Greetings.
This morning we got up a little bit early. We had to pack up and get ready to leave to Antigua at around 10:00. We learned that very early this morning Crystal, Josh, and Jordan had been really sick. As a result, when they got up this morning they weren’t feeling well at all.
We received news that the van would be late, so a few of us went shopping in tactic. There were still things that we wanted to buy and had not got a chance to buy earlier. We spent about half an hour finding the stores and merchandise we wanted, and then headed back to the guest houses. The other group had been at the guest houses tanning on the roof.
After we loaded all our bags into the van, we set off. We took two vans and quarantined the sick people in one. We drove for about three hours before arriving at Polo Campero’s for lunch. After lunch we kept on traveling for about another hour through Guatemala city. We stopped at a Fuego College where we learned about a program for those who would like to do both missions work and university at the same time. We were shown around the area and told what it is like to live there. It was great to learn about opportunities that we had not previously known about.
We traveled into Antigua and found our hotel. We’re the only ones staying in this small hotel (it has only nine rooms). We settled in a little bit, and then went to find supper. We walked to a small restaurant where no one was eating. I found it odd that there were so many places to eat, but no people eating there. After we ate, the sick people went back to the hotel while we went to look at the old capital building. On the way we stopped for ice cream at “Sarita’s”. Les described the history of the buildings and convents that were around it. We also walked through a quaint hotel where some Guatemalan men were playing a marimba. The music that they were making was beautiful.
On the way back to the hotel, we stopped for a long group meeting in a courtyard. Les explained to us about reverse culture shock and a couple of the leaders shared about their experiences with it. It sounds like we’ll all get a bit of it, which I’m not looking forward to at all.
Most of us are doing well so far. Although Crystal, Josh, and Jordan still don’t feel really well, we’re hoping that whatever made them sick has passed over the rest of us. Keep us in your prayers.
God bless.
Submitted by Kristi
4/18/08
4/16/08
April 16
Greetings!
Today we got up early to do a devotion at Micuan and Poululau. We worshiped with the children and participated in the activities. We formed a line at the front of the school and the grade one children prayed for us. Les translated the prayer, and the words were really meaningful to us. We learned a bit about what had happened as the school was being built. Some of the history was amazing because God had really been working to have the school built.
After finishing the devotion, we went to Pumbach to do more children’s ministry there. Yesterday the children were shy and weren’t sure if they could trust us. However, today they were open and wanted to shake our hands and play with us. I learned today that the children hadn’t ever really seen white people before: the only ones they had met were the ministry workers who had come up before. They were intrigued because of our different hair colors. Our hair is all different colors, while the children at Pumbach have mostly black or very dark hair. We stayed in Pumbach until lunch time and had a great time with the kids. We did coloring, face painting, paper crafts, and soccer with the children. They really enjoyed being with us and learning about Jesus. When we finished children’s ministries, some of our group went to see the medical clinic in Pumbach.
We went to Les’ house for lunch and had tortillas, meat, and cabbage. All of us were hungry and the food was delicious. We weren’t sure what we were going to do after lunch because there were a few options. We decided to work for a while moving dirt to build the school in Tactic. It was a cloudy day, which meant that we didn’t get as hot as the first day. After working for a while, we went shopping at the stores in Tactic. Some of us wanted to buy machetes and others wanted to buy Guatemalan shirts and soccer jerseys. We came back to the guest houses successful.
We went to Les’ house for supper. It was our last meal, so the teachers all served us and also washed the dishes. It was good to have a break, as we had been doing all the dishes. After this we had some time to relax with the others in our group. We also had a time of prayer and worship at the end of the day. We shared some of the moments from the trip so far that were meaningful, and discussed other feelings that we had. It was good to get different opinions from everyone in our group.
Mostly everyone is doing well so far. We’re really learning a lot and growing as a team. Amanda and Jordan are still feeling a little bit down from their colds, and a leader, Karen, is also a little bit sick.
God bless.
Submitted by Kristi
Today we got up early to do a devotion at Micuan and Poululau. We worshiped with the children and participated in the activities. We formed a line at the front of the school and the grade one children prayed for us. Les translated the prayer, and the words were really meaningful to us. We learned a bit about what had happened as the school was being built. Some of the history was amazing because God had really been working to have the school built.
