tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7645779618605912024-03-05T04:10:44.628-08:00FabFincaMarisa Fabiszewskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05155905171470785235noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-764577961860591.post-73515503272460966882020-11-08T08:40:00.000-08:002020-11-08T08:40:06.498-08:00Hurricane Eta<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Experiencing
a hurricane in a third world country is eye-opening…<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">We heard
about Hurricane Eta about 12 hours before it touched down in Nicaragua, on our
Monday afternoon after lunch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We learned
that it was a category 5, and it was moving slowly but we had to wait until it
touched down to see how destructive it would be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We also learned that we needed to prepare our
bags in case we might be evacuated from our beautiful beachside home
ground in anticipation of flooding.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
preoccupation was that the rivers would overflow (a common occurrence) and
flood, and because the storm had not yet touched down, we weren’t sure if
flooding meant ankle-high, knee-high, or roof-high.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The uncertainty was great.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“Hay que
confiar en Dios,” one of the tias reminded us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Trusting in the Lord is the only true security we have.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">In the
afternoon, one of the maintenance men collected our bags in the busito (little
paddy-wagon-like bus) to drive them to the other side of the plancha…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Planchas are an interesting thing…They are
roads that rivers cross over.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are
made from concrete, and are much steadier than bridges, as bridges here are
made from unsteady materials.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The river
flows, crossing the plancha, and continues on it’s way. Planchas are very common,
and there is no way to leave the finca or neighboring community (besides
walking on the beach) without crossing a plancha.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The problem with these planchas occurs when
the rivers se crecen (grow) because of heavy rainfall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In this case, it’s not possible to cross them
(in car, on foot, on horse) without being swept away with the river.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The plan was that we would wake up around 2
AM and walk from the Finca, cross the plancha (because the water would be too
high to drive through, but not too high to walk through) and the busito would
be waiting for us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We would then
continue on to our destination… a storm shelter of sorts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">On Mondays,
the missionary community has our “community night.” We played a few rounds of
charades filled with many laughs and silly-heartedness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Megan, our missionary coordinator, came with
the news that we had 15 minutes to get our things and that we were being
evacuated sooner than expected.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
prepared the house by closing the shutters and unplugging everything
(refrigerator included), and I ran to the clinic to do the same.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">They picked
us up around 9:30 PM and off we went.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The little girls, adolescent girls, and tias (18 total) went to stay at
a convent and the little boys, teenage boys, tias, and missionaries (19 total)
went to stay at a house owned by the diocese.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We arrived there around 10:30 or 11 PM, and there we stayed for 3 and a
half days.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">We shared a
three-room corridor, each room with metal bunk beds and foam sleeping
pads.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The 3 younger boys were in one
room with their Tia; the 3 older boys with their house parents in the other;
and the 10 missionaries in the third room.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The winds
were very strong, as to be expected with a hurricane, and the rain fell by the
bucket.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The water (from the spigot)
quickly dissipated from a light trickle, and we went the next 3 days without
water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We put a large pot outside, which
quickly filled to make our portable kitchen pila.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And we washed all dishes under the abundant
waterfall of rainwater that fell from the grooves in the tin roof.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everything was saturated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The second night we were there, I washed my pants, tshirt, and underwear-it
was already so saturated that I figured it might as well be clean too. And I
hung it under the roof to try to dry. (by day 4, Thursday, it had dried) The
electricity was spotty, until on the night of the election, we lost power for
good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No electricity, no cell phone
service, no nothin’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were completely
powerless (double-meaning)…<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">In all the craziness of moving from our home, trying to entertain kids, figuring out
meals, and sleeping 10 missionaries to a room, I easily got caught up in my own
discomfort.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">On day two,
during my prayer time, the Lord spoke to me in a profound way about the
suffering of those in Nicragua, y de los demas en Honduras. It really brought
me to my knees.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As soggy and chilly as I
was, there were people, MANY MANY people, people who I call by name who were
truly suffering during this storm, and my raisin-toes were no match.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I watched the rain pour and saturate everything
in its path, my mind was flooded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Flooded with images – the image of Dona Migdalia’s* mud and stick walls
melting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The image of Belky* and her 5
kids huddled together on their damp and musty bed (the only bed in the house)
trying to keep warm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The image of
roofless houses because the banana leaves or manaca couldn’t withstand the
wind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The image of Doris* and her poor children
hungry because they couldn’t cross the plancha to buy food for 4 days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(*Names changed) My mind was littered with
images, feelings, and deep pain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is
the reality that my friends live.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This
is the reality that I witness and cannot do much to change.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is the pain that I pray that the Lord
carries when it’s too much for my friends to bear.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">We, here in
the Finca, live a good life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Easy, some
might say…We never really have to worry if we are going to have food, or about
other basic necessities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And that is
thanks to the goodness and generosity that we have experienced, and the
generosity that we currently experience from all of our bien-hechores.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But not all in Honduras, or even in our area,
live like we do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Actually, very few
do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And while I can serve our neighbors
in the clinic and try to be present to them during this COVID pandemic, there
is nothing that I can do to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">change</i>
their situations. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The faith
of the people I have encountered is amazingly profound.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We in the states get caught up in doing all
the Catholic things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Asking all of these
thought-provoking questions or arguing gently about doctrine or other things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But true faith, true Faith, at least for
myself, lacks so so much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>True faith is
TRUST.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Trusting that not only the
abstract plan for my life will be good, but also that although the brigade
isn’t sending all the meds this year (because of COVID), we will still get the
medications we need to serve our neighbors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Trust in the Lord is not only the abstract but the very VERY material
tambien, y posiblemente even more-so.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
is just so good, so so good to us, and we overlook it every day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">A missionary
from another city in Honduras visited us (hace ya dias) and in the prayer
before lunch, she said, “Lord I ask that there always be bien-hechores
(good-doers) in the lives of those who most need to be served.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How beautiful is that!? God, the Holy Spirit,
works through other people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is the
impetus for any and all good that we do, and it’s so easy to mistake him for
the goodness of people alone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I think of
a quote from the movie, Miracle (about the 1974?? US Olympic men’s hockey
team).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In a classic scene, after a huge
loss, Herb makes the men get back on the ice to do torturous drills, and at one
point he says, “You think you can win on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">talent</i>
alone…Gentlemen, you don’t have enough talent to win on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">talent</i> alone.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">We often
times think that humans are the source of goodness, whether that goodness be
money, parties, medications for the clinic, a relationship with another
