I've got a feeling we're not in Guatemala anymore...

San Salvador: Part of Metrocentro; a view close to our guest house

When you picture Central America, do you see huge shopping malls, with escalators, food courts, and overpriced cinnamon rolls? After a day and half in San Salvador, we have visited one of the many many shopping centers in the city, and our guesthouse is a short few blocks away from the largest mall in Central America, Metrocentro.

Crossing the border into El Salvador was surprisingly simple and fast. We stopped at the entrance gate to El Salvador, where the gatekeepers politely informed us that we had not yet left Guatemala. So we walked a few hundred feet back down the highway to "check out" of Guatemala before returning to "check into" El Salvador. After a few quick checks of our passports, we were soon in this significantly smaller country.

What changed? Fewer fields, fewer mountains, and a lot more Burger Kings and KFC's. As we entered San Salvador, I felt as though we were entering a large city in the states. Commercialism has overcome the city. Every street-side is littered with "Oferta" banners (signs advertising deals or sales), fastfood joints, and Mister Donuts.

There is an undeniable influence from the United States here in the city. In addition to the commercialism and presence of big business, the Salvadoran currency is the US dollar. It feels a bit weird to be purchasing items in a foreign country with papers that have the picture of US presidents.

Today we spent some time in a smaller market downtown. We were split up into groups and entered the market. My group was assigned to purchase vegetables, as many veggies as we could get for $5. We were able to purchase a decent amount of veggies--a bagful, including a dozen small tomatoes, a head of cauliflower, six cucumbers, a couple of squash, and six carrots. We felt pretty accomplished with our $5 purchase...until we found out that the minimum wage in El Salvador is $7 per day.

After the market, we visited the national cathedral, including the tomb of Oscar Romero. From the little bit I've heard about this man, I am already an admirer. I cannot wait to learn more about the church's presence in El Salvador and Romero's life, as well as the influence of liberation theology in this region. Our religion class starts tomorrow. :) We also visited the most interesting looking church I have ever seen. The images both outside of and within the church were breathtaking, and I felt so much in a state of worship just focusing upon the images, for example, of the journey to the Cross. It was a beautiful church that was located just across the street from one of the many sites where assassinations and/or massacres have occurred within the last few decades.

After visiting the cathedrals, we drove to an area that used to be called the "Lungs" of San Salvador. On this plot of land used to be a large farm, but now is home to the newly built US Embassy and four large shopping malls. Walking into the mall, I felt like I was surely back in the United States. The first things I saw were a Cinnabon and a Gymboree. We had a short time to walk around and look at prices, and we were challenged to talk with some of the people about how much money they make. We noticed that prices were pretty much the same to prices in the states--a cute formal dress cost $120, a pair of jeans for $40, nail polish for $6-9, a Cinnabon for $3, etc. We asked the women behind the Cinnabon and Nescafe counters how much they make, and they responded with "the minimum" which is an equivalent of around $200 per month. Per month.  Minimum wage in the states allows a person to make over $200 in a week. Same product prices, way less income. That just doesn't make sense. The question we were left with after the visit was, how is it possible for these companies to be sustained with so many people making so little? The responses we received and will continue to pursue as we learn more about ES include the dependence on remittances (money sent back from Salvadorans in the US) and drug trafficking.

I definitely feel like I am back in the United States. I am missing the small-city feel of Xela and the calm of the Guatemalan campo, but I am excited to learn more and live within this very different society.

Pray for our group as we adjust to this new location. We have been blessed with a BEAUTIFUL guest house; it's so comfortable! Pray for our group dynamics as we live and study together. Pray that we don't get at each other's throats as we spend A LOT of time together. :)

I hope all is well back in the United States! Although I'm not there, I feel like I am. Bienvenidos a San Salvador.

Leaving Guatemala

I've only spent just over a month in Guatemala, but I already know that it will forever remain in my heart and my memories. Tomorrow we say goodbye to this great nation and hello to a whole new experience in El Salvador. It's very much a bittersweet feeling.

When I try to think of "highlights" from the past month, my brain just wants to explode. Every day has been a memorable adventure. Last night during a debriefing, we were asked "what are you taking with you from Guatemala?" It was a difficult question for me to think about. The truth is, my entire time here in Guatemala has taught me so much about myself and who I am. I feel myself gaining confidence, learning countless things about the world around me, and discovering an even new love for people. To put all that I have experienced and learned into words is impossible. Even though they don't compare at all to the countless unforgettable things I've experienced, here are just a few things I am taking with me from Guatemala.