After finishing the devotion, we went to Pumbach to do more children’s ministry there. Yesterday the children were shy and weren’t sure if they could trust us. However, today they were open and wanted to shake our hands and play with us. I learned today that the children hadn’t ever really seen white people before: the only ones they had met were the ministry workers who had come up before. They were intrigued because of our different hair colors. Our hair is all different colors, while the children at Pumbach have mostly black or very dark hair. We stayed in Pumbach until lunch time and had a great time with the kids. We did coloring, face painting, paper crafts, and soccer with the children. They really enjoyed being with us and learning about Jesus. When we finished children’s ministries, some of our group went to see the medical clinic in Pumbach.
We went to Les’ house for lunch and had tortillas, meat, and cabbage. All of us were hungry and the food was delicious. We weren’t sure what we were going to do after lunch because there were a few options. We decided to work for a while moving dirt to build the school in Tactic. It was a cloudy day, which meant that we didn’t get as hot as the first day. After working for a while, we went shopping at the stores in Tactic. Some of us wanted to buy machetes and others wanted to buy Guatemalan shirts and soccer jerseys. We came back to the guest houses successful.
We went to Les’ house for supper. It was our last meal, so the teachers all served us and also washed the dishes. It was good to have a break, as we had been doing all the dishes. After this we had some time to relax with the others in our group. We also had a time of prayer and worship at the end of the day. We shared some of the moments from the trip so far that were meaningful, and discussed other feelings that we had. It was good to get different opinions from everyone in our group.
Mostly everyone is doing well so far. We’re really learning a lot and growing as a team. Amanda and Jordan are still feeling a little bit down from their colds, and a leader, Karen, is also a little bit sick.
God bless.
Submitted by Kristi
April 15
Greetings.
This morning we got up early to do devotions at Berseba. We worshiped with the children, and then came back to the devotions to have breakfast. After we ate, we went back to Berseba to serve breakfast. The children in Guatemala often don’t have more than one meal a day, so when they come to a school like this they get breakfast. For some of the kids, this is one of the only meals they get that day. We gave them tortillas with cabbage and parmesan, and also a rice drink. They were really excited that we were there with them.
After this we went up to Pumbach to do children’s ministry. In Pumbach, the Guatemalan people don’t trust others that easily because of their past. Years ago, the Guatemalan police came into Pumbach and shot all the men, which was a traumatizing experience. Also, there has been rumours about the Canadians that come to minister to them. One is that they will come and take the children, and turn them into soap in Canada. Another is that we will take pictures of the children who’s organs are most desirable to us, and then kidnap the children to harvest their organs. In Pumbach we couldn’t take pictures because of this.
We did crafts with the children and did face painting as well. They really enjoyed doing crafts, except that they didn’t understand that they couldn’t fill their pockets with the things they were using. They took as many stickers as possible, and the little girls filled their pockets with beads. We tried to regulate it, but it wasn’t easy.
When we came back, we went to Les’ house for dinner. After eating, we went back to the work site where Impact Ministries is building their school and medical center. We started to dig apart the hill again and moved a lot of dirt. After all the rain, it had softened up a lot and was easier to pick-axe apart.
After working we went to Carlos and Emelda’s house for tayullos and arroz y leche. Zaak and Emelda taught us how to make tayullos. It was fun to learn how to make the dough into circles, put cheese into it, and then pat it closed. Some of the group was frustrated because it was difficult to make the tayullos correctly without making cracks in the corn dough.
When we finished the tayullos we came back to the guest houses. We’re all really tired and Amanda and Jordan have caught colds. Other than this we’re all doing pretty well.
God bless!
Submitted by Kristi
This morning we got up early to do devotions at Berseba. We worshiped with the children, and then came back to the devotions to have breakfast. After we ate, we went back to Berseba to serve breakfast. The children in Guatemala often don’t have more than one meal a day, so when they come to a school like this they get breakfast. For some of the kids, this is one of the only meals they get that day. We gave them tortillas with cabbage and parmesan, and also a rice drink. They were really excited that we were there with them.
