Shenanigans Part 2 - Mi Proyecto y más

So here we are, finally the update I know you've been waiting on, which will mainly be about how my project is going! Sorry its taken so long, but it gives me more to talk about at least haha ;)

So lets get straight to it.

It was so fab to get stuck back into my project after the time Id had off for Christmas.
Although it was nice to chill and travel and the lark over my holiday, having only been in my project for a month before the holidays started I was pretty eager to get back and continue to get to know the women more and hopefully play more of a part in the refuge, now that the women knew who I was and that I was around to stay for longer than just a week or so.

Its fair to say that going back in January was a little emotionally full on and also completely different to the first month Id spent there before Christmas!

Whereas when I started in November it was the 'summer' holidays for the kids, on return, there was only a week before they had all started back at school. When I arrive at 9am its very quiet as all of the younger children are already at school, and the older girls are upstairs doing their homework ready to go to school at 12pm. Seen as before, it was always the kids that made sure there was never a dull moment, I found it really difficult to adjust to it suddenly being a lot quieter in the refuge, with regular occasions when I found there was simply no one around as the women would all be upstairs in their rooms or out buying school supplies for example. Having said that, the loss of constant need for attention and games from the kids has meant that I have had a lot more time to just sit down in the lounge with one or a few of the women and just chat. Not necessarily about anything profound or deep about their pasts and experiences, but just about life in general and themselves, and they also like to ask me a lot about what England's like and the cultural differences between things such as food and greetings.

With my favourite girls at the project on Valentines day

I feel now, nearly having worked in my project for 3 months, that I am at home in the refuge and that I truly have a place there. Not because I have a specific role, that without, the refuge would struggle, but for the simplest things. For example, any time I've been away, whether its just for the standard weekend, or if its because I'm ill, or when I returned from the week away at the Latin Link conference (more on that in a bit); I'm welcomed back so warmly with lots of hugs and 'we missed you's and such like.
The cutest thing however, has to be Anjel, a 3 year old who doesn't speak much at all but has learnt my name - Ey-ye instead of El-le, as he's not too good with 'l' sounds. He's always wandering around the house and every day when I arrive I have him hurtle himself towards me shouting,
'Hoya Eyye Hoya Eyye Hoya Eyye Hoya Eyye!'
(Hoya meaning Hola).... Not gonna lie. I melt a little inside every time :')

I'm also finding that the women just find that they can really feel comfortable and themselves around me and I've found that a lot of them have recently really started to open up to me about their lives before the refuge. Not even because I've asked them or prompted them to tell me but because they obviously just feel able to do so now. I think a big part for this is the fact I came back after Christmas. Because they're so used to people just coming to work with them for a week max, for me being there a month, a lot of them were quite confused about why I was still there after a month and were almost waiting for me to jet off at some point soon. So to come back for them was like a, 'wow, she's really here to stay with us', and so have felt more able to let me be their friend properly, and a lot of them have also individually expressed how much me being there means to them.

One of the biggest struggles since being back has been dealing with the experience of a new woman joining the refuge. My second day back to work aswell!
Her name is Maribel and she is here with her 3 children, 6 year old Maria Fernanda, 3 year old Jennifer and 3 month old José Javier. Her story was one of the first I'd heard in full and it truly is heartbreaking, involving a lot of violence, rape and hate. For her privacy I'm not going to share it publicly in detail here, but if any of you would like to hear some of the womens testimonies then its better to message or email me privatley.
It has been so emotionally draining for me but also so amazing to get to know her from day one. I remember the first day she came. She was sat in the lounge with the kids huddled around her and she just looked so petrified and scared, but also in a strange kind of peace by her new, safe, surroundings. By the end of the day I'd had a chat with her and I remember her just being totally overwhelmed by my being there, not understanding why I would 'sacrifice' life in England to spend my time, unpaid, with women like her. All I can say is that I would never call what I do a sacrifice. It is most certainly a privilege and I've never felt happier or more like I'm serving God. Meeting her was definitely a big reminder for me about what God has called me to do in this life. To serve these women. Here in Guatemala, now. But also in the future in whatever country God leads me to.
God has put a heavy burden on my heart for his precious daughters around this earth that haven't received the love they were designed to receive but instead have received negativity and pain and disappointment and the message that they're unlovable. And all I can say is that I'm so glad to finally be living out that calling; and I'm super duper crazy excited for what Gods got planned next.
Since her first day, over the last month and a bit, me and Maribel have actually become really good friends. We chat most afternoons for a good hour or so and I am one of the people in the refuge that she always goes to and trusts with José. Which I will never complain about as he is literally the biggest cutie. Honestly. I mean just look at him...

