I had the pleasure of spending a week in the beautiful country of Guatemala. Many of my friends and family asked about my trip. I wanted to share with you some highlights of that trip.
Day One - arrival in Guatemala
Our flight landed before lunch into Guatemala City. After gathering our team and all of our luggage, we hopped into the van and made our way from Guatemala City up to Antigua. Guatemala City is not one of my favorite places. It's very urban. Very crowded. A city bustling with life. But it's just too crowded. People everywhere. It's like going into downtown Los Angeles - you almost miss out on what there is to see because of all the other people there. But Antigua, that is different. Antigua is the oldest city in our hemisphere. It's beautiful. Surrounded by active volcanoes and nestled among coffee plantations, it's got a quaint old-world feel to it. I love Antigua. We visited the mercado, one of my least favorite places, on this day. I opted not to go inside because I'm not a fan of hanging meat. I stayed outside and watched people coming and going, buying and selling. I'm a people-watcher.
After the mercado, we took a shopping trip to one of the local grocers to load up on snacks for the long drive from Antigua to the coast, the week at the drill site, and the drive back.
Day two - breakfast, church and travel
We rise early on Sunday to go into Antigua to enjoy breakfast at a little place called Cafe Condessa. This cafe, as delicious as it is, offers a lot more scenery and mystery than it does food. Legend holds that a count found his countess having an affair with hired help and he killed them both, putting their bones in the walls. During renovation, workers found skeletons in the walls. True or not, it definitely adds atmosphere and allure to the bistro-style restaurant. It has lovely fountains, outdoor seating, and the best real-fruit smoothies you'll find anywhere. Here's a picture of Matt & I inside the cafe:
After stopping in the square to buy banana bread (and trust me, this banana bread is worth a special trip!), we headed back to the team house to gather up our stuff and get ready for church. The church is evangelical, laid-back, and similar in style and content to our church here in Sugar Land. I enjoy hearing songs popular back home sung in Spanish by a crowd of Spanish and English speakers alike.
After church, we load up and begin our trip from Antigua to the coastal community of Champerico. The ride is about 4 hours in a van about as comfortable as riding in a cardboard box duct-taped to a skateboard. The roads are bumpy and in disrepair and the rules of driving are... well... nonexistant. Anything goes. Drivers play "chicken" down two-lane roads against other cars, motorcycles, 18-wheelers, ambulances, whatever comes down the path. This is honestly my favorite and least favorite part of the trip. During this drive you will see some amazing geography, like this rock:
And the hillsides covered with lean-tos and "houses" like these:
Once we arrive in Champerico, we get our hotel rooms and settle in for the evening. At this point, everyone is exhausted and looking forward to a hot meal, and a soft bed. Well, at least our food was hot. The hotel rooms are far from luxurious, lacking hot water and towels made of anything softer than sandpaper. But we are not here to be tourists. We are here to serve a community with needs greater than a pillow-top mattress. So, we pray, we eat, we talk, we sleep. And the next morning, we begin our real work...
Day three - drilling & community work begins
We leave the hotel before 7 am. First stop: pick up the drill rig. Once we have all our equipment, we head into the village where we will be serving. This village is called 20 de Octubre. While the "drill team" sets up the rig, discusses the plan, and begins their work at the drill site, the "hygiene team" begins our work, too. We head into the village, door-to-door, inviting women from the community to come into the village to learn about hygiene and the maintenance of their new well. For the most part, we are greeted warmly. Few decline our invitation, although we know that half will not show. Though most of us on the team do not speak fluent Spanish, smiles are universal and we exchange them warmly.
By lunchtime, we have visited the community and have also prepared the first lesson we will teach to the children - handwashing.
Most people don't even really think about this as something that needs to be specially taught. But it does. A lot of people just simply do not know basic hygiene habits. Not because they are stupid, but because no one ever really told them how to do it right. And poor hygiene leads to disease and illness. We want to stop that. We want people to live long, healthy, active lives and thrive. Hopefully, we accomplished that.
Day four - drilling and hygiene continues
Drilling by this day has progressed. The team will drill down to nearly 200 feet. On this day, they will finish drilling the bore hole.
This afternoon, I taught a class to the ladies of the village about dental hygiene. Admittedly, not one of my finer moments. This day was extremely hot, I was tired, dehydrated, and feeling a little uneasy. I had difficulty concentrating. But I managed to teach the lesson without passing out, so I call that a victory. We also taught the children the same lesson and handed out toothbrushes.
Day five - well improvement, hygiene
With the drilling complete, the men cleaned up the rig and prepared the casing to be lowered into the well. At this point, the well stops being a "hole" and starts becoming a "well".
The best part of this day, by far, was the water...
Everything tested well. We knew we had found a clean, reliable, safe drinking water source. It felt good. It felt good to know that we were instrumental in God's plan to provide the community with clean water, and teach them how to keep it - and themselves - clean. I know that God was praised that day.
