Day 5: We are not in Kansas anymore, Toto!

Home in Buena Vista
This home is made of split bamboo.  Termites will not eat bamboo.

Home Visit

I have a problem.  I wrote the blog then tried to upload the photos and they are coming in at the top of the blog and everywhere else instead of where they should... so, please read the blog first, and then come back to the top to look at the photos.  Mercy, this should be easier!

First Grade in Buena Vista

Welcome to Buena Vista

Dear friends and family,
It is 5:30 A.M. and almost everyone has been up for at least an hour.  We are clenching our Bibles, our coffee, and laughing around "the table." It will be a long but glorious day in Buena Vista.

I am pre-writing again this morning because we tend to be spent each day
when we return from Buena Vista. It takes about 2 hours to get there and it is truly a study in Central American geography. Guatemala City is over a mile high, but as we move toward the Pacific Ocean, the elevation drops dramatically and the temperature and humidity rise.  The vegetation changes from coffee, avocados and lemons, to sugar cane, mangos, papaya and rubber trees.  The trip is accentuated by a massive, majestic range of volcanic mountains, up close and personal.  As you might expect, Buena Vista is beautiful, as are its people, but life is hard there and the stories most often devastating.  When we return, I will try to share some of those stories and images from the day.  We are going to the "real" rainforest to see a way of life that most will never have the opportunity to witness and to hang out our with brothers and sisters, an experience that will stay us for a lifetime.  We are blessed.

One of the things that has occurred this year, that has only happened to a lesser degree in previous years, is the ongoing Spanish class.  Our kids are aggressively teaching each other Spanish and our van rides each day are frequently an opportunity to practice Spanish with the Guatemalans and for the  Guatemalans to practice their English with us.  It is just one more opportunity for everyone to get to know each other and have a lot of fun doing it.

Everyone is well and rested-ish this morning; were are definitely in good spirits and ready to take on another day of home visits, singing, faith lessons, and life lessons.  Talk to you again later tonight.
Later...

Fuego is just one of the many active volcanoes we passed on the way to Buena Vista.  Notice the plume.

It took longer than usual to get out of Guatemala City this morning... mucho trafico.  As a result some of us were sleeping, some were chatting, and others were a bit "dazed and confused." The ride is sometimes winding, up and down, lots of chicken buses, compact cars, and plenty of diesel exhaust.  As we pass one of the many post card-worthy volcanoes, I again realize, "We are not in Kansas anymore, Toto."

HOT, HOT, HOT! Did I mention it was hot?  Bruce forced the kids to drink lots of water with the words, "drink or die" and not surprisingly, it worked.  Today was a packed full of home visits, faith lessons, exploration, conversations, and hugs for kids that live with unimaginably little in homes that are unspeakably humble.  It was exhausting but meaningful. Buena Vista is an extraordinary place where people living in EXTREME poverty thank God for their blessings. These people subsist from day to day and possibly moment to moment and still they thank God for their blessings. The message for us is clear. Again, we take away far more from this experience than we give.

My intention was to tell many tales, but it is late, the blog is not cooperating and we have to ready to go again early tomorrow morning.  I will try to add more photos, but I want team families to know that everyone is well.  Every single member has made a significant contribution to this effort and I appreciate their enthusiasm and team spirit.  

It was another good day in Guatemala.  God has been extremely good to us again today.

Goodnight. 

If you look carefully, you see the word Jesus spelled out.

Emily was enjoying the hike in the heat?