September Happenings in Guatemala

Even though there will be no teams this month, September is a busy time in Guatemala. On the 15th we will be celebrating Independence Day. There are many activities that go along - parades, festivals, beauty pageants and fairs. Next Monday the parades begin! Students participate by marching through the streets of town in their school uniforms or traditional outfits waving flags. There is a different parade each morning.

Today I had the privilege of attending an awards ceremony for Miguel Lopez. He is a boy in our sponsored program that was born with hydrocephalus. He has always struggled in school and has learning disabilities. Last year he got very sick and was in and out of the hospital after multiple operations. November of 2015 was his most recent operation that changed the drainage of his shunt from his stomach to his heart. Since then we have seen a complete turn around in his health! This year he enrolled in a new school with smaller class sizes where the teacher can give more individual attention to him and help him learn. Today at the ceremony the best students in each grade were announced and awarded. Miguel got a special recognition for being very dedicated to his studies and always putting in his best effort. I attended the ceremony at the school alongside his mother Marcelina (the cook for team lunches). Below are photos from the ceremony. We are so proud of Miguel and his accomplishments.