person.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Humans don’t have enough
goodness to live on our “goodness” alone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We can’t and don’t (even if we want to) EVER do it alone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Anyway, the
hurricane…I so easily get derailed…<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">A few
things:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">After four days of no water, hot
three-stall bathrooms smell rank.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So
much so that self-dehydrating may seem the best option…<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Teenage boys can turn any word, any
word, into a dirty word by the way they say it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>EYE ROLL<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Honduran tias like to be I charge in
the kitchen<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Showering outside in the pila or the
rain (fully clothed) is a great way to save water and time because you pretty
much wash your clothes too! And it’s liberating.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">We entertained
the kids (or at least tried) for a few days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The Red Cross came a few times to drop off food, water, and medications
to us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And by Friday afternoon we
returned to the Finca well-fed, moderately-bathed, and ready to be back, only
to encounter the aftermath of the storm.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">There are 3
giant trees, with roots the girth of my thigh, which have been uprooted and
sunken into the sandy ground.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And a few
more that were broken and fell.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Things
smelled pretty rank, but we cleaned up joyfully.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All in all, everyone is happy to be back at
the Finca.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After almost 8 months of not
leaving the Finca, it was a welcomed get-away for the kids (and
missionaries).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Gracias a Dios!<o:p></o:p></span></p>Marisa Fabiszewskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05155905171470785235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-764577961860591.post-50790106012713859942020-05-14T10:53:00.001-07:002020-05-14T10:55:00.484-07:00What a Weird Time<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
And so begins another late blog post.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Social distance…<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What a weird time this has been…It’s been two months since
we last left the gates of the Finca.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Two
long months inside the chain-link/barbed-wire fence that separates our Finca
community from the outside world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And a
little under two months ago, four other missionaries and I decided that
Honduras was where we were going to ride out this weird, weird season of
pandemia.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And so here we are…<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The school and clinic closed just under 2 months ago. I
think March 16 or 18 was my last day of scheduled clinic. Funnily enough, I
jumped on that opportunity to paint the clinic (with my wonderful crew of
missionaries), which had last been painted in 2013 (I believe). It looks so
fresh and clean (ish) now. I just wanted to aprovechar (take advantage of) the
time we were closed, not knowing how long it would last.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now I’m thinking of how silly it was to rush
to get that done.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It’s hard to realize or remember or imagine what is going on
in the rest of the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have no
TVs, no radios, and we get 2 hours of WiFi a week (which is usually spent making
phone calls to loved ones).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have heard
a bit from family and friends, seen some videos, and looked at Facebook every
once in a while, but I don’t know the reality or the gravity of the effects of
COVID on the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Honduras took a no-shit approach to COVID, desde el inicio.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Within days of the first case, everything
closed, masses cancelled, shops, restaurants, and everything in between
closed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They closed streets and put
military/police at the planchas in the roads to enforce that people were not
allowed to travel. The borders to Honduras closed, no one in and no one out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And just like that, my excitement of having any
visitors was flipped inside out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No
visitors, no vacation.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As missionaries with very specific roles, we were left with a
kind of “what now?” We have started to take on some new roles as time has gone
on, but things are certainly different than anticipated and different than they
have ever been before.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Emanuel (the baby with the cleft lip/palate) unfortunately
did not end up getting his surgery in March.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Operacion Sonrisa (Operation Smile) came, and they said that he was
still too small.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That left another
difficulty of where we were going to get more supplies for OG feeds until September…
Rosa called me and told me that she had no more leche to give Emanuel, so Maria,
our director, ordered leche with a special order from La Ceiba.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With that, I asked Rosa to come with the baby,
and we weighed Emanuel (while maintaining crazy social distance and what not).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is still gaining weight. He’s 9 months and
16.55 lb-still below normal, but catching up, which is a huge blessing!! We
just recently ran out of pH strips.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Apparently,
pH strips are not a thing here in Honduras-we looked in Hospitals, stores, and pharmacies
throughout many cities, sin exito.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After
consulting a US doctor for consejos, we decided that the auscultation of an air
bolus would be the best option for confirming placement of the tube,
considering the resources that we have. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When they came to weigh the baby, I taught
Rosa to use a stethoscope and auscultate an air bolus through the tube.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Please continue to pray for Emanuel and Rosa
during this journey.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span lang="ES-GT" style="mso-ansi-language: ES-GT;">Si Dios lo permite, nuestra próxima fecha es en
septiembre.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I have still been attending to the needs of the Finca
community recently (because we’re all stuck here juntos).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So that’s keeping me somewhat busy, and then de
vez en cuando, someone will come to the gate needing a consult.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have gotten (moderately) good at looking in
ears with an otoscope because there is no doctor here to do it. I have done
consults through the fence at 1 AM, comforted scared mothers, sent a baby with
obvious hydrocephalus to the hospital, and given out lots of chronic disease maintenance
medications.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Two weeks ago, one of our little 6-year-old girls came to me
with a large ulceration above her front tooth, which we had known was a rotten
tooth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The dentist had advised us to
just wait until it fell out if it wasn’t causing problems.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And, of course, this pandemia made the tooth
decide to flare up-inopportune timing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>After consulting the dentist, I gave her a regimen of antibiotics and we
decided that the tooth needed to come out. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Gracias a Dios, we have a dental chair in the
clinic that was donated last year by the dental brigade.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have none of the instruments or machines,
but the good news about pulling teeth is that we don’t need drills, suction, or
even water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The dentist was able to come
to the clinic, and she pulled out a small front tooth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She does all the dental work for the Finca
free-she has been so generous with us, a true bendición.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The women’s group has been put on hold for the unforeseen future,
as there is a stay-at-home order in place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>However, the food donation program is needed more than ever.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All of the social distancing has many without
any type of work, which makes obtaining food so so difficult for our
neighbors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After about a month of COVID
here, one of the women called my phone and said, “There’s just no food, Marisa.”
She told me that her plan was to eat a cup of beans that she had.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was for lunch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No breakfast and no dinner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I asked her about the following day, and she
said that she would have to see what she could find from neighors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, she said that many of the neighbors
were in the same boat as she.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had her
make a list of neighbors in need of assistance, and 17 families received humble
provisions that day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We have been trying to keep some sort of normalcy for the
kids and jovenes here, but there is a fine line between letting them think
everything is normal and showing them that there is suffering outside our
gates.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And a lot of it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’ve been doing our best here and each day