After this we went up to Pumbach to do children’s ministry. In Pumbach, the Guatemalan people don’t trust others that easily because of their past. Years ago, the Guatemalan police came into Pumbach and shot all the men, which was a traumatizing experience. Also, there has been rumours about the Canadians that come to minister to them. One is that they will come and take the children, and turn them into soap in Canada. Another is that we will take pictures of the children who’s organs are most desirable to us, and then kidnap the children to harvest their organs. In Pumbach we couldn’t take pictures because of this.
We did crafts with the children and did face painting as well. They really enjoyed doing crafts, except that they didn’t understand that they couldn’t fill their pockets with the things they were using. They took as many stickers as possible, and the little girls filled their pockets with beads. We tried to regulate it, but it wasn’t easy.
When we came back, we went to Les’ house for dinner. After eating, we went back to the work site where Impact Ministries is building their school and medical center. We started to dig apart the hill again and moved a lot of dirt. After all the rain, it had softened up a lot and was easier to pick-axe apart.
After working we went to Carlos and Emelda’s house for tayullos and arroz y leche. Zaak and Emelda taught us how to make tayullos. It was fun to learn how to make the dough into circles, put cheese into it, and then pat it closed. Some of the group was frustrated because it was difficult to make the tayullos correctly without making cracks in the corn dough.
When we finished the tayullos we came back to the guest houses. We’re all really tired and Amanda and Jordan have caught colds. Other than this we’re all doing pretty well.
God bless!
Submitted by Kristi
4/14/08
April 14
Greetings!
This morning we went to the Chichoy school to participate in devotions. The children were really excited that we were there. We sang and after that they prayed for us. Before they ate breakfast, we formed a line and each child came to hug us. It was really sweet.
We then went to the Marcos caves. We each got helmets with lights and rubber boots. We walked up a hill for a while until we got to the entrance of the cave. For those who were claustrophobic, it seemed to be quite a stretch. When we got to the end of the cave, we stopped and worshiped for a while. That part of the cave is a “sanctuary” which is similar to the sink hole. People come to meditate in the darkness.
We went for dinner at Polo Campero’s, which is a Guatemalan fast food restaurant. We needed to have a good meal before facing the hospital and the things we would see there. We went to the hospital and Zaak gave us a short talk about what we would see there and how the people would act towards us. Guatemalans have a fear of hospitals. When they are sick, they avoid the hospitals as long as possible because they think that they are a place to die. This turns into a vicious cycle because when they finally come to the hospital, they are extremely sick and then they do die. The other Poccumchi people hear that others have died, and they don’t want to go to the hospitals either. The cycle keeps on going, which is really sad.
We saw a lot of really sick people at the hospital. Some of them were getting better, like the children who had appendicitis or broken legs or arms. However, we also saw some kids who were very close to death. We asked them if we could pray for them, and every person gladly accepted it. I think that the hospital had a huge impact on us. Although we saw things that were hard to accept after living in Canada, we also gave the people hope. After the hospital we came back to the guest houses for a while and then went to Les’ for supper. We had a delicious meal of rice and chicken, and then had a time of worship and sharing. We’re all doing well. Although we’re somewhat tired, we are definitely enjoying all the new experiences that we are going through. Thank you for keeping us in your prayers.God bless!
Submitted by Kristi
April 13
Greetings!
This morning we got up later than usual so we could be ready for the activity to start at 9:15. We were put into groups of four or five to go shopping in the market. Our groups were given a Q100 bill and a list of the fruits, vegetables, and other things that we had to buy for Carmella to cook with. It was an interesting experience to try and communicate with the Guatemalans because although most of them spoke Spanish, some of them spoke Poccumchi. After this we went for ice cream.
After eating lunch at Les’ house, we went to a coffee plantation. We drove up a road that went along a ledge on a cliff. It was a really long way down, and the road was extremely narrow and bumpy. In some parts, half of the road was higher than the other half, so it would feel like we were about to go over the edge.
At the coffee plantation, Zaak gave us a tour. We saw where the beans were put into the machines, and how the husks were beaten off. Water runs through the whole plantation. It was really interesting to learn all the steps involved in preparing coffee beans.
We then went to a church service at the school. Once again, the worship was amazing. The singing was extremely loud for the 200 people that were there. Kaitlyn, Mark, Chelsea, and I shared some scripture with the people who were there. The message was really intense. Rita shared the sermon, and we had some of it translated by Les to us. At the end of the sermon, there was an invitation to become Christians and lots of people who had been touched by the sermon went up.
