Back from Guatemala

Ok. I’m going to have to do this in bite size chunks. Guatemala was a feast of experiences and the memories are vast. I took over 1500 pictures This might have to turn into a mini-series of posts so that i can start to unpack all that happened in the past couple of weeks. Here’s a list of the highlights:

– The Griswolds hospitality.
– Breakfast in Antigua
– Touring the ruins of a multi-acre monastery from the 1500’s
– Eagle’s nest orphanage that overlooks Lake Atitlan
– Staying at Lake Atitlan for a couple days (Aldous Huxley considered Lake Atitalan is the most beautiful lake in the world). Lake Atitlan is a gorgeous deeeeeeep blue lake rimmed by volcanoes on every side with Mayan villages dotting the shoreline.
– Going to Santiago Atitlan where priest Stan Rother and many of his catechists were martyred. Henri Nouwen wrote a book about Stan’s life and mission.
– Praying in the church where Stan Rother was martyred. Touring the actual room where he was shot. Having a blind man pray for Izaac at the entrance of the church building.
– Meeting Joel VanDyke and his lovely family and getting aquainted with his ministry
– Seeing the idol Maximo… a handcarved cigar smoking tourist money taking idol of debauchery. Good times.
– riding motorcycles around Lake Atitalan with Jeremiah. We made it to 2 villages: Santan Antonio and Santa Caterino. Sts. Anthony and Catherine (my kids middle names!)
– Visiting some Mayan ruins and witnessing a cleansing ceremony. Why were they cleansing? President Bush had just visited the country.
– hiking up volcano Picaya and being just feet away from legit lava flow or as Dr. Evil would say “Hot Mag-ma”
– going to a gang prison on the anniversary of Palmer’s death and talking with them about tattoos, God wounds (Hosea 6) and Elpida/ Hope.
– Visitng La Liminada with Mother Tita who has built a school in the worst neighborhood of Guate City. This little shanty town sits on the edges of a sewage river filled with trash. This is where Jeremiah will teach 3 days a week. Passing out stickers and playing with the kids in the school as we toured it.
– Amor del Nino orphanage. Wow. A special needs orphanage where joy is present beyond words. I was so impressed by the Osbornes work there and the kids are just wonderful. They were so loving and full of joy. We held them and tossed them in the air and talked to them…. i experienced more kingdom in those few moments than I have in the entire past year. Pure, uncut joy just to be there.
– catching up with our housemate Bill as our journeys overlapped the final couple of days.
– celebrating Izaac’s 10th birthday Guate style complete with a pinata and Antigua steaks.
– visiting a Mayan village where only a few people speak Spanish even and delivering food for a feeding program that will last the whole month. The only access to the village is via 4 wheel drive on a nice day. Got a chance to know Joel more on the trip there and back as it was just me and him and Izaac. Izaac played with the village kids barefoot and loved every minute.
– Visiting with a baby soon to be adopted by a friend of ours. Can’t say more about that just yet….

The only thing that sucked:
– leaving

It was a tearful goodbye for adults and kids alike.

More to come….