Friday 3/4/05 - John
It's 11:45 am. We made it to our departure point at DIA, and all are accounted for. What's for lunch?

It's 5:56 pm. We have arrived Houston and are awaiting our flight to Guatemala City. Everyone is getting food from Pappadeaux's or the food court vs. eating airline food. Our flight left a little late, no big deal except the guy across from us flipped out.

Arrived OK, and made it through customs, and found this lady from another group who lost her passport. I went back through customs to help, only to find out the guards would not let me back out. Sorry…no speakie Spanish. Made it out about ½ an hour later. Run Bubba Run. Checked into hotel. Oh yeah, only one bus and not enough room for all the luggage. Finally the bus came back and we made it to the hotel. Good night. See you in the morning.

PS. Anyone know what was on that sandwich on the flight?

Saturday am 3/5 - Betsy
!Buenos Dias! After a nice buffet breakfast we gathered at 9 am. Janet was practicing the numbers between ten and thirty while we were waiting in the hotel lobby. !Bueno! Bob is trying Laurie's ginger chews for the ride.

We rode for two hours in 3 vans - 2 for passengers and one for luggage - through Guatemala City and into the mountains. Along the way we saw women balancing bundles on their heads, walking by the side of the road. Janet and Bob talked with our driver continuing to practice their Spanish. We stopped for lunch at an attractive restaurant called Chichoy. We saw women making blue corn tortillas. Jennifer, Bev, and Suzanne tried their hands at making them!

For lunch we ordered pollo criollo (tortillas with chicken), tortilla adovado (pork), chorizo, longanizo (sausages), frijol and other items. We drank soft drinks, bottled water, coffee and tea. For dessert we had an AWESOME pie with pineapples and papaya. After that some of us shopped at the restaurant's outdoor store.

After lunch we continued along curvy mountain roads to our hotel in Chichicastenango. It is a beautiful setting with a spectacular view and lots of trees. When we drove up to the hotel, the staff greeted us and offered us juice from papayas, melon, and watermelon. While we were drinking our juice, we estimated that we had brought 200 pounds of toothpaste with us!

Another image from the van ride - we saw many children playing near the road, women in colorful blouses and knee length skirts in more subdued blue or gray prints. Small towns and villages dotted the countryside along the way.

Saturday PM 3/5 - Kathy
The hotel in ChiChi es muy suave (very nice). We have a nice view from here. It is 3:00 PM on Saturday 3/5 and we are going to the orphanage and the market. At the orphanage we met Santos, Byron y Andres. We saw some puppies too! We met little Victor and Julian. Mark showed us some newer buildings - the office, patio and kitchen. We met Federico and Carla. Some of the boy us showed us how to count…they kept forgetting eight in the English version. Then we went to the work site. It is an amazing area for the facility - a center for the country's Methodist conferences and pastoral training. The center is large and has nice tiled floors and windows along each side. There is a raised stage at one end. Mark showed us where we would hold the Bible School. We stopped at the local Ruth and Naomi Project and bought some nice handicrafts.

Dinner was scheduled at 7:00 PM back at the hotel. It began with a hot, clear soup with a few vegetables sliced thinly. Our entrée was pork chops, rice and vegetables. Cake was dessert. After dinner Rev Janet gave a devotional: Abraham - He went. Where have I been vulnerable? What am I learning from my Mission colleagues? What am I learning from the people of Chichi? Where do I see God?

Sunday 3/6 - Terise
We started the day with a Guatemalan breakfast of fruit, platanos, refried black beans, tortillas and eggs… very tasty. Following breakfast, Laurie gave a lovely devotional. She spoke of her Zimbabwe trip and blessing a mill. She witnessed AIDS, TB, death and dying. "God is beyond just our thoughts and heaven… God is in other people." Next we headed anxiously to the Chichi market.

In the open-air market, vendors displayed everything from a variety of hand woven goods to T-shirts, handmade wooden items, fried chicken, flowers, and fresh fruits and vegetables. As soon as you bought something and carried around a bag, you became a target. Guatemalan vendors hounded Jan relentlessly, and she bought plenty. Bevy had to rescue me by grabbing my arm and pulling me quickly away from a very determined woman who kept saying, "Lady you need this, how much you give me". Needless to say, our group purchased many, many items.

We followed the market with a homemade lunch at the hotel of PB&J. After a very, very short rest, our group gathered in our two vans and headed to the orphanage to play with the children. We played badminton and flew kites in a big field by Lake Lemoa near the orphanage. Jen taught Sandra and others to cartwheel, Kathy was an expert at kite flying, and all of us enjoyed the afternoon with these wonderful kids!