After this we went straight to Les’ house for supper. After we ate, we had a surprise party for Ryan M., Ryan C., and Ever. In Guatemala, the tradition is that the ones who are a year older have to take the first bite of the cake. There is also a tradition that includes setting off firecrackers. Each of us got a firecracker and Johnny (Les’ son) lit them for us. It was extremely loud, and some of the pieces of firecracker hit us in the ankles.
Everyone’s doing pretty well. Amanda is much better from her heat exhaustion. However, I gashed my foot open on a pipe while walking down the street.
God Bless.
Submitted by Kristi
This morning we got up later than usual so we could be ready for the activity to start at 9:15. We were put into groups of four or five to go shopping in the market. Our groups were given a Q100 bill and a list of the fruits, vegetables, and other things that we had to buy for Carmella to cook with. It was an interesting experience to try and communicate with the Guatemalans because although most of them spoke Spanish, some of them spoke Poccumchi. After this we went for ice cream.
After eating lunch at Les’ house, we went to a coffee plantation. We drove up a road that went along a ledge on a cliff. It was a really long way down, and the road was extremely narrow and bumpy. In some parts, half of the road was higher than the other half, so it would feel like we were about to go over the edge.
At the coffee plantation, Zaak gave us a tour. We saw where the beans were put into the machines, and how the husks were beaten off. Water runs through the whole plantation. It was really interesting to learn all the steps involved in preparing coffee beans.
We then went to a church service at the school. Once again, the worship was amazing. The singing was extremely loud for the 200 people that were there. Kaitlyn, Mark, Chelsea, and I shared some scripture with the people who were there. The message was really intense. Rita shared the sermon, and we had some of it translated by Les to us. At the end of the sermon, there was an invitation to become Christians and lots of people who had been touched by the sermon went up.
After this we went straight to Les’ house for supper. After we ate, we had a surprise party for Ryan M., Ryan C., and Ever. In Guatemala, the tradition is that the ones who are a year older have to take the first bite of the cake. There is also a tradition that includes setting off firecrackers. Each of us got a firecracker and Johnny (Les’ son) lit them for us. It was extremely loud, and some of the pieces of firecracker hit us in the ankles.
Everyone’s doing pretty well. Amanda is much better from her heat exhaustion. However, I gashed my foot open on a pipe while walking down the street.
God Bless.
Submitted by Kristi
4/13/08
April 12
Greetings.
This morning we got up at a later time, so that we could be ready to go to the worksite at 8:30. We arrived at the school that Impact Ministries is building, and were given shovels, pick axes, and wheel barrows. We began to move gravel up to the cement of the building that was already built, and also to move a hill. We were to take part of a hill, move it across the lot, and pile it so that it could easily be made into a road. We had to drink a lot because it was really hot, and were directed to wear a sunscreen. However, Brian refused to wear sunscreen because he wanted to work on his tan. He is now quite burnt. We had lots of breaks in the shade because of the intense heat and the hard work we were doing. Chelsea had an unfortunate accident with the pick-axe. While chopping apart some of the hill, she hit her ankle and cut it.
After this we went to Les’ house for lunch. All of us were really hungry and ate all the delicious food that Carmella prepared for us. When we had finished lunch, we went back to the guest houses to get ready for church. We had to wear specific clothing for worship: skirts for the girls and dress shirts for the guys. After preparing for church, we went on an adventure to find ice cream. We walked down a few streets and confused numerous Guatemalan people with our strange attempts at charades and miss-pronounced words for “ice cream”. All those who were in our group got ice cream, and the cones were amazing. We had huge scoops, and some of the guys had it dipped in chocolate with nuts on top. A dozen of us had huge ice cream cones for only about $10.
We drove to the church along a small winding road. There was a part of road where it was like driving on the edge of a cliff – it was straight down. There was also a hole in the road, so it felt like we were driving off the edge. When we got to the church, it was amazing to see how everyone was there just for God. The service was held outside under a canopy, and the people all sat on lawn chairs they brought out. We worshiped for a while and learned some new songs and also songs that we sang at the school yesterday. Crystal and I (Kristi) shared what was on our hearts as part of the message. I shared a short testimony and a verse, and Crystal shared a verse and how excited she was to be there. There was also a sermon after this. It was amazing because it was told in a way that was meaningful for both children and adults. Both the sermon and our sharing were really touching for us. We also sang as a group for the people gathered there. We handed out candy after this and the children loved it. A couple of the little girls really liked Amanda and Chelsea and clung to them until we had to get on the bus again to go back.