Bedbugs. Many people in our group have become spotted and are constantly scratching. Calamine lotion has become our best friend.

The vos form. For those of you who speak or study Spanish, did you know that there is an even friendlier form of tu? It's called vos. The first time I encountered this form in my novel for my class, I was so confused! First of all, it is NOT the same as vosotros (they don't even use that form here). Secondly, I had never heard of this form in any of my Spanish classes. Needless to say, Marleny had to spend a lot of time explaining this foreign form to me.

"SIN MANOS!" We discovered a new form of entertainment while riding in the back of a pickup truck up to and down from Chuitziribal. Just like you would on a roller coaster, if someone shouted "Sin manos!" (or "without hands") while speeding down the hill, everyone let go. I've learned a new meaning to letting go and being flexible, especially with the weather. The rain affects so much here, especially transportation. If it rains too much in one afternoon, you might just have to remain where you are and make the best of your time right where you are. Being in Guatemala has also allowed me to let go of many worries I have struggled with recently. I'm focusing on being fully present here and allowing God to work in me and through the people I live with and encounter. I've let go of things such as worrying about next year and thinking I'm not good enough to do many things, and I've learned that there is so much more I have yet to learn. And this learning is something that many times happens to me without having a firm grasp on exactly what's going on. It's a hard feeling to describe, but I love it.

"No matter where you go, people are still people." This is something my dad has told me in the past. I can remember him saying this after every international trip I've taken and after I've spilled to him about my experiences. I cannot believe how much I was able to connect and relate with the people with whom I lived and studied. Our group of students has connected in countless ways. I could not have asked for a better group of people to live and travel with. My professor and I shared so many irreplaceable conversations that I absolutely loved. We are two very different people from two different worlds and different generations, but we came to realize that we both share a passion for people and for the world. I admire that woman so much, and I learned so much from her, not only about Spanish and Guatemala, but also life in general. I also love how much I was able to connect and laugh with my host family. As Gloria and I talked more and more, we discovered we had a lot in common. Once again, I found a deep connection with a middle class Guatemalan woman, in whose eyes I could see the result of many hard-working years and a strong love, although sometimes painful love, for her family. I am so thankful for her tasty and simple meals, her encouraging smiles, and her interest in my studies. Also whenever I hung out with Ericka, whether it be talking about her school, playing some cards, or taking many many pictures with my webcam, I could see myself ten years ago in that girl. I see so much potential, in both of them. People are still people, and there are no limits to the ways that just simply being a human being in the same huge world can connect one person to another.

"Con cuidado y sin miedo." A few weeks ago on the top of El Baul, before Ryan, Josh, and I embarked upon our adventure of sliding down a giant 100-foot concrete slide on flattened 2-liter pop bottles, Oscar, our phenomenal driver, came speeding down the road in his van-bus to give us a little bit of guidance. "There are just two ways to do this," he said. "With caution and without fear." Con cuidado y sin miedo. Words of wisdom that have held true throughout this trip and that I believe will continue to guide us as we continue sliding down this adventure.

I cannot describe to you how content I am to be here. An indescribable peace has overcome me. I have no doubt that this is exactly where I am supposed to be. I'm already thinking that culture shock is something that will hit me not here in Central America, but when I return to the culture that I've called "home" for over 20 years.

Tomorrow at this time I will be in a different country, a different house, a different bed. What will that look like exactly? I'm not entirely sure, but I'm entirely ok with that.

Gracias a Dios por esta paz.

Living Above the Clouds

Right now I am faced with the most difficult task I’ve encountered in the last week, besides saying goodbye to some great people who I will miss greatly and a great country that has taught me so much. This current task is sharing with you all that has happened within the last week in a reasonable amount of words that won’t take you two hours to read.

Friday afternoon, we headed out to the community of Santa Anita and learned about their coffee and tourism industries. They are a struggling community filled with great-hearted people. We joined in an epic hike with the destination of a waterfall, but our path was washed out by a small newly formed waterfall that was the result of recent rains. We also played an epic game of futbol (soccer) on a cement court with the town's youth. SO fun. :)

Hiking through the forest down the mountain near
Santa Anita

Yesterday we returned from Chuitziribal, a small village of 30 some families near the town of Cantel about 15 minutes outside of Xela. We spent 4 days continuing our Spanish classes, learning about the community, and living with the families.

