In our last post we promised pictures. The good news is that we have some - the bad news is that we do not have the correct cable to link our camera and computer together - we'll be in search for a cord - keep watching for pictures.
The past week and a half have been very rutine for us - this week we added a couple of afternoons with teachers to help make up a bit of time that we missed during our "sick break". We will also study with teachers a couple of afternoons next week as we do not have school tomorrow. Being in school for 6 hours per day sure is different from just the normal 4.
Tomorrow, November 1st is "The Day of the Dead" of "The Day of the Saints" It is a federal holiday here in Guatemala. Our host family compares it to what Thanksgiving Day is like for us in the states. Their whole family is planning on gathering (there are atleast 35 grandchildren and atleast 12 greatgrandchildren in the family) it should be a great time for them. They don't eat turkey and dressing for their special day - they eat a dish called "fiambre" we're anxious to get to try it. We're told that all kinds of meats (fish, shrimp, beef, chicken, pork, and numerous sausages), vegetables, cheeses and whatever else they can think of goes into the dish. We'll be sure to take picures :) One sign that our host family recently saw advertised that their fiambre included 208 ingredients - interesting isn't it?
Thanks so much for those of you who have recently updated us on what's happening if your lives. We hope that you all received our recent mass email update. We do know that a few of you did not receive it as it bounced back to us. Please send an email to stacijarvis@gmail.com and we'll try to get the kinks worked out. If we somehow missed your email address please email me and I'll send you the email and will add you to the list for future emails.
Thanks so much for your prayers and support!
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Sunday, October 21, 2007
When being sick pays off!
You are all aware that we spent more time than planned in Villa Nueva - thanks for keeping up with the blog and for praying. We are back in Antigua as of this afternoon and we are well!
A group of master´s architecture students and their professor from Texas Tech accompanied a man named Scott to Villa Nueva this weekend. Scott is considering a move to Guatemala the 3 students´thesis project is his dream for what he would one day like to see in Guatemala. The students needed to do a helicopter fly over to get a better feel for the area. They had 2 extra spots on the helicopter and Scott generiously offered them to us.
Of course we took him up on his offer and yesterday morning we drove to the Guatemala airport for our helicopter ride. Because the students wanted to take good pictures, they had the back doors of the helicopter removed. Lee and I were in the first group of four. The other two were Scott, and Luis, a boy from the home who will begin studying architecture in the university this January. Luis sat up front with the pilot, and Lee, Scott and I sat in the back. Scott said that he´d been in a helicopter before so Lee and I got the window-less window seats. It was so wonderful to see where we live from such a different prospective. We saw a beatutiful lake that is right next to a squatter´s village. We saw our home - the children´s home, school, and even some of our kiddos out of the soccer field waving at us amongst a very poor area that was less than a mile from developed condominium like neighborhoods. A once in a lifetime kind of experience - we´re looking foward to watching the video footage that we took while we were up there.
Tomorrow we begin school again, and we´re excited. This time we know that we will be studying for 4 weeks and then we will return to Villa Nueva for the week of Thanksgiving.
We realize that we´ve been terrible at posting pictures - this week - we´ll post pictures this week.
Lee & Staci
A group of master´s architecture students and their professor from Texas Tech accompanied a man named Scott to Villa Nueva this weekend. Scott is considering a move to Guatemala the 3 students´thesis project is his dream for what he would one day like to see in Guatemala. The students needed to do a helicopter fly over to get a better feel for the area. They had 2 extra spots on the helicopter and Scott generiously offered them to us.
Of course we took him up on his offer and yesterday morning we drove to the Guatemala airport for our helicopter ride. Because the students wanted to take good pictures, they had the back doors of the helicopter removed. Lee and I were in the first group of four. The other two were Scott, and Luis, a boy from the home who will begin studying architecture in the university this January. Luis sat up front with the pilot, and Lee, Scott and I sat in the back. Scott said that he´d been in a helicopter before so Lee and I got the window-less window seats. It was so wonderful to see where we live from such a different prospective. We saw a beatutiful lake that is right next to a squatter´s village. We saw our home - the children´s home, school, and even some of our kiddos out of the soccer field waving at us amongst a very poor area that was less than a mile from developed condominium like neighborhoods. A once in a lifetime kind of experience - we´re looking foward to watching the video footage that we took while we were up there.