brings new information, new joys, and new challenges.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This time of uncertainty really gives us a beautiful
opportunity to trust in the Lord.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our Christian
faith teaches us and gives us the blessing of hope-hope that there is a God who
loves us and wants the best for us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>ALL,
truly all, that we have is a blessing and is because He willed it and someone
said, “yes” to His will.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What a beautiful
thing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have the capacity to make his
will be done here and now, and not only in the big decisions, but in small,
ordinary things too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have been reading
a book about Mother Teresa of Calcutta, and in the chapter on humility, the
author describes that “Mother Teresa considered herself ‘a little pencil’ in
the hand of God…she understood the dynamic that if you admire a certain kind of
hand-writing, or if you enjoy a particular book, you don’t thank the pencil.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You thank the artist who uses the pencil to
make such a work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What a beautiful way
to look at our lives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“It is all God’s doing,
all Gods work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All praise and glory
belong to Him.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp85P1VmZbsProc3nyVUOsG5NKNgyYH531S6_Vn2MMEwtLTJ-7ZS1EUfVmCrqLOCdkNiLMCbX921k19QiwYkqKs2TMaTLGzMuXJmqGsq8OKgrYUwdPiDWIbyN0DBDPgiomqTmzhpUqY4o/s1600/Clinic+newly+painted.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp85P1VmZbsProc3nyVUOsG5NKNgyYH531S6_Vn2MMEwtLTJ-7ZS1EUfVmCrqLOCdkNiLMCbX921k19QiwYkqKs2TMaTLGzMuXJmqGsq8OKgrYUwdPiDWIbyN0DBDPgiomqTmzhpUqY4o/s320/Clinic+newly+painted.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
The newly painted clinic!! 😍😍😍</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIH9xu_AOHCyVNdlX1cjLvbf3tuKR2cbde6x9-1_2rp6EStRzR420QRfA9PkeOjoUSsjYlF1NHs7x9Rh1CL6gTkjJWHi-_oGHHXT3t3D7m3kHEc8jok-ziobK38_aPzqJauOulOA5gu_o/s1600/Food+provisions+pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="639" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIH9xu_AOHCyVNdlX1cjLvbf3tuKR2cbde6x9-1_2rp6EStRzR420QRfA9PkeOjoUSsjYlF1NHs7x9Rh1CL6gTkjJWHi-_oGHHXT3t3D7m3kHEc8jok-ziobK38_aPzqJauOulOA5gu_o/s320/Food+provisions+pic.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Our food provisions for the neighbors.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPSqbFSbkNz-hQ4iyGZ0Tysw8TLrHFcqVxrcgoojQb8gUyqWU11dpQ0Gt9Koamts9FSzHDPOSpsnx_QT_6DE5KY-JIWQY71_3Pxzt3jsxjCcLmgfKUyJ1kdSHkqWkW0v4gFX399Xl3Nf4/s1600/Ruth+study+spot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPSqbFSbkNz-hQ4iyGZ0Tysw8TLrHFcqVxrcgoojQb8gUyqWU11dpQ0Gt9Koamts9FSzHDPOSpsnx_QT_6DE5KY-JIWQY71_3Pxzt3jsxjCcLmgfKUyJ1kdSHkqWkW0v4gFX399Xl3Nf4/s320/Ruth+study+spot.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
One of our younger girls made a study spot outside her house. </div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Quarantine in paradise isn't all that bad. </div>
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La dentista in FULL garb. </div>
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The girls LOVE to do zumba, but they always choose right after dinner. </div>
<br />Marisa Fabiszewskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05155905171470785235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-764577961860591.post-39751184575196816712020-04-05T16:35:00.001-07:002020-04-05T16:38:52.618-07:00Coronavirus, Honduras Edition<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
This Lent, the Lord has invited me to reflect in a new way
on the sufferings of Christ and of his mother, Mary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pain, sadness, loneliness, and anxieties have
riddled these days to make them some of the hardest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Coronavirus has made its way to Honduras, and, as with other
countries, it has brought with it a craze and sort of hysteria.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, the hysteria here is different…It is
less obvious because there are no televisions, no real internet, etc. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s shocking how lack of information causes
craziness, just as to much information does.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As Dr. Julio explained to me, as a third-world
(tercer-mundo) country, Honduras does not have the capacity to treat or contain
this virus in the way first-world countries do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We do not have testing, except in the major cities (7 hours away), so
the specimen gets sent to the lab via bus, and we wait for a week to find out
the results.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Life is different.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Honduran government has been begging
other countries for N-95 respirator masks, to no avail.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hygiene is difficult here because water is
not guaranteed, especially running water; soap costs money; and there is a lack
of education about hygiene.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These
differences make it easy to spread such illnesses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As of last night, there are 267 confirmed cases of
Coronavirus, and that number is growing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>From the beginning, Honduras has been on high-alert and has taken strict
preventative measures to avoid the nation being swept by this aggressive
virus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since the confirmation of the first
two cases, the travel has been banned, the borders of Honduras and of the
cities have closed, masses have been cancelled, and every non-essential
business has been temporarily closed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Gatherings of more than 10 persons (outside the same house) have been
temporarily banned. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Madness…<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Finca is in a tough spot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Finca has closed our school, clinic, and
gate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No one is allowed in (except
emergently), and no one is allowed out until further notice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Nemo, another missionary who started with me, decided that she
was going to leave Honduras when the borders reopened (due to personal reasons),
and Melissa, Megan, Adam, Ryan, and I are continuing here as missionaries at
the Finca.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What a tough transition.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In addition to losing our strongest part, Emily, the “oldie” who stayed
back to help us out in our transition, we lost another community member and
friend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And so, life goes… meanwhile the world goes on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
With some reflecting, I was able to relate this time of suffering and pain, desolation, isolation, and sadness to the feelings of our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. Jesus offers to us an unloading of all these weighty
crosses. Jesus willingly and lovingly
carried his cross and the weight of our sins so that we’d have a way out. So beautiful. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Today, Domingo de Ramas (Palm Sunday), we listened to the
Passion of our Lord.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was so beautiful
listening to this recount of the Passion in Spanish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Throughout my life, I have heard all of the
stories of Jesus’ life time and time again, and growing up with these stories,
they have gotten worn down (like a frequently worn pair of shoes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The grooves and details level out and they
start to lack traction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is how
these stories had become for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>However, listening in a new language (for some reason) re-enlivened the details
of the story, like bringing a camera into focus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If you give Jesus an
inch, He’ll take a mile. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">~~~ </span>Jesus, meek and
humble of heart, make my heart like yours.~~~<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />Marisa Fabiszewskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05155905171470785235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-764577961860591.post-9081557769513454982020-02-27T07:15:00.001-08:002020-02-27T07:16:21.236-08:00Powdered Milk<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
I never thought I’d be so grateful for powdered milk … well,
actually powdered milk that mixes. Nobody <i>likes</i> powdered milk nor the
fact that you have to put it in the bowl before the cereal. But let me tell you
how it makes my day when my powdered milk at breakfast mixes easily with cold
water. And so begins our catch-up for the past few months …<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I left off a few weeks before Ruthie, the nurse from the
previous year who was orienting me, and I gave an awesome presentation to women
and girls from the community and girls from the Finca about La Salúd de la
Mujer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a talk all about anatomy,
menstruation, and pregnancy, and at the end of the talk, we gave out reusable
pads, made possible through an organization called Days for Girls. It was very
successful, and I got by with my limited Spanish!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It made me excited to give more important
health talks to the community and to the Finca.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Time really does fly here! <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On December 4, the old missionaries (from the previous year)
left, and Ruthie, went with them, leaving me to fend for myself as the nurse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My designated jobs are Nurse, encargada de
la bodega (sorting through donations and distributing when appropriate), and
community outreach.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When I arrived at the Finca I met a family with a baby who
has a very severe cleft palate/lip, which disabled the baby from forming any
suction on a bottle, thus leading to pretty significant malnutrition. By the
grace of God, we were able to get supplies and formula from the renowned Dr.
