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Update #7 - Antigua

January 2nd - Antigua

Today we got to take a field trip to the beautiful city of Antigua. 







We toured a coffee plantation...

The nursery

Pick the red "cherries" only! The beans are inside the cherry casing.

Drying the beans

Raking the beans to ensure even drying



walked through a Jade museum...




watched ladies weaving...


walked through a chocolate museum...


shopped at a market...





and ate dinner at Pollo Campero.


During dinner, we had the honor to sit with one of the house parents (and bus driver) and his son, "M." We got to hear more of their life story and God's calling of their family to the orphanage.  During our time at the market, I felt that God wanted me to bless their three biological children with something from the market.  With the permission of their mother, the eldest son picked out a watch ($20ish).  Due to the cost, they did not let their other children get gifts because they felt it was too much.

I insisted that the 2nd son also get the watch he had been really wanting.  It was very difficult for the family to accept such a gift, but to us it was a blessing.

At dinner, "J" said he wanted to tell us something.  Last January, they told their 2 sons that if they passed to the next grade (they switch grades in January), he would buy them each a watch.  Well, they both passed with flying colors and "J" has been praying for God to provide the watches because he did not have the ability to buy them.  We felt so humbled to be used in such a small way to God for a big way for these boys.

An unexpected blessing of the trip was that Hannah's friendships with the other girls her age grew so much! <3






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