Good news and bad news...

So the main reason I went to Guatemala was to go and see my girls. They are getting older and changing so much. It was to be a double celebration. Tania turns 14 tomorrow...and Elida's big sister, Paula, is going to graduate from high school in November. This is a HUGE deal - especially for a poor, Mayan girl! I think she is the first in her family to graduate. I am so proud of her and so proud of her family for helping her get this far! So, I was all set to celebrate with my girls...

But God had other plans. It was a rainy weekend in Guatemala, but apparently it has been a very rainy summer in Guatemala. While this is their normal rainy season, this year has been exceptionally rainy. The most rain in 60 years! It started with Tropical Storm Agatha in May and hasn't really stopped since then. The rain caused a lot of problems during this past weekend. Huge mudslides up in the Highlands shut the major highway to the northwest. Flooding destroyed crucial bridges in the south and cut off the southwest from the rest of Guatemala. And so I got a call to tell me that Elida and Paula would not be meeting me. They had attempted to make the journey, but the highway was closed. I was disappointed, but knew it was the safest decision. Tania was able to make it from the north, but not without major delays. Her 8 hour trip took 16 hours due to mudslides on their route as well.

So things got off to a bit of a rocky start. I was excited to see Tania, but sad to miss seeing Elida & Paula. And Tania was disappointed to not see Elida as well. They have become good friends.

Wow! Tania has changed so much! She was 12 the last time I saw her; she'll be 14 tomorrow. She's growing up; she was shy for the first time ever. It took a bit to get her talking. So finally, I asked her to come sit with me alone and she relaxed and we started chatting like old times. She told me all about her family, and her move to live with her mother, how much she misses her grandmother who basically raised her, all the new things she is experiencing in Flores. She is so precious! After catching up, we went to play. This time we got to go to Futura Tikal - it's a mall with a bowling alley and games and bumper cars and stuff. It was fun.

It was a day of MANY firsts.
1) First time bowling for Tania, her mom, and Lupe, the worker from Tania's Compassion site. Lupe was a natural!
2) First time to try chinese food (Guatemala's version anyway). Tania's mom and Lupe LOVED it. Tania HATED it.
3) First time for Tania's mom to ride an escalator. This may have been the funniest part of the trip. She failed on the first attempt and insisted on taking the stairs. The second time, she had about 20 false starts and caused quite the back up for the escalator. But finally we got her to take the leap! She was nervous, but grinning the whole way up to the 3rd floor.

Such a great day with one of the most precious people on the planet. May God continue to grow her into a woman of righteousness. I pray that He would protect her heart and mind and spirit. I pray that He would draw her to Himself. I pray that she would always know the love of her Heavenly Father and fully grasp how valuable and precious she is!

I pray for Elida and Paula. Thought disappointed, I know that we will see each other again. I trust my Father to take care of them. I pray that He would keep them safe and well. I pray that their house would stand strong, that her family would be well, that they might all know the astounding love of Our Father. I hope that I may see them soon...what a great reason to go back soon!