We got back and prepared for supper at Les’ house. We drove over because it was pouring rain again so we couldn’t walk through the field. After we ate we had a bit of time to hang out. Most of us just took pictures of each other which was really fun. Then we had a sharing time which was really meaningful. It was awesome to go back over our day and hear the highlights and discuss how we were feeling about everything that had happened so far.
Most of us are doing fine. Brian is sunburned and Chelsea’s ankle is cut from a pick-axe. This evening we realized that Amanda has sunstroke and was not feeling good at all. However, she’s drinking a lot of liquids and is getting better fast. Although we’re all tired, we’re looking forwards to a good night’s rest so that we can be prepared for tomorrow. Thanks for keeping us in your prayers.
God bless.
Submitted by Kristi
This morning we got up at a later time, so that we could be ready to go to the worksite at 8:30. We arrived at the school that Impact Ministries is building, and were given shovels, pick axes, and wheel barrows. We began to move gravel up to the cement of the building that was already built, and also to move a hill. We were to take part of a hill, move it across the lot, and pile it so that it could easily be made into a road. We had to drink a lot because it was really hot, and were directed to wear a sunscreen. However, Brian refused to wear sunscreen because he wanted to work on his tan. He is now quite burnt. We had lots of breaks in the shade because of the intense heat and the hard work we were doing. Chelsea had an unfortunate accident with the pick-axe. While chopping apart some of the hill, she hit her ankle and cut it.
After this we went to Les’ house for lunch. All of us were really hungry and ate all the delicious food that Carmella prepared for us. When we had finished lunch, we went back to the guest houses to get ready for church. We had to wear specific clothing for worship: skirts for the girls and dress shirts for the guys. After preparing for church, we went on an adventure to find ice cream. We walked down a few streets and confused numerous Guatemalan people with our strange attempts at charades and miss-pronounced words for “ice cream”. All those who were in our group got ice cream, and the cones were amazing. We had huge scoops, and some of the guys had it dipped in chocolate with nuts on top. A dozen of us had huge ice cream cones for only about $10.
We drove to the church along a small winding road. There was a part of road where it was like driving on the edge of a cliff – it was straight down. There was also a hole in the road, so it felt like we were driving off the edge. When we got to the church, it was amazing to see how everyone was there just for God. The service was held outside under a canopy, and the people all sat on lawn chairs they brought out. We worshiped for a while and learned some new songs and also songs that we sang at the school yesterday. Crystal and I (Kristi) shared what was on our hearts as part of the message. I shared a short testimony and a verse, and Crystal shared a verse and how excited she was to be there. There was also a sermon after this. It was amazing because it was told in a way that was meaningful for both children and adults. Both the sermon and our sharing were really touching for us. We also sang as a group for the people gathered there. We handed out candy after this and the children loved it. A couple of the little girls really liked Amanda and Chelsea and clung to them until we had to get on the bus again to go back.
We got back and prepared for supper at Les’ house. We drove over because it was pouring rain again so we couldn’t walk through the field. After we ate we had a bit of time to hang out. Most of us just took pictures of each other which was really fun. Then we had a sharing time which was really meaningful. It was awesome to go back over our day and hear the highlights and discuss how we were feeling about everything that had happened so far.
Most of us are doing fine. Brian is sunburned and Chelsea’s ankle is cut from a pick-axe. This evening we realized that Amanda has sunstroke and was not feeling good at all. However, she’s drinking a lot of liquids and is getting better fast. Although we’re all tired, we’re looking forwards to a good night’s rest so that we can be prepared for tomorrow. Thanks for keeping us in your prayers.
God bless.
Submitted by Kristi
4/11/08
April 11
Greetings!
This morning we got up at around 6:30. We had breakfast early so that we could leave for Cham Chee (School of Light) at 7:05. We attended devotion with the children this morning, and it was amazing how the kids worshiped. They sang with all their hearts, and prayed without caring who was listening. Les translated for us, and so we knew what the children were singing. The words were praise to God because He listens to us and cares about us. Even though these children are from broken homes, they were sincere in everything they said to God.