I'm really looking forward to my last few months here to develop our relationship, as well as my relationships with the others, more and more, and especially that I might help them all draw closer to God and his truth in the way that I can show Jesus' love for them through the way I love them and serve them.




Left: making fresco (fruit pulpy juice) with Alba

Right: In the park pulling faces with Gaby :3





In general I've been up to the same kind of things in the refuge as the last update. I help with cooking (and am learning a lot about Guatemalan cooking and recipes through it which is pretty neat!), I help with the cleaning, I go on trips to the market to stock up on food, I help look after the kids (especially now with baby José!) and I try my best to entertain the kids too by playing with them and pulling faces haha. Since the kids have been back at school I also try to help if I can when they have English homework to do, making it as fun as I can. Although I am very aware that teaching English is not a strength or gift of mine which you might have gathered if you saw my facebook status a while ago which said:
'Part of me thinks I've slightly failed at trying to teach the girls at the project some English because all they've actually remembered are the phrases 'hokey kokey', 'poppy cock' and 'absolutely spiffing' ... Then again, I feel like this is very much a success. Haha ;)'
I'm still very much involved with the jewellery as well. I've been a few times on trips to the markets and shops in the city now, to stock up on materials source new beads and stones that could act as inspiration for new pieces. Talking of new pieces, I've also been busy designing more necklaces as well as sets of jewellery, some of which I've then made as prototypes using the materials we already have. Those at the refuge who take leading roles in the micro enterprise seem to be liking what I've come up with so far and have expressed interest in reproducing quite a few of them. I'm actually currently excited because at some point over the next few weeks me and Deysi are meant to be going to scout out/have made beads and pendants that fit some of my designs. Will be awesome to see them come to reality :)

The latest set I've come up with

Other than all this every day stuff we did actually have a group of women from the States come and visit the project, last week which proved to be a lot of fun and a great week in general. They led lots of crafty type activities such as making key rings and place mats for dinner on valentines day. A few of them also worked with some of the women to build a compost and also teach them how to plant a load of vegetables. There was a lot of sweet smells going around the house as well over the week, as being american (not a stereotype at all), they had lots of delicious recipes up their sleeves so we all rather enjoyed daily batches of cookies and biscuits and lots of other treats that had funny names but were to die for! :P Other things they did were daily devotionals with the women, a pyjama party with nail painting, and mini photo shoots of all the families. It was good fun to see all the women get their glad rags on and really pose for the camera as for a lot of them it was the first opportunity they'd ever had to have nice photos of themselves, if at all, and especially with their children. I had the privilege of putting some of my camera skills to use with one of the American womens DSLRs and shooting some of the families myself and it was just so lovely to see the womens reactions at how darn beautiful they look in their photos :) It really is the smallest things that make my time here the best.

Left: Me and the placemat I made - sticking to my roots with the British Flag obviously! ;)

Right: Painting the tiny toe nails of Jennifer at the Pyjama Party

With the Mission Group from America in our PJs

Me and Kim translating Mishelles testimony to the group

On a side note I will also just give some brief (well I shall try to keep them brief!) updates on how things are going in other areas of my Guatemalan life :)

Church:
Th main update on church would have to be regarding the youth group and how my relationships have been growing within it. You may remember from my blog 'The second chapter of my Guatemalan journey...' that God was pretty awesome in answer to prayer in that he put people in my path to enable me to get involved in the youths activities. It was an awesome start and reassured me that God was watching over it all and looking after me, providing me with the right people. Over Christmas however, was tough. After that first week of being there and going to the youth saturday night bible study group, it turned out that that was actually the last meeting before the holidays! And I only had one more game of frisbee before that too ended. I got a little sad cause I was desperate to establish some friendships in the church. But God was faithful and despite the circumstances provided me with friends. There was two families in particular that were especially kind and welcoming to me which included young girls my age and so I've come to know them really well. Over Christmas we had a day out together and went ice skating on Guatemalas city first ever ice rink (although in reality it was just a big puddle haha, fail.), and Ive been to lunch at their houses a few times. Since the New Year things have only got better and Im literally just in total praise to God for it all - I finally feel like I have a friendship group in the church. Quite regularly now we will go to POPs for icecream one evening, or gather in someones house to watch a film or go to someones house for lunch after church. Just casual stuff, nothing big or super spiritual, but enough to make me feel like I now have a home here in San Cristobal. Frisbee started back up in Jan and although Ive not been able to go every time its been good each time I have gone as its helped me to get to know more people in the youth group. Its at the point now, where they know me well enough for those on the opposite team to shout to my team to pass to me so that if they do in confusion the other team can sabbotage cause they know im not exactly the most talented in reflexes and speed when it comes to frisbee :( sigh. But its all in good fun haha! As for the youth group, it was meant to start back in Feburary but, well, that didnt happen! So its been a little frustrating as ive really missed having a weekly bible study group, to have fun but also to share in faith and encourage. Ironically, whilst writing this Ive had a wall post on Facebook telling me that its starting back up this weekend, so the beginning of March. Better late than never! Im excited to finally be part of it and get to know more people and to learn more about our shared faith but from the perspective of people who culturally differ on some opinions and topics :) It should be interesting and challenging, and fun! :)

