El Faro >> Punta de Palma, Guatemala

I have many stories to share from a little coastal town in the jungle of Guatemala. I'll type them soon, but for now I'm still processing this trip that only happened two weeks ago. My heart came alive in Guatemala in a new way. Teaching art and empowering children with creativity is something I was meant to do. I couldn't stop smiling and excitedly speaking spanish, a language I thought I had forgotten.

 I am so grateful for the staff at El Faro, and for the opportunity to serve and love another nation. Yet another piece of my heart is sown into another place. For 2012 I've left a piece in Haiti, Mexico, Uganda and now I add Guatemala to the list.

Quien es el rey de la selva? Se llama, J-e-s-ú-s. 

Mirna and I met in a trash dump where she lives in Guatemala.
She gave me a new perspective on Hope. Vultures are behind us in the trash, where Mirna
calls home. She ran into my arms and the first words she said were "Te Quiero" I love you.
She put her arms around my neck and kissed my cheek. She looked deep into my eyes, both of our brown
eyes gazing into one another with just so much love and joy at finding a new friend. I then put her
on my back, the sweet shoeless girl in a wool christmas sweater vest in the middle of July,
in the middle of  the jungle. Later that day we gave her a new summer sundress and bright old navy flipflops.
These are the moments I want to live every day. I am praying for this trash dump and hope that I can help
empower the people here in tangible ways.

Besos. 

The Trash Dump. The place where Trash and Ashes are made into Beautiful things.

Mirna, the mariposa (butterfly) This was an art therapy project. Video to come.

Un aguila de Dios! Another very inspirational art therapy project.

My sweet group of 5 year olds painting their "homes" on mini Blick canvases. 

Fun with bubbles! 

I love how this kids face is amazed at what he can create just with soap and water. 

This sweet girl painted a flower so delicately and gently on my hand, after I had
painted their nails and painted flowers on their hands and faces. Such sweet moments.

The sweet girls at Punta de Palma school in the village. Nothing I love more than
adorable little girls speaking spanish and playing with me like I'm one of them.

This sweet little girl Madi Rosa, in the pink dress with her pink bear took my words away.
She was beautiful and the way she looked at me (like in this photo) broke my heart every time.
This was our first day of working in the village at Sarita school, and I fell in love with the children
and their warm and loving and inviting smiles. 

Teaching an art lesson drawing El Faro, the Lighthouse on the beach.
Even a little 4 year old bello is so excited to draw, and I love his sister smiling
at him with such encouragement!!

Melt my heart. ¡¡Ojos preciosos!! So much joy being able to make art with these niños. 

After painting heart treasure boxes, the teachers allowed the kids to leave their mark.
The kids put their hands in their paint so excitedly and then ran to the wall, to leave a little
piece of their legacy. 

Mission el Faro. Beauty unparalleled, a beach paradise next door to poverty. 

Sandra and Marta and their sweet heart boxes. The girls put them up to their hearts and asked
if I would take this photo. So so precious. 

My girlies have fun painting their "Where your treasure there your heart is also" Boxes. 

:) 

Love my sweet girls in my group. I felt 8 years old again.

A girl with a heart and beauty that displays God's masterpiece.

Our life of poverty is as necessary as the work itself. Only in heaven will we see how much we owe to the poor for helping us to love God better because of them. - Mother Teresa