Travel Differently

2013 Guatemala Reflection

 

            Travel - Prepare - Worship - Give -

 Travel Differently

 

    (The words above are from a homily I had heard during advent in 2011)

 

Whether it is going to church or going on a trip as we have recently returned from, the words above can be something we can continue to strive for.

 

As we are TRAVELING we are PREPARING for our destination whether it is attending a church service at home or a trip as we have just returned from. Once we have arrived at our destination, we WORSHIP. While we are there we also GIVE in different ways depending on the gifts God has given us. In returning home, we hope to TRAVEL DIFFERENTLY. We hope to continue to travel differently in our day to day lives because of what we have learned during our travels.

 

Think of the Magi's travel.  What would have happened if they had not TRAVELED DIFFERENTLY when returning to their home?

 

Karen

 

Coming home

We so much appreciate all the thoughts and prayers during our trip. We had a wonderful day in Antigua visiting churches, supporting the local economy(shopping and eating!) and having a final group time at night. We are trying to figure where to go from here- how do we possibly explain to people the journey we have been on? How do you compress such a trip into a few short sentences? Be patient with us as we try. We will update again this week with some closing thoughts and photos. Our flight is delayed and we are comfortable reading and chatting here in Houston. Once again, thank you to all who helped this trip happen. Blessings- Andrea

Antigua a day early

Vince, Brett, Andrea and Sally came to Antigua a day early to see Sally's sponsor child. She will blog more about that later. We had breakfast up at Santa Domingo Del Cerro and are going back to Antigua to wait for the group.

Trip to the Hills

Last night we had a very interesting experience at mass. Father Benjamin, the new priest, invited us to go to mass with him in a Finca, (a small community in the hills). It was about 20 minutes away so we rode there in the back of a truck. As we were leaving San Lucas we saw storm clouds were rolling in and it was getting really dark.  And we did not have our rain clothes. We were in the back of a truck with an open top and it started to down pour. The driver pulled over and we got out to hide under a small tin covering. The driver had a tarp to put over the bars of the back of the truck, it looked like a covered wagon. Dave and Alex went in the pouring rain to help our driver. So once it was covered we got back in the truck and finished our way up to the church. Father was there waiting for us to start mass because we were late. The community was very happy to have us join their Mass. They applauded us twice throughout the Mass for being there. There were 30 adults and children from the community there. The rain was so loud on the tin roof that we could not even hear Father. The children ran around slipping, yelling, singing, and making lots of noise throughout the whole Mass.  All the children just stared at us like they had never seen white people before. There was also a woman that was breast feeding two of her children at the same time with her shirt totally off.  The rain was done after church. The children wanted their pictures taken and were climbing on the truck as we were leaving until we got to the gait. It was a very interesting and fun experience. 

We are leaving San Lucas this morning and on our way to Antigua for one night to have a tour and reflection with our group.  

Thanks for the continuous prayers and support from you all.

Kelsey and Kristin and Brady

Pictures from the visit to JoAnn's family she sponsors

San Lucas Toliman Cemetery 

Father Greg's Grave

Jean and a painting of Father Greg in Central Park 

Coffee beans being poured into the baths to be cleaned. The coffee is hand picked during the day and brought the the production plant to be washed, de-husked and laid out in the sun. 

Kristen, Kelsey, Brady and Alex 

Mayan lady with volcanoes in the background.

Meat Market 

View of the lake down the road from our hotel

Mayan woman headed to the market.

Women walking down the hill to San Lucas and a man walking with his dogs to work for the day. (this is about a 4.5 mile hike) 

San Andres and volcano Toliman 

San Andres was a tent community that was destroyed by the mudslides a few years ago. The mudslides were a blessing because the people of San Andres now have concrete block homes and a beautiful Church. 

Group walking around San Andres 

Most of the pop is sold in bottles and you return the bottles to the store to be refilled at the Coca-Cola plant in Guatemala City. 

Two very cute girls that hung out with us all afternoon. 

Karen and Emiliana, the woman she sponsers. 

The cutest little boy with his kitten. (Brady's best friend) 

The Church in San Andres. 

Kristen and the little kids. 

Mayan woman buying flowers at the market in San Lucas

Kelsey and Alex 

The women carry big baskets on their heads. 

Dave, Kelsey and Vince 

Jon Schoenecker this is for you!

Brady and his new pal. 

Visiting my sponsor child in San Antonio

Today is Monday, January 7.  JoAnn, along with Peggy, Jean, Alex and Dawn went to San Antonio to see Nicolas and his family.  We have supported a member of this family for the past 12 years through CFCA (Christian Foundation for Children & Aging).  It started out as another beautiful day.  The boat ride over was good also.  We arrived about 9:00 a.m.  For me, I was so excited to see them again, like visiting old friends you haven't seen for awhile.  It was fun listening to Peggy, Jean, Alex & Dawn talk about what they were seeing for the first time.  San Antonio sits on the lower part of a mountain and is steep all the way.  No really flat areas.  Houses are built into the mountain on terraced areas.  When we were finally done climbing the first 300 steps we reached their home.  It's a very humble home filled with much love.  The family consists of a mother and father and 7 children.  They live in a 2 bedroom home and have built a new kitchen building in the past 5 years.  They were very proud of this.  I always bring gifts for our family and did so again.  The kids are getting a little older so I decided on a dominoes game.  They had never heard of that game so the best way to teach them is to play with them!  That was lots of fun and we had many, many laughs.  Luciano, the father, was unable to join us this time for he had to be away helping his relatives after their father passed away.  For the first time we were able to get a tour of their community.  We first went to their church, then to a ceramic business and finally to see a large loom that is used to make the traditional clothing and other items that they can sell.  We definitely got our work out today!  We guessed we went up and down and walked at least 1200 plus steps and many many feet of slanted areas.  NOTHING is level!  In the home Marcelina, the mother, and Sandra, the daughter, have a loom where they make scarves, head wraps and friendship bracelets.  They are such giving people and loving people and have nothing but give so much.  All of us went home with new scarves and bracelets.  They were just beautiful!  It is so hard to explain in words the feelings you have when you are with them.  Their smiles brighten the room without needing a light, their faith penetrates through you and you can feel their trust and believe in their ever loving God that they will be provided for.  I'm sure their simple has many trials, but the image they portray to us is loving, kind and humble.  My trips to Guatemala have always sent me home with a different heart and this trip hasn't been any different.  Seeing my dear friends from miles and miles across the way again will be held in my heart until I see them again.  If you have ever questioned sponsoring a child or an aging person, the CFCA program is amazing and love it when they get to meet their sponsors.  It's a beautiful connection that can never be lost.

In Peace,
JoAnn Blomme