Tomorrow we begin school again, and we´re excited. This time we know that we will be studying for 4 weeks and then we will return to Villa Nueva for the week of Thanksgiving.
We realize that we´ve been terrible at posting pictures - this week - we´ll post pictures this week.
Lee & Staci
Thursday, October 18, 2007
What a Day!!
Let's begin with yesterday when we got to walk to the local shopping center. We went after a couple of adapters for various things here at the home and wasted a bit of time looking in various stores before eating lunch at Pizza Hut. Lee feels fine, but is supposed to be "resting" while his body makes more white blood cells and platelets. It was so good for both of us to have a good walk.
Also, last night we received warning of an impending basketball tournment that would happen today and that I (Staci) was to play in.
This morning we got up and around and showed up to the basketball game, 5 gringas were to play 5 teachers from the school that is here on the property. Jon said "don't worry, there's a 5 minute halftime between the 20 minute halves." Don't worry - I haven't run 40 minutes in who knows how long - and we had no subs!! Gledia, a home mother apparently felt sorry and offered to play for our team, thankgoodness for the one substitute player. Well, we'll just get to the end of the story. It was a terrible game, really, and the gringas lost terribly. We have another game in the morning, Lee is planning on giving a "coach speach" tonight, and maybe a little instruction...we need it!
At lunch Wendy asked if we had time this afternoon to take Ruben to buy some new shoes. Of course we had time, so we offered and then she gave us keys to a pickup. Our first Guatemalan driving experience - it went well.
Today was the day for the 5th blood test for Lee, Kendon and Wendy were swamped, so Kendon drew us a map and said "what's to be afraid of, it's only a little town of 1.2 million people" - so with our map in hand, again we were handed the pickup keys. We got there and back just fine - and even got to watch a bit of the Rutgers v. S. Florida game in McDonald's while we waited on the results.
The blood test results showed that his body is continuing to heal. The platelets have returned into the normal range. The white blood cells are still a bit low, but climbing. We anticipate no problems with returning to Antigua on Sunday.
A little sidenote - it's been our observation that the wealthier side of the culture here is much like the early to mid 1990's - we walked into an electronics store to Michael Jackson videos from the early 90's - they were still playing when we left.
Also, last night we received warning of an impending basketball tournment that would happen today and that I (Staci) was to play in.
This morning we got up and around and showed up to the basketball game, 5 gringas were to play 5 teachers from the school that is here on the property. Jon said "don't worry, there's a 5 minute halftime between the 20 minute halves." Don't worry - I haven't run 40 minutes in who knows how long - and we had no subs!! Gledia, a home mother apparently felt sorry and offered to play for our team, thankgoodness for the one substitute player. Well, we'll just get to the end of the story. It was a terrible game, really, and the gringas lost terribly. We have another game in the morning, Lee is planning on giving a "coach speach" tonight, and maybe a little instruction...we need it!
At lunch Wendy asked if we had time this afternoon to take Ruben to buy some new shoes. Of course we had time, so we offered and then she gave us keys to a pickup. Our first Guatemalan driving experience - it went well.
Today was the day for the 5th blood test for Lee, Kendon and Wendy were swamped, so Kendon drew us a map and said "what's to be afraid of, it's only a little town of 1.2 million people" - so with our map in hand, again we were handed the pickup keys. We got there and back just fine - and even got to watch a bit of the Rutgers v. S. Florida game in McDonald's while we waited on the results.
The blood test results showed that his body is continuing to heal. The platelets have returned into the normal range. The white blood cells are still a bit low, but climbing. We anticipate no problems with returning to Antigua on Sunday.
