We had the unique priviledge of traveling to Guatemala as a family with Living Waters to install a water purification system for the town of Panajachel. When we returned, many people asked us how our trip was ... and I found I could not give a single word answer. I found myself wanting to sit and tell the whole story to them because one word would not suffice. Our trip was filled with all the things God had prepared for us ahead, both hardships and blessings. But if it had to be, perhaps the best word would be "challenging". And I don't mean this in a completely negative tone. It challenged my faith, it challenged my world view, it challenged my parenting, it challenged my ability to see beyond myself, and on and on. And through these challenges I felt we all grew so much. We witnessed our children struggling to reconcile the realities of a 3rd world country to their own reality living in the richest country on earth. We saw them blossom into children with compassion as they shared what they had with others. I experienced a transformation of understanding the hardships of the women and mothers I met from knowledge and facts to heart and mercy. We all gained a deeper grasp on Hope.
It was not an easy trip. We asked a great deal of our children. And in return we were immensely blessed to see the Hope that began to spread around us through the medium of water!
The town of Panajachel located on the edge of the lake.
The street where our hotel was located that we walked up and down each day. We ate all our meals in local restaurants. Being immersed in the city was a great experience.
The local culture was one of our favorite parts of the trip!!
The church that hosted the water purification system. It will now be their job to maintain and share this commodity for the well being of their community.
Our escorts for the week, local missionaries Johnny and Maria.
The hotel we called home for a week.
The school where the water purification system is housed.
The building constructed above the school that would hold the water purification system. The school children had decorated it in anticipation of our arrival.
Adalie enjoying some of the decorations while the fellas got started for the day.
Josiah and Adalie helping Daddy with the water tanks.
Josiah and Adalie with our women's hygiene instructor Ana. Ana is a natural teacher. She immediately connected with the women and was very effective instructor and best of all she spoke their native language!
The most important thing the women claimed to have learned.... that they should wash their hands!!
Sharing sweet bread and coffee with some of the local women. Josiah and Adalie thought they were Big Time Operators getting coffee to drink!
We had the great pleasure of watching our girls graciously interact with children that looked different, dressed different and spoke an unfamiliar language.
Josiah and Yoselyn, both 6 years old.
Despite their many differences, grace surrounded them.
Mommy and Adalie waiting for our pancakes at a local restaurant.
Central American Missionaries Compound.... where we hope to stay on our next visit into Guatemala! Oh the room we would have all had to run, the view of the lake and of course the jungle gym too!
Josiah and Adalie taking a rare few minutes to act their age with our team leader Mark.
Josiah and Adalie using their imaginations and having a blast making their cakes made of dirt.
Adalie getting a fresh breath of freedom, playing soccer at the school.
Soccer time. We were so grateful for these moments our girls could play. Most of the time they had to be close under foot so this was treat!
Josiah and her soup. To celebrate the completion of the water system, we shared a traditional meal prepared by some of the women from the church.
The women who prepared our traditional meal.
Thank goodness for the bread this day.... although it was a delicious meal, there was no getting any of it past Adalie's lips!
Josiah and Adalie with the local church and community leaders and their wives who all worked to bring clean water to their town.
Water system completed!
On the night of the celebration, our girls learning to be Guatemalan girls by carrying things on their heads.
Mission accomplished; pure, clean, drinkable water.
A few hours to spare on our travels back home to see some of the sights in a very civilized Antigua.
Thank you to all those who supported and encouraged us in preparation for this trip.
Real camping... according to 2 little girls who live in the mountains, real camping is not; sleeping out under the stars on the Party Barge (a favorite Friday night activity), nor is it pitching a tent in the yard! So, at the insistence of 2 little girls, we all piled into the truck, dog and all, in search of a true camping experience.....
We found the perfect campsite with a little creek running through. The girls entertained themselves forever hopping across the rocks.
We cooked our dinner over a fire.
Josiah was the head cook (6yrs).
We had Hot Chocolate and S'mores. There were 3 of us that ate the traditional s'mores with a Hershey's chocolate and a perfectly roasted marshmallow smashed in between 2 pieces of graham crackers YUM. And 1 of us ate the chocolate and graham crackers separately and just enjoyed watching the marshmallows on the end of her stick burn!! Wonder Who??
We washed our dishes in the creek. (Adalie 3yrs)
We hung a clothes line.
We climbed trees.
We savored the playtime of just us 4!! 2 little girls in disguise "visited" our campsite.
We slept/froze in our tent.
We hiked to the perfect swimming hole.
I think all would agree..... we had the greatest camping weekend of all!
