pictures!!!!! more to come

the group arriving to Guatemala

La Finca, also known as the coffee plantation

Guatemala from the sky as we arrive 7/1.

banana trees on the finca

Waterfall on our hike through the Finca

Courtyard at COFA, the Catholic retreat center we are staying at

The view while hiking up Mount Baul on July 4, 2010

Another view from the top of Mount Baul July 4, 2010

COFA, where we are are staying in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala

Miguel Angel Asturias Academy 2010

Volcan (Volcano)Santa Maria

A classroom at the Asturias Academy

Two students waiting for gym class to start

First day at The Asturias Academy

Yesterday (Monday) we finally arrived at “The Academy”, which is a short walk from COFA where we stay. We were met with the sounds of children settling into their classrooms. The younger children (preschool – 5th grade) attend from 8 to 12:45, followed by the older kids. The smiles and banter of the children were familiar in any language. Boy, are these kids cute, all dressed up in their sweat suit academy uniforms, as Monday is PE day. For us, this is an orientation and planning day. First came the tour. The building is 3 stories, the 3rd being the new addition to house more classroom space and the long-awaited library. Construction is in final phases. Back to ground floor -There is an inner courtyard used for PE and recess. We watched classes, one by one, go to PE. The gym teacher led them through a serious of exerices, counting 1-10 for each set. If we didn’t know how to count to ten in Spanish before then, we sure do now!  Mid-morning came recess. Who can explain the amazing sharing of this small courtyard among all the kids with several soccer games and a bb game going on SIMULTANTEOUSLY!! It was crazy and amazing. We were encouraged to get in there and play with the kids and we did – basketball, that is. Who can keep up with these kids in a game of soccer?? Some also engaged the young girls in the Mayan version of duck-duck-goose. Many photos were taken of us and our new friends. OK, now on to the mundane. After getting all sweated up at recess, we went into our planning session for the next 3 days of health education. As the school day closed for the younger kids, the older kids arrived and looked the part of the pre-teen and teen years. Some were grouped in the courtyard for some problem-solving. Our school day ends here and we headed to Dona Margarita’s again for lunch – chix, cucumber and tomato salad, rice ..and , of course, tortillas.”………………….On to our afternoon cultural activity. We walked several blocks to the Museum of Mayan Clothing. We were given an extensive talk and tour by the 2 women proprietors about the history and symbolism of clothing styles, designs and colors of the various groups of Mayan people. Very interesting, although I have to say that our feet were killing us after standing on concrete floors all afternoon. We walked back to the COFA, again taking in the city with all its contrasts and similarities to our life – the Dominos pizza place – but with delivery made by motorcyles with little hot keepers on the back, the uneven sidewalks, the boulevards being beautified with flowers, the many “repurposed buildings”, an occasional new building, and block after block of storefronts/houses selling their goods from appliances to fresh produce………..Evening started with an early (6 p.m.) dinner at Dona Margarita’s, where we linked up with Dr. Jim Crofoot for the first time. His parents are members of CUMC and he is in residency in Washingon DC. He has come down to do some medical work in the area and has brought medicine for the Asutias clinic. At the  conclusion of diner, our host family took us too business next door. They make 2000 tortillas by hand per day!! .. and sell them at the window there. This has given her enough income to send all 5 of her kids to school……… The rest of the evening was spent at the COFA. We were happy to see our towels and sheets had been changed. 🙂 Some of us rested or journalled, while other worked on organizing the medical supplies we will start bringing over to the school tomorrow. Many of these were bought with generous donations from you all in Rockford;others were donated.  All the supplies have to be formally inventoried and documented for the academy…. Diane

Feliz Dia de la Independencia!

