First few days in Guat....

     Hey ya'all....I made it down here safe and sound and these past few days have already been amazing! Yesterday we did a group project of painting part of the orphanage and then did group stations with the kids of face painting, crafts, musical instruments, and more! I can't tell you how great it is to be down here with my little Guatemalans!  And not to mention, the baby rooms are all full, which makes things even better:)  Today we went to the dump, and even though I have already been there before, it never seems to amaze me.  We spent alot of time at the slums today, which are the neighborhoods of the people that work in the dump for a living.  These people are working 12 hour days of digging through the largest landfill in central America for things to recycle and sell.  The smell, the dirt, the crows flying all around, and the cemetary at the very top, all add to the sadness of the dump.  We had the opportunity to bring Pollo Compero (which is pretty much a Guatemalan chickfila) to a family that lives in the slums.  It was such a blessing to be able to share a meal with this family.  Their "house" literally is all piled high with garbage they have collected in hopes to recycle and sell. With that amount of garbage brings rodents, flees, dirty cats and dogs roaming around, and just plane dirt everywhere. In all honesty, I was concerned to walk into their "home" because it was basically just like walking into a garbage dumpster only with a little walkway.  I was challenged to look at them and love them through the eyes of Jesus.  This is their home; this is who they are.  They have just as much value through Christ as we do.
       There were 3 little boys that walked over who had also been working in the dump....the youngest one was 3 years old.  This is reality for them....this is their life.  They are lucky enough to make around $1.50 a day of 12 hours of straight labor.  A few guys from our groups played catch with them and they were also able to have some chicken quick before going back to work.  To think that they don't normally get a full meal or a quick lunch break, just breaks my heart. 
      Later today, we got to take the 3-5 year olds from the orphanage to some play zone in a mall here in the city.  It was so great to see them out loving life and doing something that I remember loving to do as a kid.  They definitely wore out their energy!
      God has already been teaching me so much! I'm reading a book that my dear friend Lindz gave me called, "Face of Love," and something I read stuck out to me....As we are serving Christ, we are to wake up each day, ask Him what He is doing that day(not what He wants you to do, but what He is already doing.)  And then we are to join Him.  That's just a little challenge I've been reminded of and hope you all can apply that in your lives as well! Well, its bedtime here! Thanks for all the love and support!
                  Love from Guat,
                         Kaley