Welcome!!!!!!!!!

Today was an exciting time! The first group arrived safely, with all of their luggage. The orphanage is now crawling with thick minnesotan accents and extremely tired but excited young adults. Praise God for the safe travel!!! 

 After an early morning, two plane rides, and about 4 or 5 meals we made it bright eyed!  Here is a praise God... EVERY SINGLE bag made it here with our plane.  This is unheard of in Side By Side Mission history!  Side note... "Dad, I didn't get sick at all!"-Maria.  After we arrived at the house we were greeted with yet another meal... tortilla soup, which after one tried it decided it was really good and exactly like Chicken noodle soup...so, meal 6!  We were then escorted around the home by the higher level English students. After this, we then ate with the pequenos...meal 8!  This meal consisted of  black beans, corn tortillas, and cheese.  

We then made our way up to the cement soccer courts, they are currently growing new grass for the soccer tournament this fall, and played soccer with many of the kids.  The HF senior girls and Mrs. Kennedy learned what a Guatemala beetle looked like, about the size of my thumb!  Soccer skills were used and learned. We ended the night with low key devotions and an early bed time, 9:30.  

We are tired but all feeling great!  Tate is doing much better and even enjoyed the tortilla soup with the rest of us:)  You are all missed and loved!  Keep the prayers coming, God is absolutely hearing them and shining upon us!  

love, us tired folks

PS. Peter Mayer would like to request Chipotle to be at the airport upon his arrival back home. 

HOT! HOT! HOT!

We are so excited for our group to come tomorrow, that we climbed the highest hill in hopes of waving the plane down.  by accident we climbed a volcano called Pacaya and it was hot hot hot.  What an amazing day we had.  It was a great day to get out after all the planning and shopping.  We were able to see "liquid hot magma,"  from a very safe distance.  Anyways it was another great day of 65 and sunny.  Besides the rain, and the mudslides, and the clouds, and the "Liquid HOT Magma," and the snow, and the avalanches... ok everything but the snow and avalanches.  OK, so... thats all folks!

p.s.  if you want to see the "Liquid HOT Magma", go to the link...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCTIM73r8MQ  

*you need to copy and paste to get to the site or you can type it out.*

Save the Watermelon!

Today was a full day for us.  We woke up early in the morning to go to Guatemala City to go shopping!!!!  It was fun and a new experience!  There we bought food for everyone who is going to be on there way for the mission trip.  If you don't already know the first group is 45 people and the second is 38 so we needed to buy a lot.  It was fun and interesting to see the culture within the supermarkets.  Then we went out to lunch at a very popular fast food restaurant called "Pollo Campero" its like KFC back at home, but better.  Then we came back to NPH but only for a while to unload everything so we could go into Antigua to see if we could get a bus to go to Pacaya.  If possible we will go tomorrow and tell you all about it.  Within the next few days we will be in great preparation and excitement for the first group to come, as well as the children.  We are all praying for each and everyone of the visitors coming down and are anticipating their arrival.  Can't wait to see you all!!!  Talk to you tomorrow.

65 and sunny again!!!

Well, there has been no show with the luggage yet but theres hope...we have nothing to do but hope...and eat...and hope....and pick on stephen....and hope....but its 65 and sunny!!!  We have been hearing the rosters crow all day but no one knows where they are.  We had chinese food for lunch at a local cafe...yes its correct "chinese food at a Guatemalan cafe"  IT WAS GOOD!!!  All in all we have been well and treated like family!!!  

65 and Sunny!

We are happy to report that Nathan, Joe, Stephen and Holly have arrived safely. Only one of our bags was "misplaced", but was promised to be delivered soon. The weather is great here, 65 and sunny when we arrived. Many changes have taken place from last year, and we are excited for the arrival of our first group on monday!

Welcome

Hello everyone, 

Welcome to the Blogger web page were you will be able to read what we have done each day with the kids from NPH, starting June 30-July 21.  We thank everyone who has helped us get here and we want all of you to know that you are helping these kids too.  We ask for prayer for everyone who is here for great health and good times.  Thanks again.

SBS Team Member,

Holly Lohse