A little sidenote - it's been our observation that the wealthier side of the culture here is much like the early to mid 1990's - we walked into an electronics store to Michael Jackson videos from the early 90's - they were still playing when we left.
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
It's 12:30 here at the home - and we're looking at a semi-sunny sky. It's been raining so much here lately - I suppose the rainy season is going out with a bang.
Last night Lee had yet another blood test with really positive results, though his white blood cell and platelet count are not in the normal range yet - they're doing their best to get there. The doctor asked him to return again Thursday for another blood test. Though Lee feels just fine, the doctor has told him to rest for this week. Because of his white blood cell count being low he is more susceptible to infection to a secordary illness, and with the platelets being low, the doctor is worried about cuts and bruises that platelets would generally clot up. Being subjected to rest has been hard for Lee - he's trying to fight off boredom and restlessness.
We knew when we got here we'd have to start the hoop jumping process of getting visas. After we arrived we were told that we would need offical criminal records from the state we lived in for the past 5 years. Thankfully, we have only lived in one state, however, the state of Texas doesn't just give criminal records out. So, thanks to my Dad - he has been able to make arrangements to get our records released to him if he has our fingerprints. Sending and receiving mail is quite an issue here, however, there is a small team who will be here this Friday through Monday. Hopefully those fingerprint cards will arrive in Lubbock today, they'll fly down here on Friday, we'll put our mark on them, and then send them back Monday. If the plan goes as continued, the cards will be mailed to Dad - the records will be released to him and then he can send them on to the correct people in Houston. While it may sound confusing - really, it's not - however, it is a blessing that we are here this during this time so we can not only receive the finger printing cards, but will be able to get them back to Texas in a short time. You could join us in praying that we would receive our visas quickly and that there is no other hold up in the process like getting these records has been.
Also, in November a new president will be elected to Guatemala. We'd ask you to pray for the elections themselves, and also pray that our visas would be processed before the change in leadership is put into effect in January.
Though we haven't been in school this week, we are in Guatemala, so we're using our spanish. Both of us have been able to tell an improvement, and we're both thankful that we have more school ahead of us.
Last night Lee had yet another blood test with really positive results, though his white blood cell and platelet count are not in the normal range yet - they're doing their best to get there. The doctor asked him to return again Thursday for another blood test. Though Lee feels just fine, the doctor has told him to rest for this week. Because of his white blood cell count being low he is more susceptible to infection to a secordary illness, and with the platelets being low, the doctor is worried about cuts and bruises that platelets would generally clot up. Being subjected to rest has been hard for Lee - he's trying to fight off boredom and restlessness.
We knew when we got here we'd have to start the hoop jumping process of getting visas. After we arrived we were told that we would need offical criminal records from the state we lived in for the past 5 years. Thankfully, we have only lived in one state, however, the state of Texas doesn't just give criminal records out. So, thanks to my Dad - he has been able to make arrangements to get our records released to him if he has our fingerprints. Sending and receiving mail is quite an issue here, however, there is a small team who will be here this Friday through Monday. Hopefully those fingerprint cards will arrive in Lubbock today, they'll fly down here on Friday, we'll put our mark on them, and then send them back Monday. If the plan goes as continued, the cards will be mailed to Dad - the records will be released to him and then he can send them on to the correct people in Houston. While it may sound confusing - really, it's not - however, it is a blessing that we are here this during this time so we can not only receive the finger printing cards, but will be able to get them back to Texas in a short time. You could join us in praying that we would receive our visas quickly and that there is no other hold up in the process like getting these records has been.
Also, in November a new president will be elected to Guatemala. We'd ask you to pray for the elections themselves, and also pray that our visas would be processed before the change in leadership is put into effect in January.
Though we haven't been in school this week, we are in Guatemala, so we're using our spanish. Both of us have been able to tell an improvement, and we're both thankful that we have more school ahead of us.
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Sunday Evening at the Children's Home...
Hello!
Just a little update for the evening.....
