Day 8 and 9: Another Perspective

We arrived in Antigua, Guatemala around noon on Saturday.  Kevin and Ginny left for the United States very early in the morning to see family and to get their passports stamped which is required every 3 month to retain their visas. (Having to fly home every three months in order to work in Guatemala is another substantial expense of doing ministry here.) We are staying in the oldest hotel in Central America, Don Rodrigo; it is over 300 years old and I am fairly certain the beds are at least 200 years old, but the hotel and Antigua itself are probably one of the best remnants of colonial Spain left in Central America today.

I know some of you may be wondering what a mission team is doing in a Spanish colonial hotel in the colonial capital of Guatemala, but I can tell you that going from the experiences we had with Groundwork, working with the extreme poor, directly home, can be extremely jarring.  Most of us need to decompress, and I believe it is also important to get another, perhaps a more hopeful perspective on our surroundings.  Guatemala, politically, is a mess.  It is corrupt and dangerous.  There is an illusion that life here is improving because there is an increasing North American or first world presence, but the unemployment rate is extremely high, racism against people of Mayan ancestry (which is a substantial amount of the population) is rampant,  and the level of violence is sometimes shocking.  Antigua is a bit of a historical, safe haven where we can walk the cobblestone streets, shop in the Mayan markets, and marvel at the volcanoes that encircle us in this postcard-pictureque valley. Although only 45 minutes from the capital, it is worlds away from from the rest of Guatemala.  I believe it is an UNESCO world heritage site and one of the world's best remaining examples of Spanish colonialism.  On our own dime, we came here to better understand Guatemala's past and get a sense of the potential for the future... and as always, to embrace the outdoor market experience.  In fact, some have embraced it so much, that one of the "young ones" requested we only eat two meals today.

I will add photos to this post when I can.  We are very careful about taking photographs as we do not want to draw too much attention to ourselves, and there are technological challenges here with the internet and "the cloud."  Most importantly, we are well, and happy to have this time together, as our minds replay all we have seen these past days.  We are painfully aware of our blessings and of our call, as one of the blessed, to bless others.  That call may bring us back here, to other third world situations, or into our own families and neighborhoods, but not one of us thinks this experience should be compartmentalized as just a "good experience." Challenge us as we return home.  We have been called to make a difference.

We will return home late tomorrow night (Monday) and again, I will add photos today if I can.

Blessings and thank you Trinity, families, and dear friends,

Guatemala Mission Team 2015

(Look closely at our t-shirts.  Both were team favorites.)