Bad Guatemalan Karma

I don´t even know where to begin. This past week has been the WORST karma that I have ever experienced in my life. (When I say karma I guess I don´t really know exactly if I believe in karma, but this has definitely been the worst train of events to happen seguidos, EVER.)

It all started with our Director of Finances in the St. Paul office, Kathleen, dying of cancer. We knew it was coming, but it was just SO fast and SO sad. This week we had a celebration of her life in Guatemala. Weighing.

Wednesday I translated a sponsorship visit where an un-born baby had died at 7 months, and the funeral procession INTO the house with the tiny white frilly casket happened WHILE we were there for the sponsorship visit. The poor father carrying the casket had tears streaming down his face.

Sunday night, Titus Goodew, a classmate from high school, committed suicide in Brainerd. He was always happy, go-lucky, and succeeding in everything he did. He loved to run, and was a really smart kid with a beautiful girlfriend. He left no reason for his suicide, just a video telling his family and loved ones how much he loved them. He called his girlfriend, told her to call the police, and then shot himself.

The mother of Silvia, one of the operations ladies here at the foundation, also died this week. So between that and Kathleen´s death, the atmosphere at work has been a little down.

On Tuesday, one of the trainers in the gym that I attend was shot and killed. In my neighborhood. At 21 years old. Luckily for us and the safety of Santa Ana, it was an inside job, and he was involved in some stuff, but still. The atmosphere of the gym all week was depressing.

Yesterday Rocio´s uncle died in Mexico. Accident with machinery at work. (Rocio is another compañera/friend at work)

Today, Rui´s dog got hit by a car. Still alive, thank God, but at the vet, condition unsure.

Also today, Caroline´s (and all of ours, really,) friend Carlos got in a car accident. I guess he is ok, but still in the hospital.

And its only 3pm on Friday. What else is going to happen this week? It´s scary. I am usually not a superstitious person, but this is just creepily eery. WHY all these deaths and accidents, and why all in a span of like 10 days??? Everyone please be careful. I know we are all taking extra precautions around here. Really. You can never be too careful.

Advertising!

You may have caught in the below post that I am coming home February 27th. Vhaat, you might ask, vhy iz diis? (Well, ok, really, only KARSTEN might ask that, and the rest of you might ask, *whaat, why is this?*)

Anyways. I am coming home for a week in March for the Marty Haugen concert on March 5th. And I need to think of ways to advertise for it. Maybe I can set up a stand at Culver´s when I am home during the week before the concert.

(Just kidding.) But if anybody has any ideas how to get more publicity for the event, please please speak up. My Dad is in charge of planning and coordinating it, and he has been working very hard. We want lots and lots of people to come!

Just in case you´re wondering what it is, let me enlighten you. Marty Haugen and Mike Joncas, two wonderful (and famous) liturgical musicians are coming to Brainerd to do a joint Catholic-Lutheran liturgical music workshop and concert. For those of you who live in the cities and have had the pleasure of attending a ¨Marty Haugen and friends concert¨ or a ¨David Haas and friends concert¨, this is exactly what that is. Only in Brainerd. It is going to be excellent. So, if you currently live in Brainerd, please tell your friends and parents and church congregations and anyone who would be interested! (This is me publicizing, from Guatemala) Yes, I know, I do what I can.

But in all seriousness, we really want people to come; as it is going to be an excellent event. For more information, contact me. Brianna.jensen7@gmail.com. Or my father Jerry. Or my mother Sandy. Or my sister Karsten.

And, hey, if you ever want classical music for a wedding or special event, check out our website at http://www.grace-notes.us/.

And, if you ever need counseling, psychotherapy, or programs to enhance focus and attention (without medication) please visit my parent´s website at http://www.cedarbrook.us/.

(Just throwing in all the advertising I can fit into one post) (If anyone else needs to advertise something, just let me know, because I am SURE that my blog is the most highly-visited site that you will be able to find).

:)

News from the past week (or two)

Last Wednesday: A team of us from Antigua went to our satellite site, San Rafael, which is the indigenous community about 40 minutes away, to hand out school supplies. Although it is only a 4o minute drive, it feels like you´re going back 40 years in time (at least). I have written about San Rafael before, so some of you might be familiar with the level of poverty we witness out there. I absolutely love going to San Rafael, however, because although it is emotionally exhausting, it always reminds me of what we are doing in Guatemala and why it is important to me. Above: Part of our San Rafael-school-supply team, on snack break in the school kitchen. (Yes, that is the school kitchen)

Wednesday was one of the happier days in San Rafael; we handed out school supplies to about 500 (estimate) children who attend the public school. Each year, Common Hope hands out bags of school supplies to all affiliated children at the beginning of the school year. (January)
In San Rafael, however, there´s so much need, that ALL of the school children, affiliated or not, get school supplies from Common Hope.Above: Two students on the streets of San Rafael with their new bags of school supplies

Sunday: Gave a tour of Common Hope to the 20-some study-abroad-ers from CSB/SJU. They are currently on the same program that I was on 2 years ago, (wow has it really been 2 years since I first was in Guatemala? I can´t believe it) anyways, they are stationed in Xela, and toured Antigua for the weekend. It was SO FUN to have them here--as soon as I announced, ¨I am a Bennie, I graduated in May, AND I was on the Xela program in 2009, so I basically am you guys-- just 2 years older¨, they all were so excited. At the end of the tour, I told them: ¨I know there will be at least one of you guys who leave this program in love with Guatemala like I did; so if that person is you, please consider coming back--and definitely check out Common Hope.¨ They were all very impressed with the information and tour of Common Hope, so I can only hope I have created some ambassadors. (They were also excited by the strength of the Bennie/Johnnie-Common Hope connection) It was a great afternoon spent with fellow Bennies and Johnnies, and I can´t wait to go visit them in Xela!

Other news: 1) I now have a team arriving before April! This is a good thing, because if not, I would have made 2 trips home to the states before I even had ONE vision team. (Strange)However, not anymore! Now a team has been handed over to me in February, so I am so excited to be back to my actual job down here. Feb. 19th through the 26th they are here. (Eek, they leave one day before I fly home!) However, it makes the month of February a lot more bearable, at least having something to throw my efforts into besides job hunting. (Which can be quite despairing, knowing that job positions that are open in Minneapolis NOW probably won´t be available in June or July, when I actually need them)

2) Other exciting news: Karsten has announced that I officially will be able to live with her, starting August 1st!! This is EXCELLENT news, for a couple reasons: 1) She´s my sister and I love her, 2) Zee house iz exxxx-cellent, 3) I have a place with extremely cheap rent to live in while I work at said unknown job, and 4) I will officially be living in Minneapolis, close to all my friends and big-city action. Score. I am so very excited about this stable factor in my life--though I have no idea where I´ll be working, or how I´m going to pay off all my loans, or afford a car, or even afford a plane ticket HOME in June, for goodness sakes, at least I have one sure thing in my life: A home in Minneapolis, with cheap rent. Yessss. Now on with the job search!

Photo of the week

I took this photo at the elementary school that we work in in San Rafael, Guatemala. The little girl pictured is sitting at her desk in a pre-school classroom.

How does this classroom differ from U.S. pre-school rooms?

This little girl, Cindy Carolay Hernández, is 4 years old.

Her hard life has made her look like she´s 7.

This is real life.