The village of Chuitziribal (you can see all but
just a few houses) and Volcan Santa Maria in the background to the left

Sunday we moved in with our host families. Two other girls and I stayed with a rather large family. They live in, what I think, is a pretty nice and big house. However, the house didn’t consist of its own servicios, and we had to walk about twenty feet out our front door into the cornfield to use the restroom, aka a small tin shack containing a concrete stump with a 10-foot hole within it. But nothing can replace walking out every morning to the view of a volcano to the left, rolling hills in front of us, and the small city of Cantel to the right. All drenched with clouds, both above and below us.

Cooking invueltos!

Monday we continued our Spanish classes. Our school’s location for the week was the local Evangelical church…or next to the river or sitting beside a cornfield—wherever teacher and student decided to “study” for the morning. Each morning our professors showed up in pickup trucks, ready to spend the morning teaching in a different location rather than the usual school in Xela. Monday afternoon after classes and after lunch, we met back at the church for a “clase de cocina local,” or a local cooking class. We learned how to make invueltos—fried goodness consisting of vegetables (including wiskiel, papas, and cauliflower!) wrapped in whipped eggs. They were SO delicious!

Tuesday after class we had a lecture about immigration and its presence/effects in the area. Can you believe that almost 1.3 Guatemalans live in the United States? Many of them only make it to Mexico. In this community of just over 30 families, 9 people are currently living in the US. In our home, one of the men had spent some time in the US, and there were a few other men in the community who had lived in the US for a short period of time. Immigrating to the US can be a long and hard process, and many don’t return back to Guatemala. It was very interesting to see how this issue that is a huge deal in the US also affects so many of these families personally.   In the afternoon, we traveled to some natural hot baths to bathe (which we all needed!). An hour in a prívate room with two feet of steaming hot water while listening to the rain fall upon the roof=ULTIMATE relaxation. :)

Mi maestra (professor) and me next to the river

Wednesday for class a bunch of us hiked up the mountain, and back down a little ways on the other side to the river. I love the fact that most of my class for the day consisted of hiking and chilling next to a beautiful river. :) After class, we all traveled to the glass factory in Cantel. We were able to watch the men make hand-blown glass ítems. I never knew why it was called “blown” glass until I witnessed many of the men participate in the very-much-skills-necessary process of standing off the ground and using a long hollow metal tube with a small piece of melted glass product on the end to create a dinner glass. Also, this particular factory participates in fair trade practices and has many respected rights for its workers, including benefits and decent working conditions. This was probably one of the most fascinating places we’ve visited yet. It requires a lot of skill to blow glass, and the process was intriguing. Wednesday afternoon we were going to visit Cantel again and see some more sites, but could not because of heavy rain. Wednesday night we had a celebration with the families, including a bonfire, s’mores, a pinata, and some fun games with the kids. And when we returned to the house, we spent at least an hour teaching our host family kids some English and learning a few words in Quiche. :)

A couple of the talented men adding the handle to
a pitcher at the factory

Thursday morning after class we visited with the director of the primary school in the community. Currently, it is “free” for kids to go to school. I say “free” because although the government is funding the school, the school does not receive its funds in a very timely manner and not in time for school to start. This year, the government has only sent half of its funds to the school, and there is only 15 days left of this school year. Where is the other half of the money? After the talk, we said goodbye to our professors. :( I am really going to miss my professor, Marleny. She and I had some great conversations, and discussed some great topics. She encouraged me a lot. I feel a lot more comfortable in my Spanish, and I think it’s mostly because of her. She also gave me a new love for literature, especially by Latin American authors. After this we ate our final meal with our families and said goodbye to our families. Also sad. :( Then we returned to Xela for the night.

Today we traveled to Antigua (a difficult trip! With many stomach and head aches due to decreasing elevation), and we’ll be here in the hotel for tonight and tomorrow, just to chill and relax some. On Sunday we head to EL SALVADOR! (I’ll blog more later about my Guatemala experience in general…I have so much to say!)