We left the Orphanage to go to Sunday service. It was very nice. The local Rev. had an English interpreter for us and Rev. Janet said a few words to the congregation, which were translated into Spanish. We sang lots, lots and lots of songs. The children behind our row kept teasing and poking Bev from behind and giggling. After the service we headed back to the hotel for dinner. It was Bob's birthday and the girls, (Bev and Jen) had a great surprise for him they had found at the Chichi market, which they will give him at dinner.

Monday am 3/7 - Kris
Last evening ended with Bob being presented with a "dreadlocks hat" which he wore while unsuccessfully trying to blow out his birthday candles. Happy Birthday, Roberto! There were no canons going off last night (they are used to ward off the evil spirits) only roosters and a few dogs were heard. Betsy gave our devotional this morning with a wonderful and inspiring story of Mother Teresa.

Today was workday #1. We are just back from the work site. I guess I lost the shower lottery, so am waiting my turn now! Everybody is pretty grimy, but it shows what a great productive day everyone had. Walls were plastered, the cooking surface for the fireplace was mortared with the first layer of bricks, tile work was done in the kitchen, multiple bags of trash were picked up and the post for a roof was put in. Dale, Jan and I walked to the tienda across from the site to get sodas for the workers around 11 am. The children from the primary school were all buying candy during their long recess along with pieces of frozen banana, watermelon and pineapple dipped in chocolate.

After visiting the orphanage a couple of times, I admire Mark's dedication and passion more and more. Janet referred in her sermon on Sunday to justice, kindness and being humble. I hope that each day I can show and feel some of these traits. It certainly has been a wonderful experience so far!!

Monday PM 3/7 - Dawn
Thanks so much to everyone that helped with the planning of this trip. Lunch was so well planned - and good. I truly thought we'd be eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches every day. Chicken salad sandwiches for lunch (with trail mix and granola bars as a snack - what a treat)!!! And Betsy (aka Pepsi, Bipsey, or Pipsey) has been teased about her planning, but the chaos of the week would be tenfold without her planned "jumping off" point.

We were warned that the first day is slow…to get organized and started on all of the work. Given that, our first day was extremely productive. We finished a layer of red paver brick on (previously lain cinder blocks) the stove - after removing one layer of cinder blocks. Apparently three blocks high is too high for the people here (we joked that it had been built to American height standards). Chiseling off the mortar and cinder blocks looked like hard work! We stucco'ed part of the outside of the building, leveled floors for bathroom stalls, and laid tile in the kitchen. This sounds like less work than it was…but you have to sift the sand to make the concrete/mortar, then mix the mortar (different consistencies for each job) to plaster the wall or lay the brick or tile…and wet or soak everything before it comes in contact with the mortar.

And I forgot to mention the "trash team" led by Andrea. They started cleaning most of the grounds of the property. I expect they'll have most of Lemoa trash-free by the end of the week. We also have a great local team helping us - Nicho, Heber, and Amilcar. Help = doing all of the really hard work!

After a hard day of work, we had chicken cordon bleu for dinner. (We're really roughing it here.)

Tuesday am 3/8 - Janet
We woke up to no electricity in the hotel this morning. It was quiet in the hallway with no hair dryers running! Thank goodness the hotel kitchen has both a gas range and a wood cook stove. Hot coffee and ham and cheese omelets greeted us at 7:00 am. Jan shared a devotional about conquering fear. Laurie is feeling a bit puny, but with us at the site.

The morning is warm. The mist is heavy on the mountains. On the 30-minute ride to Lemoa we sang our Bible school songs in Spanish. "Allelu" is our favorite…only two words! After prayer at our work site, we divided into two teams, one at the retreat center, and the other at the orphanage. The morning tasks include painting the dining hall, bricking the outdoor oven, plastering the outside wall.

Everyone's muscles seem to be loose enough and not too painful. Ken is overseeing the paint crew as he does so effectively at St. Luke's. Mark took the second paint crew to the orphanage to paint the kitchen and laundry room. The mood is light and bantering. We are filling the valley with singing and laughter.
The women are practicing for a run on Broadway with a version of Diana Ross and the Supremes "Stop in the Name of Love"!

Tuesday PM 3/8 - Andrea
!Hola, soy Andrea! This afternoon the work continued. Brick laying has been completed on the cook stove. The walls are looking good with a smooth coat of mortar. The two layers of paint required in the dining area are complete. Everything looks great. A crew put two layers of paint in the washroom and the kitchen at the orphanage. That should make a huge difference - the rooms were very dark before and the lighter color added much needed brightness.

I continued with my trash pick up. My slogan is "cleaning up Lake Lemoa one bag at a time". I really love the job because it affords me the opportunity to converse with the locals. The children are friendly and are curious about who we are. The boys step forward and are happy to talk. The girls are shy, but are very watchful.

