Ashes to ashes, dust to dust

Clean up time in Guatemala (this article is from the guatemala times newspaper)

The storm known as Agatha has passed and the Pacaya volcano is quiet. The streets of Guatemala City are gradually being swept free of the black sand and grit that covered every calle and avenida. The death toll from both events has reached three figures, with many unaccounted for. Landslides and flooding swept away houses, shanties and lives: this will take a while to recover from, regardless of the best wishes and intentions of national rescue and relief organizations. Unfortunately, it's just another disaster in Central America, of which memories will fade within a few days. The world has more important things to be concerned with and the news cycle needs new disasters to cover.

Tell that to the small coffee farmer who's lost his crop, house and everything else. Tell that to the family who built their home out of recycled wood, cardboard and sheets of plastic, which now are being used as shrouds for their four children, swept away in the night. The ricos of the City can have their SUV's run through the car wash and enjoy a Sunday afternoon meal with their friends and family, while the parking attendants sweep away any traces of this latest disaster. Out of sight, out of mind...some, less unfortunate, will not be eating. The shelters only hold so many and the food supply is finite. All they want is a dry place to sleep and a hot meal: all they have are the memories of what they had last week ...where do you go, when you've lost everything, even your children?

 Volcano Pacaya

Streets

 Street

 Quetzaltenango

 Airport

Update on Progress

• We have been working hard on finding the right international insurance plan to cover our family.  We are leaning towards an insurance from Seven Corners, Inc. called Reside Prime.  The estimated annual cost for this insurance for our family is $3,000 per year.

• Brayden and Brianna's passports should be coming in the mail any day now.

• We have applied to a homeschool program called Hope Christian School out of Pelham, AL. as our cover school for Brayden this Fall.  They are experienced with overseas homeschool students.  We are still looking into what material we will use.

• Checking into many language schools in country for Kim and I.  We plan to take 6 weeks upon arrival in January.  We will evaluate where we are with the language after that and make plans for further schooling throughout the 2011 year.

• We are scheduling churches to visit and share at for August - December.

• Looking for housing in country.  We have been looking to rent a house in, or around, Guatemala City.  We now are debating the possibility of renting an apartment short-term in Antigua while doing language school.  The reason for this would be to save money, and that we could walk to school.  In Guatemala City we would have to drive to a language school in the city.  This would be more difficult because Kim is planning not to drive in country.  We are planning for one of us to do 4 hours of school in the morning, and the other to do 4 hours in the evening.

• We had our first yard sale this month.  We plan to have a large sale in the Fall to get rid of much of our household items due to the fact of the limited ability to carry belongings with us.

• The kids have seen the dentist, eye doctor, and their family doctor in preparation for our move.  Brayden ended up needing his tonsils and adenoids taken out, but has recovered well.  They still have an orthopedic doctor to see the end of this month.  I have seen the eye doctor myself, and still need to schedule a physical and see the dentist.  Kim still needs to schedule a physical and see the dentist also.

• Looking for a vehicle to purchase in country.  We will sale our Ford Expedition this Fall.  We are planning to keep our Ford Ranger here in the states for transportation when we come back to visit.  (We wouldn't be able to get anything out of it anyways.) 

• We are around 70% of our needed annual support.  Praise God!

• Remainder of the Year Missions Trips:  Guatemala May 29-June 6, Arizona June 10-28, Guatemala July 18-31, and Guatemala November 6-20.