8 Kids and Counting!

The last three days have been crazy...amazing, but crazy!  We have been busy going back and forth between the mission site and Chisec, visiting schools and families and delivering shoes and backpacks full of supplies. 
Mission2Guatemala, along with the help of friends and family in Canada and the US, is helping to get kids into school.
To attend school, a child must have shoes and school supplies.  Doesn't sound too tough, does it.  For many families, it is an obstacle too big to overcome.  A pair of shoes, not fancy ones, just plain, costs about Q60 - Q85; the equivalent to two day's pay.  The school supplies are not just for the child, but they also must contribute to the office supplies.  Every child has to bring office folders, photocopy paper, pens, glue sticks, tape, and other items for the classroom and office because the government doesn't provide these things for the schools.  So, an average elementary student might spend between Q100 and Q150 simply to get the year started with supplies.  In other words, it takes about a week's wage to get one child ready to go.  Now multiply this by 4, an average number of school aged children in a family and it is a month's salary if you are working steady. 
Yesterday, as we gave out shoes and supplies to eight kids, I was so thankful for the opportunity to help. Being on the receiving end of the parents' gratitude and thanks was humbling.  Today, I completed another 9 backpacks and will deliver those tomorrow.    
We have identified 27 children from 10 families that we are going to help, many of whom would not be going to school without our assistance.
Monday, a principal brought to our attention a little girl, Linzi, whose mom died three months ago.  She is 9, and has three younger siblings, two of which are school aged.  Her dad is struggling trying to deal with his wife's death, work, and four kids.  As the principal shared her story, Linzi stood looking off in the distance, obviously trying to control her emotions.  When we said we were there to help and Cindy bent down to give her a hug, you could see the relief in her eyes.  She is only 9, and already carrying such a load.
Please pray for us as we continue to work in this way.  We draw quite a bit of attention and we know we simply cannot help everyone, so we need to be sensitive to the Lord's leading and help those He places in our path. 
Blessings,
Karren
PS - I had pictures but our internet has been too slow to upload photos.  Sorry!  I'll try again in a couple of days.