Kelly. We formed a plan for the baby, his mom, and grandma to live at the
Finca. The baby's mom and grandmom are both unable to read, write, and tell time. I was very nervous, but they were SO happy to learn these processes to help him!! Por una verdadera obra del Espíritu Santo, during their five-week stay in December, I was able to use my knowledge and
experience to teach (with limited Spanish) the baby’s mom how to insert and give formula through an oro-gastric
tube. She rocks!! After supervising the learned skills over and over the family was able to
go home to the mountains with plans to check in frequently. God willing, a medical
brigade is set to do surgery on the baby on March 8 in Tegucigalpa, which is
about seven hours away. The goal is to get him more well-nourished to aid in
his healing process after surgery. **I
just weighed him in the clinic and he is now 15 + pounds and growing!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Looking back … what a fortunate experience that was.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Coming from a pediatric inpatient nursing
background, feeding tubes are second nature to me, and after trying many less
invasive methods, I went to Dr. Julio for his approval of the plan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I received much push-back because “feeding
tubes are not used here,” but in the end, the doctor supported the plan because
I was so comfortable with them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
warned me, “I won’t be of any help to you because I’ve never even seen one.” What
a blessing it was to form a relationship with this family and to empower these
women to help the baby. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Megan, another missionary, and I are in charge of community
outreach.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We picked up a women’s group
with women from the neighboring communities, and it’s turning out to be such a
beautiful encounter! It’s very exciting to have the opportunity to meet women
in the community and share time and faith with them, where they are.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I absolutely LOVE it!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Megan and I started a young women
(adolescent) group of girls from the community mixed with the girls at the
Finca.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s only a few weeks old, but
the purposes have been sharing faith, bettering ourselves, and building
relationships, and so far, ha sido exitoso.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Megan and I also help with a food donation program, through
which the Finca gives food provisions to neighbors in dire need.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We give out about 10-12 lb of rice, 10-12 lb
of beans, flour, corn flour, tomato paste, sofrito, salt, baking powder,
spaghetti, coffee, and Manteca to families on the first Friday of every
month.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s really been a blessing to
see and get to know the women in this program and in this way.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There is no birth control here, no condoms, and people are
still having lots of sex (as people do).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>However, with sex comes babies and STDs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I perform 1-3 pregnancy tests most days of clinic, and about half of
them are positive. There is very rarely a “planned pregnancy” that I have
witnessed, and often times the women are overwhelmed with the thoughts of, “How
am I going to provide for another child?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And so life goes for these women and we provide some prenatal care in
the clinic and accompany them to birth and beyond.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We make them little newborn care packages with
whatever donations we have that a baby could use (Desitin, toys, onesies,
etc).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of my goals is to teach about
natural family planning in the hopes of empowering women, and maybe have a
domino effect, where they could teach…All thoughts right now.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Another one of my jobs is Encargada de la Bodega (along with
missionary Adam), which means we get to sort through all the donations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s very humbling being on the receiving end
of donations and donation programs, like Feed the Children, Vitamin Angels, and
Days for Girls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We get our rice from
Feed the children, and prenatal vitamins from Vitamin Angels.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since there are so many unplanned pregnancies
here, we give all girls, age 14 and up, prenatal vitamins in the hopes of
nourishing them before they become pregnant.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Encargada de la Bodega also means that I go through the
donations distributed by the government: donations from the US, from churches,
American Red Cross, and other organizations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We sort the donations between what our kids will use and what we can
share with the neighboring communities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In
the bodega (closet), we have clothes, shampoo, toiletries, shoes, socks,
sheets, blankets, coloring books, some toys, soccer balls, etc. All of which
have been donated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And school uniform
stuff…<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Wow!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>School
Uniforms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What a feat!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Checking the size, what they have, what they
need, what can still be used…And I had the honor of figuring that out (Thank
God that I only had to do it for the girls).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We have so many donated skirts that had never been touched, and so my
thought was to use them, but they are SOOO long.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So anyway, I pretended to be a seamstress and
tapped into memories of my mom hemming our school uniforms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I measured, pinned, ironed, and hemmed 5
skirts, and I was so proud of my work!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Thanks, Mom! School started February 4, and those kids were dressed to
the nines in their school uniforms!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The start of school also meant decreased patients in the
clinic- BONUS!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had the pleasure of
teaching 1<sup>st</sup> and 2<sup>nd</sup> graders how to brush their teeth and
gave them each new tooth brushes (donated by a dental brigade).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was fun!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I had them each practice brushing their teeth in the clinic one by one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There were SOOO many boxes left here by past brigades, and I
went through to organize the contents of the medical ones before Ruthie left,
but I never touched the dental ones.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Well, recently, I went through the dental boxes and I found a mountain
(over 300) toothbrushes for kids of all ages and for adults!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a true blessing, as we were almost out
of toothbrushes in the clinic. Wow!! ¡Qué suerte!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Two weeks ago, six new kids came to live at the Finca.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Previously, our youngest kid was 9 years old,
and the oldest of the new children is 7 years old.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All little girls, except one baby boy of 18
months.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So that has been a transition
for the Finca, and things have been a bit hectic from a salúd standpoint, but
hopefully settling down.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Community life has been good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are 7 of us now, and in a few weeks,
Emily (an oldie who stayed back to help us) will leave, making us 6.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nohemi is the subdirector at the school, she
works closely with the principal and helps the functions of the school to
run.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Melissa is the librarian and the
special education teacher.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ryan is the
new missionary coordinator, so he does a lot of stuff behind the scenes, but he
also teaches 5<sup>th</sup>, 6<sup>th</sup>, 8<sup>th</sup>, and 9<sup>th</sup>
grade English.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Megan teaches
Kindergarten and does all the women’s group stuff with me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Megan also is in charge of all Spiritual
event coordination and retreats. Adam works in the bodega with me and is also
the head of the kids work program, called PAVI.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>PAVI is an after school program through which kids are able to work in
maintenance, sewing, painting, English studies, event planning to earn
points.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With their points they can buy
things from the pulperia (corner store/only store) or save them for money after
they leave the Finca.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Spanish has been tough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I do a great job faking it, and I can even tell I should laugh based on
people’s faces when they talk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>LOL!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I do understand and speak a lot, but still a
LONG LONG way from fluent, but poco a poco.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Two mission groups are coming in March, which is
exciting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And in April, I have some
visitors of my own!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Super psyched!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Thank you all for your thoughts, prayers, patience, and for
your generosity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The holy spirit has
been so present here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Alive and well! I
pray for you, my friends and family from the states, daily and think of you
often!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>May God bless you as we begin this Lenten season!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Pin the nose on the reindeer for Christmas. Thanks to Adam's art skills! </div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
The craziness of women's group! </div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
One of our jovenes caught in silliness! She dove right into the bag of donated peluchas (stuffed animals) </div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Community breakfast for Melissa's birthday (I think) </div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
The view from inside the fence. </div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
My dental charla with 2nd grade. </div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Outdoor cooking in the horno y fogón </div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
One of my favorite jovenes, after night prayer. </div>
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Emanuel in December (at the Finca). ^ Emanuel yesterdayMarisa Fabiszewskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05155905171470785235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-764577961860591.post-52015402584069079092019-11-11T11:10:00.000-08:002019-11-11T11:10:36.732-08:00<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
My how time flies!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Already one month in Honduras, and three months outside of the US.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It’s funny how as time has passed, I have become accustomed
to not having water or electric all the time, drinking agua pura (clean water)
out of water tanks, washing clothes in the pila, cooking food in an outdoor
clay orno or over the fogon, and sweating (a lot and all the time).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sweating at night, sweating while raking,
sweating while washing my clothes, sweating while eating dinner, sweating while
working <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>in the clinic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I wipe off the heads of my patients who are wearing beads of