Day six - dedicate the well, travel back to Antigua
The final steps to make the hole into a well are done on this day. All the hardware is attached, and the pump is lowered into the hole:
At the end of it all, this is what it's all about:
After the dedication service at the church, we load up and head back up to Antigua. The drive is long, but 90% of us pass out on the way. We can overlook the discomfort of the rickety van and terrible roads - we are exhausted. The bunk beds of the Antigua team house have never looked better. That night, we enjoy Domino's pizza, talk about our "adventures", fellowship, and praise God for our health and safety. Then, we call it a night.
Day seven - tourist!
Most of us sleep in. We enjoy a delicious home-cooked breakfast at the team house before heading out to sight-see, shop, and enjoy the city of Antigua. Our first stop is the giant cross that overlooks Antigua. Next, we visit the jade factory (one of my favorite stops). Then, we enjoy lunch before we shop. The shopping is an experience not to be missed. We bought 10 lbs of coffee, a jade chess set, a purse, 3 socker jerseys, 1 soccer jacket, 2 Christmas ornaments, 2 decorative water bottle holders, 2 book marks, 3 bracelets, a wooden cross, 2 magnets, jade earrings, 2 jade pendants, a picture frame, a Mayan figurine, a shotglass, 6 Cuban cigars, and 2 t-shirts for about $150. If you're not negotiating, you're over paying by at least double! There is an art to negotiating a bargain here, and I personally like it! Dave Ramsey would approve! The shopping is almost as fun as the actual buying! And if you see it in one store or booth, you're sure to see it in another! No need to continue negotiating with a vendor who won't budge. It's a lot of fun, and I look forward to this part of the trip every time.
With our loot in hand, we head back to the team house. We eat one last dinner together, talk, and head off to bed. Morning comes early for this team.
Final day - travel home
We leave for the airport before the sun rises. We load up the van with our luggage, load ourselves into the van, and head down the mountain toward Guatemala City. With the airport in sight, we shake the sleep from our eyes and prepare to head back to the States. We clear security and watch the sun rise through the terminal windows. Then, the quick flight over the Gulf and back into Texas. We're tired. We're hungry. We're cranky. We're ready to go back to bed (we've been up since 3 am). We get through customs, get our luggage, and drive home. Maybe this would be a good time to reflect on our trip, but we're too exhausted. The laundry can wait...
After a few days of unpacking, washing filthy Guatemalan mud from our clothes, and distributing the gifts and souveniers, we realize that the year we have to wait from now until the next trip is a long one.
We are signed up for Guatemala 2012. Can't wait...
Day One - arrival in Guatemala
Our flight landed before lunch into Guatemala City. After gathering our team and all of our luggage, we hopped into the van and made our way from Guatemala City up to Antigua. Guatemala City is not one of my favorite places. It's very urban. Very crowded. A city bustling with life. But it's just too crowded. People everywhere. It's like going into downtown Los Angeles - you almost miss out on what there is to see because of all the other people there. But Antigua, that is different. Antigua is the oldest city in our hemisphere. It's beautiful. Surrounded by active volcanoes and nestled among coffee plantations, it's got a quaint old-world feel to it. I love Antigua. We visited the mercado, one of my least favorite places, on this day. I opted not to go inside because I'm not a fan of hanging meat. I stayed outside and watched people coming and going, buying and selling. I'm a people-watcher.
After the mercado, we took a shopping trip to one of the local grocers to load up on snacks for the long drive from Antigua to the coast, the week at the drill site, and the drive back.
Day two - breakfast, church and travel
We rise early on Sunday to go into Antigua to enjoy breakfast at a little place called Cafe Condessa. This cafe, as delicious as it is, offers a lot more scenery and mystery than it does food. Legend holds that a count found his countess having an affair with hired help and he killed them both, putting their bones in the walls. During renovation, workers found skeletons in the walls. True or not, it definitely adds atmosphere and allure to the bistro-style restaurant. It has lovely fountains, outdoor seating, and the best real-fruit smoothies you'll find anywhere. Here's a picture of Matt & I inside the cafe:
After stopping in the square to buy banana bread (and trust me, this banana bread is worth a special trip!), we headed back to the team house to gather up our stuff and get ready for church. The church is evangelical, laid-back, and similar in style and content to our church here in Sugar Land. I enjoy hearing songs popular back home sung in Spanish by a crowd of Spanish and English speakers alike.
After church, we load up and begin our trip from Antigua to the coastal community of Champerico. The ride is about 4 hours in a van about as comfortable as riding in a cardboard box duct-taped to a skateboard. The roads are bumpy and in disrepair and the rules of driving are... well... nonexistant. Anything goes. Drivers play "chicken" down two-lane roads against other cars, motorcycles, 18-wheelers, ambulances, whatever comes down the path. This is honestly my favorite and least favorite part of the trip. During this drive you will see some amazing geography, like this rock:
And the hillsides covered with lean-tos and "houses" like these:
Once we arrive in Champerico, we get our hotel rooms and settle in for the evening. At this point, everyone is exhausted and looking forward to a hot meal, and a soft bed. Well, at least our food was hot. The hotel rooms are far from luxurious, lacking hot water and towels made of anything softer than sandpaper. But we are not here to be tourists. We are here to serve a community with needs greater than a pillow-top mattress. So, we pray, we eat, we talk, we sleep. And the next morning, we begin our real work...
