Day 2 - Wow... whole lot a nuthin'

Today, we were at the mercy of car and van availability, which was nill. Buckner is pretty on edge about security, so we are generally discouraged (mandated) to remain in groups and to travel only when corporate sponsered transportation is available... lame. SO, what happens when 20 kids are coming into town to do missionary work and they all need transportation for themselves and their bags? We get left in the lurch, unfortunately.
We were supposed to hang out with the new kids and help them get aquainted with what they are coming here to do. They are only here for a week whereas we are here for a month. Instead, every car and van was dispatched to the airport in numerous caravans to take care of the demand and we cooled our heels and prepared for the following day. We're on our way to Antigua!

So, while I'm waiting I might as well take you on a tour of our little bungalow here in Guatemala City. We aren't staying at the orphanage, but at the Guatemalan branch office of Buckner. The network here is really a series of small houses, owned by Buckner, that serve the needs of children in their various stages of life. Homes for the youngest and Transition homes for the teenagers. The Buckner home office is the hub for all of these smaller orphanage-like places in Guatemala City and the rest of Guatemala. Other areas like Antigua, Huehuetenango, and Zacapa have larger, state-run orphanages that Buckner gives aid to in various ways on a regular basis: including helping the children find permanent homes. Since the U.S. banned Guatemala from sending orphans across the border in 2007 because of Guatemala's inability to quell the thriving baby black market, the job is infinitely more daunting. Hence, the transition homes.

So, we've come to live in this place and help with the endeavor. The first picture is the living room/reception area and its virtually ours at this point, so we decided to begin sorting all the baby clothes, toiletries, games, and other materials that we brought for various people and places. We each brought an extra bag filled to the brim with as much donated stuff as we could possibly fit into them without going over the weight limit for the airline... we almost did it, but there were a couple of bags that didn't quite make it. Makes a couple $50 pairs of underwear.

This next picture is my room as well as Laura, Sarah, Julianne, and Erin's. Now, this is hardly roughing it. We are very cozy. Laura sleeps on the floor. Bad luck, Laura! Perhaps soon I will include picture of actual people rather than just inanimate objects...





This is a picture of the actual office area. This area is about 3 steps down from the living room, bedroom portion of the compound. So, it feels sort of like a cave with a tranquil lagoon-like workspace. There are offices on each side and it all very neat and orderly. I really like it. We only saw the office workers once and they're all gone now because its the weekend. Only Don Pedro remains and he likes to chat with us about his family, football, and baseball. He thinks we're nuts.





That leaves the portion of our little cottage that I have the most love for... the kitchen. Have you ever seen David the Gnome because that is immediately what I thought of when I saw this adorable place. I love it. I love the countertops that seat people on both sides. I love the arched doorway and serving window. I love that I have to light matches to light the stove. I spend a lot of time in this special place preparing dinner for my companions, which I also (not-so-secretly) love.

Basically, I'm having a super fun time and we've just now gotten word that we will be DOING something. It's 5pm. We're just now starting our day and we're going to hang out with the BABIES!!! UYAY!

Tomorrow, Antigua and a lot less down time.

PEACE