One thing I forgot to mention earlier that I’d like you to be praying about is my host family in Xela (Gloria and Ericka). Gloria just recently quit her job, is searching for another, just lost a nephew, and has a sister who recently had surgery to remove a cancerous tumor. She’s going through a lot, and I highly appreciated all that she did for me although she was going through a rough time. I will miss Gloria and Ericka so much. Please keep her and your family in your prayers.

Also be praying for safe travels for us as we travel to El Salvador. Words been getting out about a potential storm that’s brewing, and I’m hoping and praying it doesn’t bring more devastating landslides to the area.

Even though this post is long, I’ll probably be posting another soon! I want to share more about my thoughts during this time of transition to a different country. Hasta la próxima! :)

Viva La Independencia?

On September 15, 1821, the Central American declaration of independence was signed. Along with this document came celebration and change! Yeah, right. Nothing really changed. At least not for Guatemala. 

According to a speaker we heard this morning, this day of celebration is in vain. The family that has most of the power in Guatemala today is the same family that had the power in the days of the Spanish conquest. I don't know the whole story for all of Central America, but it sounds like the declaration and laws created to develop this "newly independent" nation were developed in the interests of those in power.  Many people say that Guatemala has yet to find its independence. Some say the internal wars and years of revolution were a step towards that independence. The last thing our speaker left us with was this saddening fact: in a region of Guatemala, when a plot of land is sold, so are its laborers. Essentially, slavery is still happening. Where is the independence for those people? I feel like I only learned bits and pieces about this controversial and possibly false independence, and I think I will do more research to get a better idea about what other Guatemalans think about their "independence" and how much independence Guatemala has politically. 

I have to admit though, Guatemalans celebrate a false holiday pretty heavily. ;) If anything, this holiday is just an excuse to throw a big party. It reminded me of New Year's Eve. Last night there was a huge celebration in the Parque Central (which is oh-so conveniently located only 2 blocks away from my host family's apartment). There was a never-ending parade with many marching bands that kept playing around the square, and a couple of stages, one with loud marimba music for most of the night. The excitement really happened at midnight with the "Grito de independencia," or the mayoral speech, concluded with a large fireworks display and random military institution band playing a couple (like 5) songs. We happened to find ourselves directly below the window of the mayoral palace, exactly where the band stopped to play its songs. We were three feet away from the line of trumpets. Then today a few of us headed out to La feria, or the fair. It reminded me of a large state fair, just with more vendors and a lot of food that probably wasn't safe to eat. Oh, and TONS of people...thousands of people. It was a tad overwhelming, but fun to attend. :) I didn't do any rides, but a couple of my friends went on the ferris wheel. Guatemalan ferris wheel operators definitely have a sense of thrill, given that the ferris wheel was not something you went on to get pretty pictures of the town at the top. No, no...they went full speed with their ferris wheel. Safe? Probably not. Fun? Heck yes. Gives you an idea of what Guatemala is like. :)

One other highlight from this week was getting to attend a Mayan ceremony. On Monday, we drove up El Baul (the hill we climbed a few weeks ago), and found a random clearing in the woods to participate in a fire ceremony. We were each given two balls of incense that served as our offering/letting-go-of burdens to...well, you could call it mother nature, or the spirits, or I think even God. The ceremony consisted of the two leaders (a married couple) pronouncing the 260 days (I think?) of one of the Mayan calendars in Quiche, a Mayan language. Two things they shared with us that I found very interesting: (1) The woman said that one thing that people need to do is regain respect. She said, "the reason so many places have failed is because they don't have respect." So true, isn't it? They had a very hopeful outlook for the world. Which leads me to... (2) The world is not going to end in 2012. At least this Mayan couple didn't think so. There are many Mayan calendars, and one of them will end in 2012, but that does not mean the world will end, rather there will be some sort of combination of calendars. They think that 2012 will bring about changes in the world, but changes for the better. 

I need to head out for now. I wish I could say more, but I wanted to make sure to get another blog posted this week because on Saturday we head out to a village near Cantel where we probably won't have internet. We'll spend a week taking bucket showers, living with indigenous families, and studying Spanish at the mountain school. I'm so excited. :)

Please keep in your prayers our group as we go out to the mountain community and participate in a whole different way of living that is the reality for many Guatemalans. Also, pray for this theme of respect, hope, and connectedness that the Mayan couple had. And maybe spend some time asking God (or just reflecting within your own thoughts) for some clearance in how you (should) view this world--with a hopeful optimism like the Mayan woman? Or one of "the-end-is-near" ideology? I know this is a pretty open and can-be complicated thing to think about (especially if you throw in the idea of the second coming of Christ), and it's something that I think if you're the praying type, wouldn't be such a bad idea to pray about. I know I am.