With some of my girl friends from church

Latin Link stuffs:
As I will have mentioned before, we meet up as Team Guatemala every month to share in experiences and encourage and pray for one another. I've particularly enjoyed the last few meetings as I can finally talk all about what's happening in my project and also, because my Spanish is a lot more developed and I'm a lot more confident in it, I am able to talk more fluently and in detail, which is proper great for me, as I find speaking Spanish with other English speakers (so 80% odd of the group!) uncomfortable and intimidating and generally just don't like doing it! But I am getting better :) Thankfully aside from team meetings I've been able to stay in pretty good contact with other Striders in Guatemala which has continued to be a great encouragement. We also had Amy Ward join Team Guate in Jan so its been lovely to have some time to get to know her a bit more.
In other Latin Link news you're probably aware that at the beginning of Feb Team Guate jet off to Costa Rica to join Team Costa Rica and Team Nicaragua for the annual Central America Latin Link Conference. If you don't already know, the week basically served as an opportunity to get to know other members of Latin Link, both Striders and Stayers; to receive more teaching on cross cultural mission and that kinda thing; to share with the other teams the work we are doing and testimonies of how God has been working; and to have a bit of a refresh too! Although in truth, the week left me knackered haha ;) A highlight of the week had to be the talent night, in which Team Guate put on a spectacular performance of out of water synchronised swimming. Honestly, it was great.
Link here, although you may have to be on Facebook + my friend to see it....

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10151460100157164

On the last night of the conference

Group photo at the conference - Team Guate, Team Costa Rica and Team Nicaragua

Getting four months worth of hugs in with Louise <3

I think thats about it! Phew. Didnt end up that long did it now? Pretty good going for me anyway.
The only other thing to mention would be regarding my health as I know a lot of you are praying hard for this due to the fact I've not been too lucky during my time here! I've done pretty well considering - I went from mid November to mid January with no major issues. However in Jan I did get pretty ill with what turned out to be amoebas, a intestine infection and a kidney infection. It wasn't pleasant. But lots of meds sorted me out and I've been well since :) Thank you to all of you who are praying for my health and to those who always ask my mom how I'm getting on.

And just a general thank you to all of you who are keeping me encouraged with support and love and prayers  and who are making the effort to stay in touch over facebook and skype. If there's anyone who hasn't get added me on skype who wants to, just add elle.deakin - its a pretty easy one!
And please don't forget I'm here to be praying for you guys too! So if there's any prayer requests or situations I can be keeping in my prayers please do let me know :)

For those of you who pray:
Things to be thankful for:

• That I feel settled in my project now and that Ive started to build strong friendships with the women and girls
• That God is giving me opportunities to show and talk about his love, and is giving the women opportunities to open up and confide in me
• That he has continued to be faithful regarding friends in church and that he has provided me with a great set of friends to go forward with
• For all my close friends in England who God has so obviously put in my life to encourage, advise and support me through all the tough times I go through here
• For continued communication and friendship with the other Latin Link members, despite me now living further away and it being a bit harder

Things to be praying for:

• That my relationships within the refuge would continue to grow and that Christ can shine as a light through them
• That I would be able to teach the women more about Jesus' love for them and what it means to be a follower of Christ as well as for me to learn from them 
• That my friendships would continue to grow in the church and that I would be able to find support and encouragement from them as well as share more in Guatemalan culture through them
• That the restart of the Saturday Night Youth Group would go well and that I would find it a good place to be spiritually recharged.
• For health (always! haha)
• That God would give me the strength and support to get through the slight homesickness I've been experiencing over the last few weeks (unusual for me, but getting me a little down at times - still love life there though!)

Love you all :) Thanks as always for reading,

Adios! xxx