Today was another adventurous day in Xela. We had our first meal at Dona Margarita’s home… corn flakes con leche, panquecas, pan, y cafe. After breakfast we had a meeting to reflect on our observations thus far. It is amazing how much we have seen and done already! We all agreed that the simplicity of life is something to be admired. To celebrate the holiday in Guatemala we hiked La Mountana Baul, a mountain in Xela that is 9,000 feet above sea level (more than twice the elevation of Denver!!). It took about 30 minutes to get to the top where we enjoyed a beautiful view of the city. We worked up an appetite hiking up and sliding down the mountain on concrete slides. They were a little more risky than what you would see on a playground in the United States. To increase speed, materials like cardboard and plastic bottles were used to slide down. Only one wipe out and no broken bones. We feel that the natives were quite proud of us. Lunch, prepared by Chris and Alyssa, was a traditional 4th of July cookout combined with Guatemalan food. We felt sorry for the many dogs that have been abandoned. So, they shared in our feast. We even had a surprise firework show that ended our cookout before rain came tumbling down. We then ventured down the mountain, past a few small mudslides to a cafe called Al-Natur. Here Mario, the owner of the cafe, provided us with delicious, Arabica coffee. Which is one of the world’s finest coffee. His organization is in place to employ widowed women as a result of the civil war and victims of abuse. After purchasing organic goods from the cafe, all 17 of us piled into an 8 passenger van. Good thing it was a short ride back to the Cofa. We ended our day with a traditional Guatemalan dinner prepared by Dona Margarita and her ninos. The group surprised Jessie and Ashley with a pastel de fruta (cake with sliced fruit topping). We enjoyed learning about Dona Margarita’s family and her daughter’s recent quinceanera. Now, everyone is tucked in bed and ready to begin work at the school and clinic tomorrow!

Casey, Vanessa, Jessie, and Maria

Dia Dos, “Welcome to the Jungle”

What an awesome day full of adventure!!  This is going to be difficult to vision but just wait until you see the pictures and video.  We all hopped in the back of an old 1983 Toyota pick up truck and held on for dear life.  We had an awesome view on our drive to the other part of the Finca which in total was 150 acres. This is where the jungle comes in  🙂  As we turned and bumped around on these stone roads dodging trees on the way, we began the hike of a lifetime.  Our group guide was Willam, a missionary living in Guatemala, very nice guy.  The view in almost every spot was gorgeous, pictures almost do not do any justice.  About half way through the hike, we had a choice…go the easy route or the extreme route.  From here on, the description of the hike will be from the extreme route which about 9 of us took.  We arrived at the first challenge, and long steep downhill drop.  As we reached the bottom, we came across a beautiful natural spring flowing with crystal clear water…what a site to see!!!  Next challenge, climbing 80 meters up a 45-50 degree slop clinging on to the native vines.  As we climbed up, it seemed as though we were all running up the slop to get to the top as fast as we could.  According to Willam, we were the fastest group to reach the top…something to be proud of.  At the top, we walked through a bamboo forest.  The bamboo was so abundant and very cool to walk through.  Finally we reached the end and met the rest of the group.  Hopping back into the old truck, we attempted 4 times to reach the top of the hill….well that did not work too well. After we jumped off then back on, we chugged our way to the top, almost like the little engine that could.  The ride back was fun!!  We will try post the video, you will laugh so hard!

Lunch was served.  we had pork in a red sauce with white rice.  Following lunch, we packed up and headed to the next stop, Xela to the catholic retreat center.  The rooms are small but very clean.  There is a gorgeous courtyard right at the bottom of the stairs leading into the main enterance.  As we got settled in, we decided where to go for our first night out for dinner. We went through town and arrived at a quaint little restaurant, La Taqueria. The food was great, very authentic and the atmosphere provided a great deal of insight to the Guatemalan culture.  Following dinner, we jumped into cabs and headed back to Cofa (the retreat enter). Now time for sleep… the long day of travel is finally catching up to some of us.  Tomorrow is July 4 and Jessie’s birthday.  We are looking forward to spending the day on top of a mountain near the volcano and having a cookout as we would back in the United States.  Adios mis amigos!! keep following our group, we miss you all but are having the time of our life!!!

Rachel

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JESSIE

Waking up on the finca (coffe plantation)

Good morning, world! What a blessing to wake up refreshed after our arduous travel day yesterday. With window open, we slept to the sound of light rain and a rushing stream. As the sun rose, we were awakened by the sounds of roosters, the 3 plantation dogs, birds and a squealing that I presume to have been monkeys. I enjoyed being the early riser and got to watch the finca workers assemble, listen to their banter and then see them walk down the “road” bearing wooden “backpacks” stuffed with supplies and machetes at their sides. In daylight I can now see the beauty of our surroundings that we couldn’t see last night in the dark. Looking over the veranda I take in  a grove of palms trees, red flowers of some sort and bright green large parrots flying between the trees.