After this we drove to the sink hole. As we stood around the entrance to the sink hole, we felt the intense darkness. Witches had been offering sacrifices to Mayan gods that morning, and the air was still thick with the smoke. A woman we talked to at the entrance had come to meditate in the darkness, which made some of us uncomfortable. The decent down was steep, and we could feel the darkness pressing against us. When we got to the bottom of the sink hole, we sang songs and prayed to God. It was amazing to feel the difference in the atmosphere after we had worshiped. Although we still saw the candles and sacrificed animals, we could definitely feel the presence of God with us.
We went back to Les’ house for lunch, and relaxed there for a while. We played soccer with Les’ sons and had a great time. However, it started to rain, and although it was just like mist at first, it became a downpour soon after. Josh, Brian, and Laura got soaked in the rain.
Right after this we went to visit our sponsor children. This was a really exciting time for all of us. Amanda’s sponsor child has a type of arthritis that will affect him until he is older. Seeing how grateful he was for his medication was touching for all of us. Although the family was shy and they didn’t speak a lot, we could see how much it meant that Amanda would pay for his medication and that we would come to see them. We went to see a few other sponsor children as well. They were all such beautiful children, and we could see that we had given them hope where they had not had hope before. The children clung to us and wanted to be held and hugged. They just wanted us to love them, and they loved us back.
We returned to Les’ house for supper, and had a delicious meal of guacamole, rice, and beef. We also had something we had never seen before for dessert: a pastry filled with icing. After this we had a worship time. I think we were all more open to worshiping with all our hearts after seeing the children worship this way. We discussed the highlights of our days, and what we found odd or different about the Guatemalan culture.
Everyone is doing really well so far. No one is sick and we’re all learning a lot of new things. It’s evident that we’re all growing spiritually which is amazing.
God bless.
Submitted by Kristi Abramoff
This morning we got up at around 6:30. We had breakfast early so that we could leave for Cham Chee (School of Light) at 7:05. We attended devotion with the children this morning, and it was amazing how the kids worshiped. They sang with all their hearts, and prayed without caring who was listening. Les translated for us, and so we knew what the children were singing. The words were praise to God because He listens to us and cares about us. Even though these children are from broken homes, they were sincere in everything they said to God.
After this we drove to the sink hole. As we stood around the entrance to the sink hole, we felt the intense darkness. Witches had been offering sacrifices to Mayan gods that morning, and the air was still thick with the smoke. A woman we talked to at the entrance had come to meditate in the darkness, which made some of us uncomfortable. The decent down was steep, and we could feel the darkness pressing against us. When we got to the bottom of the sink hole, we sang songs and prayed to God. It was amazing to feel the difference in the atmosphere after we had worshiped. Although we still saw the candles and sacrificed animals, we could definitely feel the presence of God with us.
We went back to Les’ house for lunch, and relaxed there for a while. We played soccer with Les’ sons and had a great time. However, it started to rain, and although it was just like mist at first, it became a downpour soon after. Josh, Brian, and Laura got soaked in the rain.
Right after this we went to visit our sponsor children. This was a really exciting time for all of us. Amanda’s sponsor child has a type of arthritis that will affect him until he is older. Seeing how grateful he was for his medication was touching for all of us. Although the family was shy and they didn’t speak a lot, we could see how much it meant that Amanda would pay for his medication and that we would come to see them. We went to see a few other sponsor children as well. They were all such beautiful children, and we could see that we had given them hope where they had not had hope before. The children clung to us and wanted to be held and hugged. They just wanted us to love them, and they loved us back.
We returned to Les’ house for supper, and had a delicious meal of guacamole, rice, and beef. We also had something we had never seen before for dessert: a pastry filled with icing. After this we had a worship time. I think we were all more open to worshiping with all our hearts after seeing the children worship this way. We discussed the highlights of our days, and what we found odd or different about the Guatemalan culture.
Everyone is doing really well so far. No one is sick and we’re all learning a lot of new things. It’s evident that we’re all growing spiritually which is amazing.
God bless.
Submitted by Kristi Abramoff
April 10
Greetings!
