Sunday, July 19, 2009
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Trying to blend
It's mid week since we came back and I am resuming my role as mom, teacher (a conference next week to prepare for), friend and relative, etc. it's good to be back but I must confess most of my thinking is spent on Guatemala and how I'm going to live my life integrating my experiences there with my day to day life. "Blending" is a good description or perhaps "seeping". Both of my worlds are seeping into each other in ways that I don't always expect. For example while in Guatemala I thought continually of Sam, my 14 year old son and how he would have loved to play with the boys and how he would have felt so comfortable being with kids. Now here I am constantly thinking of Tamar and Andres and Yuli ... it's complicated. I know God is working on my heart and my desire to spend more time learning about Jesus' journey and personal life has blown the doors wide open on my own path to a higher understanding of who Jesus was and is. Unexpected is another word to describe where I'm at...
Monday, July 13, 2009
At Home
Hola mis amigos,
It is 9:20am on Monday, we arrived in Pinckney last night/this morning around 1:30am. This was after being in airports or on planes since around 12 noon Guatemala time/ 2pm our time. The most exciting part of the day definitely was the run through the airport to catch our connecting flight from Houston to Detroit. Our first flight from Guatemala City to Houston was late so we had to sprint through the airport, get our luggage, go through customs, get our luggage back to our plane and then run to the airplane on the other side of the airport. They actually held the plane for us and I have to say I never would have thought I would hear my name being announced over the loud speaker in an airport, " Needed at gate E5 for boarding... Janine Comella, John Comella, etc".
The previous day (Saturday) we spent in Antigua and it was a terrific way to simply enjoy the culture of Guatemala and relax with eachother and shop in the mercados (markets). There were many comments about how it would be wonderful to visit Antigua again for longer and they were followed by "and then spend a week at the home" or "after we spend time in the home". (the home is the Dvorak home with the orphanage).
As I sit at my computer drinking my INCREDIBLE Guatemalan coffee I realize I can now write more because I am at home and not using the miniscule keypad on my iphone or the crazy networks that sometimes work and sometimes don't. And I reflect on the fact that it will take weeks, months and perhaps even a year for us to process and digest all that has happened in our lives over this past week. This is good. It is in God's timing and with his vast wisdom that he will unfold his plans for us regarding our role in this week and his work in us and with us resulting from our time spent at the Dvoraks.
For those who have been following our blog, thank you for taking an interest in our lives, for praying for us or just peeking in to see what our trip was all about - to share our experiences with others as part of the human family is important. If you see us please be patient as we process all that has happened, we have been involved in the entire process of this trip for about 7 months and now experiencing the actual trip, it will take us a while to recover from the enormity of what we did. Also some helpful tips on asking questions, because we do want to share, would be to ask something along the lines of "tell me about one of your experiences" "Tell me about one of the children you connected with", "Tell me about one of the projects you worked on" It will help us to focus in as our brains are very full right now.
God Bless you all and we hope to have you come with us on our next adventure...
It is 9:20am on Monday, we arrived in Pinckney last night/this morning around 1:30am. This was after being in airports or on planes since around 12 noon Guatemala time/ 2pm our time. The most exciting part of the day definitely was the run through the airport to catch our connecting flight from Houston to Detroit. Our first flight from Guatemala City to Houston was late so we had to sprint through the airport, get our luggage, go through customs, get our luggage back to our plane and then run to the airplane on the other side of the airport. They actually held the plane for us and I have to say I never would have thought I would hear my name being announced over the loud speaker in an airport, " Needed at gate E5 for boarding... Janine Comella, John Comella, etc".
The previous day (Saturday) we spent in Antigua and it was a terrific way to simply enjoy the culture of Guatemala and relax with eachother and shop in the mercados (markets). There were many comments about how it would be wonderful to visit Antigua again for longer and they were followed by "and then spend a week at the home" or "after we spend time in the home". (the home is the Dvorak home with the orphanage).
As I sit at my computer drinking my INCREDIBLE Guatemalan coffee I realize I can now write more because I am at home and not using the miniscule keypad on my iphone or the crazy networks that sometimes work and sometimes don't. And I reflect on the fact that it will take weeks, months and perhaps even a year for us to process and digest all that has happened in our lives over this past week. This is good. It is in God's timing and with his vast wisdom that he will unfold his plans for us regarding our role in this week and his work in us and with us resulting from our time spent at the Dvoraks.
For those who have been following our blog, thank you for taking an interest in our lives, for praying for us or just peeking in to see what our trip was all about - to share our experiences with others as part of the human family is important. If you see us please be patient as we process all that has happened, we have been involved in the entire process of this trip for about 7 months and now experiencing the actual trip, it will take us a while to recover from the enormity of what we did. Also some helpful tips on asking questions, because we do want to share, would be to ask something along the lines of "tell me about one of your experiences" "Tell me about one of the children you connected with", "Tell me about one of the projects you worked on" It will help us to focus in as our brains are very full right now.
God Bless you all and we hope to have you come with us on our next adventure...
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Antigua
one of (or may be the first) the earliest settled cities by the
Spanish in Guatemala. The houses were painted gorgeous yellows and
pinks and oranges. After entering openings or doorways for the markets
you would find beautiful courtyards with all kinds of individual
stands specializing in jewelry or textiles or leather goods, etc.
Friday, July 10, 2009
David, Miguel & Humberto
weather. Excellent day with the fencing completed, Woodie working
well, upstairs & downstairs of childrens home all painted, a beautiful
bench in the school courtyard finished and most importantly lots of
LOVE with all the children! God is really doing some powerful work
here but I think all of us are contemplating how much more there is to
do in the way of service projects & ministering to the kids. The needs
are many but As Dave Dvorak, who runs the home with his wife Becky
says, "God is sufficient".
Re: Country church
Sent from Janine's iPhone
On Jul 8, 2009, at 10:55 PM, Janine Comella <jcomella@chartermi.net>
wrote:
> We went to church service tonight in a tiny, pink country church.
> The music was incredible, John said it was like Mexican polka praise
> music. Drums, bongos, guitars and an accordian. The most touching
> part of the service was when Jason, Jeff,Marie & David gave their
> testamonies-what a powerful to praise God. We also played a mean
> game of spoons tonight and just for the record, don't sit between
> Jason & John when you play.
>
> <photo.jpg>
>
>
>
> Sent from Janine's iPhone
>
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