We left work early in order to visit the new Methodist school in Quiche. It just opened this year with 4 grades - first, second, third and seventh. There is tuition required but that is the case with any private school. Public education is only offered for 6 grades. To continue through middle and high school one must pay for school. The school administrators were very grateful to show us the students. There is much work yet to be done to get the school to capacity.

Next we stopped at the new supermarket in Chichicastenango for supplies. It is a fully stocked market with several choices for all products. We enjoyed a Guatemalan style dinner with flan for dessert. The wait staff and chef are very talented. We ended our day with a business meeting and our evening devotions. Another great day in Paradise!

Tuesday late PM 3/8 - Mark
As Andrea mentioned, we visited the new Methodist school in Santa Cruz del Quiché; it's named after John Wesley, and the place is theologically inclined. The idea is to provide a place both to educate poor children and grow future pastors.

The school is already becoming known in Quiché. There is really a shortage of affordable schools in the area. They plan to cap class size at 32 children, which compares favorably with the 50 kids found in each classroom of other schools. They are also in the process of installing a computer lab, which will add much value as well. So from an academic standpoint, the school's future looks bright. But the first few years of operation look financially bleak. They are currently operating at a deficit of roughly Q6000 per month. That's about $800. It's mainly due to under-enrollment in 2nd and 3rd grade. Currently seven scholarship students from Lemoa attend John Wesley School, and two little ones from the orphanage (Carla and Julian) do as well.

The directors are dedicated, and expect the school to be self-sufficient by late 2007. They also expect the deficit to decrease steadily up to that point. Until then they could really use some churches to partner up with. But they also have faith that God will provide.

"Do whatever lies in your power and God will assist your good intentions" (from The Imitation of Christ).

Wednesday am 3/9 - Bob
Another gorgeous morning, waking to a cacophony of sounds ranging from roosters, trucks, birds, and Spanish conversation. The mist hangs only lightly over the valley this morning. Everyone has slept well. Laurie is back with us for breakfast this morning …but we lost Kris. She felt ill enough that she stayed behind today. We pray for a healthy return to her by this evening. Morning devotion was by Gene. He challenged us to consider faith and God in our lives. Thank you Gene!

Today we prepare for our first Bible School. Everyone is excited; at least I think they are. We only work a ½ day or so today. We opened with prayer by Janet. Four people go to the orphanage to complete the painting. The rest of us work on painting in the dining hall, tiling the kitchen, and excavating for the new addition at the rear of the kitchen area.

Uugh!!! 10 am…and I'm ready for the break. Dining hall paint is drying. The excavating is almost complete, which is good since we are also…almost "complete". Cathy and Andrea are back to plastering. We've taken the scaffold down and we're ready for a break… "That was good".

We started cutting tiles for the backsplash in the kitchen, set up scaffolding for plastering in the cooking area, and are finishing the painting in the dining hall. We haven't heard yet from the group of four who went with Mark to the orphanage to continue painting. Nicho gave a "demonstration" of what mescal (stucco) should look like…fascinating to watch a master…but our work looks good… amazing!

Well, it has been another great morning. We are getting ready for lunch. Today is much cooler than the past few days. It actually feels like we are in the mountains. Everyone seems more…"peaceful" or "pre-occupied" today. I'm not sure which. I think the afternoon Bible school is on everyone's mind, but they are just not talking about it.

Wednesday PM 3/9 - Cathy
The First Epistle of Cathy
(Go ahead and laugh, but you are all anxious to see what I wrote since you know I wrote about EVERYONE!)

Chapter 1
1. It's lunchtime at the center, and we had great tuna sandwiches. Thank you Suzanne and Kris for orchestrating our nutritious and tasty noon feedings and our labor union snacks. 2. Now we're trying to sing. !Es muy mal! 3. The words are coming slowly…but surely. 4. We struggled with singing rounds, but with excellent leadership from Dale and Kathy, coupled with inspirational dancing from Betsy, we have succeeded…!Gloria a Dios. Aleluya! 5. Half the crew is headed back to work while the other half is preparing for escuela Biblica. 6. Excitement and music (from the nearby church) fill the air. 7. The children will be here soon, and we all hope for organized chaos. 8. This morning we saw el niño on his bicycle with a pig in tow on a rope. 9. The pig was resistant - were they on the way to market? 10. Dos vacas (two cows) were bathing in la laguna (lake) while an ewe and her lamb wandered the shore. The baby would skip to Mama and butt right into her. 11. Such a playful child. 12. This morning the group working at the orphanage put a second coat of egg-white paint on the kitchen walls. How fresh it must look! 13. Manuela made tamales and roasted pollo (chicken) for the children's lunch. 14. Outside the crew painted around the office and down the stairs. 15. Back at the retreat, Bev took a few lessons from Gene and learned to chisel. 16. Go girl! 17. The toughest job on the site may be that one. Bev stayed at chiseling for quite a while. Tough girl! 18. Jan has taken her painting expertise, added some weight to the applicator, and is now plastering. 19. As our safety officer, Jan keeps an eye out that all of us are in Guatemalan OSHA compliance. 20. Our union breaks ensure we take an opportunity to clear our heads and remain more focused while working. 21. Gene is employing safety and using goggles as he returns to the helm of chiseling. Gene has a strong determination for this task. He is STILL at it. His biceps and triceps will by amazing. 22. After his devotion this morning and his hard work all day, we know Gene is a believer with no doubts!