We got up at around 7:00 this morning. Most of us slept pretty well, and were well-rested in the morning. For breakfast we went to Polo Campero, which was a fast-food Guatemalan restaurant. The food was excellent. There was a strange green sauce which looked like ketchup but was extremely spicy.
Driving through Guatemala was crazy. Pedestrians here have no right of way, and our van was constantly weaving in and out of traffic. Mr. Stevenson almost was hit by a bus while crossing the street. The little motorcycles were interesting to watch, because they would drive in the small spaces between buses and cars. We went to the Presidential Palace in Guatemala City. The president was there, and a Chinese trumpet band was playing. There were also soldiers who were gathered there to perform their marches. They shot off a bunch of fire crackers just as we were arriving, and it was really loud.
After observing this, we went into the Catholic Church that was right by the Palace. There were statues of Jesus, the saints, and Mary. We also saw the black “Jesus” which is actually a different Jesus than the one we believe in. In the Mayan culture there is a black god that the Catholics have made Jesus into. The people aren’t worshiping Jesus at all- it is a completely different god. We walked back to the van to begin the long drive to Tac Tic.
We drove to a gas station called “On the Run” and bought some drinks and food. As we walked out of the store, we met a Mormon guy from Idaho. He was interesting to talk with; he was obviously a “missionary” but he didn’t know what missions were. We also saw some really cute Dalmatian puppies. They five of the tiny pups and Kaitlyn and Chelsea had a lot of fun holding them.
After this we drove for a few hours along a winding road. It was really hot. As we drove through the major fault line in Guatemala, it began to grow warmer and warmer. It was 39 degrees Celsius for a while, and the van was hot and stuffy. We stopped for lunch at a restaurant in the valley. The food was delicious. We had chicken, fries, pop, and an ice cream and coconut bar.
We set out after eating at about 3:00. To distract us from the heat and constant turns in the road, we (most of the girls) sang songs in the back of the bus. The guys were annoyed by this but we refused to stop. No one got carsick, and we safely arrived at Tac Tic this evening and began to settle in. There are two guest houses for us: one is for the girls, and the other is for the guys. We explored the rooftop of our houses, which are flat with rebar sticking up in places. Guatemalans often simply add another story to their houses when their children marry, which is why the roof appeared this way.
At 6:15 we began the walk to Les’ house. We walked down the road and across a field littered with cow manure. There was a bit of a bog we had to jump over, and a little Guatemalan boy was standing there giving us a high-five as we crossed. At Les’ house we had supper, which consisted of mashed potatoes, salad, and beef. It was really good. Carmella, the cook, is definitely good at her job!
After we ate we went outside for a while. We found a huge frog – it was about 8cm long. We’ll be seeing many more of those in the next few days. We went inside and had a worship time. After we sang songs, we talked about what is expected of us and how we are to behave while we are here. After this, we drove back to the guest houses in Les’ van.
Although everyone is a bit tired, no one is sick and everybody feels fine. Everyone is doing well.
Dios te bendiga!
Submitted by Kristi Abramoff
We got up at around 7:00 this morning. Most of us slept pretty well, and were well-rested in the morning. For breakfast we went to Polo Campero, which was a fast-food Guatemalan restaurant. The food was excellent. There was a strange green sauce which looked like ketchup but was extremely spicy.
Driving through Guatemala was crazy. Pedestrians here have no right of way, and our van was constantly weaving in and out of traffic. Mr. Stevenson almost was hit by a bus while crossing the street. The little motorcycles were interesting to watch, because they would drive in the small spaces between buses and cars. We went to the Presidential Palace in Guatemala City. The president was there, and a Chinese trumpet band was playing. There were also soldiers who were gathered there to perform their marches. They shot off a bunch of fire crackers just as we were arriving, and it was really loud.
After observing this, we went into the Catholic Church that was right by the Palace. There were statues of Jesus, the saints, and Mary. We also saw the black “Jesus” which is actually a different Jesus than the one we believe in. In the Mayan culture there is a black god that the Catholics have made Jesus into. The people aren’t worshiping Jesus at all- it is a completely different god. We walked back to the van to begin the long drive to Tac Tic.
We drove to a gas station called “On the Run” and bought some drinks and food. As we walked out of the store, we met a Mormon guy from Idaho. He was interesting to talk with; he was obviously a “missionary” but he didn’t know what missions were. We also saw some really cute Dalmatian puppies. They five of the tiny pups and Kaitlyn and Chelsea had a lot of fun holding them.
