Posadas

Posadas (which means lodging) are a Latin American tradition that kick off the Christmas season. The posada is supposed to signify Mary and Joseph looking for somewhere to stay and somewhere for baby Jesus to be born. From December 16th through December 24th is traditionally when the posadas are held, but here at NPH we beat to our own drum. Throughout the month of December we had six or seven posadas where two kids dressed up as Mary and Joseph and led us by candlelight through NPH in search of somewhere to stay. Christmas carols are sung in between stops and at each door there is a traditional posada song. Mary and Joseph (and all of us behind them) ask for a place to stay and explain that Mary is pregnant and the people inside the door say they do not have room. On December 24th the last posada is held and Mary and Joseph are finally given a place to rest and a place for the Jesus to be born. Here at NPH posadas are usually accompanied by a delicious snack, a warm drink, candy and piñatas.

The Joy of Christmas

Merry Christmas and Feliz Navidad to all from Guatemala! 

The past two days have been filled with Christmas excitement and celebration. Yesterday we had mass, a special family style dinner, the volunteers put on a hilarious version of the nativity play, there was a bonfire with marshmallows and at midnight we set off fireworks bursting with red and green and celebrated the beginning of Christmas day. Since most of the celebrating was yesterday we decided to do something special for the girls this morning. Before they woke up the other volunteers in my section and I brought down our Christmas tree and the gifts that we had wrapped up for them. We set it all up to be ready and waiting when they woke up. There were even shoes from Santa Claus. 

The girls were SO excited when the woke up to the tree and the gifts and were so eager to open them and find ones that had their names on them. We spent the morning sitting around, listening to Christmas tunes, laughing, smiling and opening presents. The girls loved everything they opened and immediately put on their new pajamas and fuzzy socks. When we finished opening the gifts we headed up to breakfast all dressed to impress (in the pajamas of course). After breakfast we cuddled up under the tree to watch movies and enjoy the rest of the day.

Surprise!

Opening.....

Modeling their new pajamas.

They could not believe how soft their pajamas
were--Ana and Vilma showing theirs off.

Christmas love!

Merry Merry!

Merry Christmas from Santa and the elves here at NPH! 

LOVE TO ALL!

We Need a Little Christmas

Being away from home and family/friends during the holidays is hard, but our NPH family is not letting that stop us from celebrating and enjoying the season. Last night we all gathered together at Erika and Sandro's house for an amazing dinner and secret santa swap. Each person received another volunteer as their secret santa and they had to wrap the gift in a way that represented the person--then we each had to figure out which gift was for us. The night was full of drinking, eating, great company, fun gifts, piñatas and fireworks.

As we sat around the table that took up Erika's entire house last night I could not stop thinking about how amazing our NPH family is. Although we are not related these are the people that have shared in my loud laughs and my tears, my accomplishments and my failures and have loved me and embraced me with open arms for the last year--if that is not family I don't know what is. 

It was a perfect way to get in the Christmas spirit and kick off the holiday weekend! 

Enjoying the great company and delicious food..

Piñata fun...

Gifts..guess whose is whose??

The Reason for the Season

As a child we are always told that Christmas is about giving and not receiving--a hard message to understand, but one that is important to learn. Yesterday in spirit of Christmas and the birthday of the founder of NPH we (the 100 kids here at NPH for Christmas and the volunteers) headed out for a day of community service.The night before we gathered in the section and each child picked out two or three items that they did not need or use to give to children less fortunate then them. Even though many of the kids come from hard backgrounds and poverty they were all eager to share with others. We filled trash bags of unused clothes, toys, candy and stuff animals.

We spent the morning in three very poor neighborhoods throughout Parramos. We brought candy filled piñatas to share with the children and the kids from NPH handed out clothes and stuffed animals to the families in need. The morning was filled with smiles and laughter and nothing but the joy of giving. As I watched the kids from NPH playing with the other children and helping them pick out toys they like and clothes that fit--it  hit me that this is really what Christmas is all about.

The girls walking to a neighborhood down
a long and windy dirt road.

Kids from NPH handing out clothes to boys and girls.

Piñatas!

Rushing for the candy

Mariela giving away her old toys to a little girl.

A little boy with his new truck

The kids from NPH and some of the children from
the neighborhood showing off their gifts.

My donation of the day--the blue bunny that I received
in an Easter package from home. This little boy
could not have been more excited--between the
 candy, the peanuts and the bunny his day was made.

Christmas Vacation?

Since arriving here at NPH almost a year ago (which I can't believe) I have definitely experienced some ups and some downs. The hardest times for me here have not been when I am missing my family, my friends or the luxuries of home, but when I see the pain and the suffering these children have had and still have in their lives.

December and the time around Christmas is probably one of the hardest times at NPH because those that have family members are allowed to spend the holiday season with them, which leaves around 100 kids here for the weeks leading up to Christmas. The children that stay at NPH for the month of December either do not have any family, their family can't afford to take care of them during this time or the judge will not allow them to go with their family for various other reasons. To some kids this does not matter--Christmas is a time to be with family and that is where they want to be.

The kids that are here at NPH for this time are on Christmas vacation and as volunteers we are trying to make it as fun and festive as possible, but we can only do so much. As a child I remember Christmas vacation as the highlight of the year. We would spend the week leading up to Christmas sledding, drinking hot chocolate, playing outside with friends, decorating the Christmas tree and playing games in front of the fire. Here things look a little different........