Chapter 2
1. The craft room is shaping up. Betsy does such a great job with organizing and double-checking that everyone and everything is well. 2. Bob is cutting paper towels… 3. This requires precision. 4. Bob will be working on face painting - this visual sent Reverend Janet into giggles the other night. 5. Seems Bob can do two faces an hour. 6. He'll either pick up the pace, or we'll pick him up in a few days. 7. Laurie and Suzanne are making magical bubble wands. 8. We'll talk to Gene about a patent. 9. Let's examine the process… wrap florist wire around a Pringle's can and leave enough wire to make handles. Joy detergent is the obvious magical bubble mix ingredient…but Karo Syrup is the secret ingredient. 10. It makes the bubbles stronger. 11. Keep this quiet until we're patented. 12. Kathy has created wonderful hand puppets. She's adding final touches before curtain call. 13. The Poor Man, The Robber, The Priest, and The Good Samaritan will debut today. 14. The Poor Man will be carrying a lovely array of scarves, which will be stolen. 15. Kathy as Director will have support from Dale and Bob the Puppet Masters. Get your autographs early. 16. A donkey is being crafted, and the actors are getting their final make-up, e.g., an eyebrow had to be glued back on. 17. Children are gathering at the windows to see the "behind the scenes" set up. 18. Coach Dawn has her whistle and gym equipment. Today's big game is Crossing the Brook. 19. Jump ropes are laid parallel, kids jump across the ropes, the brook widens with each jumping attempt. 20. The last/longest jumper wins. 21. Betsy is calling a meeting to provide additional school direction.

Chapter 3
1. Let's go back to the worksite… 2. Dale and Bev are tiling the kitchen. As Dale is a perfectionist, he has selected Bev as his able-bodied assistant. 3. I advised Dale about the many tasks awaiting him for the afternoon. 4. It was noted that Kathy provides various outreach opportunities to Dale. 5. Nicho is intrigued with the journal. 6. Nicho is even more of a perfectionist than Dale. 7. How can that be?! 8. Ken is the silent observer - always catching us via photos and quotes. 9. Has Ken been "caught" yet? 10. Rumor is…there are stories… 11. Nicho lost the end of his three fingers in a garden tilling accident when he was 11 years old. The tiller's gap cap came off; Nicho reached for it and lost fingers in the process.

Chapter 4
1. Janet spoke of our vulnerabilities earlier this week. 2. For some it's praying and devotion to the group, 3. for others it's jumping into the work, 4. for others it's working with the children. 5. We all have skills we are more comfortable exhibiting. 6. Some how we're all overcoming any reservations we might have brought with us through the strength we're receiving from God.

And Bible school begins!!!
7. Dale welcomed the children. 8. Reverend Janet explained who we are, 9. where we came from, 10. why we're here, and 11. what we will do. 12. The children are curious of us, but welcoming none-the-less. 13. Kathy and our translator told The Creation of the World story. Dale staged Vanna impersonations and photo exhibitions. 14. All eyes and ears were alert. 15. The children strategically separated into groups by colored pipe cleaners on their wrists, family and friend connections, and general mayhem. 16. Kathy and Dale told the Story of Jonas among a ring of curious listeners; all vying for a position near the reader and the book. 17. Sharon and Bob were frantic with small hands anxious for their tattoos. Kudos to Bob, AKA, Speedy Gonzalez. 18. Laurie and Andrea entertained the children who were lined up waiting for their turn for tattoos. Seems these will last a few days. 19. Dawn, John and Gene head out of sight to the playing field armed with whistles, gear, and a skip in their step. Wonder what that skippy step will look like on the return trek from the field? 20. Heber is extremely kind, insightful and helpful. He is anxious to support us in any way he can, and he easily transcends the cultural and language barriers. 21. Heber has three sisters, a brother and cousins he is anxious to introduce to us. 22. He is 21 years old. Heber is intelligent and skillful, which led to him receive a scholarship. He is one of the few people in his village that has made it through high school. 23. He taught school for a year, but has been without a job since. We are fortunate to have him with us. 24. Gelder, our translator, is an asset for our work here. He has translated for God's Eyes, construction, conversation, and has kept the peace among the excited children. 25. Children are still hanging at the windows and on the edge of the playing field. 26. With time they join. It needs to feel safe. 27. Mark says they are "window shopping" the crafts…are they worth going inside? 28. The bubbles are a hit! 29. The children weren't exactly sure of the process and ended up washing their hands, faces, and clothes in their excitement. 30. Bubbles got a wee bit out of control.