sweat on their foreheads.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But sweating
in Honduras is inevitable, and you never hear shame about it, like, “I’m sorry
I’m so sweaty.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s not even a
thought.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You hug sweaty people and hold
sweaty hands as you feel the sweat dripping down the small of your back.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Two other missionaries, Megan and Molly, and I have started
attending a women’s group (bible study-like) in the neighboring community.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I feel so blessed to be sharing faith and
spirituality with the women of the community.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Some of the women walk upwards of 45 minutes to come to the group, but
they have made it a priority to share in community and be present.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Presence…what a beautiful thing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Half the battle is showing up, and after
that, the Lord takes care of the rest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I feel so peaceful here in Honduras.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The culture here is one of community and
gratitude.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It sometimes makes me think
of “the good old days” that I hear about in America, when a man’s <i>word</i>
was trustworthy and when people traded goods.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Life is different than in the US.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There is no “I” in anything; everything is a “we” effort.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>People in this town are so patient with us
gringos, and they have welcomed us with open arm and many kisses and the
cheeks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When I first got here, I remember thinking, “Wow!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is not that radically different than the
US.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was before I left the Finca
grounds…Wow…<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The lack of economy here is particularly striking, and
people struggle financially.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Aside from
college-prepared careers, like lawyers, doctors, etc., there are very few
jobs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>People have come and knocked at
the Finca begging for work so that they can feed their families.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are women who make rosaries, tortillas,
etc., that Finca missionaries buy to take back to their families, in order to
support the community, but the need is ongoing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We also prepare packages of food (rice, dried beans, coffee, Manteca,
etc.) for families and distributing them monthly to families in dire need.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some houses here are made from concrete and
cement, and others are made of sticks and mud clay, all with tin rooves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many people have very few belongings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Walking around, I see many Hondurans sporting
clothing with English writing, clothing donated from the US or left by former
missionaries.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
People walk for upwards of 30 to 40 minutes on the side of
the road to get to the Clinic of the Sacred Heart (Clinica del Sagrado Corazon).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The clinic is open from 8 AM to (technically)
12 PM, but we are always busy, and rarely leave before 12:45/1 PM.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the clinic we see lots of patients, with
all sorts of issues.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Anything from
bronchitis, to pneumonia, to wounds (we do A LOT of wound care), to chronic
issues like epilepsy, diabetes, hypertension, etc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A clinic visit costs L 15, about $ .60, if
the families are able to pay.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In this
way, families take some ownership of their health care; however, about 20% of
our patients are unable to afford the cost, which is not a barrier to receiving
the care they need.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Last week, an elderly woman came to the clinic with what
looked like a very bright white cataract in her L eye, complaining of
pain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She had ridden the bus from VERY
far away, but came to the clinic because she was now unable to see out of her
eye, and her bony cheek was swollen and very painful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We learned that a long thorn had penetrated
her eye 8 days prior, and she had gone to a clinic in the mountains the day
after and they gave her something for pain. Upon closer inspection, her white
pupil was not covered with a cataract…It was covered with infection and pus,
and she will now lose her eye.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
cleaned out her eye, gave her a dose of IV antibiotics, and sent her home with
instructions for a nurse or doctor in the community to give her intramuscular
injections of antibiotics.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My gut hurt
after sending home a woman (who can’t read and is blind in one eye) with
instructions, syringes, and needles <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>to
administer IM antibiotics, but that is the reality<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>of life here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We trust the word of our patients who tell us that there is someone at
home qualified to give injections, we write instructions, and we pray for them
as we send them home.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
All the meds and supplies in the clinic (with the exception
of those we have to buy) have been donated by medical brigades, and we are able
to give them to those who need them for free (when we have them). <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All medications that our patients receive are
funded by donations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That means the boy
with epilepsy, the elderly woman’s antibiotics, the anti-parasite
medications-all made possible by donations.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I was called to one house a few weeks ago for a Finca kid
who had a terrible headache and was screaming in pain- this 8-year-old boy was
new to the Finca, arriving 2 weeks before I did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When Ruthie, the other nurse, and I entered
the house, we found him to be having a seizure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>According to the boy’s brother, this same occurrence had happened “8 or
9 times” in the past before arriving to the Finca.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had been having seizures for years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The many long days that followed included and
inpatient stay at a hospital in Trujillo, a 5-hour ride to La Ceiba to get an EEG
and CT scan, a walk-in appointment with a Pediatrician to have the test results
read, and starting oral anti-seizure medications.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All of this cost the Finca L 5000, or about
$200, which also has been funded by the generosity of donors. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We pray consistently for rain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We went for a long period here, over a week,
without good rain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The water from the
spigot is never okay to drink, but extended periods without rain leave the
pilas empty, which means difficulty washing dishes, cleaning clothes, bathing,
flushing the toilet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then something
magical happened last Saturday night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The skies opened and a torrential downpour began!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What joy!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>After placing buckets to collect rain water to fill the pilas and flush
the toilets, the missionaries ran outside with shampoo and we had the best
water pressure ever standing out in the rain, laughing and dumping water over
our heads!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span lang="ES-GT" style="mso-ansi-language: ES-GT;">One of my favorite memories thus far!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="ES-GT" style="mso-ansi-language: ES-GT;">Esta es la
vida, nuestra vida y la vida de nuestros hermanos.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Somos hermanos, hermanos de Cristo, hermanos
de fe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Las bendiciones de nuestro Señor
nos han llevado de nuestras luchas y nos apoyarán por siempre.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Toda la gloria al padre, al hijo, y al
Espíritu Santo, como era en el principio, ahora y siempre, por los siglos de
los siglos.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span>Amen.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This is the life, our life and the life of our brothers and
sisters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are brothers and sisters, in
Christ and in faith.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The blessings of
our Lord have carried us from our struggles and will support us forever.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All glory be to the Father, the Son, and the
Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever and
ever.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Amen. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Un evento en nuestra casa-Casa Santa Teresita<br />
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Los misioneros con nuestra fundadora, Zulena.Marisa Fabiszewskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05155905171470785235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-764577961860591.post-29463343918310670702019-10-08T11:29:00.001-07:002019-10-08T11:29:58.995-07:00 Esta nueva vida es una bella vida<br />
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We arrived at the Finca on Monday, 9/30/19, and we were
welcomed at the gates by all the children and staff, after our 20+ hour voyage
from Antigua, Guatemala.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They sang songs
for us con mucha alegria and presented us with personalized art projects to
welcome us…and so it began!<o:p></o:p></div>
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We were introduced to the missionary house and to the
existing missionaries, five amazing young women who will orient us and leave in
December (the end of their term).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
settled into our rooms, unpacking and setting up our little decorations, and
then all 12 of us shared our first mish dinner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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The next few days were a series of supposedly abnormal
fiestas, including pastel (cake), piñatas, and skits.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It just-do-happened that the feast days of
St. Francis of Assisi and of St. Terese of Lisuex were this week, Independence
day, and the birthday of our founder, Vincente Pescatore.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The missionary house hosted a party for the
feast day of St. Terese because she is the patron saint of missionaries.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All the kids came over to our house, and we
played games and made a little shrine from the surrounding plants.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We prepared cookies (galletas) for the fiesta
too!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Life is a bit different here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We live in a concrete house with a tin/wood
roof.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is a courtyard in the middle
of the house with our bedroom doors that open up to the courtyard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We flush the toilet with a bucket of water,
wash our dishes and clothes in a pila, and cook about half our meals on a fogon
stove top.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The water goes out usually a
few times per day for a few hours, but once we adapted to preparing for that,
