First Impressions

We arrived at Fe Viva in the dark, just after midnight. It was difficult to get my bearings with not being able to do a visual tour of the area. To compensate, all my other senses seemed to go into overload. My ears were assaulted with a loud cacophony of crickets and other critters; it was as if we had been dropped into the center of a large, dense jungle. My nostrils filled with the faint smell of something burning, likely the sugar cane in nearby fields.

We were introduced to the night guard at the gate of the property; we were told he patrolled the grounds during the night to ensure we were safe. I noted the sharp barbed wire strategically placed on the fence surrounding the property and I wondered, what have we gotten ourselves into.

We were directed to our rooms and as I turned on the light I was positive a little critter skittered out of the light and under the bed; I was like a hunter trying to find it’s prey, but to no avail. My heart was beating even louder than the crickets outside; have I mentioned I hate bugs? And again, I wondered what have we gotten ourselves into.

We settled into our beds, the center of the mattress sagging as it absorbed the weight of our bodies, causing the edges to curl up; but alas sleep was not to come. I thought of our accommodations in Panama and thought that if they were rated as a 10 out of 10, these accommodations would be a one out of ten. And then I thought of the poverty we saw in Panama, and have yet to see in Guatemala, and I thought our accommodations are likely a ten out of ten compared to many people in this country.

At some point the noise of the crickets faded away, but it was quickly replaced with crowing roosters; a single rooster would start but was quickly joined by others in a loud, discordant jamboree.

Kitchen facilities Group orientation

And then in the morning, the sun was shining, and we had the opportunity to view our surroundings; to see the incredible amount of work that has been done here, and to understand the organization. We met the staff of Fe Viva and the staff and children of Casa Esperanza (the orphanage) and I no longer wondered why we were here.

Casa Esperanza is an orphanage for approximately fourty children. They provide assistance to two types of kids: (1) those who have no resources, no family and no place to go. They ensure education is provided and that the children are prepared to become future leaders; (2) and kids that are rescued out of abusive situations - if there are no viable alternatives they are brought here on a temporary basis. A social worker is available to help with the children, as many have experienced various forms of abuse in their short life.

We heard the story of Ruth - a young girl who came to Casa Esperanza as a baby with her mom. They were running from an abusive situation and came for protection. Her mom turned eighteen last year and chose to leave the orphanage, leaving Ruth behind. The mom had experienced horrific experiences on the street; Ruth was a constant visual reminder of those experiences. And while she loves Ruth she chose to try and make a life for herself in another city, going to chef school. Ruth, like the other children in the Casa Esperanza family, are well-loved and loving.

We know we are in the right place for now, and open to the experiences I’m sure we’ll have here.