Visit to Mother Teresa's Nursing Home

Ginny is responsible for teams, and she does a great job. It seems to me that going to a nursing home is good way to give new people on a team some exposure to Guatemala on their first day. I had no idea that Mother Teresa had established a nursing home in Guatemala. If you've studied Mother Teresa or seen her movie (which I thought was excellent), then you'll recognize the color and pattern of the clothing worn by the Sisters (even though it's partially hid by an apron in the picture).

Our entire purpose for visiting the nursing home was just to bring some joy and love into the lives of those who live there. We sat and/or walked with them, put lotion on their dry skin, applied fingernail polish, sang, colored, played games, and generally just tried to show them we cared. One of my favorites was a cute deaf/mute guy (see my pic with him below). I must add that the home and each of the people who live in this home seem to be cared for very well.

After the nursing home we took a drastic transition when we went to the overlook of the dump. If you've been following my blog, then you read my first impressions and saw pictures last Nov. This experience, as expected, left many people with their jaw dropped open and heart broken for those whose daily reality is the dump.

After lunch we took the team to visit a couple of homes where some of "our kids" live...meaning that these kids receive scholarships to go to school. Seeing the meagerness of the homes, the lack of space, light, and running water, the dirt floors, and the tin walls and roofs leaves some people re-evaluating their own lives and priorities. Visiting homes is a major part of our daily ministry here, and it never ceases to amaze me that these people generally don't complain about their circumstances, but instead are often thankful to God for what they have.