Last night Lee had another blood test done and it showed his levels begining to up! We are still here at the Children's Home for this week, waiting on Lee's white blood cell count and platlet count to come up. He is having some further reactions from the dengue - his hands and feet are red and he says it feels like he has a really bad sun burn on the palms of his hands and on his feet. He hasn't had to have medicine for a fever in a few days, which is good.
I'm just fine - over the amoeba thing.
That's all for now.
Staci & Lee
Just a little update for the evening.....
Last night Lee had another blood test done and it showed his levels begining to up! We are still here at the Children's Home for this week, waiting on Lee's white blood cell count and platlet count to come up. He is having some further reactions from the dengue - his hands and feet are red and he says it feels like he has a really bad sun burn on the palms of his hands and on his feet. He hasn't had to have medicine for a fever in a few days, which is good.
I'm just fine - over the amoeba thing.
That's all for now.
Staci & Lee
Friday, October 12, 2007
Tropical Weirdness Continues.....
Here's the "situation report"
Lee went back to the doctor today and it is confirmed that he has
dengue fever. His platelet count and white blood cell count is down.
Lee will have yet another blood test run tomorrow, not because of the
dengue - but because of what dengue has done to his blood level.
Today, though his white blood cells were low, were the same as they
were 2 days ago - his platelets were lower today then they were two
days ago.
Dengue generally takes 7-10 days to run it's course - that's great
news, as today is day 6. Today, his fever is much much better.
I was diagnosed with amoebas and an intestinal infection. Last night
I took the pills that should kill all amoebas within 24 hours - and
this morning I started taking Cipro- an antibiotic. Essentinally, the meds killed
all bacteria in me - I took a "good bacteria" pill to hopefully feel
better soon. I'm still having a lot of pain and nausea.
With that being said - we covet your prayers. We know we have asked
you all to pray for us a lot in the last week, thank you - thank you
for continuing to stand with us in this way.
We love ya'll,
Staci & Lee
Lee went back to the doctor today and it is confirmed that he has
dengue fever. His platelet count and white blood cell count is down.
Lee will have yet another blood test run tomorrow, not because of the
dengue - but because of what dengue has done to his blood level.
Today, though his white blood cells were low, were the same as they
were 2 days ago - his platelets were lower today then they were two
days ago.
Dengue generally takes 7-10 days to run it's course - that's great
news, as today is day 6. Today, his fever is much much better.
I was diagnosed with amoebas and an intestinal infection. Last night
I took the pills that should kill all amoebas within 24 hours - and
this morning I started taking Cipro- an antibiotic. Essentinally, the meds killed
all bacteria in me - I took a "good bacteria" pill to hopefully feel
better soon. I'm still having a lot of pain and nausea.
With that being said - we covet your prayers. We know we have asked
you all to pray for us a lot in the last week, thank you - thank you
for continuing to stand with us in this way.
We love ya'll,
Staci & Lee
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Thursday Evening...
Today I (Staci) had lab work done and a diagnosis was confirmed. So, I started meds this evening and I'm told I'll feel much better tomorrow night, yea!
Lee is feeling pretty well this evening - as planned, he's going back to the doctor tomorrow.
That's about all that we know for now - more later.
Lee is feeling pretty well this evening - as planned, he's going back to the doctor tomorrow.
That's about all that we know for now - more later.
Thurday Morning
Well, got up this morning and things are looking up some. both of us feel better but certainly aren't out of the woods yet. Both of still fighting symptoms and such. we're thankful to be with the Wheelers and to be taken well care of. Thanks for your continued prayers.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
"Being Guato-ed"
Last summer when I (Staci) was here with the WTAMU team, Rance started calling Guatemalan's "Guatos". All in love of course - if we are gringos - they can be guatos, right?
We have continued and taken it a bit futher, "being guato-ed" Lee is in his 4th day of fever - he's "being guato-ed". We left a day early for a long weekend at the children's home - and I started throwing up - I'm "being guato-ed".