Day three - drilling & community work begins
We leave the hotel before 7 am. First stop: pick up the drill rig. Once we have all our equipment, we head into the village where we will be serving. This village is called 20 de Octubre. While the "drill team" sets up the rig, discusses the plan, and begins their work at the drill site, the "hygiene team" begins our work, too. We head into the village, door-to-door, inviting women from the community to come into the village to learn about hygiene and the maintenance of their new well. For the most part, we are greeted warmly. Few decline our invitation, although we know that half will not show. Though most of us on the team do not speak fluent Spanish, smiles are universal and we exchange them warmly.
By lunchtime, we have visited the community and have also prepared the first lesson we will teach to the children - handwashing.
Most people don't even really think about this as something that needs to be specially taught. But it does. A lot of people just simply do not know basic hygiene habits. Not because they are stupid, but because no one ever really told them how to do it right. And poor hygiene leads to disease and illness. We want to stop that. We want people to live long, healthy, active lives and thrive. Hopefully, we accomplished that.
Day four - drilling and hygiene continues
Drilling by this day has progressed. The team will drill down to nearly 200 feet. On this day, they will finish drilling the bore hole.
This afternoon, I taught a class to the ladies of the village about dental hygiene. Admittedly, not one of my finer moments. This day was extremely hot, I was tired, dehydrated, and feeling a little uneasy. I had difficulty concentrating. But I managed to teach the lesson without passing out, so I call that a victory. We also taught the children the same lesson and handed out toothbrushes.
Day five - well improvement, hygiene
With the drilling complete, the men cleaned up the rig and prepared the casing to be lowered into the well. At this point, the well stops being a "hole" and starts becoming a "well".
The best part of this day, by far, was the water...
Everything tested well. We knew we had found a clean, reliable, safe drinking water source. It felt good. It felt good to know that we were instrumental in God's plan to provide the community with clean water, and teach them how to keep it - and themselves - clean. I know that God was praised that day.
Day six - dedicate the well, travel back to Antigua
The final steps to make the hole into a well are done on this day. All the hardware is attached, and the pump is lowered into the hole:
At the end of it all, this is what it's all about:
After the dedication service at the church, we load up and head back up to Antigua. The drive is long, but 90% of us pass out on the way. We can overlook the discomfort of the rickety van and terrible roads - we are exhausted. The bunk beds of the Antigua team house have never looked better. That night, we enjoy Domino's pizza, talk about our "adventures", fellowship, and praise God for our health and safety. Then, we call it a night.
Day seven - tourist!
Most of us sleep in. We enjoy a delicious home-cooked breakfast at the team house before heading out to sight-see, shop, and enjoy the city of Antigua. Our first stop is the giant cross that overlooks Antigua. Next, we visit the jade factory (one of my favorite stops). Then, we enjoy lunch before we shop. The shopping is an experience not to be missed. We bought 10 lbs of coffee, a jade chess set, a purse, 3 socker jerseys, 1 soccer jacket, 2 Christmas ornaments, 2 decorative water bottle holders, 2 book marks, 3 bracelets, a wooden cross, 2 magnets, jade earrings, 2 jade pendants, a picture frame, a Mayan figurine, a shotglass, 6 Cuban cigars, and 2 t-shirts for about $150. If you're not negotiating, you're over paying by at least double! There is an art to negotiating a bargain here, and I personally like it! Dave Ramsey would approve! The shopping is almost as fun as the actual buying! And if you see it in one store or booth, you're sure to see it in another! No need to continue negotiating with a vendor who won't budge. It's a lot of fun, and I look forward to this part of the trip every time.
With our loot in hand, we head back to the team house. We eat one last dinner together, talk, and head off to bed. Morning comes early for this team.
Final day - travel home
We leave for the airport before the sun rises. We load up the van with our luggage, load ourselves into the van, and head down the mountain toward Guatemala City. With the airport in sight, we shake the sleep from our eyes and prepare to head back to the States. We clear security and watch the sun rise through the terminal windows. Then, the quick flight over the Gulf and back into Texas. We're tired. We're hungry. We're cranky. We're ready to go back to bed (we've been up since 3 am). We get through customs, get our luggage, and drive home. Maybe this would be a good time to reflect on our trip, but we're too exhausted. The laundry can wait...
After a few days of unpacking, washing filthy Guatemalan mud from our clothes, and distributing the gifts and souveniers, we realize that the year we have to wait from now until the next trip is a long one.
We are signed up for Guatemala 2012. Can't wait...
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