the kids who go to public school here in San Lucas had been looking forward to participating in the community festivities at the town square right next to their school. Alas, there was a fatal shooting in same location on Wednesday, so they cancelled all the activities. Here's Katherin, trying on one of the other girls' tipico clothing so she could wear it in the parade that didn't happen...bummer. Makes her look way too old anyway!

Thursday was a real quiet Dia de Independencia here at Las Rosas. The kids didn't seem to mind too much, and they didn't have to go to school OR do homework. I got a pleasant surprise on this Guatemalan holiday; when I would think of peeps in the states, I would wonder what they were doing for the holiday! So now I think I can safely say I'm at least part chapina, si??!!

Had another escape early Sunday morning; Floridelma, dressed, with a small bag packed only with the clothes she came in only a few months before(so thankfully at least she didn't steal anyone elses'stuff),left about 0200. She had taken the key to the small door in our gate off the staff keyring, unlocked the door and left it ajar. What she did with the key she will not tell, so now the door is once again padlocked. One of the teens discovered she was gone, so she rousted 2 other teens, and they took off...yes, at o' dark thirty, after her and found her just standing in front of a nearby gas station. Rosa was also in hot pursuit but didn't quite reach Flori at the same time as the teens. The police were also on the scene grilling Flori, but to no avail. So they all came back here, and since Flori was the same kid who stole my cel phone, and even though she denied it, it WAS found in her underwear....Rosa had her remove all her clothes in hopes of finding the key. But no key, and Flori either says she never had it, that the door was not only unlocked but standing open OR one of the other girls who didn't leave had the key.ggrrrrrr It's a very sad situation, especially since Rosa tried to take her back to the judge on Monday, but the court was so backed up, Flori came back here. Her regularly scheduled audience is the 26th, so she will leave then. She is one lost young lady, so please keep her in your prayers. Gracias! Pray for me an' G too as this sort of stuff drives us wacko. Muy dificil..adios