The kitchen workers are busy preparing us breakfast, which won’t be ready for awhile yet. In the meantime, we sip coffee and tea and plan for the day’s activities on the finca. Some have gone on a little hike in search of mangos. Arming ourself with mosquito spray and sunscreen, we look forward to the adventures of the day. Mark and Anna Marie (finca owners) are wonderful hosts.    Diane

We’re Here!

What a day we’ve had. We left church at 3am and everything went smoothly (We highly recommend Mexicana airlines) until we got to Guatemala…minus one suitcase.(We have hopes that it will be delivered tomorrow) then about 3:15 the fun began…Our luggage was strapped to the top of 2 vans, we folded ourselves into the seats and we were off on 4 hour ride to the Coffee Finca.  Turns out the bridge was out out on the main highway because of the tropical storms and we were forced to take the longer route which turned out to be very long and winding. I guess we should have been concerned when Chris was passing out dramamine as soon as we got in the van.  🙂 We hit rush hour traffic in Guatemala City which gave us a lot of time to take in the people, culture, and experience the driving habits of Guatemalans.  Just to put you at ease our drivers were extremely professional, although I can’t say the same of the rest. There don’t seem to be any rules of the road at all.   Then we drove through a seemingly endless town that was down to one lane in parts because the tropical storms washed away part of the road.  Just going through it took 2 hours, and it should have only taken 10 minutes.  We saw a lot of autoparts that we could use (grilles, hubcaps, paint…etc ) that we could use to really pimp out our church van!  Then we started winding through the mountains, but the problem was we had to go slower because occassionly our side of the road was full of debris from the storms and we were routed to one lane of the oncoming traffic.  Luckily all the drivers seemed to understand this traffic pattern.  then of course we hit rain and as we went lower there was fog, and some confusion over the directions to the actual finca which chris handled very well.  and then only 7 1/2 hours later we arrived at the finca which is quite quaint, although very humid.  We had a delicious guatemalan dinner of vegetable soup, fajitas with fresh mangos and plantains, as well hibiscus tea.  Yum!  We are now off to bed, and hope to meet in the morning for fresh coffee and a tour of the coffee plantation.  We have survived “the travel day!!   More details to come…

Items to come later…

In checking with the hospital, the items we wanted were non-stock items and will be in after the July 4th holiday.  So they will go to Guatemala with Warrens’ daughter at a later time.  I, too, am anxious to see the beautiful country of Guatemala and hope we can be of some help and bring hope to a country which has many problems.  After reading the book about the native Mayan woman, I feel for the people of this country.  Less than 12 hours before we leave.  Suzy Black

“Leavin’ on a Jet Plane”

less than 17 hours to go!!!! I am very excited to see how this amazing group will forever be changed by this journey. We will be the hands and feet of God serving those in need….can it get much better than this??  On a side note, our packing party went well Wednesday night. We were able to fit everything (medical supplies/books/candy etc…) in our suitcases!!! (very proud of our packing skills) See you all at 3AM- DONT FORGET YOUR PASSPORT!!!!!!!!!!!  😀   Adiós mis queridos amigos 

Rachel

9 Days and Counting

My life has taken on a ‘Guatemala’ focus as we prepare for the upcoming trip…gathering supplies for our health education classes with the students, packing up the storybooks and dry erase markders collected at Vacation Bible School, packing up the medical items that we have collected to begin to stock the medical clinic that is being set up, and distributing final information to everyone.  

We are so amazed and blessed by the tremendous support we have received throughout the last few months through your prayers, words of encouragement and your financial contributions.  Because of your generosity, we were able to exceed our goal of raising $10,000 to stock and staff the community/school medical clinic the Asturias Academy is building!  On behalf of the school and the mission team, we thank you and would appreciate your prayers as we continue our preparations and travel to Guatemala.  

submitted by Jody