Our First Pool Day

My mother is the best bargain shopper. She has me in training right now. Part of the practicum involved a trip to Target to find these wonderful new inflatable pools for a price that felt like I was stealing.

So, here are the older kids enjoying their first pool day at the daycare.

Bryan wasn't exactly sure about having little girls for pool day.

Of course, the girls were not too sure, either.

But it did not take them long to get the idea and enjoy the time.

The five-year-olds had a blast the entire time they were allowed to play.

Flower Pots for the Teachers

The day I had planned to make the flower pots for the teachers, I arrived to class to this lovely view of gifts for me.

The teens making pipe cleaner flowers.

The kids showing off their decorated cups.

What a lovely shade of lipstick! Is that "Washable Crayola" brand?!? I hope so...

Filling their cups with dirt (well, mostly small pebbles).

The finished products to give to their teachers.

Independence Day in September

My work crew for the day, Evelyn making sandwiches in the kitchen while these four handed out the food and drinks.

We really could not have made it throughout the day without Josue. His help was priceless.
Seriously, though, he went to an all-night church vigil and did not get any sleep until he got to Mololoa.

It doesn´t get much better than...

peanut butter and jelly sandwiches,

bananas,

and chips.





When Josue did get his rest, there was no tearing him away from the soccer field.

Anybody recognize the shirt?

Day of the Child at the daycare

School Scholarship Program

Dear Friends of Mololoa,

Thank you for your donations to supply our children with the necessary items for their schooling. Through all of your support more than 100 students ranging from Kindergarten to college, were assisted in having all of their supplies and/or uniform purchased. One pre-1st class and one Kindergarten class (who meet in a building in Mololoa) received uniforms. All of this was able to happen because of your generous financial donations.

Normally, $50 will cover the needs of one child. Thanks to God directing us to sales, we were able to spread the financial donations out to benefit more children. It was incredible (only through the work of the Lord) that every single item we purchased was on discount--uniforms, shoes, backpacks, and all school supplies. Some of the items were up to 75% marked down.

Because of the sales, I purchased in bulk instead of breaking down the receipts into individual kids or families (like I have done in the past few years). So, to be able to send copies of receipts and break down exact amounts spent on each child would be days of work for me. For this reason, I did not make the same information packets like the supporters have received in the past.

Instead of matching each sponsor with children, all of the money was pooled together so that everyone had a part in the educational supplies of all of these students. All of the individuals who donated should have heard from me personally by now through snail mail (please let me know if you have not). For those of you who sent money for specific students, be assurred that they have been provided for.

Many of the sponsored children are pictured below. Unfortunately, for the others, I neglected to have my camera available to get photos. Those shown are grouped as families with their names and grade levels listed.

If you need any type of additional information, I am more than happy to help. I do have all of the original receipts and will be happy to show them to any of the donors who has the desire to review the spendings. If you would like to keep in contact with a sponsored child, feel free to send English letters to my E-mail address for me to translate and deliver.

As always, we need your prayers. For the students, please be praying for their physical, educational, mental, and spiritual lives. And thank you, once again, for loving these wonderful children and allowing them to have this chance to enrich their minds.

Dios les bendiga,

Jennifer M. Arnold Salgado

jmarnold.tmp@gmail.com

One-third of the Pre-school students to receive uniforms

*************************************************************************************

Marcotulio, 3rd grade & Erick, 5th grade

Carmen, 6th grade & Carlos Enrique, 4th grade

*************************************************************************************

Nataniel, 1st grade

************************************************************************************

Cristian Zelaya, 3rd grade
*************************************************************************************
Roni, 1st grade & Tania, 3rd grade
*************************************************************************************

Natalia, 2nd grade

*************************************************************************************

Selena, 6th grade & Ronal, 1st curso (1st year of high school)
************************************************************************************

Rosa, 5th grade
************************************************************************************

Maria Virginia, 1st grade

Sintia Carolina, 1st grade
*************************************************************************************

Maria Jose & Maria Fernanda, 3rd grade
************************************************************************************

Marcos, 4th grade
*************************************************************************************

Junior Cruz, 3rd curso (3rd year of high school)

*************************************************************************************

Erica, 3rd grade & Cristian Aguilar, 5th grade

Josue Aguilar, 1st curso (1st year of high school)

************************************************************************************

Johana, 1st curso (1st year of high school)

Bryan Lopez, University Education classes
************************************************************************************

Linda, 1st grade

Melissa & Leonardo, 1st grade
************************************************************************************

Cindy Velasquez, 3rd grade

Hector, 4th grade & Oscar, 5th grade

Wendy Velasquez, 6th grade
************************************************************************************

Cristian, Pre-1st

Kelvin, 3rd grade
*************************************************************************************

Elvin, 3rd grade & Junior, 1st grade
*************************************************************************************

Bryan Bueso, Pre-1st

Velki, 2nd grade

Friend of family Wendy Sanchez, 3rd grade with Lesbi, 3rd grade

*************************************************************************************

Samuel, Kindergarten

Josue Ayestas, 1st grade

Carlos Ayestas, 3rd grade
*************************************************************************************

Nicol, 4th grade & Cherli, 2nd grade

Delmer, 1st curso (1st year of high school)
*************************************************************************************

Alexander, 1st grade & Walter, Kindergarten
*************************************************************************************

Fernando Lopez, 1st grade

Wendy Lopez, University Education classes

*************************************************************************************

Franci, 1st grade

Keren, 3rd grade

Eliza, 6th grade

Guadalupe, University Education classes

Work in Guatemala

Josue was in Guatemala a few days before I arrived, but we never lacked for the ability to make new friends from West Virginia, Tennessee, and Connecticut. Here are pictures of the "camera shy" Josue and some of our new friends.

And of course, there are many more new friends. Here is a picture of the entire group of Bob.

Besides American friends, all of us in the group were touched by at least one (but usually several) child who holds that special place in our hearts. Below are pictures of the children who live on the compound where we were housed...Pablo, Vivi, Josue, Cristofer.

A great deal of work was done to glorify the Lord. One of the projects included building a concrete block house for this family.

While Josue stayed busy at the house site, I and many others found ourselves surrounded by more than a hundred children for a week-long VBS. It was a wonderful time of learning and bonding.

On the last day working at the church (where we not only had VBS but did construction work, also), the leaders of the church honored us with costly gifts of fabric. The designs and handiwork of the fabrics were incredible to see the entire time we were in Guatemala. The dresses of the women and little girls were so beautiful.

But, not all was work. We had some free time that was spent in two different popular cities in Guatemala. Here are pictures of the beautiful Lake Atitlan were we took two memorable boat rides from the coast to where we stayed at the foot of several volcanos surrounded by water.

I have always enjoyed worship services outside on a pretty day. We were constantly reminded of the beauty by the hand of God while we fellowshiped.

Before we left the area of Lake Atitlan, we participated in a dedication of some homes that were recently constructed. It was heart-warming to see the gratitude of these families.

Another breath-taking city was that of Antigua, Guatemala. The architecture was amazing. And even though I cannot name the use of every building in the pictures, the details of laborers are worth putting for you to view.

Thanks to you all!

The summer groups always energize me and remind me of the passion that God instilled in me. I am so happy to see them come and get to see old friends and meet new people. And the work that is done for the community can never be repaid. Especially here in Mololoa, we can't say thank you enough for the work that Keith Boyer's group has contributed.

Here are pictures of some of the faithful that never forget this humble community.