Leaving Tomorrow

Dear Friends and Family,I leave for Guatemala City tomorrow. I'll be working with anorganization called Potter's House that is located right next to theGuatemala City Garbage Dump, which services the garbage of 90% (2000metric tons daily) of the cities garbage. It also serves as home toover 10,000 people and as office building to an additional 130,000people known to the locals as scavengers. These people battle throughthe stench and decomposing filth in order to find food as well asglass and aluminum to sell.In a country where over 50% of the people are considered below povertylevel, these people are considered poor by the poor.Potter's House offers relief through immediate aid (such as food andblankets), providing health care, through education, communitydevelopment, and finally through micro-financing which is where I'llbe working. (http://www.pottershouse.org.gt/)Their ultimate goal is to make the occupation of scavenger obsoleteproviding the job skills and resources necessary to move out of thedump.My specific jobs (from what I can gather) will be to instruct the fulltime staff how to use Excel, as well as to interview people in orderto determine if they are a good candidate for a micro-loan (forexample, lending a family $50 US dollars in order to allow them to buyleather with which to start a shoe store).It's hard to believe that I leave tomorrow. These past few weeks havealmost been surreal. The end of college, 2 days ago witnessing themarraige of a close friend, yesterday seeing another friend off to themarines, and saying goodbye to many more. And as the date ofdeparture draws within sight, I have no time to reflect as I attemptto push years of Spanish lessons, into a week long cram session with
lives who have probably struggled and suffered more than I ever haveand ever will. The closer to departure the more inadequate I feel.Who am I who hardly can even speak your language to help you? How canI even begin to understand the pain that you\'ve endured your wholelife? How can I stare you in the face knowing that I live on a lake,that I have a whole bedroom to myself back in the states, that I justsunk more money into my education then you will probably ever see inyour lifetime? How can I determine wheather you should or shouldn\'trecieve a loan that could save your life? But where I am weak theLord is strong, and he uses the weak to do his will. And he is theonly ultimate hope any of us have. So I will try to be humble, andnot insult anyone too badly with my Spanish ability. If you get achance I\'d love to hear how you are doing.Hasta Luego, and hopefully I\'ll see you in the fall,-EnochIn order to keep you updated and because my access to the Internetwill likely be limited, I\'ll be sending out periodic mass emails. Ifyou do not wish to receive these emails let me know. Also if you knowof anyone\'s email address who would like to receive them let me know.Things to Pray for:Wisdom in how to interact,Grace in my interactions,Safety in travel, from disease and from criminal activity",0]
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my final being to interact with real people. Real people with reallives who have probably struggled and suffered more than I ever haveand ever will. The closer to departure the more inadequate I feel.Who am I who hardly can even speak your language to help you? How canI even begin to understand the pain that you've endured your wholelife? How can I stare you in the face knowing that I live on a lake,that I have a whole bedroom to myself back in the states, that I justsunk more money into my education then you will probably ever see inyour lifetime? How can I determine wheather you should or shouldn'trecieve a loan that could save your life? But where I am weak theLord is strong, and he uses the weak to do his will. And he is theonly ultimate hope any of us have. So I will try to be humble, andnot insult anyone too badly with my Spanish ability. If you get achance I'd love to hear how you are doing.Hasta Luego, and hopefully I'll see you in the fall,-EnochIn order to keep you updated and because my access to the Internetwill likely be limited, I'll be sending out periodic mass emails. Ifyou do not wish to receive these emails let me know. Also if you knowof anyone's email address who would like to receive them let me know.Things to Pray for:Wisdom in how to interact,Grace in my interactions,Safety in travel, from disease and from criminal activity