Chapter 5
1. Jan dealt with the bat…the LIVE bat! Using a chair as her weapon of defense, she calmly protected us all. The slaying was swift and completed in one motion. !Jan! 2. Heber performed the traditional Guatemalan bat funeral…the bat was thrown into the tall grass. Amen. 3. Terise demonstrated God's Eyes as our craft. Many kids just wrapped the yarn around and around. 4. Other children were exacting. 5. Terise methodically worked the group to ensure everyone was pleased with their final product. 6. Suzanne assisted the Mothers with their God's Eyes. While these women are excellent at weaving, this craft proved a bit difficult for them. Suzanne persevered and the ladies were as proud of their work as the children were. 7. The Azul group was the outlier. We need to separate the older boys tomorrow. 8. A bit too rowdy. 9. Back to the playing field. John's foot held up for kickball. What a trooper! 10. Jenn was our field-to-base coordinator. She marched the children from crafts to sports and sports to crafts. 11. Perhaps we should don her with the title "Pied Piper"? 12. Andrea, the Queen of Clean, laid down her sacks until close to the end. She encouraged the children to place pipe cleaners, stickers, tattoo papers, and other trash in the bags. 13. Some acceptance, yet more work to do in this area. 14. Andrea, the play writer, has started Act III, Scene I for the Puppets by Balu entourage and traveling show. 15. There is so much more that hasn't bee captured. 16. There was sensory overload for all - the mission group and the children. The Finale: (right arm over left…) 17. The Lord Bless You and Keep You/Care for You. Amen. (turn backwards) 18. It was the !Grand Finale!

Chapter 6
1. The team is happy, exhausted, and looking forward to tomorrow…that would be after a shower, hot meal and good night's rest. 2. Much has been accomplished, yet there is more to come. 3. We are chatting at dinner over the good parts of today - the challenges, new ideas for handling them, and the many funny stories each one of us will treasure in our hearts. 4. Sharon spent a bit of time today wiping noses. Dale pointed out that Sharon didn't get them all. 5. Sharon noted there couldn't be enough tissues to get them all. 6. Jenn suggests we make an additional station for nose wiping. 7. Along the health line, some of the children had sores on their hands making it very hard to apply tattoos. 8. Will the medical mission team be able to help these specific children in May? 9. Nurse Jan was particularly touched by the medical condition of some of the children. Each of us joins her with our prayers of hope. 10. Vulnerable. Something each of us felt - adults and children alike. God held our hands and whispered encouragement as we joined together as His children. 11. Each of us relied on others for support. 12. For instance, Jenn hid behind a three year old when she was approached by a cow while going towards the playground. Reach for support wherever God provides it! 13. Sandra found support in holding hands and singing with Laurie while walking around. 14. Each of us found energy from Nicho's laughter and that of the many children. 15. Betsy and her Bird offered solace to many. 16. Dale, while out of his comfort zone leading songs, reached into his baritone soul and sang for all he was worth …leading us all down the path of "Make a Joyful Noise Unto the Lord". 17. Kathy's genuine warmth allowed children to swarm around her…wanting to be close to her, to hear her odd language, to see the pages of her book. One small boy was totally captivated by Kathy's story. What do you think he told his family tonight over dinner? 18. What do you think was the day's highlight for each of these children? What will stay in their hearts? 19. Economic strata were apparent, but not of any consequence. Could we be so open in our society? 20. Mothers brought their work, e.g., basket weaving, while watching the children enjoy the afternoon. 21. One young girl stood out in her desire not to stand out at all. She was shy, held tightly to a Pringle's can, and had sad eyes. It seems she may have some type of mental illness or hearing impairment. (An addition: Andrea warmed the little girl's heart by taking her aside and doing face painting at the end of the day without the intimidating crowd. By the end of the week this young girl was smiling and hugging us. May God continue to provide her with hope and love.) 22. Our only regret is missing Kris today. She is better, and her fever is lower. 5. We pray for her to be with us tomorrow.

After dinner we met for devotion. Bob teased Reverend Janet that she should read about Paul getting shipwrecked on Malta - Acts 27. With levity and insights for us, Reverend Janet read various passages.

Matthew 6:34: "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

Matthew 18:3: And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven."

Thursday am 3/10 - Gene
Geez! I don't know how to follow that! For the benefit of the reader, I've divided the book of Cathy into Chapters and Verses. I hope it helps. Apparently we had a bit of rain last night. The sidewalks are wet. I hope the fields are not too muddy.

