An update of what's been going on this last week...

We have continued our childrens program but this week with the kids in Cuidad de Vieja, where we are staying. We have had 40 to 70 kids show up to play games with us and hear about God. There are always children who come up to receive prayer when we offer it. It is hard to hear story after story of absent or drunk fathers, but this is the reality in these kids lives.

We have been getting ready to celebrate Christmas here in Antigua , buying a gift for our secret Santa and special little treats to help bring a part of our traditional Christmas to Guatemala. We hear that on Christmas Eve at midnight the whole town goes crazy and fireworks last through the night. We look forward to joining in on the festivities.

On a sad note, Cassandra and I had to take a dog to the vet up the street to get put to sleep. Here in Guatemala there are so many stray dogs that just roam the streets, beat up, malnourished and trying to survive. There was one dog we named Esperanza, "hope", and the name of our street. She had a broken leg that was dangling, making it hard to walk, especially because other male dogs were after her. We took her in and the vet said she would need amputation at the hospital in town, very expensive. We all decided putting her down to end her suffering was the best thing. Not an easy thing to watch because the process took longer and was more primitive than how it would be done in th states. I did not expect to have to put a dog to sleep in Guatemala.

Brenden and I are planning to go to El Salvador for New Years weekend with our friend Carlos. We will be staying at someone's house on the beach and we will be surfing and helping Carlos learn. We are so excited to get the opportunity to go to the coast...this is the longest span of time we have gone without seeing the ocean. It will also be nice for Brenden and I just to get away for a little bit by ourselves.

Even though we do get homesick, especially this time of year, we are having such a great experience here in Guatemala. Caroling in the streets, decorated chicken busses and "Feliz Navidad" is on our lips!