I wish I could provide these kids with the love, the happiness and the Christmas spirit that I have always felt growing up, but as we are living with the kids I am trying to find the balance of being strict so they respect me and listen to me and being loving as a parent would. I find myself somedays just wanting to say to the kids forget about the chores, forget about your worries and your pain, just go outside and play--that's what being a kid is all about.

Each day that I spend here I am more and more thankful for the life I have been given, the opportunities that have been presented to me, the family and friends that I have by my side and the overwhelming Christmas spirit that is always alive and always will be alive in my home and in my heart.

'Twas the Night before Navidad

My cousin shared this hilarious version of The Night before Christmas with me and I thought I would share it with all of you. Supposedly a mother was trying to teach her children spanish and came up with this semi-bilingual version! Enjoy!

 author: Unknown

‘Twas the Night before Navidad

             ‘Twas the night before Christmas and all through the casa, Not a creature was stirring -- Caramba! Que pasa? Los ninos were tucked away in their camas, Some in long underwear, some in pijamas, While hanging the stockings with mucho cuidado In hopes that old Santa would feel ...obligado To bring all children, both buenos and malos, A nice batch of dulces and other regalos. Outside in the yard there arose such a grito That I jumped to my feet like a frightened cabrito. I ran to the window and looked out afuera, And who in the world do you think that it era? Saint Nick in a sleigh and a big red sombrero Came dashing along like a crazy bombero. And pulling his sleigh instead of venados Were eight little burros approaching volados. I watched as they came and this quaint little hombre Was shouting and whistling and calling by nombre: "Ay Pancho, ay Pepe, ay Cuco, ay Berto, Ay Chato, ay Chopo, Macuco, y Nieto!" Then standing erect with his hands on his pecho He flew to the top of our very own techo. With his round little belly like a bowl of jalea, He struggled to squeeze down our old chiminea, Then huffing and puffing at last in our sala, With soot smeared all over his red suit de gala, He filled all the stockings with lovely regalos -- For none of the ninos had been very malos. Then chuckling aloud, seeming very contento, He turned like a flash and was gone like the viento. And I heard him exclaim, and this is verdad, Merry Christmas to all, and Feliz Navidad!

SPLISH SPLASH we were taking a bath...

Christmas time at NPH is filled with emotions both happy and sad, but when we arrived at the water park for the day yesterday there was nothing but splishing, splashing, smiling and laughing. We left NPH bright and early with two buses full of very excited children and headed for the water park. The water park had three different pools, slides that twisted and curved and different things to climb on and things that spurted our water...it was a blast. We arrived at 10 and spent the whole day swimming and bathing in the sun. The kids were running around enjoying every minute. It was so nice to have a day with them when they could just be kids. Here are some pictures from the day!

Water slide fun...

Waterfalls....

In the pools...

La Quema del Diablo

La quema del diablo, the burning of the devil, is a tradition that people throughout Latin America participate in. Every year on December 7th at 6pm a devil, along with a mountain of trash, is burned in the city/town center or if you are at NPH in front of the comedor. Why are they burning devils you ask??

The tradition started many years ago on the eve of the Immaculate Conception. Families wanted to make room for Mary in their hearts and in their homes so they started cleaning their homes and throwing out any old belongings and trash and burning them. It was believed that the devil manifested in the items so over time the burning of the trash piles turned into a burning of the devil. Getting rid of the devil and clearing the path for Mary. The main idea is to burn all the bad from the previous year and start anew. The burning of the devil kicks off the Christmas season here in Guatemala.

At NPH we had our very own quema del diablo. The children built devils with old clothes and trash and at 6pm sharp we lit the devil on fire along with the rest of the country.

It's Beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

Apart from the warm weather, cloudless skies and being far from home it is beginning to feel and look a lot like Christmas here in Guatemala. The jam packed camioñetas are blasting christmas carols, the markets are filled with christmas trees, lights and decorations and houses are adorned with Christmas lights.

We are also trying to make our home at NPH as festive as possible for all the volunteers who are far from home and all the kids who are spending Christmas at NPH. Last week before starting our "tia-ship", which consists of living and working with the kids every day, we had a special holiday feast and gift exchange. Thanks to Karla and Miguel we enjoyed an amazing dinner of tamales and afterwards played a Dutch version of white elephant/yankee swap. It was a great introduction to the holiday season! The volunteers have also taken it upon ourselves to decorate the houses for the season. Each volunteer house is dressed in flashing white lights and we have an amazing (fake, but amazing) Christmas tree in our living room.

The kids have also been helping to decorate the home---we have a life size manger/nativity scene in the middle of the grounds, which is covered in multicolored Christmas lights and decorations. The comedor also is the home to a very large Christmas tree, which the kids decorated with flashing lights, big stars and many tacky Christmas ornaments.

 It certainly is BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE CHRISTMAS in its own way and a different way, but in the same moment an amazing way and in a way that I will never forget.

Santa Claus is coming to town!

You better watch out
You better not cry
Better not pout
I'm telling you why
Santa Claus is coming to town
He's making a list
And checking it twice;
Gonna find out Who's naughty and nice
Santa Claus is coming to town...

Can you guess who is santa?