An Eagle Project not to be forgotten

Our trip to Guatemala all started out as a small dream last summer. Somehow elaborate trips and ideas are always formed when we are together with the Frye family. The ideas usually don't ever happen.  For example, after 2 years I'm still waiting for my huge road trip in a 15 passenger van with the 13 of us, but that may never happen! Julie and I kept talking about our trip and somehow we pulled it off. For me being in Guatemala was better than our little dream we formed late one night last summer. 

Jake needed an Eagle Project and what better thing to do than help people who have nothing? I'm proud of this 17 year old. I have been lucky enough to watch him grow-up into the young man he is today since I was his student teacher in the second grade. With the help of many he took a dream and created a plan to help and forever change many families of Guatemala for generations to come.

Imagine having to wash your clothes by hand in the same "sink" you wash your hands, clean up, brush your teeth and get your drinking water. This mom has 3 young girls. One Little Miss changed her clothes 3 times in the afternoon we were there! I'm pretty sure all she has time for is cooking meals and scrubbing clothes!

Jake raised and collected money for a washing machine for this family before we left for Guatemala. All the Aunts and one day cousins will continue to use this washing machine for years to come and think of Jake with gratitude for his service. The endless hours of scrubbing dirty clothes with bars of soap are over and now they can focus their energy on other things.

The men worked hard installing the washer.

All these girls were more than excited to see this machine work. They quickly ran to their mother/aunt scooped up the clothes she was washing and took it to the washing machine to start the first load of laundry.

Damon had to translate as I told them how you wash laundry in a washing machine. I remembered how my mom taught me how to sort the colors, add the soap, start the water and then add the clothes. Something so simple yet something they have never had to learn and do.

The girls could not believe it. They just smiled and smiled as they watched the machine work and wash their clothes through the glass. The joy on their faces was priceless.

This sweet little girl kissed the machine and watched her clothes being washed for a good 5 minutes in awe.

The first load of laundry hanging up fresh and clean drying in the sunlight.

The washing machine was only the first step of the project. Next, a new section of a roof, lights in the kitchen and bathroom and a finished shower. We went to the local "Home Depot" or hardware store. The tools and supplies around the store looked to have been there since Damon served his mission. One thing about Guatemala is everything takes forever! The simplest things seem to have a process that adds a 10 minute stop in the US into an hour stop in Guatemala. No one is in a hurry and we all had to learn to slow down, relax and enjoy the process.

All the hard work of shopping made us thirsty to get our cold cokes. Sadly, Guatemala does not have Coca cola Light in a glass bottle anymore but it's still yummy. The little convenient stores are call Tiendas. You have to wait around and drink your coke right there and give them the glass bottles back so they can get refilled. If you don't want to wait and drink your coke right then you could get it to go in a sandwich bag with a straw. Needless to say we were never in a hurry and enjoyed each ice cold coke in the sturdy glass bottles not a hot messy plastic bag!

If you notice the washing machine is in the left corner and Jessica is standing on her sink! It's nice having Damon around and his height to fix the wires as we added electricity and light to the bathroom and kitchen.  

Jake worked hard adding more block around a shower so the chickens wouldn't fly in from the top while taking a shower! It was funny to watch as the bricks were being places and their chickens were getting locked out of the shower.

Most everything these people have is a necessity. Decorations and pretty new items aren't something any of these family members have money for. However, with Julie and I there we couldn't have them put up the old sheet shower curtain they once had. Instead we took Jessica shopping and she happily picked out this brand new shower curtain for her family.

Out of all the crazy ideas and trips we plan with the Frye family I am glad that our Guatemala trip was the one to happen this summer. We can always go on the crazy road trip in a 15 passenger van. I will be forever grateful for the time we shared with these deserving families in Guatemala.