it was no big issue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have lots of 4
(+) legged friends that keep us company-geckos scaling the walls and GIANT<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>wolf spiders are among our favorites.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The geckos are cute, but leave little gifts
on our pillows, beds, countertops, and every other surface.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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As far as community goes, we’re still adapting to it!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We will take turns cooking meals, cleaning,
etc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So I am excited to get started with
that!<o:p></o:p></div>
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The kids are great, some more welcoming than others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Right now there are 18 kids at the Finca,
ranging in age from 7-18 años.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are
separated into 5 houses, by age and gender, and each house has a Tia, or house
mom. We have prayed morning prayer, gone to fiestas, and done small activities
with the kids, but more interactions will come as time goes on!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m excited to learn more about them and the
T<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">i</span>as
too!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Zulena, Vincente’s wife and co-founder of the Finca, shared
with us missionaries the story of the founding of Finca del Niño (Farm of the
Child), and my heart had never been so moved. Please see the bottom part for
the story!!!<o:p></o:p></div>
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~~~~<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Vincente’s parents
were from Italy, and he was raised in the US, but travelled to Guatemala to
serve as a missionary in the hospital, at which time he met Zulena, a
Guatemalan young adult.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Vincente loved
with all his heart and deeply desired to serve those in need and the forgotten,
so he asked Zulena to be a missionary with him and serve in the selva (the
rainforest).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the night of their
wedding, they announced that they were starting a mission in the selva, and so
it began. .. <o:p></o:p></div>
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They travelled into the deep rainforest and set up camp
there, 10 hours from civilization, which meant 10 hours from grocery markets,
hospitals, schools.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There they built the
first Finca del Niño, taking in over 60 kids whose parents had been killed in
the Guerilla warfare that plagued Guatemala in the years prior.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>According to Zulena, anything that the they
needed, Vincente learned to do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Vincente
learned to treat parasites, tended to wounds, and educated himself so that he
could educate others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He read for hours
each night after working tirelessly each day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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They built a school and clinic along with this children’s
home, and people in the area were VERY sick. Many people died from their
ailments because they didn’t have access to the treatments they needed, and so
Vincente taught himself to fly a plane so that he could transport people to the
hospital.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Together they saved hundreds
of lives and improved outcomes for hundreds more. Vincente and Zulena fought
Dengue and Malaria, all the while raising their own family. After a few years, Vincente
pleaded to Zulena to move to start another Finca in Trujillo, Honduras.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After much prayer and reflection, the couple
decided to move their family to this rural part of Honduras to serve the people
there, and so began Finca del Niño in Trujillo (actually 20 minutes from
Trujillo). <o:p></o:p></div>
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Vincente died in 1997 in a plane crash with his 2
brothers-in-law, after only about a year at the new Finca. Vincente was flying
with construction materials to finish building the chapel at the Finca, when a
strong storm took the plane from his control.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Zulena raised her family there and oversaw the mission for about 10
years, before transferring leadership to another and 3 Franciscan sisters, per
Vincente’s wishes.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Today, the Finca stands as a highly respected
organization.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A town and community has
formed in the area surrounding the Finca.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>On our grounds is the only school in the community, and children from
the community and from the mountains come to go to school there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have a clinic that serves the community
and the mountain country.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A community
church is currently being built by Finca staff. Vincente’s dream lives on every
day through this mission.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Nuestra casa, mi habitacion est en la esquina<br />
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La pila donde nosotros lavamos nuestra ropa<br />
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El dia de Santa Teresita<br />
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El SUPERmercado en la ciudad de Trujillo</div>
<br />Marisa Fabiszewskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05155905171470785235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-764577961860591.post-66555484937747445672019-09-23T18:28:00.002-07:002019-09-23T18:42:37.889-07:00Hasta luego, Guatemala!<br />
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Well, this is it!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
are in the final countdown to the mission!<o:p></o:p></div>
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I finished my classes today, and I leave for Honduras in
just over 24 hours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My how time has
flown!<o:p></o:p></div>
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I can never express my gratitude in words, but all of the
spiritual, emotional, and financial support that I have received really has me
feeling so blessed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Through the support of
my family, friends, and community, I have made this decision to answer God’s
call to serve my neighbor, and this journey began with the blessing of my time
in Guatemala.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The reason that I have been in Guatemala for the past 7+
weeks is to learn Spanish, and while doing that I have been tested and
accomplished things that I never even dreamed of!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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I have met 6 new friends who have become my companions on
this crazy journey.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have learned to
play the most fun card game ever, Euchre.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I climbed a volcano to the top and roasted a marshmallow over the
lava.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I jumped from a 15-foot boulder into
the clearest water I have ever seen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I participated
in the “Antorcha,” and ran carrying a torch to celebrate the Independence of Guatemala.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have ridden in the back of pickup trucks,
and climbed a mountain to watch the sunrise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I have watched more <i>desfiles </i>(parades) than I have ever seen in
my life. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I watched 10 grown men try to
climb a greased telephone pole to win 500 Quetzales (about $65). I have experienced
a culture that is much different than the one that I come from, but I have
realized that the people are oh-so similar!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Boys life to play games and wrestle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kids like to throw water on each other.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some adults work hard…others could work
harder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Women go to the bathroom with
friends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Teenagers are sometimes defiant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So familiar…<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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I have had so many experiences here that have made me feel
like I’m living.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have laughed until my
abdomen was sore, climbed through body aches, cried out of frustration, and
loved beyond limits.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My greatest blessing
here was Jesus working on humbling my heart to receive love more fully.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sitting in front of Jesus here in the chapel
is the only thing that has remained constant-he is the same Jesus that I knew
from home, and he will be the same Jesus in Honduras.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What a blessing that has been.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It excited me that I am starting to learn to
pray in Spanish, and I am learning the mass in Spanish too, but as one former
missionary reminded us, “Jesus loves us no matter how much Spanish we do or don’t
know.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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So now the journey begins! We leave for Honduras Wednesday
morning at 0300, and we have a 12-hour bus ride to San Pedro Sula, Honduras.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We will stay overnight at the seminary there,
and then the following day we will continue for an additional 8 hours to
Trujillo (with maybe a retreat somewhere in between).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Upon arriving there, we will start the long-awaited
mission, and we will receive countless blessings in many forms, including
disconnection from electronics.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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<i>“Christ has no body but yours, no hands nor feet on earth
but yours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yours are the eyes with which
he looks with compassion on this world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yours are the hands with which he blesses all
the world… Christ has no body on Earth but yours.” -St. Teresa of Avila<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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Cerro de la Cruz es un buen visto para mirar la ciudad de Antigua.</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Rolling squad deep</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
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As per usual-Con mis peeps</div>
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Un grupo de estudiantes que viajaron mas de 2 hours para hablar con "gringos vivos" en Ingles.</div>
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Una clase de tejido</div>
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Antorcha con Melissa. Estoy llevando mi cinta de pelo. 100% pura chapina!</div>
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Yo estoy incendiendo le antorcha antes de la carrera</div>
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Los hombres tratando de subir un palo..</div>
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Mis amigos y yo con pupusas deliciosas! </div>
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www.farmofthechild.org/Marisa</div>
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<br />Marisa Fabiszewskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05155905171470785235noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-764577961860591.post-22175540443989400682019-08-29T20:35:00.000-07:002019-08-29T21:04:38.741-07:00She Believed She Could So She DidI have never been so compelled to write a blog post, but as
I lie here in my bed, after climbing Volcan Pacaya, I am overwhelmed with
gratitude and humility.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Let me explain…<o:p></o:p></div>
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Many people know that I’ve had my share of struggles in
