To say it’s difficult to get the boys of Eliza Martinez organized is an understatement.
There’s constant fighting and competition which is understandable.
When you’re an orphan, nothing in an orphanage is yours. Everything’s communal.

So to see these boys come together and not only work and play together but to cheer on their own is, literally, nothing short of a miracle.

And you’re about to see it.
But more importantly, you’re about to hear it.
It’s the most beautiful sound.

The little boy on Wendy’s lap is Alex. Alex has cerebral palsy. His lower legs are so underdeveloped he walks around on his toes, teetering with every step. He also has to wear a diaper and doesn’t speak.

We brought two piñatas with us to Eliza Martinez. After the boys destroyed Luigi we brought out Spider-Man.
The staff lined up the special needs boys to let each of them get a swing at Spider-Man.

Alex is sitting on Wendy’s lap when one of the staffers comes over and grabs Alex.
It’s his turn to take a swing.

Based on past experience, I’d have expected the other boys to let Alex take a single swing then push him out of the way.
But that’s not what happened at all.

Instead, they chanted his name as he (tried to) pummel Spider-Man into submission.
I imagine a host of angels were cheering Alex on, too.

Therefore, I’ve put together a 360° panorama of Eliza Martinez (it’s actually closer to 400° as there is some overlap at the left and right edges of the image) from the view of the courtyard, where we seem to spend most of our time with the boys (when we’re outside).

Clicking on the image below should open the panorama in a new window. You may have to click it again to get it to show full size.

Those of you who like lists (I love lists, btw) will get a kick out of this post. Here’s our tentative itinerary for 1/21-1/25.

Thursday, 1/21

• 6:00am DELTA 5960 Indianapolis to Atlanta (track us for free at FlightAware), arrive at 7:38am local time
• 9:50am DELTA 693 Atlanta to Guatemala City (FlightAware), arrive at 12:20pm local time (gaining an hour)
• Afternoon – Up in the air at the moment. We have to do some grocery shopping for our Friday morning Compassion visit (which we may have time to do Friday morning). I believe we’re also going to try and visit the Buckner baby’s home.
• Evening – dinner at Casa Chapina, Cafe Sayul or NAIS Aquarium.

Friday, 1/22

• 7:30am-11:30am Wendy and I get to meet with Sammy, one of our sponsored Compassion children at his home, then Jody gets to meet with Miguel, one of her sponsored Compassion children in his home.
• Afternoon – Spend time with the boys at Eliza Martinez, starting day one of our three day life skills courses. We developed these in response to the regular needs boys learning some skills they’ll need to operate as productive citizens once they come of age and leave the orphanage.
• Evening – dinner at Casa Chapina, Cafe Sayul or NAIS Aquarium.

Saturday, 1/23

• Morning – possibly more time at the Buckner baby’s home
• Afternoon – more time at Eliza Martinez with our continuing life skills courses.
• Evening – dinner at Casa Chapina, Cafe Sayul or NAIS Aquarium.

Sunday, 1/24

• Morning – unplanned at the moment. This may end up being some much-needed downtime
• Afternoon – Our final day with the Eliza Martinez boys. We’ll be wrapping up our life skills courses and cooking lunch with the boys (spaghetti, garlic bread and salad). This will be a hoot!
• Evening – our final dinner in Guatemala for this trip. Undecided where we’ll go at this point.

Monday, 1/25

• Morning – packing and travel to the airport
• 1:50pm DELTA 692 Guatemala City to Atlanta (FlightAware), arrive at 6:25pm local time (losing an hour)
• 8:30pm DELTA 5949 Atlanta to Indianapolis (FlightAware), arrive at 10:07pm local time

We all have them.
Sometimes they’re in the back of the closet.
Sometimes they’re in a container of some kind, stuffed away.
Forgotten about.
Until you’re looking for something else, something of value, and you happen upon them.
And even then, you typically push aside the less valuable to obtain the more valuable.
Shove the old shoes to the back of the closet.
And forget about them again.

Welcome to the world of the boys of Eliza Martinez.
They are, truly, the least of “the least of these.”
Just like old shoes, they are shoved in a box and put away, hoping they’ll stay out of the way, quiet.

Which is why I simply can’t get them off my mind.
They are the unlovable, unloved detritus of Guatemalan society.
Boys with mental issues, emotional issues, physical issues, and everything else you can think of.

While we were visiting Eliza Martinez, Horaldo became unnerved to the point that he began to cry and wield a rock like a weapon.
Horaldo has some problems with his mind.
But I also saw his episode as Guatemala’s leftovers rising up to be heard.
Believe me, when I saw the rock in his hand, he had my full attention.
And it made me ask the question..
When’s the last time we stood up with a rock in our hand to tell the world about places like Eliza Martinez?
Because I’m quite confident that, if Jesus were flesh and blood today, He would be standing with a rock in his hand, saying…
”What you are not doing for them, you’re not doing for me.”
And I just can’t sit idly by knowing the forgotten have no voice.
Because, you see, even if we don’t do something…
the rocks will cry out.

Below is a shot from inside the Eliza Martinez teen boy’s home looking out into their courtyard. This is what they see day every day. (click for full sized image)

My first day saw boys being tentative but still outgoing when talking to me. They’d come up, tap me on the shoulder, then say “hola” and want a hug.

Today they got more comfortable. I’d be standing talking to or playing with some of the boys and I’d feel an arm slide under mine for a hug. I didn’t need to see the face. I’d just start squeezing then look over to see who’d snuck up on me.

These kids are just like your kids and mine. They need love. They are beautiful people with varied and wonderful personalities.

Which brings me to Horaldo.

Horaldo is a unique snowflake.

What you’re about to see is a brief outtake in Horaldo’s life. But let me tell you. If you live with Horaldo, you get this all the time. And it never gets old.