Thanks again for reading! Dios te bendiga.

INSIGHT...into Guatemala's nature and history

We came around the mountain, and there it was. The huge body of water resting between multiple volcanos. Lake Atitlan. Probably the most gorgeous sight my eyes have ever seen. By far one of God’s most awesome creations.

We had a great weekend relaxing and adventuring around the shores of this beautiful lake. Although we were never really certain that we’d actually get to leave Xela this weekend (due to rains and landslides on highways), on Thursday plans were finalized, and we prepared ourselves for our weekend trip to the Lake Atitlan area. We never had to wait for road construction and could pass through all the roads, but there were a few evidences of recent landslides, including a couple of times when the asphalt was gone and we drove across a one-lane dirt road and one instance of driving about a foot away from a few-hundred feet drop-off down the mountain. We were blessed with an AMAZING driver. One of our coordinators hooked us up with him, and since he had a vanbus (aka a 15-passenger van) we didn’t have to worry about hooking up with buses or finding public transportation to get to the Lake. He also knew of a great hotel just 100 meters away from the lake with reasonable prices and got us hooked up with a boat-driver to take us to a couple of places across the lake. So Friday afternoon we departed for Panajachel, a city right on the lake. After about three and a half hours of uphill, downhill, twists and turns, and an almost-flat-tire, we made it to the lake. Saturday was probably a highlight of my life. The morning began with breakfast at a shore-side restaurant. Not the highest quality of food, and we got heckled by vendors while we were eating (typical in Panajachel), but the morning and the view were BEAUTIFUL. After breakfast we organized a boat ride, and nine of us (plus our vanbus driver) headed out for Santiago, a small pueblo across the lake. After a few hours of shopping, walking around, and lunch, we boarded the boat once again with a destination of San Pedro, another pueblo across the lake. However, on our way to San Pedro, we stopped to do the exact thing that all of our host families and teachers had been telling us not to do. Our boat driver knew of a “safe dock” next to which we could go for a swim. So we did. :) That was an ooober fun experience of changing into a swimsuit on a boat and jumping off a dock into I-don’t-know how deep rich blue-green water. (Hopefully none of us become ill from the supposed bacteria that lives in the water…) After about a half hour of enjoying the cool water, we made our way to San Pedro. San Pedro is known as being a “hippy” town, and it was just that. Surprisingly though, there was a pretty predominant presence of Christian churches and school there too. A few people in our group decided to take a thermal bath, while a few of us decided to take a short horseback riding trip around the pueblo. Our horses went next to AND through the city. That was a fun experience—riding horse next to city buses and taxis and on three-foot wide narrow paths between buildings, trotting through the streets and sharing our “buenos días” with the locals as though we were in some sort of parade. As if we didn’t stand out enough already with our light skin and American dress, might as well pop us six feet in the air on horses. :P Unfortunately, we didn’t get to spend much time in San Pedro and had to head back to Pana right after the ride. On our way back, we had to stop twice because of trash in our motor. :/ There was a bit of basura floating around and littering the beautiful blue-green of the water.

I’m going to stop talking about Lake Atitlan or else I won’t get to anything else. I’ll try to get some pictures up of the beautiful lake and volcanos, but of course, they can never capture seeing such beautiful creation in person. I’m still in awe.

Last week I gave my first presentation for my literature class! Also, 330 pages later, I finally finished my novel! I was worried I wasn’t going to get through it time to write my paper and make my presentation which were both due Friday. But I did! And I think they both went pretty well. :) Also on Friday, my professor and I had a really great conversation. Guatemalans seem to very blunt and honest, including with questions. The conversation began simply, with her asking me, “So, how’s your family?” but shortly after our conversation topics became death, God, and Martin Luther. Haha :) My favorite question of the conversation: “What do you think about God?” I was able to share with my prof my personal beliefs about death, God, scripture, servanthood, among many other things. She also shared with me her thoughts and beliefs, and ironically although she claims to have no religious affiliation, we had some very similar beliefs. And we both admire Martin Luther. :) And our fathers have the same name…well, almost. Jorge/George. :) I’m glad that I’m getting to a point in my Spanish that I feel more comfortable having a bit more in-depth conversations, and it was fun getting to learn more about the life of a middle-aged Guatemalan woman.

