We had new company on Monday, as a team of Americans from a supporting church arrived at the project for the week. There was lots of TLC planned for the building – refreshing tables, walls and lights, which the group (and us) would be helping with. They led a fun devotional for the kids, and got them all to make bracelets afterwards. While that was going on, half of the group started on painting the walls.

Carrie, Emily, Hannah and Charlie P were on ‘caminar juntos’, meeting with families and kids while some of the other staff did workshops with the parents or went through homework. Charlie P created an excellent lobster from plasticine (only to have it trodden on 5 seconds later).

On Tuesday we went to volunteer at the food bank for the second time. We split into two groups, some people organising donations and the others doing odd jobs. We then all sorted through stacks of crates, dividing them into good and bad fruit.

We had a fun evening planned and went bowling as a group. Emily was incredible and should have got a strike (of course you would say that, Emily – Ella while editing). We enjoyed playing air hockey and pool, and finished with a meal out together.

The next day we got ready to leave to visit Antigua which many of us had long-awaited. We loved being able to walk around and look at the beautiful old buildings and enjoyed being in the park with a water fountain and lots of trees. We managed to get some nice souvenirs, and it felt like home when Theo had an unfortunate incident with a pigeon pooing on his head. We ended the day making enchiladas and hanging out with our short-term coordinator, Maddie.

On Thursday we began a revamp of the Puerta headquarters with both the Puerta team and the American group, painting the walls turquoise and terracota. We ended our decorating with a big paint fight with the Puerta team, where no person was left unharmed. We spent the rest of the week trying to get it off! We then shared fried chicken and chips for lunch as a team before heading off together to Gerona for a big sports afternoon, dominated by an all-play football match. Hannah, Ella S and Carrie then led us brilliantly at the prayer meeting, singing three songs in Spanish.

On Friday, Theo, Ella S and Charlotte headed to the market with Deborah to prepare for our busy weekend of hosting people for dinner. We then enjoyed a football morning, with the visiting Americans and the children fighting to be on our team. In the evening, we cooked the family we live with a classic British Shepherd’s Pie. They loved it, asking for the recipes and enjoying second helpings. It has been great to build stronger relationships with them as our time here has gone on.

On Saturday, we began the day with pancakes before setting off on a beautiful hike to Corazón de Agua. We loved walking through the forest and had a great time having lots of photoshoots from the viewpoint at the top, overlooking volcanos and the lakes. It was raining slightly as we ascended, so, with us all in raincoats, it really reminded us of walks we had done in the UK.

Afterwards we went to play football with some of the Puerta profés, while Emily stayed at the church, helping with a youth evening that they were holding.

On Sunday, we had the opportunity to share with the church why we are here, to explain the work we are getting involved in, and to provide specific prayer points for the congregation to get alongside us in. Ella S also performed a beautiful duet with Melany (our host family’s daughter), singing Goodness of God and Great is Thy Faithfulness in both English and Spanish. We then invited Deborah and her family over for a wicked roast, with chicken, roasted potatoes, honey glazed carrots, broccoli, cabbage, bacon and gravy. It was lovely to have a more homely Sunday and also enjoy how strong her children are at English to have a break from Spanish! We finished the weekend with a team quiz about our time here so far, looking back on our favourite moments and quotes as well as finding out unexpected truths about our friends, before finishing the night by watching a film.

It’s been a good week and we have been truly blessed with really fun rest days where we have been able to switch off and explore the beauty Guatemala has to offer.

Answers to prayer/things we’ve been grateful for:

• Our relationship with the Puerta team has grown very strong.
• The opportunity to enjoy and explore more of Guatemala.
• Having a good time hosting both Rosa and Deborah’s families.

Prayer requests:

• That God would help us to end the project well as we enter our final two weeks and that we would maximise opportunities to serve Puerta families and the church.
• For an end to illness, as many team members continue to battle a cold and low energy levels.
• For God’s presence to be with us and our compassion to increase as we continue stepping out in getting alongside people in challenging life situations.

Thank you for everyone’s prayers and support!

Emily, Theo, Carrie, Hannah, Ben, Ella H, Ella S, Charlie F, Charlie P, Charlotte

(Written by Emily and Theo)

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