Today is our last full day in Guatemala. This morning we visited the Seminary and met Oscar and Anna Marie Compose. We were impressed with the facility and the work they doing. We have cleaned, packed and finished projects, and plan to see a presentation of the Passion tonight before leaving tomorrow morning. Right now we are going to visit the village above the Oasis. See you tomorrow.
Today was our last full work day. The house we have been working on has suspended ceiling throughout, working lights in every room, and it is painted. Except for lacking plumbing fixtures, furniture, and windows, the house can be used. The other small house has been painted and now has furniture. Even as they are both are far better than many of the houses within a few blocks of the Oasis. The metal railing to the second floor of the multipurpose building has been repaired and painted. We taught our last lesson to the girls. Tonight we are having a bonfire to toast marshmallows. Tomorrow we will visit Oscar and Maria Compos in Guatemala City before a partial day of work and preparing to return home on Sunday night. Yours in Christ.
We are being encouraged and amused by the comments on the blog. Today we worked at the Oasis. The suspended ceiling is over half completed, and most of the wiring has been completed. The storage room that was sanded was vaccuumed and washed. More shelving and cabinets have been built and painted. Other jobs, like making curtain rods and other repairs, are well under way. The Bible work with the girls covered creation as the theme today, so the girls and house parents created oatmeal raisin cookies which were new to them and very well received. Tomorrow will be another working day.
Tuesday the team worked on many construction projects. Some hung suspended ceiling in the roooms that were painted Monday. Some worked on the plumbing and wiring. Some worked on building shelves and cabinets. Some repaired rust damage to metal stairs and railings and then painted them. Some sanded rough hewn boards from which storage shelves had been build so items would not get caught on the shelves. We ate lunch in the group homes with the girls, house parents, and staff members who interpreted. The five of us working with the girls in the afternoons discussed the name of God, made banners, and played games. That night we visited Doug and Sara Johnson at their home in Guatemala City. Wednesday we traveled to Zapote, an impoverished village that required riding in trucks and fording four rivers to visit. The church in San Lucas has established an educational program there that last year involved about 50 kindergarten age children, and this year has grown to over 70 children ranging from age 5 to about age 8. We issued each child a T shirt that said God Loves . We helped put the name of each child on the shirt and then sprayed each shirt so that it looked tie dyed. We then spent the afternoon traveling up the side of Mount Pacaya. We drove to a village near the top and then either walked or rode horses about 2400 meters higher. The mountain is an active volcana, and we were able to walk across recent lava flows to get to within a few feet of flowing lava. This was an experience none of us had ever had before and probably would never have again. The trip left most of us feeling our age... very tired and sore. The next three days are work days. More later.
Sunday morning we attended the largest mega church in Central America. Of course the service was in Spanish, but they church provides headphones that has someone who translates into English. Unfortunately their rechargeable batteries only last a maximum of 20 minutes of their 90 minute service. It was still impressive. In the afternoon we went to the old capital of Guatemala Antigua which has massive religious parades that are internationally known. Among other things hundreds of men and boys are dressed in purple and line the street, some are dressed as Roman soldiers, and over 200 men help carry a float weighing several hundred kilograms and depict different scenes from the Passion. The incense was heavy from dozens of incense burners carried by men and boys in purple. The celebrations go to the city square and are done almost daily until Easter. Monday we began actually working on painting, wiring, and carpentry. Five of us worked with the girls and house parents from 3-5 and intend to do so again on Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. More news later.
Lacking Wes and Pat Hill we left Bloomington at 6 am Friday, flew to Atlanta and on to Guatemala City. Pat got sick so they did not go with us. Everyone arrived safely with no lost luggage. Saturday morning we traveled to The Eagles Nest, which is an orphanage overlooking Lake Aatitlan. The nearest town to it is Solala. After that we traveled to Panjachel, a town on the lake for lunch and shopping. Tomorrow will be church in Guatemala City and a visit to Guatemala Antiqua. Monday we will start on our construction projects. Yours in Christ, David Messenger.
