December 30, 2015 Autumn Weis

Hello all, on this fine day in Guatemala! Today, as every other day, has been nothing short of awe-inspiring and full of adventure. Here’s a look at my take on how the project has been going so far.
 
The necessity of comradery has filled this group more rapidly and more completely than any other group I’ve worked with -- and with good reason. We all have accepted that on any given day, there may be no water for showers, sinks, or toilets. We all have come to lack any concern for getting dirty or sweaty throughout the day’s work, whether it be in getting drooled on, pooped on, or just covered in dust when working. We all feel the burn of our bug bites that mysteriously intensify while sleeping. We all know what it means to have thrown ourselves outside of our comfort zones and into the project wholeheartedly to make a good two weeks for the kids here at Eagle’s Nest. For this, the team has become as close as siblings in under a week. Knowing that our struggles and our successes are shared, we feel comfortable going about our days without worrying if we look a certain way or if we’re enough for the world. All we need is to be enough for the kids here at Eagle’s Nest, our “castle” on the hill, our new universe.

 
What has surprised me the most is how the kids have come to love us all as much as we love them, and in such short a time. The first few days were a little tough to get some of the little ones to be held -- much less made eye contact with -- without screaming. Now, some of them start crying if they aren’t being held by one of us. Every one of their stories is different, but with a little love -- a smile, a little joke, a piggyback ride, a spontaneous dance party -- can make all the difference between being a stranger, and becoming a positive impact in the kids’ lives. Whether it be showing the kids how to make their own “stained glass” lanterns, helping the mamas of the children’s home bathe and dress the little girls, or feed the babies, connections are being made between every person. Now, the kids are no longer orphans, but rather beloved little brothers and sisters.