life, but the struggles I<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>have faced
have just made the joys better.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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It’s 10:30 here, as I sit in my bed, and I just got back
from climbing a VOLCANO.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we set out
on this excursion, we thought, “what a cool experience this will be!” For the
others in my group, this fun-filled excursion was just that, but for me, it was
unexpectedly so much more…<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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We got to the start place around 3:45 PM and immediately
getting out of the car, people asked us if we wanted a horse to take us up the volano
for 200 Q, $30.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Honestly, yes…I
did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wanted every bit of that horse to
take me up the mountain, but $30 is over half of my weekly stipend, and the
excursion already cost $25, So I thought, “How difficult could this be..?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Very fricken difficult.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></div>
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I certainly slowed the group down as we climbed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As the muscles in my legs burned, as ,my right
leg froze up time after time, and as I wondered how much further until a break,
I wanted to quit. So many times, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
wanted to take a break.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wanted to get
on a horse. I didn’t know if I could do it.<o:p></o:p></div>
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However, I persisted.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I watched my steps and thought to myself, “One step at a
time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can do this.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t ask how much longer because I was
afraid of the answer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Covered in sweat,
I told myself, “One step at a time.” <o:p></o:p></div>
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Over an hour later, the most wonderful thing happened…we reached
the dried lava rocks. We were close! However, this posed another hurdle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was so easy to slip. A few minutes into
the hills and bounds of lava rocks, as my fatigued right leg shook, I fell and
hit the sharp, cooled lava stones.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I
hit these stones, I was met by the hand of another…a man (maybe 30 y/o) who had
seen me struggling on the way up reached out his hand to me, and in broken
English, smiled and said to me, “We will do this together.” We walked sliding
and slipping through the slick gravel-like hills, and then we hit a BIG
hill!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s when his friend grabbed my
other hand and said, “You can do this.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Together we climbed through the stones and made it to a landing
point.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I thanked the men
whole-heartedly, and we parted ways.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></div>
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Next decision…Whether or not to attempt the part over molten
lava, with sharp larger hot lava rocks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>My initial reaction was, “Heck no!” because it sounded like a
nightmare.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I persisted on because I
figured I it’s better to try and fail than not to try…That’s when another
beautiful thing happened.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our tour guide,
Mono, took my arm and said to me (In Spanish), “We can do this…I’ll help
you.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He and I jumped and climbed lava
rocks (hand in hand) with skin-searing heat coming from the orange liquid lava
underneath.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We climbed nearly 15 minutes
(very slowly walking), and BAM there it was!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Orange liquid rock-not underneath, but right next to us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The liquified rock was falling slowly,
melting into the solidified lava rocks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></div>
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That’s when I took the marshmallows out of my back
pack.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had bought these marshmallows
(called “angelitas” in Spanish) this morning on my walk to school, just in case
we had an opportunity to roast mallows, and here it was…the chance!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mono brought a stick and we roasted marsh
mallows over molten lava.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They actually
caught fire next to the lava-Crazy! By this time, the sun was setting, which
turned out to be so beautiful. After a few pictures and delicious smores, we
started the decline.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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That was another adventure, with much slipping and a man on
each arm on the way down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I was just
filled with so so so much gratitude…I just climbed a fricken mountain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, it was terribly hard, and I probably won’t
do it again…but I don’t need to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because
I persisted and I did it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t take
any short cuts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I endured pain, and
humbling humanity, and I did it-with the help of my brothers and sisters in
Christ.<o:p></o:p></div>
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We got to the end of the hike, and it was hours later than
we should have returned, but my friends were so supportive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hungry, but supportive. <o:p></o:p></div>
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What beauty…the support from my team, as one held a light
for me on the way down the hill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Two
stuck back with me as I struggled up the mountain, supporting me as I was
telling myself I couldn’t go any further.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And others took plenty of pictures of us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everyone played a part.<o:p></o:p></div>
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This evening was a beautiful reminder of the love that
surrounds me, through the trials that I face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Reflecting on the immense support I have had from my family, friends, neighbors,
and everyone in between.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That support
has come in many shapes and forms, like an environmental services woman (that I
had never met before) at work asking my story/mission while we were stripping a
room, and then she gave me a big hug and a few dollars to support my
fundraising.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It also looks like a visit from
far away, support of my fundraising, a hug and smile, and now the men who held my
hands while I climbed a volcano.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b><span style="color: #a64d79;">My
mission is to achieve and spread love, and I am able to do that because YOU
have taught me to love…and so I thank you! </span></b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><span style="color: #a64d79;"><br /></span></b></div>
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Not long before the guy grabbed my hand.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAMrOzovtJcdubby78IdLfrdLScXsN-hQa2ouDhu9tUt75MRRmBj5bBe2TxBBpeKLWSSM-rgGLG1hcilUNBftRAeNzQWhyphenhyphen-6lulnezR9FnlmPc6qsQdcALeTY0j8Rgr6A3LWF2B0LqFkI/s1600/8.28.19-Marisa+Lava.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAMrOzovtJcdubby78IdLfrdLScXsN-hQa2ouDhu9tUt75MRRmBj5bBe2TxBBpeKLWSSM-rgGLG1hcilUNBftRAeNzQWhyphenhyphen-6lulnezR9FnlmPc6qsQdcALeTY0j8Rgr6A3LWF2B0LqFkI/s320/8.28.19-Marisa+Lava.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Standing about 15 feet from liquid rock, falling like pudding.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnJdN4Sqd_2fnoN1YruuMS3xkfEyU4fh0mGRQT-LIqAxOZLr46yM3_iV504Xea69VRekZX0Sl_M7Z_F2P9Ih1-shIPD5wO-5eFkZkDFEA2WMd2y8S55BPA1E5VJ4hNCI9oC5b-9elGD-M/s1600/9b5b76c3-cc9c-4522-bf7c-9d695b51670c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnJdN4Sqd_2fnoN1YruuMS3xkfEyU4fh0mGRQT-LIqAxOZLr46yM3_iV504Xea69VRekZX0Sl_M7Z_F2P9Ih1-shIPD5wO-5eFkZkDFEA2WMd2y8S55BPA1E5VJ4hNCI9oC5b-9elGD-M/s320/9b5b76c3-cc9c-4522-bf7c-9d695b51670c.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
Roasting marshmallows heated by lava!<br />
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Nice burn on those mallows.<br />
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My team! Monos!<br />
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Beautiful sunset.<br />
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Grupo son nuestra guia, Mono.</div>
<br />Marisa Fabiszewskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05155905171470785235noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-764577961860591.post-67448345332539097522019-08-18T17:38:00.001-07:002019-08-18T17:51:49.123-07:00Stand with Humility before Humanity<br />
<b><span style="color: purple;">Stand with Humility before Humanity</span></b><br />
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I’ve now been in Guatemala for just over 2 weeks, and it
really feels like a lifetime!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What a
beautiful country and a beautiful culture of people!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There have been many ups and downs over the
past 14 days, and I feel so blessed…<o:p></o:p></div>
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Mis compañeros and I are each staying with a different host
family in a town called Ciudad Vieja, which is about a 15 minute bus ride from
Antigua (the city where our school is located).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Our host families do not speak English—solo Español.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It has been a bit mentally exhausting because
there is no such thing as passive listening.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It’s either zone out or try with all brain power to understand what
people are saying.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have done a bit of
both.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I started Spanish classes at a school called “La
Union.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We take classes from 8 am to 12
noon, and then eat lunch after school.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There are activities planned by the school throughout the week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The moto of La Union is, “Mi casa es tu
casa,” and they really hold true to that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Everyone at the school has been so welcoming.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My teacher is amazing, and on Friday, I chose
to add hours for next week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So instead
of 4 hours/day, I’ll be studying for 6 hours/day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We will see how that goes! I feel like my
Spanish is getting better, but I wish I could just funnel it into my
brain!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Poco a poco, as we say here (little
by little).<o:p></o:p></div>
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The school plans actividades daily for the week, and we went
to a chocolate making place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In Spanish,
the word means factory, but it’s much different than factories in the US. The
factory is at the man’s house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a
family business that has been around for three generations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The man said that he grinds cocoa beans for
10 hours per day with a rock and slate (see the photo).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The chocolate was delicious, but SUPER high
in caffeine (and I am certainly caffeine naïve).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t think I fell asleep until 1 AM!!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Guatemala is a very Christian country, and it’s amazing how