We're all looking forward to visiting with the nuns this morning. Among many other things, they provide a home-away-from-home for Mark, so it's like meeting family. Also, they experienced some of the horrors of the civil war first hand.

The talk of the on-again off-again rain reminds me how comfortable it feels to be in an environment with greater than 40% humidity. Even though the work we're doing should be drying my hands to the point of cracking...at least that would be the case in Denver... my hands are in great shape. Wow! In retrospect, I'm struck by how feminine that sounded. Oh well, at least I'm in touch with that side of me.

Jen did the devotional this morning after breakfast. She talked about donuts and ponies. Breakfast was scrambled eggs and ham. Everyone seemed to enjoy the warm salsa most (on the scrambled eggs and ham, not the donuts and ponies.)

Tuesday afternoon at the John Wesley School, I was moved to the point of not even being able to talk to Dawn about what we were witnessing. The effort the schoolmaster and teachers are putting into bettering the lives of their own people with little to no expectation of financial reward stands in stark contrast to the "American Way." I expect I may be similarly moved this afternoon when we visit the nuns.

Later... What an amazing story! Yet another example of people giving their lives in service to others in God's name. This is really too much to write during my journal time. If I have a chance later to write more, I will. Or I can leave it to Bev this afternoon. Bev?

Back at the work site, we're getting prepared for a short workday. I'm working with Amilcar building forms for the concrete slab to be poured around the fire pit and outdoor bathrooms. Others are working on tile, painting at the orphanage, stuccoing, and the never-ending chiseling on the wall over-pour area.

My work this morning is quite frustrating. The communication gap with Amilcar is much wider than with Nicho. Also, the construction techniques leave a lot to be desired - at least as compared to even the most primitive of backyard home project standards in the US. Of course, we're impressed with what they're able to accomplish given what they have to work with. Last night Mark shared with us how little each of our constructions workers will be paid for their efforts this week. It is tempting to simply say, "Everything is relative." But that's not the case. While it may keep Nicho and his family in basic necessities, I hardly think they are able to plan much of a future on such meager means. And I mean none of this in an insulting way. Likewise, it doesn't make me feel pity. Nicho has a wonderful disposition, and I feel truly fortunate to have met him.

Good News! Amilcar and I made good progress framing the foundation. We managed to find a good rhythm, and completed a substantial portion of the project exchanging only a few words. It's not a significant project, but I'm feeling quite satisfied having accomplished it. Baby steps.

I'll end my journaling period with a few questions and and a few of my thoughts: Why here? Why now? Why not elsewhere, where the needs may be greater? Because good is being done here. Because these people are willing to help themselves. Because there's an opportunity here for ancient traditions of native people to survive in a modern world. Because this work has legs! Mark was telling me the other day that you can find all over the third world, monuments to good intentions that failed because there was no plan for ongoing maintenance...that they were too aggressive in scope and beyond the reach of those who would have to continue them. But there's a clear vision here of a situation that may change in a mere generation or two. Sometimes it does "Only take a spark." Well, that minimizes the work being done by the Sisters, Mark, the Methodist Council, and the school workers. There's more than a spark here...there's the beginning of a flame. As the sisters told us, the village of Lemoa is finally relaxed after years following the horrible atrocities visited upon them during the "violent time" as Sister Helen called it. I have no idea whether the mission work that has preceded us should be credited with brining about that state of calm, but I can't help but think it's had something to do with it. I only hope our works has fanned the flame, that we have visited peace upon people who truly deserve it, and that we can bring a spark home with us and light a fire of interest in our real world that delivers this vision to fruition. May God bless these people here, may He energize our ongoing efforts and the efforts of those who follow us so that good works can continue in the other places in the world that need and deserve our help.

Friday am 3/11 - Bev
!Hola! !Buenos Tardes! Following Cathy and Gene is no simple task!

Enjoying a lunch of PB&J. Everyone is getting geared up for Bible School. Dale is running around with a puppet on his hand - Andrea thought it was a rat, but actually it is Dale's lost brother - the jackass (donkey).

Nicho is a very sweet man - I love his smile! I love his attitude and every time he comes to inspect our work he says, "!Aye Ye Ye! No problemo - no problemo".

What a great day at Bible school! The kids are "craft crazy"! They loved making bracelets, bead crosses, face painting and coloring. The outside crew was busy with sack races, kickball, and jump rope. The kids smiles and laughter keep up energized!

Some of the crew stopped by the market on the way home for one last shopping spree. We had a wonderful supper of fish, beans, rice and flan. The treat of the day was hearing Pastor Juan Ixtan speak to us. He arrived for dinner with his wife, and talked to us after dinner about his village of Patulup. It has taken two years to build a clinic for this village, and he plans on adding a fourth level. He is a man with one incredible dream, and he has such great vision! Juan basically is a mayor, schoolteacher, pastor, healthcare administrator, construction foreman, etc… with only three years of education! Juan is trying to train the people that work in the clinic to use natural herbs to treat people, because they run out of medicine so quickly. Janet has asked us all week the question "Where do we see God?" - Juan Ixtan!