After this we drove for a few hours along a winding road. It was really hot. As we drove through the major fault line in Guatemala, it began to grow warmer and warmer. It was 39 degrees Celsius for a while, and the van was hot and stuffy. We stopped for lunch at a restaurant in the valley. The food was delicious. We had chicken, fries, pop, and an ice cream and coconut bar.
We set out after eating at about 3:00. To distract us from the heat and constant turns in the road, we (most of the girls) sang songs in the back of the bus. The guys were annoyed by this but we refused to stop. No one got carsick, and we safely arrived at Tac Tic this evening and began to settle in. There are two guest houses for us: one is for the girls, and the other is for the guys. We explored the rooftop of our houses, which are flat with rebar sticking up in places. Guatemalans often simply add another story to their houses when their children marry, which is why the roof appeared this way.
At 6:15 we began the walk to Les’ house. We walked down the road and across a field littered with cow manure. There was a bit of a bog we had to jump over, and a little Guatemalan boy was standing there giving us a high-five as we crossed. At Les’ house we had supper, which consisted of mashed potatoes, salad, and beef. It was really good. Carmella, the cook, is definitely good at her job!
After we ate we went outside for a while. We found a huge frog – it was about 8cm long. We’ll be seeing many more of those in the next few days. We went inside and had a worship time. After we sang songs, we talked about what is expected of us and how we are to behave while we are here. After this, we drove back to the guest houses in Les’ van.
Although everyone is a bit tired, no one is sick and everybody feels fine. Everyone is doing well.
Dios te bendiga!
Submitted by Kristi Abramoff
April 9
Greetings.
We arrived at the airport at 4:00. Our flight that was originally scheduled for 7:10 was cancelled, which meant that we had to switch from one airline to another. Unfortunately, this meant that we also would have to wait for quite a while until our next flight which was at 12:55. Instead of going to Dallas and waiting for six hours in the airport there for our next flight, we would be going to Houston.
Our first flight was a bit rough because there were a lot of turbulents. We got to Houston and had just enough time to get something to eat and use the washroom before taking off again for Guatemala City.
When we got to Guatemala, we had to go through customs. None of us had trouble and our luggage did not get lost, and we headed out of the airport to meet Les Peters. We got into his van and drove to the Seminary in Guatemala City. This Seminary was the largest one in Central America.
We were advised only to take our carry on bags into the Seminary, and to leave our other luggage in the van. The hallways were narrow and there were a lot of stairs we had to walk up before getting to our rooms. The rooms were really nice, and we settled in there for an excellent sleep.
Submitted by Kristi Abramoff
We arrived at the airport at 4:00. Our flight that was originally scheduled for 7:10 was cancelled, which meant that we had to switch from one airline to another. Unfortunately, this meant that we also would have to wait for quite a while until our next flight which was at 12:55. Instead of going to Dallas and waiting for six hours in the airport there for our next flight, we would be going to Houston.
Our first flight was a bit rough because there were a lot of turbulents. We got to Houston and had just enough time to get something to eat and use the washroom before taking off again for Guatemala City.
When we got to Guatemala, we had to go through customs. None of us had trouble and our luggage did not get lost, and we headed out of the airport to meet Les Peters. We got into his van and drove to the Seminary in Guatemala City. This Seminary was the largest one in Central America.
We were advised only to take our carry on bags into the Seminary, and to leave our other luggage in the van. The hallways were narrow and there were a lot of stairs we had to walk up before getting to our rooms. The rooms were really nice, and we settled in there for an excellent sleep.
Submitted by Kristi Abramoff
3/29/08
Pack & Pray - March 29th
Wow! We had hundreds of pounds of donated items all ready to go in the school gym. With the help of students & parents, we packed beanie babies, baby blankets, children's clothing, sports equipment & medicines into our school bags. All our bags were packed, weighed & recorded within an hour!
We have so many items left-over that we are looking into filling a container & shipping it to Guatemala. What a blessing!
Each team member is taking a queen size pillow with pillow covers & pillow cases to be left in Guatemala for future short term missions teams to enjoy!
Each team member can hardly wait until we go!
Hasta luego!
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