that penetrates society.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At school every
morning, we pray before the start of classes with the teachers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the city buses, there are rosaries and pictures
of Jesus, crucifixes, etc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s really
amazing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are so many churches here, and each
church has a fería (fair) for their patron saint’s feast day, and sometimes for
other holy days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a big fería
in a neighboring town, called Jocotenango, for the Assumption of Maria.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>During school that day, we went with our
teachers and took the bus to Jocotenango for la misa (mass) and we explored the
fería a little bit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was very cool!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Thursday this past week marked 2 weeks in Guatemala, and as
a group we decided we were ready for a good old-fashioned totally gringo bar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We went to the most American place ever-called
Antigua Brewing Company-and three of us got veggie burgers…no shame.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No regrets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That veggie burger was the best damn veggie burger I’ve had, and the
beer hit the spot!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Food here in general
had been very different.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The majority of
my meals have been carbs, and we rarely have vegetables because of lack of pure
water to clean them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So I loved the
veggie burger!<o:p></o:p></div>
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It’s amazing how humbling it is to be a stranger in a
foreign country.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Relying on the goodness
of others and learning to trust humanity and to trust myself too. The
generosity of the people I’ve encountered is amazing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everyone here dose their best, and that is
enough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The community is so strong-they
build each other up, support each other, and that is how society works
here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It warms my heart.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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My neighbor 2 doors down makes Tamales every Saturday and
sells them to neighbors for 4 Quetzales each (about $.60).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Neighbors come from their houses and buy
tamales for dinner, and so she has a small business.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Another neighbor (poquito mas lejos-hace 7 o
8 casas) makes hot chocolate and sells it to neighbors for a special
treat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The ladies across the street
makes tortillas from sunrise to sunset, and they are our main supplier, but
people buy them fresh throughout the day for lunch/dinner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It really is just a different culture, and a
beautiful one at that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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My family is known for coffins.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Seven days a week, my host brothers (Alvero,
Carlos, and Luis) work their butts off and produce BEAUTIFUL, hand-made
coffins.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are known throughout the
town for their carpentry work (So much so that Ryan, another missionary, found my house by asking someone where coffins are made).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m talking NO
power tools-filing, shaving, sawing, and etching designs from raw lumber.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am so amazed by them!!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The guys also just built stairs onto the
roof, so now we have a roof deck!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Things are going well here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Thank you all so much for your prayers!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Much of the time my head is spinning, so much so that I can’t even think
of the word I want to say, so prayer has been slow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, I feel God working in my life, and I
am continuing to do my best to trust in His plan and let Him work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I said in my last blog post, Jesus is
alive and present here (just as he is in the US), so no need to worry!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll keep you posted on my journey, and I’m
still trying to answer all the emails I’ve gotten.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>Please continue to know that you are in my
prayers, and be patient with me!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Much love
from Guatemala! <o:p></o:p></div>
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Tamales every Saturday from our vecina (neighbor)<br />
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La fábrica de chocolate<br />
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La fería para la Asunción<br />
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Un volcán "puffing"<br />
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Humberta (mi mama de la casa) nos aprendi<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">ó</span></span> como hacer tortillas.</div>
<br />Marisa Fabiszewskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05155905171470785235noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-764577961860591.post-16056175264238159462019-08-03T16:20:00.000-07:002019-08-03T16:22:05.530-07:00<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="color: #e06666; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><b>Hello from Guatemala</b></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">**Diclaimer: I haven't figured out how to put accents on letters...Next time, maybe!**</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Hola, amigos! It's
been (almost) 2 days in Guatemala. I am living with a host family in la
Cuidad Vieja. The city is beautiful, and so are the people! In my
family, there are 7 adults, including myself, and a baby. La familia is
very welcoming and helpful, and I am blessed that one of the daughters is a
Spanish teacher at the language school that I will attend, starting
Monday. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Yesterday, Melissa
(another missionary) and I went to La Union (in Antigua) with our host parents,
and we had a little orientation. Juan Carlos and Julio are administrators
at la escuela, and they thanked us deeply for the work that we were doing and
for studying at the school. They explained to us that Guatemala thrives
on tourism because it helps to sustain the economy. That encounter was
very humbling. Despues del almuerzo, Julio took us on a walking tour of Antigua
and we walked over 10 km. We saw many iglesias (churches) and many ruins,
and he told hours upon hours of stories in Spanish. Antigua is so
beautiful and has a very rich history. Unfortunately, though, I didn’t
understand most of it-got the gist maybe?! Needless to say, Melissa and I
were mentally exhausted when we returned to our houses. We each took
naps.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">After dinner, I learned
how to wash the dishes…sounds silly, but there is a totally different process
here!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We can’t put toilet paper in the
toilets either because of the pipes. That was something new for me!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">As far as nursing work,
I haven’t done any yet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are
programas through the school, so I think I’m going to get hooked into one of
them-or at least try!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I said above, my
host family has a baby, so I have been teaching the parents a lot about
well-baby care, developmental milestones, teething, choking hazards, tummy
time, etc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(All in broken Spanish). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">A few reflections on mis
experiencias thus far...<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Something that really strikes
me about the culture in Guatemala is that cell phones do not consume daily
life. En los Estados Unidos, we spend SO MUCH time on our phones, which
takes time away from building relationships with others. It takes the
humanity out of life! It also makes us less aware of our
surroundings-whether it be from a safety standpoint or not-it causes us to pass
through valuable moments without noticing the beauty of the moment. This
time in Antigua is a beautiful time for me to start to cut my ties (little by
little) with technology. It's good preparation for even less WiFi and
resources in Honduras. And it's a beautiful opportunity to take part in a
culture of gratitude and community!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">I feel so blessed to be
experiencing Guatemala.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The humility,
generosity, and genuine trust of the people I’ve encountered is very humbling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I truly see Jesus in the people here, and I
look forward to many more encounters with Him along the way!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Please continue to pray
for me, my friends, and please know that you are en mis oraciones tambien!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 13.5pt;">Es un foto de mi mama, Humberta.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOCqav8h4AU7uWQz04Ie0ZuW-h8FhrpWcNOJqq7va7yCipJmTGjTM4xvG6t1NPXxA2gLf8Od1aQqOifCwldnk4KgCKE3GG1Q2jgR-osMbMbG2zwsMuSNwixY8sn09_PJ192G9NHnmEiWs/s1600/Picture+with+Humberta.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOCqav8h4AU7uWQz04Ie0ZuW-h8FhrpWcNOJqq7va7yCipJmTGjTM4xvG6t1NPXxA2gLf8Od1aQqOifCwldnk4KgCKE3GG1Q2jgR-osMbMbG2zwsMuSNwixY8sn09_PJ192G9NHnmEiWs/s320/Picture+with+Humberta.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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Esto foto es de La Union (la escuela)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGBAXAotrjrCb31KLpEp5_JAncAt2V-0wXO5Y4JsE8zFthTQsoSMDxxgj6j8gkVgYAyaWvxCO35VdhqfOvbPUnHTErtttMTVNBOUPXw20R1jHqlrDXzly6FnZLhsYRANLt1rctRWpC6bw/s1600/La+Union.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="480" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGBAXAotrjrCb31KLpEp5_JAncAt2V-0wXO5Y4JsE8zFthTQsoSMDxxgj6j8gkVgYAyaWvxCO35VdhqfOvbPUnHTErtttMTVNBOUPXw20R1jHqlrDXzly6FnZLhsYRANLt1rctRWpC6bw/s320/La+Union.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Marisa Fabiszewskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05155905171470785235noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-764577961860591.post-45406009863567623562019-07-16T19:18:00.001-07:002019-07-16T19:18:19.077-07:00<br />
Last day at CHOP <span class="_5mfr"><span class="_6qdm" style="background-image: url("https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/tba/1.5/16/2705.png"); font-size: 16px; height: 16px; width: 16px;">✅</span></span> Next stop Honduras <span class="_5mfr"><span class="_6qdm" style="background-image: url("https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/t8b/1.5/16/1f1ed_1f1f3.png"); font-size: 16px; height: 16px; width: 16px;">🇭</span></span>
In August, I'm so excited to begin life as a missionary nurse at the Farm
of the Child (Finca del Niño), a children's home in rural Honduras! I'll be there for a
year and a half! Let the preparations begin! Please pray for me! <a data-ft="{"tn":"-U"}" data-lynx-mode="asynclazy" data-lynx-uri="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2FWww.farmofthechild.org%2Fmarisa%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR3RRwmgDTT950t9yt4f3oBrP4gKCp9i3Wd57oPmKNkV1m41RUxIm-wlLig&h=AT3uNmJT6jXLYNBUH99jnZrC-6j1C1IjoxgtpxEYd0m4C5Q83RwaCLfW3SZkTRJcyUpV-JB9Ov9FcjusEV844IrVKHKpG8QxltiTAxs0geAJNO61Sj1Oz1h0vL0969JU-H4TXiSmt7w-b05p6oeiB-DIOuQBeRLv" href="http://www.farmofthechild.org/marisa?fbclid=IwAR3RRwmgDTT950t9yt4f3oBrP4gKCp9i3Wd57oPmKNkV1m41RUxIm-wlLig" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.farmofthechild.org/marisa</a><br />
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Thank you for your continued support! Check back periodically for updates! Marisa Fabiszewskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05155905171470785235noreply@blogger.com0