Casa Angelina Day 5 - Final Day

Friday, February 22, 2013
Casa Angelina - Day 5 (Final Day)

Final morning at Lidia's, Hotel Dona Isabel.  It is always emotional saying goodbye to her and her wonderful employees.  They take such great care of us and we love them all.  I pray they know how much they bless our lives. Thank you doesn't seem like enough.

Preston, Mindi, Craig and myself had the pleasure of riding with Alejandro in his vehicle to the orphanage.  We really wanted to see his house and how it had progressed since the first year we were there.  It was so awesome to see it completed!  Very humbling to know that we helped dig trenches for the footing of that house.  Lives are changing and that is awesome to see with your own eyes! 

Alejandro's House

Bye Bye dirt path, hello paved road in front of his house

 One of the bedrooms!

 The kitchen area

 The bathroom

 Their pet cat, of course Craig found a friend!

 Alejandro and with his niños

 Mindi & Preston with Alejandro & niños

Craig and I with Alejandro & niños

 Map of the area

 One of Mindi's biggest desires was to ride in a tuk tuk. As we drove through a little town, she asked Alejandro if it would be possible and safe!  He said, yes so we stopped!! It was so fun! The best part of all is that as we rode in this little Tuk Tuk, Alejandro followed us in his vehicle just to make sure we were safe.  Gotta love that guy! (Shhhhhh this was a secret, nobody was supposed to know we did this!)

 

When we arrived at the orphanage, we went back to work on the Aquaponics building.  It was a long day of putting up the walls but we are honored to be a part of making the orphanage self sufficient. Hard to believe in a few short while this building will be growing plants and fish!

The guys installing the roof on the Aquaponics

 Preston and Craig working away!

 Dan taking a nap, oh wait, maybe not guess he is working away. 

 Ginger trying to build a para sail. Nah not really but it looks like it!

 Our fearless leader, Chad

 Finished wall. Whoop Whoop!

The other wall is up!

 On the way back to the main feeding building, we saw this! The kids were playing with the parachute that we brought with us.  Oh it was amazing to see their smiles.  It brought be back to my earlier childhood memories of playing with the parachutes in gym class! Such a fun experience to share with them.

 A couple of the little girls enjoying some candy! 

 Craig and Aura! She has grown up so much in one year!! This little girl changed my husbands life. 

Nanette, bless her heart. She loves the Lord and all the kids with all her heart!  One of the warmest people I have met.  

Craig and I with Yuri. He is the go to man at the Orphanage. When I think of Yuri, I think of his smile. No matter what was going on, he is always smiling!

It is always sad to leave, but we know that God is doing amazing things at Casa Angelina and in the surrounding villages.  We are amazed at the changes that have taken place in one year.  We can't wait to see the ongoing changes and lives being changed ten fold.

We rode with Mindi, Preston and Alejandro from the Orphanage to Guatemala City to the Barcelo hotel.  We stopped at a gas station for fuel and there was an armed guard. I'm not gonna lie, it makes me uncomfortable to see all the guns but after a while, you do get somewhat used to it.  Mindi however didn't care at all, she asked for a photo and he said yes! I think Preston about had a heart attack!

Our last night in Guatemala was spent at the Barecelo. Simply put it is a very nice hotel and we enjoyed a nice long hot shower!  We had a wonderful time sitting around the pool chatting with everyone. It always amazes me how you can spend a week with everyone and never really talk!  It was nice to have that quality time to get to know everyone a bit better. We are anxiously awaiting our trip home to see our little boy!