Semana Dos (Week 2)

Well, this has been a week full of adventures and challenges!

Last Saturday, we thought we'd go to a FREE concert by the Notre Dame choir and orchestra taking place in one of the local churches. I guess we didn't think about the fact that this was a pretty big cultural event for the city, and since it was free, everyone and their children and their neighbors and their neighbors' children would come. We got there at least 20 minutes early, only to find every seat in the magnificent cathedral filled. We thought we might tough it out and stand in the middle isle almost at the very back, but as more and more people pushed their way in (there seems to be no concept of "personal space" here) and as it got hotter and hotter (there is also not much concept of an air conditioner here), we decided that two songs were enough for us to hear. After all, we can visit the Schermerhorn when we get home!

This has been a tough week for learning Spanish, especially for Kris. With us being at different levels of Spanish knowledge (since I had 2 years in high school and Kris has no history with the language), it has been difficult. Plus, learning a new language is just plain HARD sometimes. Kris has really been frustrated, but God has been faithful to bring him some patience and peace right when he needed it. Nevertheless, we would still appreciate your prayers for both of us as we work through the upcoming weeks of intensive learning.

On Tuesday, our mission contact in Guatemala City, Christian Aponte, picked us up around lunchtime and took us to his workplace in the city. He works with CAFNIMA , an organization that is located near a large dump and that reaches out to several of the poorest and most violent areas or zones in the city. Included among the activities and services the organization has to offer are: micro-credit loans for women and tracking of their business success (there are over 300 women presently benefiting and succeeding with this service), literacy classes for women (one of these classes is taught by a very enthusiastic former graduate of this program), a kindergarten for children from struggling families in one of the most dangerous areas, and high school level night classes for young adults who never finished school (9 students recently graduated from this program with a high school diploma). Christian took us on a short tour through some of the closest communities that make their living off of collecting recycling goods from the dump. We did not take our camera because 1)we didn't want to draw attention to ourselves and risk having it stolen and 2)there is no way to capture the poverty or way of life of the people there. If you wanna picture it, think of the slums in Slumdog Millionare and you're pretty close. Christian talked about many struggles these people face... sniffing glue, many women in depression, children in the streets with no playground and parents not sending them to school, abusive husbands... not to mention sanitation and physical health issues. Overall, we were very impressed with CAFNIMA's work and their passion to invest in these people who are so often overlooked and literally left at the curbside. You can't convince us that CAFNIMA is not being the hands and feet of Christ in Guatemala City.

On Wednesday, we took a trip with our school to the House of Artisans in Textiles. We got to watch a man making a tablecloth by hand using a wooden machine that was approximately 100 years old! We were very impressed! Somehow, through American industrialism and such, I believe we have lost this art in the states. Of course, we had to buy a few hand towels from there store, especially when each one sold for less than $1!

Today, we spoke with Christian again and found out that we will be returning to Benitzul Ulpan this coming weekend. We are very excited about returning to our friends there and checking up on their new clean water system! We are also excited about visting several neighboring villages (a few "neighbors" to be reached only by a two-hour walk through the mountains) and exploring the prospects of future clean water, engineering, and literacy projects to take place there! We have no idea what God has in store, but we are ready and willing to follow Him! We would appreciate your prayers for discernment here...

Also today, we walked around the city and through the HUGE outdoor market. I don't know that words can really describe all the colors and scents, but maybe pictures can help you visualize (I don't think you'd really miss the smells)...