In closing I would like to thank Mark for taking us to meet Lilla and Helen, the Catholic nuns. Very inspiring, young at heart, loving and so giving! Lastly, I would like to thank Guatemala for giving me an opportunity to simplify my life, so that others can simply live! Thank you! It has been an incredible week - thank you all for your smiles, laughter, songs, hard work and inspiration!

Friday PM 3/11 - Suzanne
Betsy was overheard saying, "The plan for the day is to spit for 5-10 minutes". Today is the day we teach the children how to brush their teeth. Many gathered to unpack toothpaste and separate out the bubble gum flavor - the children would eat it, as they like the taste. We had well over 1000 toothbrushes.

Ken set up a video camera and had each person answer the question, "What has touched you the most emotionally?" Our goal for the day has been to photograph Ken. The beautiful lady came back with 14 baskets for the women. She had the baskets wrapped in a colorful blanket, which she carried on her head. She had her six-month-old baby on her back, and her three-year-old daughter with her. She has two more children who will come back for Bible school.

Dale and Andrea did the morning devotion. Dale shared tales of his earlier mission trips. Sleeping with the spiders - Laurie and her daughter hate spiders, so they covered themselves with their sleeping bags. Andrea later shared that the spiders where important for mosquito control, and the locals were upset when they were killed.

Friday late PM 3/11 - Dale
Dionicio finished the topcoat on the concrete area after we completed the pour following lunch. It was very beautiful and all of the team was proud. Dale and Bev finished the tile work in the kitchen. It was good to see the job finished, and it looked very different with the grout installed.

The kids started to assemble earlier today and the numbers grew. Our estimate was between 250 and 300. They were happy and ready for their last day at Bible school. The work on the project stopped at 2:30 when Dale finished the grout work and changed just in time for the songs to begin. We performed our old stand-by songs; Aleluya, Yo Tengo Gozo, and Cristo me Ama. We split into groups and did our big closing events, to include tee shirts to decorate, and a tooth-brushing demo with a toothbrush for everyone. Several children conned us into more than one toothbrush.

We ended with water balloons, and this activity became quite an event. We started with a plan for one water balloon being tossed at a time. This quickly changed into handing out all of them and trying to get them tossed into the air. Tossing them in the air started but was soon replaced by tossing them in a war fashion at each other. I got smacked on the cheek pretty good. After the clashing, we gave out the booklets describing the proper tooth brushing technique. It was a wild scene to say the least!

We packed up and headed for the orphanage. We came back to the hotel for showers before our adventure dinner. Mark planned a dinner to town at Casa San Juan. We were all pleased to see Dionicio, Amilcar, and Heber join us for dinner. Some had chili rellenos, steaks, chicken, and chorizo. Mark recommended the lemonade and it was great. You could have it with plain water or soda water. Fresh squeezed and wonderful! At the end of dinner the Catholic Church procession with Jesus on the Cross stopped in front of the restaurant. They prayed and had a mini ceremony, which was interesting to watch. We returned to the hotel and had a brief discussion outside on the patio about the day's events. We went to bed for our last night in Chichicastenango.

Saturday am 3/12 - Ken
Bob missed breakfast and "devotions" this morning, but he is better. Almost everyone seems to have some minor health problem or other. Laurie presented Janet a stole on behalf of the group to thank her for letting us come to Guatemala, and she presented a thank you card to Mark. Ken led the "devotion" by doing the "quotes" from the team...see the upcoming DVD.

We packed up and left the hotel around 9:00. The drive to Antigua was fairly scenic. There were a number of large, beautiful colored baskets for sale on the side of the road.

Saturday noon 3/12 - Sharon
We arrived at Hotel Aurora in Antigua. Buenos Tardes! Rooms were not ready so we threw all of the luggage in Janet and Bobs' room. Poor Roberto. Still not well, and still can't lie down. The inside garden of the hotel is simply amazing. Gorgeous flowers of every kind - everywhere - including roses. The group took off in all directions, agreeing to meet at 6:00 to decide on dinner. PS - the drive to Antigua was absolutely stunning - incredibly beautiful countryside. And the snacks in our van couldn't have been better… homemade cookies, mixed nuts, poppycock, cheese nips (reduced fat no less) and almond toffee candy. We will need to remember Janet's fondness for poppycock in case we're ever in a pinch for a gift. Roberto, fortunately, was able to sleep through most of the ride over. It was probably touch and go with most of us fearing the long ride with no all-important pit stops.

