Celebration of Family Day

Instead of celebrating Mother’s Day at the children’s school this year, they decided to celebrate Family Day since some of the children don’t have mothers.  Each class did a song or skit and there were some raffle prizes, although some of these came at the expense of really embarrassing the parents.  Then the teachers served a lunch of chicken, rice, vegetables, and sauce which they cooked themselves for over 300 people!  Jennifer wore the traditional women’s attire for the first time and managed to keep her skirt on without it falling off.

Christopher's Birthday

We celebrated Christopher's birthday recently with a party.  He invited the children from the local orphanage, neighborhood kids, and a few friends from school, in all about 30 children.  We had a great time with lunch, a treasure hunt, piñata, and cake.   Elmo (the piñata) was the only one who had a rough day!

At the end of the day when asked what the best part of the day was for each one, Christopher said, “Playing with all my friends,” Elizabeth and Julianne both said, “The food,” and Nicholas said, “The piñata.”

ADISA

As we have mentioned, in an earlier blog, we have found a number of organizations in Santiago Atitlan doing good things.

ADISA is doing GREAT things.   Asociacion de Padres y Amigos de Personas con Discapacidad de Santiago Atitlan (Association of Parents and Friends of People with Disabilities in Santiago Atitlan) was started in 1997 by parents of a child with hydrocephalus who subsequently died at the age of 9.  They saw first hand the lack of resources available to children with disablities. 

ADISA has a number of programs to help this population including education, health care, early stimulation, education of the community, physical therapy, vocational training and job placement. 

Our family has been blessed to know this exceptional organization, the staff and the people they serve.  We have also been able to help ADISA as Hospitalito has partnered with ADISA to help with some of their health care issues.

Their web site is excellent and gives more history as well as opportunities to support their work. www.adisagt.com
from there you can click on Conozca nuestros productos  and then click on  www.novica.com

Part 2

Julianne and Elizabeth

At 6:00 a.m. Brent awakens to the proclamation of “Daaaad, I have to pee”.  Julianne feels the need to announce this and serves as the morning alarm for the household.  Four kids to get up, dressed, fed and teeth brushed.  Somehow Jennifer is able to do this without a hitch, but for Brent it is always a challenge.  Jennifer won’t be home from the hospital until about 9 a.m.  The kids know the routine, but still feel the need to deviate at times, depending on who needs a little more Daddy attention on a given day. 

At 7 a.m. Ingrid arrives, our house helper, who makes this chaos a little less chaotic.  With Greetings of “Buenos dias,” a few instructions and an update on the activities of the day, Brent heads up the small hill, leading from the house, with Christopher and Elizabeth in tow, backpacks on, and their “chicken mask” school projects in hand.

Christopher and Elizabeth wave to Hospitalito, knowing that Mommy is somewhere inside and will be at school to pick them up at the end of the day.  No time to walk today, as Brent is on OB call and needs to be at the hospital at 7:30 a.m. for morning report.  They catch a tuc tuc.

Tuk Tuk

The tuc tuc ride is like some racing car video game as the driver swerves around pot holes, dogs, and puddles that resemble mini lakes this time of year.  Christopher and Elizabeth squeal with joy as the tuc tuc is forced into one of these “mini lakes” by an oncoming "chicken bus" headed for the capital.  After climbing the hill to the parochial school, Colegio Catolica Padre Apla’s, the kids and Brent have arrived, a little wet and all sleepiness cleared from their heads.

The kids enter their class room with a “Buenos dias, Maestra” and a “Buenos dias, Compañeros” and with a “Buenos dias, Cristobal” and “Buenos dias, Elizabeth” from their teacher and classmates, the children proceed to sit down at their desks.  The walls are lined with the alphabet, numbers, and words written in a mix of Spanish, Tz'utujil and English.  Brent is reminded of Christopher’s protest during study time at home for their last exams, “It’s not fair we have to study three languages!”  Brent leaves the kids with a kiss on their heads and a quick checkout with their teacher, Juanita.

A Family Affair

We wanted to share with you an article from the Hospitalito, July Newsletter.  

"We don't need Sherlock Holmes to figure out that Brent Burket and Jennifer Thoene don't event fit the description of your usual medical volunteer. The evidence is everywhere upon entering their home: two pairs of kids-sized rain boots, swirly blue and pink, a bookshelf of children's literature, tables loaded with crayons and coloring books, the movie choice of the day is Toy Story 2, and the final clue, a small voice saying, "mama, it's not fair".


So, why do two US physicians with four children under the age of eight, choose to move to highland Guatemala..." read the rest of this article interviewing Brent and Jennifer on the Hospitalito July Newsletter.