Summer vacation (Oct. - Jan.) is officially over and a new school year has begun.  Summer break in the States means going to the pool, 4^th of July picnics and fireworks, and family vacations.  Here at Hogar de Vida in Guatemala, summer break means swimming in the hot springs by the river, Christmas and New Year celebrations and family vacations. 

What's great about summer vacation is there's no strict schedule and we can be spontaneous at times.  It's a challenge with 30 children, but it's possible.  One cool morning, the staff decided that it would be fun to pack a lunch and take everyone to Agua Caliente.  Agua Caliente is a hot spring about 20 minutes away that feeds into a river.  All of 40 children plus staff piled into the van and the pick-up truck and headed to the river.  The ladies built a fire and cooked chicken noodle soup for lunch.  How fun for everyone to swim and relax in the warm water.

You can imagine that the excitement level at Christmas in a home with 30 kids is pretty high!  We celebrated the birth of our Lord Jesus on Christmas Eve.  First, Blanca (age 14) read the Christmas story.  Then we enjoyed a traditional North American Christmas dinner with turkey and all the fixings.  Then came the presents.  Thanks to Journey Christian Church in Rochester, NY, every child had a gift to open.  The joy on each child's face as they opened their gift was priceless! 

In January, all the kids, staff and a few extra adults loaded into a school bus for a three day vacation. First stop was the zoo in Guatemala City.  The kids really enjoyed seeing the different animals, with the monkeys and hippopotamuses leading the favorites list.  Then we headed to the coast for a day at the beach and a day at an awesome water park.  The kids had a great time and built great memories.  It's so fantastic and we are so thankful that we could give them this experience.

Now the swimsuits are put away and the uniforms and backpacks are out.  Time to go back to school.  Trips to Agua Caliente, Christmas gifts, and vacations are a special treat for the kids and not something all kids in Guatemala experience.  Attending school also falls in this category.  Education is a privilege and the kids in the home are blessed with this privilege through generous donations from people like you.  We would like to give those who've recently graduated the opportunity to continue their education past high school at a cost of $1,200.00 per year.   To send a student to college, send an email to info@homesoflife.organd a member of the Volunteer Support Team will contact you with further information.

At age 12, Julio's mom left home to work in far away Guatemala City, leaving Julio and his brothers Manuel, 10, and Santiago, 7, to fend for themselves.  Neighbors soon realized that the boys had been abandoned and notified the authorities who brought them to Hogar de Vida.  Living at the Home was a huge adjustment for Julio, who was accustomed to doing whatever he wanted.  He wandered the streets at will and lived with no rules.  At the Home, he felt confined, confused, and afraid, unable to understand what was happening.  But gradually, Julio came to realize that the people at Hogar de Vida loved him and would care for him.  They gave him food and Christmas gifts, and for the first time in his life he experienced unconditional love.

Julio (not Julio in Costa Rica) had attended church with a Christian Aunt and accepted Christ, but there was no change in his life.  He was just going through the motions.  At Hogar de Vida, he continued with going through the motions until he joined a year long Bible Study at the church and decided to surrender to God and truly serve him.

As a young boy, Julio's mom would send him to school, but most days he didn't arrive at school.  Because he rarely attended, he needed 7 years to get through 2^nd grade.  At the Home, daily school attendance was enforced and Julio began to enjoy learning.  Two years ago he decided to go to a special school where he could complete 5^th and 6^th grade in one year.  He succeeded, was promoted, and is now  in 8^th grade at age 17.  He takes his studies seriously and is working hard.

Julio's wants to finish high school and get a good job.  He wants to help his mom and bless her for taking care of him and his brothers when they were little.  Eventually, he would like to go to college.  For more information about helping young people like Julio achieve their dream of a college education, write to info@homesoflife.org and a member of the Volunteer Support Team will contact you.