Saturday late PM 3/12 - Jan
Most of the healthy mission team went sight seeing and shopping in Antigua. I would say we raised the GNP! Especially in the linen store - most of us made a second trip! Cathy, Jan and Andrea toured the Jades Imperio Maya factory. Cathy purchased a black jade necklace, earrings (custom made in 20 minutes) a bracelet and a ring.

For dinner Mark took us to the "El Sereno" restaurant. The restaurant is housed in one of the most magnificent colonial residences of Antigua. Built in the 16th Century, it is home to one of the 1st gourmet restaurants in Antigua. We had the best seats in the house - we walked up cobblestone stairs lit with candles to the rooftop. MAGNIFICENT VIEW OF THE CITY - Volcano, church, and star lit sky. Back to the hotel at 11 PM to call it a night in the beautiful hotel Aurora! Good night…

Sunday am 3/12 - Jennifer
We wake to a beautiful day. Breakfast at the Aurora Hotel - fruit, coffee, and toast or rolls. The perfect amount! We followed breakfast with a church service and communion lead by Reverend Janet. "Pepsi" read from the Bible, Dale and Kathy passed out communion. We all filled the communion cup with our many blessings of the week and what each person thought they were blessed by most. After church we crammed all our purchases into every bag's nook and cranny, loaded up the buses and headed for the airport. It was a beautiful drive out of Antigua. The airport presented another shopping adventure. There were many last minute purchases to include coffee, jewelry etc

Our flight was slightly delayed out of Guatemala City and many hoped that it wouldn't affect our connection or customs time. I think today will be a long day. Everyone is excited to be going home. Dawn is already napping in the waiting area. Many are reading. A group that we flew over with from Wisconsin on a medical mission is also on our flight home. John was reunited with the gal that lost her passport on our outbound trip. They smiled for a reunion photo. The waiting area for our flight to Houston was crammed and it was hot. A few people were even a little claustrophobic. The plane is here to pick us up. Yea!

Postlude - Laurie
I'm writing this a few days after we returned, so much to think about; so much we've shared. I guess I want to start with a Thank You Lord, for our safe journey home. We left Guatemala City about 30 minutes late but arrived in Houston only about 20 minutes late. Everyone made it through all the checkpoints without a hitch, until Andrea discovered she left her camera back at one of the stops. She and Ken ran full steam back to search for the camera; luckily, they found it and made it back to the plane just in time to board. We were all pretty tired, but excited for the last plane ride home together.

I'm still sorting all the thoughts and emotions felt after our incredible 10 days in Guatemala. I know I've come home once again, a different person. As I shared in Ken's "required" video clip, I went to my third international country, fully expecting to see poverty and children with so many needs, but not expecting my overwhelming sense of ...maybe the word is guilt, or disappointment in myself and for those who have so much. We just have to do more.

It's hard to explain in words the feeling I experience when I see people so connected with God, family and friends. Something I saw in the Guatemalans and in our very own team, it's something I want to take home and share. I find it exciting to see all the emails and seeing that this is not the end of our journey, but only a beginning of the next journey together.

I want to say THANK YOU to everyone! It's because of this special team, which I truly believe God put together for a special reason, that it was a positive and moving experience. Thank you Reverend Janet, for your love and support and guiding us to remember whey we were in Guatemala. Thank you for reminding us to share our many blessings. Thank you Bob, for your constant smile and laughter, I'm so happy the Ginger Chews worked for us! Thank you Mark, for caring so much for all people and your willingness to share your dreams for the people of Guatemala and for not giving me "the look" as I asked yet another question! Thank you Kathy and Dale for your stories and forever in my mind...songs, Yo tengo Gozo, Gozo, Gozo! Thank you Ken, for capturing life and our mission in action; I know we will cherish the pictures and memories forever! Thank you Betsy, for your heart for Bible Day Camp and the children everywhere you are! Thank you John and Sharon for your help in any and every way, especially finding those wonderful gunny sacks! Thank you Dawn and Gene for your endless smiles, laughter and energy for the team and with the Guatemalan children! Thank you Cathy for your much needed Spanish in the markets and for putting together this journal of lifetime memories! Thank you Kris for the endless laughter and friendship and willingness to listen to my thoughts every night! Thank you Suzanne (and Kris) for providing us with delicious lunches, I had forgotten how great a PB and J sandwich can taste. Thank you Andrea for your love of a "trash free" Guatemala and sharing life with so many of the locals down by the lake. Thank you Bev and Jennifer, for organizing wonderful breakfasts and dinners, and keeping our hearts singing as we tried to remember a song from beginning to end. Thank you Terise, for your quiet and gentle manner and the occasional pat on the back with encouragement when I needed it! Thank you Jan, for being our nurse and knowing the rights doses of Imodium!! Thank you Jesus, for teaching that we should be sharing life in service with all those who are in need, and to remember that it shouldn't be a one-time experience, but rather a way to live.