“It’s hard not to hold a position” seemed to be a popular phrase last week. We heard from a speaker who during the years of violence in Guatemala, was not “directly involved” in the military nor any guerrilla group. I add quotes because although he wasn’t officially a part of any movement or military group, his life was still definitely affected by the conflict. His experiences included losing a classmate to a mysterious case of abduction at the age of 15, witnessing an explosion, and almost being forced to join the army three times. His testimony helped us realize that there was not a whole lot many people could do to escape the violence and fear of Guatemala’s recent history. We also learned that many people tried to remain ignorantto the situation, to avoid having to be involved at all. Within our conversation on Friday, my professor also shared some things about her life during the war, and she had a similar experience. Although she never was “directly involved” in combat groups, her life was still definitely affected. When they say “it’s hard not to hold a position,” to remain neutral in regards to who was “in the right” during the violence, it’s next to impossible because they are living with their own experiences that affect how they view what happened and what continues to happen.

Now that I’ve written a book, I’m going to get some sleep. (Despite what this blog post says, I wrote this at 10pm Sunday night.) Although this weekend was stress-free and relaxing, it was still pretty packed full of fun stuff (including a visit to Central America’s largest market this morning! We finally made it to Chichicastenango—where we were supposed to go to last weekend but couldn’t because of the mudslides), and I’m beat.

Please continue to pray for those affected by the rain and mudslides. This weekend we got to see just a small bit of the damage, and I cannot imagine how many things like this Guatemalans go through every year, every season. Natural disasters seem to be an expected thing here, but something you can never fully prepare or be ready for. Also pray for our group of students as some of us are not looking forward to this next week of classes (including many final presentations and papers), and for me as I continue to study within this subject that I don’t get all that excited about (no offense to those of you who love reading and literature…)

Thanks for reading this book known as my blog post! (At least it’s not in Spanish!) Ojala que todo esté bien en Iowa y Dakota del Sur. :)

What is truth? Well, it´s raining...

As I walked along next to the river that had formed in the street of our school, a car drove past, and because the sidewalks here are directly next to the traffic, it splashed and drenched my feet. I have a feeling that my feet won´t have many dry moments this weekend. Streets have become small rivers, and to get anywhere from my apartment, I must walk at least a few blocks and cross a few of these new rivers. Our group was supposed to go to Chichicastenango this weekend, but we cannot because of landslides. The highways are too dangerous. It has been raining so much today. And it´s supposed to continue all weekend.

Today concluded our first week of classes! I survived! Haha, I need to get through most of my novel this weekend though...and begin my analysis paper...and work on a presentation. I have nothing to complain about though; many of my fellow students have been giving a presentation or writing a composition every day.

This week we heard two very different perspectives of Guatemala. On Wednesday, we visted with a colonel of the Guatemalan army. He told us his view of what happened from the 1960 until 1996, the years of violence here in Guatemala. It was interesting because the accounts we have heard were ones of massacre and torture, committed by the Guatemalan military. When this issue was addressed, he mentioned that even though unjust acts occurred, there were never mandated by the ¨"institution." Then on Thursday, we had a conference with two people from villages that lived during the combat. Their loved ones and other people from their village were murdered in the years of violence. "Institutionally mandated" or not, there is no excuse for the violence that occurred, and the deaths that resulted. But there are accounts of policies that were instituted by people of higher power to wipe out entire indigenous villages. Two conflicting perspectives. But which is the truth?

I´ve been reading about the concept of truth in one of my religion books. The author suggests that truth is a process. No one every knows the truth, but people make "truth-claims." The author speaks in regard to God and claims about divine truth, but I think that these two opposing views about the recent history of Guatemala can both be called truth-claims. The books and articles written by victims of the Guatemalan civil war can be called truth-claims. The novel and short stories that I read for class and that reflect Central American life during violent times can be called truth-claims. Even extensly researched reports put out by the United Nations can be called truth-claims. The past is the past. And everyone´s past is different. Which one is truth? All of them. Everyone´s past is their reality.

Please pray for our group as we learn about these conflicting views of a totally separate culture than our own. Pray for those who are affected by the massive amounts of rain and landslides. This is unstable ground. But we will continue trekking upon it.

Te envio mi amor.