To update you on Lee's health - he was seen by a doctor this evening and a blood test was completed. He has a few low counts but everything else was either normal or negative. We have a suspected diagnosis, but nothing confirmed. The doctor asked that Lee return to the office on Friday for another blood test.
I thought I was carsick today, but threw up 2 times afterward - I'm feeling pretty well right now.
If you want to know more particulars of our illnesses (really do you?) hit us with an email.
We'll blog again tomorrow...
We have continued and taken it a bit futher, "being guato-ed" Lee is in his 4th day of fever - he's "being guato-ed". We left a day early for a long weekend at the children's home - and I started throwing up - I'm "being guato-ed".
To update you on Lee's health - he was seen by a doctor this evening and a blood test was completed. He has a few low counts but everything else was either normal or negative. We have a suspected diagnosis, but nothing confirmed. The doctor asked that Lee return to the office on Friday for another blood test.
I thought I was carsick today, but threw up 2 times afterward - I'm feeling pretty well right now.
If you want to know more particulars of our illnesses (really do you?) hit us with an email.
We'll blog again tomorrow...
Update...
Yesterday we thought Lee was over the weird fever. His fever was gone last night, and he even felt like getting out to go to an internet cafe for a while. Not long after he went to bed, the fever returned.
I'm currently at the school while the administrator finds a doctor who can see Lee this morning. As soon as one is found, I'll go get Lee and we'll be off to the doctor.
When we can, we'll update the blog.
Staci
I'm currently at the school while the administrator finds a doctor who can see Lee this morning. As soon as one is found, I'll go get Lee and we'll be off to the doctor.
When we can, we'll update the blog.
Staci
Monday, October 8, 2007
So it's been a while...
Sorry that it's been a while since we've posted - this past week was very normal, very predictable - which isn't bad.
This Thursday we will leave after class for a long weekend at New Life Children's Home. We are excited to be with the kids, for a homework free weekend, and the possibility of watching a little american football. We will return to Antigua on Sunday afternoon.
We are now learning our 5th verb tense - our brains are looking forward to a day off of classes this Friday. We are also looking forward to being able to speak with the kids - this will be a real test as to how much we have really learned thus far.
Though we're not yet in the ministry that we came to Guatemala for, we have had several ministry opportunities with people from our school - please pray that the Lord would give us wisdom as to how reach these folks.
Also, if you would pray for Lee's physical health. Last night he had a headache and began running a fever, today the fever is worse and has yet to break. His fever is consistently at or above 101. He is taking medication and if not better by tomorrow we'll go to a doctor. He only remembers one other time having a fever this bad. He took a long nap today, but tossed and turned atleast every 15 minutes. Please pray that his body would rest tonight - that it would be healed. We're thankful that Wendy (the wife of the children's home director) is a nurse - she suggested a different medication that Lee will start at 8:30 this evening.
Ok, the knock of the door for dinner just happened so we'll end here.
Be Blessed...Lee and Staci
This Thursday we will leave after class for a long weekend at New Life Children's Home. We are excited to be with the kids, for a homework free weekend, and the possibility of watching a little american football. We will return to Antigua on Sunday afternoon.
We are now learning our 5th verb tense - our brains are looking forward to a day off of classes this Friday. We are also looking forward to being able to speak with the kids - this will be a real test as to how much we have really learned thus far.
Though we're not yet in the ministry that we came to Guatemala for, we have had several ministry opportunities with people from our school - please pray that the Lord would give us wisdom as to how reach these folks.
Also, if you would pray for Lee's physical health. Last night he had a headache and began running a fever, today the fever is worse and has yet to break. His fever is consistently at or above 101. He is taking medication and if not better by tomorrow we'll go to a doctor. He only remembers one other time having a fever this bad. He took a long nap today, but tossed and turned atleast every 15 minutes. Please pray that his body would rest tonight - that it would be healed. We're thankful that Wendy (the wife of the children's home director) is a nurse - she suggested a different medication that Lee will start at 8:30 this evening.
Ok, the knock of the door for dinner just happened so we'll end here.
Be Blessed...Lee and Staci
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